Stanley Classic Trigger Action Travel Mug Review

I love a hot drink on the go when travelling, the problem is the cost. I often grab a coffee or hot chocolate to warm me up on a cold commute to work, especially now winter is well on its way and seems to want to make up for this year’s hot summer.

Each morning the warmth I feel from that drink is quickly replaced by that chill in my veins I get when my bank helpfully points out how much I spent in Pret that month. So I decided that I was going to go economical and bring my coffee from home. 

I picked this mug up from Amazon, I mainly chose it for the brand and I found the trigger action a useful feature. Stanley is a brand that has been going since 1913 and they are experts are keeping your drinks at the right temperature. It’s likely your grandad had a thermos from them and it is just as likely he still has it knocking around somewhere. They are known for simple designs that work well and are nothing short of bombproof. It’s no wonder they are still going all these years later. 

I have been using my mug since the start of the year, so it’s fair to say I have tested it thoroughly. It works brilliantly at keeping drinks at the right temperature. I would even go as far as to say it’s a little too good at its job.

What I mean is I wake up and it’s already freezing outside. I’m walking to work in my thermals, down jacket and gloves. So I often make hot chocolate before I leave the house. At this point it’s 6:30 am, I get on my train to work and it’s still boiling. I get to work and sit at my desk, it’s nearly 9 am at this point and it’s still undrinkable.

It’s become a habit to immediately taking the lid off when I reach my desk so the heat can escape and my drink can cool down. I forgot about it the first day I had it and in mid-afternoon drank straight from the trigger and scolded my tongue. I know I can just make my drink cooler, but my kettle only goes to one temperature and my morning routine has a tight schedule.

I have found that the trigger action is incredibly useful. It’s easy to use one-handed as the button doesn’t require too much pressure. But the mug is heavy enough that it won’t get pushed accidentally when it’s sitting in your bag. It also means I can drink without looking as it reduces the likelihood of spillage. If you knock it over (something with my accident record I’m prone to) your lap is safe thanks to the trigger.

This trigger action is purely for drinking though. This does have a tight seal, so I would avvoid making the mistake of using fizzy drinks like I did. I ended up buying a Yeti Rambler for the summer months where I want to keep my cans cool.

At around £30, It is a bit on the expensive side especially when theres competitors at lower prices. But you can easily earn that money back in two weeks by forgoing your daily coffee shop run. The trigger action is something I have only seen offered by Stanley and is really useful. If you want something a bit cheaper and the trigger action isn’t a priority, check out this alternative from Lifeventure I reviewed.

You do get a choice of colours, including classic Hammertone Green, Matte Black, Nightfall Navy, Polar White and Wine Red. The colours look great but are a little muted so don’t expect this to be a statement piece on your desk. With the exception of the white, I’d say they are the shade that would blend perfectly into your shed. But that’s fine with me as that’s a colour palette I like.

Overall I will admit the price is a bit steep. But you are paying for a quality product that will last you for years to come if you look after it. It will reach a point of saving you money if you keep using it to make your own hot drinks. So the long-term benefits will far outweigh the short-term costs.

I can confidently say I have saved at least £15 a week since I made this purchase. It’s good to know that when I come back to my drink I will have inevitably forgotten about it will still be near enough how I left it. And when your friends are complaining their coffee is cold you can be smug with your piping hot brew.