bubba Keg Vacuum-Insulated Stainless Steel Travel Mug, 34 oz., Black

I was not a believer.I'm from Boston. Nobody says Bubba up here unless it's re: Forrest Gump. But, all over Trip Advisor, one cup brand stood out, and no, it wasn't the Holy Grail.The humble Bubba mug was the subject of many a topic. Some folks say they don't belong at an all inclusive resort -- other protested and said that it was the best way to get your money's worth.Well, I'm cheap as hell, and wanted to get my money's worth -- or rather, my boyfriend's money's worth -- out of my recent all-inclusive resort stay. Thanks to this mug, I could have 5+ mugs of pina colada a day, and there was not a damn thing anyone could do stop me -- until last call.My boyfriend recently took me on vacation to the Dominican Republic. The resort we went to had paper cups -- not conducive to drinking beer lazily on the beach, sipping pina coladas poolside, or getting crunk on five fingers of Malibu Rum while swimming during a foam party. That's where the Bubba Mug came in.My boyfriend is a beer drinker. I like frozen cocktails. We both got this same mug, in two different colors, so we could easily tell who had what. We were both VERY happy with our purchases. Neither of us tasted the metal used in the mug at all. There was no nasty flavor or aftertaste or anything.If you are someone who likes straws, do not rely on your resort to provide them. Some resorts are no longer providing straws, while others are using junky straws that crack easily, and, if you get a large mug like this...it's understandable a resort would not have a straw long enough to suit your needs.Just as I needed a mug, so too did I need a straw, and once again, Bubba provided.I purchased the silicone Bubba straws (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073G4PPJR/) and these fit in the mugs perfectly. Those straws are a solid 4 star item. I packed two sets so I could have a new straw every day, washing the silicone straws at home. Those straws absolutely are compatible with these mugs. The straw colors go with the mug colors.Pro tip -- if you get the straws, here's what you should do.1.) Get a drink.2.) Put the mug lid on.3.) Put the straw in.4.) Squish the straw down and seal the drink.5.) When you next open the drink, the straw will be easy to pop out and use. This is an easy way to handle the issue of a straw if you need to seal a drink that requires the use of a straw.These mugs absolutely kept our beverages cold and sealed. I made my boyfriend carry our mugs while we did a twenty minute walk and they didn't drip at all during the walk, even though he held the mugs so that the lid was perpendicular with the ground. The drinks remained cold through that walk, as if they'd been freshly poured.These mugs are a little hefty, but they saved us tons of trips back and forth between the bar and...well, every other place. The colors remind me of the 80s, or maybe a 90s ski jacket. We didn't mix our mugs up with anyone else's at the resort. Other folks had Swell bottles, Starbucks cups, and other popular brands -- which I'm sure are great. But, having a colorful mug that wasn't all black, all aluminum, or in a generic shape meant we never had issues with someone grabbing our mug on accident, or vice versa.Advice -- when you wash them for the first time, remember to take out the washer-ring-seal-thing and wash that too. Do that ever so often. This is not a problem specific to the Bubba. It's just the nature of the beast. You'll be surprised how grody it can get.These mugs are dishwasher safe and show no signs of discoloration from the dishwasher or my vacation. They didn't get dented from travel. No parts broke off. If I ever die -- if -- I want my ashes put in my Bubba mug and shot into space, because these things are insanely cool.

Likes:1. The size. I have had trouble finding an insulated coffee cup in the 20 to 24 ounce range with a wide base. Most are either more like tumblers that are tall and slender, so they will fit in a car's cup holders, don't have handles, or get more narrow from the top down to the base and tip easily. This cup is the right size, has a handle and is the same wide dimension from top to bottom.2. The cap screws on and you can position it so it will work whether you use your right or left hand to drink. Most screw-on lids I've had usually ended up pointed toward the front of the cup and not the side where people normally need it placed. I am right-handed, but have gotten used to drinking with my left hand because my right hand is usually holding a mouse, or tv remote. You just have to start screwing the lid on with the opening opposite the cup handle at about the 11 o'clock position for right-handed use, or toward the handle at about the 5 o'clock position for left-handed use. It doesn't take long to figure it out.3. I gave this 4 stars for being leakproof because I haven't tried to make it leak. This lid looks like it seals very well, and may be leakproof, but I have gotten several cups with lids that the manufacturer claims are leakproof, but they definitely have a different definition of leakproof than I do. If you tip the cup and fluid dribbles out, it isn't leak proof. I'm always a little wary of saying anything is leak proof, but I would feel very comfortable saying that this lid looks like it will be very leak resistant.Both Pro and Con.Pro: It is stainless steel with a plastic covering on the handle. I like insulated stainless cups because they never seem to sweat, unlike most plastic insulated cups I've had that claim not to sweat, but so far have failed to live up to that claim.Con: It is stainless steel, so I cannot put it in the microwave.My "Not always the sharpest tool in the drawer" Confession. I get up at 4:00 to 5:00 AM every morning to feed our dogs. Most times I'm clear headed, but I'm old, and unfortunately my brain is the same age I am. Occasionally, my body is moving, but my brain stays in bed. The fourth morning that I used this cup, my brain slept in and I was on autopilot. From habit, I took the cup of coffee out of the fridge and stuck it in the microwave like I've always done with my plastic cups. I didn't notice until I smelled the odor of burning plastic. That woke my brain up and I immediately opened the microwave. The cup was fine, but the plastic covering on the handle had melted at the bottom. It's kind of ugly, but still works fine, and it serves as a nice reminder.Overall, I enthusiastically recommend this cup and I am going to order another for myself.