I think I was a bit harsh in my earlier review of the Weducer Cup when I basically discredited to-go deposit systems. Since then, my opinion has changed somewhat and I’d like to see more options and systems that make it easier for coffee drinkers to ditch the paper cup.
Sure, why don’t we just drink in the shop? Out of a porcelain cup or a glass? It doesn’t get more sustainable than that, and Zeit Online (unfortunately paywalled) called it pretty much the only proper way to go about it. What they ignore, however, is that this doesn’t match the reality of people rushing to nursery, work or university – and that coffee to go isn’t simply a yes or no question.
Anyone who wants to drink decent coffee knows the downsides of takeaway coffee.
It’s not just the cup that’s rubbish. The taste is different, the temperature doesn’t hold as long. You accept all of that as a compromise to have a coffee that’s still better than what comes out of the office filter machine – the one that’s been sitting on the hotplate for hours, getting more bitter by the minute. A consumption problem, no doubt. But for me, as for many others, it’s a way of treating yourself. The little luxury you need in the day and the cup of good coffee that helps you start things on a calmer note.
Let’s set aside for a moment the circumstances that might lead people to take their coffee from their own machine or from a barista. Here’s another way to transport your coffee:
The HuskeeCup
This takes a similar approach to Kaffeeform‘s cups, but starts one step earlier: with the coffee husk itself. The cups are made of roughly 50% husk material, but unfortunately also about 50% plastic, specifically polypropylene.
Huskee argues this gives the cups their stability and, from their perspective, they remain recyclable. But it also enables the cup’s design: the ribs on the outside that protect your fingers from the heat.
The design is what made me buy one. The two available colours look premium in their own right. The cup is genuinely sturdy, BPA-free and perfectly dishwasher-safe. A rubber ring, which the Weducer now also has, helps the cup retain its liquid.
Compared directly to the Weducer, the HuskeeCup feels a bit more refined and sturdier. The Weducer has a coarser texture due to its material, while the plastic makes the Huskee smoother. There’s also no material influence on the taste, unlike what I described with the Weducer.
That said, the two cups are pretty evenly matched in quality, with the obvious sustainability bonus going to the Weducer!
In Germany you can get HuskeeCups from Amazon. If you’d rather order directly from the manufacturer, you’ll find the Huskee online shop here.
This post is part of my coffee page.
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