best non spill travel mug uk

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Best travel mug 2023: Tried and tested travel cups from Thermos, CamelBak and more

• Danielle Amato

Want tough, leak-free mugs that keep coffee hot for hours? We're here to help with our best travel mug roundup

Well designed and well insulated, the best travel mug will keep hot drinks toasty and cool drinks ice-cold, while also staying leak-free. From classic coffee-shop cups to thermos-shaped designs, travel mugs come in all shapes and sizes. At first glance, travel mugs can seem expensive. If you’re thinking about using one on your commute, you might find it hard to justify spending what might be five to ten times as much as an Americano from your local coffee shop. However, walking out of your door already holding a coffee will save you many more pounds in the long run and you’ll avoid those annoying queues.

To help you make an informed decision about which travel mug is right for you, we’ve put together a short buying guide below. Our at-a-glance list will take you directly through to buy some of our favourites or you can scroll further to find mini reviews on a variety of models for every style preference and budget.

Best travel mug: At a glance

• Best for hot drinks: Thermos | From £25
• Best one-handed mug: Stanley Classic | From £30
• Best plastic-free: Dualit Stainless Steel Travel Mug | £30
• Most stylish travel mug: Contigo Autoseal Luxe | £27
• Best all-rounder: Zojirushi SM-SA | £35

How to choose the best travel mug for you

How much do i need to spend.

Travel mugs vary in price, with the most costly coming in at over £30 and generally speaking, you get what you pay for. If you only need a travel mug for occasional use, you can make do with a standard option for under £10. However, if you want to use it every day for outdoor activities or on your commute, you’ll want something that promises to perform in terms of heat retention, spill protection and robustness.

What features should I look out for?

Look out for leak-proof extras such as autoseal and lockable lids, as well as easy-to-clean materials, as these are what set the best travel mugs apart from the cheaper options. If you need a mug that keeps drinks hot (or cold) for longer, you’ll need a double-wall, vacuum-insulated option, preferably constructed in stainless steel.

Again, you will always pay more for stainless steel, but it’s worth it if heat retention is a priority. If you have a tendency to drop things, it’s also wise to choose a mug that’s easy to grip. If you can’t quite allow yourself to part with over £20 for what’s essentially a coffee cup, opt for the next best composition, but ensure that the mug is double-walled.

Does it matter which size of mug I buy?

If you’ll be travelling by car with your mug, ensure you find a travel mug that fits a regular drinks holder and can be picked up with one hand. Travel mugs generally come in two sizes: around 360ml and around 470ml. The large options are perfect for carrying water or soup, but if it’s only ever going to be tea or coffee, you may want to get a smaller size, which fits better in your hand and under single-serve coffee machines.

READ NEXT: The best lunch boxes to buy

The best travel mugs you can buy in 2023

1. thermos: best travel mug for hot drinks.

It also features a slow flow option, which proves pretty handy when your coffee is still steaming hot after a few hours. The lockable seal makes it ideal for long train journeys without any worries about spillages; a nice additional touch is the teabag holder. The only real drawback is that it doesn’t fit into all standard car drinks holders – a considerable compromise given the price.

Key details – Size: 470ml; Materials: Stainless steel

Thermos 101834 Stainless King Travel Mug, Matt Black, 470 ml

2. stanley classic: best one-handed travel mug.

The most outstanding feature on this mug is its one-handed function in the form of a push-button lid, which allows users to drink while using their other hand, whether it’s browsing on your phone or operating a pickaxe. The Stanley Classic One Hand is the best choice for multitaskers.

Key details – Size: 470ml; Materials: Stainless steel, plastic

Stanley Classic Trigger Action Travel Mug 0.47L / 16OZ Nightfall ? Leakproof Cup | Hot & Cold Thermos Bottle | Vacuum Insulated Tumbler for Coffee, Tea & Water | BPA Stainless-Steel Travel Flask

3. dualit stainless steel travel mug: best plastic-free travel mug.

Aside from its eco credentials, this travel mug has plenty of deft design touches which make it a worthwhile buy. Its slim, minimalist design is both aesthetically pleasing and easy to pop into a backpack, tote, or handbag, while still boasting a generous 500ml capacity. Its well-insulated interior meant that, in our tests, it kept drinks hot for up to 7 hrs, or cold for up to 12 hrs, just as advertised. Finally, the removable spill barrier controls the flow of liquid from the mug, making for easy drinking while out and about, and the leak-proof lid proved extremely effective in transit.

Key details – Size: 500ml; Materials: Silicon, stainless steel

Dualit Travel Mug - 500ml Capacity - 5 Layer Insulation - Hot & Cold Beverages on The go - Leakproof Premium Sustainable Stainless Steel Travel Mug with Sip Barrier

4. contigo autoseal luxe: most stylish travel mug.

In testing, the Luxe kept our drinks hotter for longer than three hours in many cases and chilled for up to ten, though the temperature did drop during this time. We think it’s a decent price for a travel mug that will last you for years. Moreover, its slick design and impressive leak-proof features make it well worth the price.

Key details – Size: 360ml; Materials: Stainless steel

Contigo Luxe Autoseal Travel Mug, Stainless Steel Thermal Mug, Vacuum Flask, Leakproof Tumbler, dishwasher safe, Coffee Mug with BPA Free Easy-Clean Lid, Stainless Steel, 360 ml

5. zojirushi sm-sa: best all-round travel mug.

The mug is only leak-free when closed, and due to the difficulty of opening it, many users are likely to keep it open, thus increasing the likelihood of a spill. But once you’ve conquered the lid, this travel mug couldn’t be better for robustness, temperature retention and style. A great choice for those who like a bit of colour.

Key details – Size: 600ml; Materials: Plastic, stainless steel

Zojirushi Stainless Steel Non-Stick Vacuum Travel Mug - 600 ml, Red

6. s’well: best for hot and cool beverages.

Key details – Size: 485ml; Materials: Stainless steel

S'well Stainless Steel Water Bottle - 17 Fl Oz - Onyx - Triple-Layered Vacuum-Insulated Containers Keeps Drinks Cold for 36 Hours and Hot for 18 - BPA-Free - Perfect for The Go

7. camelbak forge: best travel mug for features.

It’s also proved impressively watertight. Slightly frilly features include the strangely dubbed “aroma bowl”, which, according to the manufacturer, allows for a “superior drink interface”. This basically means you can test your drink’s temperature by allowing a small amount to be released.

The easy-clean cap puts function back to the fore, however, as it simply pulls out to be rinsed under the tap. This makes it perfect for non-fussy users happy with a quick rinse. It also features a plastic cap underneath to minimise the ill effects of a breakage to the main body of the mug. The finger loop is surprisingly handy too for when your hands are full.

Key details – Size: 500ml; Materials: Plastic, stainless steel

Check price at Go Outdoors

8. Contigo Autoseal West Loop: Best travel mug for commutes

Its easy-to-clean lid doesn’t have any loose parts and it can keep drinks cool for an impressive 12 hours. It’s also one of the best-looking mugs out there. This is a great choice for those with a bumpy journey to work… or butterfingers.

Key details – Size: 470ml; Materials: Plastic, stainless steel

Contigo West Loop Autoseal Travel Mug, Stainless Steel Thermal Mug, Vacuum Flask, Leakproof, Coffee Mug with BPA Free Easy-Clean Lid, Stainless Steel, 470 ml

Best travel mugs 2024 – for insulated, leak-proof coffee

These are the best travel mugs on they market. They'll keep your coffee hot, iced lattes cold, and won't spill a drop.

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• Best overall
• Best leakproof
• Best design
• Best luxury
• Best for iced drinks
• Best for eco-credentials
• Best stainless steel
• Best ceramic
• How to choose
• How we researched

Best travel mugs 2024: Jump Menu

1. The list in brief ↴ 2. Best overall: Zojirushi 3. Best leakproof : Contigo Luxe 4. Best design : Chilly's Series 2 5. Best luxury : Fellow Carter 6. Best for cold drinks : Stanley Quencher 7. Best with sustainable credentials : Klean Kanteen 8. Best stainless steel : De'Longhi 9. Best ceramic : Frank Green Ceramic 10. Best glass : KeepCup Glass 11. How to choose 12. How we researched

The best travel mugs, also known as reusable coffee mugs, offer so much more than a simple way to keep your coffee hot (or iced coffee cold). Billions of single-use  travel mugs end up in landfill every year. Travel mugs offer a more sustainable way to consume coffee. Lots of cafes even reward re-usable cups with money off your order, so, as you can see, these simple mugs are worth every cent.

There’s more to it than that though. As a former barista, I’ve made coffee in a huge array of travel mugs. You can tell you a lot about a person from their cup choice. From fashionable Stanleys and colorful Chilly's cups to luxury glass KeepCups and functional Thermoses, your travel mug comes close to a personality trait.

I use my travel mug everyday and I take it everywhere with me. I know how important it is to have an appropriate capacity, leak-proof features, unparalleled insulation, and easy storage options. Plus, it needs to be able to fit under the brew heads of all the best coffee makers on the market . So, after years of observation and hours of research, these are the travel mugs that I can wholeheartedly recommend.

The quick list

The best overall

This tops most buying guides because it has so much to offer: excellent insulation, sleek design, leak-proof features, and a non-stick interior. The only thing it isn't? Cheap.

The best leakproof

The simple button which opens on the side of this cup makes it feel almost automated. It's easy to use with one hand and has never leaked in any expert tests.

The best design

This comes in a range of colors and each one is beautiful. The sleek design is leak-proof and will keep your coffee warm for hours. However, it's not dishwasher safe.

The best luxury

This is the mug loved most by coffee experts. It even comes with a guard to stop ice cubes from falling into your face when drinking, but you'll have to wash it by hand.

The best for cold drinks

Iconic and incredibly popular, this Stanley boasts capacity and color options. It's easy to hold and insulates well, but is probably too big for a flat white.

The best for sustainability

Crafted from 90% recycled stainless steel, this ergonomic mug scores top marks for sustainability and style. However, it only keeps coffee hot for four hours.

The best stainless steel

This is the mug I've been using for nearly a year. Its insulating capability is incredible and the capacity is more than enough for a generous cup full. However, it looks a little utilitarian.

The best ceramic

If you want to swerve more metallic flavors in your coffee, this is a colorful, compact, ceramic-lined option. It's triple-insulated and leak proof.

The best glass

Ergonomically replicating the paper coffee cup experience, this beautiful glass travel mug looks and feels like luxury. It won't keep your coffee warm for hours though.

The best travel mugs on the market 2024

You can trust Homes & Gardens. Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing the latest products, helping you choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

The best travel mug overall

1. zojurushi stainless mug.

Our expert review:

Specifications

Reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

✅ You drink one handed: this is slim and easy to open ✅ You will carry this in a bag: it's leak-proof ✅ You need insulation power: this stays warm for hours

Don't buy it if:

❌ You don't like cleaning: this isn't dishwasher safe ❌ You're on a budget: this is more expensive than other models ❌  You drink espressos: this is too big for smaller drinks

The bottom line

🔎  Zojirushi Stainless Steel: this is the best mug on test. It keeps coffee hot (or cold) for hours, if not days. You can use it one-handed too, so it should be no surprise that this is expensive.

Hard as I tried, I couldn't find a travel mug to knock the Zojirushi off top spot. It ticks all the boxes for a sleek, insulating mug and then some. It keeps your drink at the right temperature for hours on end. It has the best longevity of all experts' tests.

The simple and slick design is available in a range of color options. It's deceptively light, easy to hold, and will sit neatly into car cup holders as well as ones you might pick up from your local café, too. 

Lots of users praised the lid-locking system and the fact that you can use this with one hand. Even though it's easy for you to unlock when you want a sip, it's almost impossible to accidentally open in your bag. Nobody experienced any accidental leaks in their bags, even in more extreme expert tests.

The non-stick inside is easy to use, which is good because this isn't dishwasher safe. It's also expensive in the context of travel mugs, but it comes with a five year warranty, so will be your coffee companion for years.

• Back to the top ⤴

The best leakproof travel mug

2. contigo luxe autoseal travel mug.

✅ You drink on-the-go: this can be used one-handed ✅ You need a fully sealed bottle: it's fool-proof and leak-proof ✅ You're on a budget: this is reasonably priced

❌ You want color options: these cost a little more ❌ You take small sips: there might be some pooling between sips ❌  You drink espressos: this is too big for smaller drinks

🔎  Contigo Luxe Autoseal: this is packed with leak-proof, fool-proof features. It's easy to operate with just one hand, but the coffee can pool a little.

There's no travel mug I'd trust more with hot drinks than the Contigo. The smart, auto-seal function locks at the back of the bottle, keeping it sealed against the range of object it might bump into in a work bag.

It is clearly designed with busy coffee drinkers in mind. The narrow neck is easy to grip in just one hand. When you want to take a sip, you can safely open it, again with one hand. All you have to do is press a button. It's remarkable. The only issue some people had with this ultra-slim design is that it might be too slim for some cup holders.

Most importantly, it will keep your coffee hotter than hot. Reviewers mentioned popular brands such as Yeti and S'Well, saying the Contigo is much better. Even though some customer reviews said that the lid gets hot, I found some experts who had tested and measured this feature using proper equipment. The lid didn't even reach lukewarm and the drink inside stayed piping hot. The evidence speaks for itself.

The Contigo is reasonably priced too, so this scores top marks almost across the board. The only complaints I can find online are that colorful options cost a little more. Plus, when sipping from the lid, this opening is slightly small, so you might end up with the coffee pooling in the lid between sips.

The best travel mug for design

3. chilly's series 2.

✅ You like color options: this is beautiful ✅ You want can-sized coffee: this is compact ✅ Will use this in the car: it fits cup holders perfectly

❌ You like big coffee drinks: this is quite small ❌ You're not a keen cleaner: this isn't dishwasher safe ❌  You need day-long insulation: this will keep drinks warm for up to four hours

🔎  Chilly's Series 2: the curved edges and colorful options offered by Chilly's make these the most beautiful travel mugs on the market. They're can-sized though, so not made for big or frothy coffees.

After great success with their iconic water bottles, Chilly's travel mugs are some of the most coveted on the market. The range of color options and softly curved edges make this comfortable to hold and easy to fit into cup holders. It's a beautiful, petite alternative to paper cups.

In reviews people say that this will keep coffee warm for over four hours. If you've poured boiling water into your cup, you need to keep the drinking hole open until it cools a little, which isn't ideal when you're in a hurry.

Even though this isn't microwave or dishwasher safe, it's easy to wash; the smooth lining is really easy to wipe clean. The outside doesn't scratch easily either, which is unusual for this style of travel mug. The colorful options are normally easy to scuff, but almost no customer reviews commented on any wear-and-tear. If you do damage your mug, these cups come with lifetime warranty anyway. They're made to love and made to last too. 

The best luxury travel mug

4. fellow carter everyhwere.

✅ You like color options: this offers almost every hue ✅ You drink iced coffee: this has a special filter ✅ This is a gift: you can personalize it

❌ You need capacity: this is only 12 oz (there's a 16 oz option though) ❌ You prefer sip options: you have to drink from a wide mouth ❌  You're on a budget: this is relatively expensive

🔎  Fellow Carter Everywhere: this scores full marks for form and function. Available in a range of colors, it's particularly clever with iced coffee.

Available in a range of soft, pastel colors and classic monochromes, the Everywhere mug is a must-have. Aside from the comfortable, curved aesthetics, this is functionally flawless. That's why all the experts love it.

Reviewers confirm that this keeps drinks hot for up to twelve hours and can keep ice rattling around for up to 24 hours, which is incredible. The wide mouth design might put iced coffee drinkers off, but this comes with a neat sieve to stop ice cubes falling onto your face when you're sipping the final drops of your iced lattes. Even better, the thin lip feels delicate to drink from (although not everybody likes this feeling).

You might expect this to be lined with traditional stainless steel, but it's not. Fellow opted for a less absorbent, more neutral ceramic lining. This doesn't leech any metallic notes into your drink, so you can enjoy your coffee flavors at their fullest. 

My only word of warning is that when it comes to the clean-up, be careful. This is hand wash only. You have the potential to ruin one of the best mugs on the market by throwing this in the dishwasher.

The best travel mug for iced drinks

5. stanley quencher.

✅ You want capacity: this is huge ✅ You drink iced coffee: this keeps ice cool and has a useful straw ✅ You want color options: this comes in every shade

❌ You want a leak proof cup: this will spill ❌ You like small drinks: this is too big and clunky for them ❌  You don't use straws: that's the way to drink from these

🔎  Stanley Quencher: possibly the most iconic thermal cup on the market, the Stanley is perfect for keeping iced coffees cool. It's guaranteed for life and has a huge capacity. My only issue is that this isn't leak proof.

Stanley's iconic Quencher is everywhere. Whilst the form is quite functional, social media has imbued it with an reputation for industrial-chic rather than very practical camper for whom it was designed. 

The cups are available in a range of candy-like colors and unique finishes, all with a huge 40 oz capacity. If you'll use your travel mug to hit your hydration targets, this is the surest way to do it.

It's easy to see why people love it. The neat straw is nice to sip from and the cup's body is easy to hold. If you don't drink your iced coffee straight away, ice will rattle around, frozen solid for the whole day. 

My only question is, who wants a hot coffee through a straw? I tried it and it was all a bit strange. Plus, this isn't leak proof, so there's no chance of putting this in your bag with your laptop and phone. 

The best way to transport it is in a cup holder or your hand. It is spill proof and the slim design sits securely in cup holders and consoles.

The best travel mug for eco-credentials

6. klean kanteen rise.

✅ You want a cup shape: this has a lovely handle ✅ You're eco-conscious: this is crafted with recycled materials ✅ You want color options: this comes in a range of hues

❌ You want a leak-proof cup: this will leak over long periods ❌ You need capacity: this is on the small side ❌  You're clumsy: this can scuff

🔎  Klean Kanteen Rise: the eco-credentials on this cup are incredible. They make this cup feel as good as it, well, feels. If you leave it on its side overnight it might leak a little.

Klean Kanteen makes the most environmentally conscious travel mug on the market. Any plastic they use is BPA-free, the insulation is lead-free, and 90% of the steel is post-consumer recycled 18/8 stainless steel. If that's not something to feel good about, I don't know what is.

Klean Kanteen has mimicked the traditional cup shape with an ergonomic, easy to hold handle. It's available in a range of nature-inspired tones, a tribute to the planet, which the company puts at the forefront of its goals.

In expert tests, this kept coffee hot for up to seventeen hours and could keep ice cold for over 58 hours. That's some seriously impressive credentials. When you want to start sipping, the stopper lifts off and out of the way so there's no chance of you bumping your nose with some coffee. The only drawback of this easy stopper is that it's not completely leak proof. Whilst this passed the handbag test carried out by most expert testers, when one person left it on its side overnight, some coffee leaked out. 

This comes with a 'Strong As Steel' lifetime warranty, so you know this is a good investment. Although, watch the powder-coated outside. It is beautiful, it will scuff if you throw it around too much. 

The best stainless steel travel mug

7. de'longhi travel mug.

✅ You like big servings: this has a huge capacity ✅ You'll use this daily: it's really durable ✅ You will drink from this all day: it's a great insulator

❌ You have a lot of sharp objects in your bag: this scratches easily ❌ You like smaller servings: this is big and bulky ❌  You're on a budget: this is quite expensive

🔎  De'Longhi: the perfect balance of style and function, this is an incredible insulator and doesn't leak any metallic taste into your drink. It will scratch over time though.

I use the De’Longhi travel mug and trust it with my life. In the past, I’ve had more soup, coffee, tea, and water spills in my bag than I (and my bank balance) would like to admit to. In nearly a year of using the De’Longhi, I’ve not had one drop leak into bag. 

With an impressive 24 oz capacity, this is perfect for frothy coffees and big servings. If you're more of a flat white or espresso drinker, this will be clunky and oversized. However, if you're like me and you enjoy a bigger cup than average, you'll be grateful for the De'Longhi's capacity.

The insulating power of this is incredible. I've burnt my tongue more times than I care to admit to with this. In fact, just today I made a chai tea, left the lid off, and forty minutes later, still burnt my tongue trying to drink out of this. If it wasn't so impressive, I think I would find this annoying.

The leak-proof seal is easy to open up, although you couldn't do this with one hand. When I'm sipping from the De'Longhi, the seal never falls back onto my face, but if the rubber seal touches my nose, it leaves a coffee mark. Turns out, that's not just me being clumsy. A number of reviewers have found the same, so keep a mirror nearby to make sure you're not walking around with a spot of coffee on your face.

Having used this for a while, I've noticed that the lid warms up when I pour my coffee in. If this wasn't such a ridiculous insulator, I would think it was a fault with the cup. It has also scratched over time: I put keys and plugs in my bag, so it's no surprise, but it has only enhanced the very functional aesthetic of the De'Longhi.

The best ceramic travel mug

8. frank green ceramic.

✅ You want customizable options: this has color, feature, and size options ✅ You want one-hand operation: this is compact and effective ✅ You don't like metallic tastes: this is lined with ceramic

❌ You like big coffee cups: this only goes up to 16 oz ❌ You're clumsy: this can scratch and doesn't have a handle ❌  You're on a budget: there are cheaper options

🔎 Frank Green Ceramic: petite and chic, this neat travel mug is perfect if you're always on the go. It's more fragile and subject to scuffing, but can be used with one hand.

I love these eye-catching travel mugs. They're available in an array of pastel and natural colors as well as a range of sizes (from 8 to 16 ounces) and you can choose between a sip, button opening lid, or a straw lid. If you're looking for a very specific combination of size and style, you'll find it here.

The sleek, can-shaped cup is perfect for everything from handbags to car cup holders. These look delicate and elegant, but they're really durable. The main body is crafted from premium stainless steel and the other features are either BPA-free plastic or stain-free ceramic. A ceramic lining isn't unique to the Frank Green travel mug, but this is the best way I've seen it done. Reviewers all say it's easy to clean and has no trace of any metallic flavors either. 

When the build quality was really put to the test, it more than excelled. Nobody online struggled with any leaking issues. Even the button-opening lid passed the handbag test in expert reviews. Whilst it seals well, you can still unlock and drink from this with one hand, perfect for those who are always on the go.

Customer reviews all praised the triple-walled vacuum, which keeps drinks insulated, hot or cold, all day long. I actually really struggled to find criticisms beyond the fact that this can scratch, but that was in tests when this was quite literally thrown onto the sidewalk. Some reviewers felt limited by capacity (which is easily solved by sizing-up) and price, which is no more than the other models in this guide. 

9. KeepCup Reusable Tempered Glass Mug

✅ You like coffee shop cups: this is like an upgrade on all the features ✅ You want natural aesthetics: this looks organic ✅ You don't like metallic tastes: this is lined with ceramic

❌ You want one-hand operation: this is fiddly ❌ You need good insulation: this won't work for long periods of time ❌  You're clumsy: this could smash (and it's not leak proof)

🔎 KeepCup BrewCork: this is a luxury take on your everyday coffee cup. It's splash-proof, but not leakproof and not the best insulator either.

For a long time, this was my go-to travel mug. It's actually still my partner's favorite. I put it down to the organic materials and natural aesthetic, but he says it's because of the features. Either way, the KeepCup deserves a lot of love.

These tempered glass cups follow the silhoutte of the average, single-serve coffee cup. However, KeepCup has used tempered glass and recovered cork in the place of non-recyclables, leaving you with a beautiful coffee cup aesthetic. Being able to see inside is a blessing if you've made a fun drink, such as matcha, but a curse if you've got sediment at the bottom of your coffee cup.

The cork band is nice to hold, but it sits quite tightly on the cup. If you're clumsy, pulling the sleeve or the splash-proof sipper lid off can feel like playing with fire. I always worry I'm going to drop and smash it. That's why you also shouldn't put this in your bag. Whilst it won't splash coffee out of the lid, it will leak, so you should only sit it in coffee cup holders or your hand. 

If you're looking to keep your coffee hot all day, this won't do the job. The glass will keep it warm for about an hour, but any longer than that and this might need to see the microwave. It's also quite heavy (because it's glass) and even if it's empty in your bag, you still need to be careful not to smash it.

How to choose the best travel mug for you

All of the options in this buying guides make excellent travel mugs. Different ones suit different people and these are the features you need to think about:

Capacity If you like a big cup of coffee, you'll be looking for a cup with a capacity of more than 16 oz. If you prefer a smaller serving, or even espresso, you'll want a cup that's closer to 6 oz. I'd always recommend looking for a little extra room just in case you have some frothy coffee and need extra room for foam.

Material Most of these will be made with stainless steel and plastic, but it's important to look deeper into the credentials. Some plastics are BPA-free, some stainless steels are recycled, and, some are also lead-free. If you don't like a metallic taste in your coffee (not many people do), you might want to look for ceramic, glass or non-stick coatings inside your cup, because these won't absorb flavors as much.

Insulation time Most of these cups will be able to keep your coffee warm all day long. However, some do a better job than others. The KeepCup, for example, only extends the time that your coffee will be warm for to up to an hour, whereas other models could keep ice solid for days.

Leak-free features This is one of the most important features of a travel mug. If you're often in a hurry and want to be able to throw your travel mug into your bag, completely fuss free, you want to be sure that it won't leak or accidentally unlock and empty hot liquid all over your valuables. 

Sip method Some people like to sip from a straw, some like a small sip opening, some like a wider mouth. There's no better option, but there's definitely one for you. I've included at least one of each in this guide so that you can select your favorite.

Price and warranty These cups all sit around a similar price point. I've selected premium models because they come with guarantees, ranging from five years to a lifetime. Whilst the ones with lifetime guarantees are expensive, you're buying one cup, which you can have replaced for the rest of your life. That seems like an unmissable offer to me.

How we researched these travel mugs

Travel mugs have a range of variables, all of which need to be taken into careful consideration. When I was researching the best travel mugs, I already had a good idea of which I would put on this list, but I double and triple checked my data against other experts and customer reviews. 

I’ve read hundreds, if not thousands, of pieces written about these travel mugs, from Amazon to other trusted review sites. I’ve collated them with my experience to give you the comprehensive list you see here. I've researched every feature, from insulation and composition, to thermal times and any leak-proof features. If you need to know anything about these travel mugs, I'll have read about them and relayed them here, to you.

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Laura is our eCommerce editor. As a fully qualified barista, she's our expert in all things coffee and has tested over thirty of the best coffee makers on the market. She has also interviewed Q-Graders and world-leading experts in the coffee industry, so has an intimate knowledge of all things coffee. Before joining Homes & Gardens , she studied English at Oxford University. Whilst studying, she trained as a master perfumer and worked in the luxury fragrance industry for five years. Her collection of home fragrance is extensive and she's met and interviewed five of the world's finest perfumers (also known as 'noses'). As a result of this expansive fragrance knowledge, she always puts quality and style over quantity and fads. Laura looks for products which have been designed simply and with thoughtful finishes.  

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The Best Travel Coffee Mugs, Whether You Walk, Ride, or Drive

By Wilder Davies and Emily Farris

All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.

We take our recommendation for the best travel coffee mugs very seriously. The working world (ours anyway) runs on caffeine, and for many coffee drinkers, that need has to be satisfied on the go. So a good travel coffee mug—one that’s easy to hold, doesn't leak, and keeps hot coffee hot and iced coffee cold—is a must.

Zojirushi Stainless Steel Vacuum Insulated Mug

Brumate Nav

Yeti Rambler 10-Ounce Tumbler with Magslide Lid

To find the best travel mugs available right now, we tested more than 20 popular and top-rated options in a variety of shapes and sizes. Below, you’ll find our top picks for commuters of all kinds, followed by the details of how we tested and what we looked for. To learn the pros and cons of all the other mugs we tested, keep reading.

The best travel coffee mug to toss in your bag: Zojirushi

Of all the travel mugs we tested, there are only a few we’d feel comfortable tossing into a bag with our laptop or favorite book, and of them all, this one was the absolute best at keeping our coffee hot. After five hours the hot coffee we poured in was almost too hot to drink.

That excellent heat retention is due to the Zojirushi’s vacuum-insulated, double-walled stainless steel. Though it sounds like a beast, this travel mug is actually relatively lightweight and has a super-slim design that fits perfectly in your hand or bag. It also looks really nice, which is a definite plus for a mug you'll be carting around everywhere.

And you never have to worry about coffee spilling inside your bag or briefcase because the spout cap has a pretty serious sliding lock on the top that, when engaged, makes it impossible to open or spill. Shake, rattle, roll this thing—it's not going to leak any hot drinks on you or whatever else you’re carrying. The lid also comes apart for easy hand washing.

The Zojirushi travel tumbler isn’t dishwasher-safe, which is true of many vacuum-insulated vessels. This was the slimmest travel mug we tested (the opening of all three sizes is just 1⅝ inch) so if you want to clean it with friction, you’ll need a soft bottle bottle brush . That kind of cleaning shouldn’t be necessary often since the inside has a non-stick coating. We weren’t able to find any kind of documentation on what that coating actually is but it probably is nothing to worry about as the issues with nonstick cookware are around exposing it to direct, high heat or scratching it with metal utensils, neither of which are likely in a coffee cup. The super-slim design also means this mug may rattle around in a car cup holder, and the 20-ounce size is too tall to fit under our Nespresso VertuoPlus spout (you’d likely run into the same issue with other single-serve coffee makers ). Finally, sipping from the Zojirushi is slightly more awkward to drink from than many of the other mugs we tried, but it’s a small price to pay for such incredible heat retention and the peace of mind that comes with having a truly leak-free travel mug to use for hot drinks on the go.

