Timolino (12 oz) from Timolino

Timolino (12 oz)

A design so slim and stylish you’d never guess its stainless steel walls conceal pure functionality. There’s the removable infuser, perfect for steeping loose or bagged tea. And the vacuum-sealed double walls keep tea warm or cold for hours. So light, you can toss it in your bag and never feel it. There’s even a hidden compartment under the lid to store loose tea. Secret’s out…

12 oz/380 ml

http://www.timolino.com/Default.asp

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28 Reviews View all

  • “The Best Tea Thing I Own. hands down. i love it so much i own multiples! and they are the most beautiful things ever. http://instagram.com/p/WurPoDIc1x/ i am a sipper. and i am easily distracted....” Read full review
    100
  • “First time using my new Timolino this morning and I am officially on Team Timolino! I had to drop my car off to be inspected and decided to bring my new little friend to try out. I actually...” Read full review
    100
  • “So, 8/10 times I’m extremely happy with my timolino(s) – both of which are 12 oz. I find most things travel really well in it, and in my black timolino the heat is retained exceptionally well....” Read full review
    85
  • “This is perfection. I’m actually enjoying taking tea with me again, when drinking tea has become a chore when it gets cold and gross. If I want iced tea, I drink it cold, not tepid! PERFECTION. I...” Read full review
    100

28 Reviews

100
812 tasting notes

The Best Tea Thing I Own.
hands down.

i love it so much i own multiples!
and they are the most beautiful things ever. http://instagram.com/p/WurPoDIc1x/

i am a sipper. and i am easily distracted. and with a timolino my tea doesn’t go to waste.
also now i can make tea for my friend when we meet at the movies.
or i can have multiple teas with me for an all night hangout with friends.
it’s just perfect.

Daisy Chubb

I was coming on Steepster to make the exact same review! I just got my Timolino a few days ago and already it’s perfection.

Ellyn

LADIES: I WANT ONE SO BADLY!

ohfancythat

What would the difference be between this and a Contigo from Costco? (minus the basket for the leaves)

ohfancythat

I just got a bunch of Davidstea gift cards for my birthday so I’mm all over the idea of this

OMGsrsly

Timolinos keep your tea hot longer. Mine actually has a mesh screen instead of a basket, so I use it for long steeps (green jasmine pearls, herbal teas, some puerhs, etc) when I’m hiking. The contigos don’t make you unscrew a lid before drinking, so I find them easier when on the go.

ohfancythat

Thanks for the comparison!

TeaLady441

Not sure about the Contigo, but I like how the Timolino is leakproof.I want to put it in my purse and not worry about my kindle!

Shmiracles

omg i love my kindle too! but there is love for both in my heart. timolino meet kindle, kindle meet timolino. now double high-five all of us!

Shmiracles

i mean i love my kindle so much that i immediately went and bought my boything and my sister each one. like when you love a song so much that you want the whole world to hear it really loud so they understand!

TeaLady441

Hahah, yeah I totally understand those feels! I bought my sister a kindle for her birthday and she just… neglected it. :O Then my boyfriend bought a Kobo reader but he barely uses it either. OMG PPL IDEK.

Double high-fives!

Oh, I recently took up knitting and someday I hope to create a tardis cover for my kindle. That’d be SLICK. (and bigger on the inside)

Shmiracles

well my boyfriend neglects his too. BUT my sister uses hers enough for all 3 of us so it all balances out :) (yay english major)
the doctah + kindle cozi = just too much

OMGsrsly

I put mine in my purse with my ipad! I usually have lunch and a reusable shopping bag (for padding) in there too, so all my mugs stand upright. I have started to carry 2 in my purse and one in my hand…

Kittenna

Agreed with OMGsrsly – Timolinos have better heat retention, which is good and bad. Contigos are still pretty good though! Timolinos are also smaller (at least, I haven’t seen them in bigger sizes), and they are easier to clean – the Contigo has bits up top that are irritating. Contigo – definitely easier for on the go, and although both are leakproof, and I’ve never had a problem, I’m more concerned about the Contigo than Timolino. I’ve heard mine slowly taking in air if the vacuum got to be too much.

ohfancythat

That’s it you guys, I’m buying one this weekend!! Davidstea gift cards ftw!!

