Hey there guys and gals.
Last week I wrote a post about the first of six items which Burton McCall very kindly sent me; the PetLit LED light.
Spoiler alert: overall I was impressed, even if my kitty’s slight mental health issues prevented me from using it for it’s intended purpose. It does however make a great key ring and my dear sweet Toddle was quite taken with it… Okay all caught up? Good! If not the review is here.
In this review I have been playing with the three products from Zoku. First things first I shall be chiming in my two pence’s worth about The ‘Dino Pop’ maker and then I will transform into the coffee addled grown-up, I am on every level by reviewing two different thermos flasks from their collection. Yay coffee time!
Here we go with a quick and slightly boring disclaimer:
I was kindly gifted these items but the fact that I didn’t place my hand in my pocket (mustn’t disturb the resident moths in any way shape or form) won’t change my opinion. The good and bad will be shouted about in equal measure. Affiliate links will also be included but these won’t change my mind either, they might if I’m very lucky pay for my sites upkeep, so there is that!
So with that boring chatter out of the way, let us begin!
Zoku Dino Pop make
What is it?
Not going to lie, this was the item that both the Toddler and I were the most excited about. It’s a sturdy, well made silicone and plastic ice lolly maker with four, fun dinosaur shapes. I am clearly a very mature grown up…Hem hem
It’s quite expensive for an ice-lolly maker at £23.80, as of 16/09/2018 on Amazon UK. I feel that it is justified as it is an incredibly well made product. And adorable… Let’s not forget the cute factor in all of this chitter-chatter.
It can be used for more than just ice-lollies, which is a bonus. It works well as a chocolate and a sweet mold too, fair warning though my Jelly attempt was not a success story. My jelly dino turned into a malformed flubber. It just blobbed out in a shapeless glittery lump (that’s what she said *partner’s input right there). True story.
We used both squash and pure fruit juices for ice lollies and they all worked beautifully. Also Toddle thought she was getting a sweetie for dessert so was ridiculously delighted and told her dino “luv hoooo.” Cute, if a little disheartening for the poor Mummy who has seconds before been snotted on and literally growled at…
Not bitter at all… Nope, not even a teenie bit.
Each selection of goodies took about 8 hours to finish so it was relatively slow process, when compared to your standard ice-cube maker. Not an issue for us but worth mentioning for those who are after a quick pud at the end of a stressful day or are needing some interesting shaped ice-cubes for their drinkie-poos within a few, short hours.
What I liked:
As you can probably tell I really do love this product. A bit of whimsy is good for the soul, a easy fix to a tantrum after the type of day that makes day drinking tempting to say the least… (owning a Mk 1 toddler 101) It’s a fun idea which definitely excited and amused my darling, little Evie. She loved the bright coloured silicone and plastic and delighted in the silly and lighthearted dino shapes that they produced.
I was a fan of how well made this item was and I also approved of the lack of packaging. It came in a small cardboard box with some padding and a few small bags to keep the sticks (dino legs) in; which is pretty minimal by the standards of this day and age. The box itself is bright and visually appealing and is clearly aimed at children or the harassed mothers of said kiddos. It’s very easy to clean, just fill up each cavity with warm soapy water. Leave for a few mins then wipe over the whole thing with a wet, soapy cloth and rinse. Leave to air dry then put away. Easy, peasy!
What I didn’t like:
This is a small grumble from a somewhat lazy mummy but it isn’t dishwasher safe… I mean sure it’s REALLY easy to clean but I need to feel like I’m slacking off on occasion, don’t I?
It’s also quite expensive for an ice-lolly maker but in my opinion; it’s a high quality, well made product so worth the slightly hefty price tag even if the thought of spending nearly £24 on an ice-lolly mold made my eyes water.
Would I suggest that you buy this product?
No big surprise here guys. Hell yeah, especially it you have one or more miniature humans to keep amused and not acting like mini divas!
Zoku Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Tumbler -(White one in the photo above)
This is the better of the two flasks that I have been sent. It’s well made and has a simple, elegant design which is quite attractive. It is on the larger side though so is better suited for those that need enough tea/coffee/ hot chocolate to last them the whole afternoon. My partner took both of these flasks to work with him on separate days and commented that this one ‘kept the coffee hot for more than four hours and warm/ drinkable for seven or eight hours. The lip of the flask was pleasant to drink out of. It also worked well for transporting homemade soup for an on the go lunch.
The lid fits well and has a handy rope handle. As well as this it stays cool on the outside and hasn’t yet leaked so seems like a pretty safe design with minimal risk of scalding. Always a bonus especially when as clumsy and silly as myself.
