Hotel room coffee makers are kinda gross, is there a good travel kettle and, if so, what is the best travel kettle?

Wait, what’s the problem?

Hear me out. Hotel room coffee makers are indeed disgusting. Coffee makers are meant to be things that simply heat water and dispense it over coffee. Some of them use pods, some use little discs that go in a tray, and others are just a good ole’ drip coffee maker.

There are videos of people “cooking” chicken in the coffee makers of hotel rooms.

Do. Not. Do. That.

I also like tea, especially in the evenings when I have a little peppermint tea before I go to bed. It’s my ritual. The in-room coffee makers always make the tea taste like coffee and that ruins the tea. Since I’m in the U.S. we don’t typically have kettles in our hotel rooms like many European places do.

It would be nice to get rid of the coffee taste and not worry about the cleanliness of the coffee maker. I don’t know about you, but I’m not a huge fan of coq au coffee…

What is available?

My search proved that there were only a small number of what I think of as portable kettles. To be qualified as portable, I wanted them to be about the size of a tumbler mug, easily fit in a carry on bag or backpack, and able to boil water. The kettles also had to be made with a stainless steel heating chamber (some models had plastic walls and that is unacceptable).

Those qualities ruled out all but a few “portable” or “travel” kettles and left me with three to trial.

The first kettle is from a company called Nicewell. It was the smallest of the bunch, but the most pleasing to the eye. The next was from balbali (yes, it’s lower case) which was the largest of them but also the most utilitarian. Last is the Conyee which came in the middle of the sizes and also had a small cloth bag to protect it, which was a nice touch.

Here’s a few stated specs and features comparing them.

* The model changes, but it does have color options.

As you can see, these kettles are all pretty straightforward and don’t come with a lot of extra features. I also will take a moment to explain the grades of stainless steel. All processed metals have different grades to them with each grade being for a different application. These grades are not necessarily indicative of quality, they are to indicate the intended use case. Stainless steel grades 304 and 316 are both food safe and used in cooking products but 316 is more resistant to corrosion, specifically the type of corrosion from salt water.

Testing Parameters

To find the best travel kettle I needed to test these three candidates and see how they performed in the task of heating water. To do so, I devised a testing environment that gave consistent conditions to observe performance. I also used my personal electric kettle to create a standard to compare against.

Here are the conditions:

• Time how long it takes to heat cold tap water at two different temperatures. First at 175°F setting, then at the boil/212°F.
• Each timed test will use 300ml of water.
• Temperature accuracy will also be measured by temping the water once it is poured into the mug. Temperature is taken using a food grade thermometer and the water will be poured into a warm mug.
• The test at each temperature will performed twice, chilling the kettle with cold water in between.

To answer questions that I anticipate some of you may ask, here are my answers.

Why use a warmed up mug? Because warming a cup is common practice for both coffee and tea drinkers. I recommend that you try warming your mug at home. Just fill your mug with hot tap water and let it sit to absorb the heat while the coffee finishes.

What is the rationale for 300ml? That is a volume the all the kettles could hold and it is slightly more than one U.S. cup and about the right volume for a large ceramic mug or small tumbler mug.

Could the Conyee be the best travel kettle?

Why measure the temperature after pouring? Because the tea or coffee brewed with the water should be made in a separate mug or another vessel. You should not brew the tea or coffee in the kettle as that will stain and corrode the material.

Did you temp the tap water? No, because you cannot precisely control the temp of the tap water in the real world and I wanted to replicate that fact.

Is there a reason for the use of Fahrenheit? Yes, because that is what the kettles are programmed with. 175°F becomes 79.5°C and 212°F is, you guessed it, 100°C.

Are 175°F and 212°F chosen for a particular reason? Absolutely, those are two of the most common brewing temps for hot beverages and will likely be used most often.

Did you actually have a food grade thermometer already? Yes.

Why? I have my own espresso machine after spending years as a barista and I use the thermometer for steaming milk and occasional candy making.

Being a barista didn’t cause you hate making lattes? Weirdly, no.

