Should you get a Stanley?  Unpopular Opinion. 

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I feel like the Stanley craze snuck up on me.  First, I saw them at the gym, then people started talking about them everywhere I went, and then at Christmas I saw Stanleys on every top gift list.  Why is everyone crazed over these oversized cups!!!  I will admit that they are beautiful and if that was all that mattered maybe I’d be all in.  I would say the ability to keep beverages hot or cold for numerous hours isn’t new, though after reading the reviews on Amazon, you’d think Stanley just came up with this functionality.   I think if I had to pick one off Amazon today, I’d go with this orchid one, I love the purple on purple. 

Now, here is my unpopular opinion…resist the temptation. Stanleys are beautiful and functional, but, you don’t want to be sucking on a straw all day long every day. Have you seen someone who has been addicted to smocking for years? Your lips will start aging and forming lines/wrinkles from the repetitive motion of sucking on that straw all day. Sure, it won’t be tomorrow, but, day after day, it will add up and it cannot be reversed.

My favorite water bottle for many years has been the Contigo autoseal style (their travel coffee mugs are my favorite travel mug as well). I love the autoseal because as long as you have the lid on correctly, the bottle can be jostled quite a bit and not leak. It also keeps your liquids hot or cold for many hours and most importantly, it isn’t a straw! This one here is one of my favorites, I have one for myself and each of my kids. As for travel coffee mugs, I like this one with the handle. I used it TONS when my kids were young, I could sit it on the couch next to me and if it fell over, it didn’t matter because it didn’t spill!