The claim: No more stained teeth from coffee and tea thanks to the first Hot Straw. Hot Straws fit in any to-go coffee cup and are reusable, portable and free of harmful chemicals that leach into hot beverages from regular straws. Hot Straws are the only straw made for hot drinks such as coffee and tea. They are BPA-free, dishwasher safe and made in the United States. They come in several different sizes and colors, and can also be purchased as a combo set with a spillproof, insulated coffee cup or carry case.
Cost: $9.99 for a four-pack
Where: www.hotstraw.com
I drink tea: a lot of it, much to the detriment of my pearly whites. And every now and again, I try to minimize the impact of my drink of choice. Enter the Hot Straw, a heavy-duty plastic straw designed to handle hot beverages and fit in travel mugs.
The concept is sound: My dental hygienist Kristy gave it the thumb's up on a recent visit. The one issue is, not everyone uses a straw the same, she said. You have to put the straw in your mouth so that the drink doesn't come so much in contact with the teeth. She uses two small beverages stirrers to the same effect. What would get her to change would be if the straw cooled the beverage a bit, too. I'm with her on that. Depositing steaming hot tea on the back of the throat wasn't my favorite moment.
Another potential selling point is that the Hot Straw should make for a less messy commute, as someone sipping from a straw doesn't tilt the cup so much. Alas, the straw's flat design doesn't fit in any of my travel mugs — or the “to-go” cup from my favorite drink stop. I'm not racing out to buy any new mugs, but as I need to replace, I'll be looking for ones the Hot Straw will fit. If I can train myself to use it correctly, the benefits could be worth it.
— Vaunda Bonnett
As a woman who carries more Tide Sticks in her handbag than pens, the spill prevention offered by this product caught my eye right off the bat. Am I the only one who manages to spill from a spillproof cup?
At last, I can drink and drive — coffee, at least — without dripping on my shirt.
The firm and heavy-duty straw fits snugly into the hole on a to-go lid from the coffee shop. The straw is flat with two inner straws, and it seems built to last.
Hot Straw claims it will prevent teeth from staining, which could require a lot more time to verify. But it does keep lipstick loss to a minimum. My one complaint is the straw is too rigid to fit into my commuter mugs, so coffee on the go from home requires my usual cautions.
— Sally Quinn
