Want to know something crazy? I had been using reusable straws at home for a few years as a way to use less plastic. But I hadn’t really considered using one for when I am out and about. I was still using and throwing away the single-use plastic ones. Partly, it seems like there was almost a disconnect in the way I thought about it. As if I was considering the waste in my home but not when I was out – which seems crazy to me now. And it was also because I had never found anything that made it easy to use a reusable straw when I am out. Here’s my plastic free-ish challenge recap for May, as well as my collapsible straw review of the straw that finally helped me make the change.
Collapsible Straw Review – Plastic Free-ish Challenge Swap #5
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Using reusable straws at home
I had been using reusable straws at home for a few years and have never had any issues with them. At the moment, I have two different types of reusable straws at my house.
I use them for all my drinks at home and wash them in the dishwasher.
Glass Dharma straws
Glass Dharma was something I found years ago and I had promoted them on my blog here before. If you want to check out my original post, here is the full review.
Personally, I like the look of the glass straws, and particularly some of the Glass Dharma straws that have patterns on them. My favorite had decorative blue dots on the outside.
I was hesitant about having glass straws at first because I thought they would be too fragile to last. However, they are much more sturdy than I would’ve thought. I drop them all the time and they haven’t broken yet and I can also put them in the dishwasher.
Additionally, they came with a straw cleaner which made keeping them clean easy.
Reusable hard plastic straws
At home, I also have a pack of 6 or so reusable hard plastic straws that I bought years ago from a grocery store. I would not buy them again though since they are still plastic and there are so many other eco-friendly choices on the market.
Other reusable straw options
If you want to get some reusable straws for your home but don’t want the glass straws, you could get either stainless steel
or bamboo straws
.
Challenges of using a reusable straw
The biggest challenge for me was using a reusable straw when I was out or traveling.
I tried taking my straws from home out with me but it didn’t work out. I don’t own a large handbag and when I go out, I only use a small purse. For the straw to fit in, it has to go in diagonally. The first day I tried to use one, I snapped one of the hard plastic straws in half when I leaned on my bag!
I also didn’t like to idea of my straw floating loose in my bag and collecting germs.
The best reusable straw for travel & on-the-go
I found the Final Straw to overcome these challenges.
I absolutely love it! Sometimes I get grumpy about some of the plastic-free changes especially when I am picking up the new habits in the beginning. Using a reusable water bottle was a good example of that. But the Final Straw made this swap SUPER easy.
The Final Straw is a collapsible stainless steel straw that comes with its own carry case and drying rack. It was one product that overcame all my challenges!
It’s small enough to fit in your pocket, on your keys, or in your small purse if you’re like me and don’t have a large handbag. When you take it out of the case, it will flip into place and is ready to use. I also have a collapsible straw review video on my YouTube channel, so if you want to see it in action, check that out.
Since I bought mine, they have announced the Final Straw 2.0 which is even more compact and comes with a cleaning brush.
Pros
- You can’t beat the convenience of this compact straw. The collapsible nature and carry case makes it very easy to take out with you traveling or out and about.
- It comes with its own case to keep it separate from the germs in your bag.
- A cleaning brush is also included which makes it easy to care for your straw.
Cons
- The price is high for a straw. I think it’s good value, which is the most important thing for me in the end, and you get a good quality product in exchange for the cost. Still, though, it is a higher cost item.
Tips for using a reusable straw when you are out or traveling
The only tip I have for using a reusable straw when you are out is that you have to be a little more proactive or assertive when refusing the straws.
People that are working at restaurants and take away shops are busy and they’ll be on autopilot most of the time to give you a straw. It’s really on you to be more proactive and politely let them know you don’t want it.
It feels a little weird at first, and it still feels weird to me, to be honest, but the more you build the habit, the easier it gets.
Remember with this and all these plastic free changes, just keep working towards it. Don’t beat yourself up if you forget, just work on remembering the next time. It will take time to build the new reusable straw routine.
Cost Comparison – collapsible straw vs plastic straw
You have to buy a reusable straw to replace using something that is given to you for free when you are out, so you don’t save any money by making the change. This one is to reduce waste and help the planet.
Budget progress
The Final Straw I got cost $24.50 and the shipping was about $5, so the expense for this month was $30. You could even buy a set of reusable straws for your house as well and still not go over budget.
My annual budget for this challenge is $600. So far I have $419.17 remaining. I’m running about $70 under budget at this stage and saving that extra for the more expensive months.
For more information on this awesome collapsible straw:
Check out the Final Straw website and follow their Instagram for updates
I hope this post on ditching plastic straws and my collapsible straw review has been able to help give you some options if you were thinking of making the change.
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