All Your Green Blog

Thinksport is the new line of stainless steel, vacuum sealed bottles from the same folks that make the ThinkBaby bottles. Both are 100% BPA-free, and non-leaching. We were excited when we saw these, as we don't yet carry a good container for hot beverages, and this one even had an internal strainer for icecubes or tea leaves.

Well, we order a few cases, and they arrive, and we open them full of hope. I slowly removed one of the bottles from the box, marveling at the elegant design and stainless shininess. I carefully grasp the cap to twist it off...

And there the fantasy ended. The top section of the cap has to screw off, but the plastic leash thingy does not turn. The attachment of the leash to the lid is so tight that you have to twist the cap as far as the leash will let you, then shimmy the leash around a quarter turn, rinse repeat, and in a few minutes... you can take a drink! Of course, then there's getting the damn thing back on.

We weren't impressed. However, maybe this one was a fluke. We tried another, which was slightly better, but not easy enough to use that I'd buy one myself. We tried the other box (which had another size bottle), and same thing. They were all nearly impossible to open and close easily. But what if they got easier over time, like had a break-in period or something? Well, that's not all.

In addition to the ridiculously difficult to use cap, the little rubber o-ring that seals the cap to the bottle ships with, but not in the bottle. I thought it was odd, but inserted it myself, and then started the above described drama. However, once I did manage to wrestle the thing back open, the o-ring falls right out. Every single time. There is no conceivable way that you could hang on to it for more than a few days before you lose it. And what then? Why, you spill your next hot, cold, or colorful beverage dribbling down your shirt. We had nightmares of coffee lawsuits, and decided to return the bottles, and spare you all the same madness.

The manufacturer worked with us on the return, and as I understand it, they receive high praise for their ThinkBaby line, and even some for this line, so I don't want to sound bitter. I merely wanted to let you, our customers, to whom we are responsible, know that not everything passes our QA process. If you encounter a problem with a product you purchase from us, please let us know, so we can take that into consideration next time we're preparing an order with that manufacturer.

Thanks to ThinkBaby for their cooperation, and hopefully these issues are resolved in the future.