Dishwasher safe: No Fits in car cup holder: Yes Leakproof: Yes, very Sizes available: 12 ounces , 16 ounces , 20 ounces Warranty: 5 years

This price represents the 12-ounce size. Click through for more options.

The best dishwasher safe travel coffee mug to toss in your bag: Brumate

If you want a spill-proof, leak-proof travel mug that you can also stick in the dishwasher at the end of the day, we recommend the Brumate Nav. This tapered, tumbler-style mug is just as secure as the Zojirushi, though the “BevLock” lid uses a slider to lock a flip-top spout cover into place. And even when it’s not locked, this mug won’t leak; the lock just provides an extra layer of security in case the flip-top were to catch on something strong.

We accidentally turned our testing up to eleven one morning when we dropped this mug—full of piping hot coffee—while trying to shuffle small kids out the door. The lid was closed, but not locked, and we didn’t lose a single drop or burn any toddlers.

The insulated stainless steel body retains heat well (though not as well as the Zojirushi) and we appreciate that the BPA-free clear plastic lid allows us to look inside the cup.

The Brumate doesn’t retain heat nearly as well as the Zojirushi, but if you consume your coffee within an hour or two, it’s more than sufficient. The product description says it will keep hot drinks hot for three hours, but we only experience that kind of heat retention if the mug is full, and stays that way, for the entire three hours. We’d also love to see this mug in a 16-ounce size.

Dishwasher safe: Yes Fits in car cup holder: Yes Leakproof: Yes Sizes available: 12 ounces , 22 ounces , and 32 ounces   Warranty: Limited lifetime

This price represents the 22-ounce size. Click through for more options.

The best travel coffee mug for the car: Yeti Rambler with Magslide Lid

If you like to take your coffee in the car, you might not need a truly leak-proof mug. But you still need something to prevent sloshing and splashing when you inevitably encounter a pothole or other rough road. And, of course, a travel mug for the car must be able to keep your coffee hot even on brutally-cold mornings.

Yeti’s tumbler-style Rambler mug meets all of our requirements for a car-friendly coffee mug, and then some. The double-wall vacuum insulation keeps your drink hot for hours, the slim base fits comfortably in a car cup holder, and the Magslide spout cover is really easy to open with one hand while driving (it’s easiest if you slide it open while it’s still in the cup holder).

This mug is also incredibly easy to clean as all three parts are dishwasher safe. The little magnetic slider stays securely put until you pop it off from the underside of the lid.

Aside from the fact that it’s not leak-proof, there’s not much we don’t love about this mug. But some coffee drinkers may find the size options limiting. The 10-ounce is perfect for an 8-ounce pour-over, a small latte, or a couple shots of espresso, but the next size up is 20-ounces and that may feel too big if you just want to commute with a cup of coffee. We’d love to see this mug offered in a 14-ounce or 16-ounce size, too.

Dishwasher safe: Yes Fits in car cup holder: Yes Leakproof: No Sizes available: 10 ounces , 20 ounces , 30 ounces Warranty: 5 years

This price represents the 10-ounce size. Click through for more options.

How we tested travel coffee mugs

For weeks we conducted unofficial testing, adding these mugs to our regular coffee-vessel rotation. When it came time for the official testing, we filled all of the mugs with piping hot water and let them sit on our desks for five hours. We then sipped from each to determine if they had retained heat. Next, we put the containers through a stress test, shaking them and tipping them up and down to see if anything leaked. Finally, we took some brisk walks to mimic the frantic conditions of a morning commute, coffee mug in hand. We did not preheat the mugs by filling them with hot water first—we figured the typical user would not do this and we wanted to see how well each mug retained heat without this step.

What we looked for

Obviously, a travel mug needs to be spill-proof, but mugs that will travel in a bag also need to be completely leak proof. To test the seal on each mug, we filled them with hot coffee, closed the lids according to the manufacturer’s directions, and shook them vigorously while turned upside down.

One of the most important considerations was temperature retention, so we looked at how well the mug kept coffee hot over the course of a few hours. We lined up the mugs and tasted them side by side after five hours to see which one was the hottest.

If a mug was marketed as leak-proof, we looked at how hard or easy it was to engage its leak-free function. Mugs that are too hard to seal are more likely to malfunction when you’re running out the door in a hurry.

We didn't want a travel coffee mug that was too heavy or unwieldy, as this would make it more difficult to carry around while commuting. We also considered how much you had to maneuver your mouth while drinking.

If a mug wasn’t listed as dishwasher safe, we looked at how easy it was to get all parts—including the nooks and crannies of the lid—thoroughly clean with hand washing .

Yes, these mugs are utilitarian vessels meant for keeping hot beverages hot and cold beverages cold, but let’s not pretend looks don’t matter. These are accessories as much as they are tools.

Personal preference dictates what size coffee cup you’ll need, and if you make yourself an 8-ounce latte every morning, a 20-ounce travel mug is going to be too big. So we looked for mugs that offered a range of sizes—including mugs big enough for those who do like to chug 24 ounces of coffee on the way to work.

For car commuters, a base that’s too wide is a deal breaker. So we looked at whether or not these mugs were slim enough to fit into standard car cup holders.

Other travel coffee mugs we tested

We love this bigger Yeti Rambler mug for most of the reasons we loved our top pick for the car, and it even has a handle and a more leak-resistant (though not leak-proof) lid. But the smallest size is 20-ounces and it’s just big enough that it’s not guaranteed to fit in every car cup holder. Plus, unless you’re planning to hit the road with an entire French press-worth of coffee, a 20- or 30-ounce capacity is overkill for your morning commute.

Dishwasher safe: Yes Fits in car cup holder: Some Leakproof: No Sizes available: 20 ounces , 30 ounces

Yeti Rambler Travel Mug with Stronghold Lid

Yeti's most mug-shaped Rambler mug has the best size selection of all of the Rambler mugs and the two smaller sizes (10 ounces and 14 ounces) are stackable. But because it's mug-shaped, it won't fit in a car cup holder. And because it has the Magslider lid, it's not leak proof, either. While this one is generally good for camping, the handle is pretty basic and not very comfortable to hold—especially if the 24-ounce size is full of hot coffee.

Dishwasher safe: Yes Fits in car cup holder: No Leakproof: No Sizes available: 10 ounces, 14 ounces, 24 ounces

Yeti Rambler 24-Ounce Mug

With the addition of the Hotshot lid, Yeti’s versatile, durable insulated Rambler water bottle becomes a (mostly) leak-proof travel mug for coffee, tea, and other hot or cold drinks. The Hotshot lid, when twisted to the open position, allows you to drink from any spot along the rim. We say it’s “mostly” leak-proof though, because if it’s not closed tightly enough, it is possible to shake some drops out of this mug when turned upside down—and we don’t love that it allows for that kind of user error. You can also buy the Hotshot cap separately , which is a great way to get even more out of a Yeti Rambler bottle you already own. Well, as long as you make sure to close it really well.

Dishwasher safe: Yes Fits in car cup holder: Most Leakproof: Mostly Sizes available: 12 ounces , 18 ounces

Yeti Rambler with Hotshot Cap

Brumate haș a series of leak-proof coffee mugs with handles called Toddy and these mugs have nearly all the same features we love about the Nav. But the reasonably-sized option ( 16 ounces ) is too wide to fit into any cupholder. The two larger sizes ( 22 ounces and 32 ounces ) have tapered bottoms and actually do fit into many cup holders, but most coffee drinkers will find they're otherwise just too big, in general.

Dishwasher safe: Yes Fits in car cup holder: Some sizes Leakproof: Yes Sizes available: 6 ounces , 22 ounces , 32 ounces

Brumate Toddy

Klean Kanteen is best known for its lightweight stainless steel reusable water bottles (and for tripping up our spell check every damn time) but the brand also makes a very nice double-wall, vacuum-insulated stainless steel travel tumbler. In fact, it’s so nice it’s almost perfect. This mug has excellent heat retention, and the powder-coated body is durable, dishwasher safe, and covered by Klean Kanteen’s lifetime warranty. The tumbler’s wide mouth (wide for Klean Kanteen, anyway) is big enough to fit most ice cubes, and the bottle itself is slender enough to fit most cup holders. Unfortunately, you need to use two hands to open the leak-proof lid, which isn’t always conducive to drinking hot coffee while on the go.

Dishwasher safe: Yes Fits in car cup holder: Yes Leakproof: Yes Sizes available: 12 ounces , 16 ounces , 20 ounces

Klean Kanteen Wide Vacuum Insulated Water Bottle

Klean Kanteen

We’re generally big fans of Oxo gear but the Oxo Good Grips travel mug we previously tested always leaked a little when tipped upside down. In 2023, we tested a newer model, which has what the brand calls a leak-proof “SimplyClean” lid. The mug comes in an array of pretty colors, all of the parts are dishwasher safe, and we found the lid to be truly leak free when properly assembled. However, the engineering required to get such a good seal is… a lot. Disassembling the lid for cleaning and reassembling it are each three-step processes—and the steps are so unintuitive that instructions, arrows, and numbers are actually embossed in various spots all over the three separate lid components (four if you count the removable gasket). After a few tries, it’s pretty easy to get used to how it all goes together, but coming from a brand that makes such user-friendly products, this leak-proof lid is more complicated than it needs to be. It’s also a little too easy to accidentally remove the entire lid when trying to open the spout.

Dishwasher safe: Yes Fits in car cup holder: Yes Leakproof: Yes Sizes available: 16 ounces , 20 ounces

OXO Good Grips Travel Coffee Mug With Leakproof SimplyClean Lid

We like that the short Hydro Flask coffee mug feels like a traditional mug, and this is the only “travel” mug we tested that comes in a 6-ounce size. Like all of Hydro Flask’s insulated products, this mug has great temperature retention and it’s also very durable thanks to solid construction. But because it doesn’t have a leak-proof lid or fit into a car cup holder, it’s definitely more of a “coffee on the front porch” mug or “hot toddy around the campfire” mug than an actual commuting mug. Another drawback? Unlike the brand’s powder-coated water bottles, Hydro Flask mugs are not powder-coated and therefore are not dishwasher safe .

Dishwasher safe: No Fits in car cup holder : No  Leakproof: No Sizes available: 6 ounces , 12 ounces , 24 ounces

Hydro Flask Mug

This 16-ounce stainless steel vacuum-insulated travel mug from Thermos is good, and most people would probably be content using it, but there's also nothing remarkable about it. It didn't keep our coffee hot nearly as long as the Zojirushi and though it has a leak-proof lid, it doesn't lock like the Brumate does. It’s also only available in one size (16 ounces). That said, the underside of the lid does have a built-in hook for tea bags and loose-leaf tea infusers, so if you're a tea drinker who likes to take your hot tea on the go, you’ll like that feature.

Dishwasher safe: Yes Fits in car cup holder : Yes Leakproof: Yes Sizes available: 16 ounces

Thermos Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Travel Tumbler

When we first tested the Fellow Carter mug, we tried the Move model —a gorgeous ceramic-lined thermal mug that does a great job of keeping hot drinks hot. Unfortunately, the twist-off lid required the use of both hands, which kept the Fellow Carter from taking a top spot. When we retested travel mugs in 2023, we were thrilled to find that Fellow had recently released a new model of the Carter mug with a slide-lock lid (the lid can also be purchased separately if you already own a Carter mug). The smooth sliding mechanism makes it easy to open and close the angled lid with one hand, and though it doesn’t actually lock like the Zojirushi does, it is leak-proof when closed. But the angle of the new lid means our testers’ noses got smashed up against it every time we took a drink, and because of a lip around the inside of the body, it’s hard to get every last drop of coffee out of this mug. Additionally, the ceramic-coated stainless steel interior is supposed to keep this mug from holding onto smells, but we found that after just one use, it was nearly impossible to get the coffee smell out the lid —so this isn’t a tumbler we’d want to use interchangeably as a coffee cup and a water cup.

Dishwasher safe: No Fits in car cup holder: Yes Leakproof: Yes Sizes available: 12 ounces, 16 ounces

Fellow Carter Slide Travel Coffee Mug

We wanted to love this beautiful powder-coated stainless steel tumbler from Kinto, a Japanese housewares brand. And for the most part, we did. The carry handle on the smartly-constructed top can be removed, revealing a thin circular opening that ensures controlled sipping. Liquid doesn’t pour out too quickly (no scalded tongue or ice cubes in the face) and when tightly sealed, it doesn’t leak. You can also remove the entire top of the mug, which makes pouring easy and makes the travel mug easy to clean. However, it’s impossible to open this mug one-handed. That, combined with its high price tag, kept it out of our top picks.

Dishwasher safe: No Fits in car cup holder: Yes Leakproof: Yes Sizes available: 17 ounces

Kinto Day Off Stainless Steel Tumbler

The MiiR Insulated Travel Tumbler got a lot of oohs and aahs during the unboxing phase of our test. It's sleek, bright, and incredibly comfortable to hold. And when you buy a mug, the brand gifts a portion of revenue to a charity project that's trackable via a code on the bottom of the mug. Hot drinks stay piping hot in this mug, thanks to what the brand calls “Thermo 3D Double Wall Vacuum Insulation Technology.” The locking flip lid is super-secure, too. Unfortunately, the way it’s designed makes it impossible to get the lid completely out of the way when drinking, which resulted in little spots of coffee on our testers’ noses with every single sip.

Dishwasher safe: No Fits in car cup holder: Yes Leakproof: Yes Sizes available: 12 ounces

MiiR Insulated Travel Tumbler

S’well’s water bottles have a cult-like following so we were excited to try the brand’s sleek and simple vacuum-insulated travel tumbler. ​​It did a good job keeping our coffee warm for a couple hours, but it wasn’t noticeably better than most of the other mugs we tried. The stainless-steel and BPA-free plastic lid is actually leak-proof thanks to an airtight flip-top spout cover. However, it flips easily enough we’d be worried about it catching on something in a bag and opening up by accident. Also, as with the Miir above, our testers’ noses got pressed into the piece that flips back while drinking—especially as we got toward the bottom of our hot and cold drinks. This design flaw is less annoying on this mug than it is on the Miir, but it’s annoying nonetheless.

Dishwasher safe: No Fits in car cup holder: Yes Leakproof: Yes Sizes available: 16 oz

Sip by Swell Stainless Steel Travel Mug

We can't help but love this vintage-inspired Stanley travel tumbler—but definitely not for coffee. It does a good job of keeping hot drinks hot, but after weeks of testing, we will only ever use it for ice water because following every single sip, a significant amount of whatever liquid is inside accumulates on the top of the supposedly leak-proof trigger-activated spout cover. When that liquid is coffee, you risk leaving little coffee stains everywhere you go. The slim design is really nice to hold and this tumbler fits in every cup holder we tried, but it’s kind of annoying to have to hold down the trigger the entire time you’re drinking.

Dishwasher safe: Yes Fits in car cup holder: Yes Leakproof: No Sizes available: 16 ounces , 20 ounces

Stanley Classic One Hand Vacuum Mug

Ace Hardware

This vacuum-insulated stainless steel travel mug from Ello looks like the kind of old-school speckled enamelware you'd find in your grandparents' house (that’s a good thing). More importantly, it holds heat well and doesn’t leak, though we wouldn’t want to toss it into a bag with any electronics or white clothes. It’s slender enough to fit in some (but not all) car cup holders—and unlike most of the insulated travel tumblers we tested, it has a handle. Technically, this mug is dishwasher safe, but the brand recommends hand-washing, and we’d want to do that anyway since the inside of the handle is lined with cork. There’s also no way to clean with friction under the sliding spout cover. Still, for less than $20, this mug is a good budget pick, especially if you want a cute, leak-proof insulated mug with a handle. But price is often indicative of quality, and while we have yet to encounter any problems, customer reviews indicate issues with long-term durability, and upon closer inspection, we realized we could probably snap off the handle with very little effort. (Intentional damage would not be covered by Ello’s limited lifetime warranty , but accidental breakage might be.) If you want something that will hold up to everyday use, consider investing in something that’s more solidly constructed.

Dishwasher safe: Yes (top rack only, hand wash recommended) Fits in car cup holder: Maybe Leakproof: Yes Sizes available: 18 ounces

Ello Campy Vacuum Insulated Travel Mug

Like the Ello Campy (above), the Ello Cole is a budget-friendly, vacuum-insulated, stainless steel tumbler with a leak-proof sliding spout cover. It holds heat well and all of the parts are top-rack dishwasher safe, though hand-washing the body is recommended. The Cole also has a cork accent, though on this mug, it’s a “built-in coaster,” which seems rather pointless since a well-insulated mug shouldn’t sweat. While we enjoyed testing this mug, we also worry about long-term durability after reading customer reviews—and the fact that there’s no way to deep clean under the slider lid is concerning, too.

Dishwasher safe: Yes Fits in car cup holder: Yes Leakproof: Yes Sizes available: 16 ounces

Ello Cole Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle

The West Loop mug with Contigo’s leak-proof Autoseal lid is very leak-proof, thanks to a lock switch on the top. But even after unlocking the sip lid, you still have to push pretty hard on the autoseal button on the side of the lid to open it enough to get a good swig. In theory, it’s a good system, but when you just want to take a drink of coffee, it’s pretty annoying, especially because the button isn’t very responsive; it often feels like you’re not pushing it hard enough. We also had a really hard time getting the coffee smell out of the lid, even after just one use.

Dishwasher safe: Lid only, top rack Fits in car cup holder: Most Leakproof: Yes Sizes available: 16 ounces , 20 ounces , 24 ounces

Contigo Stainless Steel Vacuum-Insulated Travel Mug

The Contigo Autoseal Transit Mug has some nice features that set it apart from the West Loop. There’s a permanently-affixed non-slip silicone textured sleeve and a silicone pad on the bottom, too. But it has Contigo’s Autoseal lid, and though the Transit mug’s push-button mechanism is slightly different from the lid on West Loop (and locks and unlocks by twisting the lid), it’s equally annoying to have to hold down a button as you drink.

Dishwasher safe: Lid only, top rack Fits in car cup holder: Most Leakproof: Yes Sizes available: 16 ounces

Contigo Autoseal Transit Stainless Steel Travel Mug

Our testers were divided on this collapsible silicone travel “mug.” It’s really more of a coffee cup to travel with than an actual travel mug, as it’s not insulated and the flip-top lid is more leak-resistant than leak-proof. But if you want something that takes up very little space when not in use, this is a decent option. Simply push down the cup from the top and it becomes about the size of a can of tuna. It also comes in lots of pretty colors and all of the parts are super easy to clean in the dishwasher. On the other hand, keeping track of all those parts (especially the support ring) can be kind of annoying.

Dishwasher safe: Yes Fits in car cup holder: Yes Leakproof: No Sizes available: 12 ounces , 16 ounces , 24 ounces

Stojo Collapsible Travel Cup With Straw

The takeaway

If you want a travel mug that will keep your coffee piping hot (or your cold brew cold) for hours, the Zojirushi stainless steel mug has the best heat retention capabilities of any mug we tested. It’s also completely leak-proof so you can toss it in your bag without worry. The Brumate Nav , while not as great at retaining heat as the Zojirushi, has an equally-secure lid and the added benefit of being dishwasher-safe. For car commuters, we recommend the tumbler-style Yeti Rambler with the Magslide lid . Though not leak-proof, this dishwasher-safe, vacuum-insulated mug is pretty great at preventing spills while also keeping your morning coffee easily accessible—even while you keep your eyes on the road.

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9 best reusable coffee cups and travel mugs that aren’t adding to the landfill

Billions of single-use cups are chucked every year, so consider swapping to these sustainable alternatives, article bookmarked.

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Britain has a love affair with coffee. As a nation, we drink about 95 million cups a day , with the average fan sipping two cups daily. Some people have their own at-home morning routine, while others frequently visit their favourite cafe or coffee shop for a takeout brew on the way to work.

Britons spend billions of pounds a year at high street coffee chains. It’s a habit that does not come cheap, and it could be costing the earth.

The UK’s fondness for takeaway coffee sees us disposing of 2.5 billion plastic-coated takeaway cups annually, and that number is set to increase by a third by 2030 . Only one in 400 cups is recycled. The rest are sent to landfill, generating 152,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year – equivalent to the emissions of 33,300 cars.

In light of this, is now finally the time to start making the shift? A breakup between Britain and coffee shops is unlikely, so we need to limit the environmental impact in other ways, and reusable coffee cups could help.

Baristas will gladly make your regular drink in your own refillable cup, and some retailers even offer discounts or extra loyalty stamps if you have one. When you’ve finished your drink, take it home to wash up for use the next day. Your coffee experience will be all the better for knowing that you’re not contributing to waste and are doing your bit to care for the planet.

Related stories

How we tested.

There are dozens of reusable coffee cups available as brands try to help consumers be more environmentally conscious. To help you find the right one for you, we’ve whittled down the options to the ones we think are best. There are glass, stainless steel and silicone versions, those that look like takeaway coffee cups and others that more closely resemble a bottle.

Each one included in our roundup has been tested with hot drinks and some also with cold. We’ve rated each on drinking experience, functionality, ease of use, leak protection, design and looks. It’s time to quit your takeaway cup habit.

The best reusable coffee cups for 2024 are:

• Best reusable coffee cup overall – Circular&Co reusable coffee cup: £15.99, Amazon.co.uk
• Best collapsible coffee cup – Stojo on the go coffee cup: £14.99, Amazon.co.uk
• Best for iced coffee – S’well traveler: £35.29, Amazon.co.uk
• Best smart coffee mug – Ember travel mug²: £199.95, Ember.com

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Circular&Co reusable coffee cup

• Best : Reusable coffee cup overall
• Available sizes : 236ml and 355ml
• Made with recycled cups
• Designed to be durable
• 360-degree drinking

We named the Circular&Co reusable coffee cup our best buy before, and we’re doing it again. Even after testing many different mugs, it’s still our favourite in all the factors we consider important – not least because the company helps tackle the problem of takeaway cups in more ways than one. The brand collects millions of used coffee cups from around the country, cleans and shreds them and blends the material with a recycled polymer to form the new cups. The result is a robust, high-quality travel cup that is designed to last a decade and is 100 per cent recycled again at the end of its life.

The smooth cup allows for a 360-degree drinking experience, which means it feels no different to drinking from a standard mug or coffee cup, and it kept our drinks hot for longer than an hour. Plus, it is leakproof, thanks to a lid that clicks open and closed when pushed. It’s also dishwasher safe on the top shelf, is excellent value for money, and there are several colour combinations to choose from, so you’ll undoubtedly find a favourite.

Stojo on the go coffee cup

• Best : Collapsible cup
• Available sizes : 355ml
• Collapsible design
• It can leak when squeezed

Having only a dinky bag is no excuse for not carrying a reusable coffee cup because Stojo’s design collapses down to a couple of inches high for easy storage on the go. It’s a clever concept, but you’ll need to be mindful that the cup’s body is made from flexible silicone, because we found that it can leak when it’s full and accidentally squeezed. The insulated heat sleeve can help stop too much pressure from being put on the flexible part, and it keeps your hands safe because the cup can get quite hot.

The cup is pleasant to drink from and features a swivel stopper to close the mouthpiece and prevent leaks, but we wouldn’t risk putting it in our bags if it were full. There are plenty of design options and colours, and we like that there is the option of a straw, which also folds down inside the cup.

Klean Kanteen insulated tkwide with café cap

• Best : For hiking
• Incorporates recycled materials
• Too small for long hikes

No hike is complete without a warming brew for when you’re taking a well-earned breather. You’ll want a lightweight, leakproof, insulating container to carry it in safely, and we think this cup is among the best for the job. It’s compact, features a durable metal loop for attaching to a bag or belt and is made from 90 per cent recycled food-grade stainless steel that can take the bumps of outdoor adventures.

The insulating performance is outstanding, keeping drinks hot for up to 11 hours and cold for 38 hours, perfect for long expeditions (although we’d suggest taking more than one cup because you’ll need more than 355ml to stay hydrated). Instead of a hinged lid, this cup features a twistable cover that reveals a smooth opening for comfortable, dribble-free drinking.

S’well traveler

• Best : For iced coffee
• Available sizes : 355ml, 470ml, 590ml
• Easy to clean
• Wide enough for ice cubes

As the temperature rises, our drinks get cooler, and we need a reusable cup for iced lattes and frappes. Enter S’well’s traveler, which is perfect for both hot and cold drinks. The design is simple, with only the bottle and lid, making it super easy to keep clean and fresh.

We found this to be among the best bottles for mouthfeel because you drink from it like you would a conventional cup or mug, and it’s just as good if used with a straw. The wide opening is also ideal for adding ice cubes, whether crushed or whole, and makes cleaning easy.

We found it kept our cold drinks cool for several hours, up to 24 in fact, not that you’ll be able to resist drinking a delicious frappe for that length of time. But this cup is equally good all year round because it keeps hot drinks warm for up to 12 hours, and the insulation keeps the outer bottle cool enough to handle safely.

KeepCup design your own

• Best : Customisable cup
• Available sizes : 227ml, 340ml, 454ml
• Great for personalisation
• Replacement parts are available
• Not insulated

There are now dozens of options for drinks at coffee shops, so why should the size and design of your reusable cup be limited? KeepCup doesn’t think it should and offers a design-your-own service on its trusty cups. The sizes available are 227ml, 340ml and 454ml, and there are options for the material the cup is made from, including glass, stainless steel and the original plastic. You can choose between a cork or a silicone heat band on the glass versions, and there are so many colour combinations to choose from, allowing you to create something truly personal.

As with all the brand’s cups, the lid pushes on for a secure fit, and there is a smooth opening from which to drink that can be closed with the swivel stopper. We love that KeepCup also sells replacement parts to keep your cup going for many years and out of landfill.

SoleCup travel mug

• Best : For tea drinkers
• Available sizes : 310ml
• Includes a smoothie filter
• Glass doesn’t effect the flavour of the tea
• Not insulalted

Real tea fans will agree that tea bags are equivalent to the coffee world’s instant drink and loose leaves are king for the perfect cuppa. The only thing is that drinking them on the go isn’t always possible because an infuser is essential, and few travel cups feature them. But the SoleCup is here to make your proper tea-drinking dreams a reality. It features a beautifully designed tea diffuser that attaches to the lid and holds plenty of loose leaves for the perfect brew. A detachable plastic smoothie filter is also included in the box.

The cup is a charming, colourful little number too, with plenty of options to choose from, including whether you have a silicone or cork heat band. Best of all, the cup is made from glass, which we find is the best for tea because it doesn’t affect the delicate flavour.

Ember travel mug²

• Best : Smart mug
• Elegant look
• It’s pricey
• Three hour battery life

Smart tech makes almost every area of our lives that little bit easier nowadays, including on-the-go drinking with the Ember mug². It is a marvellous bit of kit, and you’ll never worry about cold tea or coffee again if you choose to invest in one.

Set your perfect drinking temperature – between 50C and 62.5C – and you will get a notification from a phone app to say it has reached that optimum point, plus the mug will keep it there for three hours. A touch-sensitive display on the front of the mug itself can also be used to check and change the temperature, so no worry if your phone is not at hand.

The black matte cup looks elegant, and it is comfortable to hold and use, with 360-degree drinking. Plus, it is 100 per cent leakproof, with a push of the lid to open and close with a tight seal. We tipped it up when it was full several times to test, and not a drop came out.

The mug comes with a matte black charging coaster, which we keep on our desks because the battery life does not last beyond those three hours. And despite the internal electrics, this cup is safe to handwash and submersible up to 1m in water, but do not put anything but the lid in the dishwasher.

BugBear antimicrobial purple corduroy

• Best : For hygiene
• Cool antimicrobial technology
• Only eeps drinks warm for over an hour

Clean freaks will love the idea of this travel cup. The cute design that we tested makes it look like the cup is wearing a knitted cosy, but really it is made from food-grade stainless steel treated with AntiBug technology. While the knit cup is out of stock, you can still shop the corduroy design instead. This antimicrobial silver ion material kills 99.9 per cent of all known bacteria, including MRSA, E. coli and salmonella, and lasts for the lifetime of the cup, which is about five years. This doesn’t mean you can get out of washing it as you would any other cup. It will still need cleaning after use, but it just adds a little extra protection.

Besides its bug-killing powers, the cup is comfortable to drink from and pretty good at keeping the liquid inside warm for over an hour. It’s also leakproof thanks to the hinged stopper that closes the mouthpiece.

Smidge citrus travel cup

• Best : For colour
• Available sizes : 236ml, 355ml, 473ml
• Mouthpiece could be more userfriendly

Do you have one of those bags where you can never find a thing? One item you’re unlikely to lose in there is this orange cup, which is sure to brighten your day. It’s a double-walled, vacuum-insulated cup made from food-grade stainless steel and designed to last a lifetime. The Smidge cup promises to keep drinks hot for six hours or cold for up to 12 – and we found it delivers for perfectly toasty coffee even if you forget about it for a couple of hours.

We also put its leakproof claims to the test, and the contents stayed securely inside, even when we gave it a little shake with the cup turned upside down. So we’d be confident about carrying the cup in our bags even if it were half full. Drinking from this cup is through a small opening, the standard type you find on coffee shop cup lids. We found the hinged mouthpiece cover a little tricky to open when we first started testing, but it became easier with each use.

Things to look for in a reusable coffee cup 

Beyond capacity and looks, consider material. Insulated cups will keep your hot (and cold) drinks, well, hot or cold, for longer. If this isn’t a non-negiotable for you, there are glass cups or flexible designs for when you’re on the move, too. Then, consider whether you’ll need a leak-proof cup. If you want to pop your coffee cup in your bag, this will be a must. Finally, think about the lid. Some cups come with small mouthpieces, while others feature small or wide water bottle-style designs instead. 

