If you’re a person who’s constantly on the move, a high-quality travel coffee mug can be your best friend. It allows you to enjoy your favourite beverages at the temperature(s) that you prefer, and you don’t even have to break your stride to do it.
As you well know, there are dozens of portable beverage containers on the market, but not all of them are created equal. We have done the heavy lifting for you by investing dozens of hours of research into narrowing down best travel coffee mugs in the UK. Read on to discover our top picks.
Best travel coffee mug by Coffee Tea Club
1. Thermos Stainless King Travel Mug (470 ml)
The Thermos Stainless King travel mug successfully blends classic design with cutting-edge innovation, as it combines the latest vacuum insulation technology with a timeless, elegant look. Not only does the Stainless King keep hot beverages hot and cold beverages cold (for 5 hours and 9 hours respectively), but it’s made of ultra-durable stainless steel both inside and out.
What we like about it:
- DrinkLock sealing lid preserves beverage freshness
- Thermos stays cool to the touch even with piping hot drinks
- Exterior stays sweat-proof with cold beverages
- Features a built-in tea hook that can hold tea bags and loose tea infusers
- Attractive, timeless design
- Comes with a 50-year guarantee
2. Contigo Auto Seal West Loop Stainless Steel Travel Mug (470 ml)
The Contigo Auto Seal West Loop is just as much a work of art as it is a travel mug. It features a very attractive design and a wide array of colour options to fit practically any aesthetic preference, but there’s more to this travel mug than just good looks. With a stainless steel interior and exterior and 100% leak-proof and spill-proof construction, the Contigo can hold its own next to any other travel mug on the market.
What we like about it:
- Autoseal technology affords one-handed operation (press to sip, then release to seal)
- Top rack dishwasher safe
- Vacuum-insulated to keep beverages hot for 4 hours and cold for 12 hours
- Double-walled stainless steel construction for optimal insulation
- Made from BPA-free copolyester materials
3. Bodum Vacuum Travel Mug (0.35 L)
Founded in Denmark in 1944, the Bodum brand has long been associated with innovative and attractive household products. Their smartly designed travel mug is perfect for that daily commute to work, a weekend camping trip or practically any other situation where you need your beverage to stay hot or cold for a long period of time.
What we like about it:
- Stainless steel construction with a grip band comprised of slip-proof rubber
- Closable lid features a stopper for the opening
- Double-walled construction provides excellent insulation
- Attractive design with a wide range of colour choices
- Top rack dishwasher safe
4. Kooyi Vacuum Insulated Travel Coffee Mug (8.5 oz)
The Kooyi vacuum insulated travel coffee mug is compact, convenient, BPA-free, 100% hygienic, and 100% guaranteed leak-proof, which in a nutshell means that this handy beverage container is the consummate choice to keep your liquids cold or hot. Not only that, but the designers of the Kooyi travel mug had enough forethought to make it fit all automobile cup holders. What more could you ask for?
What we like about it:
- Double-walled and vacuum-insulated construction keeps liquids hot or cold up to 8 hours
- Made from FDA-approved 201 stainless steel exterior and 304 interior (no metallic taste or odour!)
- 100% guaranteed leak-proof via a robust safety locking mechanism
- One-handed drinking and opening operation
- Compact size fits all car cup holders
- Easy to carry, use and clean
5. KeepCup Original (12 oz)
The KeepCup Original has a fun and colourful design, and its compact, lightweight construction makes it the perfect beverage companion when you’re on-the-go. For those who would like to “go green” with their choice of travel coffee mug, the KeepCup definitely fits the bill, as it is made from recyclable materials, and it features replaceable components. One of the coolest things about the KeepCup is the versatility of colour choices that are available, affording you plenty of options to find the look that fits your personal style.
What we like about it:
- Splash-proof sealable lid
- Compact, lightweight design fits in both car and bike cup holders
- Non-toxic and BPA-free
- Plenty of colour combinations to choose from
- Microwave and dishwasher safe
How to choose the best travel coffee mug: Key considerations
When choosing a travel coffee mug, there are several factors that you’ll need to consider. After all, this portable beverage container is going to be your travelling companion, so you want to make sure that it has all the features and functionality that will make it a convenient, worthwhile choice. Below are some of the most important factors to keep in mind as you’re weighing out your options.
1. Size and design
If you’re going to be using your travel mug for your daily commute, it would make good sense to choose one that can fit in your car’s cup holder. In addition, you want your travel mug to be easy to clean, so try to choose one that has a simple, straightforward design without too many nooks and crannies.
2. Temperature retention
The ideal travel mug will keep your hot drinks hot and your cold drinks cold, with minimal temperature variance over several hours worth of time. Double-walled stainless steel travel mugs have proven to be the most capable type of containers for this purpose.
3. Usability
You are more than likely going to be using your travel coffee mug when you’re on-the-go, so one-handed usability should definitely be on your list of must-have features.
For example, if you’re driving on your way to work, it would be highly impractical (not to mention unsafe) for you to have to unscrew the lid every time you want to take a sip of your drink. Go for a mug that allows you to take sips of your drink while still keeping one hand on the wheel.
4. Durability
You can have the coolest looking travel mug on the planet, but if it falls apart after a couple of weeks, what good will that do you? The ideal travel coffee mug should be able to take a few hits and drops here and there without losing its functionality.
If you’re like most people, you want the coffee you brewed in the morning to still be piping hot by the time you arrive at work. If you’re a fan of cold beverages, you want them to stay cold so that they can still be enjoyable hours after you’ve prepared them.
The travel coffee mugs listed above can definitely accomplish these ends, so be sure to make them your top choices when it’s time to buy your travel mug. Here’s to enjoying delicious beverages while you’re on-the-go!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do you remove the coffee smell from a travel mug?
Bad odours are a common problem with coffee mugs. In addition to being used religiously, most of us leave them in the car or desk dirty for days on end. To avoid the smell, always make sure you rinse your mug after use and wash it with soap and water at the end of the day.
If the smell has already set in, there’s no need to worry. There are plenty of different ways to get rid of bad coffee odours. Start by adding a teaspoon of baking soda in your mug and topping up with hot water. Let it sit for between 30 minutes to an hour before pouring the mixture out. Rub the mug off with a sponge and then rinse with clean water. Your travel mug should be deodorised now.
Q: How do you clean a stainless steel travel coffee mug?
Stainless steel coffee mugs are a crowd favourite for many reasons. They’re durable, shiny, and keep your coffee warmer for longer. However, residue and bad odour tend to build up with extensive use. Follow the process below to clean out your coffee mug.
Start by pouring 2 tablespoons of baking soda in the empty mug. Next, pour ¼ cup of distilled white vinegar in the stainless steel mug. As the two ingredients foam, they’re actually cleaning and deodorising the mug. Close it and shake the contents for a few seconds. Pour out the mixture and rinse with piping hot water.
Q: Why should I buy a travel mug vs coffee cup?
For true coffee lovers, anytime is coffee time. We need coffee when we wake up, while going to work, sitting at the desk and even when taking a walk. Unfortunately, a coffee cup is neither convenient nor safe for most of these times.
With a travel mug, you get to keep your coffee warmer for longer. What more, you can even drink it while driving without having to worry about spillages. Additionally, all you need to do is make coffee once and enjoy it all day long. And as a bonus, you can use your travel coffee mug for other beverages too.
Great article – thanks for sharing your finds! It can be really difficult to find an effective and leak-proof travel coffee mug, but these look like some good ones to try. I love making a quality cup of coffee from home with my favourite beans and taking it with me on my trip to work, holidays or anything!