And according to a 2014 CNN report, over 50 billion paper cups are thrown away every year (many paper cups are lined with plastic, making them unrecyclable). A mug that keeps your coffee piping hot, even if its cold outside. Using those temperatures as a benchmark, I put each mugs insulation to test in a cold, harsh environment: my freezer.1 I filled each mug with water at 200 F, put them in the freezer, and checked the temperature of the water every hour for eight hours. Handles add additional heft and weight to a bag or backpack, and may also prevent a mug from fitting into a cup holder. It features impressive thermal-retention abilities, and has a thoroughly leak-proof, locking lid. But if theres a gap in between, like a vacuum, heat doesnt transfer as fast. There are very few atoms at all to conduct heat in a vacuum, which is why it works particularly well as insulation. The Tiger mug also didnt do as well in our temperature tests, and its contents were 10 degrees cooler than those of our top pick after 8 hours. The Byron only has one sealing mechanisma tab that you push to open the sipping portwhich is easy to use, but doesnt lock closed like the lids on our other picks. We think the Autoseal is easier to use than our previous runner-up, the Contigo West Loop, and like that it has an added barrier over the sipping port to keep out dirt and help prevent leaking.
The Byrons SnapSeal lid is easy to use: you simply press down on a tab at the top of the lid to open the sipping port. Here are some items that tourist destinations often find tossed out by travelersand some ways that you can avoid adding to all that rubbish on your journey. When youre hand-washing your mug, most of the time dish soap and water will do the trick. Over a period of eight hours in our previous tests, this mug allowed our icy-cold 33 F water to warm up by only 4 degrees, while the other mugs in our test group allowed the temperature to rise considerably more over that time. I also hand washed all mugs, reading their manuals to learn how to take apart and reassemble their sometimes-tricky lids. We found it awkward to use and drink from; it uses a push-button mechanism thats stiff, and has a very small sipping port. After reading Your Best Digss review on travel mugs, which named the now-discontinued Camelbak Forge as their winner, we retested this mug. You can completely disassemble the plastic lid to clean out any smells or gunk that might get lodged in hard-to-reach places, although the small plastic parts can be difficult to get on and off the lid. (Try doing that while driving. The Byron did dent more than the Transit in our drop tests, but again, the asphalt dented or scuffed all of the mugs. I put the plastic bag in a backpack, and then, channeling my high-school Jazzercise days, pumped some tunes and did 30 jumping jacks, ran around for 30 seconds, and then shook the bag by hand for 30 seconds (I would not recommend doing this after eating breakfast, should you conduct your own mug testing). After reading through this guide, we are still confident in our picks. Anna Perling is a former staff writer covering kitchen gear at Wirecutter. This may sound silly, but a few of the mugs we considered are harder to operate than others. The set is dishwasher safe, and it barely has any one-star reviews on Amazon, so its a pretty good bet for anyone looking to get gunk out of their hard-to-clean items. 
This mug offers the same heat retention and a locking lid similar to that of the SM-SC but has a smaller lid and drinking hole and a double-nonstick coating. Its a 16-ounce tumbler-style travel mug with a flip-up lid and an electro-polished interior. While it passed our leak test, it doesnt have an actual lock to secure the lid cover like the Zojirushi does. 