How will using a reusable cup benefit the environment?

The idea of a reusable coffee cup is to use it for as long as possible. Take-away coffee cups are typically made of paper but come with a plastic lining to stop drinks from leaking. Trees need to be cut down to make paper, impacting ecosystems and resulting in the loss of trees as carbon sinks. Meanwhile, production also contributes to greenhouse gas emissions.

The paper and plastic need to be separated which can make it more difficult to recycle the cups in practice. When plastic isn’t recycled it ends up in landfill where it can be left to languish and release microplastics into the environment.

The verdict: Reusable coffee cups

The Circular&Co reusable coffee cup ticks all the boxes in terms of insulation, drinking experience and, importantly, environmental consideration. We love how the UK-made travel cup helps to do away with single-use takeaway coffee cups smartly and creatively with no compromise on functionality and insulation performance.

We also love the freedom of choice you get with the KeepCup design your own and think the S’well traveler is a summer must-have for those iced coffees and picnics in the park.

Elevate your caffeine fix with the best coffee machines, tried and tested

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Best travel mug 2023: re-useable coffee cups for drinking on the go

Sick of vending machine coffee at Starbucks prices? Take your favourite blend on the road in a handy travel coffee cup, from stainless steel flasks to cutesy cup designs

Travel mugs, also known as reusable coffee cups, have become increasingly popular recently, as we become more aware of the effects single-use options have on the environment. Some coffee shops even offer a discount on their drinks if you present your own cup, instead of taking one of theirs.

So while a travel mug might cost the equivalent of a week’s worth of morning commute coffees, you’ll start to earn your money back over time - while also knowing you’re doing your bit to help reduce unnecessary waste.

But which one should you go for, and what features - and designs - and worth looking out for?

You should pair the best travel mug with one of the best coffee machines and carry them in one of the Best backpacks.

If you prefer your beverages chilled, you can check out our guide to the best water bottles and best thermos flask .

How to buy the best travel coffee mug for you

Why you can trust T3 Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test .

Toughness and a locking lid are key here, unless you want to find mysterious puddles of coffee in the bottom of your bag or worse, seeping through the keyboard of your laptop. While we can forgive a throwaway paper cup from disintegrating, a travel coffee mug should be solidly built and with a secure locking mechanism.

Stainless steel is a popular option for travel coffee mug, as it will shrug off much of what your daily commute has to throw at it.

Next up is the mug’s thermal qualities. A cheaper option designed to keep your morning coffee hot for an hour of so will be perfect for the commute, as you can easily grab a refill when you get to the office. But if you plan on taking a hot beverage further afield, you should consider a thermos option, as these claim to keep their contents hot - or cold, if that’s what you’re after - for hours on end. Handy if you find yourself stuck up a mountain on a weekend hike gone awry.

Then you’ll want to consider the design and size of your travel coffee mug. Yes, aesthetics shouldn’t really matter, but when you’re using something every day you will probably want it to look nice - as well as being easy to hold and store in your bag. 

Many come in a range of colours too, helping you stand out from the crowd, or fit right in with the masses, whichever you prefer.

Our pick of the best travel coffee mugs to buy today

1. S’well Vacuum Insulated Travel Mug 340ml

Specifications, reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

The S’well travel mug is available in a wide range of sizes, colours and finishes. But for this article we’ve opted for the smaller 340ml model, in a blue/grey colour called Night Sky.

This mug offers a travel-friendly size with an ergonomic design and a wide mouth making it easy to insert ice to cool or fruit to infuse with. There’s no official word on how long this mug keeps your drinks hot or cold, but owners report they get in the region of four to five hours of heat, and 24 hours of cold. The former isn’t a huge amount, but given it carries a smaller amount we can’t see this being a complete deal-breaker.

The travel flask is triple-walled for a condensation-free exterior, so your hands (and the contents of your bag) stay nice and dry.

2. Contigo Autoseal West Loop Stainless Steel Travel Mug

We love the sleek shape and shiny finish of this travel coffee mug, but when it comes down to it, it’s all about the performance – and the performance is very good indeed. 

Its autoseal technology locks firmly when not in use with the slide of a button, and when “on”, you push the button to drink, ensuring your brew will never go anywhere unless you absolutely want it to. The big selling point is its insulation: it keeps hot drinks hot for 4 hours, and cold drinks cold for a whopping 12. A great all-rounder that’ll last forever and looks pretty good too.

3. Thermos Stainless King Travel Tumbler, Midnight Blue, 470 ml

From iconic brand Thermos, this stainless steel travel coffee mug is the last word in knock-proof, shock-proof, incredibly stable drink transportation. As well as being durable enough to get knocked around in a pack, not one leak or dribble gets past its sealing lid, even when turned upside down, and it keeps contents hot for hours on end – for those reasons, we think it’s the best travel mug for walking and hiking. 

If you're more of a tea drinker, you'll be pleased to hear it also comes with a tea hook for holding bags and loose-leaf infusers, so char lovers needn’t feel left out. 

4. Mighty Mug Go - The Travel Mug That Won't Fall Over (0.47 Litre), Red

Touted as the world’s first unspillable travel coffee mug, we’re almost disappointed that the Mighty Mug Go makes good on its promise – many have tried, King Arthur-like, to be the ones to knock it over, but none have succeeded. 

As such, it’s amazingly good for bumpy car rides or for use in the vicinity of excitable children. It won’t keep your tea or coffee as hot as other mugs will, but for a caffeine injection on short trips, that you won’t accidentally elbow over while rifling through your bag, it’s a winner. 

5. Double Y 500ml Insulated Vacuum Flask

For when only a half-litre of coffee will do, we present this 500ml insulated vacuum flask from Double Y. That’s just shy of a whole pint, which should keep you going all day - and it’ll stay hot (or cold, if that’s what you’re aiming for) for eight whole hours.

The flask is made from stainless steel and is available in four different colours; red, black, champagne gold, and blue. The mug’s screw lid mechanism is claimed to be unique, and guarantees a completely leak-free design. It is also designed to be spill-proof and usable with one hand.

6. Corkcicle Tumbler 355ml

If you're looking for a compact travel mug, this 355ml tumbler from Corkcicle is the one for you. It's perfect for enjoying your morning coffee, and includes a clear, sliding spill-resistant lid so you can take it on the go, wherever you go. It's ideal for lattes, hot tea, milk, mixed drinks and more. It features triple insulated stainless steel, which can keep your drinks cold for nine hours or hot for three hours.

7. Contigo Byron Travel Mug

Measuring in at almost 600ml, this stainless steel travel coffee mug by Contigo is huge, and represents great value for money. Not only does it have a larger capacity than most, but it also claims to keep hot drinks hot for seven hours, and cold drinks cold for 20 hours.

A unique leak-proof lid presents any scolding spillages, and a reservoir spout is claimed to offer more flow control while pouring, and releases more of the drink’s aroma. The lid pivots back for easy cleaning, and is dishwasher-safe.

The two colour option son offer are ‘Vivacious’ - a red/pink metallic - and ‘Monaco’, which we’re going to call blue. 

8. Luckyberg Insulated Vacuum Travel Mug

This large 480ml insulated travel coffee mug is claimed to keep your hot drinks hot - or cold drinks cold - for up to size hours, thanks to its double-waller, vacuum-sealed construction. The mug is also claimed to be truly leak-proof, and has a BPA-free lid and food-grade steel construction, so there’s no chance of chemicals working their way into your drink.

Although boasting a large capacity, this mug is tall and thin, so should fit in most car cup holders - as well as the drinks pouches of backpacks - without a problem.

A touch stainless steel body means it should hold up well no matter where you take it.

9. The Rice Way Travel Mug

Their marketing materials might be incredibly over-the-top (you’re probably not going to get radiation sickness from a ceramic mug), but The Rice Way have a right to be smug. 

This eco-friendly reusable coffee cup doesn’t just keep your coffee hot without burning your hands, it’s also fully biodegradable and made from renewable rice husk, a by-product of processing rice. If you like to do your bit for the environment or would rather avoid BPA-containing plastics, give this a go. 

10. Kooyi Vacuum Insulated Travel Coffee Mug

With its sleek design and range of unexpected colours – there’s no silver in sight, and we’re especially taken with the jet black option. This is a travel coffee mug that both looks the part and does the job. 

The flip-up one-handed opening is helpful for on the go, and the safety locking mechanism guarantees it leak-proof, even when chucked in a bag. If you are looking for a travel mug to use in the car whilst driving, this is the one.

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Alistair is a freelance automotive and technology journalist. He has bylines on esteemed sites such as the BBC, Forbes, TechRadar, and of best of all, T3, where he covers topics ranging from classic cars and men's lifestyle, to smart home technology, phones, electric cars, autonomy, Swiss watches, and much more besides. He is an experienced journalist, writing news, features, interviews and product reviews. If that didn't make him busy enough, he is also the co-host of the AutoChat podcast.

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10 Best Travel Mugs in the UK: 2024 Reviews & Top Picks

Travel mugs need to be comfortable to hold, cool to the touch, and they should be insulated, at least to some extent, to ensure that your drink retains its heat or stays cold. Not only are they beneficial for making drinks at home for the commute to work, but they are a more environmentally friendly alternative to using disposable cups from coffee shops and takeaways.

Below are 10 reviews of the best travel mugs in the UK, including a range of sizes and other features, so that you can find the best mug to hold your favourite drink and keep it fresh.

• A Quick Comparison of Our Favourites (Updated in 2024)

The 10 Best Travel Mugs in the UK:

• 1. Thermos Stainless Steel King Travel Mug – Best Overall

Thermos has a long history of manufacturing insulated flasks that are useful for travelling, hiking, camping, and other occasions when you need to keep a drink at its desired temperature, so it’s not surprising to find that they also make a range of similarly insulated travel mugs. The Thermos Stainless Steel King Travel Mug has a stainless-steel interior and exterior and Thermos claims that it will keep drinks hot for up to 9 hours. It is compatible with single serve drinks machines and has a tea hook that will hold tea bags and most loose-leaf tea infusers.

It’s around the average price, comes in a variety of colours, and has a handle for easier holding. It is quite heavy, although this is to be expected from a stainless-steel construction, and the lid is designed in such a way that it is difficult to clean properly. However, it is leak-proof and does an excellent job of keeping drinks hot, so it is our choice as the best available travel mug in the UK.

• Stainless steel interior and exterior keeps drinks warm for up to 9 hours
• Leakproof design avoids any accidental spills
• Handle is supportive and strong, making it comfortable to hold
• Difficult to clean thoroughly
• Heavy because of the amount of stainless steel
• 2. Luckyberg Vacuum Insulated Travel Mug – Best Value

The Luckyberg Vacuum Insulated Travel Mug is an inexpensive travel mug that is made using a combination of stainless steel and polypropylene plastic. It has a double-wall, stainless-steel design that will keep drinks hot for up to 6 hours. The double-walled design means that there is a small gap between the interior and exterior layers, reducing the heat that transfers to the exterior of the mug. While your drink might be boiling hot, the outside should stay cool and safe to touch.

The mug doesn’t have a handle but should fit in standard cup holders and has a leakproof design. It’s also one of the cheapest mugs on the list, which when combined with the double-walled design and ability to keep drinks warm for 6 hours, makes it our choice as the best travel mug in the UK for the money.

• Double-walled design means the outside stays cool while drinks stay warm
• Keeps drinks hot for up to 6 hours
• Tricky to clean
• 3. S’Well Stainless Steel Traveller – Premium Choice

The S’Well Stainless Steel Traveller is a 470 millilitres travel mug or flask. It has a wide mouth design, which means that it is not only suitable for cold and hot drinks, but it is easy to fit ice in the neck. It is made from stainless steel and has a triple-walled design. This helps maintain the temperature within the flask while preventing heat transfer to the exterior.

It doesn’t have a handle included, although one can be bought separately, the cup is expensive, but it promises to keep drinks hot for up to 12 hours and cold for up to 24 hours. It is leak proof but as well as being expensive, the mug has a rubber lid seal and this can transfer to the liquid inside, especially if you’re carrying a hot coffee or tea for several hours.

• Keeps drinks hot for up to 12 hours and cold for up to 24
• Triple-walled design means exterior never gets too hot
• Leakproof design
• Rubber smell can transfer to the drinks
• 4. Stanley Classic Trigger Action Travel Mug

The Stanley Classic Trigger Action Travel Mug is a modestly priced travel mug with a 470-millilitre capacity made from durable and insulating stainless steel. It has a double wall design so stays cool to the touch while keeping drinks hot for up to 7 hours. The lid has a trigger action for opening and drinking, which means that it can be used with one hand, and its tall design means that it will fit in most cup holders. It is spill proof, and, unlike a lot of designs, where the lid has to be hand washed, Stanley says that the Classic Trigger Action Travel Mug’s parts are all dishwasher safe and can be placed in the top rack for convenient cleaning.

There is no handle, presumably because that would prevent its use in cup holders, and it does leak from the trigger button if you try to pour from the mug into another receptacle.

• Trigger action lid makes one-handed use possible
• All parts are dishwasher safe
• Slim enough to fit in cup holders
• Trigger button leaks if you try to pour drinks out
• 5. Zojirushi Stainless Steel Non Stick Vacuum Insulated Travel Mug

The Zojirushi Stainless-Steel Non-Stick Vacuum Insulated Travel Mug is a large stainless mug with a 600-millilitre capacity, which should have enough capacity to sate the desire of even the heartiest coffee drinker during their morning commute. Despite its size, which also makes it more expensive than most other mugs available, it is conveniently shaped so it will fit in bags and rucksacks.

It has a leakproof design, but it may prove too bulky for those looking for a mug-sized travel mug, and its size means that it does cost more than most. The flask can keep drinks hot for up to 12 hours, although this does depend on the amount inside the mug. The more hot liquid that is in it, the longer it will stay hot.

• Holds up to 600 millilitres, which is a large coffee shop drink size
• Surprisingly light considering its size
• May be too bulky for some
• More expensive than others, although this is larger
• 6. Corkcicle Travel Mug

The Corkcicle Travel Mug is a 475-millilitre travel mug with a triple-walled stainless-steel body that keeps drinks hot for 3 hours and cold for 9 hours. The lid is spill proof and shatterproof and has a sliding mouthpiece that is easy to operate. The lid is dishwasher safe, and the silicone base ensures that the cup won’t slip even when you’re driving or on the move, but the silicone base does mean that the cup itself shouldn’t be placed in the dishwasher.

It is on the upper end of the price range for a travel mug and although a 3-hour limit for keeping drinks hot will be enough for most morning commutes, it is much lower than the times promised by manufacturers of competing travel mugs.

• Sliding mouthpiece is easy to operate
• Triple-walled design means the outside remains safe to touch
• Silicone base prevents slipping
• Quite expensive
• Only claims to keep drinks hot for 3 hours
• 7. Contigo Byron Thermal Mug

The Contigo Byron Thermal Mug is a 470-millilitre capacity travel mug that uses a double-wall design, so drinks stay hot but the outside stays cool. Contigo claims that the mug will keep hot drinks hot for up to 6 hours, which is about average and certainly better than some.

It will also work to keep cold drinks cold, maintaining cold temperatures for up to 12 hours. The lid is dishwasher safe although the mug body should be hand washed, and the easy-open lid and convenient size of the mug means that it is suitable for one-handed use and for both left-handed and right-handed users. It is also reasonably priced and doesn’t leak liquid.

The drinking hole is quite small, which means that it can be difficult to get a decent mouthful of your drink and it is too wide to fit in most cup holders.

• Easy one-handed operation
• Lid is dishwasher safe
• Drinking hole is small
• Too wide for cup holders
• 8. Contigo West Loop Autoseal Thermal Mug

The Contigo West Loop Autoseal Thermal Mug is a stainless-steel mug with double-wall vacuum insulation. The mug stays cool while keeping your drink hot for up to 5 hours or cold for up to 12 hours. The lid hinges completely open and can be removed. It is dishwasher safe, although the body does need to be hand washed. The cup is designed to be comfortable to hold and difficult to drop, and its dimensions mean that it will fit easily in most cup holders.

It is on the expensive side and the 5-hour maximum insulation is less than most but being able to put the lid in the dishwasher is convenient, and the push button opening mouthpiece means that the mug can be used one-handed. However, you do need to take care when removing the lid for washing because the spring mechanism can fall out and is difficult to replace properly.

• Fits in cup holders
• Cup stays cool to the touch even with hot drinks in
• Lid mechanism is fragile
• 5-hour insulation time is less than other travel mugs
• 9. Contigo Luxe Autoseal Travel Mug

The Contigo Luxe Autoseal Travel Mug is another travel mug from Contigo. This one is smaller than the West Loop above, having a 360-millilitre capacity, but that also means that it is more compact and easier to carry around. It is also small enough to fit in cup holders and other holders. The lid hinges open and can be removed and safely put in the dishwasher, although the rest of the mug needs to be hand washed to prevent the coating coming off the outside.

The Contigo claims to keep hot drinks hot for 5 hours and cold drinks cold for 12 hours, which is less than a lot of companies but seems a realistic time. It also has a one-touch mouthpiece so can be used one-handed by left- or right-handed drinkers. Considering its smaller size, the Contigo Luxe Autoseal Travel Mug is pricier than most and the button does cause a few drops of your hot beverage to spill out when pressed.

• Compact size means it is convenient
• Push button mouthpiece tends to spray a few drops of drink
• Expensive for its size
• 10. Mighty Mug Go

The Mighty Mug Go is a modestly priced travel mug with a standard, 470-millilitre capacity. Rather than being made from stainless steel, it is constructed from BPA-free plastic. It has a double-walled construction which does prevent the outside from getting too hot to hold but you can still feel the warmth through the cup.

The Mighty Mug Go’s main feature is that it has a suction cup on the bottom of the base, which means that it cannot be knocked over. It isn’t leak proof, however, and the suction cup prevents it from being used in a cup holder or other holder. It also struggles to keep drinks hot for longer than an hour or so. Although that may be enough for your daily commute, it is still a lot shorter than other mugs.

• Suction cup prevents it from being knocked over
• Double-walled construction means it is safe to hold
• Not leak proof
• Only keeps drinks hot for about an hour
• Suction cup means it won’t fit in cup holders

Buyer’s Guide: Selecting the Best Travel Mug in the UK

Travel mugs are ideal for your morning commute, when on any long drive, or for out walking. They also make a great replacement for disposable cups from coffee shops and cafes. They are more expensive than standard mugs , but good ones can also keep drinks hot or cold for several hours and usually come with a leakproof design that means you won’t spill your drink.

Design features to consider include the material the mug is made from, the thickness and number of insulating layers, and the type of mouthpiece or lid it has. Below are some of the most commonly seen features.

The majority of travel mugs are made from stainless steel. Stainless steel is safe, does not impart any flavour or aroma in the drink, and it does a good enough job of insulating drinks. It is also durable and relatively lightweight. Some mugs may use plastic because it is cheaper and has some insulating properties, but if this is the case, you need to ensure that it is BPA-free plastic.

It is also worth considering that while the cup itself is likely made from stainless steel, other materials will be used in the construction of the lid and the seals. Rubber lids may impart a flavour, especially on hot drinks that are close to the rubber itself, so watch out for this.

• Double-Walled Designs

Stainless steel transfers heat, which means that a hot liquid touching a single piece of stainless steel causes the metal to get really hot. For this reason, and for extra insulation, most travel mugs use a double-walled design. In this design, there are two layers of stainless steel with a small gap between them. This prevents the exterior layer from getting hot so you can still hold the mug even when it is filled with piping hot coffee. A limited number of travel mugs offer triple-walled insulation, although this is unnecessary in most cases.

The capacity of the travel mug you want will depend on how much you typically drink. As a guide, standard or medium takeaway coffees are usually 340 millilitres, while large are 454 millilitres. Because of these sizes. Most mugs will either hold 360 millilitres or 470 millilitres, allowing enough room for the drink with a little bit spare. There are some giant drinks mugs that hold as much as 600 millilitres, although these are more like flasks with a drinking spout or mouthpiece to drink directly from. The capacity not only affects the volume of liquid that the mug will hold, but how well it retains heat and the chances of it fitting in a cup holder or other holder.

• Size and Shape

The size and shape of a mug are determined by its capacity, first and foremost, but the shape and whether it will fit in a cup holder depends on the cup’s dimensions. Most small travel mugs, with a 360-millilitre capacity, should fit in a cup holder. Those that hold 600 millilitres are unlikely to fit and may get in the way of driving even if they will fit in the holder. Some medium-sized mugs with a 470-millilitre capacity will fit, while others will not. If you are buying a travel mug for your morning commute, try to ensure that the mug you choose will fit in the holder.

• Handle or No Handle

As well as the dimensions of the mug, the inclusion of a handle will also determine whether a mug fits in the cup holder of your car. A handle will usually prevent a cup from sliding into the holder. If you’re looking for a cup that you can take to work or on a walk or use while camping or having a picnic, a handle might be convenient. If you’re using the cup while driving, a handle is unlikely to be a good choice, ignoring the fact that a mug without a handle isn’t really a mug.

• Mouthpiece Opening

Another feature that is essential to a container being called a mug is that it must be possible to drink directly from it in contrast to a flask which is more often used to hold a drink but to be poured into another container. The mouthpiece of a travel mug is important. It should be sealed when not in use, preventing spills, but it should be easy enough to open and convenient to drink out of. Some are designed to be opened and closed with your thumb, which means that they offer one-handed use. Others are more complicated and might require the use of two hands to open the mouthpiece.

• Effective Insulation Period

The quality of the stainless steel, how many walls the mug has, and the dimensions of the cup determine how effective it is at insulating the liquid inside. Some mugs claim to keep hot drinks hot for up to 6 hours, with a select few offering 12 hours of heat. Because it is easier to keep cold liquid cold, mugs will usually claim twice this period for keeping cold beverages at a reasonable temperature. Most people use travel mugs for driving to work, and while it is tempting to opt for the mug with the highest time, it may not be necessary in most instances.

Travel mugs are a great way to keep hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold, especially useful during the commute to work, while outdoors, or when working and you can’t get to a kettle or drinks dispenser. They also make a good, reusable, and environmentally friendly alternative to the disposable cups that you get from coffee shops, cafes, and takeaways.

While compiling the reviews above we found the Thermos Stainless Steel King Travel Mug to be the best available travel mug in the UK. As well as being the only one that has a handle as standard, it is leakproof and keeps drinks hot for up to 9 hours, although the handle does mean it is unlikely to fit in most cup holders. The Luckyberg Vacuum Insulated Travel Mug is not only cheaper than the Thermos and other travel mugs on our list, but it does fit in cup holders and still keeps drinks hot for up to 6 hours.

Featured Image Credit: Nataliia Martseniuk, Shutterstock

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17 Best Travel Coffee Mugs for Hot and Cold Drinks

Commute with your coffee under control.

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For many of us, coffee is a constant companion — and that means you'll want a trusty travel mug as you head out the door. Whether you prefer a piping hot cup from your drip coffee maker or single-serve coffeemaker , a refill at Starbucks or a dose of joe from your cold brew coffee maker , your travel coffee mug should handle it all without leaking. Fortunately, there's tons of options out there, including stainless steel coffee thermoses to keep your beverages cool and ones with straws for easy sipping.

Over the years, the pros in the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab have tested 45 different travel mugs for hot and cold temperature retention, durability, resistance to leakage, ease of use and more. In our most recent tests, we called in samples of the latest travel mugs and used them both in the office and on our commutes to see how well they held up. We noted how they felt, how they traveled and, unavoidably, how they held up when dropped. Ahead, we rounded up the best travel coffee mugs based on picks that performed well during testing or come from brands that we trust.

Our top picks:

Best Overall Travel Coffee Mug

Zojirushi 16-ounce stainless steel mug.

Best Value Travel Coffee Mug

Juro stainless steel vacuum insulated tumbler.

Best No-Spill Travel Coffee Mug

Stanley classic trigger action travel mug.

Best Travel Coffee Mug for Espresso Drinks

Avana sedona stainless steel thermal tumbler.

Easiest to Clean Leak-Resistant Travel Coffee Mug

Oxo good grips 16-oz travel coffee mug with leakproof simplyclean lid.

Best Travel Coffee Mug with Carrying Strap

Hydro flask flex sip lid coffee flask.

Best Self-Heating Travel Coffee Mug

Smrtmugg heated coffee mug.

Best Wide-Mouthed Travel Coffee Mug

S'well stainless steel traveler.

Best Locking-Lid Travel Coffee Mug

Contigo luxe autoseal vacuum-insulated mug.

Best Travel Coffee Mug with Handle

Yeti rambler mug with lid.

Read on for more information on our testing process as well as for tips on what to look for when shopping for a travel coffee mug. For more ideas on what to fill your cup with, check out these coffee recipes to make at home .

Zojirushi's travel mug with a locking lid opens with the push of a button but won't leak or spill (even in a backpack). It will keep hot coffee hot — in fact, the brand is so confident that it offers a five-year warranty on heat retention. Iced coffee fans will appreciate that the mouth is large enough to handle big ice cubes for that extra chill.

Our tester noted that the vacuum-sealed lid keeps water cold all day: "I always grab it from my backpack and think, 'There's no way this could still possibly be cool anymore,' and I'm always pleasantly surprised." We also like the slim design, which is easy to grip and fits nicely into backpacks or totes. It comes in several colors and a 12-ounce version.

This stainless steel mug is a great affordable option, especially considering its large 20-ounce size. What's more, it claims to retain the temperature of your coffee for up to six hours. Online reviewers like that it fits easily into car holders and won't sweat when filled with ice. The tumbler includes two lids: The featured slider lid as well as a flip-style lid , so you can choose which you prefer for the beverage you're drinking. It also comes with a reusable straw and a straw cleaner, though we found the straw was short and inconvenient to use.

Stanley has been in the thermal carafe game since 1913. This travel coffee mug delivers the company's insulated design and also includes a push-button "trigger action" lid that keeps the mug sealed unless pushed. We liked that it means the spout stays closed when you're not hands-on . Our pros did note that it requires some level of strength and dexterity to hold the button while sipping. This mug is available in several colors (even camo!) and in a 20-ounce size.

This 10-ounce travel mug from Avana is perfectly sized for espresso-based drinks, but it's also available in 20-ounce and 30-ounce versions. Kitchen Appliances & Innovation Lab Director Nicole Papantoniou likes that the simple two-piece design is easy to clean because the lid is just one solid piece, unlike many other lids. This is particularly helpful if you like coffee drinks with foam, like latte beverages , that can gunk up lids over time. The contoured mouthpiece makes sipping easy, but it doesn't seal closed, so watch out for leaks. The double-walled insulated construction keeps drinks hot or cold and helps prevent condensation from collecting on the outside.

We love when kitchen gear comes apart for a thorough cleaning, but would rather skip the guesswork that can follow when it's time to reassemble. The OXO travel coffee mug with SimplyClean lid solves this pain point: The four-piece lid is color-coded, numbered and etched with assembly instructions . It's easy to take apart and clean by hand (or in the dishwasher), and simple to put back together for your next cup. Never mind, it's also comfortable to hold. The mug comes in four other colors as well as a 20-ounce size.

Hydro Flask has a huge following when it comes to water bottles — in fact, we named the brand our best stainless steel water bottle — and we're fans of its coffee mugs (called coffee flasks), too . GH Lab tests found that its stainless steel, vacuum-insulated body kept drinks hot and cold for hours, and it was quite leakproof. Hydro Flask also offers a separate wide-mouth lid , which can be handy for cold beverages. (The included lid twists to open and close.) But, be careful drinking hot beverages with a wide mouth as it can spill easily. It's available in a range of colors as well as 16- and 20-ounce sizes , and the little handle helps make it easier to transport.

This SmrtMugg travel mug — rated our best self-heating travel mug — has built-in heat technology to keep coffee hot. Its large battery on the bottom — the manufacturer claims a 10-hour battery life — kept coffee hot (above the target temp of 135˚F) for the full four hours of our Lab tests . Once you get the hang of the controls at the bottom of the mug, the clear digital readout is helpful in setting the temperature and turning off the mug. This travel mug also aced our leak tests. Our tester noted that while the push-button lid is easy to use, the edge of the button can bump your lip while drinking.

This sleek 16-ounce bottle has been redesigned to fit more comfortably in your hand. Though we have not tested this model in the Lab, our pros appreciate that i ts large size and wide mouth can easily fit ice cubes , which makes it a great choice for frequent iced coffee drinkers. We have also found other S'well products to be good at maintaining temperatures. It seals shut and is leakproof; plus, it will keep your drinks cold (or hot!) all day. The S'well comes in a ton of color options as well as 12-ounce and 20-ounce sizes.

This coffee mug from Contigo is super comfortable in your hands, and it has a unique locking feature that makes it leak- and spill-proof. When you want to sip (or chug) your coffee, just press the button to release the seal. During your commute, you can lock the button so you don't accidentally press it while on the go . It's also completely dishwasher-safe, even the lid. One tester did note that with hot beverages, the lid can feel too hot to handle.

This popular Yeti mug looks just like a traditional coffee mug, but it's designed to keep your drinks hot or cold and comes with a lid to prevent unnecessary spills. The sturdy and comfortable handle is large enough for even wide hands. It's available in a dozen different colors as well as sizes from 10- to 30 ounces. Another bonus is that when you buy from the Yeti site, you can customize your product with a short text, a monogram or a logo. Our tester found that the lid slides open easily but noted that it's not leakproof. The brand has also introduced the Rambler Stronghold lid , which screws on (rather than presses in), which we're actively testing in the Lab.