Results

The baseline of my tests from the home kettle was made with a Cuisinart model, specifically this one. I quite like it and have been using it for years. It may not be as stylish as some other electric kettles, and more expensive, but the performance and simple to use features make it superior to anything else I’ve had. Here is how it performed:

Here is how the travel kettles performed:

* The thermos never achieved the target temperature in this run and I ended it at 4:45. In the second test I let it continue and it did, finally, arrive at the temperature after 9 minutes.

Conclusions

Right out of the gate I want to make clear that I never expected the Cuisinart and the various travel kettles to perform at the same level. That shouldn’t surprise anyone that a dedicated countertop kettle outperforms the small travel ones. I included it so that people could have a baseline when comparing these travel kettles to kettles that you might be used to.

There’s another element that I expected, which is the measured temperatures being less than the target temp. Most kettles like this have a thermostat that is designed to turn the heat plate off once it detects the target temp. Most of the thermostats are on the bottom of the kettle since that is the part that will always have water on it, no matter the volume of water being heated. The water nearest the heat plate will always be hotter than the water higher up in the chamber, meaning that the water isn’t evenly heated when it turns off. Some models continue to run for a few seconds after the target temp is reached to make sure all the water is that temperature, but these models here do not seem to do that.

That isn’t the only reason the measured temp will be lower. There are other factors, such as the mug absorbing some of the heat as well as energy loss to the air. These things cannot be accounted for with a thermostat. However, poorly calibrated thermostats could also play a part, which is what I am suspecting happened with some of these.

The balbali didn’t quite measure up to be the best travel kettle.

The results made clear that there is a problem with the balbali at 175°F. The components seem to be poorly calibrated for that temperature. During testing it appeared as though the heating element would turn off prematurely. I actually ran the test 5 times and only once did it heat up the 175°F at the time I expected, which was around 5 minutes. Every other time it took 9 minutes or longer.

What’s bizarre is that the balbali heated to boiling the fastest of the three travel kettles. Obviously the fact that it has the largest heating element helps with that and it makes the 175°F issue all the more frustrating.

Nicewell, conversely, was very consistent with the temperature. Job well done to whoever calibrated that kettle! It did, however take a while to reach 175°F, which doesn’t surprise me much because it had the smallest heating element.

The Conyee heated faster than the other two models to 175°F, but it also didn’t come anywhere near 175°F in the actual temp. I suspect that is because the thermostat being used is poorly calibrated. It also didn’t even break 200°F when set to boil/212, which furthers my suspicion regarding calibration.

Something else that isn’t conveyed with the data is that the Conyee seems to be a model that any seller can purchase. I saw many listings with nearly identical models to this one on Amazon. That’s not to say it’s bad, but it likely didn’t have the same thought put into it as the other two models, particularly the Nicewell which I cannot find any similar models to online.

The Winner?

I’m picking the Nicewell and here’s why. There’s a level of design and engineering that went into this that I simply don’t see in the other two. It’s stylish, very portable, and consistent to an extreme. These are all things that matter to me. I’m willing to take the slightly longer heating times in exchange for reliability.

The Nicewell is the best travel kettle!

The balbali clearly had calibration issues, but it did heat quickly to boil. It also has the largest volume so if you have a larger mug or tumbler, or perhaps if you are making tea for two, it will out perform the others. The increased size may turn some people off given that it will be more of a hassle to carry around. The Nicewell fits easily into a backpack or side pocket, the balbali… not so much. That means that you’ll have to give it more consideration in your packing. Between the size and the calibration, it’s just not quite what I have in mind, but it still could perform quite well for your needs and, I’ll be completely honest, when I travel with Nichole, I’ll probably bring the balbali because of the volume.

The Conyee, I would pick last. It never reached the target temps, by large margins, and it seems to be something that you can buy from dozens of different sellers. Does it work? Yes, but that’s about it. The one advantage it has is that it’s the cheapest, after that it’s getting beat in every regard.

If you’re interested in other travel gear reviews, check out my article on The Best Travel Humidifier.

The post The Best Travel Kettles appeared first on Far Far Away Travels.

Happily, I think I’ve finally found the perfect carry-on and, what’s more, the best travel bags I’ve ever seen. The maker of these fabric covered, rolling saviors is Briggs and Riley.

Almost Unique Needs

I’m well aware that my carry-on needs are atypical. When I’m traveling, I almost always have a backpack filled with camera gear, tripods, batteries, SD cards, lenses, etc. The backpack I use is made specifically for cameras and it isn’t much good for anything else. I’ve written about it before and I really wouldn’t travel with anything else for my camera.

