Receiving damaged item - twice

[Merlin5]

I ordered a brand new thermos flask online for £14.99 with carry handle, shoulder strap, 1.2 litre size and stainless steel interior, not glass. That's a good spec flask for a cheap price.

https://www.mountainwarehouse.com/c...od-flask-with-handle-1.2l-p10885.aspx/silver/

However it arrived with dents all around the top screw on cap. It was also meant to come with two stoppers, one for easy refilling and one for easy pouring. But only came with one stopper for easy refilling.

Rang them up, was told I can keep it or throw it and that they would dispatch another one. Cool. They just asked me if I could email some photos of the damage which I did. I included a video as well and also mentioned that there was no second stopper included. Courier delivered the new one this evening.

Guess what... dented lid again, almost a replica of the first one. And still no second stopper included. You couldn't make it up.

I'm going to call them tomorrow. I can't help feeling they might think I'm trying it on to get lots of free flasks. What would you do, ask for a third one or a refund? It's their fault, yet I'm going to feel bad if they say keep them both and also get a refund. I'd prefer to have just one flask in perfect condition if that's even possible, than a refund.

They've certainly been very good about trying to fix the issue quickly, but their quality control is clearly lacking. You'd think they would have at least personally checked to make sure the replacement isn't damaged and that it's supplied with the other stopper.

It doesn't come in a protective box either, just bubble wrap and a sealed outer plastic bag with their logo. Yes it could have been damaged in transit, but in both cases It's just the lid that's dented not the flask and in both cases, the second stopper is missing, so I suspect they've both left the warehouse like this.

Here's photos of them side by side. Not great if you want to give it as a present to someone.

 

[Merlin5]

Nah, this was Hermes. Not a courier issue imo. In fact, just seen a rainforest review from 2015 where the person also received the same flask damaged.

 

[Merlin5]

that very same flask?

Yep, same exact flask.

Mountain Warehouse stuff very hit and miss in my experience I mostly tend to avoid them unless there is no other brand/seller but you just don't know.

EDIT: That said haven't bought anything of that brand since 2015.

Yeah, seem to be more miss than hit in quality control, but I can't fault them on customer service. Just called them and they're resending a third one. I've asked them to really make sure there's no damage. As I obviously won't need 3 of them I've given one of these flasks as a gift to my neighbour ( it'll work fine, but just dented) who has been kindly receiving from the courier on my behalf when I'm out.

 

[Merlin5]

X-D

good enough for them but not you, then.

Why not. It's free to them and it works (I think). Since I'm paying, I'm entitled to one in pristine condition.

 

[Merlin5]

Isn't that the going rate eg https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/400804988976 (w/o 2 tops)

Have never been convinced these are ever genuine vacuum flasks, as opposed to just double walled, and they are abusing the terminology vacuum, mine is always unsatisfactory vs glass.
[my link says Leak proof vacuum seal/Durable Double wall construction]

That's interesting. Never found that one when I originally searched the net for flasks but clearly it's the same one under a different branding. I bought a 1 litre flask made by Thermos a few weeks from Tesco for £7 with glass insulation. Used it the next day, it fell over and all the glass smashed with tea leaking everywhere. I'll only buy all stainless steel now. I've not tried this one yet but I'm not optimistic how well it'll hold the heat in or be leakproof.

 

[Merlin5]

I've had this happen to me a couple of times with some dining room chairs that I ordered from Amazon. They came damaged twice. After complaining the second time round, they refunded them quite heavily, which was alright but really all I wanted was perfect bloody chairs!

I gave the seller on Amazon feedback about how shocking their packaging was and they were completely nonplussed. This sort of rubbish must eat into their profit margins so quickly...I couldn't believe it.

I must admit though, etailers are pretty good about replacing items. I'm sure overclockers would be as good, I've never needed to replace anything with them, products have always been first class, first time.

I bought a couple of doors from wayfair in 2016, each one about £130. One was slightly chipped so I called them and fully expected them to collect it and replace. Well they replaced it but said I can keep or dispose of the old one. I wasn't trying it on, because like yourself I wanted perfect doors. I guess it's not cost effective for them to take the door back. Offered it to my builder for free who was working on my flat but he never ended up taking it away. So I got 50 quid for it on gumtree.

 

[Merlin5]

Op I have this same flask. The cup end is prone to dents from knocks etc during normal use. Dents can be removed to some extent by removing the inner plastic part of the cup and tapping with ball peen hammer etc

Yeah good idea, I thought about trying to remove the dents. How did you manage to remove the inner plastic part? Seems very difficult. Also, do you find the locking/latching part of the stainless steel cup unclipping with too little resistance? The second flask I received is fine but the first one, far too easy to unclip, although I don't think the cup would have completely spun off the flask.

I must say though, I'm quite impressed with the way it's holding heat in. Filled it with boiling water nearly 3 hours ago and still just as scalding hot. I think it's going to be ok.

 

[Merlin5]

Managed to prize off though maybe lightly glued in place. Cup did loosen up with use but still stays on ok. yes flask has great insulation compared to my previous.....fill at 7.30 and still hot at 3.30

Been using it today. It's a shame that for some reason tea tastes rank from a flask. I think I need to keep the milk separate and pour it in as I need it.

 

[Merlin5]

Yes agree don't ever put milk in the flask hot water only. Also means no washing up of flask required.

I used mine to brew aeropress coffee in the van or for green tea. Used boiled bottled water

Other tips.....

swill out flask with boiled water first and then fill with boiled water......stays hotter longer.

The cap on mine can be opened just enough to let water out without removing.... allowing for minimal heat loss

Cold weather in the van would wrap in a towel/ fleece for further insulation

Enjoy

btw my flask is the same but marked up as thermos thermocafe

http://www.argos.co.uk/product/9099586

Ah, so it's actually made by Thermos. Yours is slightly larger capacity. Mine's 1.2 litre but it's more than enough as I get the equivalent of almost five mugs of tea.

Yeah, I do similar, I let boiled water sit in the flask for 5 minutes all sealed up then pour away and fill up with tea.

I bought a tub of dried milk today and added separately, not into the flask, tastes perfect now! I actually premade the tea by stewing the teabags in a jug then pouring into the flask rather than just hot water. I've put a few teaspoons of milk powder in a small tupperware tub and put into my lunchbag with a spoon.

I noticed that the large o-ring that seals the large black plastic stopper smells of the same smell that my tea had when it tasted rank. I put it in my ultrasonic cleaner with a drop of washing up liquid and did about three cycles which helped a bit but still slightly there.



I'm guessing the milk leeched into it and has given it that smell, because the smaller o-ring doesn't smell. But anyway, the smell and taste of tea is fine now by adding that milk separately. I might go to hot water only and take some teabags with me

 

[Merlin5]

So here's the end of this. I received the 3rd flask today. Lol, damaged again. Perfect lid this time, but the plastic base was split and the handle had sheared from it.

I've taken the perfect lid and put it with the second flask I got and now it's all pristine.

I rang Mountain Warehouse and told them I'm not looking for a refund as I've now put together an unbroken and non dented flask, but that their quality control is shocking and needs looking at.
He agreed and offered me a refund for the inconvenience. I said you don't need to but he insisted so they've just refunded me the full amount.

 

[Merlin5]

All that ends well I suppose?

Indeed! Except when that end is the broken end of the flask.