Fellow Carter Everywhere Travel Mug

This little cylinder makes a statement, with testers loving how compact it was. The sleek stainless steel shell contains a ceramic liner intended to keep your coffee free of metallic flavors. The screw top reveals a wide mouth that you can sip from any angle and is large enough for adding ice . It comes in seven additional colors as well as a smaller, 12-ounce size.

W&P Porter Ceramic Mug with Protective Silicone Sleeve

Papantoniou likes that the inside of this travel mug is easy-to-clean porcelain, which generally helps to prevent buildup over time that can negatively impart flavors . She also noted that it keeps coffee "nice and hot right off the bat." It includes a simple shape and a silicone sleeve for a comfortable non-slip grip. It comes in several colors and a couple of terrazzo prints . It's also available in a 16-ounce size.

Starbucks Classic Green & White Traveler Tumbler Coffee Mug

Starbucks fans will appreciate that they can purchase this mug online rather than solely in the stores. The ceramic mug is easy to use — the lid just pops into place and is surrounded by a rubber seal to help keep it (and the coffee) in place — and easy to clean . "It keeps coffee warm like a standard ceramic mug would, and the lid helps to keep things a little warmer for longer," our tester says. "I like that it's not scalding hot like in a metal mug, so I can enjoy my coffee without burning my mouth." The 12-oz size is perfect for refills of Starbucks tall drinks.

STOJO Collapsible Travel Cup with Straw

Stojo's collapsible coffee cup makes it possible to travel light while avoiding single-use plastics. The brand impressed our pros with its other collapsible offerings — the Collapsible Bowl won a 2021 Kitchen Gear Award . Similarly, this travel cup is well designed: The cup includes a heat sleeve that provides a structured grip for the squishy silicone cup, and the 16-ounce size includes a straw (which is great for iced coffee or if you prefer to bring your own cup to fountain machines). The collapsed cup is just two inches in size. It's both microwave and dishwasher safe, with 8-ounce , 12-ounce and 24-ounce sizes.

MiiR Flip Traveler

With a 4.8-rating on Amazon, this stainless steel thermos comes in a slim design and an easy-to-open lid. Though we have not tested this pick in the Lab, we like its focus on giving back: T he bottom of each travel mug is printed with a "Give Code" that you can enter at Mirr's website for details on the brand's corporate giving , which is funded through every purchase. The Flip Traveler is available in several colors and 12-ounce and 16-ounce sizes .

JOCO Glass Reusable Coffee Cup

This glass bodied Joco mug has a colorful silicone lid and a matching thermal sleeve. It's microwave (and dishwasher!) safe, which makes it a great option if you like to reheat your coffee throughout the day. Since the glass is clear, it's easy to see how much coffee you have left — and hit your preferred shade when you add your creamer. Take note that the lid does not seal shut, so while it might be handy for car commuting, this isn't one that's great for tossing in your bag.

Zoku Instant Iced Coffee Maker

For iced coffee fiends, this mug is for you. Get your cuppa in flash: Simply store the inner core of the mug in the freezer, then slip the frozen cup into the protective plastic sleeve and pour in hot coffee. Our tester found that the travel mug will chill your coffee rapidly without watering it down with ice cubes. (The brand actually uses the same concept for its ice cream maker .) Slide in the lid with the provided straw, and you're ready for undiluted iced coffee — though you can add ice if you prefer. One caveat is that the freezable core holds only 11 ounces, which some might find too small.

How we test travel coffee mugs

When the experts in the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab test travel coffee mugs, they use thermocouples to track the temperature of the liquid inside the mug over time. Many of the mugs on this list were tested at home over months (even over commutes) to assess their durability, ease of use and temperature retention.

Our pros also evaluate the mugs for stability, cleanability and comfort of both holding and drinking. They test whether the mug is easy to open and close, and they drop each mug to assess its durability. To test for leaking, our pros roll the mug around on its side as well as turn it upside down and shake it vigorously.

How to find the best travel coffee mug for you

✔️ Material : Many travel coffee mugs are stainless steel, though our list also includes porcelain, glass and silicone options. Double-walled construction is common with stainless steel mugs, and that can help keep your beverage hot or cold longer. Other materials may not be insulated. If you opt for a glass mug, consider borosilicate glass, which is tempered to prevent shattering with hot liquids and can be more durable if dropped. Porcelain mugs are generally easy to clean, and because the material is nonporous, the mug is unlikely to develop odd flavors. Silicone is a great lightweight option, but it can get warm if it does not have a heat sleeve.

✔️ Lid : Some lids are more spill-proof than others. Our Lab experts particularly love the locking feature on the Contigo Luxe Autoseal Vacuum-Insulated Travel Coffee Mug , which adds a level of safety if you plan to toss your mug in your bag. Lids that screw on are also often leak-resistant. Those who prefer a more traditional-style mug with a handle may find that slider lids are common; evaluate those for leaking, as some are prone to dribbles (or worse). Note that spill-proof lids often require more care to clean.

✔️ Washability : Check to see if the mug is dishwasher-safe. If it needs to be washed by hand, make sure you can thoroughly clean it with a sponge or bottle brush .

Why trust Good Housekeeping?

Sarah Wharton is the Senior Editor and Analyst for the Good Housekeeping Institute. She tested several of the newest additions to this list as well as led the recent test of heated mugs. She's written about all kinds of kitchen gear as well as coffee advice like how to make a cappuccino and how to make an iced latte .

Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab Director Nicole Papantoniou oversees all testing of kitchen gear, including products like coffee grinders , coffee makers , espresso machines and Nespresso machines . She has tested almost all of these travel mugs and is constantly rotating through an assortment in her daily travel mug use. She is also the lead judge in the Good Housekeeping Institute's forthcoming Coffee Awards .

Sarah (she/her) is a deputy editor in the Good Housekeeping Institute , where she tests products and covers the best picks across kitchen, tech, health and food. She has been cooking professionally since 2017 and has tested kitchen appliances and gear for Family Circle as well as developed recipes and food content for Simply Recipes, Martha Stewart Omnimedia, Oxo and Food52. She holds a certificate in professional culinary arts from the International Culinary Center (now the Institute of Culinary Education).

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The Best Travel Mugs & Reusable Coffee Cups

You'll have landed on this post, I'm guessing because you're looking for the best travel mugs or the best reusable coffee cups, and you've discovered that there's a lot more choice than you'd given credit for, so you need some help, and you've thought “Kev, he'll help me choose the best travel mug”, well – you're right, I will :-). 

Best travel mugs vs best reusable coffee cups – what's the difference?

The first thing to point out is that while these terms are often used interchangeably, as far as I'm concerned they're two completely different things. For this reason, I'm splitting this post into two sections, best travel mugs, and best reusable coffee cups.

I'm hoping this will help people to end up with something that fits their needs more closely, as it's quite common for people to buy the wrong kind of mug based on this misunderstanding. 

A really good example of this is when you read through the reviews for various popular travel mugs and reusable coffee cups, you'll find some people saying that a reusable cup didn't keep their coffee hot enough or wasn't leakproof.

You'll also find some people saying that a travel mug kept their drink too hot and they had to wait hours to drink it. These are examples of why there are different kinds of mugs/cups for different people or situations, as I'll describe.

I did at one point have two completely separate posts, one for travel mugs and one for reusable coffee cups, but I decided it would be more helpful to my fellow coffee botherers (coffeeblog readers, so that now includes you) to create one post that covers both so that the differences are made clear. 

So let's just briefly discuss what is a travel mug and what is a reusable coffee cup, so you can decide what it is you're looking for at the moment.

Reusable coffee cups

These are coffee cups that can be reused, vs using takeaway cups. The name refers to the fact that these cups were mainly designed to replace disposable takeaway cups. They're so popular for use in offices, at home, and so on that, the term “reusable” might not make much sense, as they're often used instead of normal coffee cups, and of course, normal coffee cups are reusable.

But when you recall the fact that these kinds of cups are intended as a more environmentally friendly replacement for disposable cups, it's easier to understand what you can expect from a cup of this kind, by considering the kind of cups they are replacing.

The most simple description for reusable coffee cups is that they're (usually) made as a direct replacement for disposable cups, and they're made for drinking your coffee (or tea, or whatever) more or less straight away, and not for keeping hot in to be sipped over a longer period of time (that's what travel mugs are for).

Disposable cups are relatively poor where thermal insulation is concerned, a card sleeve is often needed to be able to carry them, they don't do a great job of keeping your coffee hot, and they're not leakproof, in fact, most people will be accustomed to not trusting the lids on disposable cups, and double-checking they're on properly before drinking.

Most of the best reusable coffee cups I'll be sharing in a sec, do better in most of these areas than disposable coffee cups, and they're more environmentally friendly, but it's just worth keeping in mind that if you're buying a cup like this, you're not going to get the same kind of heat retention & spill prevention that you get from a travel mug, which we'll discuss next. 

If you're wanting a cup to make coffee in, or to take to a coffee shop to ask them to make your coffee in, and then to drink almost straight away, then you'll want a reusable cup vs a travel mug.

When you make a cup of coffee or tea in a normal ceramic, porcelain, earthenware, or glass cup or mug, it's usually far too hot to drink straight away, unless you're one of those people like my old boss who has an asbestos mouth & drinks instant coffee straight away after pouring boiling water in his cup from the kettle!

Normal cups allow the drink to cool down relatively quickly, resulting in a drinkable brew (for most people) within a few minutes. Disposable cups are, generally speaking, worse for this than ceramic mugs for example, which is one of the reasons it's good to use a reusable cup instead, in addition to the environmental reasons of course, as some people find that their coffee or tea is lukewarm by the time they get it to where they want to drink it. 

Most people, if they're wanting a drink to be at a drinkable temperature within 5 or 10 minutes, would be better off using a reusable mug or cup, and not a travel mug, for when they're buying or making a coffee or whatever, which they want to drink shortly. If you're like my old boss, however, and you like your coffee at the temperature of the surface of the sun, then you may want to go for a travel mug. 

Travel Mugs

While reusable coffee cups are intended as an environmentally friendly alternative to disposable coffee cups, travel mugs are mugs/cups that are made for travel. I know, the term “no shite Sherlock” is probably on your tongue now ;-), and yes this may be obvious where travel mugs are concerned, but I'm saying this to point out by contrast what reusable coffee cups are not made for, as a way to distinguish the two. 

If you imagine a thermos flask, but in more of a single cup size, and with a more convenient system for sealing (rather than just unscrewing a lid) then you'll have a good idea of most modern travel mugs. The main features travel mugs are known for are longer heat retention, and being leakproof.

If you want to make your coffee or tea, sling it in your bag and crack it open a couple of hours later, then you'll want a travel mug vs a reusable cup. If you want to drink your brew over a longer period of time, for example during a hike whenever you decide to have a breather, then again, you'll want a travel mug. 

I hear people complaining about reusable cups not being leakproof, not retaining the heat, not being spillproof, not being sturdy enough to throw around, and so on, and this is due to confusing these two types of cup/mug, so what I'm getting at here is that if you need a mug for travel and for travel-related features, you need a travel mug, not a reusable coffee cup. 

If you're using a mug for travel of any kind, you'll usually want your coffee (or whatever other hot drink you might be using it for) to stay hot until you get around to drinking it, and you'll need to know that it's not going to spill your drink all over the place while you're traveling with it and that it's not going to leak in your bag, for example. 

Another reason you may want a travel mug and not a reusable coffee cup is if you always like to drink your coffee or tea at the brew temperature (i.e. you have an asbestos mouth). If you're someone who doesn't want their brew to cool down at all prior to drinking, then you may prefer a travel mug over most reusable coffee cups even if you're not using it for any kind of travel-related activity.

You might not be surprised to discover that my home is full of different mugs ;-), I have travel mugs (including a number of the mugs discussed here) and reusable coffee cups. If I'm making a brew to drink later, I'll reach for a travel mug, or if I'm drinking it almost straight away while I'm driving to the office or walking into town or something, I'll reach for a reusable coffee cup.

So hopefully that makes things a bit more clear where travel mugs vs reusable coffee cups are concerned. So, now let's talk about what I reckon are among the best in both categories. 

By the way, regardless of which kind of travel mug you're after – do you want to know how to instantly improve your coffee quality? This is an instant fix, it's ridiculously simple, and it doesn't involve buying a new coffee machine . Are you ready for this revolutionary method I'm about to give you to improve your coffee? 

Use better coffee… I know it seems simple ;-), but so many people put lots of effort and investment into things like replacing coffee brewers or upgrading their coffee machine, but they continue using the same coffee (or the same kind of coffee). 

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I digress, here is my review finally!

Best Travel Mugs

720° dgree leakproof travel mug.

Check Price - Amazon

Capacity: 450ml Size: 6.4cm at bottom, 7cm at top, 21cm tall. Weight: 282 g Car cup holder compatible? Fits however may be a bit too small for some of the shallower holders. Mug Material: Stainless steel Lid Material: BPA-free polypropylene and silicone seal Seal: One touch open/close mechanism Leakproof?: Yes Dishwasher Safe?: No Thermal Performance: Brand Claim: 5 hours. 

My Observations:

This is one of the best selling travel mugs at the time of writing, and reading through the massive number of Amazon reviews it has, it's clear to see that this German designed travel mug has a lot more going for it than just good looks.

I have one of these, so these observations can be taken as my 720° Degree travel mug review .

This is a travel mug that looks good, and it feels like a good quality stainless steel travel mug for the cost. I have to question the brand name, though, it has a 360 degree drinking gamut, so where does the 720 degrees come from, and who stole the other e from degree?? Weird.

The 450ml capacity is relatively big given the size, it's quite a slim travel mug, and the design makes the capacity deceivingly big. It's fully leakproof,  and you can drink from 360 degrees, meaning that there isn't a single drinking hole you have to identify before you take a swig.

This might not seem like that much of a big deal, but have you ever experienced what happens when you're drinking from a single hole travel cup and you have it the wrong way around? You end up wearing your coffee, not great if you're on the way to a meeting, or are about to film a YouTube video… now you know why I wear the apron! 😉

Re car cup holders, the usual complaint with bigger travel cups is that they're too wide to fit car holders, and the opposite is true with this one, as the base is narrower than the top and is just 6.5 cm in diameter, this will mean that with some of the bigger cup holders such as those in the central position in many cars, it'll rattle around a bit.

So in my car, for example, this is one of the few travel cups that will fit in the smaller secondary cup holder on the right hand side of the steering wheel, but it rattles around a bit in the deeper, wider cup holders between the driver's seat & passenger seat. Not a big deal though as it's leakproof so your brew won't spill while it's rattling around.

Do you know how important it is to weigh your coffee?

I've not timed the heat retention yet, but it definitely does a good job of keeping hot drinks hot. This isn't one to use if you want your brew to cool down a bit within 20-30 mins of making it, it'll be scalding hot still until at least an hour later, I'd say.

The number of reviews this product has is quite staggering, and I didn't have to read all of them (which is good…) before coming to the conclusion that the manufacturer's claim of 5 hours of heat retention is understated. It's also clear from some of the images that this, like most coloured stainless steel travel mugs, won't keep its colour if it's washed in the dishwasher. The brand doesn't appear to state whether it's dishwasher safe or not, but I'd say not if you want the colour to remain.

The seal is nice and easy to use, just press once to open and again to close, and the 360-degree drinking position is great. My only slight criticism of this mug is that it's not the most stable. The Contigo travel mugs, for example, are very stable, you'd have to try quite hard to topple them over, this one does feel like it wouldn't take much effort to topple it, although if it's sealed that shouldn't be a problem. 

Contigo Autoseal West Loop 

Capacity: 470 ml Size:   6.5 cm at bottom,  9 cm at top,  20.5 cm tall. Weight: 340 g Car cup holder compatible? Yes, most car cup holders. Mug Material: Stainless steel Lid Material: BPA free plastic Seal: Autoseal one touch release Leakproof?: Yes Dishwasher Safe?: Lid yes (top rack of dishwasher), mug no Thermal Performance: Brand Claim: 5 hours

Contigo is one of the biggest brands of travel mugs, now owned by Newell Brands, the firm that owns Dr. Coffee, Yankee Candle, and Breville , not to be confused with Breville worldwide, whose machines are sold in the UK under the Sage Appliances brand.

I have to hand it to Contigo, or more specifically to the design team behind the travel mugs sold under this brand name, as they really do know what they're doing when it comes to travel mugs. It's no wonder they do, to be fair, as they honed their craft by designing and manufacturing the Starbucks travel mugs, before deciding to continue to develop their designs under their own brand instead of continuing to work as a white-label supplier.  

I think it's fair to say that this is Contigo's flagship travel mug, and it's clear to see from the reviews how well they've done with this travel mug. Previously I would have said that this should be the case for the price, as the original version of this mug was about double the price of the Contigo Byron travel mug featured in this post, but this version (the 2019 version) is usually only slightly more expensive than the smaller Byron travel mug, below, so great value for money.

Again, I have this travel mug, so you can take these observations as my Contigo West loop mug review.

The main feature here is the “auto seal” that Contigo has patented. This isn't a standard seal mechanism, it's an automatic sealing lid that you press in order to release the seal to drink from it, and when you remove your finger from the button it automatically seals again.

This makes it perfect for folk who want a leakproof travel mug which they can easily grab from their bag, have a swig without removing the lid, and launch it back in the bag. There's a “lid-lock” to stop the button from accidentally being pressed while in your bag, in case you were wondering.

It's a really well designed and well made travel mug, it feels very sturdy, it's very stable, I wouldn't be concerned about it wobbling over on a train journey, for example, it'll fit in most car cup holders, and it'll keep hot drinks hot (and cold drinks cold) for several hours.

This is definitely one of my favourite travel mugs. I really like the Contigo Byron too, below, but for me, the West Loop just nudges over the finish line because the seal is so easy to operate, while Byron is a bit stiff, there's a bit of a knack required to operate it one-handed.

Best coffee for Americano

Contigo Byron Leakproof Stainless Steel Travel Mug

Capacity: 470ml Size: 8 cm at bottom, 8.3 cm at top, 18.5 cm tall. Weight: 275 g Car cup holder compatible? Bigger cup holders. Mug Material: Stainless steel Lid Material: BPA-free plastic lid Seal: One-handed Snapseal™ Leakproof?: Yes and no (see below) Dishwasher Safe?: Yes and no (see below) Thermal Performance: Brand Claim: 6 hours. 

Another one from Contigo, their Bryon travel mug is among their more popular products and has sold astonishingly well since it was released only a couple of years ago (at the time of writing), as you'll see from the huge number of Amazon reviews. Once again, I have this travel mug, yes, I'm a nerd ;-), and I spend most of my money on coffee stuff, what can I say ;-). So once again, you can take these observations as my Contigo Byron review.

I like the Contigo Byron, it's one of my favourites, it's clear that this has been designed by people who know what they're doing. It keeps hot stuff hot and cold stuff cold (it really does, it's not just a marketing blurb), I've found it to be 100% leakproof and spillproof, it's very stable, not an easy mug to accidentally knock over, although it wouldn't really matter as long as it was sealed.

The biggest difference between this travel mug and the auto seal west loop is the simple one-handed opening snap seal, vs the more innovative auto sealing mechanism. In theory, the snap seal is more simple and less complex so may be less chance of it causing issues. In practice, it's just a little bit faffy to open the Byron with one hand. 

Don't get me wrong, it is doable, but it does require a certain amount of dexterity and hand strength to do it one handed. It's not just pressing a button, it's a really tight catch, so to hold it with one hand and pop open the catch with a finger of the same hand (I tend to use my index finger) does take a bit of effort. It's fine, but if I was choosing between this one and the West Loop, I'd choose that simply because it's less physical effort to open and close.

Contigo claims a fairly huge thermal performance of up to 6 hours for hot drinks and 12 hours for cold drinks, which is even more than they claim for their auto seal, and I'm not 100% sure what is responsible for the one hour improvement. They've recently released a Byron 2.0 , which they state keeps drinks hot for 7 hours! I've not used the Byron 2 as of yet but I'll add it to this post once I have.

Regarding the “Yes and no” answers above, it is dishwasher proof according to the manufacturer, but the outer coloured coating doesn't appear to like the dishwasher all that much. This is something you'll find with quite a lot of coloured stainless steel mugs, if you put them in the dishwasher the paint often starts to come off after a while. My advice is to put it on the top shelf of the dishwasher, or if you're bothered about paint remaining in place just hand wash it.

The leakproof controversy comes from the fact that it's leakproof if the seal is in place, but quite a few users have pointed out that you do need to keep an eye on the rubber seal and make sure that it's stayed put. If the seal has come out partially and you didn't notice, and you shove it in your bag, you could have a disaster. I've not had an issue with this personally, but if I do I'll update this post accordingly.

Have a look at the new Barista Touch Impress, this machine produces amazing coffee quick and simply, and is ready to go in minutes, perfect for your morning walk:

Sage Barista Touch Impresss Review

Opard Leakproof Double-Walled Vacuum Insulated Travel Mug 

Capacity: 350 ml Size: 6.5 cm at bottom, 7.5 cm at top, 17 cm tall. Weight: 390 g Car cup holder compatible? Yes, most car cup holders. Mug Material: Stainless steel Lid Material: BPA-free plastic lid Seal: Single button seal Leakproof?: Yes Dishwasher Safe?: No Thermal Performance: Brand Claim: 6 hours. 

This is a popular travel mug that has sold incredibly well since it was launched in 2019. It's quite a hefty unit at just under 21cm tall, just under 9cm wide, and 390g, so probably not one for people who want a lighter weight mug for walking, etc., and while it will fit in many car cup holders (the base is smaller than the listed diameter, at approx 6.5cm) it does depend on the depth of your cup holders, as it won't fit in some of the deeper and narrower holders.

It has a nice big silicon grip, a silicon non-slip base, and a one-button plunger to open the seal. This is supposed to be completely leakproof and spill-proof, but a recurring theme with all of these travel mugs that are allegedly 100% leakproof, is a small % of complaints that this isn't the case. 

In my humble opinion, regardless of the design of the travel mug, there is always, always the potential for completely leakproof mugs leaking, simply because it requires the seal to be in place, and they can quite easily be dislodged prior to or while screwing on the lid. So it's worth just double-checking the seal each time you put the lid on after filling any travel cup, to ensure the seal is in place, if it isn't it'll leak.

Also, there is always the potential for the sealing method to fail. With a mug like this where there's a button mechanism, this mechanism can fail. Obviously, they're not supposed to, but it can happen, and this is why with any travel mug like this, you will find some reviews from people saying it leaks. Personally, this is why I prefer the more simple snap seals, although it's also possible for them to fail too of course.

Have you thought about bringing your espresso maker with you for an even fresher cup of coffee on the go?

Lifeventure Leakproof & Vacuum Insulated Travel Mug

Capacity: 300 ml Size: 6.8 cm at bottom, 7 cm at top, 22 cm tall. Weight: 262 g Car cup holder compatible? Yes, most car cup holders. Mug Material: Stainless steel Lid Material: Stainless steel lid with BPA free plastic pressure release chamber Seal: Screw off Leakproof?: Yes Dishwasher Safe?: No Thermal Performance: Brand Claim: 6 hours. 

This travel mug is quite a bit different from a lot of the other popular mugs in that it's more flask like where the lid is concerned. Instead of a snap seal flap or a one-touch mechanism to open and close, you just screw off the lid as you would with a traditional flask.

This isn't as convenient for taking quick sips on the move, but if you're wanting to bung your coffee in your bag, and open it to drink it when you're ready, then this isn't a bad mug to look at, although I'd also have a look at the Zojirushi, Thermos, and Stanley options below for this style of travel mug. 

There's a lot of love for this mug in the reviews, but the more common gripes are that it requires a bit of wrist strength to open, and a few people note that they find the secondary lid to be a bit of a pain.

Zojirushi SM-TA36BA Stainless Steel Travel Mug

Capacity: 480 ml Size: 7 cm at bottom, 6.5 cm at top, 22.5 cm tall. Weight: 220 g Car cup holder compatible? Yes, most car cup holders. Mug Material: Stainless steel Lid Material: BPA free plastic Seal: 2 step flip open lid with lock Leakproof?: Yes Dishwasher Safe?: No Thermal Performance: Brand Claim:  6 hrs

This is one of many cool looking non-leak travel mugs available from the global Japanese based brand Zojirushi, a 100+-year-old company that started out manufacturing glass-lined vacuum bottles in the early 1920s.

The Zojirushi travel mugs have a flask look to them, but it's not a simple flask lid design, it's a 2 step flip lid designed to prevent the user from being splashed by condensation when opening.

This is a very stylish looking travel mug, it's available in a range of colours (the black one and the pink one appear to be the best sellers) and it does get a lot of praise from owners, mainly for the great heat retention. 

Stanley Classic Trigger Action Vacuum Mug

Capacity: 470 ml Size: 7.3 cm at bottom, 7 cm at top, 20 cm tall. Weight: 250 g Car cup holder compatible? Yes, most car cup holders. Mug Material: Stainless steel Lid Material: BPA free plastic Seal: One-handed trigger seal Leakproof?: Yes Dishwasher Safe?: Yes, top rack. Thermal Performance: Brand Claim:  7 hrs

You'll no doubt know Stanley for their tools, they've ventured out into all sorts in recent history, including alarms, but this isn't a new diversification for Stanley, they've actually been making vacuum flasks since the early 1900s.

This is a proper retro-looking travel mug, especially if you go for the hammertone green. It's available in other colours but the hammertone green looks exactly how I'd expect a Stanley travel mug to look. These are nice heavy weight, sturdy travel mugs, popular for outdoor use, hiking, camping, and so on.

This is one of the “one hand” travel mugs that are clearly targeted at active people, who want to be able to grab their travel cup and drink their brew with one hand while doing something else with the other, such as digging ditches, fishing, composing an orchestra, whatever. Not that you need to hold a travel mug with two hands like it's a broadsword or light saber, of course, but because some travel mugs and flasks are a two-handed affair when it comes to getting to the coffee.

It's worth pointing out that Stanley backs their travel mugs with a huge 25-year manufacturer's warranty, which is a very rare thing to see in a travel mug.

How to make coffee taste better in 3 easy ways

Thermos 185198 Direct Drink Flask / Travel Mug

Capacity: 470 ml Size: 7 cm at bottom, 7 cm at top, 23.2 cm tall Weight: ‎290 g Car cup holder compatible? Yes, bigger car cup holders. Mug Material: Stainless steel Lid Material: BPA free plastic Seal: Push-button with locking catch Leakproof?: Yes Dishwasher Safe?: No Thermal Performance: Brand Claim: 10 hrs

The Thermos brand needs no introduction in the UK of course, probably the most well-known brand in the UK when it comes to flasks – and the thermos direct is a very popular travel mug/flask, as you'll see if you have a read through the online reviews.

The biggest feature to mention is the crazy 10 hour heat retention claim. This sounds far fetched, but if you have a look through the reviews you'll find plenty of users concurring with this, some of whom even say it's too good and they have to leave the lid off to allow their brew to cool down!

Although it's a Thermos, it doesn't have the standard flask gubbins that you might expect, it has a one-handed push button, to enable busy folk to open their mug and drink their coffee (or tea, but not at the same time) on the go, again so they can do other stuff with their other hand, such as play Concerto No 4 on piano, and if they can do that one-handed I'm impressed.

It's 7cm wide, so it will fit into the larger cup holders which are just over 7cm, but it won't fit in the smaller car holders. Some cars have, for example, larger central cup holders and then smaller secondary ones, it'll fit in the bigger ones. 

Bodum 11068-01 Vacuum Travel Mug

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Capacity: ‎ 350 ml Size: 6.9 cm at bottom, 7 cm at top, 18.5 cm tall Weight: 330g Car cup holder compatible? Most cup holders Mug Material: Stainless steel Lid Material: BPA-free plastic  Seal: Flap with catch Leakproof?: No Dishwasher Safe?: Lid yes, mug no Thermal Performance: N/A

Guess what? Haha, yup, you guessed it, I have this travel mug (a couple of them actually), so you can take this as my Bodum travel mug review.

Bodum is a very well-established brand, founded towards the end of the second world war in Denmark by Peter Bodum, and is still owned by his son and daughter Jørgen & Pia Bodum, and operated by Jørgen who's currently the CEO of Bodum. If you're wondering what the heck this has to do with which is the best travel mugs, well, maybe not much, but I like to give whatever background I can on the products and brands I'm discussing. 

Also, I do think the background of the brand and who operates it makes a difference actually. Usually, the best products come from the most passionate brands, and the most passionate brands tend to be the ones with more history to be passionate about. 

Best coffee machines review Best bean to cup coffee machines review

I really like the Bodum travel mugs, I have to say. The only obvious point to make is that they're not completely leakproof. The catch over the drinking hole, the thread of the lid, and the silicon seal, are almost leakproof (as long as the lid is properly screwed on), but even if you've taken care to put the lid on properly if you chuck this in your bag, it'll leak, so it's not made for this. 

These mugs straddle the two categories, really, between travel mugs and reusable coffee cups. I've put them in the travel cup category though because of their thermal performance I think is too good to put them in the reusable cup category. Although Bodum doesn't make a heat retention claim (which is why I've entered N/A for this in the features), I can tell you that these mugs keep drinks hot for hours. 

