best coffee travel mug for taste

Best travel coffee mugs in 2024 — tested and rated

We’ve tested a range of models to find the best travel coffee mugs

The best travel coffee mugs displayed together on an outdoor railing

Best overall

Best budget and durable

Best with handle

Best heavy duty

Best color selection

Best smart travel mug

Best for heat retention

Best for sustainability

Most secure

Best mug design

Best ceramic

Whether you want to ensure your coffee stays warm throughout the morning, or your iced tea remains cool in warm conditions, you'll need one of the best travel mugs.

And while it might seem simple enough, the task of choosing out of tons available, can be tricky. You'll need to find the right travel coffee mug to suit your needs and lifestyle. Consider what material you'd prefer? Durable materials range from steel, aluminum and plastic, to even ceramic. Other things to think about include how heavy it is to carry, heat retention, and overall style.

Finally, how much are you willing to spend? The best coffee travel mugs range from $15 to $35, though there are more advanced types with their own battery that cost $185.

To help you decide, we’ve found a great selection of the best travel mugs to suit any lifestyle and budget right now.

Best travel coffee mugs: MiiR Flip Traveler

1. MiiR Flip Traveler

The MiiR Flip Traveler is one of the best travel coffee mugs we’ve tested, offering a compact cup that will keep your liquids hot or cold for hours. Coming in 9 different colors, the double wall vacuum-insulated stainless steel body holds 16 fluid ounces of liquid. Although there are 12 and 20 fluid ounce capacities available too. The cup itself is very light, coming in it at 10.2 ounces.

The unique lid on top flips out when you need to drink and is secure when you need it locked in. But right after you drink, a small amount of liquid can gather on the lid, leaking to tiny droplets getting in places they shouldn’t. Also, if you don’t lock the lid firmly in place, it can spill. There’s nothing worse than having hot tea on your electronics because you didn’t make sure the lid was completely down.

It was one of the best we tested at keeping liquids consistently hot. Our testing started at 203 degrees Fahrenheit, only to drop to 178 after two hours, 154 after five hours, and 126 after 10 hours. Other cups paled in comparison, with the MiiR outclassing them in the category that is, literally and figuratively, the hottest.

Washing the cup is super simple and the lid doesn’t need to be taken apart to be put in the dishwasher. The whole cup is fairly durable and comfortable to hold. Overall, MiiR offers a fantastic travel mug with few downsides, keeping everything cool and on the inside. Give it a try if you are looking for a mug that offers everything you’d need.

Best travel coffee mugs: Stanley Classic Trigger Action Travel Mug

2. Stanley Classic Trigger Action Travel Mug

Best budget and best durable

Stanley is a brand built for rugged adventures and their Trigger Action Travel Mug is no exception. The strong, durable exterior claims that it has survived a bullet so it should be able to handle whatever you can throw at it. Made of stainless steel, the double-wall vacuum insulation creates a sturdy mug that weighs 12.8 ounces and holds 16 ounces, making it one of the heaviest we reviewed. A 20 ounce capacity is available too, which will no doubt weigh even more — we tested the 16 ounce capacity.

The lid is also built to last, having a unique trigger system that lets you take a sip by just pressing the button. Though the lid is useful, it does tend to leave a bit of water in the mouthpiece if you close it too quickly. But other than the occasional dribble, it won’t leak even when turned upside down and severely shaken. The whole cup is dishwasher safe, but you might want to think twice about taking apart the lid. It's a bit difficult to reassemble, especially when you haven’t rebuilt it before.

It kept the heat in fairly well, starting at 204 degrees Fahrenheit, dropping to 176 at two hours, 152 at five, and 125 hours at 10. But when it does have a hot liquid in it, the heat only breaks through a bit allowing you to hold even scolding beverages without a problem.

While the MSRP is $25, it can often be found for $17.50, so you are getting one of the best travel coffee mugs out there for a great price. Even if you aren’t the adventurous type and just need something to shove in your cup holder that won’t tip over, then Stanley is your guy.

Best travel coffee mugs: Hydro Flask Coffee with Flex Sip Lid

3. Hydro Flask Coffee with Flex Sip Lid

Hydro Flask is one of the most popular brands for travel mugs and cups for a very good reason. Available in multiple sizes, from 12 to 40 ounces, and in 11 colors, this travel mug features double-wall vacuum insulation to keep your drinks at the right temperature for hours. The stainless steel bottle is durable, with paint that won’t chip from use.

What really makes this mug different from the competition is its unique lid. The top handle is great for taking it on the go, but when you unscrew it you see the real magic. To take a sip, just turn the lid counterclockwise to open the seal. When you want to take the whole lid apart to clean, just unscrew it in the opposite direction, revealing the intricate mechanism beneath. Keep in mind that getting it put back together can be a bit of a hassle or might take practice.

The cup is incredibly durable and lightweight, coming in at 11.6 ounces for the 20 ounce capacity. Though it lacks a rubber bottom, the cup is still comfortable to hold and stable. It's also great at keeping your drinks hot, falling from 202 degrees Fahrenheit to 172 after two hours, 145 after five, and 116 after 10. It's definitely one of the more unique-looking cups we’ve tested, but that doesn’t make it any less spectacular. Expert engineering and craftsmanship put it at the top of our list. This is why it’s one of the best travel coffee mugs.

Best travel coffee mugs: THERMOS Stainless King Vacuum-Insulated Travel Mug

4. THERMOS Stainless King Vacuum-Insulated Travel Mug

Thermos is a brand that has become synonymous with quality travel mugs, and the Stainless King is truly a wonderful option. Made of stainless steel, this vacuum-insulated cup is dishwasher safe and should fit in most cup holders. The handle on the side makes holding the cup easy and the outside stays cool even when hot liquids are inside. It is available in four different colors and holds 16 fluid ounces of liquid.

The lid is expertly crafted and won’t leak no matter how many times it's turned over or shaken. But it does have to be completely closed to work, just a little bit of an opening and the cup will spill out whatever is inside.

To open the lid, just turn the nozzle counter-clockwise revealing the “open” label on the lid. When it's closed, the lid creates a vacuum seal that keeps everything nice and hot. There’s even a small hook on the bottom of the lid to hold your tea bag and make sure it doesn’t fall in. The lid doesn’t even need to be taken apart to clean.

The Thermos excels at keeping beverages hot, outperforming everything else we tested. Starting at 203 degrees Fahrenheit, it only dropped to 181 at two hours, 159 at five, and 131 at 10 hours, which we found was still too hot to drink. It earns a spot on our list as one of the best travel coffee mugs for this reason alone.

It is one of the heaviest cups we tested, coming in at a whopping 15.6 ounces. The only heavier mug was the Ello Jane Ceramic Travel Mug.

5. Yeti Rambler

Available in 10, 20 or 30 ounces (we tested the 20 oz capacity), the Yeti Rambler is unique in its design, offering a much stouter mug with enough room for your liquid inside. Cupholder-friendly and dishwasher safe, this double-wall vacuum-insulated mug is great for taking your cold or hot drinks on the go. Plus it’s available in a whopping 34 colors, so you can find whatever tone you want.

Because of its more round shape, it's better than some we’ve reviewed at not getting knocked over, though it doesn’t have a rubber bottom for grip. But even the mightiest wind should allow the Yeti to stay upright.

The lid is simple but effective when kept upright. You can slide it up to take a sip and then slide it back down to seal it. The slide requires a bit of pressure for it to get opened, so it shouldn’t just flop open and spill what's inside. But you shouldn’t just place this cup in your bag because it is possible for it to spill. The lid does not screw on and only has a rubber circle keeping it in place. With enough shaking or momentum, the lid will pop off and won’t have an airtight seal when turned upside down.

It's also a bit dangerous to drink while hot. We found that while testing the outer ring on the lid retains heat a bit too well and was too hot to touch. The cup itself retains heat well enough, starting at 204 degrees Fahrenheit and going to 166 after two hours, 136 after five, and 108 after ten.

But if you aren’t going on any backpack adventures and just want a drink to keep warm, then the Yeti is a great option.

Best travel coffee mugs: Ember Temperature Control Travel Mug

6. Ember Temperature Control Travel Mug

Having an electronic travel mug that costs $185 might seem a bit extra, but the Ember makes it seem absolutely reasonable. The mug has an internal battery and can keep a drink at the same consistent temperature for three hours on a single charge. All you have to do is tap the center to reveal icons and set it to your desired temperature.

It's packed full of smart features, which is why it’s one of the best travel coffee mugs, like Bluetooth that connects it to your phone to set the temperature and light that tells you when the cup needs charging. It also has an app, which is simple to use and works flawlessly, showing the battery level and temperature of the beverage (but it does need to be reconnected after every use). To charge it, all you have to do is place the cup on the included stand and it should be ready to go in just a few hours. We set the temperature to 136 degrees Fahrenheit after starting at 199, it managed to stay the same for the whole 10-hour period.

The lid is also a marvel of engineering- all you have to do is press down whenever you want to drink to create a small circle of liquid to flow through. Even when shaken, the liquid didn’t escape and stayed inside the remarkable metal cylinder. Some liquid might stay around the lid after you take a sip, so keep that in mind.

It’s also very durable and has a rubber-coated bottom to keep it from spilling over. It might be a great travel mug, but other options can do what it does without the hefty price tag. There’s no need to over-engineer a cup that’s worked fine before. It’s fairly lightweight, coming in at 12 ounces and holding 12 fluid ounces. Being hand wash only is a drawback to boot as well.

7. Teabloom

The Teabloom tumbler allows you to make teas on the go with everything inside the bottle. Unlike a lot of other travel mugs, this long but elegant bottle comes with a metal diffuser with its own handle that you can throw your favorite tea blend or coffee right inside. Holding 16 fluid ounces, it's made of stainless steel and brushed with a metallic exterior that stood up to the wear and tear of everyday use and weighs 15.2 ounces.

The tumbler is very thin and can be a bit wobbly. It doesn’t have a rubber grip and it's tall but the thin facade can cause it to get knocked down with just a little bit of force. But it will fit in almost every cup holder snugly, without any worry of it flying out.

The lid is a simple screw-on top with a rubber ring that easily stops it from leaking even when shaken upside down. We found that even with the lid not screwed on completely all the way, the cup did not spill any water.

It also retained heat very well. When you put it in high-temperature beverages you can feel the heat on the side but it is definitely not too hot to touch. Out of all the travel mugs we tested without its own battery, the Teabloom held heat the longest, starting at 203 degrees Fahrenheit, and falling to 179 at two hours, 154 at five hours, and 126 at ten hours. It's by far one of the best travel coffee mugs to store hot liquid in, the fact it can make tea, coffee, or infused fruit water is just a plus.

Best travel coffee mugs: bioGo 16 oz Reusable Coffee Cups

8. bioGo 16 oz Reusable Coffee Cups

The bioGo Reusable Coffee Cup is simplistic but offers everything you’d need in a travel mug. Available in eight colors, it's made of recycled rice husks making them better for the environment. They also fit in cup holders and have a padded bottom to stop the cup from falling over.

It's also remarkably light; the model we tested weighs 6.2 ounces while still holding 16 fluid ounces. Although a 13 ounce capacity is also available. That light nature does make it feel a bit flimsy, but it held up to being knocked around just as well as other stainless steel mugs we tested. The cup is dishwasher safe and won’t break apart after multiple uses.

The screw-on lid is simple but effective. The hole on top has a plastic stopper that can be flipped in or out, which effectively keeps liquids inside. No matter how shaken or flipped upside down, the cup did not leak. The lid closer did not move once it was locked in place, but when the piece came out of the hole it did flop around.

Though it's a very pretty and stylish cup, it didn’t retain heat as well as a lot of the other mugs we tested. Starting at 202 degrees, it dropped quickly to 118 by two hours, 90 by five, and room temperature by 10. The whole cup became extremely warm on the outside, starting out at 125 degrees making it too hot to touch. If you need a mug that's safe for the environment and that you don’t need to hold hot beverages for long periods, then give this bioGo a shot. The environmentally friendly aspects make it one of the best travel coffee mugs.

Best travel coffee mugs: Contigo West Loop Stainless Steel Vacuum-Insulated Travel Mug

9. Contigo West Loop Stainless Steel Vacuum-Insulated Travel Mug

The Contigo West Loop Travel Mug has a gorgeous and unique shape that is durable enough to last. Made of stainless steel and its own patented Thermalock insulation, drinks stay hot or cold for hours inside. The shape makes it stand out from other travel mugs out there while still being slim enough to fit in most car cup holders. It holds 16 ounces of fluid and weighs 6.9 ounces. A 20 ounce capacity is also available, but we tested the smaller model.

The lid opens with a button press on the side, allowing any liquid to flow without issue. Even when shaken and held upside down, nothing escaped. To make sure nothing escapes, there’s a fantastic locking feature where all you have to do is press down on a button on top to make sure the lid can’t open. So when you place the mug in your bag, the button won’t accidentally get pressed and spill everywhere.

The odd shape does have it wobble a bit when tapped and it lacks rubber grips on the bottom, so it can fall. But it is still quite durable so even a tumble shouldn’t crack the exterior. The whole cup is dishwasher safe and the locking lid does not require disassembly to clean.

When filled with hot liquid, we found that the plastic lid coated in rubber got very hot and couldn’t be touched at max heat. But it did hold heat tolerably, starting at 204 degrees Fahrenheit and failing to 166 at two hours, 137 at five, and 111 at 10. Other travel mugs insulated a bit more consistently, but the Contigo still earned a recommendation, which is why it makes the list as one of the best travel coffee mugs.

Best travel coffee mugs: Ello Campy Vacuum Insulated Travel Mug

10. Ello Campy Vacuum Insulated Travel Mug

The Ello Campy Travel Mug is a simple, yet truly effective, liquid container. Its sleek metallic exterior hides a vacuum-insulated interior that keeps beverages cold or hot hours after use. That hard body makes it incredibly durable, though the plastic lid may not be able to handle the most aggressive of use.

The handle is coated in cork inside, helping you keep your grip and not burn yourself when going for a drink. The large handle makes it impossible for it to fit firmly in most car cup holders, especially any that are very deep. But it does make the cup look aesthetically pleasing and simple to use if you’d rather grasp a handle.

The screw-on lid is a bit more than just a simple piece of plastic, using a unique flipping mechanism to look the cup in place. Hot liquids made the lid too hot to touch and drink. It's also just a simple push button that can easily be knocked open without you noticing. This cup can’t be placed in a bag because it will spill everywhere. But it won’t leak when turned upside down as long as the lid is positioned correctly.

The whole cup is fairly good at keeping liquids hot, starting at 203 degrees Fahrenheit it fell to 171 at two hours, 142 at five, and 113 at 10. That puts it alongside a lot of the other cups we tested with vacuum insulation. Overall, it's great as long as you don’t try to drink scolding hot beverages. The model tested holds 18 ounces and weighs 5.3 ounces, but a smaller 11 ounce design is also available.

Best travel coffee mugs: Ello Jane Ceramic Travel Mug

11. Ello Jane Ceramic Travel Mug

The Ello Jane Ceramic Travel Mug is elegant with a timeless look, capturing the vibe of a cozy summer cottage somewhere in the wilderness. With a thick rubber bottom, the mug stays firmly planted when placed down and won't jiggle too much unless you try to knock it over. Being made of ceramic, we imagine that it's not as durable as other steel options (though we didn’t intentionally try to break it).

The handle on the side makes it comfortable to hold, though it is a fairly wide mug that won’t fit in most cup car holders. You can fill it with 18 fluid ounces of liquid and clean it in the dishwasher.

The top lid is a thin piece of plastic that you can shift up and down to take a drink. The lid is most certainly not leakproof and does not offer an airtight seal. If you just flip it over, the liquid will come gushing out, potentially with the lid as well. The lid is not screwed on and has no rubber gasket and is only held in place by a thin rubber bit around the lid.

It’s also not very good at retaining heat. It started at 199 degrees Fahrenheit and went down to 115 in just two hours. Like the Tupkee Glass Tumbler, the cup reached room temperature in just five hours. It's a much better indoor mug than a travel one, offering a unique option that just isn’t as stable as others on this list. The mug is also quite heavy, coming in at 22 ounces.

How we test

We put these travel mugs through rigorous testing for durability, heat retention, and comfort. First, we gave a score to every mug based on holding capacity, comfort to hold, stability, ease of opening, ease of cleaning, weight, and quality.

Best travel coffee mugs: Thermos mug shown above sink

Then we performed a test to see if it could hold liquid while turned upside down, without spilling a drop. We filled each cup to its maximum amount and held it upside down for five seconds. Then we noted which cups leaked and spilled onto the countertop. Most mugs managed to stay tight-lipped, while others leaked their insides everywhere. After a quick wipe-down of each mug, we moved on to the next step.

Best travel coffee mugs: Ello Jane Ceramic Travel Mug, Ember and Thermos shown on counter with digital thermometer testing liquid temperature.

Then we tested each mug's ability to retain heat. We filled each cup at the same time with boiling water and checked its temperature with a digital instant-read thermometer at two, five, and 10 hours. To check the inside temperature, we opened the top and placed a thermometer with a rod inside just long enough to get the recording without leaking much heat. Then, we closed the lid as quickly as possible before moving onto the next one.

How to choose the best travel mug

Material A travel mug can be made of stainless steel, plastic, ceramic, or glass. If you need a more durable mug, you should find one made of a tougher material like steel or plastic. These tougher mugs are also much better at retaining heat, with some having a vacuum insulation that keeps heat from escaping.

Durability Steel and plastic mugs are incredibly durable, able to withstand rigorous outdoor activity or time spent knocking around in a backpack. Mugs with rubber bottoms are also better at staying upright and not just falling over. If you are looking for a mug you can take on the road, it needs to be both durable and practical to use.

Size Most travel mugs are between 12 and 20 ounces, with 16 and 18 being the sweet spot. Most are slim enough to fit inside your average car coffee cup holder, while being snug enough to not just bounce around inside. If you are looking for a good sized mug, then aim for one that's around eight to ten inches in height.

How easy is to clean Ideally, you should wash or rinse out your travel mugs straight after use, to prevent any grimy build-up inside. If you want to remove odors, one tip is to add ½ cup of vinegar before adding 1tbsp baking soda into the travel mug. Allow it to soak in the solution overnight, and then rinse it with warm water. Make sure you rinse it well so that there are no traces of the solution/vinegar. This should have removed lingering smells.

How do you keep your beverage hot or cold? Whether you want to maximize the heat or chill factor of your drink, there are a few tips. For hot beverages, it's recommended to pour hot water into the mug, and let it sit for a couple of minutes. Then empty the mug, before adding your hot drink, and this should retain the temperature. The same applies for cold drinks, but you use ice cubes in the cold water instead.

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Steven Asarch is a writer and editor who lives on Twitch and YouTube. After graduating from Baruch College, he wrote for IBT Media, Newsweek and Insider. In 2021, he executive produced the docu-series "Onision in Real Life" on Discovery +. As someone always looking to have the best smelling apartment possible, he's made it his mission to find the best air purifiers out there. His home has since become an air purifier haven, having stored and tested ten models for over three months. You could say he now knows everything there is to know about air purifiers, and what separates the good from the best.

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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

Image may contain: Steel, Bottle, and Shaker

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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The Best Travel Mugs to Keep Drinks Hot or Cold

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Best Overall Hydro Flask Coffee Mug With Flex Sip Lid (16 Ounce) Read more

A Good Wide-Mouth Bottle Klean Kanteen TKWide Insulated Mug (16 Ounce) Read more

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

An Eco-Friendly Option Miir Climate+ Read more

Staying hydrated can be a battle, especially if you're toting around a bottle of lukewarm water, coffee, or tea. Whether you drink cold drinks or hot ones, a vacuum-insulated beverage holder can keep it at your preferred temperature so that every sip is a joy. There are tons of vacuum-insulated bottles, mugs, and tumblers on the market these days. Most of them are perfectly capable at keeping beverages colder or warmer than room temperature for much longer than a non-insulated bottle, too.

I tested each bottle with both ice water and cold water, sat outside on a patio in indirect sunlight, and then with hot coffee left indoors, where the ambient temperature was 70 degrees. During testing so far, none of the bottles failed to roughly match up to their claims of how long they'd keep cold liquids cold and hot liquids hot. It's rare to run across an insulated bottle that's a total failure at doing that these days, but it's also rare to find one that truly stands out. Rather, I've noticed the features that tend to make or break a bottle are their leak-proofing, exterior coating, and cap. Here are the best travel mugs that impressed us, and some of the rest.

Note that my colleague, Medea Giordano, wrote a piece about the use of lead soldering in the construction of some reusable bottles. Be sure to check out our guides to the Best Reusable Water Bottles , Best Coffee Subscriptions , Best Coffee Grinders , Best Espresso Machines , Best Portable Coffee Makers , Best AeroPress Coffee Makers , and How to Make Better Coffee at Home and Joe Ray's rave on how he learned to love pour-over coffee .

Updated March 2024: We've added the Yeti Rambler Vacuum Bottle With Chug Cap, Stanley IceFlow Straw Tumbler, REI Co-op Camp Mug, and GSI Outdoors MicroLite 500 Flip. We've also added information about the use of lead in some bottles' manufacturing, as well as updated pricing and availability throughout.

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Best Overall

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 over the past four years. 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're less likely to fumble it if your hands get wet or greasy.

A Good Wide-Mouth Bottle

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. I'm less likely to burn my mouth on hot drinks when I can let them cool off through a bigger opening, too. The TKWide’s Cafe Cap is more 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. This double-walled, insulated mug 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.