*At the time of publishing, the price was $25. To remove the stink from your seals, you can bury them in fresh baking soda for two days. The Zojirushi SM-SC Stainless Steel Mug is an exceptional vacuum insulated travel mug that keeps beverages hot for hours, even in cold environments. bubba tootoolbay Coffee roaster and licensed coffee grader Michael Ryan told us: Coffee that is kept hot is still subject to a breakdown in flavor. I disqualified any mug with a green stain on the paper towel underneath in the morning. The Zojirushi SM-SC is the absolute best travel mug for keeping drinks hot for long periods of time. Plus, it failed to keep beverages as hot as any of our picks in previous tests. After close to 78 hours of research and testing over the past four years, we still believe that theZojirushi SM-SC48 Stainless Steel Mug is the best travel mug for keeping your drinks hot, preventing leaks, and accompanying you on any commute. *At the time of publishing, the price was $10. In its eighth hour of freezer testing, the water inside the Transit measured a lukewarm 80 F. But since some people prefer to drink from a wider sipping port, which feels more like a ceramic mug, we did include a few wide-mouth mugs in our tests. Although it held up well in our leak and drop tests, it only has one leak-proofing mechanism, unlike our picks. Zojirushi released an updated version of its classic travel mug, the Zojirushi SM-TA, that comes in 12-, 16-, and 20-ounce sizes and multiple colors. 2022 Wirecutter, Inc., A New York Times Company, Tumblers, thermoses, and insulated bottles, director of the Center of Thermal Management at the University of Missouri, professor of chemical and environmental engineering at North Carolina State University, Zojirushi Stainless Mug with Tea Leaf Filter SM-JTE, Contigos Thermalock TwistSeal Eclipse Travel Mug, Timolino Icon Vacuum Travel Tumbler (PCT-46KM), Center of Thermal Management at the University of Missouri, professor of chemical engineering at North Carolina State University, How to Clean a Travel Mug or Water Bottle. So, know that your coffee might not taste as great after a long period of time even if it is still warm. Then we ventured to Target to see how some of the mugs actually felt in our hands. 
You can also save money and reduce your environmental impact, by taking a drink in a travel mug versus buying one on the go. For this update, I (Anna Perling) spent 10 hours researching and comparing mugs from 12 different brands and four major retailers, and 18 hours testing 13 finalists against our top picks. Its been praised for still working well after years of use, as well as surviving drops onto cement (once from a third floor balcony) without more than a dent. Zojirushi has discontinued the SM-SA, but you can still find some online. Size: Some people prefer wider mugs that wont rattle in cupholders, while others like slimmer mugs that take up less space in backpacks or bags. After spending close to 78 hours on research and testing and considering more than 98 travel mugs over four years, we have no doubt that this is the best travel mug you can get. Contigo does offer a limited lifetime warranty, and sells replacement lids, should something happen to your mug. It will keep drinks warm for hours at room temperature, although not as piping hot as our top pick (it did just as well as the Transit in our heat tests). After more than 30 hours researching dozens of tea steepers, and drinking tea made in 15 infusers, teapots, and travel mugs over the past two years, we found that the Finum Brewing Basket is the best option. Just close the lid, switch the lock into position, and youre guaranteed that the top wont pop open when you dont want it to. If you commute, work or travel outside, or simply want to savor drinks for longer, a travel mug is for you. In our tests, the Byron performed on par with the rest of the Contigo mugs we tested. Our pick has a non-stick, Teflon inner coating, so its a breeze to rinse out.
Like the Transit, the Byron is wider than the Zojirushi SM-SC, and has a rubbery middle for easy gripping. Because of this, we gave preference to mugs without wide, open mouth drinking ports. However, it weighs a little more than our main pick, has a bulkier lid thats not as pleasant to drink from, and comes only in a 12- or 16-ounce size, whereas the SM-SC also comes in a 20-ounce size. But its expensive: $40 at the time of writing, with a newer version that costs $280 (wow). Well be testing this new model and will report back on how it compares to our picks. Contigos SnapSeal Byron Travel Mug is a basic mug that passed our leak tests, is easy to drink from and clean, and is wide enough to fit snugly in car cup holders. Weve found that if we make a fresh pot of coffee and pour it directly into the travel mug, the liquid ends up staying scalding hot for hours, and weve heard feedback about this from readers as well. It resembles an old-school vacuum bottle but has a modern button-activated lid that makes it easy to drink from one-handed. This auto-sealing mechanism prevents spills if you knock over your mug. After spending close to 78 hours on research and testing and considering more than 98 travel mugs over four years, we have no doubt that this is the best travel mug you can get. This Thermos mug also has a push-button interface: You press the button on top when you want to drink and press again to seal it when youre done. Both engineers we spoke to noted that the majority of heat loss occurs through the lid, and that mugs with wider lids are likelier to lose heat faster. Dishwashers can also scratch or wear away a mugs finish. We independently review everything we recommend.