I play drums in a band, and I'll usually take a brew with me when I'm rehearsing at night, and a few times I've made a brew in the Bodum travel mug and realized the error of my ways when I try to take a swig and realize it's chuffing boiling. It's about a 20 minute drive, and it's usually far too hot to drink still when I get there, and there have been times when I've left the travel mug in my cup holder, on a cold night, and returned to the car almost three hours later to find it's at a reasonable drinking temperature. 

We've got a red version of this at home as well as the black one, and for me, the black one seems better, where the lid is concerned. I'm not sure why, you'd think it would just be a colour difference, but it doesn't seem to be, the lids feel slightly different, and the thread seems a better fit on the black version.

Goat Story  Travel Mug

Capacity: ‎ 350 ml Size: 26 x 10 x 9 cm Weight: 259g Car cup holder compatible? No, unless you have a horn-shaped cup holder. Fred Flintstone probably had one of these. Mug Material: BPA-free plastic  Lid Material: BPA-free plastic  Seal: Snapseal Leakproof?: Yes  Dishwasher Safe?: Yes Thermal Performance: N/A

Some people will have just spat their coffee all over their keyboard or smartphone from looking at this one, and apologies for that, I realize this design isn't for everyone, but it really is for the people it's for if that makes sense? Also, Goat Story was the first travel mug brand to send me their quirky travel mug to review, so it would be remiss of me to not include it.

I know this will be getting boring now ;-), but yes, I certainly do have one of these, so these observations can be seen as my goat story mug review. As I've said, they sent it to me, I wouldn't have bought one simply because I drive a car, and I don't ride a dragon. I watched Game of Thrones and Vikings, both were great but enjoying these programs wouldn't compel me to walk around with one of these ;-).

Joking apart, I do really like the Goat Story mug, It's very, VERY unique, and it's ridiculously quirky, but it's also a high-quality, well made product, it's leakproof, dishwasher safe, and although it's made of plastic, it's thick BPA free plastic, and it does a relatively good job of keeping coffee hot, although the brand doesn't make any claims in terms of hours of heat retention. 

The goat story travel mugs don't have any kind of innovative sealing technology like some of the leakproof travel mugs have, they have a conventional seal that works very well. You should be able to sling the goat story over your shoulder, throw it around, run with it, ride a dragon with it, etc., without it leaking.

The only thing to add to this is that if you're putting black coffee or tea in your goat story mug, which tends to be a bit hotter than coffee or tea with milk, just give it 30 seconds to a minute until you seal it and go on your way, otherwise the steam might pop the seal.

Let's point out the obvious, though, you'd only really want to use one in public in fairly specific circumstances. Either you're a complete attention seeker and you welcome the looks and questions ;-), or you're using the mug in a particular setting that makes it an appropriate choice. 

A reviewer has mentioned that it was a great talking piece in the shop they worked in, and I think that's a good point, if you want people to engage with you, this is a real talking point, well, it'll either cause people to engage with you, or it'll cause people to back off without losing eye contact, just until they can open the door.

If you're involved in the middle ages with work or play, i.e. if you do reenactment stuff or if you work in a shop that has anything to do with Vikings or Game of Thrones or something, then you'll have a great excuse to buy this travel mug. Needless to say, this isn't for everyone, but who cares? All that matters is whether it's for you or not. 

If your question about the goat story mug is simply “Why?” then, yeah, I understand that question ;-). The why, or the inspiration, is one of the most commonly told coffee origins stories, in which there was a goatherd by the name of Kaldi (In some versions of the story the name is Khalid), who first discovered coffee sometime around 850 AD when he noticed the goats acting more energetic after munching on coffee cherries.

Goats of course have horns, well some don't but let's not be pedantic about it. So that's the link to the story. They're not made from actual goat horns, obviously. The actual travel mug itself is made from a BPA free plastic, and it feels very sturdy. It comes with a sleeve/holder that doubles as a stand, a hand strap, and a shoulder strap. 

Best reusable coffee cups

Keepcup brew cork reusable coffee cup.

Capacity: ‎ 340 ml (This is the medium, available in 3 other sizes) Size: 6.3 cm at bottom, 7.5cm at band, 8.8cm at the top Weight: 272 g Car cup holder compatible? Yes, most cup holders but see below. Mug Material: Tempered soda lime glass Band Material: Cork Lid Material: BPA And BPS free polypropylene #7 Dishwasher Safe?: Yes, top rack. Microwave Safe?: Yes

Yes, you can take this as my keep cup brew review, as this is a reusable coffee cup that I owned, that is, I did use to have one of these, and I used it for quite a while until, sadly, I smashed it. Obviously, I wouldn't have done that on purpose, these keep cups aren't cheap cups ;-), so I was a bit miffed when this happened, but it was my own daft fault. 

This is a typical example of using the wrong mug for a given circumstance, I should have had a stainless steel travel cup with me on this day, but I didn't, I chose to take the keep cup brew, and I was careless with it. Thanks to Newton's invention of gravity (I think everything floated prior to that?) it hit the floor and turned into a no point in keeping any longer, cup (doesn't have the same ring to it).

It's worth noting that being tempered glass, it broke into lots of little chunks, and not big shards, so it's a fairly safe glass mug to smash – dustpan and brush sorted it.

I'm not putting down the product, it's glass, if you drop it onto a road as I did, it'll probably smash. If you particularly enjoy drinking from glass (I much prefer drinking from glass to drinking from plastic) then I think it's worth the risk as long as you're careful, and don't try to use it in circumstances where you're going to be throwing it around, or putting it in a bag that is going to be getting knocked around.

I've actually been meaning to buy another one of these for ages, as it was my favourite reusable coffee cup before I went & broke it.

I found it really comfortable to hold, with the cork band. The cork is allegedly a waste product of wine cork manufacturing in Portugal, so it's great to know you're using a product that is partially made from a very sustainable product, a waste product. I say “allegedly” though, because I reckon they use an F tonne (approximately double the weight of an S tonne) of Cork for these bands, so the cynic in me would ask the question is it really all waste cork? 

This is a very popular reusable cup, and most people who own them, love them. There are a few common complaints, one is that the cork band could be a bit taller, so you can hold a hot coffee with it with more than just your thumb and forefinger. I can understand that comment, but I'd imagine that having a taller cork would require changing the design of the glass cup to reduce the angle, so it's probably the height it is for good reason. 

Another thing I've seen a few times is complaints about the lid having a terrible smell, and this appears to have been a batch issue as some people have experienced this on the lid that came with it but then ordered a replacement lid from KeepCup and that didn't have the same smell. Mine didn't have an odour to it, although I'd usually take the lid off to drink as I prefer to drink from glass than plastic.

BioGo Reusable Coffee Cup

Capacity: ‎ 450 ml (350 ml also available) Size: 7.1 cm at bottom, 8.4 cm at the top, 18.6 cm tall Weight: 182 g Car cup holder compatible? Yes, most cup holders  Mug Material: Rice husk fibre  Band Material: No band Lid Material: Rice husk fibre  Dishwasher Safe?: Yes, top rack. Microwave Safe?: Yes

BioGo is a British firm, offering reusable cups made from a material that is made from waste rice husks. Rice husks are a waste byproduct of rice harvesting, masses amount of waste rice husks have been burned or buried over the years, and clever people are finding better ways to deal with them. 

It turns out that rice husks are abundant in natural silica, which is a very strong and versatile material, so converting waste rice husks into reusable coffee cups has an impact on the environment both in the potential reduction of disposable cups used and in being a more environmentally friendly way of dealing with the waste rice husks.

They're one of the best selling reusable cups in the UK at the moment, and there's a lot of praise for these cups online. They have a screw on lid, which is quite rare for reusable cups which can quite often have a push-fit lid similar to disposable cups – and they have a pop open drinking hole which makes them relatively leak resistant for a reusable cup. 

Note I say leak resistant, these aren't sold as leakproof cups, you wouldn't want to chuck one in your bag, but the hole cover (which doubles as a carry handle when empty) and the screw fit lid does mean they're among the most leak proof reusable cups. Just keep in mind that, as with the Goat Story mug above, you need to wait until your drink stops steaming (a minute or two if you've used water just off the boil) before closing the hole, or it might pop open.

Stainless Steel Coffee Cup

Capacity: ‎ 380 ml  Size: 7 cm at bottom, 8.8 cm at the top , 15.3 cm tall Weight: 240 g Car cup holder compatible? Yes, most cup holders  Mug Material: Stainless steel Band Material: No band Lid Material: BPA free plastic  Dishwasher Safe?: No Microwave Safe?: No, unless you're Casey Ryback, a cook aboard USS Missouri, a former Navy SEAL and a specialist in martial arts, explosives, special-weapons and tactics, and you need to blow up a microwave in order to cause a diversion while attempting to thwart the devious plot of a group of mercenaries under the command of a disillusioned former CIA operative, or something.

Another very popular reusable cup, these are insulated stainless steel cups with a screw on BPA free plastic lid and a relatively standard catch cover on the drinking hole (flip buckle). The insulation means that these are not going to burn your hands, so no need for a band to save your fingers, although it's also worth noting that this will do a fairly good job of keeping your coffee hot, so it may keep your hot drinks a bit too hot if you want to drink your coffee straight away.

It's worth pointing out that if this is the case and you're making your own coffee, you can always make it slightly cooler, and how you'd do that would just depend on the brew method.

For hints and tips on how to improve your coffee taste watch:

If you're using instant (get out… just kidding, instant coffee drinkers are welcome here) just add a bit less hot water and then top up with cold water. If you're making Americano, top up with a bit less hot water than you usually would, and leave some space for cold. If you're making a milky, just steam your milk to a slightly cooler temperature, although if you're steaming your milk to 65C which is the ideal max temperature for moo milk and most milk alternatives, it should be ready to drink almost straight away in any cup.

These are practically leakproof, as they have a threaded screw on lid and a decent catch on the drinking hole cover, but again as with the BioGo cups above, I wouldn't recommend slinging one of these in your bag.

Circular and Co Reusable Coffee Cup Made from Recycled Coffee Cups

Capacity: ‎ 340 ml  Size: 6.2 cm at bottom, 8.5 cm at the top, 17 cm tall Weight: 200 g Car cup holder compatible? Yes, most cup holders  Mug Material: Paper Band Material: No band Lid Material: BPA free plastic  Dishwasher Safe?: Yes Microwave Safe?: No

This is a rare reusable coffee cup in that it's sold as being 100% leakproof, it's also rare in that it's made from disposable cups! Although the material is listed as paper, it's not really paper as such, it's a composite made from shredded recycled paper cups and shredded and recycled polymer, so it would be fairer to say, I think, that this material is made from recycled plastics and recycled paper cups.

The lid is BPA free plastic, and it's a 360 degree drinking lid similar to the 720° Degree travel mug I mentioned earlier, you just press the centre of the lid to open, and then drink from anywhere around the lid, then press again to close. 

This lid design means that it's a leak proof reusable cup, which isn't very common as I've said. It won't keep your coffee hot for anywhere near as long as a stainless steel vacuum travel mug, but if you wanted standard thermal retention paired with the guarantee of no leaking or spilling, this is a good one to have a look at.

It may be surprising to learn that a cup made from paper cups, is dishwasher safe, but again it's not just made from paper cups, it's a material made from recycled shredded paper cups blended with polymer from recycled plastics, made into a sturdy material.

With regard to microwaves, if you microwave it with the lid on, you might have an Under Seige experience as I alluded to with the stainless steel coffee cup above, as there's a metal spring in the seal assembly in the lid. The manufacturer does say it isn't suitable for the microwave, although there are users who've shared in the reviews and answered questions that they've used theirs in the microwave, without the lid, without any problems.

Bodum 11103-01S Reusable Cup

Capacity: ‎ 350 ml  Size: 7 cm at bottom, 8 cm at the top, 178. cm tall Weight: 225 g Car cup holder compatible? Fits in the bigger cup holders Mug Material: BPA free dual wall plastic Band Material: Silicone  Lid Material: BPA free plastic  Dishwasher Safe?: Yes Microwave Safe?: Dunno

Guess what? Yup, I've got one of these, this one is my wife's favourite, particularly for drinking tea, relatively soon after it's been made. Despite the marketing blurb, the plastic ones aren't brilliant for thermal performance, and this is why I've placed this in the reusable cup category and not the travel mug category despite the fact it's labeled by Bodum as a “Travel mug”, and the blurb seems to suggest it'll keep your brew hot for “hours”.

I disagree, but I don't think this is a bad thing. I think these are among the very best reusable coffee cups, I don't think they're great if they're being classed as “travel mugs” because being all plastic, even though they're dual walled plastic, they don't hold the heat nearly as much as their stainless steel counterparts, and they're not leakproof.

If you just want a straightforward reusable cup though, that will keep your brew hot for quite a bit longer than a disposable cup but will be a lot more comfortable to hold due to the dual wall body, then I think these are great.

CS COSDDI Reusable Coffee Cups

Capacity: ‎ 380 ml  Size: 7 cm at bottom, 9 cm at the top, 14 cm tall Weight: 390 g Car cup holder compatible? Fits in most cup holders Mug Material: Stainless steel Band Material: Silicone  Lid Material: BPA free plastic  Dishwasher Safe?: Yes Microwave Safe?: No

OK, this does sound like a drama series about a crime scene investigation team, but no, it's a reusable coffee cup.

This is one of the more “travel mug” worthy reusable coffee cups, given that it's stainless steel, it has very good heat retention for a cup of this kind, and has a screw on lid which is rated as leakproof by the manufacturer. It's not as good where heat retention is concerned as some of the travel mugs above which are known for keeping drinks hot for hours, simply because although the body itself is insulated, the lid isn't, so it'll lose heat there. 

As I've said, though, it'll keep your hot drinks hotter for longer than a lot of the other reusable coffee cups, but that isn't necessarily a good thing, it just depends on whether you want to drink your brew straight away, or not. If you have a 20 minute walk from the coffee shop to the office, for example, and you want to be able to ask the Barista to make your coffee in your reusable cup and have it ready to drink when you reach the office, this might be a good choice.

It'll fit most of the larger cup holders, but again if you have one of the smaller ones it might just be slightly too big. It has a silicone non-slip base, with the aim of ensuring it stays put, which is probably not a bad thing if you regularly take your reusable cup on train journeys.

SUNTQ Reusable Coffee Cups

Capacity: ‎ 380 ml (510ml version also available) Size: 6.8 cm at bottom, 9 cm at the top, 14 cm tall Weight: 290 g Car cup holder compatible? Fits in most cup holders Mug Material: Stainless steel Band Material: No band Lid Material: BPA free plastic  Dishwasher Safe?: Yes Microwave Safe?: No

Who is responsible for naming these cups?? How the chuff am I supposed to pronounce that, and who would put a Q at the end of a word? Anyway, ridiculous name aside, this is very similar to the equally daftly named CSI New York, sorry I mean the CS COSDDI cup above. These cups are almost identical in many ways, they both have a non-slip base, the lids look identical, and they're both available in the same two fairly non-standard sizes of 380ml and 510ml, the only difference I can see is that this one with a Q at the end has no band, and the side of this cup is slightly squared off. 

I'm including both of these so if one of them seems right for you, you have more choice if one is out of stock or if one of them is available at a lower price.

Neon Kactus – Hand-Blown Borosilicate Glass Reusable Coffee Cup

Capacity: ‎ 340 ml (available in 3 other sizes) Size: 6 cm at bottom, 9 cm at the top, 11.5 cm tall Weight: 220 g Car cup holder compatible? Fits in most cup holders Mug Material: Hand blown borosilicate glass Band Material: Food grade silicone Lid Material: Food grade silicone Dishwasher Safe?: Yes Microwave Safe?: Yes

Yay, a brand name I can pronounce, and to thank the guys at Neon Kactus for giving me something I can pronounce, I'm going to return the favour by not being pedantic about the spelling of Kactus, or the fact that apparently, their cups are 107% plastic free… ;-).

I think (hope) that's just a joke, but look, it's a cool looking mug, made from hand blown glass which is quite a cool thing, they're available in a wide range of colours and sizes, and I think if you're looking for a glass reusable coffee cup, this is a decent option for the price.

While they seem similar to the keep cups, they're different in a few ways. The glass type is different, as these are made from borosilicate glass, while glass keepcups are made from tempered soda lime glass.

Also, the “brew” glass keepcups are machine blown, not hand blown, while these are hand blown. In theory, I like the fact that this is a product made by people, hopefully, they've been made by people who're being paid a decent wage and working conditions. 

Iglu Reusable Coffee Cup

Capacity: ‎ 340 ml (available in 2 other sizes) Size: 5.8 cm at bottom, 9 cm at the top, 11.5 cm tall  Weight: 267 g Car cup holder compatible? No Mug Material: Stainless steel Band Material: No band Lid Material: BPA Free plastic Dishwasher Safe?: No Microwave Safe?: No

I've not seen a cup quite like this before, it's an unusual design which I think is quite cool, also it's quirky but not quite to the extreme of the Goat Story mugs above, so I wouldn't feel like I'm going scare a barista by asking them to fill this ;-).

It comes with a clear lid, and while the body of the cup is dual walled stainless steel so it'll do a relatively good job of keeping your coffee not, the single walled plastic lid will be where the heat loss occurs, and as I've said a few times, this isn't a bad thing if you want a reusable coffee cup for drinks that you plan on drinking almost straight away. 

The only slight concern I'd have is the lids, looking at the questions, the biggest question people are asking is how can they buy a replacement lid, which would beg the question why are so many people needing a replacement lid? It seems they're a bit snappy… Other than that though, this looks like a really nice reusable cup, and it's available in a wide range of colours too.

The shape of this cup and the clear plastic lid, and the dual walled stainless steel body would possibly make this a great little cup for using in the summer for your G&T, for keeping out the Wasps & flies. By the way, if you find a “Wappy” in your drink this summer, don't panic – the reason people get stung is they flap around like dingbats.

If I ever find a wasp in a drink, I fish it out with my fingers and let it dry off on my hand until it's ready to fly off. I've done this many times, and (touch wood) I've never once been stung. One even landed on my face for a second at a wedding a few years ago after I rescued it from a pint, I'm not 100% sure but I think it was giving me a kiss.

Nutella Hazelnut Chocolate Spread, 200g

Capacity: ‎ 200 ml (ish) Size: 7.5 x 9 cm Weight: 150g (once you've eaten all the Nutella!) Car cup holder compatible? Most car cup holders Mug Material: glass Band Material: No band Lid Material: Plastic Dishwasher Safe?:  Yes Microwave Safe?: Yes

I thought I'd finish this post off with a bang :-), you may be surprised by this – but in my humble opinion, Nutella jars are the very best reusable coffee cups, specifically for smaller drinks, including flat white, Cortado, espresso & lungo.

See my video on the best reusable coffee cups, Including the delicious jar of Nutella!

They're not sold as reusable coffee cups, obviously, but I've been using them as cups for years, and they're mega. They're among the cheapest, you can get them everywhere including Tesco , they should cost you under two quid which makes them the cheapest reusable coffee cup I've ever seen, and they come with 200g of chocolate spread!

They have a lid, and although there's no drinking hole, it does mean you can prevent sloshing coffee over your hands while you're walking around the home, office, or garden, and although they're not insulated and they don't have a band to protect your hands, they're fine for slightly cooler drinks such as flat white & cortado or small cappuccino, as long as you're not over steaming the milk, and they should be fine for small volume drinks such as espresso and lungo if you hold them closer to the top.

Find out how to steam milk with most espresso machines:

They're also good as glasses for (small) drinks when in the garden, thanks to the lids. Did I mention they come full of chocolate spread?? ;-).

For more info on coffee accessories see:

Looking for a wide range of home barista accessories, including tampers, milk jugs, knock out boxes, manual brewers, manual grinders, brew scales, and loads more?

Checkout my friends at Coffee Hit, one of the UK's most established suppliers of pro and home barista gear.

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Life is like a box of chocolates,  subscribe to my YouTube Channel , try my coffee at The Coffeeworks (use discount code  CWNC25 for 25% off your first order), follow me on  Twitter  &  Instagram , follow the  coffeeblog FaceBook page , and that’s all I have to say about that. 

15 thoughts on “ The Best Travel Mugs & Reusable Coffee Cups ”

What do you think of Huskee cups? I’ve been considering getting one of these. I am very sensitive to how a cup affects the flavour of my coffee, though!

Hi Rachel, I haven’t used the Huskee cups, but I will try and get my hands on some. Ta Kev

I’ve had many, expensive travel cups over the years and this one has been the best. I recently purchased a newer version with the button lock and this removed my only issue – my original cup had no lock, which caused the occasional unintentional release of pressure & heat when moving the cup around.

Great blog and thank you for sharing your reviews! It’s suprisingly challenging finding the right travel mug, but it is defintely worth searching around for. I really can’t do without my morning cup of coffee, and I love being able to take my home-brewed coffee with me on my journey in to work everyday.

Thanks for your comment Isabella 🙂

Good post – I do agree with the recommendation for Contigo West Loop. This mug easily retains good heat for 5 hours with no drips or spills. I’ve had many, expensive travel cups over the years and this one has been the best. I recently purchased a newer version with the button lock and this removed my only issue – my original cup had no lock, which caused the occasional unintentional release of pressure & heat when moving the cup around.

What is your conclusion for the best travel mugs? A run down of top 5 would be great.

One thing I wish you could test with mugs that you actually have your hands on… does an Aeropress fit in them?

I have been amazed at the coffee cups that I have bought over the years that are just (sometimes 2mm) too small to use with an Aeropress.

Hi Mark, That’s a great idea. Thanks for that Cheers Kev

Loved reading your reviews, was finding it hard to get a leak proof cup/flask. Thanks for all the insights, can’t get by without my coffee.

Thanks Veronica 🙂

Great blog and thank you for sharing your reviews! It’s suprisingly challenging finding the right travel mug, but it is defintely worth searching around for. I really can’t do without my morning cup of coffee, and I love being able to take my home-brewed coffee with me on my journey in to work everyday. I recently started using the Frank Green smart cup and love it. Hopefully we’ll be able to use the ‘smart’ chip component of the cup soon too!

Thanks Jane 🙂 I spoke to someone at Frank Green, and they told me they’re “working on global accessibility in the future”. It does look like a very good leak proof travel cup/mug.

Hmmm. Nice post! Right now I have a travel mug that resembles a camera lens but it’s not leak proof and it doesn’t keep coffee hot very long so I was considering getting another and may grab one in this list! Good insight!

– Tyler

Thanks Tyler 🙂 Yeah I’ve seen the camera lens ones, there are some cool looking travel mugs which are fine for at the desk etc., especially if you tend to finish your coffee while it’s still hot, but yes if you want a travel mug for on the go, multi tasking, which won’t leak everywhere and will keep your brew warm until you’ve got round to finishing it, one of these leak proof travel mugs would be a good option. Cheers.

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The Best Travel Mugs to Keep Drinks Hot or Cold

If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more . Please also consider subscribing to WIRED

Best Overall Miir Flip Traveler (16 Ounce) Read more

Runner-Up Hydro Flask Coffee Mug With Flex Sip Lid (16 Ounce) Read more

A Close Third Klean Kanteen TKWide Insulated Mug (16 Ounce) Read more

A Classy Paper Cup Replacement KeepCup Brew Cork (12 Ounce) Read more

If it isn't wine or whiskey, you shouldn't be drinking it at room temperature. Even river water on a warm day of hiking is refreshingly cooler than the ambient air temperature. Lukewarm coffee is a great way to get your whole day off to rough start, and nobody daydreams about relaxing by the pool with a tepid glass of 70-degree water by their side.

Lucky for you, everybody seems to be selling a vacuum-insulated bottle, mug, or tumbler these days. Most of them are perfectly capable, too. It's rare to run across one that's a total failure at its one job, but it's also rare to find one that truly stands out. Here are the best travel mugs that impressed us, and some of the rest.

Updated December 2023: We've moved the Yeti Rambler to honorable mentions, as well as added the KeepCup Thermal, Hydro Flask All Around Tumbler, and GSI Outdoors Glacier 15-Fluid-Ounce Camp Cup. We've also updated pricing and availability throughout.

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Best Overall

Miir makes one of my favorite stainless-steel water bottles , and its insulated travel tumbler doesn’t disappoint. It has a tough powder coating with a flip-top lid that is absolutely leak-proof. I couldn’t get one drop of liquid to escape, no matter what I did to this tumbler. It’s narrow enough to fit any cupholder or backpack bottle holder, and it feels tough enough to survive years of abuse.

Hydro Flask’s powder coating is one of the toughest I have come across on a beverage container. Whenever I can foresee some serious abuse happening to a coffee mug on a trip, I take a Hydro Flask. I’ve yet to dent or scratch one through routine carelessness. Without a cupholder in my car, my Hydro Flask lived on the floorboards, rolling and crashing around with every maneuver, and it still held up. The pebbled texture is grippy, so you won’t fumble it like a stick of hot butter if your hands get wet or greasy.

A Close Third

Narrow openings are fine for water, in my opinion, but for hot beverages, I like having a wider gap so I can take a big gulp. You’re less likely to burn your mouth on hot drinks when you can slurp, too. The TKWide’s Cafe Cap is like drinking from a regular to-go coffee cup, rather than a water bottle.

All the colors have matte powder-coated finishes, which are more scratch-resistant than the brand’s smooth powder-coated finishes. That said, I haven’t found them to be as tough as Hydro Flask’s powder coating, and the uncoated stainless-steel ring on the bottom of the mug is pretty easy to scuff up.

A Classy Paper Cup Replacement

The Brew Cork is greater than the sum of its parts. Its double-walled, insulated version is meant to replicate and replace paper coffee shop cups. It’s fun to drink out of. Many other tumblers’ lid openings are blocky or mash your nose, but the KeepCup is ergonomically on point. It’s not the best for road trips, nor the best for keeping a ton of coffee hot for hours, but I highly recommend the LongPlay if all you want is a reusable cup to cut down on single-use waste and keep your drink warm long enough for you to actually drink it. That said, the lid is a bit dribbly. While the interior and lip are glass—no metallic off-tastes here—the exterior shell below the rubber grip is plastic.

Julian Chokkattu

Eric Ravenscraft

Ryan Waniata

An Eco-Friendly Option

It doesn't fit a typical car’s cupholder, but if you like an insulated mug that resembles an actual cup more than a pack of Lifesavers standing on end, the Climate+ is for you. It has the solid build quality and tough powder-coated finish we’ve come to expect from Miir, in a package that has less of an impact on the environment. Miir says that the Climate+ uses no new plastic (the lid is 100 percent recycled and recyclable), and its insulation uses 25 percent less stainless steel than traditional insulated mugs. It’s also completely BPA-free.

Camp Classic

The blue enameled steel camp cup is a piece of Americana that hearkens back to black-and-red flannel shirts and war-surplus Army tents. Like all the tumblers on this list, it’s vacuum-insulated to keep hot drinks hot and cold ones cold. Its screw-on plastic lid, with a sliding lever for sipping, is leak-proof enough. If you leave it upside down for more than a few seconds or shake it, it’ll drip, but we couldn’t get it to leak by knocking it onto its side.

The handle is plastic to avoid conducting heat from hot contents, and the inner part of the handle is lined in cork. The Campy isn’t enameled—it’s just painted to look like it—but it pulls off the effect well.

For Coffee Purists

Instead of a tiny sippy hole, the Carter’s screw-on cap reveals a wide tumbler that lets you breathe in your coffee’s aromas as you drink. The opening is 69 millimeters wide, so you can use most manual coffee brewers, such as an AeroPress or Hario pour-over , directly on it. That’s too wide for many cars’ cupholders, but it’s plenty stable, and you won’t have to worry about tipping it over on a desk. My average-size hands had no issues, but some buyers with smaller hands might find it difficult or uncomfortable to hold.

The interior is ceramic-coated, so you don’t get any metallic flavors, and the thin metal lip is curved like a cabernet glass. Its textured matte exterior coating is tough and held up as well as the mighty Hydro Flask’s coating. It's been completely leak-proof too. You’ll have no concerns throwing it into your laptop bag completely full.

For Camping

When traveling, I want to pack light. Snow Peak’s gorgeous insulated titanium camp mug is less than 4 inches tall, weighs only 4.2 ounces, and has foldaway handles to make it even smaller. Its 450-ml capacity equates to slightly more than 15 fluid ounces. As someone who finds washing mugs to be an interminable hassle, this is the easiest one to travel with—just refill, rinse, and carabiner it to the outside of your bag. You can also buy a lid separately .

Tumblers and travel mugs are generally designed for you to pour your chosen beverage into, but what if you just want to slam a can in there? These kinds of insulated drink holders are particularly useful when I'm out and about, drinking a canned soda or beer, and there's no nearby recycling bin immediately nearby to toss the empty can into.

The Hydro Flask displaced the Yeti Rambler Colster because, yes, it's designed to keep an entire beverage can cool, but if you feel like pouring one out and drinking directly from the tumbler, you can do that too. Just remove the collar, and now you've got a handsome, stainless steel rim to sip from. The collar fits over the bottom of the can to stabilize it too, so you won't lose it. This is the 12-fluid-ounce version that fits a standard beer, soda, juice, or wine can. There's also a 16-fluid-ounce Tallboy Cooler Cup for $28 if you're feeling particularly thirsty.

Honorable Mentions

We run through so many travel mugs, and not all of them are winners. These are a few we like, just not as much as the ones above.

Contigo Luxe Autoseal for $36 : What makes the Contigo “automatic” is a button on the side of the lid that opens the sippin’ hole. There’s a lock to prevent the button from opening the hole too. With or without the lock activated, the Contigo never leaked a single drop. Of all the tumblers and bottles I’ve tested, this is the easiest to reach down and quickly use one-handed. You don’t want to mess with latches while you’re piloting a wheeled missile down the road. Some buyers have complained that the metal lid gets too hot, but I filled up the Luxe Autoseal with scorching, molten coffee, and the lid barely even got lukewarm, so consider that myth busted.

