Straight to the Level
Our favourite journey mug is from Zojirushi. It retains espresso and sizzling drinks heat for a remarkably very long time and has a locking flip lid. For espresso and tea fans, the Fellow Carter Transfer Mug has a thinner-edged lip that gives a greater consuming expertise.
After working at a espresso store proper out of faculty, I finished consuming caffeine. It was the inevitable results of having means an excessive amount of of it (post-college, I didn’t perceive moderation) and coming house with my hair, pores and skin, and garments smelling of it chronically. However years later, after getting married to a espresso fanatic (some would say snob), I got here again to my love of espresso.
Although I now work at home and might savor my espresso slowly out of a mug, my husband usually must convey his second cup of espresso on the go. Coupled with the intensive tenting and road-tripping we do, journey mugs of all kinds have began to build up in our kitchen cupboards.
That is all to say: A evaluation of journey mugs is true up my alley. I got down to check 15 of them to see which of them retained warmth and chilly finest, have been snug and simple to make use of, didn’t leak, and provided the very best consuming expertise.
The Winners, at a Look
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This journey mug is deceptively light-weight, but nonetheless holds 16 fluid ounces of espresso or tea. It retains warmth for a remarkably very long time (longer than another mug I examined). The lid not solely opens up with a easy click on of a button but in addition locks shut with a aspect swap, so that you don’t have to fret about it unintentionally opening.
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The Fellow Carter Transfer Mug is designed with espresso fans in thoughts. Its warmth and chilly retention was second solely to the Zojirushi and the internal chamber of the mug is ceramic-lined for a impartial taste. The skinny lip of the mug made consuming espresso out of it a pleasure.
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The Kinto Day Off Tumber is one other glorious possibility for espresso and tea lovers. The highest has a looped deal with that makes it straightforward to hold round and the internal lid has a built-in splash guard. It additionally retains warmth and chilly for an exceptionally very long time.
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This Yeti journey mug had a screw-on lid that did not leak and good cold and warm retention. “I personal just a few of those Yeti mugs and use them all the time,” says affiliate commerce editorial director Riddley Gemperelin-Schirm. “The lid’s slider easily opens and closes and I like that the tapered base suits simply right into a automotive’s cupholder.”
Word: If a temperature-controlled journey mug is what you are excited about (the place you possibly can set and maintain the temperature for a chronic time frame), then the Ember is the one to get. We examined temperature management mugs individually.
The Checks
Critical Eats / Irvin Lin
- Warmth Retention Check One (with out Lid): I stuffed every journey mug with 212°F boiling water, then left the lid off. I inserted a ChefAlarm‘s probe (our favourite probe thermometer) and set the alarm to 140°F to see how lengthy it took for the temperature to drop.
- Warmth Retention Check Two (with Lid): I stuffed every journey mug with 212°F boiling water, after which positioned the lid on. I took temperature readings every hour to see how lengthy it took for it to drop to 140°F.
- Chilly Retention with Lid: I stuffed every journey mug with 36°F chilly water, after which put the lid again on. I positioned the mugs in an oven with the sunshine on, monitoring the temperature of the oven to maintain it inside 80 to 85°F, to simulate a heat day. I took temperature readings every hour to see how lengthy it took for the water to succeed in 60°F.
- Leak Check: I stuffed every journey mug with water and positioned the lid again on. I vigorously shook the journey mug the wrong way up to see how a lot it might leak.
- Consuming Check: I stuffed every mug with 12 ounces of freshly brewed espresso, carrying it across the house and outdoors on walks and consuming from it to see how the consumer expertise was.
- Cleansing Check: After every check, I completely cleaned the mugs and lids.
What We Discovered
Screw Tops Didn’t Leak Like Pop Tops
Critical Eats / Irvin Lin
The journey mugs I examined had two kinds of lids. One fashion screwed onto the mug’s physique and the opposite popped on and had a rubber gasket that held the lid in place. The latter have been simpler to placed on, as all you wanted to do was push the lid onto the physique. Nevertheless, these mugs all leaked…some worse than others.
Conversely, a lot of the screw-on lids I examined didn’t leak a lot, if in any respect so long as they have been placed on correctly. The underside line: Get a journey mug with a screw-on lid and double-check that the lid is correctly aligned and seated to keep away from leakage.
Drink Buttons Have been Annoying
Critical Eats / Irvin Lin
Some lids, just like the Contigo West Loop Stainless Metal and Stanley Traditional Set off, require urgent a button to drink from the mug. In idea, this looks like an excellent thought, because it solely requires one hand and will stop leakage. Nevertheless, frequently urgent a button for prolonged durations causes hand fatigue, particularly if in case you have mobility or power points. This was particularly noticeable with the Stanley mug, which had a stronger spring that required extra stress and power to press.