An Eco-Friendly Option

It doesn't fit a typical car’s cup holder, but if you like an insulated mug that resembles a cup more than a bottle or beer glass, 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.

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Camp Classic

This camp cup is awfully charming, harkening back to the classic blue, enameled camp cups that ooze 20th-century Americana. 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 I 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’ cup holders, 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 should 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. I've carried mine up glaciated mountains and down desert trails for six years now, and although the lettering has worn away, the mug itself works as well as it did when new. You can also buy a Snow Peak lid for $14 separately, which is splash-proof and kept my coffee warmer for longer.

Tumblers and travel mugs are generally designed for you to pour your chosen beverage into, but what if you just want to put 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 want it to stay cool in the summer heat.

Not only can you put the can directly into the drink holder, but you can also pour it into the Hydro Flask and drink directly out of it, if you wish. 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've run through many travel mugs, and not all of them are winners. These are a few we like, just not as much as the ones above.

Miir Flip Traveler for $28 : The Miir 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 cup holder or backpack bottle holder, and it feels tough enough to survive years of abuse. Personally, I also find it quite aesthetically attractive, with its sharp lines and angular cap, compared to its competition. Miir has stated that some of its bottles use lead, and its website states : “MiiR drinkware is frequently tested at a 3rd party accredited lab by COE Resolution CM/RES(2013)9. When MiiR drinkware is tested, lead is not detected. The limit of detection is < 0.002 mg/kg (ppm).” Representatives at Miir declined to clarify if the Flip Traveler is one of its bottles that use lead.

Yeti Rambler Bottle With Chug Cap for $50 : The star of this bottle is what Yeti calls the chug cap, a threaded spout that's between a wide-mouth opening and a more typical sipping hole in size. I enjoyed it quite a lot. When gulping water, it flowed more smoothly and quickly than a sipping hole, but it didn't spill over my face, as a wide-mouth opening can sometimes do when in a hurry. A cap with a plastic handle screws on over it to close up the bottle. The handle is wide and robust. I'd use a carabiner to clip it to a backpack often and never worried about it breaking (36 fluid ounces of water is heavy). If you're a frequent sipper like me, you'll appreciate that it only takes a half turn of the cap to expose the chug cap. Yeti cautions that the chug cap (which can be unscrewed and removed) is unsuitable for hot beverages. Just to make sure I didn't burn my mouth on that initial, exploratory sip of hot coffee, I'd take it off when drinking something hot, which negated some of the bottle's convenience. Like most Yeti bottles, the exterior coating was durable and didn't scratch or dent during testing—we've often got a code to customize it for free on the WIRED coupons site. Yeti uses lead in its manufacturing .

Stanley IceFlow Tumbler for $30 : Rather than a long straw, the IceFlow has a stubby, flip-open straw about an inch long that's built into the cap. It was easy to manipulate with my thumb to flip it out, which I appreciated when I was hot and sweaty after a workout and didn't want to fumble with a hard-to-use cap. Its small diameter meant that I couldn't gulp water, though, only sip a steady trickle. The carry handle was big enough to use while wearing puffy gloves this past winter, and it flips down and out of the way when you don't need it. Both are a very nice touch that outshine most other bottles' handles. Like Stanley's other bottles, its exterior coating is tough enough that I noticed no scratches or wear. Stanley uses lead in its manufacturing process .

Contigo Luxe Autoseal for $36 : What makes the Contigo “automatic” is a button on the side of the lid that opens the sipping 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. 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. Contigo is also among the manufacturers that uses a lead solder bead in its construction. When reached for comment, a company representative said, “The bead is covered and insulated by multiple layers—it never comes in contact with users or liquids in the bottle—and cannot be accessed unless the bottle is fully deconstructed. No traces of lead are found on or in the bottle that would be exposed to the consumer or the beverages in the bottle.”

KeepCup Thermal for $26 : This is 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.

REI Co-op Camp Mug for $23 : There are getting to be an awful lot of insulated camp mugs in this basic style on the market, and REI's own is a perfectly fine option that doesn't particularly stand out. REI didn't attempt any gimmicks with its lid, which is a durable piece of thick plastic with an open hole for sipping and a smaller hole for airflow (so that sipping is smooth). You can't just toss it in a backpack or on the floor of your car without it leaking, but for a camp mug, that's fine. They're better suited for use in camp, a motorhome, or on a desk anyway, in my opinion. The exterior coating was tough enough to show no scratches, even after knocking it over a few times outside, and the REI graphics were tasteful and attractive, in my opinion.

Miir Camp Cup for $28: Miir's insulated coffee mug 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 Hydro Flask's stainless steel rim, and the transparent plastic lid feels a little cheap. The sliding opening on the lid felt like just an extra step to operate each time I wanted a sip.

Hydro Flask All Around Travel Tumbler for $35 : 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 (in optional soft, pastel colors) that resists scratches and chips very well, plus 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 : It's not too easy to find at retailers, and when you do, they tend to be available in just a few colors and go in and out of stock. This cup is 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 : The stainless-steel interior is BPA-free and has a wide-mouth opening. The lid locks to avoid accidental spillage, and I once accidentally left hot tea in it for 18 hours and found it still hot when I 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.

Rambler Stackable Cup for $30 : This insulated cup holds 16 fluid ounces, which is the capacity of a typical tall drinking glass. The best aspect of this is that you can stack several of them, 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: 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 cup holder, which it can't fit into.

GSI Outdoors MicroLite 500 Flip for $30 : Under the button-activated, flip-up lid there's a contoured bowl that you drink from, as if somebody cut the top half off a plastic cup. It felt gimmicky and unnecessary. It didn't do anything that just drinking from an open bottle couldn't do, and it tended to collect stray water droplets after I was done drinking. The overly complex cap was harder to hand wash than most caps, although the dishwasher could clean the cap without issue. What saves the MicroLite 500 is the stainless steel rim, which felt nice to drink from when the cap was removed, plus the array of available colors in durable, non-scratch coatings. Minus the cap, the bottle was fairly nice, if not particularly a standout among the competition. There's a MicroLite 500 With Twist Lid for $30 that does away with the gimmicky cap and has a simpler lid, although the carry strap is narrow and not as robust as I'd have liked.

Owala FreeSip for $28 : Product reviewer Medea Giordano loved the FreeSip ( 9/10, WIRED Recommends ) for its dual drink spouts: one open hole, plus a built-in straw. 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 that the company says helps better maintain your beverage’s perfect temperature, although I saw no noticeable difference in the Elevation's temperature-holding abilities. The clear press-on lid has a locking mechanism that you can 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 hues. OfferBox uses lead in its construction. When reached for comment, a company representative said, “ The seal is not open or accessible to the end user, and at no time, under intended use, could it come into contact with the end user. The OtterBox Elevation tumbler meets all applicable US regulatory requirements.”

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.

S'well Traveler Tumbler for $30 : S’well boasts that its tumblers are triple-walled, but I'm not convinced that has much real-world benefit over a normal double-walled tumbler. It didn't keep beverages remarkably colder or hotter than its competitors, for example. 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. 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. Stanley uses lead in its manufacturing process .

a Beast stainless steel travel mug next to it's packaging

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 for $18 : Greens Steel’s Beast tumbler has more than 67,000 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.

Snow Peak Kanpai 500-ml Bottle for $98 : 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 Toaks gear as an affordable source of titanium camp cookware compared to Snow Peak and Evernew and MSR, which tend to be more expensive. But this mug is only $10 less than the Snow Peak mug we recommend above, and its finishing is rougher.

Scott Gilbertson

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The Best Travel Mug

Four different travel mugs next to each other.

By Trey French and Anna Perling

Hot drinks are a daily staple for many, and just as important as the beverage is the travel mug that keeps it warm while you’re on the go.

After a decade of testing travel mugs, we still recommend the Zojirushi Stainless Steel Mug for most people. It keeps drinks hot for hours, and its locking lid stays securely closed, even when you toss the mug into a bag. We also have another option, which fits better in most cup holders, for use while you’re driving.

Everything we recommend

Zojirushi Stainless Steel Mug

The best travel mug.

This mug offers the best heat retention, plus one-handed usability and a locking, leakproof lid, which makes it especially useful if you carry your mug in a bag or backpack.

Buying Options

Stanley Classic Trigger-Action Travel Mug (16 ounces)

A wider mug for drivers.

This wider mug fit securely in our testers’ cup holders, and its spill-proof lid design is good for rough roads. It doesn’t retain heat as well as the Zojirushi mug—a fact that some people might actually appreciate.

OXO Good Grips Water Bottle Cleaning Set

For cleaning your mug.

This bottle-cleaning set has a skinny straw brush and a looped detail-cleaning brush, which are all you need to keep your travel mug squeaky clean.

The 16-ounce Zojirushi Stainless Steel Mug keeps beverages hot for hours, even in cold environments. It has a well-designed exterior, an easy-to-clean nonstick Teflon interior, and a foolproof lid-locking mechanism that you can operate with one hand.

The mug is lightweight and slim, but it may not fit snugly in some cup holders. However, thanks to its locking lid, we were comfortable carrying it around in a bag, without worrying about leaks.

This Zojirushi model is pricey for a travel mug, but this is the mug we trust most not to spill in a bag, and it’s hard to put a price on that. (Actually, that would be about the price of a new bag, laptop, phone, and whatever else happened to be in there at the time.)

It’s also available in a 20-ounce version .

Like other Zojirushi products, it comes with a five-year warranty.

The 16-ounce Stanley Classic Trigger-Action Travel Mug is wider and fits better in most car cup holders than the Zojirushi mug. The lid has an auto-sealing button that prevents spills, and when you drink, it won’t block your view of the road ahead.

Although this Stanley model may not keep drinks as hot as the Zojirushi mug, some people might prefer such results—we’ve heard many complaints over the years of the Zojirushi mug keeping drinks too hot.

Both the mug and the lid are dishwasher safe, but the lid has fewer parts than that of our top pick, so it is easier to disassemble and hand-wash if you prefer to clean it that way.

And let’s not forget that these things need cleaning regularly. That’s why we also have a bottle-brush recommendation for when you need to clean out the gunk .

The research

Why you should trust us, who this is for, how we picked, how we tested, our pick: zojirushi sm-sf stainless steel mug (16 ounces), also great: stanley classic trigger-action travel mug (16 ounces), also great: oxo good grips water bottle cleaning set, other good travel mugs, the competition.

We’ve been testing travel mugs since 2013. Previous versions of this guide were written and researched by Séamus Bellamy and Anna Perling. In 2023, staff writer Trey French wrote the latest update to this guide. He gained an appreciation of high-performing insulated drinkware while spring camping in Colorado when the temperatures dropped below freezing.

In addition to conducting our own tests, we spoke to engineers and industry professionals about mug design, ideal coffee and tea drinking temperatures, and the best way to find out how long coffee will really stay good in a travel mug.

Travel mugs, as their name implies, are for people who want to take beverages on the go. Compared with paper or Styrofoam cups, a good travel mug offers better insulation and safeguards against leaks or spills. In addition, you can save money in the long run and reduce your environmental impact by using a travel mug.

Tumblers, thermoses, and insulated water bottles are all close cousins to the travel mug but have some important differences:

Tumblers have sipping ports that don’t seal as tightly or securely as on travel mugs and have wider mouths for you to add ice cubes. Many also have straws for you to sip cold beverages.
Thermoses usually lack the slim size and lid-design features that make travel mugs portable and convenient. With a thermos, instead of popping open a lid to take a sip, you need to unscrew the cap and pour liquid into an open cup to drink.
Insulated water bottles are geared toward keeping drinks cold and don’t have sipping ports like travel mugs do. Instead, they often have screw-top lids that require two hands to open and close, or they have sport caps, which aren’t great for hot drinks.

To determine which travel mugs to test, we look for mugs that advertise the following qualities:

Vacuum-insulated: All of the mugs we consider are double-walled and vacuum-insulated .

Capable of retaining heat all day: We look for mugs that claim to keep hot beverages drinkably warm for at least eight hours.

Made of stainless steel: Stainless steel is more durable than glass or ceramic and retains heat better than plastic. It’s also the best material for vacuum insulation and therefore heat retention.

Leakproof and spill-proof: A leakproof seal keeps a closed lid from leaking if the mug jostles. A spill-proof seal guards against spills should you drop the mug or knock it over; such seals typically incorporate a push button, like the one found on the Stanley Classic Trigger-Action.

Easy to use: A good mug should be easy to both open and close, as well as to lock and unlock, with one hand. It should also be easy to disassemble for cleaning. We look for mugs that advertise these features or have reviews indicating that they are easy to use.

Between 12 and 20 ounces in capacity: We’ve concluded that 16 ounces is the optimal capacity for a travel mug, as it delays the need for a refill while remaining portable and easy to hold. Some people prefer wider mugs that don’t rattle in cup holders, while others like slimmer mugs that take up less space in backpacks or bags. We test both styles.

After considering the everyday wear and tear that a travel mug might go through in real-world scenarios, we devised tests to mimic those scenarios. During our tests, we use the mugs daily, evaluating them for simple enjoyability.

Leak and spill tests: We test mugs for leaky seals by shaking them upside down, dropping them, and carrying them in bags.
Drop test: We drop each mug three times from a height of 4 feet onto asphalt.
Insulation test: We fill each mug with boiling water and then measure how quickly the water cools over eight hours, checking every hour.
Ease of cleaning: We wash each mug, following instructions; we also take apart their lids and wash those. We check for lingering smells and to see if the finish on the mug is harmed.
Cup holder compatibility: We test the mugs in cup holders of varying sizes (2.75, 3.5, and 3.75 inches in diameter).

A blue Zojirushi SM-SF Stainless Steel Mug.

The 16-ounce Zojirushi SM-SF Stainless Steel Mug is the best travel mug for keeping drinks hot for long periods of time. This mug also comes in a 20-ounce size. (The SM-SF is the current model; these model designations often change from year to year, but the mugs themselves stay the same.)

It kept our drinks the hottest. According to the Specialty Coffee Association of America, the best temperature range for coffee is 145 to 155 degrees Fahrenheit. After sitting for eight hours in the Zojirushi mug in a 72-degree room, our water measured 158 degrees—hotter than in any other mug we tested. That translates to hot coffee over a full workday. (If you’re opening the mug more frequently than once an hour, however, it might cool a bit faster.)

It won’t leak. It has sturdy, leakproof seals and a simple locking mechanism. Just close the lid, switch the lock into position, and you’re guaranteed that the top won’t pop open when you don’t want it to—when you’re carrying the mug in a bag, for instance.

It’s easy enough to keep clean. The nonstick interior helps to prevent odors and stains, though the mug’s instructions do warn against storing milk or fruit juices in the mug. (If you prefer drinking from a vessel that doesn’t have a nonstick coating, you might consider the Zojirushi SM-KHE , which has an electro-polished stainless steel interior.) The narrow girth makes it hard to get a sponge inside, but using a bottle brush circumvents that problem. You can disassemble the plastic lid to clean out any gunk that might be lodged in hard-to-reach places, although the small plastic and silicone parts can be difficult to get on and off the lid.

It’s durable. Though this mug developed a few scuffs in our drop tests, it acquired no more than the other mugs we tried, some of which fared far worse. Zojirushi backs the vacuum insulation of its stainless steel mugs with a five-year limited warranty, and the company sells individual replacement parts online .

It’s simple. The Zojirushi Stainless Steel Mug has an attractive design that’s minimalist yet eye-catching in its simplicity. The 20-ounce version comes in only one color (navy), but our pick, the 16-ounce version, comes in three (navy, pale pink, mint blue).

How the Zojirushi mug has held up

The Zojirushi Stainless Steel Mug might be the single most commonly owned and used product among Wirecutter staffers; it has traveled in many crowded bags, backpacks, and purses without any problems. One staff member did report that after eight years of use, hers finally developed a leak. Another colleague says that their mug has survived drops onto cement (once from a third-floor balcony) without suffering more than a dent.

Zojirushi specifies hand-washing only, but we know of several mugs that have survived accidental trips through the dishwasher without any noticeable decrease in performance, though the external paint has flaked as a result.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

The Zojirushi mug is sometimes too good at insulating. We’ve found that if we pour fresh coffee directly into the mug, the liquid can stay scalding hot for hours. To prevent burning your mouth, let your beverage cool a little before closing the lid.
It’s not cup holder friendly. This model, which is more narrow than a typical travel mug, did not fit snugly in our testers’ car cup holders. If you prefer a travel mug with a larger circumference, check out our also-great pick.
It isn’t spill-proof. Though the SM-SF is leakproof, it isn’t spill-proof like our also-great pick; the design lacks an automatic seal to prevent liquid from spilling if you drop the mug while you’re drinking.

A white Stanley Classic Trigger-Action Travel Mug.

The 16-ounce Stanley Classic Trigger-Action Travel Mug is our recommendation for use in a car, as it’s a great spill-proof mug that keeps drinks hot and fits in a cup holder.

It’s designed for drivers. Wider than the Zojirushi mug, this Stanley model fit more securely in our testers’ car cup holders. The top of the mug is narrower than the base, though, to help reduce heat loss through the lid. (Experts told us that the lid is where a double-walled mug loses the most heat.) And the design has no pop-up lid to bump your nose or block your eyes while you’re drinking.

A close-up of the cap of a white Stanley Classic Trigger-Action Travel Mug.

It’s spill-proof, unlike the Zojirushi mug. You do need to hold down a button to keep the sipping port open to drink from the mug, which may be frustrating to some people. However, this design prevents spills—whether from rough roads, say, or if you accidentally knock the mug over while reaching for it—since the mug closes automatically. Other mugs we tested, such as the Contigo Autoseal Transit and West Loop (both former runners-up), had similar buttons, but the button on the Classic Trigger-Action was easier to press and hold. Unlike the Zojirushi model, this mug has no lock to secure its lid, but it never leaked in our tests.

It keeps drinks hot long enough. The Classic Trigger-Action can’t keep your beverages quite as hot for quite as long as our top pick can, but that might be a plus for those who complain that the Zojirushi mug keeps drinks too hot. When we boiled water and let it sit in this Stanley mug, the water took only three hours to cool to 158 degrees (whereas water in the Zojirushi mug took eight hours to reach that temperature). After eight hours, the water in the Classic Trigger-Action measured 132 degrees—26 degrees cooler than the water in the Zojirushi mug. If you drink your beverages quickly or don’t want to wait for them to cool down before sealing your mug, the Classic Trigger-Action may be a better option for you.

It’s tough. This mug endured our drop tests, sporting only light scuffing on the plastic lid and minor dents at the side of the base of its body. Like Zojirushi’s five-year warranty, Stanley’s lifetime warranty covers only manufacturer defects, not damage to mug components due to accidents or wear. Should you damage the lid or simply lose it, you can buy a replacement lid .

It’s dishwasher safe. Both the mug body and the lid can go in the dishwasher. The lid has some hard-to-reach nooks and crannies, so be sure to disassemble it for the best cleaning results. Stanley’s lid has fewer pieces than Zojirushi’s lid and is easier to take apart.

You have more color choices. If you care about colors, the Classic Trigger-Action comes in many—about a dozen at last count. This mug also comes in a 20-ounce size .

The OXO Good Grips Water Bottle Cleaning Set is the best bottle-cleaning set. It comes with a large bottle brush, a skinny straw brush, and a looped detail-cleaning brush, all kept together on a handy ring so you won’t lose any of the parts. The set is dishwasher safe, and we found that it works well for anyone looking to remove gunk from travel mugs and other hard-to-clean items.

If you want a mug with a locking lid for about half the price of our top pick: Consider the GSI Microlite 500 Flip , which keeps liquids almost as hot as the Zojirushi mug and has a similar one-handed flip top with a lock.

However, when we dropped this GSI mug to the ground when the lid was unlocked, the lid popped open and spilled coffee everywhere—and the exact same thing happened when we dropped it a second time. Eventually, we dropped the mug enough, accidentally, to break the lid; GSI does sell replacement lids.

This mug, which has a large sipping port, also has a higher flow rate than our picks, and may require more careful sipping when the beverage is really hot.

If the Zojirushi mug is out of stock: You might look into the MiiR 360 Traveler , which in our tests kept drinks almost as hot and resisted denting just as well as our top pick. When it’s unlocked, its sipping port allows you to drink from anywhere on the lid’s circumference. We decided not to make it a pick because we struggled to decipher whether the sipping port was open or closed—which in turn led to spills. Unlike some twist-to-open 360-degree ports, the MiiR 360 Traveler’s lid has a push button for operation that forms the center of the lid, and at a glance, it looks nearly the same whether closed or open.

The mug is also available in a flip-top version called the Flip Traveler , but we’ve found flip-top lids prone to breaking during our drop tests. The mug bodies for the 360 Traveler and the Flip Traveler are the same, and the lids are interchangeable, in case you buy one and then decide that you’d like to try the other.

We’ve considered and evaluated several other Zojirushi travel mugs throughout our testing. Here’s a breakdown:

Zojirushi SM-WR : Almost identical to the SM-SF series, this version has an integrated gasket, which reduces the total pieces to clean. We like it almost as much as our top pick. However, it dispenses a little faster than the SM-SF, which is good for cold drinks but can be too much for really hot drinks.
Zojirushi SM-YAE : This 16-ounce mug costs a little more than our main pick. It comes with an electro-polished interior, like the Zojirushi SM-KHE, but has a shape that’s stouter than other Zojirushi mugs and short enough to fit under the spout of a single-cup brewing machine. In our tests, however, it fell short of our picks in insulating performance: After eight hours, the water temperature had dropped to 100 degrees, 58 degrees cooler than the water in our top pick.
Zojirushi SM-SHE : We were reluctant to test this mug due to persistent stock issues. Zojirushi sent us one to try out anyway, but it broke during our drop test.
Zojirushi SM-JHE : We opted not to test this mug because it has a wide-mouth, screw-off lid.
Zojirushi SM-JTE : We also elected not to test this model, which has a tea-leaf filter, due to its screw-off lid.

