Hot drinks can warm in frosty winters and in a slushy offseason, give comfort and warmth, soothe and relieve stress. And so that they remain so for a long time, you need to choose the quality thermos. Special dishes to maintain the optimum temperature of liquids will always have on hand avorite drink prepared according to your own recipe. In addition, the modern range of thermoses allows you to choose the most convenient and practical model for any purpose and operating conditions. What nuances should pay attention not to regret the perfect purchase? We have put together useful tips that will help you choose a quality thermos that meets the stated criteria!
The key points of the choice of high-quality thermal vessels
To correctly choose a really quality thermos for tea, coffee, and other hot drinks, it is worth considering a lot of small nuances that affect the quality and convenience in the use of dishes. Of course, the easiest way is to navigate through the price, reviews, and rating of the most popular companies, but not in every case the overpayment will be justified: when choosing a thermos, the concepts “expensive” and “suitable” are not always identical, and what is convenient for one user may turn out to be extremely uncomfortable and even unacceptable for another. Therefore, it is much more logical to rely on individual needs, focusing on the following criteria:
- Body material and flasks,
- Cork design features
- Optimal volume and purpose.
Let’s look at each of these criteria in more detail.
Body material
Modern thermoses for hot drinks can be made of metal (usually stainless steel), plastic or ceramic composition. Ceramics, although it looks stylish and presentable, do not have high strength and at the slightest blow, it can break. The same applies to plastic: bright colors and stylish design will quickly become worthless if you plan to actively use the dishes. Choosing a metal structure, you save yourself from experiences during operation: such a body will withstand any mechanical effect, and the only thing that threatens it is the appearance of scratches and dents that do not affect the functionality.
The most practical option is stainless steel thermoses – this model should be chosen for intensive use in field conditions. If the metal on top is covered with paint or has pictures, you should be careful, otherwise, the paint will quickly crack and the thermos will lose its original appearance. However, it will not affect its quality and performance, but the design will be hopelessly flawed.
Flask
Choosing a thermos, you should pay attention not only to the external structure but also to the internal one: it will directly depend on the material from which the flask is made whether you can maintain the taste of the liquid during storage. A metal flask, although it is highly durable, is not always optimal. It is not recommended to pour acid-containing drinks into it – tea with lemon or berries, fruit juice or compote will quickly lose their original taste since the acid molecules contained in the composition will somehow interact with the metal. As a result, instead of a delicious and aromatic drink, you will receive a specific liquid with a pronounced metallic aftertaste.
It is not necessary to assume that during the operation the repulsive flavor will become less pronounced – on the contrary, microcracks will appear on the metal walls of the thermos due to frequent washing, due to which oxidative reactions will take place faster. However, if this does not confuse you, you can choose a flask from metal – the oxidation products of stainless steel do not affect the state of health, and therefore the drinks will be tasteless, but absolutely harmless.
Despite certain fragility, a glass flask is considered the best option. This model of thermos should be chosen if you prefer the rich and uncomplicated taste of the prepared drinks. The glass does not retain extraneous odors, does not react to the components of liquids, is easy to wash and retains its original functionality for a long time during delicate handling.
Cork construction
Thermoses intended for beverages, as a rule, have a rather narrow neck – such a design feature allows you to maintain the desired liquid temperature longer. At the same time, an important factor is the design of the cork – it depends on how long the thermal effect of dishes will be and whether the contents will not spill. Depending on its design features, you can choose:
Thermoses with stopper, equipped with a button. Such models are among the most common. On the one hand, a convenient button allows you to quickly pour the contents of a thermos in a mug, without unscrewing the lid itself. This means that the liquid will be less in contact with the environment, and its temperature will remain unchanged for the maximum possible period. On the other hand, the button has internal filters and seals that can become thinner and deformed over time, causing the fluid to leak.
Important! If you prefer to brew herbal or natural teas in a thermos, you should choose a model without a button – teacups and herbs will be hammered into its grooves, which are extremely difficult to extract from there.