Shmiracles

one other note about timolinos…(and i feel this way about beer or wine too)…if i am going to fully appreciate and enjoy the drink i need to be able to smell the liquid as i drink. meaning it’s best to have a somewhat open top to my drinking container. (thus a travel mug with one little drinking hole or a beer bottle are not ideal. phooey).
i like that the timolino has a strainer type top so the scent of the tea can still easily reach my nose. but i also often times just twist the whole lid off so i can really get my honker in there.

ohfancythat

I didn’t end up buying one because I didn’t like the plastic basket, wouldn’t it absorb the smell of every tea you made and get dirty really quickly? It seems sort of cheaply made which made me nervous. For $30…

Ellyn

I got the pink/purple one last night! eeee! am using it right now.

Shmiracles

YAY! welcome to timolinoland Ellyn

Rob Rauschenberg

Ellyn, Where did you buy it?

Ellyn

I bought it from the david’s store in the south end of boston, Mass.

ohfancythat

So no one else finds the plastic basket thing questionable? Does it get all stainy?

TeaLady441

Whatshesaid – I found my older one has a few stains on the basket, and along the rim, but I don’t think it interferes with the taste. I didn’t take very good care of that one though – I think the stain was from leaving a full tumbler of tea in there and forgetting it but to be fair I wasn’t getting a lot of sleep at the time. Also I drank coffee in it. (Don’t do that!)

My new timolino has been taken care of much better and I don’t see any stains. But even with the old one I don’t notice that the stains impact the flavour of the next tea. Hopefully Shmiracles can clarify.

I have to second that it’s important to be able to smell the tea too! I’ve been steeping both timolinos, and then taking turns drinking out of both by pouring the tea into my little bubble cup. Lets me enjoy the tea, without it getting cold, and then I can switch back and forth too! I find I waste less tea now because I’m not dumping cold cups down the drain.

TeaLady441

I love your picture btw. I just want to grab all those timolinos and hug them. #YesThatsAStrangeThingToSay

Shmiracles

you said it Covocorax!! no more cold cups down the drain ever! and i can brew a different tea for each timoliono and just cycle through them as slowly as i want! you said it!!

(sorry but i can’t say much in regards to the brewing baskets. i’ve gotten lazy and i’m always running late and i basically only use disposable tea bags these days.)
(i’m not sure who but somebody mentioned using unflavored denture cleaner for removing stains, and it seems to have worked nicely for my one super stained one. i’m gonna try it on some of the brewing baskets later this weekend.)

ohfancythat

I still have a gift card to Davidstea so you never know. I do find them kind of small though! But I am a tea guzzler, haha

OMGsrsly

I totally advocate for the use of unflavoured denture tablets. :) It might take a few goes, but they really help loosen the stains (and smells).

keychange

Wow! Multiple timolinos so you can sip different tea throughout the day? utter and complete genius. Wow wow wow. I’ve actually been lusting after the white one, and now I feel justified in pursuing this temptation.

Josie Jade

I finally got one, keychange! I actually got the white one, and today right after I opened the box and cleaned my shiny little Timolino, I saw on Facebook that Davids now has them in 16 oz. Now I really really really want the bigger one! I figured that I’ll use the 12 oz one to make sure that I at least like it instead of mailing it to exchange it. If I like the 12 oz I’ll just buy a 16 oz. :)

keychange

Haha Josie jade, don’t you just hate buying something only to realize something else has appeared that you want even more? How much do you want to bet that within a month or so, you’ll own a 16 oz one and I’ll have it in white? hahaha! Do you think the white one will get dirty/fingerprints on it easily? I want one!