The JoeVeo Temperfect Javabliss 16 Travel Mug brings a scalding drink down to a drinkable temperature and holds it there by using a third layer in its wall to capture excess heat and then release it over time. It isn’t leakproof or spill-proof, though.

The 17-ounce Kinto Travel Tumbler insulates well—so well that it was the third-best contender at insulating in our tests behind the Zojirushi SM-SF and GSI Microlite 500 Flip. Drinking from it requires fully removing the lid, though, as well as finding a place to put the lid.

After dismissing previous iterations of the Hydro Flask travel mug, we tested the 20-ounce Hydro Flask Coffee Cup with Flex Sip Lid , and it was a clear improvement over older models. It kept drinks hot for about a half day, and it resisted denting better than about half of the other tested mugs. The lid requires two hands to open and close, however, so it can be tough to open while you’re distracted, and it has a tendency to “burp” a small amount of liquid when you rotate the lid from closed to open.

The 16-ounce OXO Good Grips Thermal Mug with SimplyClean Lid resembles—and insulates about as well as—the Hydro Flask mug we tested, keeping drinks hot for a half day. It also shares that model’s flaws, requiring two hands to open and close, and burping some liquid.

The Klean Kanteen Insulated Wide Mouth Water Bottle was a previous runner-up in this guide, as well as a former insulated water bottle pick, but we found that the lid occasionally leaked when we left the bottle on its side overnight.

The 18-ounce Purist Mover with Scope Lid insulates nearly as well as our picks and has a 360-degree sip lid, which lets you drink from any side of the mug. It requires two hands to open and close, though.

We broke the flip-top lid of the 20-ounce Welly Traveler , as well as the glued-on product-label plate on the bottom of the mug, the first time we dropped it.

The 12-ounce Ketiee Travel Mug is cheaper than most mugs we looked at, and we wondered what we’d get for the price. It kept drinks hot for about two hours during our tests, scoring near the bottom. Our main complaint is that the molding process left a pointy knob on our test unit, right above the drinking port, that pressed into our testers’ noses. Also, the product page states that it’s spill-proof—and we found that it wasn’t, whether the flip-top lid was open or closed.

The promise of the battery-powered Ember Travel Mug 2 is that it allows you to keep your beverage at a specific temperature (up to 145 degrees) for three hours—if you remember to charge it. Without the battery, it scored at the bottom on our insulation test; we also managed to break its inner seal during our drop test. Although we like the standard Ember Mug 2 (read more in our mug warmers guide ), we can’t recommend this even more expensive sibling.

The Contigo Autoseal West Loop Travel Mug was one of our previous runners-up, and like the Stanley Classic Trigger-Action , it has a button that you need to push before you can drink. The West Loop didn’t hold up as well in our drop tests as the Stanley model did, and we found its vertical push button harder to use than the one on our current also-great pick.

This article was edited by Ria Misra and Christine Ryan.

Hongbin Bill Ma, director, Center of Thermal Management at the University of Missouri , phone interview , September 22, 2017

Michael Dickey, professor of chemical engineering at North Carolina State University , phone interview , September 26, 2017

Meet your guides

Trey French

Trey French is a staff writer at Wirecutter covering outdoors gear. A trail runner, backcountry skier, and long-distance backpacker, he has reviewed gear for Treeline Review and advised wilderness travelers on lightweight backcountry equipment at Katabatic Gear. He resides in California’s Eastern Sierra, where scenic desktop backgrounds are born.

Anna Perling

Anna Perling is a former staff writer covering kitchen gear at Wirecutter. During her time at Wirecutter, she reported on various topics including sports bras, board games, and light bulbs. Previously she wrote food and lifestyle pieces for Saveur and Kinfolk magazines. Anna is a mentor at Girls Write Now and a member of the Online News Association.

This Inexpensive Water Bottle Is Meant for Cyclists, But It’s Great for Travelers, Too

by Christine Ryan

The Camelbak Podium is affordable, lightweight, and perfect for packing.

Our Favorite Mugs

by Jackie Reeve

Our Wirecutter home team is passionate about the vessels they drink them out of. Here are the mugs we can’t get enough of.

A collection of different types of water bottles laid flat on a surface.

How to Clean a Travel Mug or Water Bottle

Don’t want your coffee to taste like yesterday’s brew? Give your travel mug a good deep clean—and do the same for your insulated water bottle, too!

Two photos of the Zojirushi Stainless Steel Mug in illustrated polaroids.

We’ve Recommended This Travel Mug for a Decade. It’s Still Going Strong.

by James Austin

Our longtime favorite travel mug keeps drinks piping hot, and the nifty locking lid makes it virtually spill-proof.

I Tested 15 Travel Mugs to Find the Best Ones for Coffee and Tea

My top picks from Zojirushi, Fellow, and Kinto are hot, hot, hot.

We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more .

Serious Eats / Irvin Lin

The Winners, at a Glance

What we learned, the criteria: what to look for in a travel mug, our favorite travel mugs, the competition.

Why We're the Experts

Straight to the Point

Our favorite travel mug is from Zojirushi . It keeps coffee and hot beverages warm for a remarkably long time and has a locking flip lid. For coffee and tea enthusiasts, the Fellow Carter Move Mug has a thinner-edged lip that offers a better drinking experience.

After working at a coffee shop right out of college, I stopped drinking caffeine. It was the inevitable result of having way too much of it (post-college, I did not understand moderation) and coming home with my hair, skin, and clothes smelling of it chronically. But years later, after getting married to a coffee enthusiast (some would say snob), I came back to my love of coffee.

Though I now work from home and can savor my coffee slowly out of a mug, my husband often needs to bring his second cup of coffee on the go. Coupled with the extensive camping and road-tripping we do, travel mugs of all sorts have started to accumulate in our kitchen cabinets.

This is all to say: A review of travel mugs is right up my alley. I set out to test 15 of them to see which ones retained heat and cold best, were comfortable and easy to use, didn’t leak, and offered the best drinking experience.

The Best Overall Travel Mug

Zojirushi sm-sc48hm stainless steel vacuum insulated mug.

This travel mug is deceptively lightweight, yet still holds 16 fluid ounces of coffee or tea. It retains heat for a remarkably long time (longer than any other mug I tested). The lid not only opens up with a simple click of a button but also locks shut with a side switch, so you don’t have to worry about it accidentally opening.

The Best Travel Mug for Coffee and Tea Enthusiasts

Fellow carter move mug.

Courtesy of Fellow

The Fellow Carter Move Mug is designed with coffee enthusiasts in mind. Its heat and cold retention was second only to the Zojirushi and the inner chamber of the mug is ceramic-lined for a neutral flavor. The thin lip of the mug made drinking coffee out of it a pleasure.

Another Good Travel Mug

Kinto day off tumbler.

The Kinto Day Off Tumber is another excellent option for coffee and tea lovers. The top has a looped handle that makes it easy to carry around and the inner lid has a built-in splash guard. It also retains heat and cold for an exceptionally long time.

Note: If a temperature-controlled travel mug is what you're interested in (where you can set and hold the temperature for a prolonged period of time), then the Ember is the one to get. We tested temperature control mugs separately .

Heat Retention Test One (without Lid): I filled each travel mug with 212°F boiling water, then left the lid off. I inserted a ChefAlarm 's probe (our favorite probe thermometer ) and set the alarm to 140°F to see how long it took for the temperature to drop.
Heat Retention Test Two (with Lid): I filled each travel mug with 212°F boiling water, and then placed the lid on. I took temperature readings each hour to see how long it took for it to drop to 140°F.
Cold Retention with Lid: I filled each travel mug with 36°F cold water, and then put the lid back on. I placed the mugs in an oven with the light on, monitoring the temperature of the oven to keep it within 80 to 85°F, to simulate a warm day. I took temperature readings each hour to see how long it took for the water to reach 60°F.
Leak Test: I filled each travel mug with water and placed the lid back on. I vigorously shook the travel mug upside down to see how much it would leak.
Drinking Test: I filled each mug with 12 ounces of freshly brewed coffee , carrying it around the apartment and outside on walks and drinking from it to see how the user experience was.
Cleaning Test: After each test, I thoroughly cleaned the mugs and lids.

Screw Tops Didn’t Leak Like Pop Tops

The travel mugs I tested had two types of lids. One style screwed onto the mug’s body and the other popped on and had a rubber gasket that held the lid in place. The latter were easier to put on, as all you needed to do was push the lid onto the body. However, these mugs all leaked...some worse than others.

Conversely, most of the screw-on lids I tested did not leak much, if at all as long as they were put on properly. The bottom line: Get a travel mug with a screw-on lid and double-check that the lid is properly aligned and seated to avoid leakage.

Drink Buttons Were Annoying

Some lids, like the Contigo West Loop Stainless Steel and Stanley Classic Trigger , require pressing a button to drink from the mug. In theory, this seems like a great idea, as it only requires one hand and could prevent leakage. However, continually pressing a button for extended periods causes hand fatigue, especially if you have mobility or strength issues. This was especially noticeable with the Stanley mug, which had a stronger spring that required more pressure and strength to press.

Lid Design and Drinking Experience

Some lids (like the Camelbak , Yeti Rambler Tumbler , and Yeti Rambler Mug ) featured thick plastic lids with drink holes set slightly back from the edge. Drinking from them felt bulky and cumbersome. Other lids, like the Simple Modern Kona Collection , had a latch right near the opening, hitting my bottom lip as I sipped. My favorite travel mugs had thinner lid edges (like the Zojirushi and Fellow ) or rounder-edged lids (like the Kinto ), which felt more natural and pleasant to drink from. Both the Fellow and the Kinto also allowed you to drink from the mug in any direction.

Heat and Cold Retention

The travel mugs that had the best heat retention also, unsurprisingly, kept liquids cold longer as well. The Zojirushi blew every other mug away on both accounts, taking over 14 hours to drop from 212°F to 140°F and nearly 20 hours for 38°F water to warm up to 60°F. The second-best mug in these tests, the Fellow , took a respectable 10 hours to drop from 212°F to 140°F and 6 hours to go from 38°F to 60°F. The Kinto mug also took 10 hours to drop down to 140°F and 13 hours to get to 60°F. With these three mugs, you could carry around your coffee or tea and it'll stay hot or cold nearly all day.

On the flip side, some of the worse performing mugs, like the Hydro Flask and Corkcicle , dropped temperature alarmingly fast, from 212°F boiling to 140°F in just three hours and 38°F to 60°F in about eight hours. Most folks drink their coffee and tea within a few hours of brewing it, but if you prefer your coffee piping hot or you have a long commute, it’s nice to have a mug that'll go the distance.

Look for a travel mug that has a double-walled, vacuum-sealed body for the best heat and cold retention. Select a travel mug that has a screw-on lid. Pop-on lids are more convenient but leaked. Pick a travel mug that has a rounded or thinner lip for the most pleasant drinking experience.

And, finally, get a travel mug that's suitable for your lifestyle. If you are constantly on the road, look for a mug that's lightweight, easily opens up with just one hand, and fits in your car's cup holder. If you're a long-distance commuter on public transit, find a mug that retains heat exceptionally well and can be safely tossed into a bag.

What we liked : The Zojirushi retained heat and cold for a remarkably long time, longer than any mug I tested. The 212°F boiling water took a little over 14 hours to cool down to 140°F, while cold 36°F water took over 20 hours to warm up to 60°F. The flip-top was easy to use, with a simple button that popped it open. There’s a secondary latch that locks the lid, too.

The mug has a thin plastic lip and the lid comes apart into two pieces, which makes it easier to clean. The inside features a nonstick coating, preventing stains. Best of all, this slim travel mug is incredibly lightweight.

What we didn’t like: The heat retention of the mug is one of its best features. But it also means freshly brewed coffee takes a while to cool down to a drinkable temperature. If you plan on drinking the coffee from the travel mug immediately, make sure to let the coffee cool before pouring it in. Otherwise, you might scald your tongue with each sip.

Also, the opening of this travel mug is narrower than other models. This made it more challenging to clean. (You’ll want a bottle brush for the task.)

Material: Stainless steel with nonstick coating and BPA-free plastic
Dimensions: 2.625 inches diameter; 8.5 inches tall
Dishwasher-safe: No
Stated capacity: 16 fluid ounces
Fits in a car’s cup holder: Yes
Weight: 7 ounces

What we liked : The Fellow Carter Move Mug is great if you prioritize the coffee or tea-drinking experience. The interior chamber of the travel mug is ceramic lined, to help prevent any metallic taste that a cheaper stainless steel model might impart to your coffee or tea. The thin metal edge of the mug feels great on your lips and allows you to drink in whatever direction you pick the mug up from.

The mug features a removable “splash guard” insert that looks a bit like a sink drain. This prevents hot liquid from splashing outwards. The double-walled, vacuum-sealed body retained heat, taking over 10 hours to drop from 212°F to 140°F and 16 hours to rise from 36°F to 60°F.

What we didn’t like: The mug's lid requires you to unscrew it and you need two hands to do so. This also means you have a lid that you need to carry (or put down) when you're drinking. That said, Fellow does sell an optional slide lid (which I did not test).

Material: Stainless steel with ceramic interior coating
Dimensions: 3 inches diameter; 7.25 inches tall
Weight: 12.5 ounces

What we liked : The Kinto is a well-constructed, lightweight mug that retained heat and cold for fairly long, taking nearly 10 hours to cool 212°F boiling water down to 140°F and 13 hours for 36°F water to warm up to 60°F. The mug itself features a two-part top, one that screws onto the body and acts as a splash shield, and one that's a sealing lid with a looped handle.

The first splash shield offers a tapered lip and allows you to drink from all sides of the mug. Like the Fellow, this makes it a pleasure to drink from. The handle on top of the sealing lid is nice for carrying, too.

What we didn’t like: Because the Kinto mug has two parts to the lid that screws onto the body, there is twice the chance of user error where you can misalign the threads and not properly screw on the lid. Like the Fellow, the Kinto lid screws on, which means it requires two hands to remove it. Unlike the Fellow, though, the lid does have a handle, so it's easier to wrap your fingers around it and hold on to it, allowing you to drink with one hand.

Material: 18-8 Stainless steel powder coated, with polypropylene and silicone
Dimensions: 2.75 inches diameter; 9 inches tall
Stated capacity: 16.9 fluid ounces
Weight: 10.5 ounces
Contigo Stainless Steel Vacuum-Insulated Travel Mug : Contigo makes reasonably priced travel mugs and this one does a good job retaining heat and cold. But the shape of the lid and its small opening meant coffee pooled on top of the lid between sips, which caused dribbling and spilling.
Hydro Flask All-Around Stainless Steel Tumbler with Lid : The Hydro Flask travel mug lost heat the quickest of all the mugs I tested, and the pop-on lid leaked.
Yeti Rambler 20-Ounce Tumbler : This Yeti Rambler had a pop-on lid that leaked and didn’t retain heat or cold very well.
MiiR Flip Traveler: This solidly constructed, lightweight mug was easy to use and retained heat and cold better than most of the mugs I tested. Unfortunately, it leaked a bit, no matter how much I tightened or screwed on the lid.
Yeti Rambler 20-Ounce Travel Mug: Unlike the Yeti tumbler we tested, this Yeti mug had a screw-on lid that didn’t leak. It also retained heat and cold for a respectable amount of time. But the thick plastic lid made drinking out of the mug less pleasant than our winners.
Contigo West Loop Stainless Steel Vacuum-Insulated Travel Mug : This Contigo mug did a decent job with retaining heat and cold, but having to hold down a button to drink was tedious.
Simple Modern Travel Coffee Mug : This mug lost heat and cold relatively quickly.
Corkcicle Commuter Cup : Unfortunately, this mug lost heat extremely quickly (in just over three hours).
W&P Porter Insulated Tumbler : I loved the feel of this tumbler and its colorful design. But the insulated tumbler lost heat relatively quickly and leaked terribly when turned upside down.
CamelBak Horizon Tumbler : The Camelbak tumbler did a poor job of retaining heat and cold. It also had a snap-on lid that leaked.
Stanley Classic Trigger Action Travel Mug : The rugged and durable mug felt like what your grandfather probably drank from as he backcountry hiked his way across the Rocky Mountains. It’s built to last a lifetime (and is backed with a lifetime warranty as well). And it did a good job retaining heat and cold. But it's slightly annoying to drink from since you have to push a button to sip. And when you did, the coffee flowed out very slowly.
Simple Modern Insulated Thermo s: This travel mug did a great job retaining heat and cold. But the small lid had a flip-top with a locking latch that protruded fairly high, bumping into my bottom lip.

How do you clean coffee or tea stains off of a stainless steel travel mug?

Sprinkle some baking soda (about one to two teaspoons) into the mug and add water to form a paste. Gently scrub with a damp cloth, soft sponge, or bottle brush. The mildly abrasive baking soda should remove the stains.

How do you maximize the heat and cold retention of a travel mug?

For hot beverages, warm up the inside of the travel mug by pouring hot water (it can from the tap) into the mug, letting it sit for a couple of minutes, and empty the mug. Then, add your coffee or hot beverage. For cold drinks, cool the inside by pouring in water and adding a few ice cubes, swirling the cubes around, then drain it and add the cold beverage.

What size travel mug is best?

For most folks, a 12- or 16-ounce travel mug is sufficient. If you're a hardcore coffee drinker or you travel a longer distance for work, a larger 20-ounce mug might be a better fit.

How do you clean a travel mug lid?

If your travel mug's lid disassembles, take it apart. Then soak the lid in warm, soapy water for 10 to 15 minutes, then scrub and thoroughly rinse.

What is the best travel mug?

After testing, the Zojirushi travel mug came out on top, with a convenient flip-top and excellent insulation. But if you prioritize the coffee-drinking experience, the Fellow Carter Move Mug and Kinto Day-Off Tumbler are also excellent.

What travel mug won't leak?

All of our favorite travel mugs (from Zojirushi, Fellow, and Kinto) are leak-proof. The Zojirushi features a flip-cap that locks, while the other two have screw-on lids that prevent accidental spills.

Why We're the Experts

Irvin Lin is a cookbook author, recipe developer, food writer, photographer, and ceramicist.
He wrote the cookbook Marbled, Swirled, and Layered , which was picked by the New York Times as one of the best baking cookbooks of 2016.
He runs a blog called Eat the Love , where he’s developed, photographed, and written recipes since 2010. Eat the Love was nominated twice for best food blog by the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) in 2016 and 2022.
He has served as a judge for the 2021 IACP Cookbook Awards and served on the executive committee for the 2022 IACP Cookbook Awards. He currently serves on the 2024 Book Awards Committee for the James Beard Foundation.
He’s tested and reviewed hundreds of kitchen items including stand mixers and indoor herb gardens .
For this review, Irvin tested 15 travel mugs, evaluating their insulation, usability, and more to find the best ones.

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The Best Travel Coffee Mugs for Road Trips, Park Strolls, and Your Morning Commute

By Alaina Chou

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

If you’re a Coffee Person, or frankly, if you’re a Hot Beverage Person™ of any kind, we probably don’t need to explain to you the importance of a great travel coffee mug. Because while we all might dream of a world in which we get to sip each and every cup of joe from our favorite handmade ceramic mug while curled up on the couch (with a cat purring on our laps and a roaring fire going, perhaps), the reality is, whether we’re commuting, dropping kids off at school, or headed on a road trip, most of us need to satisfy our caffeine cravings on the go.

Image may contain: Bottle, Water Bottle, and Shaker

Zojirushi Stainless Steel Vacuum Insulated Mug

Image may contain: Jar, Pottery, Bottle, Shaker, Hockey, Ice Hockey, Ice Hockey Puck, Rink, Skating, Sport, and Water Bottle

Kinto Vacuum Insulated Travel Tumbler

Amazon (12-Ounce)

Image may contain: Steel, Can, Tin, Bottle, Cup, and Shaker

Yeti Rambler 8-Ounce Stackable Cup

Image may contain: Cylinder, Jar, Bottle, and Shaker

Hitch Water Bottle

Free People

Bespoke Post

Hitch (Preorder)

There are lots of different kinds of travel coffee mugs, and the best travel mug for you will depend on a few things: Are you transporting a tumbler via subway, or taking it on a daylong road trip? Do you need a mug that’ll keep your beverage hot for hours on end? Are you sick of carrying around a coffee tumbler and a water bottle, and curious about an option that could serve as both? (If you didn’t know this was a possibility, get excited.) Read on for our list of expert-tested and editor-recommended travel coffee mugs that’ll cover all of these bases and more.

The best travel coffee mug for tossing in your bag: Zojirushi Stainless Steel Vacuum Insulated Mug

Pros: Leakproof, slim, and retains heat well Cons: Not dishwasher safe

This is an insulated travel mug that really delivers on keeping hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold. So, if you’re the type who wants to enjoy a cup of coffee at your office desk that’s just as hot as when it came from the coffee maker, or you take an hour to reach the bottom of a single cup of tea, the Zojirushi stainless steel mug will work for you. And if you need a travel mug that you can toss in your bag alongside your laptop without the risk of catastrophic spillage, this stainless steel vacuum insulated number is the one.

