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Paladone Pacboy Retro Heat Change Mug
by purplekimmy
I bought this Heat change mug for my son for his birthday last year. I loved Pac-man and Mrs Pac-man as a kid and spend many a day down the seafront arcades playing on the Pac-man machines. I also bought it on the Atari, gosh that takes you back doesn't it?
I saw this mug for £5.99 for Prelude (a shop in the High Street that ... sells all manner of things that no-one needs, but once you have seen them, you want them!) The mug itself is black and quite thick feeling, very sturdy robust mug. The handle is a man's handle as my son would say, its a good solid rounded handle, no tiny china handle here. The mug has a picture of the Pac-man maze, the dots and ghosts. This is covered with a layer of heat changing material that when you add hot water to the cup, the heating of this layer makes it see-through, therefore you can then see the picture beneath.
My son tends to use this cup when making a hot chocolate as he is not a tea or coffee person yet. When the drink is made the picture appears, and when it starts to cool down, the picture disappears and the layer covers the picture again. My son can judge the temperature of his hot chocolate, depending on whether he can see Pac-man or not! Crafty!!! This transition happens very quickly when you add the hot water, it gradually happens during the cooling process, but after four months of constant use, it is still working as well as the first time.
It is fine to wash normally in a bowl, I am not sure about dishwashers as I don't have one, I also haven't used it in our microwave but I am guessing it is probably a good idea to avoid putting it in a microwave.
My son loves his mug and for the price I can't really blame him. I want to see if they do any others so I can have one.
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Jamie Oliver Super Mum Mug in Tin
by shopping_jem
Received as a gift, I though this mug seemed excellent quality and I was pleased to see it was china rather than stoneware, as tea tastes so much better out of china! Actually, it is also very robust too - mine has lasted about three years of regular use, and still going strong.
The size of the mug is great too - it is ... slighter larger than my usual china mugs, and its width at the top makes it pleasant to drink from. There are no flaws in the white surface, and the writing of the logo is not a tacky transfer-style job, but rather a well-made printed one.
The tin that it comes in has proved useful too - it is strong and has a well-fitting lid (I use mine for sewing thread storage, but I'm sure everyone will have some use for it!). The only drawback is that because it is so personalised with its "Super Mum" logo, it can't be given to just anyone who visits for a cuppa without raising an eyebrow.
These mugs are quite expensive, but because they make such a lovely gift in their tin, and seem excellent quality, I would say they are worth it if you find one that has the right slogan on! Bear in mind that some of the different styles are slightly different sizes (we also have "Top Dad" which is the same size, and the "Big Spender" one which is bigger) and this may be significant if you were intending to buy two different styles for a couple.
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Keep Calm and Carry On Thermal Travel Mug
by thehonesttruth
I'd like to start my review by saying that my mug is different from the one pictured above. Mine has a white lid, a mainly red body, and the text is all in white. Other than that, it is identical in design.
I used to work in insurance sales until I recently gave it up to become a student once again. One of the downsides of the ... job was the early morning starts, which resulted in me feeling pretty tired and rushed. By the time I was up, groomed, and dressed, there simple wasn't time for a hot cup of coffee in the morning. Initially I used a Thermos, which did perform very well, but was rather large for my coffee consumption needs and soon became used for carrying my lunch (soup). I only really drink coffee first thing in the day, so I needed something suitable for that single use.
Enter the travel mug, made of double walled ceramic that will keep your hot drinks hotter for longer, and topped of with a rather funky soft rubber lid with a convenient hole for sipping. The lid itself fits on securely, though it takes a couple of try to get the hang of it, and the mug has a comforting amount of weight to it. I do like a mug that feels heavy ans substantial in the hands - I've no idea why, it's just a personal preference.
The mug has that 'Keep calm and carry on' design that appears to be everywhere at the moment in multiple variations. As stated at the start, my design is a different colourway from the one pictured above, having a white lid, a red body, and white text. This design is everywhere at the moment - which doesn't;t stop me liking it. It is dishwasher proof.
It also has a 280ml capacity. Now, I like to take my own coffee from home to drink on the bus, but for those who would perhaps like to fill this with a drink from your favourite local beverage shop, that translates to a Short in Starbucks, a Regular at Cafe Nero, and a Primo at Costa. Essentially, the smallest of whatever you'd buy at a big chain, but still, to my mind, a decent amount of Java.
So, we've covered the design, and the size, what of the practicalities. Ah. Well, you see, at first glance this cup looks ideal for taking a cup of coffee from home to work. Until you realise that the little sippy hole means you do have to keep the cup upright at all times. You can not, for instance, sling this into your backpack as you do with a Thermos. This is itself is not an issue. I'm relatively coordinated, and can just about manage to keep a cup the right way up when it is full. But, add in additional factors such as needing to carry extra bags, running for a bus when you're that few minutes late, or wearing mittens, and it becomes something of a danger. It's smooth sides render it ungraspable when wearing gloves, and the slightest jogging motion causes hot coffee to come jumping out of the sippy hole. And sometimes, I just don't have the hands free to hold it.
Would I recommend this mug? Well, I do really like it. It's very attractive, has a nice feel in the hands, and if you DO use it to carry your chain store coffee (I never drink in those places) it could also be potentially very environmentally friendly. However, if you're in a rush, dragging along a suitcase, and wearing mittens, or any one of those three, it just isn't that practical. It also takes up a fair amount of room in a handbag when lugging it home empty.
I've seen versions of this mug everywhere, with prices ranging from £5 to £9. I paid around £6 for mine in my local supermarket.
I'm going to give it three stars. Whilst it's not suitable for every scenario, it is perfect for filling up for a short walk to the supermarket to keep me warm, for carrying on the bus (provided I've no baggage), or indeed for using at home without the lid. I do like the design too. It's just a shame that, in winter when it is coldest, I can't use this and gloves at the same time. And gloves win.
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