Reusable and foldable stainless steel straw for $6.89

Plastic straws will soon be a thing of the past. And they definitely should be. Of course, alternatives are needed, and one of them is this foldable stainless steel straw that can be used again and again.

• Foldable metal straw
  • at TomTop for $6.89

Plastic straws belong in the garbage

As practical as plastic straws are, they simply generate a lot of waste. Millions are consumed daily and often end up in the oceans as non-degradable waste. Some stores are therefore already removing them from their product range.

But what do you drink your cocktails with now? How to enjoy cold drinks in summer? And what about the sangria bucket? We are already working hard on alternatives made of paper and bamboo, but this stainless steel version is also an option. This is a replica of a kickstarter project called FinalStraw, which the Chinese are selling here again in their own version.

It comes in a small box that can also be used as a key ring. The idea: The straw is always with you and can be unpacked when you buy a Coke at the newsstand or get a mojito at the pool party.

The straw consists of four individual segments of stainless steel that can be folded. The principle is known, for example, from the poles of small tents. Here there is a transparent tube in the individual tubes, which is held in place at both ends by silicone attachments. This means that there is no liquid on the inside of the metal during use, as the silicone attachments close the ends. All individual parts can also be taken apart.

Is the straw working?

We all know how a straw works? Good. ? It’s the same here. At the most, it is a little unusual that the end is significantly thicker than with plastic straws. Of course, the silicone also feels different. Drinking thick drinks is a bit harder, because the tube is a bit thinner than the straws we are used to.

And of course it doesn’t look quite as fancy as the colourful straws you like to see in your cocktail. The metal straw is more like an outdoor or camping holiday. What looks nicer in the kitchen drawer, on the other hand, are straws completely made of metal, without a tube and not foldable. They are easy to clean and can be beautifully designed or colorful.

And what about the cleaning?

Cleaning is of course very important for a reusable product. Can you get the straw clean again? On the outside, of course, everything can simply be washed off with water. To clean the hose from the inside, there is also a small metal wire with one end made of silicone. Push it through the straw and pull the silicone end through to get liquid out of the hose.

And do I buy the straw now?

Of course it is much easier to have a 100 pack of plastic straws in the kitchen cabinet and simply throw them away. Plastic bags are also more comfortable than carrying a second bag around, and taking a car is easier than cycling. But there’s nothing wrong with looking for alternatives to plastic for the time being.

This straw does not solve environmental problems, nor is it primarily intended to do so. To me it looks like a holiday gadget that you take on a hike to be able to draw your drink through a straw at the summit cross. I think it is suitable for this, and in theory it can be used for years. However, the metal-silicone mix does not make a cocktail any more beautiful.

What do you think? What do you think of a ban on plastic straws? And what do you think of the foldable metal alternative?