A thermos of hot tea is essential on a brisk Autumn day. Apart from preventing the possibility of tea withdrawal, having hot tea on the go will stop the cold climate from becoming too bothersome, or your fingers from going numb. But whether you utilise a thermos in your day-to-day routine, or whether you only turn to it in more extreme situations, you want to ensure that you have a thermos to fit your needs.

Drawing on my quest to find the right thermos, and my dissatisfaction with many thermoses out there, here are a few things to consider when investing in one of these essential devices:

• Drinking method: There are a variety of designs for the way to drink from a thermos. I prefer the style where the cap doubles as a cup, as it allows the tea to cool off to a reasonable temperature so you don’t burn your mouth. It also allows you to sip your tea as you would in a teacup — a nice reference to cosy indoor teatimes. But there are some disadvantages too: it can add bulk and weight to the thermos, and can drip when you replace it as a cap.
• Pouring: With hot liquid, it is especially important that the spout pours well, otherwise you might end up burning your fingers. Even more tragically, you will lose valuable tea!
• The seal: Leakage is always a danger with portable drinking apparatuses, and even more unpleasant when the liquid could include milk and/or honey. To avoid potential mess and to prevent the loss of tea, you want a thermos that seals well, and will not drip when laid sideways.
• Sturdiness: If you plan on carrying your thermos around just about everywhere with you, make sure your thermos can take the wear and tear that comes with constant tea drinking. Tea drinking is a serious business and, believe me, it can take a toll.
• Size: The size of your thermos determines how much tea you will have. While can be a pain to carry around a larger, heavier thermos, you’ll have to balance this with the stark reality of having less tea. The sacrifice just might be worth it!

Of course, you should also ensure that the thermos has a good vacuum that will keep your tea hot for hours. But since this feature is integral to a thermos, I should hope that any design you are considering would include it. If it doesn’t, then it is merely a travel mug masquerading as a thermos. Beware of these imposters, and happy thermos hunting!

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