Super Sparrow’s latest K500 and K350 mugs come in in both his and hers colours and in different sizes, writes Mike Gormley.
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I have used this brand before and liked them and now these mugs up the game somewhat. We have been using them a lot and for all sorts of applications; from standing on the home office desk when writing to biking or kayaking and when out walking and travelling.
They are able to keep your brew hot for along time, sometimes too hot if you just need a drink soon after filling them! Time is quoted as six hours but if left unopened and put in very hot it will exceed this. They will of course also keep a cool drink cool.
They are made from 18/10 medical grade stainless steel so perfect and safe to keep your drink in for a long period of time with no adverse taste. Although the internals of this mug are steel, the design allows this to be very light in weight. The top cap of this one is clearly designed for outdoor and active use. It self-seals when the press button / lever is released, so even if you drop it, it will shut off. As an added safety measure there is a side lock to ensure that the mug will not leak if the lever is inadvertently pressed ~ especially useful if stowed away in a rucksack or even a business case, when spilling your drink is not an option.
When you do want to take a drink the spout is well shaped and, importantly, has a flip-over cover to keep the dust and mud out. Great this. It clicks shut over the mouthpiece and also clicks back out of the way when in drink mode. This can all be done single-handed. The other very handy feature of the top cap is its integral handle. This also clicks shut when not in use and can be easily deployed when required. It is centrally position so the mug hangs straight. This handle is very handy to pull the mug out of a holder or Bergen side pouch or just to carry it. The cap of this mug has a lot going on and it all works.
I do have slight reservations with mugs that have a lot of internal mechanisms, as some I have had are quite tricky to keep clean ~ even in the dishwasher. This one, however, cleans well, albeit I would suggest a dishwasher sometimes; though Super Sparrow thoughtfully provide a mini sized ‘bottle brush’ to aid cleaning when away.
As the designations suggest, the larger of these mugs is a full half litre and the smaller a 350ml. And they come in a good range of colours.
[images © Mike Gormley]
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