The best coffee mug overall
One of the more annoying things about me is that I am a very slow coffee drinker but also cannot tolerate it dipping below steaming temperatures. If it's not cold brew, it needs to be hot. But regular mugs don't keep liquids at high temperatures for very long because of, well, science. As a result, I microwave the same coffee over and over again until it probably isn't even really coffee anymore.
That's why I'm convinced the Ember Temperature Control Ceramic Mug was made for me. It's an electronic coffee mug that keeps your liquids at ideal temperature for as long as you're drinking them. The mug is rechargeable via a coaster that doubles as a charging station (genius). If you remove the mug from the coaster it will still keep your beverage hot for up to an hour; keep it on the coaster and it will stay warm for as long as it's full.
The mug knows if you've poured liquid in it, as well the temperature, and when it's empty (it'll shut itself off). You can adjust the temperature and presets for different drinks using the Ember app. Yes, your coffee mug has an app now. Welcome to the future.
Ember Temperature Control Ceramic Mug works in both Fahrenheit and Celsius and has a sleek, modern design that isn't too techie. "I thought the Ember mug was going to be complicated but it was super easy to set up and use!" wrote one Amazon customer. Best Products also recommends it.
Both my Insider Picks editors use the Ember Temperature Control Ceramic Mug at their desks. According to Les Shu, Insider Picks Guides Editor, the mug is brilliant at keeping coffee or tea hot, but not too hot that it isn't drinkable. It seems durable, although he recommends hand-washing it. The app works well, but because it uses Bluetooth, your phone needs to be nearby if you wish to make any settings adjustments. One downer he noticed is that if a drink is left in the cup for too long, the milk starts to curdle.
The major downside is the price which, at $79.95, is steep for a mug. Some customers also complained about the inside of the mug breaking down quickly, but Ember does have a 30-day money back guarantee that should take care of any initial quality issues. Ember also offers a 14-ounce version and a new travel mug.
Pros: Keeps coffee or tea hot for up to an hour when fully charged (longer when sitting on the charging station), app allows you to control it remotely and preset preferences, modern design
Cons: Price is high for a mug
Buy the Ember Temperature Control Ceramic Mug from Apple for $79.95 Buy the Ember Temperature Control Ceramic Mug on Amazon from third-party sellersThe best travel coffee mug
Another consequence of being a slow coffee drinker is that I have trouble finishing my cup. Too often I'll find I have to leave behind a half-full mug when it's time for me to head out the door. A good travel mug is an obvious solution, but even that has downsides — it often isn't well insulated and tends to leak.
The Zojirushi SM-SA48-BA Stainless Steel Mug manages to avoid a lot of the typical travel mug pitfalls. This mug is double-insulated to keep hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold for longer, has a secure lid with a stopper, and there's even a safety-lock closure to prevent the lid from opening inadvertently. My favorite detail is the "two-step lid release," which forces the lid to pause before fully opening and "allows condensation on the lid gasket to fall back into the mug instead of splattering," according to Zojirushi.
The Wirecutter named this its favorite travel mug because it "keeps beverages hot for hours, even in cold environments" and is "the mug we trust most not to spill in your bag." Zojirushi SM-SA48-BA Stainless Steel Mug also has close to 5,000 reviews on Amazon and a 4.7-star rating.
"Almost too good at keeping things hot," wrote one customer. "I put hot tea in it and it was still scalding after six hours being unopened at room temperature."
Editors' note: Since the time of writing, after six weeks of testing, we may have another new favorite, the Stanley Classic Trigger-Action Travel Mug. We found this double-wall vacuum insulated mug to keep beverage hot for hours (we poured hot coffee into it in the morning and it was still nicely warm by end of the day). What we are impressed is how well it keeps iced coffee cold — we found ice cubes still intact the following day. And we love the trigger-release cap that lets you drink when you want to, but keeps liquid from spilling — perfect for commuters, which the Zojirushi doesn't have. One issue we noticed is that the cap seems to retain a bit of odor despite washing. — Les Shu
Pros: Leak-proof and spill-proof, keeps drinks hot (or cold) for hours, double-insulated, not bulky
Cons: Pricey for a travel mug, bottom may not fit certain cup holders
Buy Zojirushi SM-SA48-BA Stainless Steel Mug (16 ounce) on Amazon for $25.99The best insulated coffee mug
Interested in temperature solutions but don't want to mess around with chargers and apps? Keep coffee hot the old fashioned way with an insulated glass mug, like the Bodum Pavina Coffee Mug.
The double layer of glass keeps liquids hot or cold for longer than your average mug but also allows you to handle it without burning the palms of your hands, and it minimizes condensation to prevent leaving rings on a surface
The Bodum Pavina Coffee Mug is an "Amazon's Choice" pick with approximately 80% positive reviews (out of more than 1,200 total reviews). It's also a European iF design Award-winner. "I own well over a dozen of these type Bodum glasses, from coffee mugs to espresso glasses and they all function beautifully," wrote one customer.
Pros: Insulated to keep liquids hot or cold, can be handled even when hot, great multi-use mug, limited one-year warranty
Cons: No handles, glass can break if dropped
Buy a set of two 12-ounce Bodum Pavina Coffee Mugs from Bodum for $13.99 Buy a set of two 12-ounce Bodum Pavina Coffee Mugs on Amazon for $19.99 (originally $29.99)The best coffee mug for brewing on the go
Have you ever wished you could brew coffee from your travel mug? The Espro Travel Coffee Press is exactly what the name suggests: a travel mug that has a French press mechanism under the lid.
But the product is actually multi-functional and can be used as both a French press and to make pour-over coffee with an additional paper filter. There's also a tea strainer filter available if you're a loose-leaf tea drinker.
Insider Picks reviewed the Espro Travel Press twice — in its own dedicated review and in our roundup of best travel mugs for coffee. "While my biggest concern with the unit was its ability to filter out the coffee grounds, I was surprised to find that my coffee had less sediment in it than when I use my actual French Press," said Insider Picks writer Tyler Lauletta.
Lauletta noted that while it brewed a nice cup of coffee, it only held about 12-ounces of liquid and the French-press apparatus made it difficult to add any dairy or sweetener.
Pros: Lets you brew coffee on the go, available attachments lets you brew tea strainer, can make pour-over coffee, doesn't spill
Cons: French press makes it hard to add milk or sugar to coffee straight into the mug
Buy the Espro Travel Press on Amazon for $28.65 (0riginally $34.95)The best-looking coffee mug
If you've been reading this entire article thinking, "Okay, sure, but where are the 'pretty' mugs," don't worry. Maybe you don't want anything high-tech to heat your coffee or brew it while you wait for the bus.
Enter, the Snowe Porcelain Coffee Mug. It's elegant and minimalist — the coffee mug embodiment of "hygge." It's nothing fancy, just a simple white coffee mug made of fine yet durable French porcelain. It's the best-looking coffee mug, according to us.
"Each piece is designed according to strict standards, creating a nonporous, flawlessly smooth, and highly durable product that won't stain, scratch or crack," according to Snowe.
A set of four mugs will run you $40, so these aren't exactly cheap. They aren't huge mugs either, but they're a good size, especially for coffee during dessert.
We know that style is subjective, but Snowe mugs are also recommended by Gear Patrol for the design and functionality. If it's time to toss your college logo mugs in favor of something a little more grown up, these mugs are a good place to start.
Pros: Sleek, minimalist design, durable porcelain is oven-, dishwasher- and microwave-safe
Cons: Not very large
Buy set of four Porcelain Coffee Mugs from Snowe for $40