My laptop also presents a problem for me. You see, it’s larger than your average work laptop with its 17” display. That also means it’s heavier. Because of its size and my backpack being for the camera, I’ve always had to use a carry-on size roller bag to fit it. This is where the problem comes in.

Often times, there’s not quite enough overhead bin space. Sometimes, the plane is a smaller aircraft (like the CRJ-900s or ERJ-175s), or your connection is tight, and you are late in the boarding process. You can’t fit the standard 22” rollaboard underneath your seat and when you have to explain to flight crew that your bag can’t be gate checked because it has a laptop, it often becomes more tense than I like.

I’ve wanted a rollaboard travel bag that can fit a 17” laptop and go under a seat for years now and that is something that I’d never been able to find. That is, until Gretchen found Briggs and Riley.

At Last

This last winter, Gretchen wanted a lighter, smaller rollaboard travel bag for herself and she found her own Briggs and Riley Cabin Spinner. A rollaboard bag made to go under the seat in front of you. She flew with it a few times to Europe and back and loved it.

The Briggs and Riley travel bag that started our love of them. The Cabin Spinner is a small, light, and sturdy travel bag.

It’s light and small enough that it can fit around larger rolling luggage handles, like a bag with a handle sleeve, yet small enough that even if the overhead bins are full, you can put it under the seat. She even got compliments on it. It wasn’t quite large enough to handle my laptop, but it got me looking at Briggs and Riley.

Then, just two months later, the company released a new underseat bag that, finally, was exactly what I had been searching for. The Large Spinner Brief. Despite its somewhat unimaginative name, it is absolutely perfect.

The Briggs and Riley Large Spinner Brief travel bag is indispensable for anyone that has a 17″ laptop and travels with it.

It can hold a 17” laptop, has a zipper compartment for clothes, it’s a rollaboard, and it fits under the seat. After several international trips with resounding success on the Cabin Spinner, I was willing to give the Brief a try and it already rescued me.

Day Saved

On my most recent trip, our flight had been delayed on an already tight connection. By the time we made it to the gate we were well passed our boarding Zone, which was 2, and they were on Zone 8. We weren’t the last ones on the plane, but we were close.

The bins were full, but I managed to squeeze my backpack above in a secure enough spot where I wasn’t worried much about my camera equipment. There was no room for the rollaboard though. If I’d still been using my old 22” standard, there would have been a significant complication, given that the flight attendants were already gate checking other bags.

The new Spinner Brief, however, slid right under the seat in front of me. Not even a hint of struggle to fit it and no worries from the flight crew. Immediate relief from the stress of your bag needing to be squeezed in somewhere on the plane, maybe even quite a ways away from you. I had my bag right in front of me, even as I boarded near the end.

I dread those tight connections for many reasons, but on its second ever outing, Briggs and Riley managed to rid me of one of those reasons.

We Are Hooked

Gretchen and I loved the bags so much, Nichole decided to replace her failing travel backpack with a Briggs and Riley. She now has a Medium Widemouth Backpack and she can’t wait to try it on a trip.

Nichole’s new Briggs and Riley travel bag is the perfect backpack to carry a 15″ laptop and other essentials.

We’ve already used it on some daytrips around the state, and a couple overnights in Chicago. It’s extremely well built, and the storage layout is practically a free education to other designers on how to use space well.

Then there’s the styling. They are minimalistic, without being stark or harsh. Elegant utility is how I would best describe their look. They do not stand out, as some other brands do. If you are looking for something flashy, a piece that demands your attention, these are not the bags you’re looking for, no.

I don’t care for flashiness or attention. It screams tourist, money, and “I have expensive things in my bag.” All things I generally try to avoid while travelling. Instead, I like things that work well for years and years, with a look that’s timeless. It might be a bit more boring, but it suits me, and I imagine it likely suits most people.

I love these bags. We all have. I’m planning on giving a more detailed review of them later, but I like to inform people when I find something good. This isn’t a sponsored thing either, just to be clear. I’m sure that Briggs and Riley have no idea who I am. None of the links in this article are affiliate links either. I simply am so fond of their quality and thoughtful design, I wanted others to know.

