Self-Heating Coffee Cans Recalled

Old Man Kensey writes "Apparently those nifty Wolfgang Puck self-heating latte cans, introduced with such fanfare last year, have proven to be buggy -- cans have been reported failing to heat adequately or, more disturbingly, exploding and melting through the packaging. A recall has been announced -- here's hoping the flaws can be 'patched' soon."

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Too much waste, anyway

[CortoMaltese]

This was probably discussed at length a year back, but I'm glad this product failed: I just think it produces too much waste per unit sold. I really don't care how handy or revolutional or whatever the product is, if it's difficult to recycle. Even if the coffee tasted good in it. It's not worth it.

Of course, that's just the opinion of a person who lives in a country where over 95 % of all beverage cans and bottles are recycled. I think realizing how well the system really works positively affects your attitudes towards recycling.

Re:Wow, these are still around?

[Zontar_Thing_From_Ve]

This is, by far, the most disgusting "coffee" drink I've ever had, and this come from someone who's been known to suck on plugs of grounds like chewing tobacco when there's no hot water around...

There's a reason for this. It's called aspartame . I bought a 4 pack of the Wolfgang Puck coffee when it came out last year. I had no problems with any of the cans, they all worked fine. However, it wasn't until I got home with my purchase that I looked at the ingredients list and saw aspartame as an ingredient. I don't know why so many beverage manufacturers refuse to accept the fact that the vast majority of consumers despise the taste of this artificial "sweetener".

There probably are a few sick individuals who actually like the taste, but I've talked to people who drank diet drinks regularly and almost all of them told me that they didn't like the taste of aspartame, but put up with it to get a reduced calorie beverage. I don't think the beverage industry has ever really understood that
tolerate != like
Besides, lattes are not meant to be diet drinks anyway. It seems to me to be contradictory to make a latte and then make it a diet drink.

Re:Wow, these are still around?

[Generic Guy]

Every time a new artificial sweetener enters the market there are outcries about public safety. Sucralose ("Splenda") is still much better than others. Yeah, ok so they use Chlorine in making it -- so what? Your basic table salt has chlorine. I use chlorine in my pool. That in and of itself doesn't make me run screaming in terror.

I'd certainly much rather have Splenda than Aspartame in my products. I think the biggest problem facing Splenda is the (warranted) public distrust of the chemicals industry and any new products associated with "chemicals" face that wall. Sort of like anything attached to the word "nuclear".