The best coffee mugs you can buy

Travel mugs are good in theory, but too often they spill or let your beverage get cold. The Zojirushi SM-SA48-BA Stainless Steel Mug is highly rated for its ability to avoid these pitfalls.

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 $25.99

The Bodum Pavina Coffee Mug keeps coffee hotter for longer thanks to a double layer of glass that insulates without burning your hands.

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)

Brew your coffee on the go — literally – with the Espro Travel Coffee Press.

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)

Sometimes, looks do matter. The Snowe Porcelain Coffee Mugs are practical, but they are also beautiful.

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