# Flasks/travel cups



## jimbow (Oct 13, 2011)

Hi folks,

I am after a leakproof vessel that I can use to transport brewed coffee into work in the mornings. The vessel needs to keep the liquid hot for several hours and ideally I would like to be able to drink from it on the train (without having to bring a separate cup in my bag).

I purchased a Contigo travel mug a while back following positive reviews and the fact it is double walled, leak proof and dishwasher safe. Whilst the mug does an okay job of keeping the coffee warm and is definitely leak proof I found that it imparts an unpleasant taste to the coffee - a sort of tang that is very unpleasant. I am not sure if this is coming from the metal container or perhaps more likely the plastic lid.

Does anyone have any suggestions/recommendations on a decent flask or travel mug for coffee that will not leak and will not impart flavour?

Thanks


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## forzajuve (Feb 2, 2011)

http://www.brugomug.co.uk/

I'm in a similar situation and looking at these. Might take the plunge and see how it works out. Temperature and practicality look good, nothing on flavour though really.


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## coffeebean (Jan 26, 2010)

The Brugo mugs are great travel mugs - keep coffee hot for ages, they are not leakproof though so if you were planning to chuck the mug in a bag or something it would probably leak. If you just want to hold it or put it in a car cupholder, it's great!


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## lookseehear (Jul 16, 2010)

coffeebean said:


> The Brugo mugs are great travel mugs - keep coffee hot for ages, they are not leakproof though so if you were planning to chuck the mug in a bag or something it would probably leak. If you just want to hold it or put it in a car cupholder, it's great!


That's odd - on their website they say 100% leakproof - have you used one and found it leaks? I'm starting a much longer commute in a few weeks so might pick one up for the train.


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## coffeebean (Jan 26, 2010)

I sell them - they are definitely not 100% leakproof but as long as you aren't shaking the cup around all over the place, and are using it normally...it won't leak!

Andy


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## forzajuve (Feb 2, 2011)

How is for taste? It looks like it has a plastic inside lining rather than stainless steel?


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## Outlaw333 (Dec 13, 2011)

Has anyone tried Making a big Chemex brew or something and sticking it in a flask? I'm debating whether or not to buy a flask for this purpose but If it just makes the coffee taste grim after a while then I won't bother. It would be really nice to take fishing though, so when all the old farts are sat in the fishing lodge drinking their 'drams' of single malk whiskey I can pull out my flask of Chemex brew and avoid the forced mid morning inebriation on the river bank!


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## jimbow (Oct 13, 2011)

I imagine flasks suffer from the same problems as the travel mugs but I am going to give it a go. I have ordered a cheap Thermos flask 0.35l so will see how I get on. I am hoping that it was the plastic lid on the Contigo mug leaching into the coffee and that the flask will be better in this regard.


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## coffeebean (Jan 26, 2010)

forzajuve said:


> How is for taste? It looks like it has a plastic inside lining rather than stainless steel?


It does have a plastic inner lining but haven't found any taste issues with mine so far......


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## mike 100 (Jul 15, 2010)

Outlaw333 said:


> Has anyone tried Making a big Chemex brew or something and sticking it in a flask? I'm debating whether or not to buy a flask for this purpose but If it just makes the coffee taste grim after a while then I won't bother. It would be really nice to take fishing though, so when all the old farts are sat in the fishing lodge drinking their 'drams' of single malk whiskey I can pull out my flask of Chemex brew and avoid the forced mid morning inebriation on the river bank!


A good coffee drank with a nice single malt......mmmmmmm!


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## JamesG (Mar 29, 2012)

jimbow said:


> I purchased a Contigo travel mug a while back following positive reviews and the fact it is double walled, leak proof and dishwasher safe. Whilst the mug does an okay job of keeping the coffee warm and is definitely leak proof I found that it imparts an unpleasant taste to the coffee - a sort of tang that is very unpleasant. I am not sure if this is coming from the metal container or perhaps more likely the plastic lid.


Metal tends to impart a metallic flavour on coffee although the lid could still contribute to the unpleasant tang.

