FINALLY, I found a good 'drink out of the spout' water jug, that doesn't leak. I had jugs with drinking spouts that swung out, flipped out, or whatever, and none of them were quite right for me. To top it off, the little swing or flip spouts were all but impossible to get clean (on the inside) if they ever got dirty, and required you to touch the part you put to your mouth with your fingers (not good if your hands are dirty). This falls into the 'so simple I don't know why they all aren't this way' category. The drinking spout is molded into the lid, just a simple spout you put to your mouth, with a hole in it liquid flows through. The spout is straight, with no bends, and large enough to get thoroughly clean when you wash it, my pinkie finger won't quite fit inside (I wear XXL gloves). To seal the spout, a lid flips down over it, sealing the spout, and also covering it, keeping it clean. The spout is spring-loaded, so when open, it stays out of the way. It snaps shut, and when shut, there is a bright colored plastic ring that hinges up and down, that you flip up and over the end of the cover, to lock it shut, so it can't open if the release button gets bumped. To drink, you flip down the lock ring, and press the release button. The cover opens, and flips all the way back, so you can get a drink. When done, press cover over spout firmly until it clicks. You never have to touch the spout with your hands. Very simple, straightforward, and effective. The lid is indexed, so that when tightened all the way down, always puts the spout in the same position in relation to the body. The body has little grooves for your fingers, and notches for your thumbs, to make it easy to keep a firm grip on the jug when drinking from it. the handle is formed with a curve, so that when folded down, fits tightly around the curve of the jug, so it takes up a minimum of space, and has a soft rubber insert to make carrying by the handle more comfortable. Both the body and the lid are well insulated, keeping my water cold as long as any other jug I have used, and better than most, as some I used before didn't have an insulated lid. I know I sound like I am gushing on about a water jug, but I've put up with ones that leaked when tipped over (even when brand new), or had a leaky spout that dribbled when you tried to drink out of it, that finally getting one that just works is a welcome change. There may be a better one out there, but until I find it, this is the only one for me. My old leaky, hard to use ones are history. I don't believe it is for hot liquids, which is fine for me, I prefer cold water or iced tea. My one and only gripe is that it tapers a bit towards the bottom, making the bottom a bit narrower than the rest of the body, making it easier to tip. If it were wider on the bottom, you could set it in the back of a truck or SUV and it would be less likely to fall over. It hasn't leaked after falling over, but there is no reason for it to roll around back there if it doesn't have to. If Thermos were to make one more short and wide (to be less tippy) with the same lid design, I'd be all over it. Either that, or make one the same height, but bigger around, and make it 3 or 4 quarts, big enough for the whole family.