Shmiracles

16 oz?! haha oh no!
i don’t want it but i want it. i still use mine every day, in some combination or another.

looseTman

Kittenna,

Have you thought about writing a review of the Contigo? I for one would be interested in learning more about your experience with it and how it compares to the Timolino or Zojirushi. Thanks!

http://steepster.com/teaware/contigo/46360-autoseal-16-oz-stainless-steel

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100
358 tasting notes

First time using my new Timolino this morning and I am officially on Team Timolino! I had to drop my car off to be inspected and decided to bring my new little friend to try out. I actually steeped the tea in my IngenuiTea and then drained it into my Timolino so that it would be the perfect temperature to drink right away, and it was! It didn’t burn my tongue and actually stayed the most perfect temperature the whole time. It is still just perfect, over 2 hours later! I haven’t used the infuser basket, so I don’t know about that yet, but it seems just fine. I love the little secret space in the lid to hide more tea or even a teabag. I’m glad that I ended up keeping the 12 oz one, even though I really wanted to exchange it for one of the 16 oz ones. I like my tea with milk and sugar, so I think that I will probably just end up making all my tea in the morning at home and just keeping it in my Timolino all day. So I can see the beauty in having a couple of Timolinos full of hot wonderful tea to have throughout the day. I will definitely be purchasing a 16 oz, if not even another 12 oz once I see how many mugs I go through during my school day. Yayyyyy Timolino. I’ve been looking at these since forever, and so far am completely satisfied!

DigniTea

I probably use a travel mug 6 out of seven days each week – even when I’m at home all day – because they keep the tea at just the right temperature for so long. This Timolino and the Zojirushi are the greatest!

Josie Jade

I will probably start using mine at home, too. Especially if I’m doing stuff around the house, I always forget my tea and then it’s cold when I remember it! I’ll have to check out the Zojirushi mugs. Do you prefer those or the Timolino more?

keychange

Hey Josie Jade! Glad you’re enjoying your mug. Let’s hang in there and eventually upgrade to getting more LOL. And as a side note, I’m glad to find another tea-lover who likes milk and sugar/sweetener as much as I do! :). They pretty much revolutionize most teas, as far as I’m concerned.

DigniTea

For me, the Zojirushi is the preferred mug but they are both good. This is the review that sold me on the zojirushi: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-0aq0q6j_8

keychange

Wow digniTea, that review makes the mug seem awesome! I’m going to have more travel mugs than actual mugs at the rate I’m going, and that actually doesn’t seem like that bad an idea.

Josie Jade

keychange, I’m so happy to see I’m not the only one with a milk and sugar addiction! I always try a new tea plain, but 9 times out of 10 I like it so much more once I add milk and sugar! There’s just something comforting about a cup of tea with milk and sugar added. Do you prefer strong black teas, too?

Josie Jade

DigniTea, the Zojirushi mug looks amazing! I will have to consider that one too. I have a gift certificate for Amazon so I may break down and use that to buy one! :)

keychange

I hear you on the sogirushi mug! especially when one of the reviewers on amazon said that he could drink from it while lying on his pillow at night without spilling a drop! that basically sounds like my idea of heaven.
Yes, I love love love strong black teas; I actually find many other varieties to be too weak, and often steep them significantly longer than the suggested steep time to coax all the flavor out of them that I possibly can. I used to feel like a “non purist” for preferring milk and sugar in my tea, but it really does transform the tea from what I feel is slightly flavoured warm water to a masterpiece of tasteful and comforting tea. I just don’t like very thin drinks! LOL.

DigniTea

I too purchased my Zojirushi from Amazon (the Timolino as well). Enjoying Verdant’s Autumn Tieguanyin in the Zojirushi right now.

Josie Jade

Wait, they sell Timolinos on Amazon? Are they the same ones that Davids Tea sell? I briefly looked on Amazon, but couldn’t find the same ones. If I can get them on Amazon them I will order them right now!

DigniTea

I have the 12oz Timolino mug with infuser which I purchased from Amazon six months ago. Not sure what David’s has.

Josie Jade

That sounds like exactly what David’s has, DigniTea. I am going to do another search tonight on Amazon. Another 12 oz would let me take 2 mugs of tea to get through the day until they come out with new colors of the 16 oz. :)

keychange

Hey, Josie Jade! I was at David’s today, and they said they’ll be getting new colours in of the 16 oz timolinos on November first. They mentioned a winter evergreen colour, as well as an ice blue. I am so over the moon! Are you still thinking of getting a 16 oz one?

