Stainless Steel Self-Stirring Mug

The first self-stirring mug I had I picked up a few years ago. It was battery operated, made of plastic and marketed as being ideal for hot chocolate. Long story short, the mug wasn’t powerful to blend most hot chocolate mixes (not if you wanted a lot of chocolate, anyway!) and a pain in the butt to clean because it had big, non-removable blades at the bottom. This Stainless Steel Self-Stirring Mug is a big improvement. This sleek looking mug has a small disk at the bottom that spins rapidly at the touch of a button, easily blending things like sugar and cocoa powder into hot liquids. The mug is battery operated and is fairly strong when the batteries are fresh, and it comes with a lid that makes this a convenient travel mug, not just a gadget to use around the house. Rechargeable batteries are the way to go with a cup like this one, as batteries that have lost some of their juice won’t blend up your drinks as well.

All that said, I still don’t have a self stirring mug to call my own. I did recently gift one of these to a hot chocolate loving friend (who kindly let me give it a try!), so I’d put it on my short list if I were in the market for another similar gadget!

Leaning Tower of TEAsa

I love to travel and an definitely drawn towards items that have a little bit of a travel slant to them… or in the case of this Leaning Tower of TEAsa, a very literal slant! This cute tower of Pisa-inspired item is actually a tea-for-two set that includes a tea pot and two cups. The top of the tower is actually the lid of the teapot, which makes up the base of the tower. The pot also comes with a removable brew basket inside.

I wish I could find one of the pictures I took years ago when I visited the tower of Pisa myself, so I could compare the “real thing” to this version, but that would involve a serious search through many boxes of pictures and old photo albums – activities best saved for a rainy day. I didn’t buy any tourist trinkets at the time to remind myself about the visit, assuming that photos would be enough. Photos really are a great way to remember a momentous trip or occasion, but adding a tea set like this one to the kitchen just might be an even better daily reminder.

Trigger Mugs

I, for one, am always happy to kill some time with a cup of coffee during the day. When you work in an office, it’s a good excuse to get up, stretch your legs and spend a few minutes socializing. When you work at home, it’s just nice to have a break from your routine, whether that means getting away from working on the computer or from doing the laundry. A Trigger Mug will definitely help you kill some time. The mug handle is shaped like the trigger of the gun and, while perhaps not everyone’s cup of tea (or coffee), it will also be a conversation starter in the break room! The triggers are stationary to make the mugs easy to hold onto, but they are glazed in gold (on white) and platinum (on black) to make them stand out on the ceramic mugs.

Cuft

Cuft is a neat stocking stuffer for coffee and tea drinkers – especially if they’re the active type. By this, I mean that they will take a walk (or run) out to the coffee shop of choice and then enjoy a hot drink on the way home. The reusable, washable sleeve is made of polyester and elastic and features a low-profile zippered pocket. The pocked is just the right size for stashing cash and your house key, which makes it perfect for anyone looking to travel light on their way to pick up that morning or evening cuppa because it gives you an easy place to store your things.

Tank Up Coffee Mug

When I was a kid, I had a great Cheshire Cat mug that changed color when you poured hot liquid into it. More specifically, everything but the cat’s big grin disappeared when it was full. At the time, my drink of choice was hot chocolate. I wouldn’t turn down hot chocolate today, but a mocha would probably be more my style. I still have a soft spot for those color changing mugs, though, and this Tank Up Coffee Mug. The mug has a fuel gauge printed on the side that turns bright red as you fill up the cup. The gauge will only go up halfway for a half-full mug, but let’s face it: with coffee, as with gasoline, it’s better to fill that tank up when you have the chance!