Review: Insulated Klean Kanteen
I’ve been a fan of Klean Kanteen for a while and was very excited to hear that they were coming out with an insulated version of their great bottles. They sent Laura and I a few bottles for our trip and we’ve been using them for the last few weeks.
We are definitely coffee people and it’s hard for us to get moving down the road without a good cup of coffee in the morning. I had been using a Snow Peak Titanium mug for the first four months of our trip and was really unhappy with it as a coffee mug. We use a reusable cone filter that slowly drips the coffee. What was happening was that by the time I had poured enough coffee, it had already gone cold. While the Snow Peak Ti mug is rgreat in terms of weight/size and functions better as a small pot, it seriously blows at keeping anything warm for very long.
The Klean Kanteens come in the same nice silver finish as their regular bottles. They are double walled and weigh a little more but have the same diameter as their regular bottles (so if you have VO bottle cages they’ll still fit!). The ones we have came with a loop style cover. While you have to unscrew them to drink, they are pretty leak proof so you can toss them in your purse, bag or pannier without fear of finding your personal belongings floating in coffee. In terms of touring, the loop tops are also great because you can lash them to your bag easily or use S-biners and attach them pretty much anywhere (like the loops on your Brooks).
Another nice feature are the different sizes. I have come to really like the small 12oz version which is highly packable and is a good replacement to your work mug.
The insulated Klean Kanteens kept our coffee nice and hot while we were in camp, with my old ti mug the coffee would be undrinkably cold by the time we got our tent down. It also kept the coffee drinkably warm for several hours. That said, they are less thermally efficient than a dedicated thermos. It’s a little bit of a compromise but depending on your needs it may work fine. It won’t keep your coffee piping hot for your 9 hour work day. It will however keep it nice and drinkable for your morning commute (in our case, our morning camp take down) and those first waking ours. By then, you should probably be getting more coffee anyways : )
Conclusion: Highly Recommend (as long as you don’t need piping hot liquids for 9 hours)
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Just picked one of these up with a gift cert to the local gear exchange. I think your temp findings are off a bit - I flushed mine with some hot water, then made green tea. Sat with the lid on / off for 1/2 hour (drinking at the cafe from a cup) while letting the tea steep. Proceeded to tuck the bottle in my backpack and ride home in our 120 year record breaking snow storm. Explored town a bit while out. Rolled in the drive and had another cup at home 1 1/2 hours later. Still very very warm. Capped it up and made lunch. Finished the last bit probably 3 hours after I poured it and it was still very warm… so I’m very impressed. It will get a coffee test tomorrow. I think in the cold the key is to keep it isolated from the wind… and to warm it a bit with hot water before filling with your favorite beverage. Even just a half cup sloshed around inside makes a difference… which is something I used to do with a vacuum flask anyway.
I doubt I’d carry this for an ultralight set up - as my cup is also my pot - but for that bit of luxury - it sure seems like a nice piece of kit.
I totally agree; the Kleen Kanteen double-walls are great, especially the little guy. Handy to fit in small places, leak-proof, thermal, good lid design… Just wondering though–is your Snow Peak a double-wall? I have the SP 450 double wall Ti mug with a lid and I gotta say it is my best friend through thick and thin at home and on the road. I have no problem with cold coffee with the Snow Peak dbl wall on chilly mornings along Lake Superior. The lid on the SP is friction-fit, so the little dbl wall Kleen Kanteen fits a different purpose. Both are great. Thanks for a great blog and happy new year!
I keep woolen socks wrapped round my Kleen Kanteen and another off brand metal bottle I use. These socks, if kept wet, keep liquids cool through evaporation. I imagine they would also help to keep hot liquids hot if they were kept dry.
This bottle would do something for me, if I didn’t have to unscrew the top to drink. I’d like to be able to sip my coffee during a ride in cold weather. Besides being a two-handed hassle, removing the top releases heat.
Jim,
They have a sipping top. I don’t usually use it and prefer the screw lid since it keeps the coffee from leaking. I’ll write something up about the sip top in a future post.
R
Thanks for the review, I’ve been wondering about these. Been using a Highwave JoeMoe travel mug which is very similar and have been pretty happy with it. When closed properly it is leak proof and the lid is very comfortable to sip from. I can carry it in my pack/pannier with out getting my stuff wet and when zipped into it’s nylon pouch fit’s perfectly in a bottle cage. In terms of keeping coffee hot it is very similar to your description of the Kleen Kanteen which I guess is good enough, my coffee doesn’t usually last long enough to get cold anyway.
http://www.amazon.com/Highwave-Original-Ultimate-Travel-Mug/dp/B000K7MOFM/ref=pd_sbs_k_1
Hi there Ron,
That JoeMoe mug looks pretty cool! I’ve always been weary of drinkable lids so I have just settled for the screw top which keeps it well sealed. It would be interesting to see how that button system works. I’m pretty happy with the insulated KK. It doesn’t keep things piping hot ALL day, but long enough to get through a cup of coffee. I do appreciate the loop tops since it makes it easier to clip on to my bags while touring. If I were just commuting, that probably wouldn’t be as important.
R
Hey,
Wonderful blog you have here…and nice post. Just a quick question regarding the Insulated Klean Kanteen. I have read other reviews of the bottle where people mention that when storing hot liquids, the lip of the bottle becomes very hot and nearly impossible to drink from. Have you experienced this before with hot liquids? …or do you tend to pour the liquid into another cup before drinking?
Thanks!
Robby
I’ve been looking for a small, double walled, insulated mug to serve for multiple purposes. I needed a coffee cup, cold cup, bowl, and thermos. I wanted to be able to simply boil water, add rice, and let it slow cook. It also had to be compatible with the two stoves/pot systems I already have. So ultimately went with this.
Funny, I already leaned towards getting this and began scrolling through your pictures. You have the same stove, bicycle, saddle, panniers, and burrito supply as I do
Ready for some serious touring!
Hello! Thanks for your pics and great write up- I have picked up a couple of the different sizes, the 20 oz insulated is my favorite currently, holds enough coffee to get me cranked up on the commute in to work-
I have also used the cafe cap quite a bit at work, but the loop is the best hands down when you are on the go- I have come to count on the temperature loss in the bottle, when I am ready to enjoy my coffee, open it up and at the perfect drinking temp…PERFECT!
Thanks and have a great day!
MIke