Cookware with a classic screw cap. Such a thermos for drinks should be chosen by lovers of reliable and durable classics. Of course, you have to unscrew and twist the lid every time, pouring yourself a cup of drink, but this design will not fail with time, will not lose its tightness and will not start to flow. In addition, today there are thermoses on the market that do not need to be fully opened – just unscrew the lid slightly, and the liquid will begin to move in a thin and neat trickle into the cup.
Thermoses with a hole for drinking. Some products are equipped with a special nozzle that allows you to drink without using a mug. As a rule, such dishes do not differ in tangible volumes and are not intended for long-term preservation of heat. This option of the lid is worth choosing if you are looking for a small thermos for use in the car, during sports or for not too long walks.
Volume and purpose of the quality thermos
These two parameters are directly related to each other since the optimal amount of the drink that you want to keep hot depends on the operating characteristics. Therefore, choosing a thermos, be sure to think about how and where you will use it:
- For long journeys, hikes, and walks, you should choose a spacious, but a compact model. The ideal option, in this case, would be dishes with a capacity of 1-2 liters – on the one hand, it will provide the traveler with a drink, and on the other hand, the existing luggage will not be too heavy.
- When going on a picnic with children, you should choose a maximum bulk container of at least 2 liters – small fidgets usually drink a lot in nature, so delicious tea or warm juice just will not remain unclaimed.
- A mini thermos for breakfast or a quick lunch must hold no more than 1 cup of your favorite drink. For such purposes, it is best to choose a small container with a lid, from which you can drink without using a mug, from 0.3 to 0.5 liters – still, small-sized containers will not retain the heat for more than 3-5 hours, so you have to prepare the cooled beverage again. , which means there is no point in carrying with you an unnecessary amount.
Useful tips and important recommendations
Before choosing a quality thermos for hot drinks, be sure to take into account the following nuances:
- Neither the casing nor the internal flask of dishes should not have chips, cracks, chipping, dents and other external defects – such imperfections not only spoil the appearance but also significantly reduce performance.
- Specify the terms of the warranty period and features of the service, find a note about the declared duration of heat preservation. If the stated characteristics suit you, proceed to assess the quality of the product.
- When choosing a thermos, be sure to check it for leaks, otherwise, the drinks will cool down and leak faster. The lid and cork should tightly twist and, if possible, have the most simple and seamless design – so the temperature will last longer.
- Another parameter of tightness is the quality of the sealing ring. Ideally, it should be made of durable and elastic rubber and precisely adjusted to the parameters of the thermos – this will eliminate the likelihood of spilling the drink.
- There should be no foreign odors inside the flask! Do not hesitate to unscrew the lid and smell the internal contents of the thermos: if you feel a sharp synthetic smell, most likely, the dishes are made of low-quality a material, which means that it is better to choose a different, safer and higher quality thermal capacity.
- If you decide to choose a quality thermos for beverages with a cap-stopper or a nozzle, with which you can drink without opening the container, check the joints of all parts. Such constructions are the most vulnerable point of thermal vessels, and therefore, the duration of trouble-free operation directly depends on their quality.
- Make sure the flask is securely fixed in a thermos. It should not stagger, ring and, in principle, make any sounds when shaking the dishes, otherwise, it will shatter into pieces at the first tangible impact. As a rule, high-quality shock absorbers at the top and bottom of the case allow it to be fixed.
- To choose safe and non-toxic products, make sure that your favorite thermos for storing hot drinks has the appropriate quality certificates of the established sample.
- After the purchase, be sure to check the quality of the vacuum since it is unrealistic to evaluate this parameter visually. To do this, pour boiling water into a thermos, soak for 5 minutes and then pour it out – this way you heat the walls. After that, refill the flask with boiling water, without adding approximately 1 cm to the top (it is this filling that is considered optimal during operation), and leave the dishes for another half hour. If after this time the walls of the case become noticeably warmer, “taking” the temperature of the liquid, it means that the vacuum layer is broken, and the chosen product is better to return to the place of sale – it will not last long and will not ensure the safety of the drink.
Do not hesitate to be careful and scrupulous when choosing a quality thermos – such dishes should meet all the criteria important to you because comfort depends on this during its operation!