Japanese brand Zojirushi’s rice cookers consistently win the product tests conducted by our sister publication Epicurious. The brand’s stainless steel travel mug meets those same high standards: It was a top pick in the Epicurious travel mug review thanks to its excellent heat retention, slim, lightweight design, and a sliding lock mechanism on the leak-proof lid that ensures your bag and its contents will be safe from any spillage, no matter how much the mug gets jostled around. With 12-, 16-, and 20-ounce sizes and a rainbow of colors to choose from, we’re confident there’s a Zojirushi mug for all you train commuters and gym bag carriers, whether you prefer a flashy candy apple red or an understated matte black. And if you’re the lunch-packing type, Zojirushi also makes some of our favorite vacuum insulated thermoses for all of your soup and stew needs.

While this mug is not dishwasher safe (that’s true with most vacuum insulated tumblers), a nonstick coating makes the interior easy to clean, and the flip-top lid comes apart for easy hand washing. Because of its narrow opening, you might want to pick up a soft bottle brush to help give your bottle a deep clean every once in a while.

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

Another great leak-proof travel coffee mug: Kinto Travel Tumbler

Pros: Leakproof, durable, and heat-retentive Cons: Screw-top cap, not dishwasher safe

This vacuum-insulated travel tumbler from Kinto has garnered a loyal fanbase here at Bon Appétit for a few reasons. Associate social media manager Olivia Quintana and senior cooking editor Emma Laperruque both love the screw-top design: While it’s not quite as easy-access as a flip lid, “It means when I'm not using it it's super sealed and never ever leaks,” says Olivia. Emma stashes a full tumbler in her bag alongside her laptop, noting that she’s used it for years without once running into a spillage situation. “It also insulates wildly (I can forget my tea for hours and it's still hot).” That’s because like the other mugs on this list, the Kinto features double-wall vacuum insulation that’s great at maintaining temperatures both hot and cold.

The Kinto has also proven very durable. Emma notes that she’s “had it for a long time, and the color coating has not chipped or scratched at all—and I am not precious with it.” Speaking of that color coating, this mug comes in ten matte colorways that range from a jewel-toned turquoise to earthy ash green, and the sleek design makes it a great choice for any minimalist aesthetes out there. Laperruque likes the smaller, 12-ounce size because it’s easy to slip in her bag without weighing her down, but Kinto also makes a 17-ounce version for people who need a bit more of a caffeine boost in the morning.

This mug is not dishwasher-safe, but it completely disassembles (even down to the silicone gaskets) for easy handwashing.

Dishwasher safe: No Fits in car cup holder: Yes Leakproof: Yes Sizes available: 12 ounces, 17 ounces Warranty: 30 days for manufacturing defects

The best travel coffee mug for car rides: Yeti Rambler

Pros: Easy to open and close with one hand, stackable, heat retentive Cons: Not spill-proof

Yeti is another perpetual staff favorite brand. The cooler giant’s travel coffee tumblers are the go-to pick for multiple staffers, specifically when they’re looking to take their beverage on the road. (The Yeti Rambler was the top-scoring mug for road trips in the Epicurious tests as well.) That’s because Yeti’s Rambler mugs are equipped with “MagSlider” lids that are easy to open and close with one finger while your other hand stays on the wheel. “They have the best sip lids in the game,” says commerce editor Carina Finn, “and even though I'm a certified Straw Person, I actually love drinking from these.”

While the Yeti Rambler comes in a handled mug shape , both Carina and Bon Appétit production manager Matt Carson are partial to the tumbler style, which comes in 8-, 16-, 20-, and 30-ounce sizes, all of which fit in a standard car cup holder. “I like the 8-ounce size for hot coffee, and the adorably chunky 16-ounce for iced coffee season,” says Carina, while Matt typically opts for the 20-ounce size. Another excellent feature? “They're stackable,” says Carina. “So they take up less space in my cabinet (which means I can snap up any of the brand's limited edition colors I get way too excited about).”

As with the other tumblers on this list, the vacuum insulated construction of these guys keeps drinks at a consistent temperature for hours on end, whether you’re into hot or cold beverages. “I once left it in my car all weekend full of water and ice cubes, and there was still solid ice in there on Sunday afternoon,” says Matt. Unlike the Zojirushi and the Kinto, this tumbler is dishwasher safe.

Dishwasher safe: Yes Fits in car cup holder: Yes Leakproof: No Sizes available: 8 ounces, 16 ounces, 20 ounces, 30 ounces Warranty: 5 years

Yeti Rambler 16-Ounce Stackable Cup

Yeti Rambler 20-Ounce Stackable Cup

The travel coffee mug that is also a water bottle: Hitch Bottle and Cup Kit

Pros: Combines the functions of a water bottle and coffee mug Cons: It’s bulky when the pieces stack

Senior service editor Kelsey Youngman needed to tick a lot of boxes when picking a travel coffee cup. She wanted something that “was pleasant to sip from, kept my coffee hot, was dishwasher-safe, and was also somehow a water bottle because I kept forgetting to drink water alongside my morning brew.” If you have been clogging your backpack or purse with separate coffee cups and water bottles and Kelsey’s plight strikes a chord with you, the Hitch Bottle and Cup Kit is the answer to your problems. “It’s a nifty insulated water bottle with a just-right sized 12-ounce coffee cup nestled inside (the coffee cup slips in between the insulated layers of the bottle when it’s not in use),” explains Kelsey. If you're having a hard time visualizing what exactly that all entails (as I admittedly did), the product page on the Hitch website has a handy video to help with that.

If you want to use the coffee cup and water bottle separately, each comes with its own lid so they’re fully functional whether they’re screwed together or not. And if you want carry your water and coffee in one hand, the coffee cup snaps right onto the top of the water bottle for easy transportation. And before you ask: Yes, it’s all BPA-free and dishwasher safe (though hand wash is recommended for the outer shell, which detaches from the bottle’s double-wall insulated stainless steel interior).

Two final selling points: Both components of the Hitch bottle are mostly leakproof (not as fully leakproof as the Zojirushi or the Kinto), and will fit in most standard-sized cup holders. So yes, this truly is the travel coffee mug that does it all. “I’ve never been more hydrated and caffeinated all at once,” says Kelsey.

Dishwasher safe: Yes (hand wash recommended for the outer shell) Fits in car cup holder: Yes Leakproof: Mostly Sizes available: 1 size (18 ounce water bottle and 12 ounce coffee mug) Warranty: 30 days for manufacturing defects

How we chose the best travel coffee mugs

We leaned on the rigorous product testing conducted by our sister brand Epicurious (for more info on the rest of the travel mugs they tested including the Contigo West Loop, the Fellow Carter Slide Mug, and more from brands like Miir, Hydro Flask, and Klean Kanteen, head right this way ). But we also gathered recommendations directly from our staff, whose expertise and real life experience using the products over a long period of time were crucial in informing our mug picks.

What about those big Stanley Cups?

Chances are you’ve seen these massive handled tumblers around, whether on social media or perched on your officemate’s desk. At 40 ounces in capacity and available in over 20 hues (with limited-edition color releases that invariably sell out in days if not hours), the Stanley Cup —or the Quencher H2.0 Flowstate Tumbler, as it’s formally called—has gained a loyal and lasting following over the past couple of years. And while it’s known as a water bottle (you’ll find it all over #WaterTok ), you may not have realized it can be used for hot beverages too. The vacuum-insulated stainless steel is extremely effective at keeping drinks hot—when I went to test how well the insulation on mine worked, I found a full cup of boiling water still be scalding five hours later—and when the straw is removed the cap can be rotated to reveal a spout opening for sipping.

The thing is, 40 ounces is a comically large amount of coffee for anyone to be drinking, let alone carrying around, and it’s probably more herbal tea than anyone could plausibly desire in a sitting. But if you require superhuman amounts of caffeine to get you through the day, or if the idea of having a hot beverage that’ll last you an entire six-hour road trip entices you, maybe the Stanley is your perfect match. It does effectively keep cold drinks cold, so you could use it for a whole morning’s worth of cold brew.

It’s worth noting that the Quencher does come in some more manageable sizes, the smaller of which do not have handles and while perhaps less trendy, would probably be better suited for your coffee needs.

Stanley Quencher 40-Ounce Stainless Steel Vacuum Insulated Tumbler

Stanley Quencher 14-Ounce Stainless Steel Vacuum Insulated Tumbler

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What to Buy

The Best Travel Coffee Mugs, According to Our Tests

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

In This Article

Our Top Picks

How We Tested Travel Coffee Mugs

Our favorite travel coffee mug, factors to consider, other travel coffee mugs we tested, our expertise.

Food & Wine / Will Dickey

There’s nothing like sipping a freshly brewed coffee from your favorite espresso machine or cold brew coffee maker 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 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 your day.

The problem is finding the best travel coffee mug that keeps the flavor of your go-to coffee 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.

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.

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 hot or 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

Food & Wine / Will Dickey

Ello Campy Travel Mug

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

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 where this mug wouldn't be useful. And under $20, it can't be beaten for value.

Volume: 18 ounces | Lid type: Twist-on, twist-off lid | Dishwasher-safe: Lid is dishwasher-safe, body is not

Food & Wine / Fran Sales

Best Leakproof

Contigo autoseal west loop vacuum.

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

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.

Volume: 20 ounces | Lid type: Pop-off lid | Dishwasher-safe: Lid is dishwasher-safe, body is not

Food & Wine / Bailey Fink

Best Wide Travel Mug

Fellow carter everywhere mug.

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

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. Our only qualm was the overall size of this mug, as its wide base does not fit in standard car cupholders. If you're looking for a slimmer model, we highly recommend the Fellow Carter Move Mug , which comes in three sizes: 8, 12, and 16 ounces. We've tested the 12-ounce option and love it so much that bring it with us whenever we travel.

Volume: 16 ounces | Lid type: Twist-on, twist-off lid | Dishwasher-safe: No

Food & Wine / Bridget Degnan

Best Splurge

Kinto day off tumbler.

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

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 (although we noted that you need to make sure you screw on both pieces very well or else they will leak). The kinto's slim body is 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 | Lid type: Twist-on, twist-off lid | Dishwasher-safe: No

Best for Car Travel

Bubba envy insulated tumbler.

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

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 keeps 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 | Dishwasher-safe: No

Food & Wine / Megan Soll

Best Insulated

Hydro flask wide mouth flex sip lid bottle.

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

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.

We tested 27 popular, top-rated travel coffee mugs via an initial 4-week testing period and through long-term testing to collect further insights from editors after months of continued use.

For 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.
In our long-term testing, we paid attention to each mug's durability and ability to withstand daily bumps, scratches, and dishwashing cycles. We also observed any changes in each travel coffee mug's design, observing how well the thermos kept our coffee hot or cold or any changes in the effectiveness of the leak-proof or spill-proof seal over time.
Overall, we evaluated each mug based on how often we reached for it in our daily lives and if we'd recommend it over others we've tested.

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)

Although the Zojirushi performed well in our leak tests and kept both hot and cold beverages at the right temperature, we didn't love the overall design of this travel coffee mug. Since this mug is narrow yet tall, we found it difficult to hand wash and dry.

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

We liked the vacuum insulation of the S'well Stainless Steel Traveler and noted that it formed a perfectly airtight seal to keep our beverages cold for up to 30 hours. However, we wish this travel coffee mug had a grippy exterior, a looped handle, or another more travel-friendly design feature, as it was slippery to grab and go.

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

We noted that this mug does not leak at all, even when knocked around on the countertop. Though it fits in standard car cupholders, the bulky handle of this thermos makes it awkward to easily grab and sip while driving, so we would have preferred not to have a handle at all.

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

We liked the overall design, insulation, and size of the MiiR Insulated Travel Tumbler. However, we found a design flaw with the locking flip lid, as we found it difficult to take a sip without splashing coffee especially while commuting.

RTIC Outdoors Travel Mug ($35 at RTIC)

This travel mug performed well in our leak and insulation tests, but we didn't love the somewhat bulky handle and we found it difficult to quickly unscrew the lid for cleaning or refilling.

What Didn’t Make the List

In our tests, a few travel coffee mugs did not meet our expectations in terms of design, performance, and insulation. Some models like the Klean Kanteen Wide Recycled Insulated Mug leaked and spilled during our tests. We were disappointed by the performance of the Ember Stainless Steel Temperature Control Travel Mug and found that the smart controls took some time to get used to, and even then were ultimately awkward to use.

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.

Kitchen & Household

Article updated on April 17, 2024 at 10:00 AM PDT

Best Travel Coffee Mugs of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

We’ve rounded up all the best travel coffee mugs for on-the-go coffee, tea or any other hot beverage of your choice.

Our Experts

CNET’s expert staff reviews and rates dozens of new products and services each month, building on more than a quarter century of expertise.

What's the best travel coffee mug?

Travelers need mugs that keep their drinks piping hot. If you're one of them, you should get a travel coffee mug that would allow you to enjoy and savor your beverage without having to rush to drink it before it goes cold. Whether you choose to start your day with a freshly brewed coffee from home or you stop by your favorite coffee shop, you're going to appreciate a good reusable travel mug. We've tested several of them and the $29 Zojirushi stainless steel is our pick for best travel coffee mug for 2024.

While a travel coffee mug isn’t necessarily a huge investment, it can cost up to the $45 mark, which can feel like a lot to pay. To help you pick the right travel coffee mug and not feel like you wasted money, we tested several of the most popular travel coffee mugs to see which ones keep liquids hot longest, protect against leaks and feel nice to hold -- and look at. These are the seven best travel coffee mugs of 2024.

Best travel coffee mugs

Best overall travel mug, zojirushi stainless steel mug.

Admittedly, sometimes choosing the "best" model of a given product is a matter of extreme nuance, but in this case, it wasn't even close. Zojirushi's sleek travel mug was the top performer in every possible metric. After 5 hours, the liquid was still piping hot. The screw-on lid was infallible and yet easy to drink from, with a spring-loaded button that opens the lid, and a lock feature to prevent it from being jostled open when in the closed position. (Let it be a testament to my faith in these mechanisms that I put the Zojirushi full of coffee in an overnight bag along with my clothing for a train ride out of town.) Regardless of this additional measure of security, the slim design made it easy to operate one-handed while not risking control of the mug. For the aesthetically conscious, the Zojirushi stainless mug comes in a variety of sizes, colors and patterns.

A close second for under $30

Miir flip traveler.

Along the same metrics, the Miir Flip Traveler was the clear runner-up to Zojirushi. After 5 hours, it only had lost 10 degrees beyond what the Zojirushi had maintained, but this was a solid 10 degrees hotter than almost any other model on this list. Its screw-on lid also kept all the liquid inside the mug, even when given the roller coaster treatment. The "flip" mechanism is basically a plastic flap that covers and plugs into the opening for sipping. Because the modest flap is so successful at managing leaks it wasn't as easy to flip open one-handed, but then again there's a lot less lid in your face when you go to take a sip. At half the cost of the Zojirushi, with several size and color options, this would be an excellent choice for those looking for a solid travel mug on a smaller budget.

Best variety of sizes, colors and features

Yeti rambler.

Yeti is a trusted brand in insulation, making everything from large coolers to picnic wine tumblers . It's no surprise that its travel coffee mug offering is also a worthy investment. Its Rambler series mugs are shatterproof, and double-walled, with a twist and press-on lid which includes a sliding piece to allow you a sip.

While not as hot as the above models, the liquid in the Yeti was decidedly still quite warm after 5 hours. Overall, screw-on lids tended to be more leakproof in this lineup, so Yeti's lid wasn't perfectly leak-proof, although little more than a dribble escaped. (I wouldn't be packing it among my clothing, just in case.)

Yeti has the widest variety where size and features are concerned, offering hot mugs in 10, 14, 20, 24 and 30-oz options, in about a dozen colors, and being among the only brands here to offer travel mugs with handles. Yeti's 20-oz Rambler also offers a tapered bottom with a high handle, formatted perfectly for your car's drink holder.

Best budget travel mug

Contigo west loop.

Good news for the travel-mug curious, or those with a tendency to lose things like travel mugs, Contigo's inexpensive West Loop model was also among the best performers on this list and might be something you just find on the shelf at your local department store or pharmacy. Utterly leakproof, the West Loop was on par with heavy-hitters Yeti and S'well in its ability to keep coffee relatively hot. Its contour is also especially user-friendly, with a narrow neck that makes for both a solid grip and easy one-handed operation with an auto seal function that includes a button at the back of the bottle that reveals the opening for sipping on the lid. A locking mechanism on the lid keeps the hole closed even if the auto seal button gets bumped. Its colorful models are a little more expensive, but a basic black model will cost you little more than $15, making it one of the best value mugs on this list.

Best travel mug for espresso drinks

In the spirit of full disclosure, this KeepCup mug isn't intended for long-term insulation, nor is its simple press-on lid designed to be airtight, but just look at it. For those whose daily coffee beverages top out at 6 ounces, and aren't meant to be sipped indefinitely, this glass number is the perfect vessel for a cappuccino, or other espresso drink, with a built-in cork band to serve as a heat sleeve and an attractive glass cup that still allows you to witness your foam art. Additionally, unlike all of the other models here, it is microwave-safe, which is another good way to keep your coffee hot for multiple hours.

Best travel mug with top handle

Hydro flask flex sip.

According to legend, the first people to climb to the peak of Denali did so with only a cup of hot chocolate for sustenance. While this move isn't recommended, if your to-go coffee or other hot beverage is likely to be swinging from a backpack, Hydro Flask's model with a top handle is an ideal choice. Hydro Flask is another brand whose products are known for top-performing insulation, and this Hydro Flask model was second to the Zoshirushi in terms of its ability to maintain temperature. The screw-on top creates nearly leakproof conditions. The upper part of the lid twists easily to reveal the slot for sipping, this is also what makes it only nearly leakproof, as the twisting sip mechanism tended to loosen the lid at the base somewhat.

Best design

S'well tumbler.

The S'well line of tumblers looks, feels and operates very similarly to the Yeti Rambler, even coming to within a degree of temperature variation after both 3 and 5 hours: not quite hot, but still quite warm, relying on double-walled insulation and a twist and press-on, vacuum seal lid. Also like Yeti, it is very nearly leakproof and perfectly easy to operate in one hand. While the S'well line of tumblers has far fewer size options than the Yeti, what it has in abundance is a large array of attractive designs, with several marble, geode and wood finishes for a unique touch.

How we tested travel mugs

A travel coffee mug must do at least 2 things extremely well: keep your coffee hot, and keep it from spilling all over your bag/car/desk. Additionally, matters of size, aesthetics, ease of cleaning and one-handed operability may be factors to consider. Our list was assembled based on CNET's previous picks, those that have been well-vetted by other review sites and appear repeatedly on best lists, and best-selling and consistently highly-rated models at major retailers such as Amazon, Bed Bath & Beyond and Target.

Most travel coffee mugs claim to keep liquids "hot" for about 5-6 hours. To test this, I filled each of the models here with 170-degree liquid and measured the temperature after both 3 hours and 5 hours. Lids for travel mugs tend to fall in 1 of 2 camps, either some sort of threaded, screw-on mechanism or else a plastic and rubber twist/press-on lid that creates a vacuum seal. To test for leakproofness, I repeatedly upended each mug while full, looking for even a hint of a dribble.

Best travel mugs compared

Travel mug faqs, are travel coffee mugs dishwasher-safe.

It is mostly recommended to wash travel mugs and their lids in the sink with warm, soapy water. Of the models listed here, only the Yeti and Contigo give their full blessing as being dishwasher safe. Miir suggests that its Flip Traveler is dishwasher safe, but with an asterisk, recommending sink washing as a better practice to not ruin its exterior. Zojirushi, Keep Cup, Hydro Flask and S'well all are marked as not dishwasher safe.

Are travel coffee mugs good for the environment?

All of the travel mugs included here are BPA-free, which is a highly chemically processed form of plastic. To that degree, they are environmentally safe, and to the degree that they reduce the number of paper, plastic and styrofoam disposable cups, they are extremely good for the environment.

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The 12 Very Best Travel Mugs

Cut back on waste and enjoy a better cup of coffee..

When I walk into any coffee shop, I see at least a handful of people asking for their morning brew to be poured into their own reusable vessel instead of something disposable. And trust me: Baristas are more than happy to oblige. Every single one of the pros I talked to for this story said that not only are ceramic, glass, and stainless-steel options better for the environment, but they actually make your coffee tastier than paper or plastic. They’re also more convenient — I make my coffee and tea at home the vast majority of the time, but now, I pour it into one of the few reusable mugs I tested for this story whenever I want to take it with me on the go. Not only does that save money, but it keeps my drink hot or cold for longer. And I can sip some, throw it in my bag , and save the rest for later.

All the travel mugs on this list have temperature retention for at least a few hours, with the exception of three, which I’ve noted and explained. While all of them work well, if you’re going to invest in this long-term good habit, you want to find the one that best fits your coffee habits and, of course, aesthetic preference. Read on to help determine which reusable cup, mug, or tumbler is best for you. And if you’re in need of a water bottle , I’ve got you covered there, too.

What we’re looking for

Most of these travel mugs come in various sizes, and obviously that’s an important feature to pay attention to when buying. Eight or 12 ounces is on the smaller side; both are good for standard cappuccinos or cortados or if you don’t consume all that much coffee or tea. Twenty ounces is pretty big, useful if you’ll be toting your drink around all day without the chance for refills. And then, of course, 16 ounces is somewhere in between.