The post My Favorite New Travel Bags appeared first on Far Far Away Travels.

Our Best Tip: The Secret Nylon Zipper Travel Bag

This is one of our best travel tips. We ALWAYS do this. It solves two problems: purchasing a few too many items and dirty clothes.

We know we are in the minority on this but we think the best carry-on bags are those without wheels. We like to tuck our carry-on under the seat ahead and not deal with overhead bins. It lets us reach our things easily during the flight. Also, it makes us feel oddly virtuous to be leaving overhead bin space for the rest of you. We use a bag such as this by Vera Bradley. Important! Be sure it has a luggage sleeve so you can slip it on top of the handles of your larger bag.

If you really must have a wheeled carry-on bag, we like this well-regarded Travelpro. Which comes in a lot of color options!

Even the airlines that charge for carry-ons and checked bags will usually allow for a “personal item” for free. This would be a purse, briefcase, messenger bag, or a laptop bag. It needs to be able to fit under the seat in front of you. We like to carry a very small travel purse but tuck it into a large tote for our personal item. We like a tote with exterior pocket so we can slip our phone and boarding passes quickly. And, be sure it has a zip top to better secure your things.

Best Choices for Checked Bags

We have long used these Traveler’s Choice sets. We like the colors and they hold up quite well.

Traveler’s Choice has other nice sets too.

If your tastes are a bit more upscale, Briggs and Riley is an excellent brand. Another brand we have long used and love is Lipault Paris.

Something To Consider

Rolling garment bags are not much in style nowadays. However, we use one for cruises, especially those with formal nights. They keep clothes hanging inside and are then less likely to wrinkle badly. Great for business people or those who hate wrinkles. We have used two wheeled styles and consider four-wheeled versions far superior. This is what we own.

Looking for more travel items? We have recommendations for great travel gifts. Also essential items for your cruise.

Ready For More Great Travel Tips?

Every week we share our favorite travel secrets and tips. You can view them all here.

The post Best Luggage For 2024 – With Tips! appeared first on Far Far Away Travels.

Our Best Travel Gift: Travel Journals

For the traveler who loves to explore, a great gift is a travel journal. It’s a great way to document your experiences and capture all the special moments from your trip. Travel journals are the perfect “Bon Voyage” gift for your traveler friend. Of course, you can always buy one for yourself. We think travel journals are the best travel gifts.

Peter Pauper Press creates beautiful small books, including gorgeous journals like these. This company is a small U.S. business which has been family owned and operated since 1928. We think they are very inexpensive for the quality. While we have featured some examples below, there are many choices you can consider here.

Passport Holder — A Great Travel Gift

Passport holders are essential for any globe-trotting traveler, and we make sure ours do more than just keep your passport safe. The ones we prefer are designed with convenience and security in mind, offering plenty of space for cash, credit cards, and boarding passes, while also providing a secure latch or zip closure. And, to ensure your security and peace of mind, get a passport holder that features RFID blocking technology. Give your traveler friend the protection and convenience they need with one of the best travel gifts.

For Your Frequent Flier

It’s not pretty but it is incredibly practical. I won’t get on a plane without mine. This handy pouch fits in most airline seat pockets. It holds most e-book readers or tablets. One side is clear so you can see what is in it. It has two additional zipper pouches. You can keep tissues, wipes, whatever you want. It makes you much less likely to leave something on the plane as you just grab it and go.

Pashmina Wrap

Airplanes can get chilly, so it’s always a good idea to have a warm wrap with you. A large pashmina is a great choice – it’s lightweight, soft and easy to pack. And you don’t have to break the bank to get a great one – you can find affordable options, or if you really want to treat your friend, cashmere is a luxurious way to go. You won’t regret it!

Gifts For Readers

I was a bit hesitant to try out an e-reader at first—after all, nothing beats the feel of a real book! But when I had to pack an entire suitcase of books for a month-long cruise, I quickly realized that an e-reader was the way to go.

Now, I love having all my favorite books in one lightweight, easy-to-carry device! So if you’re looking to pack light for your next cruise, consider taking an e-reader—it’ll make your trip that much easier and more enjoyable. We consider an e-reader to be one of the best gifts for travelers.