I also liked how easily cleaned it was. Not dishwasher safe but very easily cleaned with just soap and warm water. Overall an excellent product which is well designed for its intended function.
What I don’t like:
I’m lazy and always in need of an easy and straightforward life so the fact that my bone idle butt can’t plonk this flask in the dishwasher (spot the pattern of grumbles) was a bit of a bummer if I’m honest. Never mind that it is REALLY easy to clean and dry.
It is also quite tall which does mean that if you possess smaller than average cupboards, you might have an issue fitting it in there but if like us your kitchen is a higgley piggledly mess you’ll be fiiiine.
As far as flasks go it is a bit pricey compared to some that you can pick up from supermarket but it is excellent quality so I would happily pay it for this item.
Would I buy this item?
Yes I would. It basically does what’s its meant too while looking fabulous, the dream of most. Not achieved my myself at any rate, haha. Still going with the mum jeans and frizzy hair look but at least thanks to this flask I’m well caffeinated and a lot less cranky. Mr Stitches lives to see another day… Wooo COFFEE! [Note from Mr Stitches: still crankier than she thinks she is!]
Three in One Tumbler – Purple
I thought that this would be my favourite out of the two flasks but sadly I was wrong. Sure it has it’s pros but ultimately it couldn’t live up to the others timeless and simple design. This flask boasts three different ways to drink your chosen beverage. You can insert a straw and sip it like a milk shake. Secondly you can drink it though a little gap (think take away cup) and thirdly you can remove the lid and drink it as you would out of a regular cup which is a nice touch. My partner has stated that it is very pleasant to drink out of and I really do like the lovely purple colour and the curved design. It’s very visually appealing and purple is one of my favourite colours so that’s a big plus for me.
What I don’t like:
Other than the fact that it is smaller than the other flask. Smaller = Less caffeine which in turn equals a much unhappier Alex. Yes I have a problem but at this sleep deprived time of my life, I am VERY unwilling to change my coffee obsessed ways; as I feel the headaches and growling if I miss my old mug ‘o’ brown is more than worth not being a zombified mess.. Mostly, anyway.
Yay it’s a mumlife!
The other issue with this item is the fact that you have to keep it 100% upright at all times when it’s full, otherwise you will end up wearing your coffee, as Mr Stitches’ backpack found out to its detriment. Even Lady Gaga couldn’t pull off such an outrageous look; so for us mere mortals it is best avoided at all costs. If all you want it for is to keep your morning coffee warmer for just a little longer; then this is certainly the item for you but if you are planning on sticking it in a bag and traveling then avoid like the plague and pick the larger flask, described above.
On the note of not being suitable for a beverage prepared way in advance, while the flask is insulated, the lid isn’t. We found that the times our drink/ soup stayed hot was more in the 2-3 hour range rather than the 4-6 hours that the packaging promised. I think that I will still use this item but more as an attempt at a hot drink in one sitting (I can dream can’t I) rather than as a drink on the go.
Another point that my partner made was what he described as a “form over function”
issue. The flask has a narrow base compared to the top (presumably in order to fit into a standard size cupholder in your car) which gives it a high centre of gravity – definitely a draw back when trying to herd a toddler. She LOVES saying “cheers” and tapping her sippy cup against any beverage that we are foolish enough to leave unattended for more than 0.5 seconds. The high centre of gravity makes it more likely to tip and knock over…. This is a bad thing that often requires much in the way of cleaning up. Le sigh. Just another task to add to my ever-growing list… (No toddlers were hurt in the making of this review, even if they now know and use the phrase ‘DAMN IT!’ #Badmummymoment)
Would I buy this item:
Personally no. I can see where it would have benefits such as taking your mug of coffee on the bus/ in the car or as a method of having a takeaway coffee in a more environmentally friendly way, than the disposal cups at your local Gregs/Costa. But as I have both this and the larger flask to choose from, I really do prefer the other as it suits my needs better and keeps my coffee hot for long enough that I actually have chance to drink it. With two tiny humans, that’s an amazing feat in and of its self.
What a fun few weeks we have had! Full of icy goodness and boiling hot caffeinated sanity to melt it all away. Cat stayed unimpressed as usual and Callum enjoyed hot soup on the go. All in all we are happy campers who have thougherly enjoyed our little experience/trip down memory lane of what a hot drink actually tastes like and will be using the flasks more often than not to recreate the experience. The Dino Pop maker has proved to be a massive sucess with both kiddies, Evie especially but Lily seemed to appriate the coldness from the ice lollies on her sore gums (teething) and happily nibbled on a few.
Thank you all so much for reading. If you have enjoyed this post then please consider following me on Facebook and Twitter and subscribing to my blog. 🙂
My Crafty Little Stitches 