The type of lid on your travel mug can make a fairly big difference in how you experience drinking. Some have bigger openings, some smaller. Some snap shut; others twist open and close. This can come down to personal preference — meaning the literal mouthfeel of each one. But it’s also important to consider when and how you’ll be using your travel mug, whether that’s commuting by train or car, sitting at a desk, or running errands around your neighborhood.

How to clean

Some travel mugs on this list are dishwasher safe; others need to be cleaned by hand. Take note if that’s an important factor for you.

Best travel mug overall

Volume: 12 to 20 ounces | Lid type: Flip lid | How to clean: Dishwasher safe

The MiiR Travel Tumbler is my personal favorite travel mug. I own the smallest size (12 ounces) and love the compact build and sleek shape. I find the grip itself to be secure, too, and slim enough to fit in one hand. The whole lid screws on tight; I’ve never experienced any leaking. It’s especially easy and comfortable to sip from, thanks to the small piece on the lid that flips up and reveals a hole that allows a stream steady enough to get a good mouthful but not so wide open that it spills when I tilt the mug back. This is even the case with iced coffee; the cubes never obstruct the opening or cause uneven flow (though if you mainly drink it this way, one of the larger sizes might be a better choice).

The temperature retention is fantastic, too; I’ve had coffee stay hot — not just warm, but piping — for six hours. Jerad Morrison, co-founder and co-CEO of Sightglass Coffee in San Francisco, explains that this is thanks to the double-walled interior, which also means it’s never too hot or too cold to hold on the outside. “It’s stainless steel, so it washes really easily,” Morrison says, “and doesn’t hold on to any flavors.” Will Pratt, founder and owner of Tandem Coffee Roasters in Portland, Maine, agrees that its material makes it a breeze to clean — and that if you have one, you can even just throw it in the dishwasher. “Coffee has sticky oils that leave residue, and there’s nothing worse than a mug that holds that flavor over time,” he says. The final bonus, as mentioned by Morisson, is that it fits into cup holders in both cars and bikes, which “is not always the case.”

Michael Philips, director of content and copy at Blue Bottle , recommends Miir’s standard tumbler . Like the travel model above, the body is made from the same material, slightly tapered towards the bottom, so it still feels good in the hand and fits in cup holders, Philips says. The clear lid “gives you a chance to see what you’re drinking,” he says, and “does a great job stopping sloshes from getting out and onto your hands.”

Best travel mug for cappuccinos

Volume: 12 and 16 ounces | Lid type: Flip lid | How to clean: Hand-wash only

KeepCup was also mentioned by many of our experts, and in my own testing, I liked it, too. The lid here functions pretty much the same as the MiiR, which means you can sip from the hole or take the whole thing off. Both make for comfortable sipping. But I will note: while there’s a small silicone tag that fits into the sip hole to seal it, it isn’t perfectly leak-proof, meaning this isn’t a mug I would casually throw in my bag. But it’s very nice for taking on walks or bringing coffee-shop brew home.

I was initially nervous the glass would be delicate, but it’s thick and feels sturdy, with a wide cork ring around the perimeter so I can grip without my fingers getting too hot. The glass body also means that there’s not as much heat retention going on as some of the others. (And for Ryan Fisher, director of coffee and roasting at GoodBoyBob Coffee in Santa Monica, California, that’s actually a benefit instead of a problem: The glass gets his coffee to the exact temperature he likes quickly.)

KeepCup was also praised by coffee pros who say its size and shape works well on their side of the counter, too. The small glass vessels were designed by two former baristas in Melbourne, Australia, making it easier for people like Joanna Lareau, coffee manager at Stumptown , and Samya Said, former barista training manager at Fairgrounds Coffee & Tea , to do their jobs. Both Lareau and Said say that having a wide mouth and inner slope allows baristas to pour amazing coffee art. Lareau also notes that the small size fits cortados and cappuccinos well. “Some reusable cups are so big they don’t fit into the espresso machine,” she says.

Best travel mug for iced coffee

Volume: 8, 12, and 16 ounces | Lid type: Twist-off lid | How to clean: Hand-wash only

Fellow is generally a favorite brand among industry folks (I’m a big fan of their electric kettle in particular). As with all their products, the travel mug has a streamlined look. Even though you can’t throw it in the dishwasher, Morrison says the stainless steel interior makes it easy to clean. And it retains hot and cold temperatures with the best of them. But the coolest feature of all? “There’s a small guard insert at the top,” Morrison says, “so if you’re drinking iced coffee, the cubes don’t fall back onto your face when you get towards the bottom.”

Best travel mug for commuting

Volume: 12 and 16 ounces | Lid type: Flip lid | How to clean: Hand-wash recommended

The Zojirushi, which was also a top pick for reusable water bottles , comes with a lot of the same perks as many others on this list — namely fantastic temperature control and a slim, sleek, and lightweight body. We’ve been recommending it since 2016 in large part because the water bottle keeps drinks at the same temperature as they were when you initially filled it. “One time, I made coffee early one winter morning and brought it to work in my Zojirushi. When I got to the office after walking through freezing temperatures and snow, the coffee was too hot,” wrote Laura Perciasepe in her review of this Japanese mug . “I put an ice cube in it like a philistine.”

But according to tea consultant Sara Shacket , its most impressive quality is that it’s completely airtight. “It really doesn’t leak,” she says. “I’ve used it during many commutes on the subway, thrown in my bag, and was never worried. Same if I was hiking on a trip. It could be upside-down and it wouldn’t leak.” Cookbook author and recipe developer Carla Lalli Music , who owns multiple Zojirushi models, echoes this sentiment, saying, “It has the most bustproof cap in the biz.” Ilana Glazer likes her so much, she brings it onstage, in large part because it’s “so sleek in its design and so quick to open and close.”

Best travel mug with a handle

Volume: 10 to 24 ounces | Lid type: Slide lid | How to clean: Dishwasher safe

Steven Sadoff, founder of New York City’s Ground Support , has many travel mugs (including the MiiR and the Fellow above), but he turns to his Yeti when he wants a handle. He says he finds this feature particularly convenient when he’s driving because even though it doesn’t fit in a cup holder, he can easily grab it and sip with control. “It makes for a pretty comfortable drinking experience,” he says, “especially as you get close to the end of your coffee.” The same applies when he meets friends for a coffee outside because “you can gesticulate wildly without spilling.” Aside from the handle, he appreciates that the mug seals incredibly tightly, keeps liquid hot for hours, and is dishwasher safe. Rhiannon Giddens is another fan , saying that Yeti bottles keep liquid “hot or cold for a millennia.”

Best less expensive travel mug with a handle

Volume: 8 to 20 ounces | Lid type: Slide lid | How to clean: Hand-wash recommended

Recommended by multiple experts, MiiR also makes a sweet travel mug that mimics an actual handled mug. Em Orendorff, former manager at Intelligentsia Coffee , likes it because “it’s shaped just like the mugs we use in the café (short and wide with a great handle), so it’s a breeze for baristas to make your drink in it as well as easy to clean and to drink out of.” Caleb Chauncey, former barista at East Pole Coffee Co. in Atlanta, likes that its insulated interior keeps drinks warm or cold for long periods of time, and it keeps a consistent temperature on the outside too. “It won’t burn your hand if you have a hot beverage inside, and it won’t sweat when you have a cold one,” he says. To me, it seems like the perfect camping companion. It’s also worth noting that it comes in the largest range of sizes of any of the mugs we’ve listed.

Best travel mug with a replaceable lid

Volume: 12 to 20 ounces | Lid type: Twist-off lid or sip lid | How to clean: Dishwasher safe

Hydro Flask is another go-to for water (in fact, it was named our best-overall bottle because so many people — including myself — sing its praises). The materials and build that keep liquid cold also keep liquid hot, as Strategist editor and avid coffee drinker Maxine Builder can attest to. She particularly likes the model with a Flex Sip lid. “It’s a lot easier to manipulate on the go and actually keeps the hot coffee in there,” she says. The other advantage of this lid is the addition of a hook, which means I can carry it with one finger while I walk my dog in the morning.” Best of all, if you already own a Hydro Flask, you can buy the new lid separately and just replace your old one. The company says it’s dishwasher safe, but hand washing is recommended — though both my boyfriend and I have been putting our own Hydro Flasks in the dishwasher for months now with no damage.

Best no-leak travel mug

Strategist writer Jeremy Rellosa loves his Kinto Travel Tumbler because of its double-lid system, which prevents leaks. You take both off to fill the bottle, then twist in the first one that has a few holes around the perimeter to sip from, and then add the fully closed screw top over that. It stays extra-secure, Rellosa says, because there are no small flip-up or sliding parts that can open by accident. Once, he had to stuff it into his backpack while traveling and thought he was going to open it to find coffee stains on his clothes , but everything inside stayed clean and dry. Plus, “the actual lid where you drink from and makes contact with your lips never touches the exterior of your bag, or wherever you’re stashing it,” Rellosa says. Julia Shaw, director of marketing at NYC’s Devoción Coffee , is another fan. She says the bottle keeps liquid hot or cold for a long time and has an “elegant” aesthetic appeal.

Best travel mug with open hole lid

Volume: 12 ounces | Lid type: Sip lid | How to clean: Dishwasher safe

Kinto’s To-Go Tumbler has a very small but always-open sip hole, which means it’s best suited for when you’re sitting at a desk or on a walk holding the tumbler in your hand. This means your drink will stay hot for about an hour and cold for several hours, but it’s not going to retain its temperature all day long. That said, it’s still a favorite of a couple of our experts. For Haley Boyd , a designer and sustainability enthusiast, this is mostly because of the aesthetic. “It’s an attractive, simple shape in a solid color without a huge logo, which is surprisingly hard to find,” she says. But for Noah McKeown, general manager at Go Get Em Tiger in Los Angeles, who uses his nearly every day, it’s more than just looks. “I like the small-hole sip lid,” he says. “I think the flow-out of it is really nice. It never spills, but you still get a lot of the coffee aromatics out of it.”

Best customizable travel mug

Volume: 12 and 16 ounces | Lid type: Button lid or straw lid | How to clean: Dishwasher safe

Not only does this ceramic-lined mug hit the mark on functionality, but it allows you to customize way beyond size. You choose between a lid with a button-release or a built-in straw and then pick from a bunch of pretty, muted tones, either making it monochrome or designing it so that the body, lid, and button are all different colors.

It’s super effective, too. I tested a button-release version: While you unscrew the lid fully to fill the vessel, you press down on a circle flush with the top that opens another much smaller hole to sip from. This releases a slow and steady stream of liquid when you tip the mug back. Even when I was walking around with it, I never had to readjust how I was holding or maneuvering it, and no amount of turning it upside down or jostling led to any leaking. And the temperature retention (for both hot and cold drinks) is great — my coffee stays hot for about four hours, and last summer, I could hear ice clinking around after that same amount of time when I was out and about on a hot day.

Best glass travel mug for brewing tea

Volume: 7 ounces | Lid type: Twist-off lid | How to clean: Dishwasher safe

Daniela Titiun, tea sommelier and author of Tea Cachai , tried many different glass tea mugs before landing on one she calls “the smartest system” for its game-changing tea-brewing mechanism. Normally, she explains, tumblers have a metal insert that’s filled with tea leaves and steeped in water. That means that once the appropriate amount of time has passed, you either have to remove the strainer — which can be impractical, if you’re on the go — or just leave the leaves inside, which can cause your drink to get bitter. The Oneisall, however, functions by dividing the vessel in half with a filter. One side houses the leaves; the other, the water. This allows you to turn the bottle upside down to infuse and then right side up when you’re ready to unscrew and sip. (There’s a helpful video on the product page.) While the glass means this mug is non-insulating, the double walls help retain heat for about an hour, and at only seven ounces, it should be easy to finish by then. Plus, as Titiun notes, you can easily re-brew for a second time with the same leaves.

Best stainless-steel travel mug for brewing tea

Volume: 16 ounces | Lid type: Sip lid | How to clean: Hand-wash recommended

Like the model above, this travel mug (which was gifted to me by the brand) brews tea without an infuser sitting in your water — but instead of the flip method, it has a more traditional tea press that you push down once the steep time is over (similar to a French press ). The grip is comfortable, so I often take it with me on late-afternoon walks, and the twist-off lid is extremely tight. It hasn’t ever spilled, even when jostled in my tote bag . There are small sip holes around the perimeter of the top of the infuser so you can drink from any angle, all while the flow of liquid is slow and controlled. Finally, because of the stainless-steel insulation, it stays at temperature for hours; when I brew it before I go upstairs for the evening, it’s still hot when I drink from it before bed.

Some more travel vessels we’ve written about

Our experts

• Haley Boyd , designer and sustainability enthusiast • Maxine Builder , Strategist editor • Caleb Chauncey, former barista at East Pole Coffee Co. • Ryan Fisher, director of coffee and roasting at GoodBoyBob Coffee • Joanna Lareau, coffee manager at Stumptown • Noah McKeown, general manager at Go Get Em Tiger • Jerad Morrison, co-founder and co-CEO of Sightglass Coffee • Carla Lalli Music , cookbook author and recipe developer • Em Orendorff, former manager at Intelligentsia Coffee • Michael Phillips, director of content and copy at Blue Bottle • Will Pratt, founder and owner of Tandem Coffee Roasters • Jeremy Rellosa , Strategist writer • Steven Sadoff, founder of New York City’s Ground Support • Samya Said, former barista training manager at Fairgrounds Coffee & Tea • Sara Shacket , tea consultant • Julia Shaw, director of marketing at Devoción Coffee • Daniela Titiun, tea sommelier and writer of Tea Cachai

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The Best Travel Mugs to Put at the Top of Your Packing List

By Tyler Chin

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As we become more conscious of our impact on the environment, many of us are quickly looking for ways to lessen our carbon footprint. One easy way is to ditch the disposable coffee cups at your favorite cafe (or even better) supply your own coffee, and bring it on the go. Because we know nobody likes a lukewarm brew (iced or hot—there is no in-between), we wanted to ensure that you’re only sipping out of one of the best travel mugs around.

The Best Travel Mugs, According to GQ

The Best Travel Mug, Overall : Fellow Carter Slide Mug , $30
The Best-Designed Travel Mug : Miir 360 Traveler , $28
The Best Travel Mug with a Handle : Hydro Flask Stainless Steel Reusable Mug , $33
The Best Jumbo-Sized Travel Mug : Brumate Toddy XL Mug , $40
The Best Wide-Mouth Travel Mug : Kinto Travel Tumbler , $29
The Best Barista-Approved Travel Mug : KeepCup , $30

Because, if you’re anything like us, you may wish you could have a 24/7 caffeine IV. Sadly, that’s not a thing, but the best travel mugs make it so that you never have to be without the cup of Joe. To find the options worthy of your bean juice, we tested and reviewed a handful of models to ensure that your sweet caffeination would be good from the first sip to the last—no matter how long it takes you to finish your bevy. Here’s what the competition boiled down to and which travel mugs are best suited for which kind of person.

The Best Travel Mug, Overall: Fellow Carter Slide Mug

Image may contain: Cylinder, Tin, Can, Trash Can, Bottle, and Shaker

Carter Slide Mug

From its cult-favorite electric kettle to the newly released drip coffee maker of our dreams, Fellow’s been big on coffee gear since the brand first stepped on the scene in 2013. One of its best products is its Carter mug, which won a Specialty Coffee Association award in 2021 for best coffee design. The double-wall vacuumed mug keeps everything nice and warm inside for 12 hours, while the ceramic lining ensures no metal flavors leech into your drink (subsequently, it keeps drinks cold for a full day if that’s more your jam). The matte exterior—which comes in a wide selection of colors—has a grippy texture that’s a pleasure to hold.

The original Carter mug had a regular screw-top lid, which housed a splash guard, preventing any liquid from ending up on your face if you were trying to take a sip and suddenly got jolted. We’re much bigger fans of the slide lid, which slips open with a quick and easy motion of the thumb, though it is a tad annoying having to disassemble it to clean it properly. It’s also completely spill-proof, which we’ve tested through the many times we’ve tossed a full cup of coffee into our bags and ended up with a dry laptop.

The Best-Designed Travel Mug: Miir 360 Traveler

Image may contain: Bottle, Tape, Water Bottle, and Shaker

360 Traveler

Here’s a huge first-world problem: having to rotate your cup seemingly forever to find the opening to grab a sip. Miir’s 360 Traveler combats this by turning the entire circumference of the lid into an opening for sipping. All you have to do is depress the center button and freely sip from wherever you damn well please. Ingenious—we know. Its slim build lets it sit comfortably in most, if not all, car cupholders, and it’ll keep your drink at your desired temperature without having to worry about outside factors—like if you left your hot coffee in an ice-cold car for a couple of hours or vice versa. And if this lid doesn’t suit your fancy, the body is compatible with a number of other Miir toppers, like a regular twist-off or a straw option.

The Best Travel Mug with a Handle: Hydro Flask Stainless Steel Reusable Mug

Image may contain: Cup, Beverage, Coffee, and Coffee Cup

Hydro Flask

Stainless Steel Reusable Mug

Imagine your regular at-home mug, but primed and prepped to take a beating. Hydro Flask’s insulated mug is great for daily sipping, keeping your drinks hot, and being easy to clean. It’s one of the most durable travel mugs we’ve tried, something that the brand has carried across all of its drinkware options. The no-slip exterior is a nice touch, though we’re sure you’ll mostly be holding it from the handle. We also like how smoothly liquids flow through the lid so that you can chug that 8 a.m. coffee long before you’ve made it to the office.

The Best Jumbo-Sized Travel Mug: Brumate Toddy XL Mug

This isn’t just another big dumb cup . Brumate’s Toddy XL has been perfected to help you always keep your big gulps of cold or hot beverages with you. The extra-long handle is a pleasure to hold and makes it easy to hold such a large-format container. If you were to drop this, you could rest easy knowing that none of your contents would spill onto the floor.

The Best Wide-Mouth Travel Mug: Kinto Travel Tumbler

Image may contain: Jar, Pottery, Urn, Bottle, Shaker, Hockey, Ice Hockey, Ice Hockey Puck, Rink, Skating, and Sport

Travel Tumbler

Kinto’s array of minimalist tableware and lifestyle gear makes it a winner in the looks department. But functionally? Yeah, we’re big fans of the brand for that, too—especially with this low-key travel tumbler. The sleek container features a tapered lid that makes it easy to grasp, while the thin lip is just a pleasure to drink from, allowing drinks to waterfall seamlessly into your mouth. The wide mouth of the tumbler makes this great for use as an iced coffee mug because you’re more easily able to add ice, but no matter what temperature your drink is, it’ll stay that way for hours and hours.

The Best Barista-Approved Travel Mug: KeepCup

Image may contain: Jar, Pottery, and Cup

Brew Cork Reusable Coffee Cup

Imagine your regular disposable coffee cup, but fashion it out of glass and a reusable lid, and you’ll have KeepCup. The brand was founded by Australian cafe owners as a way to combat overflowing landfills teeming with single-use cups. KeepCup was designed with baristas in mind so that they could use these containers in lieu of disposable options—it sits perfectly under an espresso machine’s group head (where the espresso comes out from) and is sized to replicate industry-standard cup sizes. The lid is splash-proof, not spill-proof, and comes with a cork band that’ll make sure you don’t burn your hands on your hot cuppa.

3 More Travel Mugs We Love

Yeti knows how to keep things cold (just check out its coolers ), and it’s also great at keeping things hot. Why would anyone want a stupidly cute cup that’s this small? Maybe someone likes to use a moka pot on their travels, or they managed to haul their whole espresso setup onto the backroads. We don’t care why someone would want to use this, only that we absolutely love how dainty this thing is and what a pleasure it makes drinking espresso out of. Also, we found that it’s compatible with Yeti’s 10-ounce tumbler lids just to keep the mosquitoes away from your joe.

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Temperature Control Travel Mug

Ember’s temperature-controlled mugs are a godsend for folks who take forever to finish their coffee. The same science is applied to its travel mug, which keeps your drink at the exact temperature you set—between 120 and 145 degrees Fahrenheit—for up to two hours. Its leak-proof lid prevents any unwanted accidents, and it’s fully submersible in water up to one meter in case it accidentally takes a plunge in some liquid.

Image may contain: Cup, Bottle, and Shaker

For a cheap travel mug that doesn’t suck, RTIC’s is able to keep your bevvies warm and securely inside the container. They’re fully dishwasher safe, which is a plus, and they come in over a dozen colors to match your vibe.

What to Look for in a Travel Mug

Size : Tall? Grande? Venti?! We’re ditching the Starbucks lingo to bring you a variety of travel mug sizes to accommodate however much coffee (or tea or whatever) you tend to drink on the regular. If you’re chugging joe like it’s a Big Gulp, go big with something like the Brumate Toddy XL to make fewer trips to the coffee pot. But if all you need is a quick shot (of espresso) or a moderately sized latte, then maybe something smaller like a KeepCup or dainty Yeti will get you where you need to go. Also note that if you’re pouring a small beverage, like a cortado, into a much larger container, that beverage will cool down faster because of all the empty space, regardless of the vacuum insulation.

Leakproof : We know there are a lot of klutzes around us, so we want to make sure your beverage stays exactly where it should be: in your mouth or your mug. A good travel mug should be leak- and spill-proof, but we made exceptions for the KeepCup, which we think is a great way to opt out of using disposable cups at cafes without disrupting a barista’s routine for making drinks.

Easy to Clean : Not all travel mugs need to be dishwasher safe, but in the hopes that you’re regularly cleaning your container, we made sure to find easy travel mugs to give a thorough cleaning. The last thing you need is built-up gunk in your travel mug to harbor bacteria, leading to sickness or just an overall nasty drinking experience.