How long do you want to keep the coffee hot for? Brewed coffee is volitile and losses flavours quickly. So after 30-40 minutes or so its starts to taste flat.

Also how are you brewing the coffee for your commute? French press coffee doesn't last very long as the colloids suspended in it continue to extract. Coffee filtered with paper tends to keep better.


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## jimbow (Oct 13, 2011)

Thanks, useful stuff.

I am brewing using paper filters for the reason that you mention and because I prefer a cleaner cup anyway.
















I will probably only be keeping the coffee for a couple of hours max but understand that the flavour will degrade. I would like to cut out, or st least limit, the flavours introduced by the vessel itself. I imagine the best way to do this will be a glass lined vessel but there don't seem to be many available these days, and certainly not in the form factor I am after.


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## JamesG (Mar 29, 2012)

I think there was a scare back in the 80s with glass lined vessels. Didn't the glass crack inside one and the user didn't realise and ended up drinking some glass...I could've dreamt that though.

The problem is that the best materials for not transferring flavours i.e. glass and porcelain; don't really lend themselves to the rigours of travel. So a plastic lining is probably your best option.


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## Earlepap (Jan 8, 2012)

What were your findings in the end Jimbow? I want to get a flask to hold 500ml or so and keep the coffee hot for a few hours. It'd be sloshing around in a bag so leakproof is essential.


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## jimbow (Oct 13, 2011)

Unfortunately the Thermos seems to impart a slight tang too although not as bad as with the Contigo. I am still not sure whether this is coming from the stainless steel lining on the vessel or the plastic lid/bung type thingy. For a bigger flask you may be able to get one that is glass lined which I imagine might be better.

I am also now wondering whether the problem might be caused by water chemistry as I am filtering the water prior to brewing.


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## bronc (Dec 10, 2012)

Any new options available on the market? I'm looking for something that won't spill in my bag and can keep the coffee hot/warm for at least a few hours. Any ideas? I don't want to spend upwards of 15 quid..


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## DavidBondy (Aug 17, 2010)

I cannot too highly recommend my zojirushi mug. It has a locking lid and keeps drinks hot for ages. I bought mine in Japan but I know they're available here now. Don't know what they cost.


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## Soll (Nov 10, 2013)

Your right David, they're available here and the reviews are good

http://www.amazon.co.uk/ZOJIRUSHI-Stainless-steel-480ml-Cocoa/dp/B00B1KVCEQ


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## bronc (Dec 10, 2012)

I'll look around a bit more and if I don't find anything cheaper that's what I'll go for. I found in interesting graph on reddit, btw: http://i.imgur.com/Jg66bIa.png

P.S. I think the link from Amazon is with shipping from Japan.


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## ManxStef (Jul 4, 2014)

I'll second the recommendation of the Zojirushi stainless mug, it's great. I got mine from Amazon with Prime shipping (under 'More Buying Options' click the 'XX new' link and then filter by Prime only), which means it'll come from Amazon's UK warehouse and not incur any import duties that a few of the reviewers complained of. It wasn't cheap - I paid £27.80 - but the Contigo it replaced was £24 and the Zojirushi is much better.

There's an excellent comparison of the different travel mugs at The Sweethome:

http://thesweethome.com/reviews/best-travel-mug/

I bought the Zojirushi because the lid locks - I couldn't keep the Contigo in my bag without worrying that it'd leak everywhere, as it's very easy to accidentally press the drinking mechanism. The Zojirushi's lock is really simple and secure, and the lid completely dismantles really easily for cleaning, unlike the Contigo's which doesn't dismantle at all (requiring a soak every time I forgot about it for a day). And yes, I think the Contigo's lid is what gives it the weird tang; the Zojirushi does seem to alter the coffee's taste slightly in the way all flasks do, but nowhere near as badly as the Contigo.

Oh, one thing to watch out for, there are two different options for the internal lining of the Zojirushi: non-stick (polyflon by Daikin, I think) and "SlickSteel". Which you go for depends on how concerned you are about either material. There's a little more info here:

http://www.zojirushi.com/user/scripts/user/prod_faq_list.php?prod_category_id=5#q5


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