KeepCup Thermal for $33 : The answer to those who like the KeepCup LongPlay's ergonomic shape and paper-cup-imitating feel but long for a cup that can keep their coffee warmer for longer. The Thermal is, like most of the vessels in this guide, vacuum-insulated stainless steel that insulates against heat loss or, in the case of cold beverages, heat gain. It shares the Brew Cork's slightly dribbly lid, although it loses some of the novelty of the Brew Cork's glass.

Miir Camp Cup for $28: Miir's insulated coffee mug doesn't fumble any crucial details. It doesn't leak, it insulates hot and cold drinks just fine, and the coating is as tough as any Miir. But it's up against tough competition, and for the same money the Hydro Flask Mug is a bit nicer. The Miir lacks the stainless steel rim, and the transparent plastic lid feels a little cheaper.

Hydro Flask All Around Travel Tumbler for $35 : With its soft, pastel colors and chunky handle, the All Around Travel Tumbler seems to be crying out, “Hold me!” The rounded handle is comfortable to hold, which is important in an 18.4-ounce mug loaded with up to 32 fluid ounces of drink. Like most Hydro Flask products, it comes with the same bomb-proof powder coating that resists scratches and chips like a nuclear fallout shelter, with the addition of a straw poking through its lid. There's also a 40-fluid-ounce version for $40 .

GSI Outdoors Glacier 15-Fluid-Ounce Camp Cup for $20 : Not too easy to find at retailers, unless you count Backcountry's limited selection of two colors, this is an insulated version of GSI Outdoors' classic camp cups. It's awfully simple, particularly the incredibly basic lid, but it's more than a little endearing. There's a brushed stainless steel version and, my favorite, a "blue speckle" that imitates the classic enameled blue camp cups of past generations, although both of these colors are plain steel. Other colors come in a more durable-seeming pebbled coating.

Zojirushi Stainless Steel Mug for $29 : Zojirushi's classic 16-ounce travel mug is a favorite around these parts. The stainless-steel interior is BPA-free and has a wide-mouth opening to accommodate ice cubes. The lid locks to avoid accidental spillage, and I accidentally left hot tea in it for 18 hours and found it still hot when I cautiously opened it again. It’s also small enough to fit in my jacket pocket on chilly morning walks. It’s not my preferred mug for daily use, simply because the lid has three separate parts—a mouthpiece, a gasket, and a lid—that are deeply ridged and hard to clean. I also need a bottle brush to wash the interior.

Rambler Stackable Pint Glass for $22 : Never mind the fact that Yeti calls it a glass when there's no glass—this insulated cup holds 16 fluid ounces, which is the capacity of a typical tall drinking glass. The best aspect of these is that they stack, so you can keep a bunch in your pantry without taking up much room. It comes with Yeti's durable powder coating, too, making them among the toughest options out there.

Hydro Flask Mug for $28: This style of mug has become increasingly common. The Hydro Flask Mug merges a durable powder-coated, vacuum-insulated construction with the traditional, handle-sporting shape of a diner or camp mug. Hydro Flask does it better than most. The stainless steel rim makes it nicer to sip from than competitors' mugs, and it comes with Hydro Flask's usual drip-proof lid and bomber-tough powder coating that is nearly impossible to scratch. But it is more at home on a desk than at a campsite or in a car's cupholder, which it can't fit into.

Owala FreeSip for $28 : Drinking from the FreeSip while wearing a full-face motorcycle helmet (by tilting the helmet up slightly and sipping from under the chin bar) was surprisingly easy, thanks to the built-in straw on this mug. If you've got mobility or pain issues that make tilting your head a hassle, this mug is a solid performer. It's easy to grip too, with its flattened sides, which can come in handy for those with reduced hand dexterity.

OtterBox Elevation for $30 : At 8.5 inches tall, the Elevation 20 looks a lot bigger than it is. It has a copper lining to maintain your beverage’s perfect temperature, and the clear press-on lid has a locking mechanism. You can also switch it out for a straw lid or a French press lid if you’re in a hurry. It comes in a variety of stunning ombre hues.

Purist Mover for $48 : Ever empty a stainless-steel bottle of one beverage and fill it up with a different one, only to notice that the taste of the first drink lingers? The Purist has applied a thin layer of glass over the interior of the Mover, which keeps this taste transfer from happening. You can down a mug full of coffee and then fill it with herbal tea without risking a coffee aftertaste. I didn’t experience leaks from the Element top, but a high number of customers have reported their Purist lids leaking over time. I’ll keep using the Purist and update this page with information on how it performs over the course of the year.

S'well Traveler Tumbler for $30 : S’well boasts that its tumblers are triple-walled, but we’re not convinced that has much real-world benefit over a normal double-walled tumbler. What really sets the S’well apart are its designs. There are 12 finishes, from plain colors and bare stainless steel to elaborate patterns, such as blue marble and faux wood, and a slide-open lid so you don’t have to pop it off every time you want a swig of coffee.

Stanley Classic Vacuum Pint for $26 : Stanley’s vacuum pint includes a press-on lid with a deeply pebbled exterior that’s reminiscent of classic flasks, and also hard hats and construction sites. Although it’s billed as a 16-ounce pint, Stanley has added a few extra ounces to accommodate foam (or splashing hot coffee), and the lid comes with a slide-in metal bottle opener if you like to go immediately from work to happy hour.

Avoid These Travel Mugs

We’ve tested a great many tumblers, and not all are winners. These aren't anywhere near as good as our picks above.

Greens Steel Beast 20-Ounce Insulated Tumbler : Greens Steel’s Beast tumbler has nearly 14,000 positive reviews on Amazon and is, at least for me, one of the top hits when I search Amazon for an insulated tumbler. But the rubber seal around the lid is thin and easily comes out of place. I was ready to write the Beast off when it was leaking like a sieve, but after I adjusted the seal, it was reasonably leak-proof. Sometimes it dribbles, sometimes it doesn’t, depending on whether the seal stays put when you’re attaching the lid. The exterior color coating is not as durable as the Klean, Hydro Flask, Yeti, or Fellow. It did come with a regular metal straw, a thick metal milkshake straw, and a cleaner brush.

Stanley Adventure Vacuum Quencher : It's not that it's a bad tumbler, but rather that I don't see the point. Yes, it has the typical Stanley bombproof powder coating and build, and it does a fine job of keeping hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold, but the chief feature is just … a straw. It pokes out of a hole in the lid without sealing to the opening's sides, so it's not spill-proof if you're using the straw, even though there's a lid on it. You can close the lid, but you have to remove the straw and put it somewhere. It doesn't flip down conveniently or anything. “Insulated tumbler with a reusable straw thrown in” seems like an afterthought of a product.

Snow Peak Kanpai 500-ml Bottle : Unlike most of Snow Peak’s line of camping and backpacking gear, the Kanpai is stainless steel, not titanium, and it’s not made in Japan. It’s a double-walled, insulated stainless-steel tumbler with a glossy finish, and it comes with three lids, for some unnecessary reason. There’s a white screw-on lid that needs to be removed every time you want a drink, and a black version of the same lid. The third lid—one with a sipping hole that can be closed with a sliding latch—leaks if the Kanpai tips over. It took damage in a mere 3-foot drop when it was empty, landing on its rim, which flattened. A steel bottle, especially one with no liquid in it, should be able to survive that without battle scars.

Toaks Titanium Double Wall 450ML Cup for $40: More often than not, I champion Chinese-made Toaks gear as an affordable source of titanium camp cookware compared to Japanese-made Snow Peak and Evernew and Thai-made MSR, which tend to be more expensive. But this mug is only $10 less than the Snow Peak mug we recommend above, and it's finishing is rougher.

Adrienne So

Medea Giordano

Scott Gilbertson

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The Best Leak-Proof Travel Mugs for Taking Hot (and Cold) Drinks on the Go

By Kristi Kellogg and Meaghan Kenny

Whether you're embarking on your morning commute or headed on an East Coast road trip , you should have one of the best travel mugs in hand. Finding one you like means you can skip the routine stop at the coffee shop (or at least say no to the disposable cup), cut back on single-use plastics, and keep your drinks at an ideal temperature (with some, for hours and hours at a time). Ahead, we've rounded up Condé Nast Traveler editors' personal favorites—from brands like Hydro Flask, Yeti, Corksicle, Stanley, and more. With insulated, leak-proof, and easy-to-carry options in the mix, there's a mug in here ready for a spot in your cup holder or tote bag .

This gallery has been updated with new information since its original publish date.

All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Hydro Flask All Around Tumbler

The 20-ounce version of Hydro Flask’s All Around Tumbler has been my go-to lately, both at home and on the commute to work. It keeps coffee warm for a few hours, so if I’m sipping slowly I don’t have to bother with reheating it, and does its job in keeping iced coffee cool, too. It has the type of lid that you can push back and forth to open or close, and the opening is wide enough to easily fit a reusable straw. I don’t drive, but the mug's size seems very cupholder-friendly, too! — Madison Flager, senior commerce editor

Stanley Classic Trigger Action travel mug

Stanley makes the best classic mugs (the company has been around since 1913 after all). The brand is known for its iconic insulated steel thermoses, which promise hours-long insulation for hot drinks and durability for wherever you’re taking your beverage— hiking , camping , thrown in the back of your car on a road trip , you name it. The original green color has a delightfully retro vibe as well. — Megan Spurrell, senior editor

Stojo collapsible travel cup, 16-ounce

The main reason I adore my collapsible Stojo cup is its clever design that makes it incredibly easy to carry around. I’m not kidding when I say that when folded down, my 16-ounce cup turns into a disc that fits into my jacket pocket. It’s also light enough to drop into a travel backpack or a sling bag when you go hiking. I use mine for everything from coffees and smoothies, and when dry, for snacks and berries. Don’t expect an insulated mug with this one: It keeps a beverage warm (or cool) for long enough for you to drink it, but isn’t a double-walled metal cup. However, it has helped me cut down on a ton of waste when traveling, and might I add is cute-looking, too. — Arati Menon, global digital director

Read a full review of the Stojo cup.

Stanley Aerolight Transit bottle

The AeroLight Transit bottle has become my new favorite mug to use on my morning commute to work. My tea is still piping hot even after my hour-long train ride. I keep it in my tote bag—along with my laptop and phone—and it never leaks. I've flipped this one completely upside down and nothing spills out, making it a reliable option to travel with. It's one-third lighter than Stanley's typical stainless steel, so it doesn't feel heavy in my bag either. I also appreciate how slim the bottle is—it's so easy to carry around. — Meaghan Kenny, associate commerce editor

Jessica Puckett

Hannah Towey

Karthika Gupta

Yeti Rambler stackable mug

When I'm traveling, the most essential ritual I preserve is my morning coffee. While I love nearly all of the Yeti drinkware options, this mug is perfect for coffee—both for its manageable 10-ounce size, as well as the side handle, which makes this especially easy when I'm on a road trip or a train. (This mug has come with me on camping trips in the Shenandoah Valley and Delaware Water Gap, on a road trip through the Appalachian Highlands, and a long drive between D.C. and New York City .) A fair word of warning though: The airtight lid and insulation work almost too well—coffee stays hot a long time, so I recommend you get it close to your ideal temperature before pouring it in. —Corina Quinn, former city guides director

Snow Peak Milk bottle

This is one of those gifts I have become deeply attached to—it was given to me about a year ago, when I was getting really into camping and the chic outdoor brand Snow Peak, and it’s since become a staple in my house. It has a beautifully minimalist design, is small enough to feel really portable (as in, it’s not a pain to have to tote home once it’s empty), and it never leaks. It’s no bargain, but given how much I use and love it, I think the math sort of works out in the end. — M.S .

Zojirushi stainless steel mug

“This mug is my favorite one ever because the lid has a lock feature that makes it completely leak-free. I can throw this in a travel tote and not worry about coffee dribbling all over. Plus the stainless steel interior keeps coffee extra hot for hours, but it doesn't burn your hands. In addition to my commute on the subway, I've taken this little wonder on train rides to upstate New York , and I've never spilled a drop.” —Jessica Puckett, senior editor, transportation and travel news

Hydro Flask 20 oz Coffee with Flex Sip Lid

Another option from Hydro Flask worth noting is the 20-ounce bottle with a Flex Slip lid. It's large enough that I can bring plenty of iced coffee with me on the go, but it's still cupholder-friendly—very important for road trips. The double-wall vaccum insulation keeps cold drinks cold for up to 24 hours and hot drinks hot for up to 12. The carry-handle makes it easy to hold on long walks and the leak-proof lid is easy to open and close. I love the color options, especially this new purple shade. —M.K.

Martina Thornhill Okay cup

It’s not hyperbole to state that I’ve tried the lion’s share of travel mugs on the market. I drink a ton of coffee and I travel and drive a lot. I hate the way metal mugs make coffee taste—it’s so much better out of a ceramic mug. The Okay Cup from Portland, Oregon –based ceramicist Marina Thornhill is gorgeous, doesn’t leak, and doesn’t make your coffee taste like mud. It’s pricey, but a better long-term deal than always dumping the coffee you put in another mug and don’t actually drink. It’s constantly selling out, so put your name on the pre-order list—it’s worth the wait. —Rebecca Misner, senior features editor

Kinto travel tumbler

If you’re a tea drinker like me or like your travel mugs to keep your hot drinks piping hot, be warned: this insulated mug gets me every time, keeping my teas at steaming, roof-of-mouth-burning temperatures for what feels like an impossibly long time. (And that’s a good thing in my book.) I prefer the matte exterior over the stainless steel for its added grip. I use it to commute with my tea (it doesn’t leak!) and on extra-long winter walks because I know it’ll stay warm the entire time. —Meredith Carey, former travel bookings editor

Yeti Rambler lowball

This mug is a thing in my house. My partner received one as a Christmas gift , only to find it missing every morning—truth be told, after I stole it once to use for hot coffee on my morning subway commute, I couldn’t go back to any other thermos. I personally love that this mug doesn’t have a handle, because it’s so insulated it never burns my hands, yet the coffee inside stays piping hot, and its shape is nice and easy to hold. When I’m done enjoying my hot drink on the go, it takes the least space possible in my bag , where it usually clangs around for the rest of the day until I make my way home (or back to wherever I’m staying). —M.S.

Corkcicle classic tumbler

This Corkcicle tumbler keeps my coffee hot on my subway commute, and is secure enough to sneak a couple of sips while standing on a crowded, moving train. There’s also something joyful about pouring my freshly brewed coffee into a pink vessel—how could I not be cheerful toting this cute mug around the office? Most often this mug has been my subway companion, though I have used it for road trips and early morning flights that require a caffeine boost before boarding. —Katie Henwood, former senior SEO manager

Miir Climate+ Tumbler

Lately when I want a compact option that won't take up much space in my backpack or tote after it's empty, I've been reaching for this sleek stainless steel tumbler from Miir. It's shatter proof, so I don't worry about dropping it or getting any dents. For an extra charge, you can even personalize it, making it a great gift for any traveler in your life. —M.K.

Hydro Flask stainless steel travel mug

This Hydro Flask mug checks all the boxes: It's BPA-free and dishwasher-safe, has a leak-proof lid, carrying handle, and no-sweat matte finish, and comes with a lifetime warranty. You can use it as a thermos, a water bottle , or a coffee cup. Hydro Flask also has matching slings that let you carry your travel tumbler hands-free, helpful when biking, hiking, or just dashing through the airport. — Kristi Kellogg, contributor

OtterBox Elevation wine tumbler

Technically this is a wine tumbler, but more often, I use it for iced coffee. It keeps my caffeine cold, fits the extra-large ice cube I put into the bottom, and doesn’t leave rings on tables when I set it down. Plus, like all things OtterBox, it’s sturdy—I don’t have to worry about dinging or denting it when I inevitably drop or knock it over. Its smaller size means it’s also carry-on and backpack friendly. —M.F.

Hay Sowden travel cup

I don’t think there’s a chicer travel mug than this colorful one from Hay, which comes in pink, green, or gray, all with contrasting, two-toned lids. It puts all other thermoses to shame when it comes to design—but it’s also totally functional, with an insulated stainless steel exterior that keeps drinks hot for up to 12 hours and cold for an impressive 24 hours. —M.C.

W&P Porter mug

This mug hits all the right marks: The silicone sleeve makes it easy to grip and quiet when placed down on a surface; the mouthpiece on the lid is easy to slide open and close; and it’s safe to put in the dishwasher and microwave. Plus, it just looks nicer than the rest of my logo-clad travel mugs. Most often I use it to sip coffee on my morning commute, but I have also brought it on longer train rides to D.C. and on flights as a vessel for oatmeal. —M.F.

Simple Modern travel coffee mug

One of my favorite reusable water bottles is from Simple Modern, so I had high hopes for its travel mug and it certainly did not disappoint. This stainless steel mug keeps my hot beverages hot for four hours and my iced coffee cold for up to 16 hours, so it's great for day trips and using at the office. It's dishwasher safe and the handle makes sipping on the go easy. The under $20 price tag is nice, too. —M.K.

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• What to Buy
• Glassware & Drinkware

The Best Travel Mugs for Hot or Cold Sips on the Go

Easier on your wallet and the environment

The Spruce Eats / Derek Rose

Whether you drink coffee, iced tea , or water, a travel mug is a handy accessory that keeps you caffeinated or hydrated on the go. Owning a travel mug can also save money (no more need to stop at a coffee shop) and cut down on paper and plastic waste. Some people have a few different travel mugs for various occasions, like an extra-durable one for hiking and a cupholder-friendly option for driving to work. No matter where you're headed, we have a travel mug for you below, all of which we've tested ourselves and can recommend firsthand.

• How We Tested Travel Mugs

To help you make an informed buying decision, we tested more than a dozen of the most popular travel mugs on the market today. Every travel mug was tested for a minimum of one week, and some of them have been used by our staff members for several years. To review the travel mugs, our writers evaluated key areas, including size, design, insulation, and value, and then provided additional insights about what we liked and disliked about each mug.

We Observed:

• How easy the mugs were to clean: We made notes about how rigorous the cleaning process was for each travel mug. Some mugs were dishwasher-safe or only had a couple of parts to clean; others had multiple parts or lids so small that they were difficult to clean by hand.
• How durable the mugs were: Our testers gauged the durability of each mug by traveling with them and putting them in bags if they were leakproof. Some testers have owned mugs on this list for numerous years and, as a result, gave long-term durability insights.
• If any liquids leaked from the mugs: If a mug was labeled as leakproof, our testers shook it upside down over the sink to see if the claims were accurate.
• Design: Our testers rated each travel mug's design on a one-to-five scale. Factors that led to higher design scores included functionality, durability, and a stylish aesthetic.
• Insulation: After using a thermometer and stopwatch to measure drink temperature, we graded each mug on its degree of insulation.
• Value: Finally, we compared the performance of every travel mug to its retail price. Items that lived up to or outperformed their price received higher value-for-money ratings.

The Spruce Eats / Suzie Dundas

• What to Look For

Types of Travel Mugs

About our testers, why trust the spruce eats, best overall, contigo west loop vacuum insulated travel mug.

• Effectiveness 5 /5
• Functionality 5 /5

Effective autolock and anti-spill lid

Can be locked and unlocked with one hand

Keeps drinks hot/cold for hours

A little wide for smaller hands

Plastic lid seems prone to breakage

If you’re looking for a solid, leak-proof travel mug that will keep your coffee hot for up to seven hours, look no further. The Contigo mug is my number one pick for many reasons, the first of which is the “Autoseal” lid. Unlike other travel mugs that have a sliding lid, which is prone to leaks, the Contigo lid has a push button that opens the vacuum seal when you’re ready to drink and closes again when you release the button. (This means you can also use it with one hand.) I was able to carry it around in a bag all day without any leakage. Just keep in mind that this means the lid isn’t interchangeable with any of your other travel mugs.

In addition to hot drinks like coffee or tea , this vacuum-insulated stainless steel mug will keep drinks cold for up to 18 hours depending on whether you buy the 12- or 20-ounce version. You can also choose between seven different colors, so everyone in the family can keep their mug straight.

One of the few drawbacks is that the mug is fairly difficult to clean. If you’re washing the Contigo by hand, be prepared for a bit of an inconvenience as it comes with very specific washing instructions. The lid is dishwasher-safe, but the bottle itself is hand wash only.

Material: Stainless steel | Capacity: 10, 16, 20, or 24 ounces | Dimensions: 3 x 9 inches (20-ounce model)

The Spruce Eats / Tamara Staples

The Spruce Eats / Suzie Dundas 

Stanley Classic Travel Mug

• Design 4 /5
• Insulation 3 /5

Highly durable

Great for commuters

Lid is hard to clean

Faint plastic smell first few uses

Stanley is a century-old name known for its array of durable mugs, thermoses, and more. In fact, the company patented all-steel vacuum flasks in 1913. That top-grade technology is bottled into the sleek and simple design of the Classic Trigger-Action Travel Mug today. You can purchase the item in three sizes—12, 16, and 20 ounces—as well as five different colors.

We tested the 16-ounce model firsthand and confirmed that it lives up to the brand's claims about temperature retention. Hot coffee stayed warm and drinkable for seven hours, cold coffee lasted 10 hours without ice, and ice water remained refreshing for more than 30 hours. With that in mind, temperature retention varies slightly depending on the size of the mug you buy.

We were pleasantly surprised that the trigger-action lid is completely leakproof. No water escaped even after we shook it upside down over the sink. It's rare to find a mug with a lid as convenient as this one that is also safe to throw in a bag or backpack. It's excellent for hiking, and because it fits in cupholders, it's viable for commuters, too.

We've also used this mug frequently over four years and it shows no signs of slowing down. The item is backed by Stanley's lifetime guarantee. The company claims the bottle can withstand everything from a 4,000-foot drop to a windchill of -70 degrees Fahrenheit. The best part? This lifelong companion is affordably priced, making it one of the top value-for-money options on the market.

Material: Stainless steel | Capacity: 12, 16, or 20 ounces | Dimensions: 2.9 x 8.9 inches (16-ounce model)

Best for Hot or Cold

Zojirushi stainless steel mug.

• Design 5 /5
• Insulation 5 /5

Easy-to-hold design

Fits in most cupholders

Excellent heat retention

Locking mechanism prevents leaks

Hand wash only, many pieces to clean

While most of the mugs on our list work well for hot or cold beverages, they are generally better at one or the other—but that’s not the case with this mug from Zojirushi. It retains drink temperature for at least six hours, no matter if you take your coffee hot or iced. Our experience with the mug was even better than the company advertises: Coffee was warm enough to drink nearly 12 hours after brewing.

Available in 12 and 16 ounces, the Zojirushi mug also wins points for design and easy drinking. The flip-top cap not only stops the mug from leaking, it also keeps the drinking spout protected and clean. The cap includes a lock to keep it from coming undone in your bag, as well.

Cleaning this model is a bit harder than some of the others (a specially designed bottle-cleaning brush is recommended). Several different pieces need to be cleaned thoroughly to avoid staining and mildew buildup. The plastic sipping piece and rubber gasket on the lid can be popped out easily and cleaned separately, though.

Material: Stainless steel | Capacity: 12 or 16 ounces | Dimensions: 2.625 x 2.875 x 9.125 inches (16-ounce model)

Best High-Tech

Ember travel mug 2.

Touchscreen display 

Battery lasts up to three hours

360-degree leak-proof lid

Only 12-ounce capacity

Just like many other travel mugs, the sleek Ember Travel Mug² will keep your drink hot throughout your morning commute, but it stands out by using smart technology and a high-tech design. This second iteration of the Ember Travel Mug is lighter and more streamlined than its predecessor, mainly because instead of a manual dial, it features a touch-sensitive control panel.

The mug is "smart" because you can use the panel to control and set its temperature or link the mug to the Ember app via your smartphone. The app essentially serves as a temperature gauge for the mug, notifying you when the set temperature has been reached. This is a nice feature because it eliminates the possibility of burning your mouth.

The Ember Travel Mug²'s best design feature is the lid: It only needs a push to open, is leak-proof, and lets you sip from any side of the mug. Furthermore, the mug's design is ergonomic. It's wider at the top than the bottom and is coated with a matte finish, making it easy to grip and comfortable to hold. We wish it held more—12 ounces isn't a lot for many coffee drinkers—and we don't love the high price point, but you are getting a high-tech product so the cost makes sense.

Material: Stainless steel | Capacity: 12 ounces | Dimensions: 3.14 x 7.9 inches

The Spruce Eats / Russell Kilgore

Best Budget

Copco acadia travel mug.

 Amazon

Safe in both microwave and dishwasher

Colorful grip

Fits in cupholders

Can stack inside each other

Prone to staining

Hole in lid can't be closed

This 16-ounce travel mug works for both hot coffee, iced coffee, and cold brew , and it comes at a budget price. It's designed with a double-wall construction to keep drinks at their temperature longer than a non-insulated cup; however, it’s not made for all-day temperature regulation like some stainless steel mugs. We found hot coffee to be lukewarm just two hours after brewing. The good news is that the mug is microwave-safe, so you can easily reheat drinks should they cool off.

Another advantage of this mug is how easy it is to clean. It's dishwasher-safe, and the lid opening is large enough to clean the inside by hand should you choose to do so. The lid doesn't have a cover, however, so you can’t toss the mug in your bag. Another downside is that the interior is prone to staining. We have owned the mug for nearly four years and it still works like new, but the coffee stains set in after roughly a year.

The cup portion is white, but you can choose from a variety of colored bands, so you always know which one is yours. The bands also serve as coffee collars to protect your hands from scorching temperatures while adding extra grip. There's nothing fancy to this mug, but it's dependable.

Material: BPA-free plastic | Capacity: 16 ounces | Dimensions: 3.66 x 6.78 inches

Best With Straw

Bubba envy insulated tumbler.

• Design 3.5 /5
• Insulation 4.5 /5

No sweating

Lid seals tightly

Fits in car cupholders

Keeps drinks cold or hot

Can't close hole on lid

Hand wash only

Prefer iced coffee ? Then a travel mug that has a straw might suit your palette more. This model fits in most cup holders and can keep your drink cold for up to 12 hours. You can use the removable plastic straw with the Tritan lid or not, depending on your preference. The one design flaw, however, is that there is no way to completely seal the lid since the hole doesn't include a cover or flap.

The cup is made of stainless steel, so it will repel stains and odors, meaning your lemonade won't taste like yesterday's coffee. The mug even has a lifetime guarantee, so you know it will last. If you’re looking for a durable travel mug that’s designed to hold both hot and cold beverages, the 24-ounce Bubba Envy Insulated Stainless Steel Tumbler is a solid option at a price you can afford. While the mug is large and doesn't have a handle, it's surprisingly easy to hold because of indents that circle the cup.

Material: Stainless steel | Capacity: 18, 24, or 32 ounces | Dimensions: 3.62 x 3.93 x 10.54 inches (24-ounce model)

The Spruce Eats / Rebekah Joan

 The Spruce Eats / Rebekah Joan

Best Handled

Thermos stainless king travel mug.

Comfortable to hold

Doesn’t fit in all car cup holders

Thanks to the vacuum insulation of most travel mugs, a handle is no longer really a necessity to keep your hand dry from condensation or to prevent it from getting burned, but if you prefer to drink from a handled mug, this version from Thermos is the right pick for you.

Available in five different colors, this 16-ounce mug will keep beverages hot for up to five hours or cold for up to nine hours thanks to the double-wall stainless steel construction. The lid has a “DrinkLock” seal, which opens when you press the lever to the left or right. During testing, there were no spills and coffee stayed hot for longer (even on chilly days). The one drawback (if you even consider it one) is that this mug must be washed by hand.

Tea drinkers will also want to consider this mug since it has a built-in tea hook that accommodates most tea infusers and makes it easy to remove them from the mug. It comes with a five-year limited warranty in case there is an issue.

Material: Stainless steel | Capacity: 16 ounces | Dimensions: 3.3 x 4.9 x 7.8 inches

The Spruce Eats / Rebekah Joan

Best Design

S'well traveler mug.

Multiple sizes and many colors

Great temperature retention

Price varies, can be expensive

Lid isn't ideal for commuting

The S’well Stainless Steel Traveler Mug is inarguably one of the best-designed travel mugs on the market today. Thanks to S’well’s high-end, triple-wall technology, you can rest assured that your drinks will maintain their ideal temperature for hours on end. It performed exceedingly well when we tested it. Coffee stayed hot for 12 hours and, after adding refrigerated coffee without ice, it was still cold 30 hours later.

This mug topped others in the design category because it is cupholder-friendly and available in 17 different color options as well as three sizes: 12, 16, and 20 ounces. The Traveler is completely leakproof and can be trusted in your bag or backpack. Just keep in mind that the lid can't be unscrewed with one hand, so you'll need both hands free if sipping on the go. Also, it's not dishwasher-safe, so to clean it, you can either put a drop of dish soap in and rinse with hot water or use a long bottle brush.

Material: Stainless steel | Capacity: 12, 16, or 20 ounces | Dimensions: 3.3 x 9.3 inches

Best for Easy Cleaning

Yeti rambler 20 oz tumbler.

