I used to get these from Costco Business for pretty cheap — my model was the 2.2L Crestware (stainless steel exterior, glass interior) and it worked perfectly for a whole 1.89L of TJ's Spiced Cider or two bottles of Mulled Wine. I now have a set of the 2Qt Thermos brand because I could pick them up in person at my Ace hardware (no risk of breakage, immediately available, and slightly better pricing) they work great, but I do miss the lever top (and slightly friendlier vibe?) of my old ones.
These are a god-send at events. Make hot cider and mulled wine in advance on the stove and serve them in thermal carafes on a beverage table.
Keeps people (including you) out of the kitchen, no need to use messy ladles, or keep a burner on low, or struggle to get the last inch out of the pot.
These are also great if you're hosting an event without access to a kitchen, or without access to a stove. Coffee and hot cocoa for a birthday party in a park, holiday party at the office, etc.
If you're serving a crowd and have an outlet (indoor or outdoor), I also recommend putting a backup supply of cider or mulled wine in an Instant Pot (for Rice & Bone Broth) on "warm" with the lid on, which is actually a pretty great temperature for then refilling your airpot.
🌡️ Be careful about the temperature—if you put it in while it’s boiling, it will basically be boiling when people serve themselves. Maybe 160F is a reasonable target? For reference: boiling is somewhere around 205-212F, depending on your elevation, and most people seem to like their coffee or tea between 135-150F.
🏢 (This is also a great object for working in an office—first person makes a pot of coffee and then pours it in here for people to drink until it runs out and then you literally rinse and repeat. Prevents cold coffee and burnt coffee (and allows for a pot of caffeinated + a pot of decaf or hazelnut or whatever to co-exist even if you only have one coffeemaker). And you can also easily carry it to a meeting room with a stack of cups. And you can also have a dedicated one for boiling water that people can use for tea.)
Cups
I have a few recommendations for Thermal mugs, but at an event where you don’t have enough to go around, I would try paper insulated “ripple cups.” They don’t need sleeves and they’re stylistically fun. 6oz is my favorite size for a gathering.
A few notes:
- I wouldn’t go larger than 8oz. The Airpot is keeping things so hot that it makes more sense to refill if you want more. 4oz is very cute, and good for trying something or even having something boozy like Mulled Wine, but 6oz is probably more practical. (If you need lids, your options may be more limited because manufacturers are trying to keep their lids uniform and that means even the restaurantware 8oz cup feels pretty “wide mouth”).
- You may need to gently pull them each apart before putting them on the table in their stack so folks won’t struggle: twist in the direction of the ripple.
- I’ve seen reports of them smoldering/burning in the microwave, so maybe have a setup for pouring into something else to reheat. 🔥😬
- In small numbers they can be pricey (but buying a ton before you’ve tested them can also end up being expensive). The different colors are often priced differently and there is another Amazon listing for cups with lids which can (surprisingly) be a better deal.
