The lion’s den
Do the self-cooling cups from “frats” really save every party?
The self-cooling reusable cups are suitable for drinks that should not be watered down but should still be chilled.
©PR
A self-cooling reusable cup that can be easily “prepared” in the freezer. That’s what the founders of “frats” promise in “The Lion’s Den” and Brigitte tests whether they can keep their promise.
Not only in summer, most drinks taste better cold than lukewarm. That’s why the founders of “frats” are presenting their self-cooling reusable cups at “Die Höhle der Löwen”: Frederic Redmann, Felix Kruse and Raul Seidenfuss want to declare war on warm beer, watered-down drinks and plastic waste. But is it really as simple as it sounds? We tested the reusable cup.
“The Lion’s Den”: What’s behind “frats – the self-cooling reusable cup”
On a cozy shared evening with a bottle of warm beer, the three boys came up with the idea of making a cup that cools drinks, is reusable and stable. The result: frats – the self-cooling reusable cup. In the VOX show “Die Höhle der Löwen” they present the product:
- The product: Cup with double wall in which the coolant is housed
- The application: the mug is simply chilled in the freezer for at least two hours
- The advantage: Drinks are chilled in the cup and all without ice cubes, the cup is also reusable and therefore more environmentally friendly than other party cups
The product under test
The mug comes in a pack of three in two different colors; in Pink and Blue – not for women and men but hopefully simply because they are cool colors. Apart from the bright colors, they look simple and practical, are easy to hold, are not too heavy and not too light. After rinsing them briefly by hand, I stack the cups in the freezer and leave them there overnight (according to the instructions, it should be at least two hours).
When I get the self-cooling cups out of the freezer, it quickly becomes clear that the first step has worked. The cooling liquid in the outer walls of the cup is frozen and can cool the drink that I pour into the cup.
The three founders introduce “frats” to investors at “Die Höhle der Löwen”.
© RTL / Bernd-Michael Maurer
Conclusion: What can the self-cooling reusable cup from “frats” really do?
The drink is cooled and after use, the cup can even withstand the dishwasher and can be put back in the freezer for the next party. No matter whether you put the cup down or hold it in your hand, condensation forms and drips! This is certainly less of a problem in the park or at a festival, but it’s not ideal in the apartment. Also, I personally found it more comfortable to drink from the cup with a straw, but that’s certainly a matter of taste.
For the first drink of the evening, when the drinks aren’t cool enough, I can well imagine that. Different bright colors would be nice so that you can tell the cups apart during the evening. All in all, “frats” are definitely a sustainable alternative to normal plastic or paper cups and certainly a good emergency solution if the drinks are too warm, despite small blemishes.
Did you miss an episode or want an overview? All further information about “The Lion’s Den” can be found here.
Sources used:The lion’s den, Vox, frats