How We Tested

We found a variety of travel mugs that were popular with reviewers and tested them to see how they performed with daily use over a prolonged period. We evaluated travel mugs based on their durability, ability to keep beverages hot, and overall aesthetic to determine which options were best for various people. Finally, we assessed how easily these travel mugs came apart to give a thorough cleaning and how long-term use impacted their performance.

A lineup of the best coffee travel mugs on a white background

The best coffee travel mugs of 2024

Stay caffeinated with a coffee travel mug that can keep your on-the-go Joe hot or cold.

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Sometimes, you simply don’t have time to stare at the sunrise with a fresh cup of Joe in your hand—enter the coffee travel mug. A venerable hero, the travel mug allows us to carry our beloved caffeinated beverage without losing a drop to bumpy car rides or jaunty walks. And, when you pass it off to your favorite barista for a midweek treat, carrying a coffee travel mug becomes an easy, eco-friendly choice that may save you a few cents. The best coffee travel mugs lend a helping hand in keeping you energized during life’s daily adventures.

Best overall: Hydro Flask Wide Mouth Bottle with Flex Sip Lid
Best custom: Yeti Rambler Tumbler
Best for camping: Hydro Flask 64oz Growler
Best for canned coffee: GSI Outdoors Can Cooler
Best splurge: Ember Stainless Steel Temperature Control Travel Mug
Best compact: Snow Peak Ti-Double 450 Mug Set
Best budget: Contigo West Loop Stainless Steel Vacuum-Insulated Travel Mug

How we chose the best coffee travel mugs

We drink a lot of coffee here at PopSci . From hot cups made with a French press to picking out a favorite flavor of K cups for our Keurigs, we appreciate all caffeine vehicles. Heck, we even love a nice cup of tea . We thought about what features we would include if we could build our own travel mug. Good insulation, leakproof lids that don’t cause hot liquid to dribble out, and ease of cleaning were some of the most important considerations in our judging. Additionally, we looked at reviews and recommendations and conducted personal testing to find a variety of coffee travel mugs for all kinds of needs.

The best coffee travel mugs: Reviews & Recommendations

No matter how you make or take your coffee and where you go with it, one of our picks for the best coffee travel mugs will become your new sippable sidekick, helping you kick mid-afternoon sleepiness to the curb.

Hydro Flask

Capacity: 12, 16, 20 ounces
Temperature retention: 24 hours cold; 12 hours hot
Dishwasher safe? Yes
Material: 18/8 pro-grade stainless steel
Handle is incredibly handy
Great temperature retention
Truly leakproof and easy to hold
Tastes can linger depending on what you put in there

A perfect travel mug is hard to find; the Hydro Flask Wide Mouth Bottle with Flex Sip Lid comes pretty dang close. All components of the lid can be removed, making for easy cleaning. The lid itself is super leakproof and easy to take apart: simply twist the Flex Sip Lid to the right past the red mark and remove it, twist the inner piece on the underside of the lid, and remove the red silicone anti-leak seal inside. Even better, all components—including the mug body itself—can be thrown in the dishwasher. The handle is more useful than you think and is a lifesaver when you have full hands and need to resort to hooking things on your fingers. This coffee travel mug kept a cup of Joe warm all day while skiing in Wyoming in January and didn’t drop an ounce of boozy hot cider on a bumpy elk rescue tour. Impressive!

However, be careful what kind of tea you put into this travel mug—we used it for Throat Coat tea (a strong tea that tends to leave a taste behind in most travel mugs, to its defense), and a lingering taste remained despite Hydro Flask’s claim that there is no flavor transfer. With this said, we are absolutely crushed that we let Throat Coat tea wreck the sanctity of the Wide Mouth Bottle’s 18/8 pro-grade stainless steel body. We are buying this travel mug again if the Throat Coat taste overstays its welcome (we are actively trying to get the taste out using every trick on the internet ).

Capacity: 10, 20, and 30 ounces
Temperature retention: 12 hours cold; 6-12 hot
Material: 18/8 stainless steel
Robust and user-friendly customization suite
Multifunctional lid
Opportunities for free customization
Tumbler circumference is wide, making it hard to hold for small hands
Magnet slider not leakproof

As someone who sported a monogrammed L.L. Bean backpack throughout middle and high school, there is comfort in knowing that your gear stands out from the rest. Monogramming and customization also make a product feel more personal and “you.” Yeti’s customization suite is easy-to-use and super responsive, with lots of choices for text and design. Customization can be free if you hit the Yeti website at the right time. Note: You must use the Yeti website to customize your mug; that’s not an option if you buy from Amazon.

Additionally, the tumbler itself is top-notch: it has great cold retention, and the Madslider lid easily fits a reusable straw if you don’t want to sip from the lid. Plus, it’s dishwasher safe, which is a win in our book, and also fits in a car cupholder (this is a travel mug, after all!).

The tumbler circumference is a little wide, which means you might have difficulty holding it if you have small hands. There is a Rambler travel mug that has a handle if you’re really trying to be brand loyal to Yeti. The lid itself does a good job of preventing side dribble (definition: When you tip a travel mug to take a sip and a little bit of coffee leaks out between the mug itself and the threads of the mug lid, getting a little bit of coffee on your hands or the mug itself.), but the magnet slider is not leakproof, meaning you can’t throw it in a bag. Also, its heat retention could be better despite the double-wall vacuum insulation (we blame the nature of the lid for that.). But if you’re looking for an easy, personal gift that will surely be a hit.

Brandt Ranj / Popular Science

Capacity: 64 ounces
Large capacity
Excellent performance
Dishwasher safe
Overkill for personal use

If you’re traveling with several people and have become the designated coffee maker, Hydro Flask’s 64oz Growler is the ideal choice. Whether you’re going camping, on a road trip, or spending a day at the park or beach, this growler will keep the coffee coming.

This coffee travel mug’s biggest advantage is also its most obvious feature: The thing is huge. At 64 ounces, you can fill up many a cup with coffee, and we did. Hydro Flask says the Growler’s insulation could keep beverages hot for up to 18 hours, and again this proved true during our overnight test. If you and your friends plan on consuming a full Growler’s worth of coffee over the course of a day, you won’t be faced with tepid-temperature bean juice.

The best part about Hydro Flask Growler is that it’s made of the same materials (and has the same advantages) as its tumblers. This means it feels solid in the hand but soft to the touch, it’s BPA-free, leakproof when closed, and dishwasher safe. We found the performance of Hydro Flask’s Growler to be on par with every container we’ve used from the company.

While this growler can hold more coffee than a single person should drink daily, it’s an excellent travel companion for groups. It doesn’t matter where your travels take you; Hydro Flask’s Growler will become an indispensable partner on your journey.

Capacity: 2 12-ounce cans
Temperature retention: 18 hours cold
Dishwasher safe? No; handwash-only
Material: Stainless steel
Keeps chilled canned coffee cool for hours
Integrated strap makes it easy to handle
Comes in an assortment of fun colors
Takes up a large space in your bag

Most travel coffee mugs are designed for homemade coffee (understandably), but what about canned coffee you keep in the fridge and grab on your way out the door? GSI’s Outdoor Can Cooler, primarily designed for beer and soda cans, is the perfect solution. The 10.8-inch tall container can hold two 12-ounce cans and worked when we carried a couple of canned cold brews with us. We mostly kept the Cooler Stack in a backpack but did appreciate the handle during quick walks around a park. While the insulated mug fits well in our larger backpack, it will take up a fair amount of space in a smaller one.

GSI Outdoors says the Cooler Stack can keep beverages cold for up to 18 hours, and that bore out in our experience. A couple of chilled coffee cans stayed cool overnight and the next day. If you plan to take coffee to the beach or on a hike, you should be fine even in hot weather. If you prefer your canned coffee at room temperature, the Can Cooler’s insulation will keep your coffee from getting unsettlingly warm, too. We understand some people’s aversion to drinking coffee that’s been sitting out for hours, or prefer the convenience of canned coffee to cut out several steps in their morning routine. If that’s your jam, GSI’s Cooler Stack will become your go-to coffee travel mug.

A black Ember smart mug on a marble countertop next to a bag of coffee

Billy Cadden

Capacity: 12 ounces
Temperature retention: 3 hours warm on a full charge; all day on charging coaster
Dishwasher safe? No; hand wash only
Can sip from any side
App capabilities or touch controls
Can’t take apart lid for cleaning

If you turn your nose even at the thought of having a cup of coffee or tea that is less than exactly 134 degrees, the Ember stainless steel temperature-controlled travel mug will save your tastebuds and your sanity. You can keep your beverage between 120-145 degrees, which is controlled via app or the mug’s touch display. It can carry 12 ounces of coffee and has a three-hour battery life—that should last you until lunch or at least until your daily mid-morning trip to the kitchen for a snack. It will enter sleep mode when empty or inactive for two hours and wake when it senses movement or liquid. The 360-degree push-to-open lid prevents spills and can be sipped from any side.

All this fancy tech means it’s a hand-wash-only cup. Some reviews note that the lid is harder to wash than advertised and can’t be disassembled for cleaning. If you enjoy your coffee black, you might have an easier time cleaning it than someone who enjoys creamer or any dairy/dairy alternative in their coffee. Otherwise, consider the Ember Mug , which doesn’t have a lid—you don’t have to worry about washing a lid if there’s no lid to wash.

A titanium Snow Peak mug on a blue and white background

Capacity: 15.2 ounces
Temperature retention: 48 minutes without lid; around 2 hours with lid
Material: Mug: Titanium; Lid: Silicone
Not complicated
Beautiful craftsmanship
Meant for hot beverages

Snow Peak’s origins lie in climbing Mt. Tanigawa , and began as a mountaineering gear company. There’s no better pairing than warm coffee and a chilly mountain camp morning—and the Snow Peak Ti-Double 450 Mug Set is the cherry on top. It’s ultra-light at 5 ounces and can hold 15.2 fluid ounces of liquid. The silicone lid prevents spills, and the double-wall insulated titanium body ensures durability and heat retention. It’s hand-wash only and unsafe for use over direct heat, in the microwave, and in the dishwasher. You can use it to hold cold beverages, but we think its shape better suits hot drinks.

A purple Contigo West Loop travel mug on a blue and white background

Capacity: 16 and 20 ounces
Temperature retention: 12 hours cold; 5 hours hot
Dishwasher safe? Lid top rack dishwasher safe; body hand wash only
Spillproof lid that comes apart for cleaning
Lock features to stop accidental opening
Can operate with one hand
Temperature retention could be better

The Contigo West Loop Stainless Steel Vacuum-Insulated Travel Mug combines helpful features at a friendly price point. It’s leak- and spill-proof and can fit in most car cup holders and under most single-serve coffeemakers. Simply press the Autoseal button to open the lid’s mouth hole and take a sip. Additionally, a button lock stops any accidental Autoseal button presses. Plus, as the name “Easy-Clean Lid” implies, the lid is easy to clean, and there are no small parts to misplace when throwing it in the dishwasher. Its vacuum insulation doesn’t keep beverages hot for long—drinks stay hot for 5 hours compared to other mugs on this list, which average out at 12 hours. But, considering the cost—an easy price point that won’t hurt your heart if you lose it—it’s a great option if you’re looking for something you can grab and go.

What to consider when buying the best coffee travel mugs

We think spilled coffee is worth crying over—you’re less likely to lose even a precious drop with the best coffee travel mug. Consider these features before putting something in your digital (or even IRL) shopping cart.

Naturally, you’ll want something that carries your preferred amount of coffee. Something too small means you’ll have to seek out a refill, while one too large doesn’t make sense and will make you overcaffeinated from drinking too much coffee.

Some taller travel mugs may not fit under a Keurig or Nespresso maker—consider brewing your coffee in a mug or espresso cup and pouring it into your coffee travel mug. If you aren’t running out the door, consider this BrüMate mug with its own pour-over system , meaning you can enjoy the ritual and rich taste of freshly ground, painstakingly filtered coffee but skip dirtying separate receptacles entirely.

Coffee travel mugs can be made of BPA-free plastic or stainless steel. Some travel mugs have double-vacuum insulation, which creates a buffer between the liquid in the container and the environment outside the mug, which reduces conduction and keeps liquids hot or cold for several hours. Some BPA-free plastic tumblers are microwave and dishwasher-safe, meaning you can reheat your coffee if it goes cold. A stainless steel tumbler is not microwave safe, but some are dishwasher-safe. You won’t need to worry about reheating since they hold heat better than plastic tumblers.

Lid features

If you want to prevent dribbles and accidental car spills, consider a lid with a silicone ring that rests on the lip of the bottle when turned closed, which will prevent spilling on the side. Slider lids (like that on the Yeti Rambler) will also leak if turned upside down. Most completely leakproof lids will have additional elements (like a silicone stopper) to seal the mouth opening completely.

Will it go in your car cupholder?

If you’re using a coffee travel mug to get caffeinated on your work commute, being able to place it in your car cupholder is a must-have feature. You can get a car cup holder expander for wider bottles, but it’s usually advertised if it will fit in a car cupholder. Double-check the reviews and check if anyone mentions that it can’t fit a standard cupholder.

Q: How do I stop my travel mug from leaking?

You can take a few steps to ensure that your travel mug won’t leak as you take a sip. If the lid has a silicone seal above the threads, make sure it’s lying flat. Also, make sure the lid is screwed on tightly and evenly on the thread. Although most travel mugs on this list are dishwasher safe, some recommend hand-washing them regardless, as the dishwasher’s heat and water pressure could damage the lid’s airtight seal. The jury is out on that—use your own discretion, and don’t feel bad if you’d rather chuck everything in the dishwasher.

Q: What is the best coffee travel mug material?

Although plastic travel mugs are great—we’re a huge fan of Tervis travel tumblers for hot and cold drinks—stainless steel retains temperature better, is less likely to stain, and tends to prevent lingering tastes. If you go the plastic tumbler route, ensure it’s BPA-free, as heat can make these nasty chemicals leech into your beverages. Yikes!

Q: Which coffee travel mug keeps coffee hot the longest?

Most stainless steel travel mugs can keep hot beverages cold for 12 hours. Go for that kind of mug if you’re looking for heat retention.

Final thoughts on the best coffee travel mugs

A perfect travel mug will keep beverages at your preferred temperature just in time for an afternoon refill. Regardless of choice, you should go for something that is easy to clean, leakproof, portable, and has a lid that doesn’t harbor any germy reminders of drink’s past. If we had to take one of our choices with us on every commute for the rest of our working days, we hands-down would choose the Hydro Flask Wide Mouth Bottle with Flex Sip Lid . The best coffee travel mugs will make your tastebuds sing “sip, sip, hooray!” with every sweet, hot drop consumed.

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

Amanda Reed is a commerce updates writer at Popular Science. She makes sure all product round-ups are up-to-date, shares deals happening all over the internet, and reviews various gizmos and gadgets.

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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

The 18 Best LeakProof Travel Mugs for Taking Hot Drinks on the Go

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

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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.

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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

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.

Popular Mechanics

These Are the Travel Mugs Our Editors Carry in Their Backpacks

Posted: March 19, 2024 | Last updated: March 19, 2024

Leisurely enjoying your morning coffee or tea at home is a luxury of time many of us don’t have. Instead of downing it in a few gulps before you’re out the door or buying an overpriced cup from a coffee shop, start using a travel mug.

These durable, portable mugs are typically made of stainless steel, with built-in insulation so your last sip of coffee is as warm (or as cold) as the first. Their lids are designed to prevent splashing or spills, so you can throw the travel mug in a backpack or slide it in a car’s front console without worrying about a potential mess.

Many of the best travel mugs we recommend are ideal for camping or hiking in addition to everyday carrying. Most are dishwasher-safe or stack for easy storage, and won’t set you back more than $30. Considering they’re reusable and maintain your drink’s temperature, they’re worth considering even if your daily commute it from the kitchen to your home office. Whether you’re keeping warm by the campfire or sipping tea on the train, wrap your hands around one of these editor-tested travel mugs.

The Best Travel Mugs

Best Overall: Yeti Rambler Stackable Mug
Best Value: CamelBak Horizon Tumbler
Best Leakproof Lid: Hydro Flask Stainless Steel Reusable Water Bottle
Best Coffee Maker Combo: Espro P0 Ultralight Single Serve French Coffee Press
Best Exterior Insulation: Hydro Flask Insulated Travel Portable Coffee Tumbler

What to Consider

Most of the travel mugs on this list are made with stainless steel. Steel is great for long-term durability, holding up well to drops, scratches, and continuous washing. Flavors and odors don’t stick to steel either. Once you finish your drink and rinse out the mug, you won’t taste your last cup of tea lingering in the background for the rest of the day.

Some stainless steel mugs have a slight metallic taste to them. If you’ve got sensitive tastebuds, consider a mug with a ceramic coating on the inside. This replicates the neutral flavor profile of a classic mug you use for coffee at home.

Travel mugs are typically insulated to keep your drink hot or cold for the duration of your trip. Most have double-wall construction, with two layers of metal inside and out. The pocket of air in between prevents temperature transfer, so even if you’re drinking piping hot coffee, your hand doesn’t feel a thing.

Many of the travel mugs we recommend come in multiple sizes, usually from six ounce to 24 ounces or more to double as your water bottle. Despite large capacity, most are designed to fit into a car cupholder or the side pocket of a backpack.

Additional Features

Some travel mugs come with handles while others do not. Handles on a mug are great for holding them while on a walk or hike as well as for storage. Instead of packing your mug into your backpack where it takes up valuable storage space, clip it on by the handle. Travel mugs with handles typically don’t fit easily in a cupholder. This is a major drawback for commuters who want a coffee cup for their drive to work.

Travel mugs almost always come with lids, but these vary in quality. Some prevent splashes and major spills by simply covering the top of the mug. They press on and often have a thin rubber ring around the perimeter to help keep them on the mug, though they won’t be completely sealed. So if you drop your mug, liquid is bound to spill out.

Other travel mugs come with thicker, screw-on lids that completely seal your drink inside. These protect your drink from spilling when they are dropped, but are typically much larger than a press-on lid and are more tedious to clean.

How We Tested

Each travel mug we tested was evaluated based on their performance in every day situations from morning commutes to walking outdoors. We paid close attention to heat retention, drink flavor, splashes or spills with the lid on, and ease of cleaning. Each travel mug was dropped several times from standing height to ensure durability. For those with press-on lids, we also paid attention to how securely the lids stayed on during a drop.

For mugs we didn’t personally test out, we compared key specs such as size, material, and insulation. We also researched across multiple online publications and read through customer reviews.

<p><strong>$30.00</strong></p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CDJV5VBK?tag=syndication-20&ascsubtag=%5Bartid%7C10060.g.42555350%5Bsrc%7Cmsn-us">Shop Now</a></p><p>This travel mug from Yeti impressed us with its durability, convenience, and practicality. The stainless steel construction holds up well against drops, and the double-wall insulation kept my coffee hot for hours.</p><p>The bottom of the mug is slightly thinner than the rest of the body. Because of this, the mug stacks perfectly into other Yeti mugs for easy storage when not in use.</p><p>The press-on lid isn’t completely leakproof, but it does come with a slider to cover the mouth hole when you aren’t drinking. While this won’t prevent a leak if you drop your mug, it certainly keep coffee from splashing out as you walk. </p><p>The slightly larger than average 14 ounce capacity was a small but noticeable detail for anyone who likes a full cup of joe, creamer, and sugar. The 12 ounce mugs require the slightest sacrifice while this Yeti gives you all the space you need.</p>

1) Rambler Stackable Mug

This travel mug from Yeti impressed us with its durability, convenience, and practicality. The stainless steel construction holds up well against drops, and the double-wall insulation kept my coffee hot for hours.

The bottom of the mug is slightly thinner than the rest of the body. Because of this, the mug stacks perfectly into other Yeti mugs for easy storage when not in use.

The press-on lid isn’t completely leakproof, but it does come with a slider to cover the mouth hole when you aren’t drinking. While this won’t prevent a leak if you drop your mug, it certainly keep coffee from splashing out as you walk.

The slightly larger than average 14 ounce capacity was a small but noticeable detail for anyone who likes a full cup of joe, creamer, and sugar. The 12 ounce mugs require the slightest sacrifice while this Yeti gives you all the space you need.

<p><strong>$15.99</strong></p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B087TH9LNK?tag=syndication-20&ascsubtag=%5Bartid%7C10060.g.42555350%5Bsrc%7Cmsn-us">Shop Now</a></p><p>Without the classic mug handle, this tumbler from CamelBak is built for the commute. While a handle is great for walking and hiking, this travel mug fits into your car cupholder without the cumbersome handle getting in the way.</p><p>The travel mug also has a silicone based which provides a solid base that keeps the mug steady when in motion. Like most of the travel mugs on this list, the CamelBak is make of stainless steel.</p><p>However, the steel is powder-coated so when you take a sip of your tea, you taste the tea, not the metallic lingering flavor of your cup. </p>

2) Horizon Tumbler

Without the classic mug handle, this tumbler from CamelBak is built for the commute. While a handle is great for walking and hiking, this travel mug fits into your car cupholder without the cumbersome handle getting in the way.

The travel mug also has a silicone based which provides a solid base that keeps the mug steady when in motion. Like most of the travel mugs on this list, the CamelBak is make of stainless steel.

However, the steel is powder-coated so when you take a sip of your tea, you taste the tea, not the metallic lingering flavor of your cup.

