ExplorOz reach, Thermos Flasks and Intregrity.

Submitted: Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 09:37

ThreadID: 48000 Views:4106 Replies:10 FollowUps:7

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Robin Miller

Reference post 46258

This post was about a new Stanley flask that has a clear label on it stating it keeps
fluids hot for 26 hours which I knew to be technically unachieveable for a product
of its type and tests I did revealed it couldn't match its claim for even 12 hours.

Time rolls along and ExplorOz posts must go a long way as recently I received an email from an International director of this worldwide company challenging my assertions.

The challenge was on the basis that the company does not produce products with
that rating and hence my unit must have been faulty ??

Having been kicked out of engineering once to manage commericial products for a while before returning to type, I am well aware of the potential issues involved in any statements I might make and hence document everything.

My answer to the challenge was to immediately reply to the email with a high resolution photo of the product showing clearly a single piece label on it displaying the company logo and the 26hr performance claim.

Despite some time, no answer has been received to this rather complete little bit
of evidence.

Seperate to the above, I interested one of the stores of the company stocking
the product in doing some tests of there own (Rays camping).
The store manager was quite keen and interested, I phoned back the next day to here there results, but manager wasn't there, next day I phoned again and tests
had beed forgotten and they would try again !

...... repeated above process twice more and gave up.....

After a really great deep snow drive on Saturday, we were heavily domesticated
yesterday and we went on an exciting trip to get a new dinner set at Big-W Ringwood in Victoria.

And there it was !
The ultimate insult to consumer intelligence, and selling well !

Two groups of stainless steel 1.9lt Stanley thermos flasks standing side by side
indentical in every detail except -

One had a label on it saying "Keeps Hot for 12 hours" , and right next to it another
stating "Keeps hot for 26 hours".

.
.
.

To be continued

Robin Miller

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Reply By: Member - Tim - Stratford (VIC) - Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 09:57

Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 09:57

Robin,

You didn't have your camera phone with you at Big W did you???

AnswerID: 253983

Follow Up By: Robin Miller - Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 11:10

Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 11:10

Stuffed up there Tim , camera's still full of snow movies from day before.

It was just so beautiful along Blue range road , sections of temperate rainforrest with young trees and old leaning over with many broken and heavily burdened with snow. Even still small amounts of snow on bitumen at Black spur.

Pitting the thermos coffee wasn't as warm as it could have been.

Robin Miller

FollowupID: 515076

Reply By: Member - Norm C (QLD) - Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 09:59

Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 09:59

Good one Robin.
I think we all liked this topic when you last posted it (your test of the 26 Hr claim). My old Stanley does not have a time claim on it. But I do know that I can not make the coffee the night before a fishing trip and expect hot (enough) coffee later in the day. Have to make the coffee in the morning.

'The challenge was on the basis that the company does not produce products with
that rating and hence my unit must have been faulty ??'

I'm reading ito this that he may be claiming the flask with 26 Hrs might be a fake, despite his use of the word 'faulty'? Sounds a bit suspect since they are sold at 'normal' retailers, not at the markets. Or is he saying faulty, as in incorrectly labeled?

Have to wait and see I guess.

Norm C

AnswerID: 253984

Follow Up By: Robin Miller - Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 11:06

Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 11:06

Hi Norm

Yes an interesting mix of words, and I have conveyed the meaning
correctly , as you'll appreciate that I am watching my words.

The communication I received included contact details for Australian
management so I presumed they were informed, and I left suitable
time period for anything like "Wrong labels" to be checked and recalled.

I was therefore very surprized to see it on shelves of perhaps
our biggest retailer, and with such contrasting claims.

My own guess at situation was that Ray's had got a bulk lot
and were selling them off - this being supported by fact that
product was only $45.

Big-W Ringwood still have both sitting side by side at $75 !

Robin Miller

FollowupID: 515074

Reply By: Dave B (NSW) - Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 10:21

Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 10:21

You have to admit that the flasks are very clever though.