Lid Design and Consuming Expertise
Critical Eats / Irvin Lin
Some lids (just like the Camelbak and Yeti Rambler Tumbler) featured thick plastic lids with drink holes set barely again from the sting. Consuming from them felt cumbersome and cumbersome. Different lids, just like the Easy Trendy Kona Assortment, had a latch proper close to the opening, hitting my backside lip as I sipped. My favourite journey mugs had thinner lid edges (just like the Zojirushi and Fellow) or rounder-edged lids (just like the Kinto), which felt extra pure and nice to drink from. Each the Fellow and the Kinto additionally allowed you to drink from the mug in any course.
Warmth and Chilly Retention
Critical Eats / Irvin Lin
The journey mugs that had the very best warmth retention additionally, unsurprisingly, saved liquids chilly longer as nicely. The Zojirushi blew each different mug away on each accounts, taking up 14 hours to drop from 212°F to 140°F and almost 20 hours for 38°F water to heat as much as 60°F. The second-best mug in these checks, the Fellow, took a decent 10 hours to drop from 212°F to 140°F and 6 hours to go from 38°F to 60°F. The Kinto mug additionally took 10 hours to drop right down to 140°F and 13 hours to get to 60°F. With mugs like these, you possibly can carry round your espresso or tea and it will keep sizzling or chilly almost all day.
| Our Winners Saved Liquids Sizzling for a Lengthy Time—Different Mugs, Not so A lot | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Journey Mug | 1 Hour | 2 Hours | 3 Hours | 4 Hours | 5 Hours | 6 Hours | 7 Hours | 8 Hours |
| Zojirushi SM-SC48HM Metal Vacuum Insulated Journey Mug | 195°F | 189°F | 183°F | 178°F | 178°F | 174°F | 169°F | 163°F |
| Fellow Carter Transfer Mug | 195°F | 187°F | 180°F | 172°F | 165°F | 161°F | 155°F | 150°F |
| Kinto Day Off Tumbler | 194°F | 186°F | 179°F | 172°F | 165°F | 159°F | 153°F | 146°F |
| Hydro Flask All-Round Stainless Metal Tumbler | 175°F | 155°F | 139°F | X | X | X | X | X |
Critical Eats / Irvin Lin
On the flip aspect, a few of the worse performing mugs, just like the Hydro Flask and Corkcicle, dropped temperature alarmingly quick, from 212°F boiling to 140°F in simply three hours and 38°F to 60°F in about eight hours. Most people drink their espresso and tea inside just a few hours of brewing it, however if you happen to desire your espresso piping sizzling or you’ve an extended commute, it’s good to have a mug that’ll go the space.
Select a Capability That Works for You
When it got here to capability, there was no one-size-fits-all—actually. Whereas some could desire a smaller journey mug for a single cup of tea or espresso, others could need a sizable portion to sip on all day. With this in thoughts, I’ve winners of varied capacities, and clearly, even the bigger ones do not need to be stuffed (although the extra sizzling liquid, the higher the insulation).
| Journey Mugs’ Capacities | |
|---|---|
| Journey Mug | Capability |
| Zojirushi SM-SC48HM Metal Vacuum Insulated Journey Mug | 16 fluid ounces |
| Fellow Carter Transfer Mug | 16 fluid ounces |
| Kinto Day Off Tumbler | 17 fluid ounces |
| Hydro Flask All-Round Stainless Metal Tumbler | 16 fluid ounces |
| Yeti Rambler 20-ounce Tumbler | 20 fluid ounces |
| Contigo Stainless Metal Vacuum-Insulated Journey Mug | 20 fluid ounces |
| MiiR Flip Traveler | 16 fluid ounces |
| Easy Trendy Journey Espresso Mug: | 16 fluid ounces |
| W&P Porter Insulated Tumbler | 20 fluid ounces |
| Stanley Traditional Set off Motion Journey Mug | 16 fluid ounces |
| CamelBak Horizon Tumbler | 20 fluid ounces |
The Standards: What to Search for in a Journey Mug
Critical Eats / Irvin Lin
Search for a journey mug that has a double-walled, vacuum-sealed physique for the very best warmth and chilly retention. Choose a journey mug that has a screw-on lid. Pop-on lids are extra handy however leaked. Choose a journey mug that has a rounded or thinner lip for essentially the most nice consuming expertise.