Dont want your coffee to taste like yesterdays brew? Although the Contigo SnapSeal Byron Mug isnt as hardy or leakproof as our top pick, its a wide, easy-to-hold mug that will work fine if you use it more gently. Like the Transit, it also has a rubberized grip, so its easier to hold onto. But if you prefer a different Zojirushi, we think theyre all fine choices; we also break down whats different about all of Zojirushis mugs in our competition section. Whether it's finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we'll help you get it right (the first time). To learn about ideal coffee and tea drinking temperatures and how these beverages break down over time, I emailed Rachel Sandstrom Morrison, a digital editor at Fresh Cup magazine. Bodum makes a combination French press and travel mug that sounds appealing: You can literally brew your coffee inside the mug as you take it with you. In the freezer, 200-degree water cooled to 153 F after 1 hour, and 78 F after 8. After an hour, the contents of the Transit dropped to 158 F. Although other mugs, such as the Contigo Autoseal Transit and the Avex ReCharge, seal automatically to prevent spills, we found them more difficult to use one-handed since youll need to hold down a button to drink. I also took a trip to Target to see how the mugs felt in real life. *At the time of publishing, the price was $30. dell 1700 vostro laptops drivers eng notebookcheck miami florida usa In our room temperature tests, the Transits contents measured 171 F after 1 hour, and 114 F after 8.
coffee chalkboard mug vat19 everything gifts play contigo mugs coffee purple water bottles mug travel stainless steel We found that the best bottle-cleaning set out there is theOXO Good Grips Water Bottle Cleaning Set. This model is not as good as the other mugs we saw, let alone our top pick. asobu insulated mug ultimate vacuum 360ml If you care about colors, the Transit comes in a few fun combinations: white with either mint green or periwinkle accents, matte black, or a brushed stainless steel. The lid has fewer parts, is easier to clean, and prevents spills with its Autoseal button, which you have to hold down to keep the sipping port open. Well consider the SM-TA for a future update, but it seems to differ from the SM-SC only in exterior design. The nonstick coating is made fromfluoropolymers of the sort used inTeflonwhich are not harmful to people, even if ingested.2 If you prefer drinking from a vessel that doesnt have a nonstick coating, you might prefer the SM-KHE, which has an electro-polished stainless steel interior. The OXO bottle-cleaning set has a skinny straw brush and a looped detail-cleaning brush, which are all you need to keep your travel mug squeaky clean. According to a Zojirushi representative, dishwashers can damage a mugs vacuum seal, which can potentially degrade the mugs ability to retain heat over time. Thats likely because some people think that stainless steel affects the taste of beverages, but theres no scientific evidence to prove this phenomenon. It has also traveled in many crowded bags, backpacks, and purses without any leaks. Thats 51 degrees colder than the water in the Zojirushi after 8 hours. The Forge isnt an easy mug to use, especially before coffee. The best mugs have two sealing mechanisms: the first covers the sipping port and the second locks the lid into place to prevent it from being jostled open. The Byrons lid is one of the easiest to clean from the mugs we tested, because its only one piece. Over the past four years, weve spent 60 hours researching travel mugs to keep this guide current. Although the Byron passed both of our leak tests and is supposed to be leakproof, we would be concerned about putting the mug in a bag with our valuables, because the tab doesnt lock closed, and a stray bump could nudge the SnapSeal lid open. You should check a mugs manual to see if it is dishwasher-safe. A travel mug offers green solutions to both problems. The Transit will keep drinks warm for hours, but not as hot as the Zojirushi. We considered testing the Joeveo Temperfect mug, which purportedly uses a special insulating material to capture excess heat energy and then release it over time, keeping your beverage at an optimal drinking temperature. The flip-top lid on the SM-SC is also more compact than the the one on the SM-KHE, so it obscures your view a bit less.
Wed be nervous to toss this mug into a bag since the tab on the lid doesnt lock as securely as our other picks, but its a fine mug if you wont throw it around as much. According to a 2012 report, the average American spends $1,092 a year on coffee. First, I did an overnight leak test.
