The Contigo AUTOSEAL West Loop is a great travel mug. It doesn’t hold heat as well as the CamelBak Forge, but it’s easier to clean than the Zojirushi I tested. I recommend getting one, if you’re not into CamelBack products.
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Contigo AUTOSEAL West Loop Travel Mug
Model: AUTOSEAL West Loop
GTIN: 00840276103780
The Contigo AUTOSEAL West Loop is a phenomenal travel mug. I bought two.
TL;DR
It’s a good mug. It doesn’t hold heat as well as the CamelBak Forge, but it’s a good travel mug.
Leak- and spill-proof.
Thanks to Contigo's AUTOSEAL system. Flip it on its head; the content's not going anywhere.
Tamper-proof.
Leave your drink standing on the coffee table. Your small child is safe from getting burnt.
Good heat retention.
The Contigo Thermalock system ensures that your drink stays hot for hours.
Product Attributes
Weight (tumbler): 8.46 oz (240g).
Weight (lid): 3,25 oz (92g).
Weight (assembled, filled with water): 28.57 oz (810g).
Weight (assembled, dry): 11.7 oz (332g).
Maximum diameter (tumbler): 3.02 inches (76.6mm).
Maximum diameter (lid): 3.56 inches (90.5mm).
Height (tumbler): 6.73 inches (171mm).
Height (lid): 2.4 inches (61mm).
Height (assembled): 7.83 inches (199mm).
Lid material: Eastman Tritan BPA-free plastic.
Body material: Food-grade stainless steel.
In the Box
The online store I bought from shipped the two mugs in a box, but Contigo doesn’t package their products in their own boxes. They wrap the bottom half of the mug in transparent plastic with a wraparound label.
The online store I bought from shipped the two mugs in a box, but Contigo doesn’t package their products in their own boxes. They wrap the bottom half of the mug in a transparent plastic with a wraparound label.
Dents Included
Both mugs each had a minor dent when they arrived, which doesn’t sit well if you’ve not even used it yet. Contigo’s warranty doesn’t cover dents. If you tear off the wrapping from their product and there’s a dent, there’s no way for you to prove that the mug came with a dent. In other words, they’re not liable for the damage. That’s what it looks like from here. Not cool. Inside the AUTOSEAL West Loop is a pamphlet with usage and cleaning instructions.
Sizes
The Contigo West Loop comes in three sizes. Not all colors are available in all sizes. Click the Check Price button to see available colors, sizes, and prices.
16 oz
20 oz
24 oz
Colors
Contigo offerst their travel mug in a range of colors, adding more over the years.
The Contigo West Loop comes in 12 colors.Some colors are more expensive than others. Click the Check Price button to see the cost for each color and size option.
Biscay Bay
Black
Bright Lavender
Deep Blue
Grayed Jade
Latte
Monaco
Polar White
Radiant Orchid
Stainless Steel
Stormy Weather
Violet
Spilling and Leaking
The Contigo does not leak at all while it’s shut. I asked a friend to pass the Contigo to me from a distance of 6.5 feet (two meters). One of my fingers pressed on the AUTOSEAL button as I caught it. This opened the spout and spilled a drop of coffee. But it wasn’t the mug’s fault, and it wasn’t a large amount. We also flipped the mug a few times. It didn’t leak. The West Loop does a fine job of keeping content inside.
Heat Retention Tests
As with the CamelBak Forge, I tested the Contigo against the cheap plastic mug that inspired me to look into proper travel mugs. I ran two tests to compare the West Loop’s heat retention to the plastic mug’s retention. The West Loop does a far better job than the plastic mug. For both tests, I made coffee in the AeroPress coffee maker. I measured the contents immediately after filling the mugs. I boiled the water for the coffee to 100 degrees Celsius, but by the time I was done making the AeroPress, the coffee’s temperature had plummeted to under 80 degrees.
Note: These tests weren’t done in a lab, but in a room in a normal home. HOWEVER, I tried to perform these tests as scientifically as possible. In other words, I kept a tight control over the variables.
The plastic mug showed a drop in temperature of 45 degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit) over a five-hour period. The West Loop showed a drop of 36 degrees Celsius (64.8 degrees Fahrenheit) over five hours. At higher temperatures, the drop is more gradual in the West Loop than in the plastic mug. The AUTOSEAL West Loop’s double wall design is better at retaining heat than the plastic mug.
Cheap Plastic Mug Stepped
Contigo AUTOSEAL West Loop Stepped
Heat Retention Table
For the first test, I poured coffee at a temperature of 66 degrees Celsius (150,8 degrees Fahrenheit) into the West Loop and the plastic travel mug. In both cases, I measured the coffee’s temperature every half an hour, for five hours. The temperature of the coffee in the West Loop dropped 36 degrees Celsius (64.8 degrees Fahrenheit) over a five-hour period. The temperature of the coffee in the plastic travel mug dropped 45 degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit) over a five-hour period.