<p><strong>$23.07</strong></p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BNLXRQB6?tag=syndication-20&ascsubtag=%5Bartid%7C10060.g.42555350%5Bsrc%7Cmsn-us">Shop Now</a></p><p>If you want a leakproof container for your coffee, this tumbler from Hydro Flask is your answer. The screw-on lid has a twisting top that seals the bottle closed when you aren’t sipping. Twist it open to grab a sip, twist it closed, and your bottle won’t leak even if it’s dropped on the ground.</p><p>Both the lid and body are dishwasher-safe, so don’t worry about scrubbing coffee stains out of the crevices and corners of the relatively tall bottle.</p><p>While it doesn’t have a handle, this travel mug comes with a carrying strap on the top of the lid. Combined with the leakproof lid, you can hook the bottle to the outside of your backpack filled to the brim and not lose a drop. </p>

3) Stainless Steel Reusable Water Bottle

If you want a leakproof container for your coffee, this tumbler from Hydro Flask is your answer. The screw-on lid has a twisting top that seals the bottle closed when you aren’t sipping. Twist it open to grab a sip, twist it closed, and your bottle won’t leak even if it’s dropped on the ground.

Both the lid and body are dishwasher-safe, so don’t worry about scrubbing coffee stains out of the crevices and corners of the relatively tall bottle.

While it doesn’t have a handle, this travel mug comes with a carrying strap on the top of the lid. Combined with the leakproof lid, you can hook the bottle to the outside of your backpack filled to the brim and not lose a drop.

<p><strong>$49.95</strong></p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B011WTW37A?tag=syndication-20&ascsubtag=%5Bartid%7C10060.g.42555350%5Bsrc%7Cmsn-us">Shop Now</a></p><p>Make your coffee fresh and take it to go with this portable French press from Espro. With double filter design, all the grit and sediment from your coffee grounds is kept at bay, so your fresh cup is as smooth as any you could make at home.</p><p>Unscrew the leakproof lid and you’ll have hot coffee to sip all day long. The French press feature also works well for tea. Simply swap out your coffee grounds for loose leaf tea, and the mechanism is just as effective.</p><p> Instead of carrying along a cup of drip coffee from my house, I get fresh pressed coffee that's smoother, and frankly, tastier than anything my regular machine can make. I love it so much that I sometimes use the Espro at home just for its double-filter press.</p>

4) P0 Ultralight Single Serve French Coffee Press

Make your coffee fresh and take it to go with this portable French press from Espro. With double filter design, all the grit and sediment from your coffee grounds is kept at bay, so your fresh cup is as smooth as any you could make at home.

Unscrew the leakproof lid and you’ll have hot coffee to sip all day long. The French press feature also works well for tea. Simply swap out your coffee grounds for loose leaf tea, and the mechanism is just as effective.

Instead of carrying along a cup of drip coffee from my house, I get fresh pressed coffee that's smoother, and frankly, tastier than anything my regular machine can make. I love it so much that I sometimes use the Espro at home just for its double-filter press.

<p><strong>$27.95</strong></p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B4FNNTF9?tag=syndication-20&ascsubtag=%5Bartid%7C10060.g.42555350%5Bsrc%7Cmsn-us">Shop Now</a></p><p>Another option from Hydro Flask, this travel mug gives you the the same sensation as your favorite mug at home. Instead of grasping your hands around the cold metallic exterior of many other travel mugs, the Hydro Flask has a soft to the touch coating. </p><p>While it won’t warm up your hands like a ceramic mug, it won’t cool them down, like other travel mugs. For all the cold mornings by the campgrounds, the last thing you want to do is wrap your hands around a frigid metal mug.</p><p>The travel mug also comes with a press-on lid with a slider for the mouth opening. It leaks if you drop it, but it keeps the coffee from splashing around as you walk.</p>

5) Insulated Travel Portable Coffee Tumbler

Another option from Hydro Flask, this travel mug gives you the the same sensation as your favorite mug at home. Instead of grasping your hands around the cold metallic exterior of many other travel mugs, the Hydro Flask has a soft to the touch coating.

While it won’t warm up your hands like a ceramic mug, it won’t cool them down, like other travel mugs. For all the cold mornings by the campgrounds, the last thing you want to do is wrap your hands around a frigid metal mug.

The travel mug also comes with a press-on lid with a slider for the mouth opening. It leaks if you drop it, but it keeps the coffee from splashing around as you walk.

<p><strong>$35.00</strong></p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08PJNHF7D?tag=syndication-20&ascsubtag=%5Bartid%7C10060.g.42555350%5Bsrc%7Cmsn-us">Shop Now</a></p><p>Coupled with a ceramic-coated interior to stave off any odors, tastes, or smells from the cup, this Carter mug is great for getting that home-mug experience even if you can't be at home. The wide opening also lets you brew coffee straight into the mug using a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bodum-Coffee-Maker-Permanent-Filter/dp/B01JLY1HSE?tag=syndication-20&ascsubtag=%5Bartid%7C10060.g.42555350%5Bsrc%7Cmsn-us">pour-over coffee maker</a> or an <a href="https://www.amazon.com/AeroPress-Coffee-Espresso-Maker-Bitterness/dp/B0047BIWSK?tag=syndication-20&ascsubtag=%5Bartid%7C10060.g.42555350%5Bsrc%7Cmsn-us">Aeropress</a> while camping or hiking. </p><p>The twist-locking lid of this reusable cup is leakproof to ensure no messes occur in transit and the double-wall insulation keeps your coffee hot for hours. </p><p>It doesn’t fit into a standard cupholder and the wide mouth may be hard to sip while driving or on the subway, but if you need something to transport coffee, this ensures it’s hot (and not all over your bag) when you arrive at your destination. </p>

6) Carter Everywhere Travel Mug

Coupled with a ceramic-coated interior to stave off any odors, tastes, or smells from the cup, this Carter mug is great for getting that home-mug experience even if you can't be at home. The wide opening also lets you brew coffee straight into the mug using a pour-over coffee maker or an Aeropress while camping or hiking.

The twist-locking lid of this reusable cup is leakproof to ensure no messes occur in transit and the double-wall insulation keeps your coffee hot for hours.

It doesn’t fit into a standard cupholder and the wide mouth may be hard to sip while driving or on the subway, but if you need something to transport coffee, this ensures it’s hot (and not all over your bag) when you arrive at your destination.

<p><strong>$69.84</strong></p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07W7GHKBY?tag=syndication-20&ascsubtag=%5Bartid%7C10060.g.42555350%5Bsrc%7Cmsn-us">Shop Now</a></p><p>For heat retention that lasts all day, the travel mug from Zojirushi is built to handle it. The double-wall insulation keeps the heat, while the variable sizes mean the mug can double as a thermos for soup too.</p><p>The leakproof lid has a flip top that locks in place, keeping liquids secure when closed. The lid also dissambles into four different pieces, so you can better clean each part of it and prevent mold buildup.</p><p>The interior of the mug has a nonstick coating that prevents residue from caking up the corners of the bottle. All you need to clean it out is some soapy water and a dish brush.</p>

7) Stainless Mug

For heat retention that lasts all day, the travel mug from Zojirushi is built to handle it. The double-wall insulation keeps the heat, while the variable sizes mean the mug can double as a thermos for soup too.

The leakproof lid has a flip top that locks in place, keeping liquids secure when closed. The lid also dissambles into four different pieces, so you can better clean each part of it and prevent mold buildup.

The interior of the mug has a nonstick coating that prevents residue from caking up the corners of the bottle. All you need to clean it out is some soapy water and a dish brush.

<p><strong>$25.53</strong></p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09TS7Q7XB?tag=syndication-20&ascsubtag=%5Bartid%7C10060.g.42555350%5Bsrc%7Cmsn-us">Shop Now</a></p><p>Made out of 90 percent recycled steel, this travel mug from Klean Kanteen offers the same insulation as other options on our list but with a much smaller environmental impact. The recently <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=74968X1553576&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.kleankanteen.com%2Fblogs%2Fblog%2Fclimate-neutral-certified&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.popularmechanics.com%2Fhome%2Ffood-drink%2Fg42555350%2Fbest-travel-mugs%2F">climate neutral</a> company created the mug using post-consumer recycled steel, meaning it would have otherwise entered a landfill.</p><p>Beyond this, the mug comes with a unique design etched into the side. The mountains and forestry on the side of the mug add help the mug stand out among its otherwise neutral-colored contemporaries.</p><p>The press-on lid is perfect for reducing splashes, but the open mouth does leave something to be desired. While it minimizes coffee splashes, expect a few drops to slip out on a bumpy commute. </p>

8) Insulated Camp Mug

Made out of 90 percent recycled steel, this travel mug from Klean Kanteen offers the same insulation as other options on our list but with a much smaller environmental impact. The recently climate neutral company created the mug using post-consumer recycled steel, meaning it would have otherwise entered a landfill.

Beyond this, the mug comes with a unique design etched into the side. The mountains and forestry on the side of the mug add help the mug stand out among its otherwise neutral-colored contemporaries.

The press-on lid is perfect for reducing splashes, but the open mouth does leave something to be desired. While it minimizes coffee splashes, expect a few drops to slip out on a bumpy commute.

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Contigo Snapseal Byron Stainless Steel Travel Mug Review

Posted by Meghan Ochs | Jul 27, 2018 | Reviews , Tech + Gear | 0 |

Drink your favorite beverages on the go with the Contigo Snapseal Byron Travel Mug.

If you’re a traveler who enjoys their drinks on the go, you need a decent travel mug . The best travel mugs let your warm drinks stay hot, while keeping your cold drinks cool for hours. With so many travel mugs out there to choose from, it might be hard to pick the perfect mug. Some mugs provide features like stainless steel insulation, or have locking mechanisms to keep drinks from spilling out. If you’re trying to find the ideal travel mug to take wherever you go, look no further. The Contigo Snapseal Byron mug has countless ingenious features to ensure your drinks stay exactly the way you like them. You’ll get to carry your favorite coffee and tea throughout all your travels when you choose this mug. Read our article below to learn all about this awesome travel accessory.

Contigo Snapseal Byron Stainless Steel Travel Mug Features & Benefits

Maximum temperature retention.

Travelers who want to bring their coffee and tea while traveling require a mug that maintains their ideal drinking temperatures. Nothing could be more annoying than to drink your coffee and realize that it has grown cold after mere minutes. If you’re going to be outside in the cold, your beverage should remain hot and be unaffected by the climate. Those needing their drinks to remain cool also need a mug that won’t let their ice melt in the heat.

When you use the Contigo Snapseal Byron Travel Mug, your drinks will remain at the preferred temperature for many hours. The stainless-steel structure helps keep your favorite drinks warm or cold long after you’ve poured them inside. A double-wall, vacuum-insulated interior ensures maximum temperature retention whenever you use this mug. No matter where you go, whether it be hot or cold, your drinks’ temperatures will stay the same.

Leak-Proof Design

The worst part about trying to drink coffee on the go tends to be the possibility of spillage. When you’re trying to sip on a drink as you travel, you might end up leaking liquid on yourself. Improperly designed travel mugs don’t seal the lid as well as others, ensuring that your favorite shirt will be stained. Furthermore, any time you end up with coffee or other beverages on your clothes, your travel experience might become tainted.

Thankfully, products like the Contigo Snapseal Byron Travel Mug have been designed to prevent any sort of spillages. The mug comes equipped with a SnapSeal lid, which has a single-piece, leak-proof design. All you have to do is snap the lid closed in order to keep it from leaking out. Your clothes and belongings will stay nice and dry when you drink from this mug.

On-the-Go Functionality

One of the benefits of travels mugs is their transportability. Those who travel every day or more than once a week can appreciate being able to drink while moving. Most travel mugs allow users to sip on beverages without much trouble as they go from place to place. However, certain travel mugs remain complicated to open and close, meaning you can’t multitask when you’re drinking. You won’t be able to use your phone and sip coffee at the same time with these types of products.

With the Contigo Snapseal Byron Travel Mug, travelers may drink their favorite beverages using just one hand. A button on this mug allows users to simply press and let the lid open to drink. You won’t need both hands in order to wrench the lid off or pull a tab to create an opening. This feature allows travelers to drink while they read, write, or use their electronic devices.

Easy Clean-Up

When you’re going to use a travel mug almost every day, cleaning it can be a hassle. Many stainless-steel mugs require you to clean them by hand in your sink, so as not to damage the mug. Yet, this proves annoying after a while when you’re constantly needing to wash your mug. Hand-washing takes up lots of valuable time that could be spent doing something more productive. Fortunately, many stainless-steel mugs can now be placed in the dishwasher for easier cleaning.

The cleaning process for the Contigo Snapseal Byron Travel Mug remains very low-maintenance. Travelers can simply throw the mug’s lid into the top rack of their dishwasher and continue on their adventures. While you do have to hand-wash the mug’s body, this proves much easier than cleaning all of it by hand. You could simply fill the mug with soapy water, let it soak, and then rinse. You’ll be ready to drink more coffee in your mug in no time.

Style Options

Very often, stainless-steel travel mugs only come in simple colors like plain silver or black. While many travelers enjoy having utilitarian mugs, this generic appearance can get boring. When you’re going to use the same mug every day, you want it to look inspiring and exciting. Travelers might just want to pick out mugs with cool patterns or bright colors, rather than a plain shade. However, not every stainless-steel travel mug comes in a variety of shades, making it difficult to find a fun-looking mug.

With the Contigo Snapseal Byron Travel Mug, travelers will get to pick from a variety of enticing shades. Choose a bright red, named Vivacious, and you’ll feel excited to take on your day when you use the mug. Other colors, like Grayed Jade and Monaco, have a mesmerizing, jeweled-tone appearance. These choices will look lively and sophisticated when you carry them around. Of course, if you really like black mugs, you can always choose the Matte Black option.

What Travelers Are Saying About the Contigo Snapseal Byron Travel Mug

Travelers who purchased the Contigo Snapseal Byron Travel Mug raved about the product’s ability to maintain beverages’ ideal drinking temperatures. Whether they enjoyed their coffee hot or iced, reviewers could sip on warm and cold beverages for hours and hours. Users also loved the Contigo Snapseal Byron Travel Mug’s snap lid, which ensured liquids didn’t leak during travels. The reviewers could place the mug inside their bag and not worry about it spilling all over their belongings. Most travelers who bought the Contigo Snapseal Byron Mug appreciated the stainless-steel structure, as it made the mug highly durable.

A few reviewers had trouble opening and closing the lid on the Contigo Travel Mug. The snap mechanism was a bit difficult to use, so travelers were unable to open it using just one hand. Another reviewer found that the mouth opening on the mug’s lid was too small for their liking. However, other users related that this smaller opening was ideal for sipping on drinks, rather than gulping them down. Overall, the majority of travelers loved the Contigo Snapseal Byron Travel Mug, as it was perfect for everyday travels.

Alternative Travel Mugs You May Like

1.yeti rambler 20 oz stainless steel vacuum insulated tumbler with lid.

If you aren’t completely satisfied with the Contigo Snapseal Byron Travel Mug, consider the Yeti Rambler Tumbler . This travel mug has many similar features to the Contigo product, such as the stainless-steel structure. Double-wall insulation ensures that your beverages remain at your preferred temperature for longer in comparison to other travel mugs. An exterior featuring a no-sweat design keeps condensation from forming, so the mug won’t get wet. This means the mug will stay gripped in your hands as you travel from place to place. The BPA-free structure also allows users to drink happily, knowing that they’re not risking their health or the environment. Another great aspect of this tumbler includes its dishwasher-safe structure. Busy travelers won’t have to handwash this mug in order to drink from it. You may simply throw the tumbler in the top rack of the washer and go.

2. Thermos Stainless Steel 16 Ounce Travel Mug

Another stainless-steel travel mug, the Thermos 16 Ounce Mug remains a great alternative to the Contigo Snapseal Byron Travel Mug. When you use this product, you won’t need to worry about drinking lukewarm beverages while you’re on the go. A highly resistant, stainless-steel interior keeps beverages cold or hot, depending on your specific desires. This product also has a handle for easier carrying and transport from your various travel destinations. The Drinklock sealing lid even ensures you won’t leak liquids onto yourself as you drink from the mug. If you like fun-looking travel mugs, the Thermos product offers various different color choices to choose from. You don’t have to get stuck using a plain black or silver mug. Pick vibrant shades like Electric Blue or Raspberry, and you’ll stand out from other travelers with your bright mug.

3. AA Products Tumbler Vacuum Insulated Double-Walled 18/8 Stainless Steel Mug

The AA Products Tumbler might be your perfect travel mug if you’re not entirely sold on the Contigo mug. This product has a stainless-steel structure that makes it both durable and effective at maintaining beverage temperatures. Like the Contigo Snapseal Byron Travel Mug, the AA Products Tumbler has been designed with a double-walled, vacuum-insulated interior. This ensures drinks remain warm or cool for an entire work day or travel excursion. A clear lid differentiates this product from other mugs, as it allows users to see the contents of the tumbler. The AA Tumbler also comes in a huge variety of color options, from bright orange to turquoise blue. You’ll love drinking from such a bright mug as you go about your daily travels.

Never leave home without your Contigo Snapseal Byron Travel Mug.

No matter where you go, you probably want to be able to bring your favorite drinks with you. Fresh coffee and refreshing smoothies taste delicious and satisfying, especially during a busy day of traveling. If you want to sip on drinks throughout your travels, you need a product like the Contigo Snapseal Byron Mug. This handy travel mug keeps hot beverages warm long after they’ve been brewed and maintains icy temperatures for cold drinks. With a stainless-steel structure, the mug will also be able to withstand any wear and tear that comes with traveling. Make sure to check out this mug the next time you’re traveling and want tasty beverages at your fingertips.

Related Article: Choose the Best Travel Mug for Your Next Adventure | Review

About The Author

Meghan Ochs

Meghan loves writing in all forms. In her free time, she alternates between reading and daydreaming about publishing her own novels someday. While she’s only visited two countries, she wants to travel around the world, with France and Spain the first sites on her list. Before that happens, though, she plans on adopting at least one dog from a local animal shelter.

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How to taste your way through Tuscany

Italy is known for its vibrant and varied cuisine. Discover it at its best in the region of Tuscany, where an assortment of inviting culinary experiences offer a true taste of the country.

Located in west-central Italy, the region of Tuscany is rich in natural beauty. Its striking landscapes vary from the chiselled Tuscan-Emilian Apennines in the north and the rugged Apuan Alps in the north-west, to the gentle green hills of Val d’Orcia in the south.

The region’s capital, Florence, is a destination renowned for its art and architecture. Its most iconic sight is the eminent Duomo, a stunning 400ft-tall masterpiece of the Renaissance. During its 100-year build, architect Filippo Brunelleschi is said to have introduced a pulley system to speed up lunch breaks, feeding the workers on the cathedral’s roof with peposo , a black pepper and beef stew.

Today, food remains an important part of Tuscany’s culture, and visitors are encouraged to slow down and savour the wide variety of culinary experiences on offer across the region — from truffle hunting and cheese tasting to sampling fine wine and sipping fresh coffee — here's how to get a taste.

1. Join a truffle hunt

Truffles are deeply rooted in Tuscan history, found throughout the region in all shapes and sizes and revered for their distinctive aromas and flavours. Learn about the timeworn traditions and distinct hunting practices of those seeking these subterranean delicacies at Italy’s first museum dedicated to truffles — the Museo del Tartufo e Centro di Documentazione — housed in an old castle in San Giovanni d’Asso. At Cucina Giuseppina , near the town of Certaldo, forage for your own truffles with the help of a guide and trained truffle-hunting dogs, before indulging in a truffle-based Tuscan lunch. In summer, you'll search for the elusive black truffle, while in the fall, the white truffle is the prize.

2. Try tasty cheeses

Tuscany is best known for pecorino, a sheep’s milk cheese — and especially treasured by Tuscans is the bold-flavoured pecorino cheese produced in Pienza, the aptly named pecorino di Pienza . Elsewhere in the region, the exuberant Palio dei Caci event draws crowds to the town of Volterra each October, where ‘runners’ compete to skilfully guide wheels of pecorino down a cobbled street. Many working farms in Tuscany are open to visitors, too, so you can learn how the cheese is made. Fattoria Corzano e Paterno just south-west of Florence produces cheese, wine and olive oil and also has guesthouses, a farm shop and a restaurant, with tasting sessions available year-round.

People rolling wheels of pecorino cheese down a hill at Palio dei Caci in Volterra, Tuscany

3. Make pasta from scratch

Handrolled pici is a popular pasta in Tuscany, often served with tomato, garlic and breadcrumbs. Pappardelle pasta is also a local favourite, generally served with rich and meaty sauces. Join a class to learn how to make your own pasta at wineries such as Magida in Brunello, which also offers accommodation packages. Private cooking lessons are also an option, where you can learn the art of the perfect pasta dish from professional chefs such as Antonella La Macchia .

4. Sample a variety of wines

Tuscany is well known for its geographically protected wines such as Chianti, Montepulciano and Brunello. Stop by the Enoteca la Fortezza wine bar inside the Fortezza di Montalcino and sample Montalcino's intense and complex Brunello wines. Enjoy tart and spicy Chianti wines at Pietraserena Azienda Agricola Arrigoni in San Gimignano, as you admire the impressive views across the hills and vineyards. Although Tuscany’s established viticulture scene is revered, there are also a growing number of organic, natural and biodynamic wines being developed, helping the region stay at the forefront of Italian wine production. Antinori nel Chianti Classico has been making wine since 1385 and now has an ultra-modern winery attached, which is open to visitors. Or find one of the unique buchette del vino (wine holes) hidden around Florence — at restaurants such as Babae , Belle Donne and Il Latini , to name a few — where wine is served through a tiny window, a tradition that dates back to 1559.

