Review on 🔝 Upgraded - BALIBETOV Stainless Steel Automate - Thermos, Mate Cup, and Bombilla Combo - Convenient Refill-free Experience (Automate Grey) by Kim Young

*EDIT (September 5, 2021)*: I bought a new model about a year ago that has *ALL* the features I mention below, eliminated. New rigid screw cap/cup, detachable but durable straw and flexible liner so it can be used both for drinking and as a thermos during transport. Excellent! When you're ready to drink, you'll need to loosen the bottle's leaf compartment to allow air in for the straw to work (so you don't create a full vacuum by sucking it in), but that's just physics. I use the new model almost every day and still love it. Hope they can have more in stock soon! ------- 2019 Old Model Review: This has become my favorite way to take a partner to work. I've been using it for about a month now. I place the dry leaves and mouthpiece in the chamber and fill the vacuum flask with hot water. When I get to work, I rinse my mouthpiece, wake up my friend with cold water, and enjoy most of the morning. The design of the top cover is really clever, as it draws hot water through the central spout and distributes it evenly over the leaves. Other people have mentioned that the holes in the bombilla are a bit big. I personally don't mind; I've been drinking mate long enough not to be afraid of the occasional leaf or vein. In fact, I think it would be cumbersome to clean if it was a little thinner. But that's just me. Quirks that I hope will be improved in future designs: The top lid over the leaf basket is held in place by friction only. Screw it tight because you don't want the bombilla to move. but I have a feeling some sort of tab along the lid would snap more securely, or some sort of clip design would make it more secure during shipping. there is no space for a mouthpiece at the top when traveling. I'm concerned that if I drop this part, it will most likely break. So I mostly take it out. But you can't put it anywhere except in a chamber with leaves. It would be nice if it folded or if there was a hard lid on top. The included rubber ring is a bit loose and too round to stay in place. If you turn the blade chamber a certain amount, the ring will pop out sideways. If it were flatter and fitted snugly to the body of the thermos, the seal would be better. Whatever it is, it doesn't keep water warm for very long and leaks a little if it doesn't sit flat. I usually put it in a water bottle holder in my backpack so this was an issue for me. Despite all that, it's still my everyday car. I go to the office for work every day, I appreciate the compact, understated design. It's perfectly self-contained, easy to clean, and works with any type of yerba or other infusion that doesn't require a long soak. Highly recommended.