Contigo Double Wall Stainless Steel Vacuum Insulated Tumbler

Comment: 4 months, in and this was my #1 purchase around Christmas.

I've dropped it in a board room while presenting, traveled hundreds of miles with a constantly chilled red bull, and thrown it in a bag on the way home. The no-mess no-spill make it a winner, the sexy look is just a bonus. I still love hearing the vacuum sound when I click the button before a quaff.

I read all the reviews, and yes you have to clean the cup by hand, but I've never had the funk growth that people talk about. (It just makes me think they're dirty.) I don't know if the manufacture was right on how long things stay warm or cold, but 2+ hours into my day... my coffee is still warm, and 4+ hours later... I still have ice with my water. Probably going to buy everyone in my fam one this year!

Comment: Me: Average thirty-something male computer geek coffee drinker (black: no cream or sugar) who actually enjoys the taste of well prepared coffee.

My Quest: Find a coffee cup that has as little plastic in it as possible (dislike plastic taste) that is dishwasher safe (I am lazy).

This Mug:

I searched long and hard and at the moment this is the best mug I could find to meet my needs.

Pros:

* Dishwasher safe (although it seems to leave a coffee 'film' which can be removed with a simple wipe if I'm feeling up to it).
* Spill-proof! (this wasn't really one of my requirements but I'm still amazed: After several months of usage (abuse) no leaks!)
* Mostly metal (at least the coffee isn't 'stewing' in plastic).

Cons:

* The plastic of the lid is 'tasteable'. Not horribly bad but it is there if you search for it especially at the begining of the cup.

Summary:

Best mug out there at this point in time.

Some day somebody will create a lid that isn't plastic (or a coating for the plastic to seal it from the contents). Alas that time is not the present.

Comment: I love my new cup! When it tips over it never spills. Keeps my tea hot for hours!!! Love it! Want to get another!

Comment: I purchased this Contigo stainless steel mug to replace an aging Oxo Good Grips stainless steel travel mug that was impossible to clean completely and was wearing out. I thought the Contigo lid would be easier to clean than Oxo's enclosed, multi-seal lid, but it's still a challenge to keep clean and maintain a reliable seal.

As others have commented, the mug works best when new and clean. The liquid seal is tight and reliable. But unless you use it primarily for water, the lid mechanism with gum up over time and prevent a water-tight seal. To prevent coffee/cream/sugar deposits from gumming up the mechanism, you have to be very vigilant and disciplined in cleaning the lid after each days use. I agree with several reviewers that you should try to rinse or clean the lid before the mug has a chance to sit empty. Here's the cleaning regime I follow - with mixed results, as the lid seal still isn't always completely tight:
After each days use I fill the the mug half-full with hot water and shake it vigorously. About every other night, I let it sit upside down with hot water. Once a week, I place the lid in the top shelf of the dishwasher. I've also used pipe cleaners to try to get at the gunk in the lid, and soaked the lid overnight in soap solution, with mixed results.

Some reviews have commented on the need to relieve the pressure in the mug before taking a sip, particularly after its just been filled with hot liquid. I have no problem with this, and have made it a habit to "burp" the mug shortly after filling it up in the morning. This quirk also tells me whether or not the lid seal is clean and working: if I don't hear/feel any air escaping when I push the lid button, I know the seal isn't airtight and isn't completely clean. As a side note, the Oxo lid always seemed to be water-tight, even though the interior mechanism was gummed up.

While I really like the styling and functionality of the mug, I can't give it more than three stars, due to the effort required to keep the lid mechanism reasonably clean. Despite various cleaning techniques, the lid is only sometimes water-tight. I can use it and carry it relatively upright, but can't rely on it to be completely water-tight.

Comment: I use my Contigo travel mug as my primary coffee cup/holder. It is just so darn handy. I use it during the day at home so that I can have hot coffee for extended periods. It doesn't spill so drinking by the computer is no longer a risk.

In the afternoon I take my mug and a thermos to work and continue to use it another 6 hours. I flinched when I bought the cup 6 months ago but it has turned out to be a wise purchase which I use 7 days a week.

Full of coffee, if you drop it, there is a better chance that what it lands on will be damaged more than the cup.

Regardless of price I'll replace this one with another in a flash when this one wears out.

Cleaning: rinse out daily and put lid through dishwasher at least several times a week. If no dishwasher place lid in sink of hot water and soak overnight. Then when you remove it spend a minute or two "shaking" it under the water. This will loosen/remove any coffee/cream deposits that have accumlated since the last washing.