In our latest round of testing, the Zojirushi kept liquids significantly hotter than any other mug we tried, even after 8 hours in the harsh environment of a freezerand thats important if you want to enjoy your drink for longer. I found that the lid itself, however, is more difficult to screw on and off than the lid on the Transit, but this is a minor issue. We previously tested the Thermos Vacuum Insulated Travel Mug (with tea hook). Regardless of the mug design, you may need a few sizes of bottle brushes to clean in and around the lid mechanism, the spout, and deep into the vacuum bottle itself. Zojirushi also offers the SM-SA and SM-SD mugs, which are exactly the same as the SM-SC but come in different colors. The lid shouldnt completely block your vision while driving, or hit your nose when drinking, and it should be easy to disassemble for cleaning. If you wont be throwing your mug in a messenger bag or slowly sipping your drink all day, we like the Byron as a budget option. Some other reviewers mention that the lid has hard-to-reach nooks and crannies, but it has fewer pieces than the Zojirushi, and is overall easier to take apart. Its easy enough to clean the SM-SC using some soap and occasionally a bottle brush when necessary. The KHE was our original pick for this guide. Contigos Autoseal Transit is a wider mug that may fit better in cup holders than our top pick. Contigo offers a limited lifetime warranty (which doesnt cover drops) and sells replacement lids if yours wears out. snarky We opted to test mugs with a 16-ounce capacity, which was the median size for most mugs we considered (one exception that we tested only came in an 18-ounce size). Anna is a mentor at Girls Write Now and a member of the Online News Association. We wanted to test the Thermos Stainless King mug based on its positive reviews, but the Stainless King leaked in our overnight tests, our bag tests, and upon impact during our drop tests. Compared with our Zojirushi pick, the SM-TA has similar temperature retention and the same great locking lid but costs more and has a few different design features, such as a smaller lid with a rounder opening. At Wirecutter we love tea and coffee, so its no surprise were passionate about the vessels we drink them out of. Compared to similar Zojirushi mugs, the SM-SC is a bit slimmer and lighter, and more comfortable to drink out of. But it can be confusing to determine whether the button is in the up or down position just by looking at it, so you may find yourself pressing it multiple times to figure out whether its open or closed. The Zojirushi SM-SC (or SM-SD or SM-SA in certain colors) offers amazing heat retention, one-handed usability, and a locking, leakproof lid. Easy to use: A travel mug should be easy to use. We also took into account how versatile mugs were for preparing beverages and whether they accommodated pour-over drippers, Aeropresses, our favorite tea steeper, or single-cup brewing devices like Keurig machines. The Amazon page for the mug liststhe SM-SC, SM-SD, and SM-SA versions side by side. To prevent this from happening, you can let your beverage cool a little before closing the lid. Thats about the same heat retention as the Contigo Transit, our also great pick. It also comes in a 20-ounce size in jade, blue, and pink, and in a 24-ounce size in blue and matte black.
The push-button interface is slightly harder to operate than just flicking the switch on the Zojirushi, and may be frustrating to some who dont want to have to push before taking every sip. We also saw some Amazon reviewers noting that the mug dented, and the grippy rubber middle was slightly off-kilter, but the Byron still has high ratings overall. The problem with glass or ceramic interiors is that they can break easily. To see how versatile mug sizes were, I tried putting the mugs in a bike cup holder and in the cup holders of a 2010 Hyundai Elantra. The Zojirushi travel mug might be the single product that the most Wirecutter staffers own and use on a daily basisits been a pick through many iterations of this guide, and has proved itself repeatedly. Zojirushi has released a new mug, the Zojirushi SM-TA. Subscribe now for unlimited access. Leakproof and spillproof: When you put a mug into a bag or cup holder, its lid shouldnt leak. I spoke to two engineers about mug design, Dr. Hongbin (Bill) Ma, director of the Center of Thermal Management at the University of Missouri and owner of ThermAvant Technologies, and Dr. Michael Dickey, a professor of chemical and environmental engineering at North Carolina State University. eng emac The other Zojirushi mugs we tested, the SM-KHE (the older version of this mug) and the SM-LA (a wide-mouthed option with a screw-off lid) kept liquids just as warm as the SM-SC over the course of 8 hours in the freezer. Zojirushi recommends rinsing its mugs immediately after use and hand-washing them. The Contigo Autoseal West Loop Travel Mug was our previous runner-up, and it has a tab similar to the Contigo Byron that you press to open the sipping port. If you prefer a travel mug with a larger circumference, check out our also great and budget picks. That means youre getting drinkable, hot, 140-degree-plus coffee eight hours after brewing, even when its stored in a freezing-cold environment. We opted to test the Byron over