Josie Jade

Hi keychange! Woohoo, that’s great news! Can’t wait to see the new colors. Yes I still want a 16 oz, even though I am not on campus nearly as long as I thought, so my 12 oz is working fine for just now. But it will be nice to have another one for my fiancée to use and next semester I will have 12 hour clinicals instead of just 6. I’ll be doing a countdown until November 1st. If I can stand to wait I’ll ask for one for Christmas. Thanks for sharing!

looseTman

DigniTea,
“For me, the Zojirushi is the preferred mug …”

Have you thought about writing a review of it? I for one would be interested in learning more about your experience with it and how it compares to the Timolino. Thanks!

http://steepster.com/teaware/zojirushi/44057-sm-kb48tm-16-ounce-vacuum-stainless-steel-travel-mug

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85
15575 tasting notes

So, 8/10 times I’m extremely happy with my timolino(s) – both of which are 12 oz.

I find most things travel really well in it, and in my black timolino the heat is retained exceptionally well. However, for whatever reason my white timolino (which is the newer of the two) holds in the heat noticeably less and I can’t figure out why. The seal isn’t broken and the lid screws on the exact same. I’ve typically been able to make it work for me, though – I just make whichever tea I want to drink first in that timolino.

Ideally, I’d like for the brew basket to be a bit larger but it works for what I use it for and I’m normally pretty happy with it. I just sometimes have issues with, say, oolongs which can’t expand as well. Also, the first one I bought (the black one) came with a broken brew basket which would sink to the bottom and cause things to be steeped for an ungodly long time – but the DAVIDsTEA store I got it from provided me with a new brew basket, no questions asked and I haven’t had issues with it coming unattached during brewing since.

The only other thing I would maybe complain about is the fact that sometimes they pick up the scent/flavour of previously brewed teas (I had lots of issues with Currant Affair) even if very thoroughly cleaned in between use. Not really a huge deal, though.

Overall a satisfied customer – enough so I bought a second, right! ;)

carol who

I have a Teavana tumbler that looks just like your Timolino but in a different color. I have to say this tumbler keeps it very hot. I’ve found that I can’t put water hotter than 185 degrees in it if I want to drink it anytime soon. I always takes some with me for after my walk (3 miles daily) at the rec center. It sits out in the freezing cold in the winter (-16 last week) and it was still too hot to drink. I don’t use the filter basket too often but have never had any problems with it. Besides working well, it looks very nice.

Sil

I would love one of these but i just can’t justify the price when the contigo’s i have are more than half the price and hold the temp forever…

Roswell Strange

When I say doesn’t hold temp. as well – I should elaborate. The black one (the ‘better’ of the two) will keep water at boiling, practically undrinkable, temperatures for anywhere between five and nine hours. The white only holds that same level of heat for three to six, or so, hours. So – they do hold pretty well. When I was working, I took a cold bottle of tea to drink first during my shift, and then a hot to drink later in the day after it had cooled significantly.

Fjellrev

Contingos are available at Costco, right? I forgot to check last time I was there. Either way, I think Timolinos are worth the price. I’ve had mine for nearly a year and it’s like new.

carol who

I had received my Teavana tumbler as a gift in one of their gift package. So mine was really cheap!

TeaLady441

I love mine. I just wish it were easier to clean right at the bottom. I think I’m just staining it. If it were a yixing that’d be ok…

Sil

Cavo – denture thingies lol
swedish chef – yeah 2 for 20$ @ costco :) and i don’t have to take the lid off to drink

Fjellrev

Hot damn, that’s a steal. Does it have a good lip thingy, not too thick and all that jazz?

And I second the denture thingies.

Sil

contigo = plastic/rubber type lip thingy. gets a bit warm sometimes, but not terribly so..less so than metal :) they’re leak proof as well

Sil

…hence my inability to justify timloino pricing, though i really want one :)

tigress_al

I also have 2 and really enjoy them. They keep tea really hot and don’t leak if sealed properly. I got them both as gifts, so 2 thumbs up!
Good tip on the denture tabs for cleaning, I will have to try that!

