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Unsolicited Review: Starbucks Twist-Top Reusable Mug

One of the resolutions I didn't write down but made in my head this year was to generate less trash. We've already started bringing our own bowls to Tampopo (where they give a $.50 discount for doing so) whenever possible, and I decline plastic utensils, paper napkins, and condiment packets whenever I intend to bring food home to eat, but I've still been piling up a ton of plastic and paper just from one regular habit: Getting coffee at Starbucks.

My favorite way to drink coffee (and especially tea) is from a ceramic mug. My second-favorite way to drink coffee is from those paper Starbucks cups with the Solo lids. (I should note that I *hate* to drink tea this way; the only thing worse than drinking tea from a paper cup with a Solo lid is drinking tea from a Styrofoam cup, lid or no lid.)

The reason both paper and mug are fine for coffee has to do with the way I sip and savor my coffee. I like a bit of creamy foam or whipped cream on top of my latte/au lait/light mocha; it lets me start the savoring process without scalding my tongue. Usually by the time the foam or whipped cream is gone, the coffee is at the perfect temperature for drinking (provided it was hot enough to begin with). Plus, I'm a fan of the creamy. Just the way it is.

Anyway, it's been so long since I used a travel mug that I'd forgotten *why* I hadn't used one in so long: namely, they generally provide crappy sipping experiences. (A secondary reason is that the travel mugs I own or admire are the wrong size, usually 16-20oz. when I need 8-12oz.) So with the secondary reason in mind and the primary reason long forgotten, I purchased an 8oz. travel mug with a twist top on Saturday.

It came highly recommended by the barista, who said he loved his; it's a pretty color; the twist top is novel; it's the perfect size for a short latte. What's not to love? I found out on Sunday, when I got a short latte in it. The barista left a nice foamy top on the latte, which I had to sip down a bit in order to screw the top on. This turned out to be the only enjoyable moment of the latte-drinking experience, so I'm glad now for the overfill.

After screwing the top on and twisting it open, I tilted the mug to sipping position... and nothing happened. I tipped it up a bit more. Nothing. I tipped it a bit more...and promptly scalded the back of my tongue as a rush of steaming-hot latte hit it. I spent the entire walk home trying to figure out how to sip from the damn thing, but I never achieved anything other than a dump down the gullet. I finally took the top off and tossed it into the back of the Beaner's tricycle, but I only got two sips before the latte level dropped to the point where I had to stick my nose all the way into the cup and upend it—essentially dumping it down my gullet again.

By the time I arrived home, I was pretty pissed off—and the primary reason for avoiding travel mugs was once again fresh in my mind. Given that this mug was useless with its top on (and even then only until half-empty), I might as well have brought a ceramic mug from home... if only I'd had one the right size for a short. FART.

While purchasing this disappointing twist-top reusable mug, I'd spotted another option that was appealing because it looked just like the standard Starbucks cup, only plastic. (I guess my subconscious was trying to alert me to the sippability factor, but my conscious mind ruled this option out because of size.) It was on the sale table, being holiday-themed, and I considered buying it for Al. I wasn't sure it'd be his thing, though, so I passed.

After consulting him and discovering that it indeed would have been to his liking, and after having the disastrous drinking experience with the twist-top mug, I walked back to the Starbucks with the holiday-themed, cup-style travel mugs and bought two. I still say it's too big for my daily short latte (it's 16oz., which is grande size), but it's nice for taking a homemade hot chocolate in the car. I tested it at my desk this morning, and the sippability is roughly the same as with a standard Starbucks paper cup with Solo lid.

I also got another 8oz. mug with a flip-up plug; it's not as sure a bet on the sippability front as the grande cup, but given the placement of the flow hole, I have hope. If it doesn't work out, I'll be sure to rant about it here. Oh, and I gave the green mug to the nanny, who said she'd try it for tea. It's my guess that she'll be passing it on after one try, too.