5. Experience a traditional trattoria

With charming hilltop towns seemingly around every bend, it’s easy to fall in love with a new local trattoria every evening in Tuscany. On the edge of Panzano-in-Chianti, head to the terrace at Il Vescovino to enjoy homemade ravioli stuffed with leeks and taleggio cheese, served in a simple tomato sauce. Along Tuscany’s western coastline, restaurants such as Il Romito in Livorno serve up a homely fish stew called cacciucco — a 500-year-old dish traditionally made using five or more types of fish in a red wine and tomato broth.

6. Sip freshly roasted coffee

Italy has an affinity for coffee and on almost every corner in Florence you’ll find coffee ‘bars’ in which you can quietly perch to people watch. The city is also home to the Accademia del Caffè Espresso , which features a coffee museum and an indoor coffee plantation, and also offers a selection of educational tasting sessions. Away from the city, learn more about Tuscan artisanal coffee and the finer details of the roasting and blending processes with a tour of Pienza Coffee in Val d’Orcia.

People browsing food stalls at Mercato Centrale in Florence, Tuscany, Italy

7. Peruse local markets

Intense and aromatic, Tuscany’s local food markets are sure to delight — piled high with humble but delicious ingredients, from bread and cheese to tomatoes and beans. While some markets such as Florence’s Mercato Centrale are open daily, smaller towns in the region host their weekly markets on varying days. In the city of Lucca, head to the MercoledìBio on Wednesdays — for organic fruit and vegetables, honey, olive oil, cold cuts, wine, bread and baked goods, as well as sheep’s, cow’s and goat’s cheese — or the Campagna Amica market on Thursdays — for fresh fish and seasonal vegetables, cheese, plants and flowers.

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11 Best Odor Eliminators of 2024, Tested and Reviewed by Cleaning Experts

Rid your home, shoes and car of the stinkiest smells with these sprays, candles and gels.

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

Best Overall

Clorox disinfecting mist.

Febreze Odor-Fighting Air Freshener

Best for Bathroom Odors

Poo-pourri before-you-go toilet spray.

Best for Car Odors

Febreze car air freshener.

Fresh Wave Odor Removing Gel

Best for shoe odors

Silverworks shoe deodorizer spray.

Best for Pet Odors

Febreze fabric refresher pet odor eliminator.

Best for Washing Machine Odor

Affresh washing machine cleaner.

Best for Musty Closet Odors

Airboss no spill dehumidifier.

Best Candle for Kitchen Odors

Diptyque la droguerie odor removing candle with basil.

While the best air fresheners can temporarily make a room smell clean and the best air purifiers can help with stenches, many odor eliminators have ingredients that react with odor molecules and absorb them or even kill odor-causing bacteria. In the Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab , we've tested over 30 odor-removing products over the years by evaluating them against cooking odors in our many kitchens, musty odors that we create in the Lab and pet and clothing odors from smelly items our staff donates.

In addition to our Lab testing, we send the products home with GH staffers for testing against real-life household odors to evaluate the customer's experience and the product's effectiveness. Below are our best odor eliminator picks — including winners of the Good Housekeeping Cleaning & Organizing Awards .

One thing you can count on is wherever you find bacteria, you usually have odors. Think of the kitchen trash can, bathroom toilet and your pet's bedding and toys. Clorox's Disinfecting Mist has earned the top spot on our list of odor eliminators because of its ability to kill bacteria and viruses (including the SARS-CoV2 virus) on hard surfaces, kill bacteria on soft surfaces and freshen the air.

This EPA-registered versatile mist sanitizes upholstery, mattresses and plush toys in 5 minutes, disinfects bathroom fixtures and countertops in 10 minutes and deodorizes the air. In our tests, I liked how evenly it covered surfaces without making them overly wet, and it left a clean, light, pleasant scent behind. Food-contact surfaces and children's and pets' toys will need a rinse after using this mist.

Febreze is so synonymous with odor removal that it's almost become a generic term. This GH Seal-star spray quickly tackles airborne cooking odors, smoke, must and more with its cyclodextrin technology that surrounds odor molecules and pulls them from the air. And all this performance comes at a great price, making it our Best Value pick.

The newest upgrade to Febreze Air Mist is that it now dispenses as an even finer mist to linger longer and pull more odors out of the air. In our testing, I found that cooking and bathroom odors were rendered unnoticeable, and stale spaces smelled fresh again very quickly. Just be sure to wipe away any excess that lands on hard floors as it can make them slippery.

While there are imitators now on the market, Poo-Pourri was the original in-toilet odor-eliminating spray and, in my opinion, it's still the best . Simply spritz three to five sprays onto the surface of the toilet water before you go, and it traps odors inside the bowl to prevent them from becoming airborne. We tested it in our office bathrooms and at home with the same great results.

Made with essential oils and without alcohol, parabens or phthalates, it comes in an incredibly wide assortment of scents — some with cute names like "Potty On." I like the discreet little bottles that make it easy to tuck into a bag for travel. Some scents are even available in larger refill sizes. Be sure to keep the bottles out of reach of children and pets.

poo pourri toilet spray being tested by carolyn forte

A safer alternative to those distracting little tree air fresheners that hang from the rearview mirror, Febreze Car odor eliminators clip directly to a dashboard vent so they won't block your view. The air coming through the vent wafts over them to disperse the scent. We found them to be effective in every car we tested them in, and I like that the intensity of the scent can be dialed up or down as desired. They gave cars a fresh, pleasant scent that was noticeable the minute we got in, even before we turned on the ignition.

They can also be placed on the rear seat vents to combat odors from spilled foods, kids and pets riding in the back. Be aware that the scent can be a bit strong when you first clip them on, and some reviewers noted that the "heavy-duty" clip in this package didn't seem any different from the others.

If you like the "set it and forget it" approach to odor elimination, a gel could be just what you need. Simply peel back the foil top on this Fresh Wave jar and replace the vented lid. This allows the gel to work continuously and evaporate over time . In our tests, we found it removed lingering food and bathroom odors very well, and I like that it can be used in places where you can't use sprays, like inside a closet.

The ingredients in Fresh Wave are plant-based and EPA Safer Choice-certified, and refills of the gel can be purchased to replenish it as it evaporates. One jar claims to last up to 60 days in an area of up to 200 square feet. Larger areas may need multiple jars.

Shoes can get stinky, especially if you wear them without socks. And even if you allow your shoes to air out between wears, that still may not be enough. That's when you need a good shoe deodorizer . After testing this new, highly-rated spray on sneakers and dress shoes , I was impressed with how evenly it sprays without puddling inside shoes. The spray leaves shoe interiors with a pleasant scent, and it contains silver ions which work continually to attack odor molecules and bacteria to help keep odors from returning — all without chlorine or bleach in the formula.

Online reviewers loved the scent and effectiveness of this spray. "I have a few pairs of shoes I was considering retiring due to recurring odor, but this stuff cleared that up and has prevented the odor's return," one wrote. For the best results, use the spray after wearing your shoes, especially those with fabric insoles and linings, to allow the spray enough time to dry and properly work.

Pets are certainly lovable family members, but the messes they leave behind are anything but. Even if you bathe and brush them regularly, there's pet hair to remove plus, their favorite lounging spots, their bedding (and yours, if they sleep with you!) and toys can all smell dank and stale. But an even coating of Febreze Pet Odor Eliminator on these fabrics will neutralize stinky pet odors as it dries.

In our GH Seal tests, pet owners reported that it effectively removed odors on fabrics and even freshened the air to help camouflage the fact that there was a pet in the house. It's easy, neat to use, works quickly and it's not just for pet odors — I found that it works on cooking and smoke odors too. For water-sensitive fabrics, be sure to test it on a hidden spot before spraying the entire item.

Front-loading washing machines clean well and save energy, but they have a dirty little secret — they can stink. Honestly, top-loaders can too, but front-loaders are the biggest offenders. Water that pools in the drum, door gaskets and dispenser drawers can smell stale and even cause mold to grow. Plus detergent and fabric softener residues left behind can smell and transfer the odors to your laundry. Affresh Washing Machine Cleaner tablets are an easy and effective way to rid your appliance of unwanted odors.

Once per month, simply add one tablet to the drum and run a normal cycle (with hot water) or your machine's self-cleaning cycle, if it has one. The time-release tablet works throughout the entire cycle removing the residues bacteria feast on. It cleans the drum, pump, valves, hoses and more. In our tests, it left both front- and top-loading machines clean and fresh-smelling.

I also love the list of months on the side of the box so you can check off each cleaning and keep track of when it's time to do the next one. I still recommend drying the gasket, door and dispenser drawer regularly, however, and you'll still have to occasionally remove and scrub the detergent dispenser because Affresh won't reach in there.

Musty closets don't just smell stale when you open the door. They can also make the clothes hanging inside smell musty too. So if you have a closet in a damp location (like a basement) or one that doesn't get good air circulation, consider hanging this airBoss No Spill Dehumidifier on a hook to absorb the moisture that causes the odors. Remove the aluminum seal to expose the moisture-permeable film covering the moisture-absorbing beads inside. Then, hang the bag on a hook or place it on a shelf to enjoy a fresh-smelling closet.

As the beads pull in the moisture from the air, they turn to liquid. When all the beads are gone, pour the liquid down the drain and put a new airBoss in place.

I tested airBoss in my entryway coat closet where it worked great and kept the winter coats hanging in there smelling fresh and clean, even when the weather grew humid. Plus, it's easy to use and dispose of. Keep in mind this product is meant for smaller spaces like closets, laundry rooms, RVs and attics, so you will need more than one for larger areas.

We are still testing this odor-eliminating candle from Diptyque, but we love it so much already that we just had to include it here. Diptyque's luxury candle burns beautifully and smells divine but it's also very hard-working. It replaces malodors with a combination of mint, basil and tomato leaf essential oils.

In our tests, two Cleaning Lab staffers each lit the candle after cooking a particularly pungent dinner and noticed an obvious clearing of the air just a short time later — even after leaving and returning home. It burns evenly and slowly, so though it's a bit pricey, it will last a long time and provide a lot of odor elimination for the cost, and it emits a nice warm glow. As with all candles, never leave it burning unattended, and keep it away from children and pets.

carolyn forte testing airboss no spill dehumidifier

Downy Rinse & Refresh

Smelly towels can stink up an entire closet or bathroom — and sometimes even the best detergent is not cutting it. A winner in our Good Housekeeping Cleaning & Organizing Awards , this odor eliminator contains gentle citric acid that removes unpleasant odors and restores softness to fabrics during washing.

In testing, I was impressed by the fresh scent and soft feel of the towels after just one wash. To use, pour the liquid into the fabric softener dispenser on your washing machine and run a regular wash cycle with laundry detergent. Some online reviewers said the scent is a bit strong, so choose wisely between the Cool Cotton or Fresh Lavender scent options.

How we test odor eliminators

carolyn forte testing the silverworks shoe deodorizer spray

Odor eliminators can be tricky to test, especially in the expansive, wide-open spaces of our Good Housekeeping Institute Labs and Test Kitchens.

best odor eliminators affresh washing machine cleaner

The most accurate way to test them is in specially constructed small, climate-controlled "smell" chambers, where a measured amount of both malodor and the test fragrance are introduced. Trained smell testers rate the extent of odor removal. Since we don't have these types of chambers in our Labs, we evaluate odor eliminators the way consumers do: by using them in our day-to-day tasks both in the Lab and at home in our own cars, washing machines, kitchens, bathrooms, closets and more.

airboss no spill dehumidifier before and after use

In the Lab, we assess the chemical formulas, safety data sheets, packaging, labeling, scent strength and duration and ease of use . We review the manufacturer's documentation for the internal claim support testing they do.

best odor eliminators tester using a car odor eliminator

Our Lab pros also cook stinky foods, make stinky garbage, put wet towels into plastic storage containers to make them smell musty and ask staffers for stinky pet toys and clothing items they'd like to donate for testing. We then call in staffers to smell these containers or the air before and after using the test products to rate the performance. Finally, we have consumer testers use the products in their own homes and give us feedback via a detailed survey.

What's the difference between an odor eliminator and an air freshener?

While both products make household odors less noticeable, many air fresheners simply cover up a bad smell with a floral or fruity one . That's why they often quickly fade and the malodor returns — it was never really gone in the first place. Essentially an air freshener's primary purpose is to do just that, freshen the air and impart a pleasant scent to it.

Odor eliminators use chemical, mechanical or physical means to actually trap and neutralize odor molecules so they are no longer perceptible to the human nose and can no longer return. Sanitizers and disinfectants work by actually killing the bacteria that cause the odors.

Check the label of any odor-removing product you are considering for an explanation of how it works and the types of odors it removes. If it doesn't say anything, it's likely just an air freshener designed to impart a pleasing fragrance.

Why trust Good Housekeeping?

Carolyn Forté has over 40 years of experience as a consumer products expert testing all kinds of products that both clean and remove odors from the air, fabrics, appliances and more. She has visited the testing facilities of air freshener manufacturers to see and experience firsthand the tests they conduct on their products to evaluate odor intensity and removal. Forté has also personally conducted air freshener research studies with consumers so she knows what they look for in scented cleaning products and presented the research findings at industry conferences and meetings.

Carolyn Forté brings more than 40 years of experience as a consumer products expert to her role as executive director of the Good Housekeeping Institute 's Home Care and Cleaning Lab. Using deep analytical testing and writing expertise in appliances, cleaning, textiles and organizational products, she produces cleaning and home care advice for GH, has authored numerous books and bookazines for the brand and partners with the American Cleaning Institute to co-produce the Discover Cleaning Summits. She holds a bachelor's degree in family and consumer sciences from Queens College, City University of New York.

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Top Cafes in Laguna Beach

Coffee, a fundamental beverage dating back thousands of years, is a beloved treasure that most cannot live without.

It has become a daily staple, enjoyed at home, on the go, as a morning cup or a mid-afternoon energizer. For me, there is always a moment in the day where I have downtime and need a place to grab a cup, sit and recharge. When traveling, I usually find myself scouring Google Maps for the nearest spot that looks good. Today in Laguna Beach, you can sip back and relax.

We finally have your much-needed café roundup with the top spots in town for your caffeine fix.

BLK Dot Coffee

If you find yourself in North Laguna, BLK Dot is your go-to spot. Even if you’re not, this industrial and modern café is worth the visit for some premium beverages. They’re known for “VTM” Coffee, slow dripped Vietnamese craft coffee, but we also adore what they call “specialties on the rocks.” Their Sea Salt Cold Foam Iced Coffee is a beautiful harmony of sweet and salty, making for an enjoyable creamy and cold summer drink. In case you are hungry, BLK Dot also serves breakfast and lunch all day.

Zinc Café & Market

Zinc is like a breath of fresh air filled with relaxed Southern California vibes and influences. Whether you want to relax and chat with friends or read a book and people watch by yourself, we love this spot for its coffee, cuisine, and atmosphere. Order at the counter, take your number, and find a seat in their spacious outdoor garden patio. All their coffee is made with Intelligentsia, a company that does direct trade with its growers. Their Lavender Latte specifically is an ode to Laguna Beach, created with organically grown and locally made lavender syrup. Needing something a bit more substantial? You can’t go wrong with any of their fresh food options that you can feel good about filling up on. Our most recent obsession is the Healthy Bowl with seasoned quinoa (with soy sauce, cashews, shiitake mushrooms), corn, sweet potato, arugula, cucumber, harissa, lemon and olive oil.

Koffee Klatch

Koffee Klatch is a hidden gem within Laguna Beach that is quite eclectic and quirky in design, reflective of the town’s vibrant art scene. You’ll find many different paintings and art on the wall, unique furniture pieces that don’t necessarily match, but work together, and just an overall cozy space that you can feel at home in. A must try: their Mayan Mocha with spiced ground chocolate, cinnamon, vanilla and almond. They also have excellent pastries like the Pecan Bar formed with a shortbread crust layer topped with a mixture of dark syrup, brown sugar, butter, and pecans.

With several locations throughout Southern California, Jilia and Shallom Berkman have become trailblazers in serving heirloom coffee that is roasted in small batches to provide bold, complex, and delicious cups of joe. The variety of coffee and tea options at Urth Caffé seem endless, because well, they basically are. The menu both in food and drink at Urth are so large, it seems like the Cheesecake Factory of organic, healthful, and sustainable chains. We love the reliability and diversity in options here where you can keep coming back and try something new, knowing you are consuming organic ingredients that were properly sourced with utmost care.

Laguna Coffee Company

Laguna Coffee Company has classic café vibes for people to comfortably do work or have a small business meeting. However, what truly sets this place apart is their ability to micro roast coffee right on site. Owners Rene and Tomi Miller have curated and created a quality experience that you can smell as soon as you walk in. In addition to their various bean options from their Honduras to their Laguna Blend, they also have specialty drinks like their Golden Latte. The name comes from its gold color and signature ingredient: turmeric. The added health benefits create a great excuse for you to order that cup you know you’ve been wanting.

Nick’s Laguna Beach

We had to end this roundup with a coffee drink with a little extra kick: the classic Espresso Martini from Nick’s Laguna. When your day is done, you don’t necessarily think to order something with the bold flavor of coffee, but trust us; this martini is the ideal pre-dinner or after-dinner drink you never knew you needed. Nick’s version is spirit forward, with a bold and bitter java flavor that gets balanced with the frothy, creaminess of their airy and silky homemade whipped cream that gets dolloped on top. It’s a dessert and drink all in one, making it the perfect nightcap every time.

Whenever you decide to visit, be sure to share your experiences with us on FACEBOOK , TWITTER and INSTAGRAM by tagging us @VisitLaguna and utilizing our citywide hashtag, #MyLagunaBeach.

Caitlin Sakdalan

Caitlin Sakdalan is a social media influencer and food writer. Through her passion for food as an experiential connector of people and cultures, coupled with expertise in social and digital, she shares her extensive food knowledge and experiences to thousands of followers daily. Caitlin is one of Dovetale’s “5 best Influencers to watch in 2017,” and her photography is featured on Tasting Table, Yahoo, Huffington Post, and other online outlets. Follow her on Instagram @befatbehappy.

Get Inspired

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COMMENTS

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Courtesy of Fellow. View On Amazon $35 View On Fellowproducts.com $21 View On Bluebottlecoffee.com. The Fellow Carter Move Mug is designed with coffee enthusiasts in mind. Its heat and cold retention was second only to the Zojirushi and the inner chamber of the mug is ceramic-lined for a neutral flavor.
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The best coffee shops in Laguna Beach
BLK Dot Coffee. If you find yourself in North Laguna, BLK Dot is your go-to spot. Even if you're not, this industrial and modern café is worth the visit for some premium beverages. They're known for "VTM" Coffee, slow dripped Vietnamese craft coffee, but we also adore what they call "specialties on the rocks.".
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Best travel coffee mugs in 2024 — tested and rated

Best budget and durable

1. MiiR Flip Traveler

2. Stanley Classic Trigger Action Travel Mug

3. Hydro Flask Coffee with Flex Sip Lid

4. THERMOS Stainless King Vacuum-Insulated Travel Mug

5. Yeti Rambler

6. Ember Temperature Control Travel Mug

7. Teabloom

8. bioGo 16 oz Reusable Coffee Cups

9. Contigo West Loop Stainless Steel Vacuum-Insulated Travel Mug

10. Ello Campy Vacuum Insulated Travel Mug

11. Ello Jane Ceramic Travel Mug

How we test

How to choose the best travel mug

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Most Popular

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

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

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

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

How we tested travel coffee mugs

What we looked for

Other travel coffee mugs we tested

The takeaway

More of the best gear we've ever tried

The Best Travel Mugs to Keep Drinks Hot or Cold

Best Overall Hydro Flask Coffee Mug With Flex Sip Lid (16 Ounce) Read more

A Good Wide-Mouth Bottle Klean Kanteen TKWide Insulated Mug (16 Ounce) Read more

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

An Eco-Friendly Option Miir Climate+ Read more

Best Overall

A Good Wide-Mouth Bottle

A Classy Paper Cup Replacement

An Eco-Friendly Option

Camp Classic

For Coffee Purists

For Camping

Honorable Mentions

Avoid These Travel Mugs

WIRED COUPONS

The Best Travel Mug

Everything we recommend

Zojirushi Stainless Steel Mug

Buying Options

Stanley Classic Trigger-Action Travel Mug (16 ounces)

OXO Good Grips Water Bottle Cleaning Set

The research

How the Zojirushi mug has held up

Flaws but not dealbreakers

Meet your guides

Further reading

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Our Favorite Mugs

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We’ve Recommended This Travel Mug for a Decade. It’s Still Going Strong.

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Straight to the Point

The Best Overall Travel Mug

The Best Travel Mug for Coffee and Tea Enthusiasts

Another Good Travel Mug

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Drink Buttons Were Annoying

Lid Design and Drinking Experience

Heat and Cold Retention

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How do you maximize the heat and cold retention of a travel mug?

What size travel mug is best?

How do you clean a travel mug lid?

What is the best travel mug?

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The Best Travel Coffee Mugs for Road Trips, Park Strolls, and Your Morning Commute

The best travel coffee mug for tossing in your bag: Zojirushi Stainless Steel Vacuum Insulated Mug

Another great leak-proof travel coffee mug: Kinto Travel Tumbler

The best travel coffee mug for car rides: Yeti Rambler

The travel coffee mug that is also a water bottle: Hitch Bottle and Cup Kit

How we chose the best travel coffee mugs