KeepCup Review

   I recently came across the product KeepCup, and desperately wanted to share it with you. I know it's not the kind of thing I'd usually look at since I neither go out any place or drink coffee, but it was the colours that really grasped my attention initially - which, I might add, are customisable.

   KeepCups are Australian products - designed in and made in Australia. They're re-usable eco coffee cups. The idea is that you take your cup out with you (I'd suggest buying two so that you always have one in your bag while your other is on the draining board at home by the sink), and when you stop off for a coffee/chocolate/tea/other beverage, instead of using a paper cup with a plastic lid that you're going to throw out once used, you hand your KeepCup over instead.

   Whenever I get a hot chocolate, be it to go or to drink in-house, the cup never seems reliable and the lid comes off all too easily, and the cup is impossible to hold because it doesn't insulate the liquid at all. KeepCups, on the other hand, are the complete opposite. The lid is secure - very secure (read below to see how secure) - and it has an arm on the lid that plugs into the drinking spout to keep your empty cup empty, or to ensure that your drink doesn't spill out if you happen to be getting into a car or on a bicycle before finishing it, and when you are using it, there's a little hollow dip beside the mouth of the cup that you can plug your arm into to stop it from moving around while you're drinking - not that it does move about while you're drinking, mind you. It's very comfortable to hold even with freshly boiled water inside, and in the winter is quite pleasant to hold, too.

   And if you need to know just how secure the lid is, I'll tell you what I use mine for when it's not for chocolate to go: I use it for my post-workout shakes. I have a big bottle for my shakes but it's too big and leads me to put too much water in (I like to guesstimate a lot, and when I just finished 40 minutes of weights ten minutes ago, my hands are shaking considerably and I could care less about water measurements). This KeepCup, however, is the perfect size, purposely purchased as such, and when I put the water in, then the powder, put the lid on and close the arm, I can shake it vigorously to my heart's content with no splashing and no loosening of the lid or arm. I was doing it carefully at first, just in case, but eventually stopped worrying, and I've had no problems with it even after five uses of shakes.

   These KeepCups are available in 4, 6, 8, 12 and 16oz sizes, meaning you can get exactly the right size cup for your coffees, chocolates, or post-workout shakes! They're amazing. You can also get them in pre-defined colour combinations, some of which use exclusive colours, or you can put your own together, though the colours available for those are limited. They're all interchangable, though; all lids will fit on all cup sizes. The cup sizes are varied by height, not diameter, so if you buy two cups in very different colours, you can rearrange the bands, lids and arms onto either cup, which is awesome.

   KeepCup have gathered some surprising facts about throw-away cups, and have given you many reasons to buy their products. To be honest, after reading just three randomly picked facts from the list, I feel better and better about owning one of these cups. If you get a lot of coffees to go, I seriously urge you to get one. It doesn't make anything taste any different because it's not lined with anything silly, and it's safe to handle.

   They ship worldwide, and for the UK it took 3-5 days. The USA is also looking at the same time frame. It's really quite amazing - shipping is what usually puts me off of things, but look at this comparison: delivery to the UK is 3-5 days, £3.50. Delivery to the USA is £4.50 and still 3-5 days. Honestly, the shipping is no reason to put anyone off, especially if more than one cup is bought.

   I really do highly recommend this product, partly for its quality and convenience, and also because if everyone made one - just one - environmental change in their daily life, it really could make a difference. And this is a dead easy change to make.