That chat with my dad about his old Stanley thermos finally clicked for me

So last weekend I was helping my dad clean out his garage, and he handed me this beat up green Stanley thermos he's had since 1986. I asked why he never bought a new one, and he just said 'why would I? it still works.' That hit different because I've been through three different travel mugs in the last two years alone, each one leaking or losing heat after six months. Meanwhile his thermos has been dropped, banged against truck beds, and left in freezing temps overnight, and it still keeps coffee hot for 12 hours straight. I'm starting to think we overcomplicate stuff with all these fancy gaskets and vacuum seal claims when the old designs just worked. Has anyone else had a similar moment where a family member showed you something old that just outlasts everything new?

2 comments

2 Comments

elizabethtaylor2d ago

The key with those old Stanley thermoses is the metal cup that doubles as a lid. You can preheat it with hot water before filling the thermos and it makes a huge difference. I learned that trick from my uncle who used to work construction sites back in the 70s. Those older designs had thicker walls and simpler construction too. Sometimes the newest thing isn't the best thing when it comes to keeping your coffee warm.

sam171d ago

Guess I've been doing it wrong all these years then.