USB-powered HEAT ME stirrer: a coffee addict's dream

We'll go ahead and squash your hopes before you waste time pulling out the plastic -- this thing's just a concept, at least for now. From what we can glean, the HEAT ME is a fantastic device just waiting to be snapped up by Brando (or similar) and turned into the next must-have USB-powered gizmo. Put simply, the metal ends of this here stick warm up when plugged into your USB port, thus giving you a toasty wand to keep your hot tea / coffee at the proper temperature even when colleagues pull you away momentarily. Really though, is there any doubt this won't go commercial within the next six months?

[Via Coolest-Gadgets]

[nickels @ Jul 17th 2008 7:42PM]

dont know about the heater but i want that mug :P

[required @ Jul 17th 2008 8:28PM]

me too

[Nippon @ Jul 17th 2008 9:27PM]

Yeah, that mug is pretty pimpin, but I don't know about this heater thing. If it doubled over as a soldering iron I would totally be all over it, but...

[OneLove @ Jul 18th 2008 11:14AM]

people will be sticking these in their anus

[phanbouy @ Jul 17th 2008 7:45PM]

nice hand model

[maveric101 @ Jul 17th 2008 7:45PM]

i don't know how hot that thing would get, but i'd like to have longer than a 1 ft cord so it doesn't accidentally f*** up my computer.

[dt @ Jul 17th 2008 7:46PM]

I used the electric outlet version of this in Vietnam. My dad got it when he was with the US army. It heated up water extremely fast, especially when you don't want to start a fire. Yes, we had to start fires whenever we needed to cook and whatnot. Good times!

[andres @ Jul 17th 2008 7:55PM]

yes, but an outlet can supply much more power than a usb port.
i really dont think 2.5 watts will keep it hot for very long

[Phoenix @ Jul 17th 2008 8:12PM]

So you had outlet electricity, but the only way you could cook was over a fire? That's a bit odd.

[dt @ Jul 17th 2008 8:42PM]

Some places had electricity, and others didn't. My neighborhood had electricity, but the electric stoves were costly, even now probably. Wood was the cheapest means to cook with, especially with the forest being my backyard. So we used electricity for basic needs: light, radio, television if somebody could afford it, and etc. I remember my neighborhood, consisting of about 500 households, had one television. It was black and white. Everyone would go to that one house to watch the soccer game or some special event. Good times though!

[Tim @ Jul 18th 2008 4:57AM]

@ Phoenix

"You don't know man, you weren't there!"

[Spyvie @ Jul 17th 2008 7:50PM]

Immersion heaters like this have existed for many many years, obviously not in USB pwered form though.

There is no way a USB port could supply enough current resistance heater to maintain temp in even a thimble full of water, let alone a cup.

[Spyvie @ Jul 17th 2008 7:51PM]

I ma teh suck

[Phoenix @ Jul 17th 2008 7:51PM]

Also useful for those office torture sessions!

[Christian @ Jul 17th 2008 8:17PM]

I was thinking of the same thing!

[QSRV @ Jul 17th 2008 7:59PM]

Let's see...shorting your laptop's power supply/battery to heat your coffee...yeah... Make sure you read the EULA on this device. I'm pretty sure they're going to have a disclaimer that absolves them from any liability for damages to your laptop from use of this item. BTW, a coffee cup that tall is already begging to be tipped over onto your keyboard. If the ultimate goal is a FUBAR laptop, you're pretty much covered either way...

[jperry2010 @ Jul 17th 2008 8:04PM]

And of course, this will go perfectly with my MacBook at Starbucks!!!

Of course I am joking...but the sad thing is that someone will do it (assuming that this becomes a real product).

[LegacyCode @ Jul 17th 2008 8:30PM]

Or, you could just put the mug directly on the Macbook Pro...that will heat it up in no time! ;-)

[nak @ Jul 17th 2008 8:19PM]

This is a lawsuit waiting to happen.

[Billy @ Jul 17th 2008 8:25PM]

This is just dumb. Get a normal mug warmer to put your cup on, that's worked fine for many decades and doesn't require you to constantly put something into your drink to warm it up, nor do you have to worry about keeping it clean.

This is not a problem that needs to be solved, and hence whoever came up with the idea should be beat with a blunt object.

[mcatrage @ Jul 17th 2008 8:31PM]

So how long till someone brands someone with it?

[Mojo_Yugen @ Jul 18th 2008 10:11AM]

About 2 hours. That will be how long it will take to heat up.

[Todd Stiers @ Jul 17th 2008 8:42PM]

This should wipe out a laptop battery in about 3 minutes...

[Todd Stiers @ Jul 17th 2008 8:44PM]

Running coffee through a water-cooled laptop would make a lot more sense - use the heat thats there...