• Size 4.5 /5
• Design 4.5 /5

Dishwasher safe

Magnetic lid slides easily

Multiple color options

Not leakproof

The Yeti Rambler comes in three sizes: 10, 20, and 30 ounces. Some travel mugs are too small for a hand to fit inside or have multiple parts to clean. That's not the case with the Rambler. We appreciate that we can reach every nook and cranny of the mug with a sponge. The Rambler is also dishwasher safe when you're not in the mood to wash it by hand.

We've used the mug for more than two years and it's still going strong. We take it in the car a lot because it fits in cupholders and can be sipped with one hand. There's a toggle on the lid, which Yeti calls a Magslider, that's effortless to open with your thumb. One of the only downsides is that the lid isn't leakproof, so we don't throw it in our hiking backpack or messenger bag.

Like most Yeti products, the Rambler effectively keeps drinks hot for around 10 hours or cold for close to 20. It's also sold in more than 10 colors from neutrals to vibrant hues, so you can find one that suits your style.

Material: Stainless steel | Capacity: 10, 20, or 30 ounces | Dimensions: 3.5 x 6.6 inches

Best Large Capacity

Bubba classic insulated desk mug.

Budget price

Lightweight despite size

Too big for cupholders

Lid has a hole you can't close

This 52-ounce mug is what you'll want to take to the pool, beach, or camping since it holds enough water for several hours. It’s also great for office workers who don’t want to keep running to the water cooler to refill smaller bottles. Of course, the drawback with a mug of this size is that it won’t fit in your cupholder, so this pick is better for non-drive time.

For those who intend to drink hot beverages out of this mug, it doesn't quite have the heat retention that the brand claims. When filled more than halfway full with hot coffee, it was lukewarm less than three hours later. The mug did perform better when tested with cold drinks, however. With refrigerated coffee poured into the mug without ice (as the amount of ice may vary for customers), the coffee was still cold 12 hours later. Another testing observation to note is that the lid opening seemed a little wide, and it was easy to spill when drinking.

As an added bonus, the Bubba 52-Ounce Desk Mug is incredibly durable and can handle being dropped or tossed around in the trunk of your car. The wide, comfort-grip handle feels very sturdy, too.

Material: Stainless steel | Capacity: 34 or 52 ounces | Dimensions: 7 x 10 inches

We highly recommend the Contigo Autoseal West Loop because its sleek, durable, and easy to sip on the go thanks to its button-activated lid. As an alternative, the Stanley Classic Trigger-Action Travel Mug is similar in price and quality, and it performed well in our testing process. You can't go wrong with either one.

Other Options We Tested

• Yeti Rambler Mug : Yeti makes a number of reliable travel mugs—not to mention the brand's beloved coolers—but the Rambler mug has too many shortcomings for us to recommend it, starting with its poor insulative properties. The hot coffee we brewed lost temperature rapidly in the mug and, because it's made with stainless steel, it couldn't be reheated in the microwave. Additionally, the lid is not leakproof, which is a feature that's easy to find in a number of other travel mugs out there.
• Ello Campy Travel Mug : The Ello Campy Mug is a stylish, large-capacity option that many customers may enjoy, especially those into the outdoors. While it doesn't have any major defects, it didn't quite make the cut for this list. We found that the paint can chip easily and that it's tricky to clean. On top of that, it's too large to fit in many car cupholders.

What to Look for in a Travel Mug

It doesn’t matter if you’re drinking coffee , tea, or water—every sip from your travel mug should be smooth and easy. That’s why it’s important to figure out the lid style that best suits you. Some of the top options include flip lids, thumb-sliding lids, push-button lids, twist lids, and straw lids. Each one has its own advantages and disadvantages. Customers who prioritize durability or preventing spills, for instance, should choose a more secure style, like a twist lid. Others who want to seamlessly drink from their mug while on the move may prefer a lid that can be opened with one hand. Luckily, lid style does not affect price, so every option should be on the table when you start looking for a travel mug. Many brands also sell lids individually so that users can have multiple options at their disposal.

Temperature Retention

All too often we take a sip of coffee and find it’s gone lukewarm. A reliable travel mug can thwart that dreaded, flavorless middle zone and keep your coffee at the ideal temperature for hours, no matter if it’s hot or iced. Vacuum-insulated mugs, which are typically made from stainless steel, offer the best performance when it comes to temperature retention, while plastic and silicone are the least effective materials. When buying, think about the type of coffee you drink most often (hot or iced) as some mugs are better designed for one or the other.

The length of time that a mug keeps drinks hot or cold is often listed in its product details, but keep in mind that this figure is often based on the item being preheated or precooled before use. We also asked Graham Nearn of the Stanley brand what temperature range the company defines as "hot" and "cold." He told us that when Stanley says a drink stays hot for a certain amount of time, the liquid must be between 140 to 203 degrees; for a drink to be considered cold, it has to fall between 39 and 50 degrees.

Travel coffee mugs come in a variety of sizes. The average capacity is around 16 ounces, though the range extends far on either side of that. Some are no bigger than a regular at-home coffee mug; others are large enough to keep you caffeinated the entire day. Brands often manufacture the same mug in multiple sizes, so if a specific one catches your eye, you can likely find it in a size you love. Customers interested in larger mugs should see if it is microwave-safe or able to retain heat well; otherwise, they may be sipping a lot of cold coffee. Finally, for those who plan on taking their mug in the car, check out customer reviews or product details to ascertain if a mug can fit in your cupholders.

While most travel mugs are made from stainless steel, options are far from limited when it comes to material. Other possibilities include plastic, glass, silicone, ceramic, and bamboo. This choice naturally affects a mug’s aesthetic, as well as larger factors like price, durability, how the item is cleaned, how long it retains heat, and whether condensation appears on the outside. What factors are most important to you? If you want a budget-priced mug that can go in the microwave, plastic is likely the best material for you. If durability and heat retention are higher priorities, you may want to stick with the stainless steel route. Also keep in mind the downsides that certain materials have. Plastic mugs, for instance, can stain and retain coffee odors, while some stainless steel mugs may unfavorably alter the flavor of your coffee.

If you sift through a list of travel mugs, you will likely come across the phrase "18/8 stainless steel." This denotes a type of stainless steel made from 18 percent chromium and 8 percent nickel.  Graham Nearn  of the Stanley brand says 18/8 stainless steel is often used for drinkware because it's "food-grade, durable, and resistant to corrosion."

Leak-Proof vs. Spill-Proof

Whether walking to class, embarking on a long hike, or heading out for the daily commute, it’s easier to transport a mug if it can be kept inside a bag; that’s where leak-proof travel mugs come in handy. They prevent even the slightest drop from escaping into your bag, no matter what. Make sure to read customer reviews beforehand, however, as some items advertised as leak-proof may not actually be up to the task. There is also a difference between leak-proof and spill-proof. Mugs labeled as spill-proof only prevent major spills from occurring; they are not safe to store in bags since they can still leak.

Taking a travel mug’s design into consideration involves two different paths. First, you can think about the item’s shape or silhouette. Do you want a mug with a handle? Or one thin enough to slide into a bag or backpack? Second, design also involves the many colors and patterns found on the outside of a mug. There is an array of options, from fun and playful to chic and striking, that can convey your personality with every sip.

Not only are most travel mugs affordable, but they also help customers save money by cutting down on daily trips to the coffee shop. The only type likely to break the bank are electric travel mugs. Other than that, budget picks are widely available both in-store and online. Some mugs cost as little as a bag of coffee beans. Size does generally impact price, however, as larger mugs tend to cost more than smaller ones, even if they are the same model. Expect plastic mugs to be the cheapest option, while glass, stainless steel, and ceramic are all slightly more expensive. 

When picturing a travel coffee mug, most envision a tall, tapered item similar to a reusable water bottle, but there are actually many options designed to look exactly like the mugs we use every day at home. Items in this category provide the feel and comfort of a regular coffee mug but with added heat retention and the luxury to take your joe on the go. Because they are smaller in capacity than most travel mugs (usually around 12 ounces), they are also slightly more affordable. Unfortunately, coffee-mug-style travel mugs aren’t leak-proof and don’t fit in cupholders because of their handles.

Portable Coffee Maker

Truly defining on-the-go coffee, there is a category for travel mugs that additionally function as portable brewing devices. They allow users to make coffee and drink it all from the same bottle. This is certainly a less common variety, but it’s still worth consideration, especially for frequent travelers and campers. The majority of portable coffee makers work like French presses. Aptly named “travel presses,” they immerse coffee grounds in water and then push them to the bottom of the mug via a built-in plunger. The second most common type of portable coffee maker utilizes a pour-over brewing method instead.

Well known for their smooth exterior, tumblers are the most popular subcategory of travel mugs. They never have a handle and the body usually tapers to a narrow base, both of which make them cupholder friendly. Tumblers can be used for both hot and cold beverages, but they are especially popular for iced coffee. Many have straw lids for easy sipping. Customers may be familiar with tumblers in other types of drinkware, as they are also used for cocktails, iced tea, lemonade, and general home use.

What is a vacuum-insulated mug?

The phrase “vacuum-insulated” pops up all over the place when searching for travel mugs. It’s also commonly used with another phrase: "double-walled." Both labels denote that a travel mug is built with two different layers, an inner wall and outer wall, and that the space between the layers is partially evacuated of air, creating a vacuum. This design allows drinks to retain their temperature for a longer period of time because they are less exposed to the outside air.

Can I make my travel mug retain temperature longer?

We all want the most out of our products, and this one small tip goes a long way: preheat or pre-cool your travel mug before use. Taking a few extra minutes to let hot or cold water sit in your mug will prime the material for better temperature retention. You can pour hot water from the tap or even boil it for an added boost of heat, all while your coffee is brewing.

How do I clean my travel mug?

Before cleaning, consult the product details or instruction guide to see if the item is dishwasher-safe. This is a common benefit of glass and plastic travel mugs but not stainless steel. If your mug isn’t dishwasher-safe, don’t worry. Cleaning is still quite easy. A simple daily cleaning only requires scrubbing with dish soap and a sponge or gentle brush. Avoid using steel wool brushes and harsh household cleaners on stainless steel mugs. For a more thorough job, allow a solution of vinegar and baking soda to soak inside the mug for several minutes, then rinse and clean with dish soap before using.

Can I add milk to my coffee if it’s in a travel mug?

Most brands advise against putting milk or creamer in thermoses unless it's for a brief amount of time. Bacteria can develop when dairy products are stored at warm temperatures, especially if the travel mug isn't properly cleaned. Graham Nearn of the Stanley brand echoed this thought, telling us: "We don’t recommend putting milk or dairy products in Stanley vacuum bottles or food jars for extended periods of time, as bacteria growth can occur at certain temperatures."

The Spruce Eats / Cheyenne Elwell

• Cheyenne Elwell is a freelance writer specializing in food and coffee. Her work has appeared in Business Insider, Insider, MSN, and her coffee blog BakedBrewedBeautiful.com.
• Suzie Dundas is a freelance writer and editor based in Lake Tahoe, California. Along with The Spruce Eats, her writing has appeared in Forbes, Fodor's, SkyLife Magazine, and Outdoor Sports Guide.
• Rebekah Joan is a writer and blogger located in Northwestern Pennsylvania. She has written for The Spruce Eats since 2019.
• Derek Rose has been The Spruce Eats' coffee and tea expert since 2019. His other work has appeared in Forbes, SPY, and Angi.

This piece was written by  Derek Rose , the coffee and tea expert for The Spruce Eats. He researches a variety of coffee products, from measuring scoops to commercial espresso machines, and interviews field experts for their insight. He has owned or tested a number of the items on this list, including the Stanley Classic Trigger-Action Travel Mug , the Copco Insulated Travel Mug , the S'Well Traveler Mug , and the Bubba 52-Ounce Insulated Desk Mug .

Graham Nearn , the Senior Vice President of Product Creation & Design for PMI Worldwide, was interviewed for this piece. He oversees the Stanley brand, which has manufactured vacuum flasks and more since 1913.

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• What to Buy

The 9 Best Travel Coffee Mugs, Tested and Reviewed

We tested over 25 top-rated picks to find the best spill-proof, stylish, and durable mugs.

In This Article

• Our Top Picks

Our Favorite

Factors to consider, other travel coffee mugs we tested, our expertise.

Food & Wine / Hydro Flask

There’s nothing like sipping a freshly brewed cup of coffee (or an icy nitro cold brew ) first thing in the morning — if you have the luxury to savor that cup before your day gets busy. For those of us with little to no time to spare, a travel coffee mug is an absolute essential. You may not be able to drink your coffee while relaxing in your favorite local coffee shop, but you will have super-hot or ice-cold coffee to fuel you through your jam-packed day.

The problem is finding a travel coffee mug that keeps the flavor of your favorite brew intact without any metallic aftertaste. Paper and plastic cups don’t come close to the efficiency, sustainability, and temperature control a durable travel coffee mug offers. We tested more than 25 travel coffee mugs, paying close attention to insulation, design, and size. We also spoke to some die-hard coffee drinkers to get their expert opinions on the best travel coffee mugs, from ceramic mugs to stainless steel tumblers. Read on to discover our editor-tested and approved picks.

Best Overall

Yeti rambler 20 oz tumbler.

Pros: At 20 ounces, it’s large enough to hold enough coffee or other beverages to last all day long, with tough insulation to keep the temperature just right.

Cons: Be careful: the MagSlider lid isn’t leakproof.

Durability, size, and next-level insulation characterize the YETI Rambler Tumbler. It can handle all environments, from your office to your car, pool chair, or camping tent. Made from kitchen-grade, rust-resistant stainless steel with double-wall vacuum insulation, your beverage will remain at the exact temperature you desire (whether steaming hot or bitter cold) for hours. 

The Rambler can take a tumble with its hardy construction, and the exterior won’t chip or fade from years of use. However, during an upside-down leak test, we noted that the mug dripped a bit, so they wouldn’t leave it loose in a bag. The magnet on the MagSlider Lid adds an extra layer of protection to keep heat or cold from escaping. 

During testing, we also noted the Rambler’s long-lasting cool insulation, staying under 40°F for about 10 hours. It won’t sweat either, and if you spend a decent amount of time in the car, you can rest easy knowing it fits in most cup holders. Once you’re done for the day, you can throw it in the dishwasher to be ready for tomorrow.

• Volume: 20 ounces 
• Lid type: Twist-on, twist-off lid
• Dishwasher safe: Yes

Best Insulated

Hydro flask wide mouth flex sip lid bottle.

Pros: We gave this tumbler a perfect score across all four categories, including size, design, insulation, and value.

Cons: It’s difficult to open this mug with one hand. 

Another great name in insulated and no-sweating drinkware tech, the Hydro Flask All Around Tumbler earned a perfect score. This large mug can carry hot or cold coffee or tea in any environment for extended periods — and looks good in the process. Made from stainless steel, it’s comfortable to hold, while the wide mouth facilitates easy access to add liquids and ice. On the go, the handle and exterior texture make it simple to grip. 

The lid can be sealed completely by twisting to prevent leakage, and it even has a red color marking inside to easily indicate if it’s fully closed. During testing, we noted that the lid’s super-tight seal never leaked, despite placing the mug upside-down and on its side. Given its sleek design and high performance, we recommend this mug for any type of liquid, hot or cold.

Ello Campy Travel Mug

Pros: This mug is a great size, features a stylish design, offers stellar hot and cold insulation, and is truly leakproof — all for under $20.

Cons: While the lid is dishwasher-safe, the body should be hand-washed. 

Some of the coolest travel tumblers around, Ello products have great heat retention to keep things piping hot for hours. We especially love the Campy Stainless Steel Mug, which is great for traveling because it didn't leak a single drop during testing. It also performed very well for cold insulation, with under-40° temperatures that lasted for more than 10 hours. 

Pair those marks with the mug’s stylish design and comfortable cork handle, and you’ve got a perfect formula for an all-around great mug. Hikes, commutes, working from home or at the office, picnics — we can't envision a scenario that this mug wouldn't be useful. And under $20, it can't be beaten for value.

• Volume: 18 ounces 
• Dishwasher-safe: Lid is dishwasher-safe, body is not

Food & Wine / Fran Sales

Best Splurge

Kinto day off tumbler.

Pros: It provides excellent hot and cold insulation, is leakproof, and seals incredibly well, thanks to its twist-on cap.

Cons: This mug is not dishwasher-safe.

This high-end travel mug looks as good as it functions. It aced our usability and leakproof tests: It has a screw-on cap that ensures every drop of liquid stays in the mug (even when holding upside-down and shaking from side to side), and a slim body that's comfortable to hold. We enjoyed drinking from the circular opening of the mug, which allowed us to sip from any angle, though we noted that the flow was a bit fast.

The cap keeps the mouth area covered, so no need to worry about it coming into contact with germs as it rolls around inside your bag. Plus, it's versatile enough to use for either coffee or water, as it keeps both hot and cold drinks at your desired temperature for long periods. While this tumbler is on the pricier side, if you want an aesthetically-pleasing travel mug that works, we say this one is worth it. The compact size, exceptional insulation, and smart, leakproof lid design make this an all-around standout.

• Volume: 17 ounces 
• Dishwasher-safe: No

Best for Car Travel

Bubba envy insulated tumbler.

Pros: This is the ideal iced or hot drink container for the car. 

Cons: This mug is not leakproof.

If you’re looking for a reliable, extra-large travel mug, the bubba Straw Envy Vacuum-Insulated Stainless Steel Tumbler might be your best bet. The removable straw is nice for iced coffee, and the size is ideal for a car cup holder. 

The mug is spill-proof in that if you knock it over, the lid won't pop off — but the liquid will come out of the mug. While it's comfortable to hold, the lack of leak protection will certainly make a mess even if it's tipped, let alone knocked over or turned upside down. It should remain upright in your hand or a cup holder only. 

Despite that, this mug has incredible insulation and kept liquid cold for nearly two days. The hot water remained hot for more than three hours and even kept warm until the following day, at 22 hours. We found the insulation abilities of this mug to be surprisingly unmatched, performing better than mugs twice or three times the price. We even poured an iced coffee to drive down to the beach one morning, and on the drive home, the remaining coffee was still ice-cold. Case in point: This is the ideal iced or hot drink container for the car.

• Volume: 24 ounces 
• Lid type: Pop-off lid

Food & Wine / Megan Soll

Best Leakproof

Contigo autoseal west loop vacuum.

Pros: This mug kept drinks insulated for nearly two days, outperforming competing options. 

Cons: You might want to pass if you're only looking for a travel mug that's good for cold beverages.

Contigo's leak-proof mug is ideal for anyone who takes their beverages on the go, especially hot drinks. It fits in cup holders, it keeps drinks insulated for hours, and it's easy to use with just one hand if you're driving or holding something in the other. 

We loved this mug’s Autoseal feature, where the snap seal top pops open with the click of a button. It can even help you avoid spilling your drink. Functionally, it’s comfortable to hold, with a center groove that lends itself nicely to wrapping your hand around. The downside is there’s no handle or a texture to boost grip, though the color coating on the outside provides a light layer of non-slip.

Food & Wine / Bailey Fink

Best Collapsible

Stojo collapsible coffee cup.

Pros: This compact mug is great for backpacking and travel, or a single-serve drink while on the go. Plus, the sleek design comes in a range of colors.

Cons: It’s not insulated. 

If you’re looking for a compact, lightweight, and convenient travel mug, the Stojo Collapsible Travel Cup With Straw delivers on all fronts. We noted that the leakproof abilities are great, with an easy-to-use tab that creates a tight seal. Pair that with the mug’s sleek design, and you’ve got a winning combination. Whether you’re drinking coffee or a smoothie, simply remove the heat sleeve when you’re done, open the tab, and collapse it down. 

The downside is the Stojo isn’t insulated, though we found it was able to keep an ice-cold drink under 60°F for up to four hours. Because this mug is recommended for camping, the quick cooling time can be an advantage, so you're not sitting around waiting for boiling water to cool.

• Volume: 16 ounces 
• Dishwasher-safe: Yes

Best Wide Travel Mug

Fellow carter everywhere mug.

Pros: This mug feels high-end and offers incredible insulation abilities, keeping drinks hot for hours.  

Cons: Since it doesn't fit in a cup holder, this is not a good option if you like to sip while you drive. 

For a reliable and secure travel mug with exceptional insulation abilities, we recommend the Fellow Carter Everywhere Travel Mug. During our tests, we noted that the lid screwed on and off easily, creating a tight seal when shut — meaning no liquid was spilled when the mug was placed upside-down, on its side, or even shaken. 

Insulation-wise, this mug performed very well with both cold and hot liquids. For cold drinks, the ice didn't melt at all the following day. For hot drinks, the temperature dropped very slowly. Plus, the ceramic interior helped their drinks taste better and ensured the mug didn’t absorb residual odors after washing.

Food & Wine / Bridget Degnan

KeepCup Glass Cup

Pros: This mug is compact, transparent, and lightweight.

Cons: This travel mug is not fully leakproof and cleaning can be difficult as the cork band is tough to remove.

Anyone in the market for a small glass mug might be pleased with the KeepCup Reusable Coffee Cup. Though we appreciated the mug’s overall look, we were disappointed with some aspects of its performance. During testing, liquid dripped out of the mug’s center lid. It wasn’t excessive, but enough that we would be upset if it was coffee dripping on a white dress, for example.  

The good news is this mug retained temperatures for longer than we expected, given its glass construction. But with cold liquids, the mug began to excessively sweat. The only spot where you can hold the mug while it has something hot or cold inside is by the cork band, which is cute aesthetically but makes for difficult hand-washing.

• Lid type: Push-on, push-off lid
• Dishwasher-safe: Lid and cup are dishwasher-safe; cork band is not

Food & Wine / Mary Hodes

We tested 26 popular, top-rated travel coffee mugs. Over the course of 4 weeks, we provided feedback on each travel coffee mug’s sealing capabilities, cold insulation performance, hot insulation performance, and ease of cleaning. In addition to its general design observations, we also paid close attention to insulation, size, and value.

Thanks to its durability, size, and next-level insulation, the YETI Rambler earned the top spot on our list of best travel coffee mugs. During testing, we found the YETI to work great in virtually any environment, keeping our beverage at the exact desired temperature for up to 10 hours.

Travel coffee mugs are usually made of either metal or ceramic, with tight-fitting lids, and some can be vacuum insulated. Your choice of material should take into account how you intend to use the mug, how long you need your coffee to stay hot, and how you drink out of it.

Choosing the right size of travel mug is about more than just how much coffee you want it to contain. If you need it to fit in your car’s cup holder, for example, or slide easily into a bag or backpack for a train commute. In general, you want a travel mug that will be easy to transport and contain enough volume of coffee to keep you satiated.

Lids are either designed as “drink-thru” or have to be removed to access the contents. Drink-thru lids are easier to navigate on the go but are not as good at keeping heat from dissipating. If you need a mug just to get hot coffee from one place to another without needing to drink it en route, a sealed lid with no drink-thru access will work best for retaining heat. If you do need to sip on the go, look for a lid with an easy slide or flip access that still protects from spills, rather than one that has a permanent opening.

Leak-Proof vs. Spill-Proof

Leak-proof travel mugs are designed to not allow any liquid to release when properly closed and sealed. These are ideal for mugs that you might need to toss into a bag or backpack during your commute. Spill-proof mugs are designed to mitigate a mess when accidentally knocked over during use. Some companies may use the language interchangeably, but in general, Leak-Proof will usually be slightly more secure than just Spill-Proof.

Care and Cleaning

Many travel mugs are not dishwasher safe, especially some that are vacuum insulated. Be sure to check the packaging to determine the best way to care for them. Regardless, travel mugs should be at least rinsed out after each use, even between cups, to keep them fresh, and preferably fully cleaned once a day to prevent mold and mildew. Remember that even if your mug is dishwasher safe, the dishwasher won’t remove tough stains and strong odors. For that, you’ll want to use baking soda and water and give it more of a scrub.

Frequently Asked Questions

“This is a vessel with two layers (or walls), one inside and one outside,” says Jessica Easto, author of Craft Coffee: A Manual . “In between is a layer of space, which even air has been sucked out of (that's what a vacuum is). Heat moves very slowly through the air, and it moves even more slowly through this "vacuumed" space because there are very few molecules in that space. Since heat transfer happens so slowly, your coffee stays hotter for longer.”

This will depend on your travel mug, says Easto. “A vacuum-insulated travel mug can keep coffee hot for several hours. Different brands promise different times.” If you need your coffee just to get you through your commute, you may not need the top-of-the-line mugs, but if you want that coffee hot all day, investing in a good vacuum-insulated mug or bottle will be the way to go.

Up to a point, says Easto. “The best performers of any material will be vacuum insulated.” Having said that, ceramic is a good material for retaining heat, and lids help to prevent fast cooling, so if you only need your coffee to stay hot for a short amount of time, they work fine.

Use a stiff brush or rough-sided sponge to remove the oils left behind by coffee (and any dairy or oat milk you've added). Baking soda and vinegar are the best bet for neutralizing aromas; soap is often difficult to thoroughly rinse out, and you can get lingering unwanted aromas and flavors. Put a half cup of vinegar and a teaspoon of regular dish soap in the travel mug, fill the rest with hot water, let it soak for a few hours, and then rinse it out thoroughly.

For the lid and rubber gasket (if needed), take the gasket off, and wash it with regular dishwashing liquid on a soft sponge. You can use the same sponge to clean the lid. Finally, rinse the mug and let it air dry.

Strong Contenders:

Zojirushi Stainless Steel Mug ($29 at Amazon )

S'well Stainless Steel Traveler ($35 at Amazon )

THERMOS Travel Coffee Mug with Snap Flip Lid ($30 at Amazon )

MiiR Insulated Travel Tumbler with Locking Flip Lid ($34 at Amazon )

RTIC Outdoors Travel Mug ($35 at RTIC )

Kinto Travel Tumbler ($27 at Amazon )

What Didn’t Make the List:

Stanley Classic Trigger-Action Travel Mug ($25 at Amazon )

Simple Modern Insulated Thermos Travel Coffee Mug ($19 at Amazon )

Brumate Highball ($25 at Brumate )

Swig Life 18oz Travel Mug with Handle and Lid ($40 at Amazon )

Brumate Toddy Bundle 16oz. Travel Mug Set ($70 at Brumate ) 

Klean Kanteen Wide Recycled Insulated Mug ($33 at Klean Kanteen )

Ello Cole Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle ($18 at Amazon )

Ember Temperature Control Travel Mug ($180 at Amazon )

Clarissa Buch Zilberman is an acclaimed food writer with nearly a decade of experience. She has written for Food & Wine, Bon Appetit, Travel & Leisure, and more. For this piece, she used editor-tested insights and her research on top-rated travel coffee mugs.

Related Articles

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Best Insulated Travel Mugs And Zero-Waste Reusable Cups Guide

Never buy a throwaway cup again! That’s what we’re aiming for. We now take our own reusable cups to coffee shops and staff are happy to fill them.

But you probably don’t want a porcelain mug in your bag, so what are the best reusable coffee cups? And is an insulated travel mug the answer?

Latest update: January 2022

And while you’re thinking green, don’t forget to have a look at our  BIG green guide to being environmentally friendly when camping.

In a hurry? If you don’t have much time using the links below to quickly find our favourites for you. You can be assured we only choose the best products…

EDITOR CHOICE

S’well insulated flask

Greens Steel Insulated Coffee Cup

What a sad statistic.

In the UK, 2.5bn disposable cups are thrown away every year. Only 0.25% are recycled (according to an environmental audit committee  report ). 

We campers care about the countryside, so we ought to make a stand…or at least not add to the problem ourselves.

So, let’s find a cup we can keep handy. Maybe folding? Maybe insulated? Definitely nice to drink from. For some, the optimum size is 12oz or 350ml – big enough for a decent size coffee, but not too big to hold or carry.

And while you’re thinking about cutting waste, have a look at our article on  plastic-free tableware  like plates and bowls, and ditch the disposable  barbecue  in favour of one you can use over and over again.

Meanwhile, here are our recommended insulated travel mugs and reusable coffee cups.

Leakproof and insulated travel mugs

Chris Miller, the reader who won our Tentsile competition a while back, got in touch to ask us to help him find the perfect travel mug.

“I’ve always hated waste and don’t like single use cups or anything disposable,” says Chris. “Also, while my work sold Costa coffee, I could make a nicer cup myself and save a few pennies too.

“I have no issue buying expensive if it performs and lasts and my ideal would be a single container that’s usable from Ben Nevis to boardroom. The ideal would work as a car cup, flask, reusable coffee cup, travel mug and even occasionally a wine glass around the campfire.”

Tall Order? Here what we found

EDITORS CHOICE

S’well insulated flasks

12 hours of heat (or cold) and a thing of beauty, S’well’s water flasks  are everywhere these days and the wide-mouth versions for coffee are just as well-designed.

These  insulated travel mugs  have three layers and the outside won’t get condensation on it, which is a big bonus. Screw-off rather than flip lid won’t suit some, however.

Three sizes and a big range of colours and patterns, plus an ethical company. Love this teak one!

Pioneer DrinkPod

For a more cup-like option, this is a fantastic choice.

The  Pioneer DrinkPod  holds 280ml, has a handle, a leakproof lid and will keep your drink hot for six hours.

A choice of colours, a cool-touch drinking lip and a remarkable price.

Insulated Vs Non Insulated

Carrying around an insulated reusable coffee cup rather than something folder can seem like a bit of a pain at times but if your anything like me when you get waylaid doing something, having a long chat on the hands free while driving or you want to have something warm there in an hours time after a good hike but you don't want to carry a massive flask with you then an insulated coffee mug is the option.  But how long to they actually keep your drink at a reasonable drinking temperature? Well I did a very sad but fun experiment to find out! We tested out the Greens Steel Insulated coffee cup against a generic plastic double walled one which your big coffee chains seem fond to push you to buy. We even did a little graph to show you the results. 