TeaLady441

Thanks guys. I keep forgetting but I WILL get denture tablets. (I also want to dissolve those to help clean my counter)

Sil

cavo – worse case just get some from me..i bought a giant box AND i have the cleaner from mandala… so i’m set

TeaLady441

Awesome – thanks Sil!

looseTman

Sil,
“I would love one of these but i just can’t justify the price when the contigo’s i have are more than half the price and hold the temp forever…”

Have you thought about writing a review of the Contigo? I for one would be interested in learning more about your experience with it and how it compares to the Timolino or Zojirushi. Thanks!

http://steepster.com/teaware/contigo/46360-autoseal-16-oz-stainless-steel

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100
516 tasting notes

This is perfection.
I’m actually enjoying taking tea with me again, when drinking tea has become a chore when it gets cold and gross. If I want iced tea, I drink it cold, not tepid!

PERFECTION. I will be buying more.

Shmiracles

and they are so easy to throw in the bottom of my bag! i can really trust the lid to stay secure. i wanna buy one for the whole world hah. xoxo

KeenTeaThyme

I’ve been thinking about picking up one of these. Where did you purchase yours? (You can PM me if you don’t want the whole Steepster world to see.)

Dinosara

Do you use the infuser on-the-go, and if so do you take it out to prevent oversteeping? Where do you put it?

Sil

i echo dinosara’s questions since i haven’t put much thought into this though i do love the design and i know kittenna loves hers

Shmiracles

personally i do use the brewing basket occasionally. first i rest the lid with basket kinda tilted on the top of the cup and let it drain a long time and also let the basket cool off cuz it’s so hot to touch. then i’ll dump the basket into the garbage and rinse it in the sink in any old bathroom. but more often (for better or worse), i just brew with a disposable teabag and leave the basket at home, …cuz i’m in a hurry.

Meg

I love mine too! If it’s tea that I don’t really need to worry about oversteeping I just put it beneath the basket (like in the bottom of the mug). The basket is pretty useless for a lot of my teas because any little bits end up in your mouth, but this way definitely makes a difference! Usually I end up using it for iced instead of hot so I don’t need to worry much about oversteeping!

One tip if you use if for hot though is to leave some room at the top to add a little cold water, if not I find it stays scalding for basically the entire day!

tigress_al

I love this mug, it doesn’t leak andd stays hot! I use the brew basket and brew just like a normal cuppa. Unless it is a rooibos or herbal that can steep forever

TeaLady441

I’m pretty stoked on it too, but it means I need to be organized enough to have my tea brewed before I go. Leaving them in the basket doesn’t seem to be an option unless it’s an herbal? IDK. I like a mug I can beat up on!

Kittenna

I don’t use the basket. The holes are too fine, and my tea tastes funky when steeped and held at practically boiling the whole time.

ALSO re:buying Timolinos: I forgot that I saw them advertised for sale on Tealux’s site for cheaper than at DT. And, I think new customers get a 15% off coupon code that does apply to teaware!

TeaLady441

Oh! Oh well. I like the colours they have at DT’s more so I won’t feel too bad about missing the deal.

Kittenna

Bleh, I wish I had remembered to mention this somewhere. I should probably make a discussion board post about it…. but I’m lazy. DT’s colours are def better though. And that’s where I got both of mine (actually, my ex-bf’s mom bought the first one at either DT or Tea Desire, and I bought the second at my local DT).

Daisy Chubb

It’s only 4 bucks cheaper at Tealux, I didn’t bother making an account just to see how much shipping would be, maybe someone else can chime in who isn’t lazy like me haha!

I brew my tea at home, so use the brewbasket (I like it, it’s the perfect size for the amount of tea that fits in the mug IMO) then take the tea and basket out after steeping. I leave the basket at home so far, I definitely wouldn’t keep a tea brewing in there because #1 it’s too hot, and #2 the bits would come through when you sip.

I find because the tea stays so hot (poifect for me, since I have to wait many hours until I get to sip!) I don’t run out of it before the end of the day. I get to savour it instead of chugging it back, which is how I prefer my hot tea anyways. Iced tea is a whole other story ;)

Cattibrie

My only complaint about the Timolino is it’s size. 12 oz is just not big enough for me. I like a nice 16oz to go mug. Hopefully they will come out with a bigger one soon because I really love everything else about this mug.

Rob Rauschenberg

I may break down and buy this. I need a good travel mug. Thanks for posting.

