I think I’ll be forever torn about my Timolinos. I have two of them that I use regularly. Well technically I only have one, and my girlfriend has her own, but she never uses hers. So it’s mine now :P
We’ve got a red one and a sparklyish black one. The first day I used mine I dropped it on the pavement as I was getting out of a cab. Oh noes! It has a decent sized dent near the bottom now, and a few little scratches, but I guess it could be worse.
I’ve been using these for..I don’t know..about 2 years now? And I like them, but I don’t.
Pros:
-Keeps my tea HOT!
-Leak proof. Gotta love that.
-Perfect size to hold in my hand or toss in my purse.
-They’re pretty and sleek, and don’t have a silly useless handle.
-Even though I rarely use it, that secret compartment for extra leaves is pretty nifty.
Cons:
-As I said in the pros, it keeps my tea HOT. Like, really hot. Undrinkably hot sometimes, which is sad when I want tea in my belly five minutes ago.
-I add milk to a lot of teas, especially black teas which are what I generally take with me in the morning in my Timolino. Even after a thorough washing, the milk can leave a weird, gross smell that lingers in the plastic parts. YUCK. Baking soda or vinegar takes care of that, but is also a pain in the rear.
-Not dishwasher safe. This is probably my biggest con, since I supremely lazy. That and a run through the dishwasher would also take care of the icky smell issue. So I’ve taken to just tossing mine in the dishwasher anyway, on the top shelf. I haven’t noticed any adverse effects yet, but I fear that it might ultimately shorten the lives of them. I’ll continue to do it anyway though, as it’s the only way I can be sure that all of the nooks and crannies on the lid are truly clean and avoid that odour that completely ruins my cup of tea. I always have to just toss my cup if I notice that smell, it just churns my stomach.
So there you have it! My longer-than-expected review of my Timolinos. Still on the search for my perfect, dishwasher safe, leakproof travel mug. Maybe one day.
