Even if they are not fully gone, paper cups and plastic straws are no longer as common as they once were. I’m confident that whenever I enter a coffee shop, I’ll notice at least a few customers asking to have their morning brew served in a reusable cup rather than a single-use one. And believe me, baristas are delighted to comply.
Every single professional I spoke with for this story agreed that using choices made of ceramic, glass, and stainless steel not only improves the environment but also improves the flavour of your coffee (the same is true for tea). But most importantly, they prolong the warmth or coolness of your beverage. With the exception of three, which I’ve identified and discussed, all of the travel mugs on this list offer temperature retention for at least a few hours, if not longer. All of them are effective, but if you want to commit to this long-term positive habit, you should look for the one that best suits your coffee preferences and, of course, your aesthetic tastes. Find out which reusable cup, mug, or tumbler is perfect for you by reading on.
Best travel mug overall
Traveler MiiR
Described by Allie Caran, product manager at Barista Valet in New York City, as “super-sleek, retains heat and cold really well, and never leaks,” the MiiR Flip Travel tumbler is also “leak-proof.” The lid has a little component that pops up as you take a sip and locks back in after you’re finished that screws on tightly. She is praised by numerous other professionals.The double-walled interior, which also ensures that it’s never too hot or cold to the touch, according to Jerad Morrison, co-founder and co-CEO of San Francisco’s Sightglass Coffee, is responsible for the temperature retention. He continues, “Since it’s stainless steel, it washes up incredibly easily and doesn’t retain any flavours. The founder and owner of Tandem Coffee Roasters in Portland, Maine, Will Pratt, believes that the material makes it easy to clean. If you have one, he says, you can even throw it in the dishwasher.
There is nothing worse than a cup that retains the flavour of coffee over time, he claims, because coffee leaves behind sticky oils. The last benefit, according to Morisson, is that it fits into bike and car cup holders, which “is not always the case.”
Optimum cappuccino travel mug
Reusable coffee cup Keep Cup
Many of our experts also mentioned KeepCup. Two former baristas in Melbourne, Australia created the little glass containers as a way to make the work of employees like Joanna Lareau, the coffee manager at Stumptown, easier.Because KeepCups are designed for baristas to pour into, she claims that they are the simplest for creating latte art with. She adds that they are also simpler to use while creating cortados or cappuccinos due to their compact size. Some reusing cups are too large to fit in the espresso maker, she claims.
They are built with an interior slope, which Samya Said, a former manager of Fairgrounds Coffee & Tea’s barista training program, appreciates because it “allows baristas to pour amazing art every time.” Similar to the MiiR, this lid allows you to either drink from the hole or remove it entirely if you want to enjoy your cappuccino in that manner. One caveat: Due to the glass body, there is less heat retention than with some of the others. That’s a plus rather than a drawback for Ryan Fisher, director of coffee and roasting at GoodBoyBob Coffee in Santa Monica, California: His coffee soon reaches the ideal temperature for him thanks to the glass.
Best iced coffee travel cup
Move Mug + Splash Guard by Fellow Carter
The brand Fellow is typically a favourite of professionals in the field. The travel mug has a sleek appearance like many of their items do. Morrison claims that even though you can’t put it in the dishwasher, the stainless-steel interior makes it simple to clean. Additionally, it maintains hot and cold temperatures to the highest degree. The best aspect of all, though? There is a small guard insert at the top, according to Morrison, so that when you approach the bottom of an iced coffee cup, the cubes won’t tumble back over your face.
Best commuter travel cup
Stainless-steel mug from Zojirushi
Many of the benefits of the Zojirushi, which was also a top option for reusable water bottles, are shared by many other products on our list, including excellent temperature control and a slim, elegant, and lightweight design. Sara Shacket, a tea expert, claims that its total airtightness is its most amazing feature. She claims, “Really, it doesn’t leak. I frequently used it during tube commutes, threw it in my luggage and never felt concerned. same if I were out on a walk. It wouldn’t leak even if it were turned inside out. Carla Lalli Music, a cookbook author and recipe developer who owns many Zojirushi models, agrees, saying, “It has the most bustproof cap in the biz.”