[noire @ Jul 17th 2008 8:58PM]

Another sluggish Java interface?

A-HA-HA...hrm.

[jonnyb1952 @ Jul 17th 2008 10:59PM]

lol I would not have thought of that one.

[Wormbolt @ Jul 17th 2008 9:14PM]

Looks like a great combo for in the tub.

[chris joseph @ Jul 17th 2008 9:19PM]

you'd do better finding some way to heat your coffee or tea off the CPU's heat sink than draining your laptop battery through a resistive load like that

not green at all

[TavisJohn @ Jul 17th 2008 9:31PM]

That seems like an accident waiting to happen...

I prefer my mug with a USB powered heating element in it.

[Loonie @ Jul 17th 2008 9:32PM]

5V @ 500mA (if you're lucky) = 2.5W (if you're lucky).

Positively blistering!

[David @ Jul 17th 2008 9:38PM]

Am I the only one who thinks that this is probably just a joke?

[wetworker @ Jul 17th 2008 9:51PM]

hack for winter gloves, a usb for each glove.

[dewlite @ Jul 17th 2008 10:33PM]

"Well sir, the scorch marks on the TPO report, I really can't say how they got there but I do agree that it makes accounting seem that much more desperate......"

[Lazerface @ Jul 18th 2008 3:52AM]

"Did you get the memo? Well you see, we're using these new cover sheets for the TPS reports, so I'm gonna go ahead and ask you to do that from now on. Okay? Thanks!"
-Bill Lumberg (Office Space)

[retro77 @ Jul 17th 2008 11:00PM]

Looks dangerous....laptop....usb cable....hot liquid....oops $#@#$!!

[BowserUSC @ Jul 17th 2008 11:07PM]

I wonder if gets hot enough to smoke has on.

[robbie @ Jul 17th 2008 11:50PM]

looks like a breeding ground for bacteria

[rBoLt @ Jul 17th 2008 11:51PM]

this is such a crazy thing!
First USB Fan, then USB flash light now USB Heater. Whats next USB powered CAR?

[j @ Jul 18th 2008 5:36AM]

How about a usb powered laptop? That would be pretty sweet...

[j @ Jul 18th 2008 5:37AM]

How about a usb powered laptop? That would be pretty sweet...

[Rob @ Jul 17th 2008 11:57PM]

Bad idea!!! Reheating stale coffee is a recipe for stale bitterness. No way coffee is going to taste good after being reheated.

Better to use a vacuum insulated thermos to keep your coffee warm.

[j @ Jul 18th 2008 5:38AM]

again with the double posting?? damn it! That'll teach me to engadget at work. If only I had some hot coffee to keep me alert...

[iBob @ Jul 18th 2008 7:02AM]

I dont care about the coffee warmer, (some of the concepts on their website are quite cool though) Im more interested in who designed that Mug? I wants.

[robertantill @ Jul 18th 2008 7:14AM]

isn't this very similar to this:
http://www.qfonic.com/usb-tea-coffee-cup-warmer-p-352.html
cool cup though.

[Big Al @ Jul 18th 2008 9:36AM]

so i wonder how long it would take to recharge A tesla roadster this way

[Angela @ Jul 18th 2008 11:19AM]

A cup warmer would be much better. Much less risk of having that wet coffee heater damaging your $2000 laptop.

With a quick search, I found this one for $34.95. This might be cool at a coffee shop but at work, I have a regular plug in cup warmer for my tea.

http://www.tesora.com.au/USB_Cup_Warmer_Version_2__20125.htm


Live well.

[justchoose @ Jul 21st 2008 7:32PM]

This is stupid. I have a USB mug that seals shut and allows you plug in via USB so that the mug itself is heated. And all day long. So that it's kept at the right temperature instead of cold until you wait on a stirrer to make your cold/tepid drink warm enough.

Stainless steel interior, insulated. I wash it by putting it under hot water and dumping out the hot water, coffee doesn't stick to stainless steel in a hot sealed environment. Washing that stirring stick looks like a PITA due to coffee drying out on it in those small crevices that will need to be picked clean. My mug doesn't have dried coffee because it's capped and the constant heat convection keeps humidity moving.

It cost 12 bucks, came with car charger and usb charger. The plug in the back has a rubber cap attached you can cover it with to keep the contacts dry when washing.

There's a ton of other USB mugs, just google and pick the one you like. This stirring stick is way too impractical. And do you really want to be openly stirring up drinks next to laptops/keyboards?

[Drewba @ Jul 22nd 2008 12:27AM]

I can see somebody getting sued over this thing... that doesnt look too terribly safe...