Gear: Contigo Travel Mug

What is it?

AUTOSEAL^® West Loop Stainless Steel Travel Mug

How does it work?

It's an insulated stainless steel travel mug with a really great spill-proof lid. Once the lid is on tight, you need to push a button to open it & drink. 

Why is it good?

The spill-proof Autoseal actually works as well as they claim. This is so important for the parents of young children, as they can easily get severe burns with a hot drink. Even if your coffee or tea is drinkable for you, it can still cause damage to your child's skin & it doesn't take a lot of liquid to burn a large area of their skin.

Another great thing about this mug is how well it keeps your drink hot. I had a hot chocolate on my way home & when I had the last sip, about 30-40 minutes later, it was still so hot it was just drinkable. I will do some tests to see if the mug keeps drinks hot for four hours as they claim on their website, but so far, I'm impressed.

I like the fact that the inside is stainless steel too, so I don't have to worry about what may or may not be leaching into my tea from plastic.

How much does it cost?

About $20 each plus shipping from Contigo, around $20 for a two-pack at Costco.

Where can you get it?

I think Costco sells them in two-packs & you can also buy them online directly from Contigo, who will ship to the US & Canada.

*I did get my mug for free, but as compensation for participating in the Too Hot For Tots burn prevention research study through Children's Hospital, not from Contigo directly.

EDIT (November 2014): we've since bought more of these mugs (the original one is still going strong) at Costco--three years later, I still think they're the best travel mug on the market.