And, lastly, get a journey mug that is appropriate to your life-style. If you’re continually on the street, search for a mug that is light-weight, will be simply opened up with one hand, and suits in your automotive’s cup holder. In the event you’re a long-distance commuter on public transit, discover a mug that retains warmth exceptionally nicely and will be safely tossed right into a bag.
Our Favourite Journey Mugs
What we favored: The Zojirushi retained warmth and chilly for a remarkably very long time, longer than any mug I examined. The 212°F boiling water took just a little over 14 hours to chill right down to 140°F, whereas chilly 36°F water took over 20 hours to heat as much as 60°F. The flip-top was straightforward to make use of, with a easy button that popped it open. There’s a secondary latch that locks the lid, too.
The mug has a skinny plastic lip and the lid comes aside into two items, which makes it simpler to wash. The within encompasses a nonstick coating, stopping stains. Better of all, this slim journey mug is extremely light-weight.
What we didn’t like: The warmth retention of the mug is one in all its finest options. However it additionally means freshly brewed espresso takes some time to chill right down to a drinkable temperature. In the event you plan on consuming the espresso from the journey mug instantly, be sure that to let the espresso cool earlier than pouring it in. In any other case, you would possibly scald your tongue with every sip.
Additionally, the opening of this journey mug is narrower than different fashions. This made it more difficult to wash. (You’ll need a bottle brush for the duty.)
Key Specs
- Materials: Chrome steel with nonstick coating and BPA-free plastic
- Dimensions: 2.625 inches diameter; 8.5 inches tall
- Dishwasher-safe: No
- Said capability: 16 fluid ounces
- Suits in a automotive’s cup holder: Sure
- Weight: 7 ounces
What we favored: The Fellow Carter Transfer Mug is nice if you happen to prioritize the espresso or tea-drinking expertise. The inside chamber of the journey mug is ceramic lined, to assist stop any metallic style {that a} cheaper chrome steel mannequin would possibly impart to your espresso or tea. The skinny metallic fringe of the mug feels nice in your lips and lets you drink in no matter course you decide the mug up from.
The mug encompasses a detachable “splash guard” insert that appears a bit like a sink drain. This prevents sizzling liquid from splashing outwards. The double-walled, vacuum-sealed physique retained warmth, taking up 10 hours to drop from 212°F to 140°F and 16 hours to rise from 36°F to 60°F.
What we didn’t like: The mug’s lid requires you to unscrew it and also you want two fingers to take action. This additionally means you’ve a lid that it’s essential to carry (or put down) if you’re consuming. That mentioned, Fellow does promote an elective slide lid (which I didn’t check).
Key Specs
- Materials: Chrome steel with ceramic inside coating
- Dimensions: 3 inches diameter; 7.25 inches tall
- Dishwasher-safe: No
- Said capability: 16 fluid ounces
- Suits in a automotive’s cup holder: Sure
- Weight: 12.5 ounces
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![A blue travel mug on a marble countertop.]()
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PHOTO: Critical Eats / Irvin Lin
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![The Fellow travel mug with its cap off.]()
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PHOTO: Critical Eats / Irvin Lin
What we favored: The Kinto is a well-constructed, light-weight mug that retained warmth and chilly for pretty lengthy, taking almost 10 hours to chill 212°F boiling water right down to 140°F and 13 hours for 36°F water to heat as much as 60°F. The mug itself encompasses a two-part prime, one which screws onto the physique and acts as a splash protect, and one which’s a sealing lid with a looped deal with.
The primary splash protect affords a tapered lip and lets you drink from all sides of the mug. Just like the Fellow, this makes it a pleasure to drink from. The deal with on prime of the sealing lid is good for carrying, too.
What we didn’t like: As a result of the Kinto mug has two components to the lid that screws onto the physique, there’s twice the prospect of consumer error the place you possibly can misalign the threads and never correctly screw on the lid. Just like the Fellow, the Kinto lid screws on, which implies it requires two fingers to take away it. Not like the Fellow, although, the lid does have a deal with, so it is simpler to wrap your fingers round it and maintain on to it, permitting you to drink with one hand.
Key Specs
- Materials: 18-8 Chrome steel powder coated, with polypropylene and silicone
- Dimensions: 2.75 inches diameter; 9 inches tall
- Dishwasher-safe: No
- Said capability: 16.9 fluid ounces
- Suits in a automotive’s cup holder: Sure
- Weight: 10.5 ounces
What we favored: “I’ve an enormous downside with journey mugs that do not slot in a automotive’s cupholder,” Riddley says. “The tapered base on this Yeti simply suits right into a cupholder and I like its extensive, looped deal with. It is simple to carry onto and its matte, barely pebbly floor is non-slip.” In my checks, the Yeti additionally had nice cold and warm retention and did not leak.