As you can see the insulated cup stayed drinkable for 2 and a half hours! when we did the test on these to keep if fair we did leave the drink hole cover open so they were both exposed but I think it is fair to say if it had been closed it would have retained it's heat for many more hours!

We took the Greens Steel Insulated Coffee Cup for a road test and it has raced it's way into our Best Value pick, you can order them in 2 sizes 12oz and 16oz, my 16oz one holds enough for 2 good size mugs of tea and as it will keep to temp for at least 3 hours I have started throwing it in the backpack when I go out so I can have a hot drink throughout the morning. It is completely leak proof with the click lid to cover the drink hole, although the 16oz is big it does fit in the car cup carrier just about (not all the way to the bottom but is secure) 

We also loved the edition of a handy little click up handle, it sounds like a small thing but when carrying lot's of baggage and trying to lock the door it is a god send being able to hang the cup from your little finger!

All in all we think this mug performs well, keeps drinks warm, doesn't leak and at a cracking price. 

Contigo Westloop

We had a recommendation from Wendy (one of our readers) for the Contigo range of insulated mugs . Wendy says they’re leakproof, drinks stay hot for five hours, one-handed push-button opening and they look rather sleek.

A wide range of colours and a couple of sizes.

Tefal Travel Mug

Utterly leakproof (providing you close the lid properly!) and in an easy-to-hold and stash shape. This Tefal insulated travel mug will keep drinks hot for around four hours in our experience.

Simple, elegant, colour choices and not a bad price.

Bodum insulated mugs

Bodum’s well-known for tea and coffee gear, so it’s no surprise that they’ve designed a rather good insulated travel mug.

People do love them. They look good, are nice to hold and keep drinks warm. They aren’t leakproof, however.

Lots of colours and a choice of sizes.

My favourite is this stainless steel one with the cork band. Pretty!

Camelbak Hot Cap

We like the Camelbak Hot Cap  for its neat shape and leak-free design.

The 360-degree cap means you can drink from any side and. Holds 350ml. 

You can buy spare caps too.

Want a plant-based insulated mug? Try the  BioGo rice husk wonder (see below).

An insulated flask for Wacaco users

We’re always recommending the Wacaco Nanopresso coffee maker  (above), and now there’s an insulated flask that fits on to it so you have hot water ready to brew your coffee.

The  Nanovessel  holds 210ml and works as a stand-alone tea infuser or water bottle too.

Take a reusable cup and ditch the single-use takeaway cups

And here are our choices for cups you can take to the coffee shop for fill-ups. Not insulated, but with more of a cup-like feel.

Joco glass cups

The Joco  has been my cup for using at home (without the lid) and for taking camping for a year now.

Lots of colours and sizes.

I like that it feels like a real cup to drink out of and it makes a generous wine glass in the evenings! Its only downside is that the lid isn’t sealable, so it needs to be kept upright when full.

Another glass range with plenty of choice. Glass doesn’t taint your water and it feels nicer to drink from.

Most of the  KeepCup mugs  are made of toughened glass, which will stand up to a lot, but does take a bit of care. 

KeepCups are spill- and splash-proof, but not absolutely leakproof, so you need to keep them upright. We especially like the cork range, with a cork rather than silicone band.

They’ve just brought out a stainless steel insulated version too. Looks great, but not leakproof. Go for one of the ones above instead.

A reusable cup made from throwaway coffee cups

Funny this. If we all stop using disposable cups, presumably Cornwall-based Ashortwalk will have to find another material for their travel mugs. At the moment, though, there’s no shortage!

Their  rCup is leak-proof and has a push open/close lid. Nice designs and a great price. The company also makes tide clocks, plant pots, house signs and more, all out of recycled materials.

A plant-based cup for your coffee

When I first researched and wrote this round-up, bamboo cups were fairly rare. They’re everywhere now, but not all can stand up to our tests!

Our two favourites are the  Big Bamboo , which hold 450ml and the fabulous  Circular and Co mug made entirely from recycled coffee cups. 

The latter are the perfect shape for drinks holders, keep contents hot, feel nice, don’t scald your lips and can even be put in the dishwasher. Great!

Folding silicone travel mug

Personally, I haven’t found a folding or collapsible cup that I like. The feel of the silicone isn’t pleasant and they can be hard to clean. 

My sister likes them, but I hate them. Definitely choose a dark colour because they soon get stained.

Best of the bunch so far is this  Stojo foldable coffee cup . Available in lots of colours and in three sizes.

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Best Leak Proof Travel Mugs In The UK 2022 (Mega Guide)

Are you looking for the perfect leak free travel mug? Whether you’re looking for a travel mug for your next family trip, or you want to keep your morning coffee safer with little ones around, this guide will take you through the best leak proof travel mugs (UK) to help you make a perfect choice!

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.   Please see my  full disclosure  for further information.

Why You Should Buy a Non-Leak Travel Mug

A travel mug is a humble travel accessory that you probably haven’t given much thought to but should because it’s just so helpful when you’re travelling. Here’s why:

• No leaks or spills – Particularly important with kids around.
• Hot Drinks for Longer – Travel mugs with good insulation will keep your hot drinks warm for hours, so you won’t be disappointed with cold coffee!
• Easy to Clean – These coffee travel mugs are designed to be easy to clean and sometimes even dishwasher friendly.
• Reusable and eco-friendly – Having your own travel mug, you can avoid reusable cups when buying from a shop or cafe. You can also use the cup for water, thus avoiding plastic bottled water, saving money and saving the planet. Some shops even offer discounts if you bring your own mug.

Best Travel Mug Comparison

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What’s the Best Travel Mug for Keeping Coffee Hot?

The Contigo Byron Thermal Mug is the best coffee travel mug that can keep your drink warm for up to six hours easily. With its stainless steel surface and vacuum insulation, the contents of the mug stay warm even in cold temperatures. Plus, the lid fits well, preventing any leaks as long as it’s closed. 

There are different size choices, so you can choose one according to your preference. Regular coffee drinkers can go for a bigger size, so you don’t have to buy or make coffee again and again while travelling.  View the Contigo Byron Thermal Mug on Amazon here >>>

10 Best Leak Free Travel Mugs in the UK

Looking for the best spill-proof travel mug UK? Here are my recommendations:

#1 Contigo Byron Thermal Mug – Best Leak Free Travel Mug UK 

The Contigo Byron Thermal Mug is easily the best leak-proof travel mug with its Snap Seal technology. It’s great for both hot and cold drinks, keeping hot drinks warm for up to six hours and cold ones cold for up to 12 hours. It has a stainless steel body paired with a BPA-free plastic lid that fits quite tight. 

The mug also has an anti-slip grip, textured rubber cover. The lift-up seal design makes it easier to use this travel mug with just one hand. There are plenty of colour and size (470, 590, and 720 ml) choices for you. 

• Durable construction
• No condensation on the surface
• Sealproof, dishwasher-safe lid
• Easy to hold
• Cup not dishwasher-safe

#2 GoCup Travel Mug – Best Budget Leak Free Travel Mug

If you’re looking for a no leak coffee mug that’s also affordable, the GoCup Travel Mug has you covered. It’s a relatively cheap, reusable mug from a UK-based company. For the price, it’s a large mug as it can hold 485 ml of your coffee or tea. It’s made from stainless steel. 

Not only is the lid leakproof, but it also sports a rubber base which ensures the mug doesn’t tip over easily. Also, it can fit into any cupholder in cars, buses, and planes. Available in three colours, it’s quite stylish-looking as well with a streamlined ergonomic shape. 

The buckle lid has a convenient sipping hole to drink your drink from.

• Good value for money
• Keeps drink warm for long
• Easy to use lid
• Thick insulated walls
• Not dishwasher safe

#3 Grando Stainless Steel Travel Mug – Best Travel Mug for Cold Drinks

The Grando Stainless Steel Travel Mug is one of the coolest travel mugs, especially great for chilled drinks. It’s not just a mug with a leakproof lid but also includes a reusable straw. It has a beautiful two-colour design with a geometric textured exterior. 

The double insulation keeps the drinks cold for up to six hours. It can hold 500 ml of drink, which is certainly a good capacity.

• Comes with a reusable straw
• Leak proof lid
• Fits in cup holders
• Not ideal for warm drinks

#4 WAKEcup Reusable Bamboo Travel Mug – Best Bamboo Coffee Travel Mug

The WAKEcup Reusable Bamboo Coffee Mug is the best insulated travel cup that’s also super elegant and stylish. With a smooth bamboo exterior, this eco-friendly cup is not only sustainable in use but also in its construction. It’s reinforced with stainless steel edge and base. The lid is made of plastic and features a lift-up cap for the sipping hole. 

The cup keeps your warm drinks piping hot for at least 30 minutes. The capacity is also quite decent at 420ml, which is more than enough for one individual. And with a weight of just 231g, you can pack it in your carry on and use it while travelling. 

• Sustainably-sourced bamboo
• Beautiful look
• Easy to use
• A bit pricey
• Handwash only

#5 720° DGREE Travel Mug – Best Spill Proof Travel Mug UK

The 720 DGREE Travel Mug is the best leak proof travel mug UK, given its size, insulation, and effortlessly minimalistic design.

It’s a modern flask with a high-tech lid that keeps the content inside the mug whatsoever. What’s even better is that the lid offers 360-degree drinking, meaning you can sip from any side of the cup. The lid opens with just a click. 

Unlike other car travel mugs, this one doesn’t have any complicated features. The design is pretty convenient, and it only adds the to look of the cup. You can keep it classy with the black travel mug or go for any of the colour choices. 

• Airtight, leak proof lid
• German brand
• Shockproof and scratch-resistant
• Not very cheap

#6 Wilford & Sons Coffee Travel Mug – Best Dishwasher Safe Leak Free Travel Mug

The Wilford & Sons Travel Mug is the best thermal mug for drinking coffee and tea on the go without worrying about cleaning it. Unlike many other portable mugs, its flask can also be washed in the dishwasher. 

Besides the ease of cleaning, the mug also has solid construction paired with a sophisticated design. This stainless steel mug has a textured silicone grip that makes it easier to hold the mug even in a moving bus or car. The leak proof lid opens with a push-button, which is convenient to operate. 

• Eco-friendly, food-safe brushed steel
• Non-slip grip
• Super easy to wash
• Not so easy to open and close the lid
• A bit heavy

#7 Teabloom Travel Thermos – Best Tea Travel Mug with Infuser

If you’re more of a tea drinker, you’ll appreciate this best leak proof thermos flask that comes with a tea infuser. It’s actually a high-capacity travel flask that can be used for tea, coffee, and even as a water bottle. Its capacity of 480ml is ample for sipping on your tea for a long time. 

The Teabloom Travel Thermos has a BPA and toxin-free stainless steel interior, and a beautiful brushed metal exterior. The tea infuser is also made from food-safe stainless steel with 0.5 mm pores. You can simply put your tea leaves in it and let them sit inside the thermos. However, you’ll need to pour the tea out in another cup or open the lid to sip it. 

• Sturdy stainless steel
• Leakproof lid
• Safe and stable base
• Doubles as a water bottle
• No sip opening in lid

#8 ecoBrew Glass Coffee Cup – Best Leak Proof Glass Travel Mug

The ecoBrew Glass Coffee Cup is a reusable, travel-friendly mug that doesn’t just allow you to enjoy your coffee by taste but also through its look. It’s a vacuum insulated mug made of borosilicate glass and BPA-free silicone. The rubber base provides a stable grip and ensures the mug stays still on surfaces and cup holders. 

The spill proof lid has a simple and convenient design with a lift-up cap. The mug holds 345 ml, which is slightly less than some of the other mugs here but still good enough for one person. But that also means it’s not so big in size and can fit in your luggage or carry-on easily. The highlight, of course, is the all-glass look. 

• Dishwasher and microwave safe
• Non-slip base and grip
• Double glass surface doesn’t get hot
• Not as sturdy as plastic or steel

#9 Contigo Luxe Autoseal Travel Mug – Best 10oz Travel Mug

Here’s another best travel coffee mug from Contigo, the Luxe Autoseal . It’s a leakproof tumbler made entirely of stainless steel, which is safe for drinks. The key feature of this mug is the Autoseal lid, which seals the lid after every sip, so there’s no leak or spill even when you’re drinking coffee. 

It can keep your coffee warm for up to three hours and your chilled drinks cool for up to 10 hours. It’s a one-piece travel mug with a hinged lid. The whole mug can be washed in a dishwasher. 

• Easy to pour in drinks
• Auto sealing while using
• Many colour options
• Durable yet lightweight
• Quite pricey

#10 Circular and Co Reusable Cup – Best Eco Travel Mug

If you really want to go the extra mile with sustainability with your travel mug, the Circular and Co Reusable Cup is certainly the most eco-friendly. Not only is its reusability what makes it sustainable, but it’s very built also. This no leak coffee cup is made from recycled paper coffee cups. 

Another great feature is that it has a 360-degree drinking design, so you can drink from any side. Even though it’s essentially made from paper, it offers enough insulation to keep your drink warm. Also, it doesn’t feel hot to touch, so you can drink comfortably. 

The company claims it’s designed to last for over 10 years, which is great!

• Innovative design
• Eco-friendly construction
• Needs just one hand to open and close
• May not keep the drink hot for very long

Types of Leak Free Travel Mug

If you search for the best leak proof travel mug UK, you’ll come across all different kinds of designs and materials, including non-leak travel mugs that look like thermoses. Here are the main types of travel mugs:

• Plastic Travel Mugs: These are made mostly of plastic, including the insulation layers and the lid or cap. Plastic travel mugs are lightweight and easy to carry, and usually also dishwasher-safe. 
• Metal Travel Mugs: These travel mugs have a metallic, typically stainless steel, surface. These offer even more insulation than plastic mugs, especially those with vacuum seals. However, these are more expensive. 
• Wooden Travel Mugs: Some travel mugs also have a wooden exterior, which is more sustainable than plastic.
• Thermos-Style Travel Mugs: These are handle-less travel mugs that look like a thermos and have a screw-on cap that may be used as a small cup. 

What to Look for in a Leak Free Travel Mug

When looking for the best leak-free travel mug, here’s what you need to keep in mind:

Size and Weight

The very first consideration is the size of the travel mug you would like.

While there isn’t a standard as such, most travel mugs hold around 350-450ml There are larger ones as well, which can hold up to 500ml m or more.

Also, pay attention to the weight of the portable mug itself because you don’t want something too heavy. 

Of course, the whole point of a travel mug is to keep your beverages hot or cold, which is achieved through insulation. There’s usually an air insulation layer between the two surfaces of the mug: the inner surface and the outer surface. 

Handle or No Handle

This is more of a personal preference as some travel mugs feature handles, and some don’t. While it’s definitely easier to sip from a mug with a handle, it’s not a necessity. In any best-insulated travel mug, the outer layer won’t get hot. This means it’s safe to hold the mug even without a handle. 

Whilst a mug handle is convenient, it may make it difficult for you to keep the mug in the side pocket of your backpack. 

Safe Materials

You and your family will be using the travel mug to drink coffee, tea, or any other kind of beverage. It goes without saying that the mug should be made from food-safe materials. The materials, especially the inside surface, shouldn’t leak any chemicals. For instance, quality travel mugs made of plastic are BPA-free.

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Best Travel Coffee Mug: 8 Picks For Camping, Driving & More

• Author: Julia Bobak
• Edited By: Kashmir Brummel
• Last Updated: January 3, 2024

Fact Checked

• Why Trust Homegrounds?

Julia Bobak

Julia is a west coast canada-based professional coffee specialist who has spent nearly a decade immersed in the world of coffee research and professional brewing. she loves trail running, rock climbing, coffee, food, and her tiny dog — and writing about all of them. she starts every morning with a fresh americano from her home espresso machine, or she doesn’t start it at all..

When you don’t want to be let down by overpriced takeaway coffee, why not just brew coffee at home with a coffee maker and take it with you?

Of course, you can’t simply choose to use water bottles and expect everything to be fine. What you need is a good travel mug for coffee. Here are the top picks for best travel mugs for coffee.

At A Glance: See on Amazon

• Best Overall: Contigo Autoseal West Loop Mug
• For Durability: Stanley Classic One Hand Travel Mug
• Space Saver: Stojo on the Go

best coffee Travel Mug: 8 Top Picks

What you need from a travel coffee mug could be very different from what your friend or colleague needs. Below this list, we have some tips on helping you choose the right travel coffee mug for your needs. But for now, here’s an overview of our favourite ones.

1.  Contigo Autoseal West Loop

• Material: Stainless steel, BPA-free plastic
• Lid type: Auto-lock/push button
• Heat retention: 5 hours

The Contigo Autoseal West Loop is a sleek vacuum-insulated tumbler/travel mug that can brighten any morning commute, no matter what your mode of transport may be. The Contigo West Loop stainless steel mug can keep your drink warm for up to 5 hours .

The main attraction of this stainless steel mug, though, is its lid design. You can’t get much better than this: the West Loop has a easy-clean lid that helps prevents spills and leaks. The lid seals automatically once closed, and the mug can easily be kept in your bag, letting it double as a water bottle for trips to the gym. It can be opened completely for cleaning and is for dishwasher-cleaning . It’s designed to fit the average car’s cup holder. Because you only need one hand to open the lid, it’s a good choice for drivers as well.

This travel tumbler is available in 470-ml and 590-ml capacities.

2. Yeti Rambler Lowball

• Lid type: Mag slider
• Heat retention: 3.5 hours

The classic Yeti Rambler is one of the brand’s top sellers, but the smaller Lowball makes for a more portable and convenient travel mug.

Just like its bigger brother, the Yeti Rambler Lowball is constructed of double-walled insulated stainless steel that’s resistant to both punctures and rust. You’ll also be pleased to hear that all parts of the mug are dishwasher-safe. It doesn’t retain heat quite as well as other travel mugs, but 3-4 hours should be more than enough to enjoy your coffee to the last drop.

The mug features Yeti’s Mag Slider, a magnetic slide-to-close lid that can easily be operated with one hand. It’s very convenient but isn’t spill or leakproof, so you won’t be tossing this in your bag while you’re on the road.

Despite the affordable price tag, you can expect the same quality build that Yeti products are known for, which are all backed by a five-year warranty.

3. Thermos Stainless King Travel Mug

• Lid type: Screw in, leakproof
• Heat retention: 7 hours

Thermos is one of the pioneers when it comes to keeping your drinks warm. The brand might not have invented the technology, but the fact that its name is synonymous with insulated mugs and flasks says a lot about its reputation and longevity.

So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that they offer some of the best heat retention of any mug on our list. The vacuum-insulated stainless steel construction will keep drinks hot for an impressive 7 hours , a godsend if you’re on an all-day hike or road trip. For summer, you can expect your cold brew to stay cool for a whopping 18 hours.

The mug has a hefty insulated screw-on lid to help increase heat retention. There’s a small slide in the top that you rotate to the “open” position for drinking, and when it’s closed it becomes leakproof. You can tip the whole thing upside down without fear of losing your coffee.

The Thermos Stainless King range also includes food jars and drink bottles as large as 2 litres.

4.  Stanley Classic One Hand Travel Mug

• Material: Stainless steel
• Lid type: Screw-in, press to drink
• Heat retention: 4.5, 7, 9 hours

The Stanley Classic One Hand Travel Mug  is a reliable option for the more outdoorsy type. This stainless steel travel mug has a thermal lid and can keep your tea or coffee warm for hours , making it perfect for long hikes.

This heat-insulating, stainless steel travel mug resembles the full-size Stanley Classic thermoses but is more portable. The largest size is 590 ml, which should just about satisfy even the thirstiest coffee drinkers. The larger the size, the better the heat insulation is as well – the 470-ml mug promises to keep drinks hot for 9 hours, while the smallest (355 ml) retains heat for a relatively modest 4.5 hours.

The Stanley Classic comes with a leak-and-spill-proof lid , which means you can put it in your backpack without worrying about ruining your change of clothes. It’s also good for driving, as it’s easy to drink from it one handed.

Read our full review of the Stanley Classic Travel Mug .

5. KeepCup Glass

• Material: Tempered soda-lime glass, cork, BPA-free plastic
• Lid type: Press-fit
• Heat retention: Less than 1 hour

Glass coffee cups are all the rage now, and you can be on-trend with this  KeepCup travel mug . Although it might intuitively seem that glass and mugs don’t mix well, the portable KeepCup features a holding grip made of cork.

The KeepCup is constructed with tempered soda-lime glass, which is an environmentally friendly option as it is easily recyclable. The lid is made from polypropylene plastic and is splash-proof. The KeepCup was designed to reduce waste from takeaway mugs. It’s a barista standard coffee cup , with the target demographic being people who regularly get their caffeine fix from a café.

Read our full review of the KeepCup Glass .

6. Stojo on the Go

Best for the multitaskers

• Material: Silicone, BPA-free plastic

Swapping to a reusable cup for daily coffee is the responsible thing to do, but it doesn’t always seem practical. If you don’t have space in your bag for something like the KeepCup, then a collapsible travel mug could be the best option for you.

Stojo on the Go has a unique design that allows you to press it flat when not in use. The collapsed size measures just 5 – 6.4 cm tall, depending on which size you choose. The cup and lid are made from LFGB silicone ( 1 ), 

This convenient travel mug is available in three sizes and more than 20 colours, so there’s sure to be an option that suits your coffee and your style. If you opt for the largest size, your Stojo on the Go will also be fitted with a silicone straw, making it perfect for iced coffee.

One thing to be aware of is that the flexible design means it’s not as sturdy as other travel mugs. So be careful not to squeeze the sides too hard when it’s filled with hot coffee.

7.  Ello Campy Travel Mug

• Material: Stainless steel, BPA-fee plastic
• Lid type: Slide to open

The Ello Campy  has the nostalgic vibe of old-school speckled camping gear with a cork-lined handle (Some of us never got over the trauma of burning our fingers on a steel mug full of piping hot coffee.) It will keep your hot or cold coffee in your desired temperature — piping hot for up to six hours , and iced coffee cold for hours – even up to 24! It looks more like a large coffee mug, which is cool.

The spill-proof slider lid  allows you to carry it in your hand without spilling. But we wouldn’t recommend keeping it in your backpack or briefcase.

At 3” across, the wide-mouthed Campy is easy to get your hand or brush inside for cleaning, but it can be a tight fit in smaller car cup holders. Hand-washing is recommended for the tumbler; the lid is safe to be washed in dishwasher .

If you have fond memories of cooking outside with vintage enamelled pots, pans, and dishes, the Campy will make you smile. Now if it only came with the smell of a campfire…

8.  Espro Travel Coffee Press

• Lid type: Screw-in
• Heat retention: 4-6 hours

We confess: the ability to brew a fresh pot of French press and take it with us is something we’ve come to love over the years. The Espro Coffee Travel Press  does this, and more. Its insulation ensures the Espro will keep your brewed coffee warm for 4 to 6 hours .

The Espro has double micro-filters  in the plunger. Each is 9 to 12 times finer than the average French press, which works better for trapping fine sediment. If that isn’t enough, the Espro’s Paper Filter Press Coffee method gives you the option of brewing a cup with the clean taste of pour over coffee. Slip a paper filter between the double micro-filters before you press, and the oils and sediment will be trapped. This thing essentially works like a cross between a french press and Aeropress.

And finally, the manufacturer has instructions on how to use the Espro to make cold brew. The only thing it can’t do is drink your coffee for you.

Read our full review of the Espro Travel Press .

How To Choose A Good Travel Coffee Mug

A good coffee mug can really brighten up your day. It’s a small luxury to be able to brew coffee just the way you like it and enjoy it on the go. In the long run, it’s also a lot more affordable than regularly getting takeaway, and better for the environment.

Consider a few key factors when choosing between the different types :

It must have excellent heat retention

Good insulation is a key asset in a travel coffee mug. Like a good thermos, the best travel mugs are well-constructed and can keep your drinks hot or cold for hours. Whereas, a flimsy coffee cup will struggle even on shorter commutes. Many good travel coffee mugs utilize the same working principles as full-size thermoses, including vacuum insulation ( 2 , 3 ) (read more about how that works here ).

A thermos has two walls with vacuum between them. Since vacuum does not conduct heat, there is no path for the heat to escape (or cold drinks to warm up).

But not everyone needs extremely high heat retention. If you just want a travel coffee cup for a short commute or a Sunday picnic, there’s no reason to invest in an expensive double-walled thermos.

KEY TAKEAWAY:  Consider your personal needs and preferences when making the choice.

It must be 100% leak/spill-proof

Non-negotiable. It needs a flip lid for easy sipping on the go, but it needs to be 100% leak-proof. Some of the cheaper options are not spill/leak-proof, meaning you cannot carry them in your bag.

The anti-leak mugs for travel are often designed like mini-thermos bottles, with a screw top or similar. While you might need both hands to drink, you don’t need to carry them upright at all times. The choice depends on your style of travel.

We kept being asked to review the Hydro Flask, but it didn’t make the cut. Sure, the Hydro Flask is a vacuum-insulated travel mug but it has below average insulation (less than 4 hours) and the lid will not lock, meaning you may spill hot or cold coffee everywhere (even pointed out in the Hydro Flask website). Not a good travel coffee mug then, is it?

KEY TAKEAWAY: Weigh the convenience of drinking on-the-go against the need for spill and leak prevention.

What size is right for you?

How much coffee do you need to get you going in the morning? If you’re the type to brew a whole pot of coffee and guzzle it down before noon, you’re probably going to be frustrated with a tiny travel cup. The Yeti Rambler, for example, is a huge mug, but not suited for travel.

On the other hand, if you like sipping more modest amounts of coffee, a large thermos will be inconvenient to carry.

KEY TAKEAWAY:  Look for the “sweet spot” in size  and volume.

How easy is it to clean?

It’s often difficult  to get travel coffee mugs completely clean, but you don’t want to just throw it away because of old coffee stains or smells. If you use your travel coffee mug regularly, it might be a good idea to get a mug made from material that doesn’t stain easily. Machine-washability can also be a plus.

A high-quality stainless steel travel mug should have a highly polished surface that can be easily cleaned to prevent permanent staining.

You can check to see that the stainless steel used is at least a 304 grade (18% chromium and 8% nickel). Beyond the chemical composition, the degree of polish (or a lining) will determine how stain-resistant it will be and how easy it will be to clean.

KEY TAKEAWAY:  If you plan to use it daily, get one that is easy to clean.

Will it last the distance?

If you’re the outdoorsy type, you’ll want a travel mug that’s able to take a few bumps. Materials like plastic might lose their ability to retain heat if their surface gets scratched or wears out.

KEY TAKEAWAY:  Buy something suited for the stresses of your travel or commute.

How does it affect the taste of your coffee?

Lastly, don’t ignore taste. Yes, the material of your mug CAN affect the perceived taste of your brew. The colour of your mug can influence the way your coffee tastes. But it’s all about perception. A study by Van Doorn, et al. (BioMed Central 2014) supports the view that the colour of the mug can influence the consumer’s multisensory coffee drinking experience ( 4 ). The research team wanted to find out whether the coffee drinkers’ perception would be influenced by the colour of the mug (transparent, white, or blue) from which it was served.

THE VERDICT: What’s The Best Travel Mug?

All of the travel mugs included on this list are solid options. The final choice depends on your personal preferences. However, considering both features and affordability, the Contigo Autoseal West Loop  is the best portable coffee mug for most users.

SEE ON AMAZON

For those looking for the most affordable option, the Yeti Rambler Lowball is also a great choice, but keep in mind that the heat retention is not as good as the West Loop’s.

What is the best mug to keep coffee hot?

The best coffee mug to keep hot is a coffee thermos. These are made from stainless steel double vacuum insulation, and hence will keep your coffee hot for quite a while.

What is the best material for a coffee mug?

The best material for your coffee mug depends on your preferences. Each material has pros and cons that you should consider. While ceramic or glass are ideal for home use; steel or plastic for travellers. Hard plastics are often used to make recyclable coffee cups for their superb heat retention and durability, but the material might give your coffee an unpleasant smell or aftertaste. Steel is mostly used in travel coffee mugs and thermos. It holds heat extremely well and relatively unbreakable.

What is a good travel coffee mug?

A good travel coffee mug has good insulation, durable, easy to clean, and helps prevent spills and leaks. It should also be made from materials that can easily be handled and not cause burns. 

Do ceramic travel mugs keep coffee warm?

Yes, Ceramic travel mugs keep your coffee warm. Ceramic mugs will retain heat and can be pre-warmed, creating a stable temperature. If you are a stainless steel-averse commuter, a ceramic travel mug is your best bet.

• The Difference Between FDA & LFGB Certified Silicone Products. (2022, April 20). Retrieved October 6, 2022, from https://www.justsmartkitchenware.com/the-difference-between-fda-lfgb-certified-silicone-products/
• Andal, J. (2019, January 09). How a Thermos Works – Physics of Heat Transfer. Retrieved June 9, 2019, from https://futurism.com/physics-thermos-heat-transfer
• Does a double walled glass mug really keep the liquid warm? (2012, October 17). Retrieved June 9, 2019, from https://cooking.stackexchange.com/questions/27868/does-a-double-walled-glass-mug-really-keep-the-liquid-warm
• Doorn, G., Dianne Wuillemin, & Charles Spence. (2014, November 25). Does the colour of the mug influence the taste of the coffee? Retrieved June 15, 2019, from https://flavourjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/2044-7248-3-10

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