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513 tasting notes

I actually purchased my timolino several weeks ago, (ok fine, I have two of them—white and purple!)but wanted to use it for a while before rating it. So far, it’s the best travel mug I’ve owned, and here’s why.
when they say it won’t leak, they really mean it. This has been upside-down and jostled quite a bit in my bag on my way to work and has not leaked a drop.
WARNING: If you remove the silicone tea storage compartment from the inside of the lid, the timolino will absolutely leak-not too too much, but definitely several drops. I learned this by accident yesterday, when I realized that my fiance had washed my timolino and had removed the silicone underside of the lid without putting it back. Not a problem, though—as soon as it was back in place, the lid twisted on nice and tight once again.
-both the lids screw on with a few satisfying turns, each one ensuring an even tighter seal, which you can feel. That goes a long way in satisfying me that it’s truly leak-proof.
-I love love love the fact that when I twist off the top lid, I can instantly inhale my tea, even before sipping. I’ll admit that in my chilly office, I’ll sometimes just let my freezing cold nose warm up just by leaning over and inhaling the steam from my tea! but honestly, being able to smell my tea as I drink it really completes the experience for me.
-It absolutely keeps your tea hot for hours. Despite adding cream to most of my tea, it’s often too hot for me to even sip for at least an hour. The good news, however, is that when you do start sipping it, it holds the temperature really well so that your sipping doesn’t automatically turn to chugging in five minutes.
Things I don’t like as much:
-I don’t use the brewing basket. I find it rather short, and would honestly prefer it to have perforations in the bottom, which it doesn’t (only the sides do). I worry that the basket won’t necessarily “reach” the water, but I’m fine with either brewing my tea elsewhere (like in the perfectea teamaker) or just using one of David’s tea’s disposable tea filters.
-The mouth of the mug is a bit narrow,, and despite having narrow wrists and slim hands, I can’t actually get in all the way to really be satisfied that I’ve reached the bottom of the mug to clean it. Having said that, the sponge/whatever I’m using to wash dishes will always reach the bottom, and I haven’t had any problem with lingering tastes from previous types of tea at all.

I’m just waiting to get the bonavida gooseneck one liter kettle, and then I think I’ll be bringing both my timolinos to work. I’m so excited at all the different possibilities for timolino use—waiting for the bus in the freezing cold winter months, relaxing on the couch in front of the TV or with a good book, bringing it with me to appointments I’d rather not keep as a way to motivate myself to go, etc.! I’m honestly tempted to like, get these in every colour because I love mine so much.

Sil

my ONLY complaint with timolino’s are that i have to take the lid off to drink. around here that’s dangerous… i have a tendency to knock things over lol

keychange

Oh yeah, I hear you there—I’m not exactly the most graceful person myself. Still though, I prefer it to the other travel mugs that don’t let you stuff your nose in while you drink haha.

Sil

haha

Shmiracles

i don’t use the brewing basket either. and yo, on dire wake up early when i seriously won’t want to days, i can make tea before bed and seal it up in my timolino, and then in the morning it’s still totally warm! and i will use every get-out-from-under-the-covers motivation i can get

TeaLady441

Wow. I’ve never tried that but that’s a great idea! It doesn’t have to be piping hot so long as it’s warm.

keychange

shmiracles, that’s a great idea! because yeah, I imagine it isn’t piping hot, but you could just sip it as you wake up! how perfect!

affabletoaster

I spoke to a salesperson at David’s when I bought my Timolino, and they said that they recommend putting the loose tea in the main compartment, then using the basket as a strainer. This avoids any trouble with the basket not reaching the water, and gives a finer strain than the holes in the sipping lid do.

That said, I usually make my tea in a mug and then transfer it to the Timolino, to let it cool as much as I can.

keychange

I’d actually heard of that before, although wouldn’t that lead to some severe oversteeping? especially with blacks and such?
I’m actually going to start experimenting with using the basket again. It actually does reach the water, although it’d be nicer if it were even deeper, but still—it definitely does reach the water. It just seems a bit small, especially for some of the longer, twistier leaves.

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60
137 tasting notes

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 am 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.

Azzrian

Let me know if you ever find one!

tattooed_tea

I would kill… not literally of course, for a dishwasher safe travel mug :(

Daniel Scott

One con, to me: size. I think it holds 12oz? That’s an awkward amount, and I’d prefer 16.

