The is the perfect carafe for the manual brew coffee method... I've purchased several carafes over the last few months only to be disappointed by them all, including: Zojirushi (felt cheap and plasticy, the stainless steel was just a thin wrapper over plastic)... Stanly (love it, but too utilitarian for home use but I use it when I'm on the go... and a big 64 ounce carafe I found at Walmart for $14, which is not bad but doesn't keep my coffee hot for very long. I finally ordered the Thermos brand and was 100% satisfied with the quality. You won't be disappointed.

Thermos/Nissan stainless steel carafe (32 oz) is functional and durable:
* Frees up space with narrow design
* Holds about 2 cups of a large 16-ounce beverage
* Retains heat or cold for about 12 hours, depending on initial temperature (caution - you can burn your mouth because of the great heat retention)
* Can last longer with twist cap than a click design
* Cleans easily with twist cap and hollow interior
* Is a twist cap with closed design and no inner compartments to clean
* Is generally spill-proof when cap is screwed on tightly (which can make it more difficult to open)
* Purchase replacement caps through Thermos/Nissan (but it's durable)
* Tastes clean, not contaminated by metallic or plastic flavors
* Prevents loss of beverage flavor (as opposed to reheating cold coffee or tea)

In the heat of summer, the carafe keeps beverages cold. In the frost of winter, the carafe keeps beverages piping hot. You can pour a heated liquid into the carafe at night and wake up to a hot beverage in the morning (without loss of flavor).

I now have four of these carafes - can you tell I love them? I'm fussy about hot water temperature for making tea, and these carafes keep the water hot enough to steep black tea all day long. Even the next morning the water is hot enough for a quick herbal infusion, though not hot enough for black tea. I haven't tried the carafes for keeping liquids cold yet but I imagine they are equally good at the bottom end of the thermometer. The design is also fabulous - it has a good handle and it pours with nary a drip!