Traveling without a travel mug won’t cause that much inconvenience, but traveling with one will make your journey a lot more convenient, as then, you don’t have to worry about drinking in disposable glasses, which are very unhealthy, or buying your drinks. If you have a travel mug with your favorite drink inside, then you can enjoy it even for long trips. Moreover, travel mugs don’t take too much space, so you can carry one in a small bag without worrying about leakage because there won’t be any. To help you find the best travel bag, here is the list of the 5 best travel bag consumer reports that you can check out. Go through the reviews followed by a buying guide to select the right travel mug.
Reviews Of 5 Best Travel Mugs
1. Contigo Snapseal Byron Vacuum-Insulated Stainless Steel Travel Mug
One of the most reliable travel mugs available on the market right now, Byron stainless steel travel mug can keep your beverage hot or cold for up to 9 and 21 hours respectively. This capability comes with the inclusion of Thermalock vacuum insulation into the mug. To enjoy your beverage, all you need to do is flip the lid and grab the mug with one hand.
You can easily place the mug in your car holder, which makes it commuting a lot more convenient. The lid of the travel mug can be washed in a dishwasher, but make sure to keep it on the top rack. Whereas, the stainless steel body needs to be hand washed. The product is made of 100% BPA-free material, which is completely safe for human use.
2. YETI Rambler 20-Ounce Stainless Steel Tumbler
What makes this travel tumbler so unique is the use of magnets on the lid to keep your beverage locked. The company has used YETI MagSlider Lid to keep the coffee, water, beer, or any of your favorite drinks secured within. The travel mug is made of BPA-free material, which boasts a ‘no sweat design’ to ensure that your hands remain dry. The mug is dishwasher safe as well, which makes cleaning a breeze.
The travel mug comes with Dracut, which is a durable coat of color that won’t peel, fade or crack, thus giving the mug a new and elegant look for years to come. The tumbler features an 18/8 stainless steel body, which keeps your drinks at the same temperature that they were at the time when you poured them into the tumbler. The tumbler is 6-7/8 inches tall and has a lip diameter of 3-½ inches, so it can easily fit standard-sized cup holders.
3. THERMOS Stainless King Vacuum-Insulated Travel Mug SK1000
Check out this stainless steel travel mug from Thermos, which is equipped with vacuum insulation technology that helps retain the temperature be it hot or cold. Any hot drink remains hot for 5 hours while the cold drinks remain cold for 9 hours. This amazing capability is because of the durable stainless steel interior and exterior.
Another notable feature of this travel mug is that it remains cool to touch when you are carrying a hot drink whereas, in the case of cold drinks, the travel mug remains sweat-proof. You will even like the inclusion of a built-in tea hook that efficiently holds tea bags or a majority of loose-leaf infusers. The travel mug fits most car cup holders and is compatible with single-serve.
4. Ember Temperature Control Travel Mug
This is a unique travel mug, which runs on battery power. The temperature in this travel mug is regulated electronically, so any hot drink remains hot for up to 3 hours on a full charge. If you have a charger along with you, then you can keep the drink at a precise temperature all day long. You can choose an exact temperature between 120 degrees and 145 degrees Fahrenheit. You can customize the travel mug with a simple tap on the ‘+’ or ‘-’ symbol to increase or decrease the temperature of the drink.
To access more features of this travel mug, you can just touch the Ember logo engraved on it. You will be able to see mug name, temperature, and battery life. You can download Ember app to control the travel mug’s features through your smartphone, which include setting temperature, receiving notifications, customizing presets, and more. When you receive the package, you will find that the travel mug is set to 135 degrees Fahrenheit. This is a smart travel mug, which automatically senses when to turn on and off, so it will automatically go to sleep mode when it is empty or not in use for 2 hours.
It automatically wakes up after sensing a movement of liquid. This travel mug is going to last for years to come, thanks to scratch-resistant ceramic coating and IPX7 water rating, thus letting you fully submerse in water as deep as 1 meter. Although the product has a good battery life, you can further extend it by pouring in hot liquid. With this travel mug, you will get an adapter, charging coaster, and a quick start guide. You will get a 30-day return if you buy the product from ‘Ember Technologies’ on Amazon.
5. Zojirushi 0.48-Liter Stainless Steel Vacuum Insulated Mug SM-JA48RA
Ending my list with yet another durable travel mug, which is coming from the house of Zojirushi. This travel mug is made of stainless steel, which is the secret behind its efficiency and longevity. The interior of this travel mug won’t just keep the drinks at a suitable temperature but is very easy to clean as well. The inclusion of vacuum insulation helps keep the beverages hot or cold for hours, even when you are traveling on rough terrain. The company has added a plastic cover around the travel mug’s mouth, which keeps the area of contact clean. The lid remains tight fitted that keeps the beverages hot or cold for hours.
