REVIEW: Ello Campy Insulated Travel Mug

Travel mugs are notorious for being easily spillable, inevitably causing a small catastrophe in the bottom of your backpack. This mug isn’t that mug. This mug is the Ello Campy 18oz Vacuum Insulated Stainless Travel Mug and it is a dang good one. I picked this up at Walmart over a year ago when I was working a Lighting Tech position and had to keep fluids away from our million dollars worth of equipment. It has excelled at its job and has survived countless falls, and has helped avoid sticky messes.

Functionality (4) ★★★★ The Campy has the best sealing mechanism of any travel mug I have ever owned. The industry has shifted towards better mechanisms but generally, those are larger and clunkier. The lid on the Campy has a discreet suction cup that seals off the lid and is easily opened and closed with a relatively loud noise. It becomes perfectly airtight which means that it can be thrown into a backpack without fear of it leaking onto anything. This does have a downside though which is why I gave it 4 stars. Because of the perfect airtight seal steam can build up within the mug and actually cause the lid to explode (usually caused by very hot liquids immediately sealed shut). An easy way to keep this from happening is after pouring a hot drink into the mug and closing the lid: shake once, slide open lid, close lid, and repeat 3 times. This causes the steam to subside and give you a perfect seal without fear of impending doom. Lastly, the vacuum insulation has worked pretty well, keeping my coffee hot for 5 hours or so. The opening is minimal allowing me to leave it open on my desk for a few hours before it finally becomes cold.

Design & Aesthetics (4) ★★★★ I love the design of the Campy, it is has a very beautiful and resilient traditional enamel look on the outside. It is a simple design and it works really well. The cork handle is a lovely touch that is soft yet durable and blends into the mug as a whole. The width of the base and the location for the handle both make it difficult to use conventional cupholders in cars. Keep that in mind. The Campy lid can be difficult to clean and I have had to use a toothbrush to get to the tough to reach places. Although the website says the mug shouldn’t be put in the dishwasher, I have been doing so for a while and have seen no deterioration.

Durability (5) ★★★★★ The durability of this mug has been stellar. I bought it a year ago and I am still using it to this day. It has had no issues with any of the mechanisms and continues holding a great seal. The Campy also has fantastic fall resistance, I can’t count the number of times it has fallen out of my backpack side pocket onto my concrete driveway. The stainless steel and plastic lid absorb quite well, with no damage apart from dents and scratches. This is a mug that is built to survive the wilderness.

Value (5) ★★★★★ The value of the Campy is fantastic. This mug can be purchased for $17.99, from Ello’s Website, which is right about average for many Mugs in a similar category. It has survived my rugged abuse of it and is still holding strong with no paint flaking or sealing issues thus far.

Overall, I am very happy with this mug and recommend it to anyone looking for a spillproof and very stylish camping mug. It is sure to stand the wear and tear of an adventurer like you. Just beware of car cup holders and the steam build-up.