Isaila

I know about the heat issue. I have burned my mouth so many times with mine!

TeaLady441

I find I’m starting to get a smell issue with mine too – I’ll have to break out the vinegar because I just can’t seem to kill it. :|

TeaLovrrr1979

Same unbearable smell issue… It really ruins it for me. I think I’ll take the chance to toss it in the dishwasher like you did! Any adverse effects yet to anyone who did?

Shmiracles

i soak them with an unflavored denture cleaner tablet. i have 4 timolinos and i put 1 tablet in each and fill it with water and just let it sit for a day. i also put all four lids in a bowl with 2 tabs and add water. it works great. gets out all the stains and smells.

TeaLovrrr1979

What a good idea! I’ll keep that in mind. By the way, I tried the dishwasher, and nothing exploded :-)

Autistic Goblin

with metal mugs like this they only say not diswasher safe because it takes the paint off. If you don’t care about losing the colour of your travel mug throw it in the dishwasher. I do with my Contigo and haven’t noticed anything wrong.

softrevolution

Great idea with the denture tabs, I might just give that a shot & see if it’ll help with staining on the plastic bits. I’m still regularly using both of my original Timolino mugs, and they get tossed in the dishwasher each and every time. Still holding up great, no issues with the seal or even discoloration/chipping paint. I’m glad I didn’t give up on these. I’ve definitely gotten a lot of great use out of them, and the smell is no longer an issue now that I’m not primarily hand-washing them.

TeaLady441

Yeah, I just bought denture tabs. I can’t wait to see how much of a difference they make, although I’ll probably only soak them for 12 hours at a time (I want to use them the other 12 hours to/from/at work. :P)

looseTman

Helena,
Have you thought about writing a review of the Contigo? I for one would be interested in learning more about your experience with it and how it compares to the Timolino or Zojirushi. Thanks!

http://steepster.com/teaware/contigo/46360-autoseal-16-oz-stainless-steel

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100
218 tasting notes

Just LOVE my timolino. Is great at keeping tea hot and cold. I’d agree with the post below that liquid stays at the original temp for around 5-6 hours, but my hot Southern Belle from this morning (brewed 7 hours ago) is still quite warm, and the lid has been off for about 2 hours.

My timolino goes everywhere: to work, to my yoga fusion class, smuggled into the movies, to the hospital, on inter-state trips, and hopefully in the next month or two, camping (along with my timer and thermometer so I can make perfect green tea tent-side). I’m also a bit clumsy and have dropped mine on numerous occasions on hard surfaces like cement, and nary a scratch in its 11.5 month life.

I got my other half a tea thermos by another company, and he finds his isn’t as insulating, and is still eyeing mine off. Damn you, international shipping…

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100
87 tasting notes

Pretty sure I’m the only person to actually destroy a timolino completely, and I accidentally ran over it with my work van, and it’s about the size of a HandiDart (short) bus! smooshed it right flat. I cried. three days later (payday) I bought a new one, and it goes everywhere with me. My tea-loving pony knows what it’s for nnow too, and will yank it out of my hand to get to the yummy treat inside. So it gets a LOT of horsey abuse, and there’s a few teeth marks in it, but it’s never leaked, keeps tea HOT or COLD (I usually plop an ice cube into my hot tea so it’s a more drinkable temperature, otherwise it’s burn-my-face-off hot for HOURS. I’ve had tea stay hot for 12 hours before, and have had ice cubes still clinking around after 8 hours)

this thing is indestructable, and I’d be lost without it!

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85
171 tasting notes

Keeps tea HOT for 4-5 hours then it starts to cool to a drinkable temp. Can keep a moderately hot cup of tea for upto 9 hours. I’m not a fan of the brew basket though.

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100
6444 tasting notes

I am just about to head out to school but I thought I should let people know that this product is amazing! I made tea in it last night around 11 and forgot about it until this morning when I woke up and saw the timolino on my nightstand. I opened it up almost 12 hours later to find the tea had not gone cold yet. Granted it did cool some but nonetheless I got to wake up to a cup of tea ready to drink…YAY!! On a different note, my morning was also made better by the email from Teavana saying my order has been shipped!

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