Here’s a table showing the difference in temperature over a five-hour period, measured every half an hour.
| Timeframe | AUTOSEAL West Loop (Celsius / Fahrenheit) |
Cheap plastic travel mug (Celsius / Fahrenheit) |
|---|---|---|
| 300 minutes later | 30 / 86 | 21 / 69.8 |
| 270 minutes later | 31 / 87.8 | 21 / 69.8 |
| 240 minutes later | 32 / 89.6 | 23 / 73.4 |
| 210 minutes later | 33 / 91.4 | 23 / 73.4 |
| 180 minutes later | 34 / 93.2 | 25 / 77 |
| 150 minutes later | 36 / 96.8 | 29 / 84.2 |
| 120 minutes later | 40 / 104 | 30 / 86 |
| 90 minutes later | 44 / 111.2 | 31 / 87.8 |
| 60 minutes later | 51 / 123.8 | 40 / 104 |
| 30 minutes later | 56 / 132.8 | 51 / 123.8 |
| Initial temperature | 66 / 150.8 | 66 / 150.8 |
How to Use It
Nothing special. It’s straight-forward to use the West Loop.
How to Drink From It
To drink from the West Loop, press the AUTOSEAL button at the back of the mug. This releases the silicon spout. Don’t do this close to your face. The mug can build up pressure when sealed. Put your lips to the West Loop’s spout. Tilt back your head and sip.
Can You Use It for Soup?
Contigo warns not to use the AUTOSEAL West Loop with chunky liquids. But can you use it for drinking soup? I bought a packet of creamy tomato soup, prepared it according to packet instructions and poured it into the West Loop. Before pouring it into the West Loop, I strained the soup into a jug. This removed large lumps that might clog the mug. The soup came pouring out of the West Loop like water through a hole in a dam wall. The verdict? Use your West Loop for soup, provided it’s a runny, non-chunky kind.
Does It Fit Inside a Cup Holder?
It depends on the cup holder. The 16 oz West Loop measures 3.015in (76.6mm) at its widest diameter. It tapers up from ~2.91in (~74mm). Mitsubishi Pajero cup holders have a diameter of 2.99in (~76mm). The West Loop fits. The West Loop also fits the cup holders of the 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 9.
Does the AeroPress Fit Inside of It?
The AeroPress does NOT fit into the West Loop. You’ll have to make your AeroPress coffee in a stainless steel jug and pour it into the West Loop.
How to Clean It
Remove the lid from the tumbler.
Clean the lid.
By hand:
Flip open the PUSH TO CLEAN button.
Rinse the lid under warm running water.
In the dishwasher:
Place the lid on the dishwasher’s top rack.
Switch on the dishwasher and allow it to complete a cycle.
Remove the lid.
Clean the tumbler.
Fill the kitchen sink with warm water.
Add a mild detergent.
Immerse the tumbler in the water and wash with a dish scrub brush.
Rinse with clean water.
Leave parts to dry on a rack, or dry off with a cloth.
Dishwasher Safe?
The lid is top-rack dishwasher safe. The tumbler is not. Wash the tumbler by hand, not in a dishwasher.
Warranty
The Contigo West Loop comes with a limited lifetime warranty. This is from their website…
We’re extremely proud to stand behind the design, quality, materials and workmanship that goes into every Contigo® product. We go to great lengths to create the best product that we can and then we back that excellence with the Contigo Limited Lifetime Guarantee.
The Contigo Limited Lifetime Guarantee applies to:
COVERED:
- Material Issues
- Workmanship Issues
- Defective Products
- Mugs, Bottles, Replacement Lids
- Purchased in the US & Canada
NOT COVERED:
- Normal Wear & Tear
- Dents & Scratches
- Fading & Paint Chips
- Accidental Damage (like a dropped product)
- Product Misuse & Improper Care
- Cleaning Related issues
- Accessories (straws and brushes)
If you experience a material or workmanship issue with your Contigo product please fill out the form and we’ll respond to your inquiry within 2-3 weeks. Please note that it may be faster and more convenient to return your Contigo product to the retail store that you purchased from in order to minimize replacement time and avoid return shipping charges.
We do not offer monetary reimbursement nor is the Guarantee transferable. Contigo will repair or replace, at its discretion, any defect in materials or workmanship for the lifetime of the product. We strive to quickly replace defective products with current inventory and sometimes that means a comparable product or color.
The total liability of Contigo for any loss or damage, whether based on contract, warranty, negligence or otherwise, shall not exceed the purchase price of the Contigo product. In no event shall Contigo be liable for consequential, incidental or special damages of any kind. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state.