Shaker Feedback :thought_balloon:

[Lieke_Queal]

Hi! It might be a production failure, but indeed the measurements are not entirely correct. The scale on the newest shaker (the blue one) starts at a higher point than it used to. So, there will be more water in it than you expect. Thank you for noticing!

[HEA]

I see, that's really a shame, but what annoys me the most is the mouth size heh, it's definitely smaller than the previous one I got and as I said the scoop I got doesn't fit.

Would we get new shakers with accurate measurements?

[SilentException]

Could we have some pictures of the new shaker?

I feel like the older version (800ml with spiral whisk) was just the perfect size for my needs. Only the lid was, well, insecure. I never had an issue with it because I was extra careful but I wouldn't put it in a backpack.

IMO, perfect would be to have shaker in two sizes and the good lid that fits both. I believe the popular brands like Blender Bottle do this as well. But I like having Queal logo

[Lieke_Queal]

Yes, it really is a shame. For now, there won't be new shakers in the near future. But when we run out we definitely have a look at it again. Thank you @SilentException for the comment about the two sizes!

[kag46]

finally it happens to me, current version of shaker is totally not for taking it with you, instead of good Friday evening, without need to make some food, I just wash my backpack.

[Onno_Queal]

Hello everybody!

Thanks for all the feedback and sharing of experiences with the Queal shakers.

To clear up some confusion, here's a good overview of the different Queal shakers:

Version 1 (shipped until December 2015):

Included a whisker shaker ball.
600ml in size.

Version 2 (shipped until January 2017):

Included a spring mesh.
800ml in size.

Version 3 (current version):

Includes a whisker shaker ball.
Additionally it has a secure screw-on cap.
600ml in size.

[Skymirrh]

Hello there!

I own all three versions of the shaker (more precisely: I own duplicates of all three versions) and have used them all at least a couple of times. I actually had thought of taking some pictures to include in a future review for this particular thread... but now that Onno took care of that, I don't have any excuse not to post a review right now

So, here's my take on the shakers (negative points in bold):

Version 1

• Standard "BlenderBottle Classic" any gym-goer will have seen a thousand times branded to any and all whey resellers.
• Bare but effective: it is made of only three parts (the bottle, the lid, and a whisker ball), and is easy to assemble/disassemble.
• Does not leak if lid is perfectly installed, does leak when held upside down for quite some time if lid is not perfectly installed.
• Quite secure though it does not have a screw-on cap, as the cap seems to "lock" onto the lid mouth. I never had the unpleasant surprise to find it had "uncapped" itself, but I guess it might happen if you're unlucky and got a defective model.
• Lid mouth is perfectly round and feels nice on my lips.
• Mixing is done using the whisker ball, moving freely while shaking.
• Scale stops at 600ml but it is big enough for 800ml.
• Easy to wash as it is very quickly disassembled, and big enough to fit your hand inside. My only complaint is that the small "trench" of the lid cap (responsible for the aforementioned "lock on") can be a bit hard to wash with a sponge if something is stuck in there -- in which case one must use a smaller instrument or piece of tissue to dig it out.
• Easy to use as you just have to throw in the whisker ball, water, and Queal, seal the lid, and shake.

Version 2

• Bulkier "SpiderBottle Maxi", that gym-goers may have seen around (albeit less often than v1).
• Supposedly more elaborate: it is made of four parts (the bottle, the lid, the mounted spring, and the spring mount), and the spring and its mount are hard to assemble/disassemble.
• Does not leak if lid is perfectly installed, does leak when held upside down for quite some time if lid is not perfectly installed.
• Not secure at all, as the cap does not seem to "lock" onto the lid mouth, unlike v1. I did have the unpleasant surprise to find it had "uncapped" itself (and with both models I own).
• Lid mouth is oval and too small for my taste, it does not feel nice on my lips.
• Mixing is done using the top-mounted spring: gets the job done but I couldn't help but feel like it wasn't as effective as a whisker ball.
• Scale stops at 800ml but it is big enough for 1000ml.
• Not easy to wash: it is big enough to fit your hand inside, the bottle and lid are very quickly disassembled, but the spring and its mount are a pain in the ass to wash properly and assemble/disassemble.
• Not easy to use as you must disassemble the spring mount before putting in the water and Queal, and then put the spring mount back in before sealing the lid and shaking.

