NOVELTY PLACE Drinking Helmet - Can Holder Drinker Hat Cap with Straw for Beer and Soda - Party Fun

Product Information

Made from 100 per cent organic bamboo from sustainably managed forests, they tick the eco-friendly box.

A panel of Good Food team members tested 20 different reusable straws made from plastic, silicone, bamboo, metal and glass. If you're someone who can’t live without straws, there are plenty of more eco-friendly alternatives to single-use plastic ones. There are a lot of metal straws on the market right now and you might be fooled into thinking that they’re all the same, but after testing several different brands, we found a surprising amount of variation. However, none of the silicone straws we tested made it into our review because we found them all to be too flimsy, floppy and rubbery – not qualities you want from a straw! The easiest reusable straws to clean are those that come with a special brush or are suitable for use in a dishwasher.The benefits of silicone straws are that they’re long-lasting and could be used for both hot and cold drinks. The problem with bamboo is that, as it’s a natural material, the sizes of bamboo straws can vary, with many being too fat to be comfortable. The most common gripes with metal straws are that they can impart a metallic taste on drinks, can clink against the teeth and, as metal is extremely heat conductive, you can't use them with hot drinks.

Our judges liked the mouthfeel of these straws and their ability to be bendy or straight, but thought the bendiness was extreme to the point of looking a bit silly. They come close in thickness, length and general mouthfeel to standard straws, and some are usefully collapsible. It’s for that reason that we liked these: although there is some variation in their sizes, on the whole, they’re much slimmer. Some glass straws are a little thicker than your average straw so can feel uncomfortable in the mouth, and they can also clink against the teeth when drinking (although you could argue that this can be the case when drinking from a glass too).

We tried several varieties of each material, using them to drink from varying glass sizes, and with different drinks.

This set of two stainless steel straws comes with a silicone section, so you can bend them if you want to. While lots of us are trying to cut down on plastic in general, reusable straws made from hard plastic are durable and can be recycled at the end of their lifespan.There’s no faffing around to build and piece the straw back together, it simply extends up to 19cm (a pretty ideal straw length). Some users also complain of a slightly woody taste, and they don’t last as long as metal or plastic ones as they deteriorate after prolonged use. However, Lulu notes that at 23cm, they’re long, which could cause problems at children’s parties with small cups (they’d easily get knocked out), so are better for use in taller glasses. Although they're at risk of smashing, glass straws are generally sturdy and are a hygienic option, as you can see how clean the inside is. We looked at whether the straws come with a cleaning brush and how effective it was, as well as the general cleaning instructions, for example are they hand-wash only or dishwasher safe.

They also feel hygienic as you can clearly see when they’re dirty, inside and out, and clean them with a brush, warm soapy water or, in some cases, in the dishwasher. is just right – not too long, nor too short for your average glass – and the thickness is perfect too. The two metal parts, plus the silicone, can be pulled apart so that they pack down to fit into a silicone tube for easy transportation. The pack contains three straight and three curved straws, plus a cotton cleaning brush, plus they're dishwasher safe. If you find a variety that's dishwasher safe and can be recycled at the end of its life, then we think it’s one of the best choices.The pros of glass straws are that they’re smooth and sturdy and don’t impart any sort of taste onto drinks. Not only do these straws have by far the best mouth-feel of all those we tested (in other words, they’re the right size, shape and feel in the mouth), they're also incredibly durable. The stainless steel, retractable straw is just 8cm when not extended, and fits neatly inside its little case. Bamboo is thought to be a very sustainable material because it’s fast-growing and doesn’t require as much water as other crops to grow, nor does it require fertiliser or pesticides. Most are made from food-grade stainless steel, which means they are not as susceptible to rust as other metals and won’t break – so will last a really long time.