other budget mugs from Ozark Trail and Mossy Oak because these mugs were explicitly not leak proof, or had more complaints of leaking. The nonstick interior also helps to prevent odors and stains, but the mugs instructions warn against using milk or fruit juices in the mug. Again, we should mention that the Zojirushi SM-SC is identical to the SM-SD and the SM-SA; the others just comein different colors. But while 115 F isnt piping hot, its still drinkable. Nor should its paint or coating wear away after cleaning per the manufacturers instructions. At the time of writing, the Tiger was also about $5 more expensive than our pick. Next, I investigated how well each travel mug could maintain the heat of the liquid inside. Cooks Illustrated(subscription required) has a review from 2014 that we considered, as does Outside Online. But if you wont be throwing your mug in a messenger bag or slowly sipping your drink all day, we like the Byron as a budget option. Zojirushis stainless steel mugs have continued to dominate the competition in our heat-retention tests. When kept in a sealed, insulated carafe where evaporation and heat loss are minimal, coffee still tastes terrible after a while. He explained that this happens because coffees acids break down over time and cause bitterness. Give your travel mug a good deep cleanand do the same for your insulated water bottle, too!
Dr. Michael Dickey, professor of chemical engineering at North Carolina State University, explained that vacuum insulated mugs provide the best heat retention: Heat is transferred via conduction. Tumblers have sipping ports that dont seal as tightly or securely as travel mugs and have wider mouths so you can add ice cubes; many also have straws for sipping cold beverages. To prevent spills, the Transit has a push-button (the Autoseal) which you have to hold down to drink, plus a cap that rotates to cover the sipping port. The identical SM-SD comes in matte gold, red, stainless steel, and blue. It has a well-designed exterior, an easy-to-clean nonstick Teflon interior, and a foolproof lid locking mechanism that you can operate with one hand. These mugs are also well constructed, but we prefer the SM-SC over the rest of the Zojirushi mugs for its lighter weight and simpler lid, which has fewer pieces to clean. After 8 hours in the freezer, the water inside the SM-SC was 142Fa decrease of 58 degrees. We also considered several other Zojirushi models for our 2018 testing, after going through every offering on the companys site at the time of writingto compare them (a few new screw-top models are now available, which we will also look at in our next update). This mug also fared the worst in our temperature tests, coming in at 44 F after 8 hours. Stainless steel: Most travel mugs are made from either glass, ceramic, plastic, or stainless steel. The mug is lightweight and slim, but that means it may not fit snugly in some cup holders. We compared the top 40 bestsellers from Amazon, Target, Walmart, Costco, and REI, and reviewed the mugs we dismissed in 2016 to see if any had been updated or discontinued. Durability: A mug shouldnt dent or break when dropped from a reasonable height or start leaking afterwards. I also hand washed them, took apart their lids, and tested them in cup holders and with a various brewing devices. The Transits twist top is a little more difficult to open one-handed but protects the sipping port from gunk or germs and also offers a first line of defense against any leaks. Previously she wrote food and lifestyle pieces for Saveur and Kinfolk magazines. But if you drink your beverages quickly or dont want to wait for them to cool down before sealing your mug, the Transit may be a better option for you. Although we didnt place much emphasis on keeping cold liquids cold for this guidecheck out ourwater bottle guide for whats best in that regardwe have historically found that the Zojirushi SM-SC retains cold better than all of the other mugs in our testing lineup. The Byron is compatible with pour-over drippers, the medium size of our tea steeper pick and Aeropresses. Finally, at around $25 for the 16-ounce size, the SM-SC is on the higher end of the price range for a travel mug. It maintains heat at a drinkable level for only a handful of hours (four or less), and the drinking lid cant lock, so its at risk of flipping open, potentially spilling everywherea fact that the companys own website points out. Based on our expert interviews and research, we looked for mugs that met the following criteria: Vacuum-insulated: All of the mugs we considered are double-walled and vacuum-insulated. For our 2017 update, we combed the internet to look for any new editorial pieces published since our last guide. According to both 2012 US Barista Champion Katie Carguilo and the Specialty Coffee Association of America, the ideal brewing temperature for coffee (and black tea) is about 200 F, and the best temperature to drink is at roughly 145 F to 155 F. Although the Transit doesnt keep drinks nearly as hot as the Zojirushi over a long period of time, some people might prefer this (weve heard complaints of the Zojirushi keeping drinks too hot in the past). Then I filled all mugs to capacity with water, went to my apartments parking lot, and dropped each mug three times from a height of 4 feet.
