A Tricky Question

[ocpaul20]

My partner and I are having a dispute about those plasic/souvenir coffee stirers. She says that you should hold the flat end (marked A in the photo) and stir your coffee with the bobble/ball end (marked B in the photo). I think you should hold the ball/bobble end and stir your coffee with the flat end. We have a small bet going on this so where better to post a question like this but to a coffee forum. Any ideas or comments who is correct please?

 

[topher]

I used to work at a place that had wooden stir sticks that looked like the platic on in your pic. I would say most people would use the larger part to hold and stir with the smaller end. I think it was designed for this....not sure I would want to stir my coffee with the Flag..

 

[ocpaul20]

my side of the argument...

I guess it looks like I may not win my bet yet, but in the defence of my side of the argument (to try and get you all to vote my way!) I would say that I think the flat end would move the liquid about more than a ball so this would dissolve the sugar quicker or mix the coffee more efficiently. You dont steer a ship with a ball-shaped rudder do you? You dont row a boat with a ball-shaped oar. Thats because a flat-shaped paddle or rudder has more influence on the movement of the liquid. Have I convinced anyone to start stirring their coffee with the flat-end ?? haha

I think the flag in the picture would be used by rotating the stick like a swizzle stick or a mixing machine. Obviously the marketing men have had some say in the design and so they might not be as efficient as they could be!

 

[topher]

I understand your point...but think of it this way....on the ones I had they had our logo on it....would I want the logo in the drink or out so others can see it. At a marketing point of veiw I still have to stick with my original vote...sorry

 

[La Crema Coffee]

Why not use spoons? That's the real stirrer.....

 

[ocpaul20]

coffee stirers

I understand your point...but think of it this way....on the ones I had they had our logo on it....would I want the logo in the drink or out so others can see it. At a marketing point of veiw I still have to stick with my original vote...sorry

Yes topher thats it - from a marketing point of view there IS more room on a flat-end that a ball-end. Of course you would want people to see the logo as much as possible and how better than to hold it rather than it being hidden all the time in your coffee. It still doesn't avoid the fact that the flat end is more efficient at stirring coffee. (I am not usually one of those people who 'is never wrong' - I am usually happy to admit defeat if I have been persuaded by the arguments put up against mine)

So are you still a ball-end stirer in spite of the logic of flat-end use? haha

 

[topher]

sorry I am all about marketing.....flat up balls down :wink:

 

[javahill]

It isn't a canoe, it's a cup of coffee. Paddle up. Balls down.

But for the full effect, you'd want to serve the coffee at a temperature just this side of steam. A lot of people stir coffee to kill time for it to cool down. You get longer exposure to your message with hotter coffee. Of course, the legal department has their own perspective on scalding coffee.

 

[topher]

javahill you rock!!! been a long day...sorry...so how is your resort doing :wink:

 

[javahill]

Between foliage and snow. Ugly Stick Season.

 

[topher]

sorry to hear that....been driving my motorcycle to work....man it is beautiful!!!! not a cloud in the sky...and an average of 80 degrees

 

[ocpaul20]

maybe I lost but the vote is 50/50

I guess you all drink coffee from your heart and not from your head. So I lost the bet then....oh well.

Thanks everyone. (but then again the actual vote on the poll is 50/50 so maybe I haven't quite lost my money yet...am I clutching at straws or stirers?)