Who Needs A Travel Mug?
As the name suggests, travel mugs are made for those who take their drink with them. In addition to being portable, they must be able to keep a hot or cold drink for several hours to allow you to enjoy your coffee, tea, or chocolate when you want. Compared to cardboard, polystyrene, or classic ceramic mugs, a quality travel mug guarantees better insulation and prevents leakage. If you have long commutes, travel or work outdoors, or just like to take your time enjoying your favorite drinks, then travel mugs are for you.
Taking your drink with you rather than buying it also saves money and reduces your environmental footprint, as millions of plastic cups are thrown away every year.
Insulated cups, thermos, and flasks
What about cups, thermos, and thermos flasks, all cousins of travel mugs, you will tell us? Travel tumblers have spouts that don't close as reliably or leak tightly as mugs, and they have larger openings for you to pour ice cubes into after preparing ice in the best ice maker. Many also have straws for cold drinks. As for the thermos, most are too wide and lack the opening systems that make the mugs so convenient to use and carry. You have to unscrew the lid to use it (unlike the simple flick that allows you to open a mug) and pour the liquid into a cup. The reusable water bottles rather keep drinks cold and lack drinking spout, unlike travel mugs. They often come with screw-on lids that open with two hands or not-so-bad sports caps for hot drinks.
Factors To Determine The Best Travel Mug
Vacuum insulation: All the mugs reviewed in the above section are vacuum insulated. Michael Dickey, professor of chemical and environmental engineering at North Carolina State University, explains that vacuum insulated mugs provide the best heat retention: “Heat is propagated by thermal conduction. Think, for example, of your hand warming a cold surface. But, if there is a space in between, such as a vacuum, the heat does not move as quickly. "In a vacuum, there is hardly any atom capable of conducting heat, making it a very effective insulation method.
Heat retention: A mug must be able to retain the freshness or heat of a drink for as long as its manufacturer claims. The mugs with larger openings would lose heat the most quickly from liquids, so it is better to opt for mugs with small openings.
Material: Most travel mugs are made of glass, ceramic, plastic, or stainless steel. Of all these materials, stainless steel is most favored because it is more durable than glass and ceramic and retains heat better than plastic. It is also the best material for vacuum insulation, and therefore heat retention.
Sometimes travel mugs are made of stainless steel on the outside and ceramic, or glass, on the inside. This is probably due to the fear of some that stainless steel affects the taste of drinks, a hypothesis that doesn’t have any scientific evidence to support it. The problem with internal glass or ceramic containers is that they can easily break. In addition, the stainless steel inside the mugs is often electro-polished, which reduces the risk of odor or taste residues. If you can get a travel mug that has a non-stick Teflon coating, then buy it because it will be easiest to clean.
Waterproof - When you put your mug in the cup holder or slip it into your luggage, the last thing you want to see is leakage. The best mugs have two sealing mechanisms: the first covers the spout and the second lock the lid to prevent it from opening unexpectedly. Some require the press of a button to open the spout and keep it in that position, ensuring it is closed and sealed as soon as you release it. This mechanism prevents accidents if you spill your mug.
Ease of use: A travel mug should be easy to use. If you use it while driving or on a bike, you will need at least one free hand and a clear view. A good mug should be easy to open and close, lock and unlock - all with one hand. The cover should not block your view while driving or hit your nose when you drink, and it should come off easily for cleaning.
Farewell to handles: Manufacturers have decided not to make travel mugs with handles, as they look superfluous. The travel mugs are vacuum insulated, so you don’t have to worry about your hands getting burned. In addition, the handles take up space in a bag, make the container heavier, and can prevent it from fitting into a cup holder.
Size: Some prefer very large mugs that fit in a cup holder and are less bulky in a bag. However, it is recommended to choose a lighter travel mug because they are easy to carry. It should also fit into cup holders and support one-handed use.
Resistance: A travel mug that falls to the ground from a reasonable height must not break, chip, or start to leak. And, its exterior coating should not chip or wash off when cleaned following the manufacturer's instructions.
Final Verdict
Travel mugs have several benefits over disposable glasses or buying drinks. Disposable glasses are made of plastic or Styrofoam, which contains harmful chemicals that get mixed with the drinks to deteriorate your health. Most travel mugs are made of stainless steel, which makes them durable along with maintaining the temperature of the drink for hours. Now that you have gone through reviews of the best travel mug consumer reports, you can easily decide which travel mug to buy. So, buy it today to make your traveling experience a lot better.