It Just Looks Like it Came from Starbucks

Copco Acadia To Go Mug

Yours truly is a morning person – yeah, that may be dis-gusting, but it’s true. That’s a good thing for my most recent job: since I got the bulk of my calls for support and project details from Eurasia, I usually hit the office front door at about 6:45 a.m. The good news is that my schedule allowed me to dodge a lot of Houston’s horrendous rush-hour traffic. That schedule did not, however, leave enough time for a second cup of coffee at home, so I would drink it in my truck while I waited out the Bayou City’s interminable stoplights. It’s in the truck that this Copco Acadia To Go Mug made a great impression on me, mainly because it didn't dribble coffee on my shirt. 

Description

Copco’s Arcadia Mug is a sixteen-ounce, double-walled mug made of BPA-free plastic. It’s almost exactly the same size and shape as a Starbucks grande¹ cup. It’s not only the same size, shape and color; the mug’s white lid looks the same and Copco even adds a brown, textured band around the middle that looks an awful lot like one of those insulating sleeves. The band is available in a wide range of colors and patterns, but mine is basically plain vanilla – actually plain chocolate, given that it’s dark brown. 

What you’ll want to know: 

Does it keep my coffee hot? Yes: I would pour a half cup a few minutes before leaving the house and, if I immediately put the top on, it would be too hot to drink when I get in the cab. 

Does the lid seal? Yes: the top seals with a quarter turn, and stays tight because of a soft poly “washer.” It’s always smart to give it a test twist before taking a sip, just to be sure the coffee’s heat hasn’t expanded the lid and loosened it.  Can I put it in the dishwasher? Yes: we regularly wash this in the dishwasher (top-shelf safe, although my dishwasher doesn’t have a heating element). Coffee stains will wash out completely if you run it through the dishwasher about once a week.  The mug, which is made in China, can be found in a variety of brand names, which are stamped on the bottom and embossed on the band around the middle. In addition to Copco, I’ve seen it under the dfl brand, and this particular design is sometimes known as the Eco-First Acadia mug.

Summary:

PLUS: keeps your hot coffee piping hot, BPA-free, won't leak
MINUS: coffee stains don't wash out by hand
What They’re Saying: The Copco To Go Mug makes it look like you bought the expensive stuff even if you're just drinking perked Maxwell House. Take that, coffee snobs!

¹ why do they still not know that grande means “large,” not “medium”?