In which some like it hot.
While reading a pop sci article on increased risk of esophageal carcinoma due to regular drinking of too hot beverages (I am sadly guilty), I had a stroke of product genius: a solution to the game of Russian roulette that hapless hot drink lovers play after receiving their order: the “is-it-still-too-hot game.”
Components of the new and improved to-go coffee cup:
- Thermosensitive pigment (thermochromic ink) painted on a strip along your average disposable paper cup. For example, between 180-160°F, the strip is vermilion. For 160-140°F, russet. For 140-120°F, orange. 120-100°F, yellow. And so on.
- An expandable (telescoping, perhaps) cardboard cup sleeve, which has a color-temperature key printed on it.
The first time you try your coffee, you can note which color ranges are the ideal drinking temperature: perhaps russet to orange. But you may note once the temperature gets to yellow, the coffee dulls. (Added benefit: kinship with fellow red-coffee drinkers, and insults lobbed at the non-esophageal-carcinoma-risking yellow-coffee lovers. You can drink your safe, sad, lukewarm dregs. I drink my molten java with reckless abandon.)
The second time you have your coffee, right as your coffee enters your ideal range, you telescope out your cardboard coffee sleeve so it insulates your whole cup and prolongs the golden age of your coffee.
I’m surprised a solution this simple hasn’t been made already, in the world where beer bottles can have color changing mountains. Come on, take-out coffee chains! The gimmicky spike in purchases and ensuing brand loyalty will more than outweigh the costs of adding a simple strip of ink!
Anyway. I’ll stick to my mug. Thanks for listening to my TED talk.