Another great thing about ebooks is that you if have a public library card, you can get free e-book, audio-book, and magazine loans, even for new releases. There are also many free books available at sites such as Project Gutenberg and Manybooks. Amazon often has free Kindle format books, especially if you are an Amazon Prime member.

One thing to consider before you buy–do you want to connect via a cell-phone service or are you OK to use wi-fi only for downloads. We typically use the less expensive wi-fi only style and load up on books before the trip.

For all these reasons, we feel a good e-reader is one of the very best travel gifts.

Other Choices

Because Kindle uses a proprietary file format, some people prefer e-readers that accept other formats such as e-pub. There are many choices of good e-readers. In fact, you can usually download the app for e-reading onto your tablet. Just be sure you understand the formats your device can handle.

Best Gifts for Travelers’ Photography

Portable Tripod

Perhaps the best gift for travelers interested in photography, is a small, lightweight portable tripod. Not only will it help them get better images, it can also double as a selfie-stick. Look for one that weighs less than a pound and comes with a remote and a gimbal so they can film smoothly while they’re on the go. There are many to choose from. With this handy device, they’ll be able to capture stunning shots and wow their friends with their travel photos!

Gimbal Camera

Does your friend want to take their video blogging to the next level? There are incredibly small video cameras also called pocket cameras. We use this DJI 2 and it takes beautiful videos. It is incredibly lightweight and fits easily into your pocket. You can also take still photographs with it.

Want to help your friend take video blogging to the next level? We use this amazing pocket camera, the DJI 2, which takes stunning videos with its lightweight design that fits easily in your pocket. And you can also take still photographs with it! It’s the perfect choice to take your video blogging to the next level. If the DJI 2 doesn’t suit you, there are many other choices.

Looking for Travel Bags?

We lovel travel luggage and bags so much, we needed a separate post.

Ready for More Great Travel Tips?

Every week we share our favorite travel secrets and tips. You can view them all here.

The post Best Travel Gifts for 2024 appeared first on Far Far Away Travels.

Our Best Tip: The Secret Nylon Zipper Travel Bag

This is one of our best travel tips. We ALWAYS do this. It solves two problems: purchasing a few too many items and dirty clothes.

Get a rip-stop nylon bag that lays flat or almost flat. Then, lay it empty on the bottom of your main suitcase before you pack.  During the trip use it for dirty clothes. If you have access to a laundry, it is easier to carry the dirty clothes.

If you happen to come home with a few more items than you left with, zip it tightly with those dirty clothes and check one more bag. Everything else goes in the hard-sided bags. The key is to get one that is light but very sturdy like this one.

Best Carry On Luggage

We know we are in the minority on this but we think the best carry-on bags are those without wheels. We like to tuck our carry-on under the seat ahead and not deal with overhead bins. It lets us reach our things easily during the flight. Also, it makes us feel oddly virtuous to be leaving overhead bin space for the rest of you. We use a bag such as this by Vera Bradley. Important! Be sure it has a luggage sleeve so you can slip it on top of the handles of your larger bag.

If you really must have a wheeled carry-on bag, we like this well-regarded Travelpro.

What’s a Personal Item?

Even the airlines that charge for carry-ons and checked bags will usually allow for a “personal item” for free. This would be a purse, briefcase, messenger bag, or a laptop bag. It needs to be able to fit under the seat in front of you. We like to carry a very small travel purse but tuck it into a large tote for our personal item. We like a tote with exterior pocket so we can slip our phone and boarding passes quickly. And, be sure it has a zip top to better secure your things.

Best Choices for Checked Bags

We have long used these Traveler’s Choice sets. We like the colors and they hold up quite well.

Traveler’s Choice has other nice sets too.

If your tastes are a bit more upscale, Briggs and Riley is an excellent brand. Another brand we have long used and love is Lipault Paris.

Something To Consider

Rolling garment bags are not much in style nowadays. However, we use one for cruises, especially those with formal nights. They keep clothes hanging inside and are then less likely to wrinkle badly. Great for business people or those who hate wrinkles. We have used two wheeled styles and consider four-wheeled versions far superior. This is what we own.

Looking for more travel items? We have recommendations for great travel gifts. Also essential items for your cruise.

Ready For More Great Travel Tips?