They keep hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold.

How the heck do they know which one to keep hot or cold?

They must be a bit more than half smart !!!!!!!!!!!!

Dave

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Follow Up By: Member - Willie , Epping .Syd. - Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 10:46

Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 10:46

Dave ,
I think they work the same way as off peak gas water heaters.
Willie

FollowupID: 515070

Follow Up By: Kev M (NSW) - Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 16:35

Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 16:35

Dave,

That reminds me of a joke I heard the other day,

A blonde walked into a camping shop
and on the counter was a stainless steel cylinder
intrigued the blonde asked what the contraption was,
The salesman replied that it was a thermos,
it kept cold things cold,
and hot thing hot.
Amazed the Blonde bought one.
Wanting to impress her workmates
the Blonde took it to work the following day
and proudly displayed it on her desk,
Her manager approached the Blonde and asked what it was,
The Blonde proudly replied
that it was a thermos,
it kept cold things cold,
and hot thing hot.
The manager then asked what she had in it,
The blonde replied
A popsicle and coffee
:)))

Cheers Kev

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He was presented with a difficult decision: push on into the stretching deserts, or return home to his wife.

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Reply By: Des Lexic - Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 10:43

Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 10:43

Keep it up Robin.

A photo of the two labels side by side would have been good too.

It sounds like the Rays manager has been gagged from entering into the debate.

AnswerID: 253991

Reply By: Member - Doug T (W.A) - Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 10:59

Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 10:59

Mate you gotta look see where they're made.
One had a label on it saying "Keeps Hot for 12 hours" THAT ONE WOULD BE CHINA
, and right next to it another stating "Keeps hot for 26 hours". AND THIS ONE OSTRALIA

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Reply By: Member - John (Vic) - Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 12:44

Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 12:44

What a bleep er LOL. I look forward to the next installment.

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Reply By: Member - joc45 (WA) - Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 12:55

Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 12:55

Great stuff, Robin.
Good to see someone with a qualified technical background taking outlandish claims to task.
Now all we need you to do is run some tests on those magic fuel savers or even rust preventers!
Gerry

AnswerID: 254008

Follow Up By: Member - John (Vic) - Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 13:06

Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 13:06

The fuel savers have been done, just as Bill S for the technical results of his Futch.
He has them at home filed under his pillow.

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Reply By: flappa - Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 13:24

Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 13:24

What is the definition of "Hot" ?

I guess it would be possible to keep fluids "hotter" then they originally were for 12/26 hours

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Follow Up By: Robin Miller - Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 15:08

Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 15:08

Reasonable Question Flappa - which could no doubt be intrepreted to suit the results.

60c is a reasonable figure for drinks and is figure set in McDonalds automatic coffee machines.

At 60c you can just drink it , and most would call it hot, if however you made coffee with 60c water from flask then add some cold milk, most would not consider the coffee not hot.
(I have independantly measured above)

60c is much to high if you were going to have a bath with it , but there aren't many thermos big enough to fill a bath from.

Robin Miller

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Follow Up By: flappa - Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 16:11

Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 16:11

Exactly , at what point does "hot" become "lukewarm" ??

I'm sure this companies Lawyers would be well paid to have an opinion.

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Reply By: Bonz (Vic) - Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 21:37

Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 21:37

It probably meant 26 hours at absolute zero = 273 deg Celcius or 0 deg Kelvin

26 hrs @absolute Zero=12 hours at ambient temperature of say 15 deg c

Check the fine print Robin heheheh

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Reply By: Members - Chris/Lindsay (VIC) - Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 21:43

Monday, Jul 23, 2007 at 21:43

Robyn, I share some of your frustration with thermoses whatever brand. We have a collection that we have been unsatisfied with over the years and I keep them for emergencies. I had a fantastic thermos brand one I picked up at Anaconda on sale for $15 last year but went and dropped it on our recent Simpson trip. It still does a good job but has separated from the casing. I hope you resolve the issue. Cheers. Chris.

AnswerID: 254137