It may be a health decision, an environmental decision or maybe you just really love the look of the Stainless Steel Bottles, Coffee Mugs and Food Jars you are seeing more and more of around the place.

The choice in the shops can be overwhelming, we’ve all been there… staring at shelves of products claiming they are more amazing than their almost-identical neighbour.

For a while you fumble around looking at the colours and playing with the moving parts. You know what size you want and what colour you like but how do you make the choice? What should you look for? Will it break? Rust? Poison me?

Um, probably not, but here’s a quick guide of what to look for when buying good quality Stainless Steel drink and food ware.

 Tip 1: Check it’s NOT Aluminium. You want to buy “graded” Stainless Steel

There are a number of Aluminium products on the market that initially look and feel like Stainless Steel. Aluminium is not a Food Grade product and will corrode easily. Aluminium needs an internal plastic lining which contains BPA and it can buckle easily which may tear the plastic lining leaving the metal exposed to leaching.

How can you tell the difference? Alumiumum is lighter and softer to touch and unless it states “Stainless Steel” it probably isn’t.

The Stainless Steel “grading” is important. Stainless Steel products must be at least #304 (18/8) “Food Grade”. Anything of a lower grade rusts, buckles easily and more importantly has a rough surface where bacterial can live inside your products.

The biggest concern when metal isn't graded is if there are any traces of heavy metals like lead. When the steel is graded it has been thoroughly tested to ensure that there are NO traces of heavy metals. 

Many cheaper products usually state "Stainless Steel" which is great but it does beg the question. Has it been graded? Is it good quality? Are there any traces of heavy metals?

Tip 2: Do they do their job well?

Products need to perform well and be robust enough to go everywhere with you for a really, really long time.

 1/ Is it robust?

The higher the Stainless Steel grading, the tougher the metal. At #304 (18/8) Cheeki products are thicker grade Stainless Steel than most which makes them resistant to bumps and knocks. Most water bottles are #201 grade so check the label carefully.

 2/ Will it crack?

Products with seals or joins are prone to leaks and cracks.

Cheeki use a single-mold manufacturing process so the bottles have no joins or seals and will not crack open if they are dropped or knocked.

3/ Are the lids leakproof?

Cheeki products have a leak-proof lid means they are safe in any bag – school, work or gym. A toxic-free silicone seal ensures air tight vacuum closure and the plastic lid is recyclable.

 4/ Can you buy spare parts?

Buying a reusable product means you don’t have to buy another one in a rush. However, lids will get lost and moving parts may occasionally break. Spare lids and seals are available for Cheeki Water Bottles and Mugs.

5/ How much insulation do you need?

Insulation (also referred to as “Double Walled”) means there is more than one layer between the air and the contents. Claims vary widely from one brand to another so check the label carefully.

Cheeki’s Insulated Range keep food and drink hot for up to 12 hours and cold for up to 24 hours (each product varies). Cheeki’s Insulated products are sweat free on the outside and super-insulated on the inside.

 Tip 3: Can you clean it?

Check if any parts are dishwasher proof. The ‘body’ of most products are easy to clean with a bottle brush but lids can be more sensitive.

Some lids are highly technical and have lots of hidden corners perfect for harbouring bacteria. Others are soft plastic, easily distorted in a hot wash or by kids chewing them.

Cheeki lids are a hard, recyclable plastic that are top-rack dishwasher safe keeping them clean and bacteria-free for all the family.

Cheeki bottles however, are not dishwasher safe. The reason is we use very safe materials. As safe as they are to us they aren't so safe in the harsh environment of a dishwasher. So we suggest having a look at our care blog here. 

Tip 4: Love it!

You must love your product because that will encourage you to use it more and keep it for life. Using it more means you save money, save the landfill space and you consume less toxins.

That’s why Cheeki keep their Australian designs fun and colourful and offer a choice of sizes to suit the whole family.

Remember, it takes just nine refills of a Water Bottle and eight refills of a Coffee Mug to get your money back!  There really is no excuse for single use these days. #refillreuse! Happy shopping! Make it fun and own your own for life.

 More about Cheeki:

Founded in Freshwater in 2009, Cheeki is an Australian owned and run company.  Cheeki Holdings has an extensive pipeline of NPD via engagement through a Sydney based industrial design firm.  Cheeki is proud to positively contribute to human and environmental health, promoting a lifestyle that is sustainable.  Cheeki products can be found in stores across Australia. All products pass the SGS Test and are USA, FDA and Germany LFGB accredited.

Find us:  www.cheeki.net.au  |  Facebook  |  Instagram  |  Twitter

Contact Us:  02 9981 1000  |  marketing@cheeki.net.au

Cheeki Holdings P/L, 7/93-99 South Creek Rd, Cromer, NSW 2099