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Welcome to Fancy Food & Culinary Products' blog, your place to read reviews of the great fancy and gourmet products we find in the marketplace.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Editor's Choice: Contigo

I have a thing for reusable water bottles. On any given day, I have at least one at my desk, a couple in my car and several threatening to burst out of my kitchen cabinets. But for the amount of water bottles that I've accumulated, I've probably thrown out just as many. Sooner or later, the lid stops screwing on correctly or the interior straw starts leaking. When I stopped at the Contigo booth at the International Home + Housewares Show, I mentioned my penchant for reusable water bottles and how they inevitably get tossed once they stop working. Contigo sent me home with the Autoseal Bella Double Wall Insulated Mug, and I have a feeling I won't be needing any of the other water bottles I keep on-hand.

Contigo is known for the Autoseal technology; with a quick push of a button on the back of the mug, the seal opens up and allows you to drink — perfect for clumsy drinkers like me. The seal also prevents liquid from leaking, so you can throw it into a bag or stash it in a desk drawer without worrying about spills. The insulated mug also keeps both warm and cool beverages at a desirable temperature for up to one hour. I can sip cold water throughout the day and use it at night for a splash of hot tea.

The Bella comes in eggplant — my color of choice — and black, and each bottle holds 14 ounces of liquid. Stock up on a few Contigos, and you won't have to worry about stashes of broken water bottles. In my case, I'll be able to make better use of that overflowing kitchen cabinet.

—Melody