Although I am a firm supporter of hand-crafted traditional kuksa(s), a more readily and cheaper option might be necessary during some times and for some persons. For this purpose I have made a brief summary of mass produced kuksa models sold in various Finnish marketplaces and shops. All of the models I review here are made out of beech and not birch, although the country of origin is not mentioned in any of the descriptions that come with the product. The size of the kuksa is also roughly the same in all of the brands.
I shall start with the most expensive one, made by "MCM". It comes with a carabiner and a leather loop for securing. There are two different models, one with and one without a bone plate at the top. The quality of the wood is consisted and the growth rings are c. 3-4 mm apart. The retail price ranges from 13 to 16 euro per piece.
Kuksa made by Otso Outdoor is very similar to the one by "MCM", but costs only 5 to 6 euro with a leather loop and a carabiner. However, the quality is not that great compared to the "MCM", as the growth rings are much wider apart, c. 5-6 mm. This will most likely have an effect to the number of cracks the product will develope in a long run. Depending the number of kuksa available in the store, there might be one or two kuksa that are of better quality and quite close to "MCM". Look for these.
Third I have reviewed "Aurora Borealis" brand only sold by Motonet retail store. There are two type of models sold, one with a two hole handle and one with more traditional handle. The wood seems to be pre-treated with a varnish as it is much darker in colour than the other brands using the same species of wood. The surface is quite rough and needs to be sanded before use. The price is the cheapest one of the three, 4.95 for the two-hole kuksa and 4.30 for the smaller one.
I shall start with the most expensive one, made by "MCM". It comes with a carabiner and a leather loop for securing. There are two different models, one with and one without a bone plate at the top. The quality of the wood is consisted and the growth rings are c. 3-4 mm apart. The retail price ranges from 13 to 16 euro per piece.
Kuksa made by Otso Outdoor is very similar to the one by "MCM", but costs only 5 to 6 euro with a leather loop and a carabiner. However, the quality is not that great compared to the "MCM", as the growth rings are much wider apart, c. 5-6 mm. This will most likely have an effect to the number of cracks the product will develope in a long run. Depending the number of kuksa available in the store, there might be one or two kuksa that are of better quality and quite close to "MCM". Look for these.
Third I have reviewed "Aurora Borealis" brand only sold by Motonet retail store. There are two type of models sold, one with a two hole handle and one with more traditional handle. The wood seems to be pre-treated with a varnish as it is much darker in colour than the other brands using the same species of wood. The surface is quite rough and needs to be sanded before use. The price is the cheapest one of the three, 4.95 for the two-hole kuksa and 4.30 for the smaller one.
