Buyer Beware

How many paper cups do you use every day? According to Reuters' website, "about 28 billion cups end up in U.S. landfills every year." Can you imagine the number if you combined all the landfills in the entire continent of North America?

We are becoming more environmentally conscious every year, but we are also economically conscious. So how do we solve the environmental issues that come with drinking our cup of coffee every day while being cost effective?

A group of us set out to find the answer. Keeping the life of a student in mind, we went out and purchased five coffee tumblers from different providers: Starbucks, Tim Hortons, Superstore, Sears, and Dollarama. We subjected each to a variety of different tests to test leakage, temperature retention, and durability.

So, you're on your way to school, jumping onto the bus, riding your bike, or just dodging traffic while you cross the street, when you finally get to other side and your coffee has spilled all over you brand new scarf. I don't know about you but I'm pretty darn angry. We simulated these situations by shaking the heck out each tumbler. Dollarama - there wasn't even any liquid left, Tim Hortons and Sears - a lot of spillage, Starbucks - two or three drops, and Superstore - earned the perfect store.

When we did the temperature retention tests, we took readings at 15 minute intervals, first sitting at room temperature, then at freezing. The only two mugs that were still piping hot, after an hour sitting at room temperature, were Starbucks and Superstore.

And then we dropped all the tumblers down concrete steps, and again the only two that survived were Starbucks and Superstore, do you notice a trend here?

The thing is, if you have the money to buy the Starbucks tumbler, do it. The stainless steel ones cost about $20 - $22 dollars. It will keep your coffee hot, keep your scarf clean, and survive if you happen to drop it a few times. However, you can buy the Superstore tumbler for about $15 dollars and be just as happy.

It's totally up to you. Personally, I'm gonna stick to the Starbucks label simply because I love them. I've worked there for more than 3 years, 1 of which was spent as an Assistant Manager, so I guess I am a bit biased. But the point is, I was very impressed with the little tumbler that could. Almost enough to buy that one instead.