Thermos Nissan 14-Ounce Leak-Proof Insulated Travel Mug

I've been drinking from one of these for years. A few months ago I lost mine and replaced it with one we had lying around that was plastic on the inside instead of stainless--I knew this one would not keep my coffee as hot, but I thought perhaps I'd gone overboard and could get by without replacing my Nissan Stainless mug. After a few months, I recalled the lesson I'd learned about these mugs years ago: because they keep the coffee so hot, for such a long time, YOU DRINK LESS COFFEE. It sounds kooky, but I've been overwhelmed by this discovery twice in the last decade. (Here's how: consider that when you take a sip of coffee, you get the smell, the strong flavor, the steam on your nose, and the hot beverage warmth in your mouth. As this coffee gets colder, you will discover that your sips become gulps... because you want that "hit" of the hot beverage and the flavor. Not only are these gulps less satisfying, but even die-hard coffee lovers understand that too much of a good thing means nature calls more frequently, urgently, and your tummy might start to roar.) If you would like to drink less and enjoy it more, you will love the Nissan Stainless Mugs.

Pros of this particular mug:
-The top is ingeniously designed. Lots of thought went into the shape and how well it conforms to your face when you drink.
-It's leak proof, folks. I think some who have reviewed it poorly in this regard have mistaken the claim: it's leak proof if you seal the lid. As for whether you spill it while you're drinking, nobody can account for how one person drinks. If you set it on the car seat or hook it to your satchel with the included clip-thingie, or if you turn it upside down while it's full, NOT ONE DROP will escape. HUGE improvement over the model I bought seven years ago.
-Easy cleaning, rubberized grip and handle, 5 year warranty--this is not your granddad's thermos.

The only thing I'd presume to be a con, in all fairness, is that it looks a bit ostentatious, spacey. However, the handle is nice and makes the whole mug fit very naturally in your hand.

Invest in this mug: you might even save on coffee or trips the bathroom in the long run, and you won't spill a drop unless you miss your mouth.


Truly spillproof, good heat insulator   February 2, 2005
K. Kasabian (Central California Coast)
53 out of 59 found this review helpful

I bought this for my husband nearly four years ago after months of research and it's still a reliable, leakproof mug that goes to work with him whenever he needs that second cup. He attaches it to his backpack with a carabiner and aside from a few dents, it's the only travel mug we've found that truly doesn't leak. Forty-five minutes after leaving home, he sits down in his office chair to 14 oz. of very hot coffee.

As another reviewer noted, it can be difficult to know just by looking when the lid is on tight; one of my co-workers discovered this one day when, eager to show off her new mug's leakproof feature, turned it upside down in front of the CEO and dumped an entire mug of coffee onto his feet.

The Nissan Leak-Proof works better as a travel mug than a commuter's mug for two reasons: first, there's no smaller opening on the lid that allows the user to sip slowly...the lid is on or it's off. Second, it doesn't fit well in most cup holders, making it harder to access on the road without the driver becoming seriously distracted. But if the intent is to simply transport a hot beverage to be enjoyed at a later time and place, this mug is ideal.

It's fairly easy to clean, but requires a long bottle brush to get to the bottom of the mug; there's also a fair-sized gap between plastic and metal inside the mug that needs scrubbing, but for its reliability, durability and heat insulating properties, it's worth the extra care.


Hottest Coffee ever & no more accident of spill, but the lid is not 1-piece....   August 18, 2005
M. chang (Sunny West Coast)
32 out of 32 found this review helpful

Thermos is the Japanese company. I have been using their product since 15 years ago. When I found this mug available in USA, I purchased one for my husband as he will take a cup of coffee to enjoy it during traffic jam. He likes the tight lock of this mug. No more spill! He also like the temperature of the coffee. The insulated wall really works!
The first month after using this mug, we found the lid could be separated into 3 parts: The top, the container shaped bottom, and a rubber band. It was very yucky first time we dis-assembled the lid since coffee and cream can get into it through the seam. Ever since, we dis-assemble the lid every time we wash the mug. A little hassle, but for the nice & hot coffee, it can be tolerated!


my favorite mug   November 15, 2006
Tim (Chicago, IL United States)
29 out of 29 found this review helpful

I have four of these mugs.

Pros:
- Keeps coffee hot for a very long time when sealed.
- Doesn't leak.
- Durable.
- Carabiner makes it easy to clip onto backpack.

Cons:
- A little inconvenient to clean.
- Nissan unresponsive about replacement parts.

Tips:
Make sure the lid is screwed down snugly, but not too tightly. You want to form a complete seal to prevent leaks and retain heat, but the seal gets tighter as the contents cool and shrink.

Don't fill past the raised metal fill-line on the inside of the mug. If you overfill the mug, some liquid will be pushed up into the threads when you screw the lid down, and you won't notice until you tip the mug. (It's easier to see the line if you fill it beneath an overhead light.) If you think your mug leaks, you've probably overfilled it.

If you fill it just right, you don't even have to stir your coffee. Just add your sugar, cream, ketchup, or whatever you put in there, seal the lid, and shake the mug to mix it. (I've never been able to do this with any other mug).

When you wash the mug, remember to remove and wash the silicone rubber o-ring. The lid is hollow and can be pried apart with a spoon for cleaning if some liquid seeps inside.

If you wash the mug in the dishwasher (Nissan recommends against this), remove the plastic base before (or after) washing to remove the water that collects in there.

If you lose the gasket (or cut it on a knife in the dishwasher like I did), I've found these to be suitable inexpensive replacements after a lot of hunting around: 228 Silicone Rubber O-Ring 70A Durometer, Burnt Orange, 2-1/4" ID x 2-1/2" OD x 1/8" W, by Small Parts Inc.


The best I've found!   August 11, 2001
R. Church (Martinez, Ca. United States)
23 out of 23 found this review helpful

In 27 years as a bus driver, I have drunk a lot of cold coffee, and spilled a lot more, from many brands of so-called insulated, leakproof coffee mugs. I first found this cup at the Brookstone store in the local mall and thought the price a bit steep but it is without a doubt the best insulated cup I have ever owned. It was absolutely leakproof and remains so after three years of daily use. This cup is also manufactured under a "high vacuum" process that maintains the temperature of the contents better than any other I have used, bar none. The trick is to "season" the cup...fill it with HOT water, let it sit overnight, empty it out, and then fill it with your hot coffee. It's good for 4 to 5 hours at a very drinkable temperature! Season it with ice cubes and water for cold drinks. The other handy feature of this cup is its handle.It is wide-spaced from the body of the cup, allowing you to carry your briefcase, purse, or umbrella in the same hand as the cup. In my case, buses have no cupholders and the non-slip handle fits easily over the sun visor, keeping my hot coffee within easy reach. The only two drawbacks to this cup are (1) the price tag and (2) after the contents of the cup cool off a bit, the lid can be somewhat difficult to remove due to the vacuum created...a small price to pay for the only vacuum insulated cup that REALLY IS what it says it is. I wish I had a commission for each of these cups bought by my fellow drivers!