Version 3

• Classy blue-colored glass-imitation plastic shaker, which is actually very nice and stylish. The lid has a handy handle that makes it easier to carry the bottle around with you. This is important: the bottle is narrower than both v1 and v2. Sadly couldn't identify which original design this version was based on.
• Complex design made of 6 parts (the bottle, the lid, a lid joint, a whisker ball, a screw-on cap, a cap joint).
• Does not leak even if lid is not perfectly installed: thanks to the joints, you are given some leeway.
• Very secure thanks to the screw-on cap and its joint. It is simply not possible for it to "uncap" itself.
• Lid mouth is perfectly round and feels nice on my lips.
• Mixing is done using the whisker ball, moving freely while shaking.
• Scale stops at 500ml but it is big enough for 700ml, though it must be noted that the scale is wrong on both models I own.
• Not easy to wash: the bottle and lid are very quickly disassembled, but it is not big enough to fit your hand inside, and both joints and the screw-on cap are a pain in the ass to wash properly and assemble/disassemble.
• Not easy to use: in principle it should be the same as v1, but in practice the narrower bottle makes it impossible to put in a precise amount of Queal without making a mess or using a funnel. More precisely on that last point: the bottle is barely larger than the latest version of the Queal scoop (the smallest one, of a conical frustum shape), so in order not to spill Queal everywhere you have to put the scoop directly above the bottle and flip it very quickly in one motion, whereas with bigger bottles you could slowly transverse the scoop contents into the bottle. This is a deal breaker for me because I want to measure precisely what I eat, and cannot rely only on whole scoops to measure my servings.

Conclusion

You guessed it, my favorite version is still the plain ole v1: as unexciting as that might be, I think there's a good reason that a majority of whey resellers have kept the BlenderBottle Classic as their standard shaker option.

v2 not being secure enough and hard to wash/assemble makes it unusable for me (I have stashed them away in a cupboard and do not intend to take them out any time soon), and v3 not being easy to wash and fill makes it too much of a hassle when there is an easier alternative. That's too bad cause that v3 is darn sexy! Though I must say not everything is lost: I use both v3 models I have as regular water bottles. They are extremely secure, do not require daily disassembly/washing for this purpose, and they have a handle, so I can just throw them in my bag when going out and enjoy drinking from a classy Queal bottle... though it does not hold Queal!

[Onno_Queal]

Wow! Thanks for the extensive review @Skymirrh!

Some small things I'd like to add based on your remarks:

There were several reasons we moved away from the version 1.
Among them was the fact that an unreasonable number of them were, as you describe it, 'unlucky' and possibly defective, in that the lid was easily accidentally uncapped.
Additionally, as you mention, it is a very common bottle, and as customers having Queal out-and-about and talking about it is one of the main ways we get new customers, we wanted a shaker bottle that was a bit more unique and 'sexy'.

Version 2 was very divisive. Half the people loved it, the other half hated it.
For instance, some loved how large it was, whilst others complained that it was way too big.
In the same way, half the people were a big fan of the spring-mesh and mount, and the other half were not.
I personally like the size. I have giant hands but am still able to easily clean it.
I also really like the spring-mesh. In my opinion it mixes better, and it doesn't make as much noise as the whisker ball.

We're really happy with how version 3 came out so far.
There's always more improvements to implement though, and we're certainly not stopping our efforts to keep on innovating with the shaker. I think having the functionality of version 1 with the sexiness of version 3 is what we should be aiming for next!

Again, thanks a lot for the great write-up and feedback @Skymirrh!

[Raymondcal]

Classy blue-colored glass-imitation plastic shaker, which is actually very nice and stylish. The lid has a handy handle that makes it easier to carry the bottle around with you. This is important: the bottle is narrower than both v1 and v2. Sadly couldn't identify which original design this version was based on.

