No matter how much time I give myself to get out of the door in the morning, it’s always a last minute dash out, which has often precluded me from enjoying my tea on-the-go. If only I could boil the water and steep it on the way without being concerned about dealing with wet leaves or over-steeped tea!

So imagine my delight to find a product that would allow me to do so! The good folks at Copco have designed the Tea Thermal and I couldn’t be happier. Not to say that this product is perfect, but it’s the best I’ve found thus far. I travel for my job, so I need a travel mug that allows me to make my tea anywhere I am. (Lucky for me I don’t require sugar, honey or milk, as that would certainly complicate the process of making tea while driving).

The Tea Thermal is sleek and modern in its design. The stainless steel mug is decked out in a leaf green plastic hand grip and a removable drinking spout that also houses the tea-steeping chamber. What makes this product unique in its design is the removable steeping chamber offers a “steep” and “stop” feature, all at the turn of a dial. This ingenious feature allows me to enjoy fresh-brewed tea without over-steeping!

Now if I’m around the house, I’m not going to use this product. There are better infusers than the metal chamber perforated with small holes (vs a more preferable mesh), that provide a better infusion in terms of nuance and taste of your tea. But, when I took this baby on a 4+ hour trip up north, that’s when I was completely sold.

Witness: Getting ready for my trip, I boiled the water and added my desired leaves and headed out to the car. About 5 minutes into my trip I enabled the “stop steeping” option and about 9-10 minutes into the trip I was finally able to drink my tea. This device keeps the water VERY hot (which is the point of a thermal mug, no?) and my tea stayed hot for easily up to an hour.

Two hours into my trip, I see a rest stop. I need more tea. I withdrawal the chamber of wet leaves and with one swift bang against the side of a garbage can, the chamber is empty (a plus over mesh which would require a more thorough washout to get the leaves unstuck from the mesh). I walk into the rest stop complex which has a souvenirs/snacks store, a Roy Rogers and a Starbucks.

The snacks store has a self-serve coffee set up, which also has hot water. I fill my mug, which the lady allows me to do for free, seeing as I wasn’t actually needing anything but hot water. I return to my car, add more leaves to the chamber, start the car and start the process all over again. I’m off, driving and enjoying my tea. I did this another 2 times on the way up and again on the way back. Having my high quality tea while driving about the boondocks of upstate NY, priceless! I can’t wait to use it camping this summer!

PROS: easy, convenient, drip-free, functional, inexpensive (only $14.99), a truly an on-the-go mug

CONS: not the best steep, would like a bigger/deeper chamber for the leaves

WOULD LIKE TO SEE: a handle or clip (think more sporty hiking style, after all it is for travel)

This product is a must have for anyone who spends a lot of time traveling and loves their tea.

Purchase yours, along with your favorite loose tea at the English Tea Store!

See also: Tea Product Review: Copco’s Tea Thermal (another take on this product from a strictly objective point of view)

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