So can we talk mugs? I tend to make a half liter (~17 oz) of coffee in a French Press in the morning. I run into the problem that I get about a half hour to 45 minutes (I’ve never timed it this number might be wildly off) in before the, “Crap! Its getting cold!” moment and feel like I have to accelerate my consumption to avoid cold coffee when I’d prefer to keep going at a leisurely pace. I realize the most obvious solution is a couple of smaller batches but I’m lazy, easily distracted, and have a bit of a cutoff in the morning as my wife hates the smell of freshly brewed coffee and I catch a bit of drama if I’m brewing while she’s awake or just before she wakes up.
I do have a Contigo Autoseal stainless steel travel mug that I use occasionally for cheap tea and it works well for retaining heat. I can sip on hot tea for hours but the lid has all sorts of nooks and crannies that retain coffee oils that is a pain in the ass to clean and it has a very small drink hole limits the orthonasal olfactory pathway (aka you can’t sniff your coffee). The ability to take my drink somewhere is kinda nice but strictly speaking isn’t critical for me.
So anyone mind sharing their experiences with features or even specific recommendations? Don’t worry about if it is available in the US (where I’m located) I can always look at the features your favorite insulated or travel mug so it can still be handy to share. Or you may have a solution so elegant and obviously I’m going to facepalm when you point it out.
Overdue Update: I ended up going with a Carter Move and I’m quite happy with it. I appreciate everyone who gave me ideas and things to think about.
I’m a big fan of the Fellow Carter Move mugs. They definitely keep coffee hot (or cold) for quite some time. I actually have to cool off my freshly brewed coffee before I put it in the mug if I want to drink it in without waiting a long time. There are a few lid options, but I’ve found that the standard lid and slide lid keep temperature the best. There’s also several sizes available, though the 20oz is listed as a cold mug, it’ll work with the hot lids.
I realize I sound like a shill for the brand, but I just really like the mugs haha.
Don’t worry about sounding like a shill, if you really like a product you tend to sound that way. I’ll be honest when I saw the Carter Move mug the wide opening with a splash guard instead of some narrow drinking hole caught my attention from a difficulty to clean and smell aspects. Price is the main thing that has held me back, though that is why I’m seeking the collective wisdom of c/coffee because anything over $25 and I start getting more deliberate with my purchases.
They definitely aren’t the cheapest option, that’s for sure. They do their job well, and they don’t leak at all with the standard lid. The wide opening is definitely a very nice feature, it does feel more like drinking from a traditional mug.
One thing to note, and I haven’t experienced this myself, is that some people have reported that the ceramic lining can absorb some unpleasant odors. Though I think that was just the early batches, and has since been fixed.
ojirush
I have read from 8 months old comment on r/coffee that the problem still persist :( I am also kinda eyeing the Fellow Move but cannot decide. Would love to get some mug with ceramic coating as I don’t like the taste of coffee when it is on metal surface… DO you know anything about Frank Green? Seems to make also ceramic coated mugs…
This is my go-to as well. They’re expensive, but the design is well worth it imo. They’re so damn sleek! They have amazing heat retention, and I love the little splash guard they include. I’ve only used the standard lid, but I’d like to try the slide one at some point.
I just can’t stress enough how sexy this thing is. It’s the only Fellow product I can justify splurging on.
I’ve been through more than I can count. But this one by Zojirushi (yep, the rice cooker guys), which I’ve had for the past 10 years, is the best by far. Keeps liquids piping hot or ice cold for 8+ hours, I put the whole thing in the dishwasher (bottle on the bottom, top/plastic pieces on top, and it has never leaked. I recommend it to anyone who asks!
Love my zojirushi rice maker and I have one of their giant thermoses which is amazing, but I also have this model and my warning is that if you have a giant nose like me the nipple will bonk into your nose when using this and also that cleaning isn’t bad, but it’s also not the easiest as far as mugs go. If pure heat rente ion is your goal, this is the one, but I prefer a. Ceramic mug with a simple silicon sealed lid for daily use and throw it in the dishwasher when I want to.
+1 for this recommendation! I’ve had my zojirushi travel mug for over 8 years and I still love it. It’s super thin and lightweight but keeps my coffee just as hot as it was when I poured it all day long. If I’m just sitting at my desk I’ll unscrew the lid to drink it, still stays hot and you can get the olfactory side of things.
Get a Hario insulated carafe, they make them in all sizes, and pour multiple small mugs after making 1 big batch. Use cafiza if oils build up or anything.
I’ll admit I hadn’t considered an insulated carafe as a solution. That’s a good idea for a full morning of small cups.
I like it because it lets you control the temperature you drink at. I drink pour over mostly, so the carafe is heated by the water I use to heat the cone, and with the insulation I get a good 4 hours where it’s still too hot to drink straight out of the carafe. So pouring small cups and waiting a minute has been the perfect way to have every sip at the right temperature. And I’ve come to really like the pace of multiple almost espresso-sized mugs rather than working on the same cup all morning.
I’ve had many travel mugs, even the Zojirushi someone posted here. It’s a great mug in that it keeps coffee hot well into the afternoon. However, I find it keeps it too hot, and that I can’t drink directly from it. When I use it now, I use it only as a carrying vessel and pour out some coffee into a regular mug. Also, it’s a bit of a hassle to clean.
Long story long, after probably a dozen travel mugs, I’ve landed on the Yeti Rambler Mug as my favorite and go to. I even bought a universal wide cup holder adapter for my car on Amazon to be able to fit it. The Yeti Rambler is well built, holds the coffee at the perfect temp for me for hours (though I usually drink it within an hour), is easy as shit to clean and easier to operate than any other mug - the magnetic closure is really good.
Thanks for suggesting Yeti. I think in my head I had it pegged as a coolers and cold drink tumblers company but it makes sense that insulation is insulation. I’m looking at the Rambler Mug and I imagine that thing would last forever as there really isn’t anything to have break on it compared to some of the more complex lid and gasket systems some travel mugs are using.