This mug comes in 12-, 16-, and 20-ounce sizes (the SM-SC36, SM-SC48, and SM-SC60 respectively). With the top performers, I repeated this test at room temperature. At 7.2 inches tall, it will likely fit under a single-serve coffee maker, but you should measure to make sure this mug will work with your machine. If you want a mug that will fit more snugly in a cup holder and is easier to clean, get the Contigo Autoseal Transit Mug. It comes inslate gray, turquoise, and coral. The SM-SCs narrow width also means you cant use an Aeropress, pour-over dripper, or tea steeper with it, and its too tall to fit under a single-cup brewer like a Keurig. Rachel also reached out to Michael Wise, the director of coffee at Dapper & Wise and a licensed Q grader (basically, a coffee sommelier) to find out how long coffee will really stay good in a travel mug. Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. I also asked several Wirecutter staffers to measure the height of their Keurigs to get an idea whether mugs would fit under a single-serve coffee maker. While we liked the look of it, the heat retention was just so-so and we found the tea hook to be unnecessary. We like that its simple to use (one pop-top button lets you sip from the mug) and is easy to clean. You can pop the lever to widen the sipping port, but this is also challenging to figure out. We love the look of the 16-ounce Stanley Classic One-Hand Vacuum Mug, which we tested in 2015. At room temperature, water in the Byron was 172 F after 1 hour and 115 F after 8. Its available in both 12-ounce (SM-SC36) and 20-ounce (SM-SC60) versions as well as the 16-ounce size (SM-SC48) we tested. If you commute, work or travel outside, or simply want to savor drinks for longer, a travel mug is for you. We liked the look and feel of the Icon, but every time we flipped the lid open to drink from it, a small amount of liquid splashed out of the opening and off the spouts rubber stopper. The MMJ has a similar pop-top lid and locking mechanism to our pick, but its more difficult to take apart to clean. And insulated water bottles are geared towards keeping drinks cold, and dont have sipping ports like travel mugs (instead, they often have screw-top lids that require two hands, or sport caps that arent great for hot drinks). But we think its worth the extra dollars over the competition because of its superior construction and performance. (Actually, that would be about the price of a new bag, laptop, phone, and whatever else happened to be in there at the time.) Our only major complaint about the Zojirushi SM-SC is that sometimes its too good at insulating. The SM-SC is durable. 11oz Klean Kanteen updated the lid in 2016, but in testing for our guide to water bottles, we found that the lid occasionally leaks if left overnight and can also limit the flow of your drink. But it was unable to keep beverages as hot as our main pick did, and we saw multiple complaints about the button failing. It costs about the same as the SM-SC and will keep your drinks just as hot. While the SM-SC is leakproof, it isnt spill-proof like our runner-up; theres no automatic seal to prevent water from gushing out if you knock the mug over while the lids open. When designing tests for this update, I considered the everyday wear and tear that a travel mug might go through in a variety of real-world scenarios: on bike commutes, cars, trains, fishing boats, and beyond. Zojirushi backs the vacuum insulation of its stainless steel mugs with a five-year limited warranty, and on the off-chance that the lid breaks or wears out, Zojirushi sells all the individual replacement parts online. Learn more. I wrapped mugs, still full of water and green food dye, in a paper towel and then put them in a plastic bag. Heat retention: A mug should retain a drinks hot or cold temperature for as long as its specs advertise, and we looked for mugs with the longest heat and cold retention times. TheKlean Kanteen Insulated Wide was our top insulated water bottle pick for most of 2016 and early 2017, and was a runner-up in this guide.