Every week we share our favorite travel secrets and tips. You can view them all here.

The post Best Luggage For 2023-And Tips! appeared first on Far Far Away Travels.

Passport Holder

Passport holders are essential for any traveler, and we make sure ours do more than just keep your passport safe. The ones we prefer are designed with convenience and security in mind, offering plenty of space for cash, credit cards, and boarding passes, while also providing a secure latch or zip closure. And, to ensure your security and peace of mind, get a passport holder that features RFID blocking technology. Give your traveler friend the protection and convenience they need with one of the best travel gifts.

Pashmina Wrap

Airplanes can get chilly, so it’s always a good idea to have a warm wrap with you. A large pashmina is a great choice – it’s lightweight, soft and easy to pack. And you don’t have to break the bank to get a great one – you can find affordable options, or if you really want to treat your friend, cashmere is a luxurious way to go. You won’t regret it!

Manio Cashmere 100% Cashmere Knitted Wrap Shawl

Gifts For Readers

Gretchen was a bit hesitant to try out an e-reader at first—after all, nothing beats the feel of a real book! But when she had to pack an entire suitcase of books for a month-long cruise, she quickly realized that an e-reader was the way to go. Now, she loves having all her favorite books in one lightweight, easy-to-carry device! So if you’re looking to pack light for your next cruise, consider taking an e-reader—it’ll make your trip that much easier and more enjoyable.

Another great thing about ebooks is that you if have a public library card, you can get free e-book, audio-book, and magazine loans, even for new releases. There are also many free books available at sites such as Project Gutenberg and Manybooks. Amazon often has free Kindle format books, especially if you are an Amazon Prime member.

One thing to consider before you buy–do you want to connect via a cell-phone service or are you OK to use wi-fi only for downloads. We typically use the less expensive wi-fi only style and load up on books before the trip.

For all these reasons, we feel a good e-reader is one of the very best travel gifts.

Amazon Kindle

There are many Kindle choices. We use the paperwhites as they are very easy on the eyes.

The one featured here even has wireless charging.

One thing to know about Kindles is that most come in two versions: with ads and with no ads. The “no ad” version is usually $20 more. You can start with the ad version and then pay later to upgrade your device to no ads if it becomes too annoying. That’s what we did.

Read the description closely, the ones with ads will say “ad supported.”

Other Choices

Because Kindle uses a proprietary file format, some people prefer e-readers that accept other formats such as e-pub. There are many choices of good e-readers. In fact, you can usually download the app for e-reading onto your tablet. Just be sure you understand the formats your device can handle.

For Your Friend’s Travel Photography

Portable Tripod

Are you looking for a way to help your traveling friends capture amazing memories on their trips? We recommend getting them a small, lightweight portable tripod. Not only will it help them get better images, it can also double as a selfie-stick. Look for one that weighs less than a pound and comes with a remote and a gimbal so they can film smoothly while they’re on the go. There are many to choose from. With this handy device, they’ll be able to capture stunning shots and wow their friends with their travel photos!

Gimbal Camera

Does your friend want to take their video blogging to the next level? There are incredibly small video cameras also called pocket cameras. We use this DJI 2 and it takes beautiful videos. It is incredibly lightweight and fits easily into your pocket. You can also take still photographs with it.

Want to help your friend take video blogging to the next level? We use this amazing pocket camera, the DJI 2, which takes stunning videos with its lightweight design that fits easily in your pocket. And you can also take still photographs with it! It’s the perfect choice to take your video blogging to the next level. If the DJI 2 doesn’t suit you, there are many other choices.

Our Best Travel Gift: Travel Journals

For the traveler who loves to explore, a great gift is a travel journal. It’s a great way to document your experiences and capture all the special moments from your trip. Travel journals are the perfect Bon Voyage gift for your traveler friend. Of course, you can always buy one for yourself. We think travel journals are the best travel gifts.

Peter Pauper Press creates beautiful small books, including gorgeous journals like these. This company is a small U.S. business which has been family owned and operated since 1928. We think they are very inexpensive for the quality. While we have featured some examples below, there are many choices you can consider here.

Ready for More Great Travel Tips?

Every week we share our favorite travel secrets and tips. You can view them all here.

The post Best Travel Gifts for 2023 appeared first on Far Far Away Travels.