I think it's made of Tritan plastic : https://www.tritanfromeastman.com/
And I have searched for the original design on eBay and AliBaba, but found nothing. I would be very interested to know…

[edkorho]

Shaker itself is great, but the narrower opening makes it nigh on impossible to get powder into the shaker without losing a load all over the counter

[SnarkBe]

Great review from @Skymirrh !

I have 3 shakers "version 1" and got the "version 3" earlier this week.

I never had an issue with the version 1. It always stayed closed perfectly. However, my company changed offices and I use nowadays a backpack especially made for sport & business use with a dedicated insulated drink compartment and the version 1 would not fit into it as it's too wide.

I'm very happy that the version 3 fits perfectly. And it looks great too. The only problem is that Queal seems to "ferment" a bit when it's prepared, especially as I prepare it in the evening for use at lunch time the next day. With the version 3, the smaller mouth opening and the screwed-on cap cause a small "pressure release" when it's opened, so I have to be cautious not to have drops spilling on me. It did not happen with the version 1 as the opening was wider and the shaker was bigger so the level of the Queal was lower.

Who would have thought there were so many things to discuss about shakers?

[Lieke_Queal]

Pleased to hear you like the newest shaker @SnarkBe! It is indeed a lot easier to carry with you. According to the "pressure release", it could be the temperature difference between the moment you make your Queal, store it in the fridge, and when you open it for lunch the next day. The shake might expand a little, so that causes the pressure. When you slowly open the bottle it doesn't spill, but I suppose you have figured that out yet

[Vanda_Let]

I actually quite liked the version two, it is perfect for home use, as it is big and the water plus powder fit in very comfortably. I also have some shakers your competition uses and these are all too small, one has to be much more careful with the powder...

On the other hand, the v2 was just horribly unsafe for travelling. I have once made the mistake to put into my backpack and you can imagine the result... I guess the best option to go is to offer one bigger shaker and one smaller and safer for travelling...

[SnarkBe]

When you slowly open the bottle it doesn't spill, but I suppose you have figured that out yet

Yes indeed .

I'm not sure it's caused by the temperature though. I prepare it at room temperature, and cool it afterwards. As the temperature gets lower, the pressure should be lower as well, not greater.

One drawback of the whisker ball in the Versions 1 and 3: it makes a lot of noise when I shake it in the office . I never tried the shaker Version 2, and @Skymirrh says the spring was less effective. But I'm sure it makes less noise when shaking. Anything else can be used? Maybe a plastic whisker ball, if that exists?

[Lieke_Queal]

I never tried the shaker Version 2, and @Skymirrh says the spring was less effective. But I'm sure it makes less noise when shaking. Anything else can be used? Maybe a plastic whisker ball, if that exists?

Our 2nd version, the "spider shaker bottle" made noise as well, because it repeatedly touches the top while shaking and there's more empty space in the shaker itself when you have a Queal shake in it. The iron ball is audibly when your shaker isn't filled to the top. The less Queal, the more noise it will make. I understand your criticism on this. There are indeed plastic stirrer balls, but we have chosen the iron one because they should function better.

[SilentException]

we have chosen the iron one because they should function better.

Not that you need it for Queal, It is milkshake smooth even without a ball

[Lieke_Queal]

Haha, thanks @SilentException!

[edkorho]

I notice you seem shy in addressing the narrow neck problem. Did anyone actually product test to see how easy (it isn't) it is to get powder into the thing?

[Floris_Queal]

I notice you seem shy in addressing the narrow neck problem. Did anyone actually product test to see how easy (it isn't) it is to get powder into the thing?

Hi @edkorho,

Yes we did, but we did it with the new scoops. So with the old scoops I recommend filling it only half (i.e. using 6 half-filled scoops) and that way it should also work .

And I've heard some people say the new scoops can be difficult because when you turn them the powder might already spill (before you have flipped it 180 degrees and it fits nicely over the bottle). So I always make sure to press the powder a bit so it will only fall out once the scoop is (almost) fully turned upside down.

Sorry for the inconvenience if someone has a combination of old scoop and new shaker.

[Vernon]

I'm not a fan of whisker balls in shakers in general. I'm concerned that it might scrape off tiny pieces of plastic and/or metal and it is a pain to properly clean and dry them.