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Edmund Scientifics' No-Spill Coffee Device

By Rain Noe - March 10, 2014

in Object Culture

Billed as being "perfect for boats, parties and restaurants," Edmund Scientifics' The Incredible Spill Not is simply a 13-buck gizmo that combines a flexible strap with a rigid arm and base. While at first it may seem somewhat silly...

...you can't deny that this thing would be useful on a boat:

As an ex-waiter though, I can't see restaurants getting behind the device, unless they make one that can hold four cups at once. And never mind relatively stable, straight-walled coffee mugs; you wanna impress me, make one that can handle martini glasses. In terms of ease-of-spilling, those are by far the worst glassware to handle on a tray.

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Ken

10 years ago

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Interestingly, the 'trick' is in the strap handle:

"With the Spill Not, the liquid in the cups does not spill or slosh in the cup, and the cup doesnâ€™t slide when carried or swung around. This is because the loop handle is very flexible and cannot deliver a lateral acceleration to the cup, which is usually what makes beverages spill from an open container not tipped." â€” from the long, pretty interesting description on their web site.
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Berkana

10 years ago

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My gripe with Edmund Scientifics is that they have dabbled in pseudoscience, and for that reason, I'm hesitant to support them with my money.

I don't know if they've repented of this, but a couple of years ago, I saw in their catalog listings for DVDs for "remote viewing" instructional videos.

Aside from that, this device is rather nifty. I just don't buy it when they say they're about serious science if they list remote viewing DVDs in their catalog.
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sam

10 years ago

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IMMEDIATELY made me remember a scene in the movie Abyss (i think?) in which you can see a submersible pilot has some kind of similar coffe mug gimbal to keep his hot beverage upright, no matter what. always wanted one (and also to be a deep-sea submersible pilot). for now, more interested in a bike handlebar-mounted version
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Ryan

10 years ago

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Not even a little new. Gimbal cup holders have been around for a long, long time.
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JamesL

10 years ago

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Neat but not exactly new. Tea trays like this are used in Turkey (and probably other places) and I'm guessing they've been around for a while. Here's a picture:

http://paulkline.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Turkey091108-449.jpg
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