Best handle-equipped travel mug
Rambler Yeti Mug
Steven Sadoff, the creator of Ground Support in New York City, owns a number of travel mugs, including the MiiR and the Fellow mentioned above, but he always goes to his Yeti when he needs a handle. He claims that although though it won’t fit in a cup holder, this feature nevertheless allows him to effortlessly take it and sip with control while driving. When you’re getting near to finishing your coffee, he says, “it makes for a pretty comfortable drinking experience.” For him, meeting friends for coffee outside is preferable because “you can gesticulate wildly without spilling.” With the exception of the handle, he enjoys that the mug seals exceptionally tightly, maintains liquid heat for hours, and is dishwasher safe.
Best handle-equipped travel mug under $20
Insulated Camp Cup MiiR
The insulated interior of this container keeps drinks warm or cold for extended periods of time, and it also maintains a constant temperature on the outside, according to Caleb Chauncey, a former barista at East Pole Coffee Co. in Atlanta. “It won’t burn your hand if you have a hot beverage inside, and it won’t sweat when you have a cold one,” he claims. It seems like the ideal camping buddy to me. It’s also important to note that it has the broadest selection of sizes of all the mugs we’ve featured.
Best replacement lid for a travel mug
Wide Mouth Flex Sip Lid for Hydro Flask
Another popular water bottle is the Hydro Flask; in fact, due to the overwhelming positive feedback, it was chosen our best bottle overall. But as Strategist editor and dedicated coffee drinker Maxine Builder can attest, the materials and construction that keep liquid cold also keep liquid hot. She prefers the particular type with the Flex Sip lid. It’s much simpler to use when travelling and truly retains the hot coffee within, according to her.
The inclusion of a hook on its lid is another benefit; I can hold it with one finger when taking my dog for a morning stroll. The best part is that you can simply replace your old cover if you already own a Hydro Flask by purchasing the new one separately. Although I can attest that my partner has used a similar model for water for years and semi-regularly puts it in the dishwasher without damage, the company claims that it is dishwasher safe but hand-washing is advised.
The ideal travel mug to display at home
To-Go Tumbler by Kinto
The sip hole of Kinto’s travel cup is very small but always open, so it works best while you’re holding the tumbler in your hand while you’re sitting at a desk or taking a walk. This implies that while your beverage will remain warm for roughly an hour and cool for several hours, it won’t maintain its temperature all day. Nevertheless, it continues to be a favourite of a few of our specialists. For designer and sustainability aficionado Haley Boyd, this is primarily due to the aesthetic.
Most excellent travel mug
Frank Green Reusable Ceramic Cup
This ceramic-lined mug not only meets all functional requirements, but it also offers many customization options. First, decide whether you want a lid with a button release or one with an integrated straw. Then, you may design it such that the body, lid, and button are all different colors, or you can make the entire thing monochrome. To do this, you can choose from a variety of extremely lovely, subdued colours. It’s enjoyable to experiment with.
Optimum glass travel mug for tea
Glass tea infuser from Oneisall
Tea sommelier and author of Tea Cachai Daniela Titiun experimented with a variety of glass tea cups before choosing the one she refers to as “the smartest system” due to its revolutionary tea-brewing design. Tumblers often feature a metal insert that is stuffed with tea leaves and steeped in water, she explains.
Best travel mug made of stainless steel for making tea
Infusion Firebelly Tea Stop Mug
Similar to the one shown above, this travel cup (sent to me by the company) brews tea without the need for an infuser to be submerged in water. However, it has a more conventional tea press that you push down when the steeping is complete (akin to a French press) rather than the flip approach. I nearly always carry it on late-afternoon walks because the grip is pleasant and the twist-off cover is incredibly secure. Even when jostled in my tote bag, it never leaked.
Small sip holes are positioned all the way around the top of the infuser, allowing you to drink while controlling the flow of juice while standing at any angle. Finally, it maintains temperature for hours because to the stainless steel insulation. I frequently make some tea in it before I head upstairs for the night, and when I drink from it before bed, it’s still hot.