What we did not like: The bulkier lip on this mug was much less nice to drink from.
Key Specs
- Materials: 18-8 chrome steel with plastic lid
- Dimensions: 2.75 inches diameter; 7.5 inches tall
- Dishwasher-safe: Sure
- Said capability: 20 fluid ounces
- Suits in a automotive’s cup holder: Sure
- Weight: 1 pound, 2.375 ounces
Critical Eats / Irvin Lin
The Competitors
- Contigo Stainless Metal Vacuum-Insulated Journey Mug: Contigo makes fairly priced journey mugs and this one does job retaining warmth and chilly. However the form of the lid and its small opening meant espresso pooled on prime of the lid between sips, which brought about dribbling and spilling.
- Hydro Flask All-Round Stainless Metal Tumbler with Lid: The Hydro Flask journey mug misplaced warmth the quickest of all of the mugs I examined, and the pop-on lid leaked.
- MiiR Flip Traveler: This solidly constructed, light-weight mug was straightforward to make use of and retained warmth and chilly higher than a lot of the mugs I examined. Sadly, it leaked a bit, irrespective of how a lot I tightened or screwed on the lid.
- Contigo West Loop Stainless Metal Vacuum-Insulated Journey Mug: This Contigo mug did a good job with retaining warmth and chilly, however having to carry down a button to drink was tedious.
- Easy Trendy Journey Espresso Mug: This mug misplaced warmth and chilly comparatively shortly.
- Corkcicle Commuter Cup: Sadly, this mug misplaced warmth extraordinarily shortly (in simply over three hours).
- W&P Porter Insulated Tumbler: I cherished the texture of this tumbler and its colourful design. However the insulated tumbler misplaced warmth comparatively shortly and leaked terribly when turned the wrong way up.
- CamelBak Horizon Tumbler: The Camelbak tumbler did a poor job of retaining warmth and chilly. It additionally had a snap-on lid that leaked.
- Stanley Traditional Set off Motion Journey Mug: The rugged and sturdy mug felt like what your grandfather most likely drank from as he backcountry hiked his means throughout the Rocky Mountains. It’s constructed to final a lifetime (and is backed with a lifetime guarantee as nicely). And it did job retaining warmth and chilly. However it’s barely annoying to drink from since you must push a button to sip. And if you did, the espresso flowed out very slowly.
- Easy Trendy Insulated Thermos: This journey mug did an excellent job retaining warmth and chilly. However the small lid had a flip-top with a locking latch that protruded pretty excessive, bumping into my backside lip.
FAQs
How do you clear espresso or tea stains off of a stainless-steel journey mug?
Sprinkle some baking soda (about one to 2 teaspoons) into the mug and add water to type a paste. Gently scrub with a moist fabric, mushy sponge, or bottle brush. The mildly abrasive baking soda ought to take away the stains.
How do you maximize the warmth and chilly retention of a journey mug?
For decent drinks, heat up the within of the journey mug by pouring sizzling water (it may possibly from the faucet) into the mug, letting it sit for a few minutes, and empty the mug. Then, add your espresso or sizzling beverage. For chilly drinks, cool the within by pouring in water and including just a few ice cubes, swirling the cubes round, then drain it and add the chilly beverage.
What dimension journey mug is finest?
For most people, a 12- or 16-ounce journey mug is ample. In the event you’re a hardcore espresso drinker otherwise you journey an extended distance for work, a bigger 20-ounce mug may be a greater match.
How do you clear a journey mug lid?
In case your journey mug’s lid disassembles, take it aside. Then soak the lid in heat, soapy water for 10 to fifteen minutes, then scrub and completely rinse.
What journey mug will not leak?
All of our favourite journey mugs (from Zojirushi, Fellow, and Kinto) are leak-proof. The Zojirushi encompasses a flip-cap that locks, whereas the opposite two have screw-on lids that stop unintended spills.
Why We are the Specialists
- Irvin Lin is a cookbook creator, recipe developer, meals author, photographer, and ceramicist.
- He wrote the cookbook Marbled, Swirled, and Layered, which was picked by the New York Occasions as the most effective baking cookbooks of 2016.
- He runs a weblog known as Eat the Love, the place he’s developed, photographed, and written recipes since 2010. Eat the Love was nominated twice for finest meals weblog by the Worldwide Affiliation of Culinary Professionals (IACP) in 2016 and 2022.
- He’s examined and reviewed tons of of kitchen gadgets together with stand mixers and indoor herb gardens.
- For this evaluation, Irvin examined 15 journey mugs, evaluating their insulation, usability, and extra to seek out the very best ones.