Panda Reviews – Thermos Vacuum-insulated Stainless Steel Carafes

Ah coffee (or tea)…who doesn’t enjoy drinking them piping hot while you’re freezing in a sub-zero office? But hot cups of beverages often cool all too quickly in chilling temperatures so what is a frozen panda to do? Turn to the vacuum-insulated stainless steel carafe from Thermos, of course.

First Impressions

Apparently the THV series carafes are now up to 24% lighter so it brings greater convenience and ease of use as I enjoy my favourite beverages. A thoughtful gesture to be sure, but I don’t really anticipate myself holding the carafe for too long. Then again, this feature will come in useful for the older folks. The design is also quite fuss-free so it does look good in any setting.

Usability

I’m happy to report that pouring hot water into the carafe doesn’t pose a hazardous risk. In fact, the outside feels absolutely cool even though the insides must be at a temperature that is enough to scald anyone. The carafe itself is also quite panda-proof—meaning that all it took was a twist and turn, and I could open the top for washing. Definitely an elderly-friendly item you should have at home if you’re living with the older folks.

The leak-proof top doesn’t, well, leak when I tilted it slightly to see if any stray droplet of water will find its way out. None whatsoever, so that’s good. I also like that the top can be taken apart for cleaning although I was initially worried that I won’t be able to put the different parts back together again. You know how sometimes you can’t seem to reach certain parts of the flask top, and they end up becoming dirty and disgusting? Well, no more such worry with the detachable parts!

Washing the carafe is no longer the struggle you tend to have with traditional flasks as well, due to its 7cm wide mouth opening. I can reach into the carafe to give it a thorough wash so that’s a plus point.

What about its promises of keeping liquids hot for up to 24 hours and cold for up to 10 hours? Well, I tested it by pouring hot water into the carafe and left it overnight. The water was still quite hot when I poured it out, so it passed in this aspect.

Next up is the cold test! I was going to have a Christmas party so I brought the Thermos home to serve as a ice water carafe for my guests. Ice went in at about 4pm that day and when I opened the carafe at 7 plus the following morning to check on the ice status, this was what I saw.

As you can see, the ice has pretty much melted except for a few pieces but I must say that it’s pretty effective at keeping water nice and cool. The temperature of the water was kept constant so my guests could enjoy nice ice water at any time during the party.

Overall Opinion (after 1 month of usage)

Well, I gotta say as far as its promises go, the Thermos® THV-series is quite spot-on in its delivery. Its light weight and ease of usage also make tea-times relatively hassle-free so I would say that it’s quite worth the price (starting from S$59).

Thermos® THV-series is now available at all major department stores in Singapore. The THV-series comes in three different sizes (1.0L, 1.5L and 2.0L), with prices starting from S$59. For more information on Thermos® products, visit www.thermos.com.sg and www.facebook.com/thermos.singapore.