Although it may sound like a small item, one of the most exciting purchases for me in the past year has been the Que Bottle. For a long time I’d been wishing there was a portable vessel for hot drinks that was also dishwasher safe. In all honesty, I guess there was a bit more to it than that. I also wanted something that I could completely seal (so there wouldn’t be spills in any orientation, even when I bumped it), something that would fit in a knapsack (preferably in the water bottle pocket), and something that looked good.
When I came across the Que Bottle, I had to get one. For a brief few moments it was hard to justify buying something else to take tea with me, especially since I’ve amassed quite a collection of random travel mugs, but this looked like it ticked all my boxes so I figured I should give it a shot. I’m glad I did. Aside from an insulated water bottle that I use at the gym (more on that in the future), I exclusively use the Que Bottle for hot drinks outside my home now.
Here are my comments; you’ll notice, all pretty positive:
1) It has been easy enough to rinse out after having milky tea in it, but after some longer trips I definitely have dishwashed it, always without issue.
2) It looks cool and is kind of fun to accordion up and down, though I find I have it extended more than shrunk. I usually shrink it down when I’m taking it somewhere empty (like through airport security) or when I’m just using it for a bit of water on a walk.
3) The opening is large enough to add and remove tea bags easily enough. (Disposable tea bags & this bottle are best friends.)
4) It holds boiling water. Shortly after adding water that hot, the outside of the bottle gets hot (go figure), but that’s not any different than any other travel bottle I’ve used other than a thermos. If it ever became an issue, I guess you could wrap a small towel around it, but it hasn’t been enough of a concern for me to ever have to do that yet.
5) I feel like it keeps hot beverages warm long enough for me to be happy with it. I also don’t mind drinking cold teas so I haven’t paid that much attention to how long it retains heat, but I recall sipping tea that was still warm many times when I expected it to have lost all its heat already so I think it does a good job staying warm.
Here are the only negative comments that I can think of about it:
1) When you fill it up completely to the top, in it’s tall form, it is possible that it can tip over without much help. I consider this more of a travel bottle anyhow, so this doesn’t bother me, but if you were hoping to leave it open (lid off) on a desk near a computer without anything to lean it on, it could spill. Mine is either in my bag or a car cup holder and it’s never tipped there.
2) In its tall form and when full, I usually find myself holding it with two hands to drink hot liquids. Due to the nature of its shape, it can bend a bit and the liquid flow can be uneven. I don’t want hot stuff to drip on me when I drink. Two hands isn’t required, but it just seemed smart.
3) Before its first use, they suggest boiling the bottle to get rid of any taste from the material. I followed the directions and after a wash it was fine and I don’t taste anything other than my beverage. This initial setup shouldn’t be a deterrent to purchasing one, but it’s something you may want to plan for since you won’t just throw it in your bag right after purchasing to unbox on a camping trip or something.
All and all though, I’m thoroughly happy with my purchase. I’ve purchased them as gifts and recommended them often. The Que Bottle delivers on its promises. It holds hot liquids; it’s dishwasher safe, it’s kind of fun to accordion. I’d buy it again in a heartbeat, but short of forgetting mine somewhere, I expect I won’t need to repurchase mine anytime soon as it seems durable enough to last me many many years to come.
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