Expert’s Guide to Smart and Travel Coffee Mugs

Byamazingfoodstv


Gadget critic Lisa McManus reveals innovative ways to keep coffee warm.

Buy the Ember Smart Mug:
Buy the Zojirushi Stainless Travel Mug:

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46 Comments

  2. Word of advice: never put any of the Zoji thermos parts in the dishwasher. I made the mistake of putting the top cap and silicone in the dishwasher trying to get it extra clean, and all it did was warp it and made the bottle leaky.

  4. I went searching for a travel mug that would cool coffee to a hot but drinkable temp, then keep it hot long enough for me to drink it. Stumbled across the Joeveo mug, which does exactly that. It's got an internal layer of wax that melts to cool the drink down a little bit, then the heat from the wax keeps the drink at temp as it re-solidifies.

    It's heavy for it's size and it dents easily when dropped, but I have had mine for 3 years and it still works great. Coffee is drinkable after ~5 minutes, but I can sip it an hour or two before it gets lukewarm.

  10. I've been using a Zojirushi thermos for years. It's true, they hold your drink at the ideal temperature for many hours, but my favorite attribute of this brand is that it disassembles completely for cleaning. There's no need to worry about mold any longer. The flip top and locking features are awesome as well. The spout is also designed in such a way that allows for a pleasant drinking experience. I mainly use it to drink cold water all day long and at night. In doing so, I've noticed that its ability to keep the water cold does diminish with use, but that's only a minor negative. I use the camel extension on my PC's chrome browser to watch for when this item goes down in price on Amazon and purchase a backup for standby for when someone in my household loses one, which occurs more often when we travel via plane.

  20. to add to your list, I have an insulated thermos from klean kanteen. the insulation works so well that actually I burn my tongue or mouth from how hot the coffee stays. I use it mostly at home bc the top is not spill proof. but I accidentally found that the insulation is actually really great for iced drinks on hot days (or I guess iced coffee). when the liquid is cool or there is just ice in the cup, the ice does not actually melt for hours (a few hours). it is amazing. so I can just keep refilling the cup with room temp water and drink iced water for multiple cups. I finish hot coffee so quickly that I don't think I can rationalize the cost of the smart cup but for cold drinks is it nice to not have to refill ice constantly

  22. I have to say I was disappointed in the Ember2 Mug. The main issue is that the "coaster" acts as the charger. It has two metal pins on springs that make contact with the bottom of the mug to charge. The problem is that if the coaster gets damp, the springs will start to stick and stay down. At that point they will no longer make contact with the mug so the mug will no longer charge. I went through two coaters and it keeps happening. Also if you use it for coffee (with milk) and it sits too long, you'll start to get a burnt milk skin on the top of the coffee. You're better off buying a nice insulated mug from Yeti or someplace similar

  24. The zojirushi is best in class. I brought it to work not knowing how well it worked and my coffee was burning hot for the entire 12 hours. I was under-caffeinated and dehydrated but very impressed that day 🙂

  39. My Yeti travel mug is awesome! Keeps drinks hot or cold for hours and has a lid with a slider that goes over the sipping hole. Plus, it’s large at probably 20 oz. However, it is not recommended for use with a handbag.

  44. As someone that owns multiple Zojirushi thermoses/water bottles – they are absolutely great. As they mentioned things stay super hot for a while so I leave the lid open for a bit to help it reach that nice temp. Super easy to clean as well, the lid comes off in 2 sections so it's easy to get a brush in the nooks and crannies.

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