4 ms·

This looks fantastic, but after reading the whole page I couldn't quite shake the feeling that maybe these things are unsafe. I don't actually think they're un

This looks fantastic, but after reading the whole page I couldn't quite shake the feeling that maybe these things are unsafe. I don't actually think they're unsafe, but perhaps something to keep in mind as you grow your business.

morrow 16y ago
Agreed - this bit especially could use some work: "Yes! Joulies are perfectly safe when used properly, and in fact make drinking coffee safer than usual by reducing the risk of burning your mouth." (Emphasis mine) The whole "it's actually safer because burning your mouth is unsafe" isn't very comforting, and the "safe when used properly" clause makes me think "what happens if I dont' use it properly?" The fact that the inner material is proprietary and is somewhat of a mystery doesn't help either. Still a very interesting idea, but I think the early-adopters and overall target market for theses things overlaps largely with more conscientiousness food shoppers who want to know exactly what's in the food and drink they buy.
- DougWebb 16y ago
  "Do not taunt Joulie fun bean."
nhebb 16y ago
The only safety concern I'd have is dependent upon the toxicity of the thermodynamic material and the durability of the stainless steel encasement. If there are any concerns about ingestion of the material, they should do some testing to be sure. I used to run a test lab, and we'd cycle medical products through hundreds of autoclave cycles to test their durability to sterilization. Some sort of heat and moisture cycling would be a good idea. Also, the photo of the metallic bean pile could use a coffee cup next to it to show scale. I saw that and thought, what if I swallowed one or choked or on it? It wasn't until I scrolled down that I saw the size of the bean.
- StavrosK 16y ago
  Their FAQ page says the material is 100% edible, but I don't know anything apart from that.
mynameishere 16y ago
Looks like a mild annoyance, like those silica gel packets that are also perfectly safe but that you have to constantly avoid consuming. Also, their cute bean design will just make them harder to clean when cream/sugar is involved.
thenomad 16y ago
I also had an "erm, are you sure?" reaction. I think it was the mention of the mysterious melting chemical - I know it's in a stainless steel shell, but that didn't make me feel safe from ending up with it in my coffee.

morrow 16y ago

Agreed - this bit especially could use some work: "Yes! Joulies are perfectly safe when used properly, and in fact make drinking coffee safer than usual by reducing the risk of burning your mouth." (Emphasis mine) The whole "it's actually safer because burning your mouth is unsafe" isn't very comforting, and the "safe when used properly" clause makes me think "what happens if I dont' use it properly?" The fact that the inner material is proprietary and is somewhat of a mystery doesn't help either. Still a very interesting idea, but I think the early-adopters and overall target market for theses things overlaps largely with more conscientiousness food shoppers who want to know exactly what's in the food and drink they buy.

DougWebb 16y ago
"Do not taunt Joulie fun bean."

nhebb 16y ago

The only safety concern I'd have is dependent upon the toxicity of the thermodynamic material and the durability of the stainless steel encasement. If there are any concerns about ingestion of the material, they should do some testing to be sure. I used to run a test lab, and we'd cycle medical products through hundreds of autoclave cycles to test their durability to sterilization. Some sort of heat and moisture cycling would be a good idea. Also, the photo of the metallic bean pile could use a coffee cup next to it to show scale. I saw that and thought, what if I swallowed one or choked or on it? It wasn't until I scrolled down that I saw the size of the bean.

StavrosK 16y ago
Their FAQ page says the material is 100% edible, but I don't know anything apart from that.

mynameishere 16y ago

Looks like a mild annoyance, like those silica gel packets that are also perfectly safe but that you have to constantly avoid consuming. Also, their cute bean design will just make them harder to clean when cream/sugar is involved.

thenomad 16y ago

I also had an "erm, are you sure?" reaction. I think it was the mention of the mysterious melting chemical - I know it's in a stainless steel shell, but that didn't make me feel safe from ending up with it in my coffee.