Made in the USA

I've been on a long and arduous search to find a thermos-- wait, vacuum bottle made someplace other than China. I have just a simple, simple goal: bring my coffee to work without spilling it all over me or my stuff.

First, I learned thermos is a brand that has become genericized trademarks much like kleenex, jello and coke and that the proper term is vacuum bottle. Unfortunately, I also learned that I cannot spell vacuum without spell checker.

I go to the store and find people sell vacuum bottle looking things that do not keep liquid hot and sometimes makes the outside of the container where you hold the bottle extremely hot. That makes no sense.

Off to the internet and I learn there is a lot of information, which in retrospect, I wish I didn't learn. After some research I learn that I should be concerned with BPA and other chemicals that could leech into my thermos. Also, anything made in China should be taken off the list.

So a simple search for a thermos turns into finding a vacuum bottle that doesn't have bad chemicals and made someplace other than China. And it has to be cute and sleek--my own little persnickety requirement because I don't want to carry a huge thermos that looks manly.

At this point, some of you may been thinking Kleen Kanteen or SIGG. Well, don't google those names folks cuz you'll be surprised. Blogging mothers and Kleen Kanteen are in a bit of a fight now. And SIGG? Yes, SIGG sports bottles are "Swiss made", but SIGG vacuum bottles are made in China! A clever deception found on the box, but not the bottle because the top is made in Switzerland. SIGG claims that they check in on the manufacturer in China, but what else would they say? Another little note, the brand Thermos is also manufactured in China.

So, what do you think? Should I bite the bullet and just buy something I like from China or just pay the price of safety and walk to Starbucks?