travel mug to keep tea hot

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

By Kristi Kellogg and Meaghan Kenny

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

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

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

Hydro Flask All Around Tumbler

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

Stanley Classic Trigger Action travel mug

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

Stojo collapsible travel cup, 16-ounce

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

Read a full review of the Stojo cup.

Stanley Aerolight Transit bottle

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

Rebekah Peppler

CNT Editors

Lauren Dana Ellman

Ashley M. Biggers

Yeti Rambler stackable mug

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

Snow Peak Milk bottle

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

Zojirushi stainless steel mug

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

Hydro Flask 20 oz Coffee with Flex Sip Lid

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

Martina Thornhill Okay cup

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

Kinto travel tumbler

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

Yeti Rambler lowball

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

Corkcicle classic tumbler

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

Miir Climate+ Tumbler

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

Hydro Flask stainless steel travel mug

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

OtterBox Elevation wine tumbler

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

Hay Sowden travel cup

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

W&P Porter mug

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

Simple Modern travel coffee mug

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

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The Best Tea Infuser Travel Mug (And Why Real Tea Lovers Need One)

By Mindy Fox

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

I can hear my better half, Steve, now: “Do you really need a dedicated travel tea mug? Can’t you brew a cup of tea and then use any ol’ travel mug to take it on the go?”

Yeah, babe, you could. (And he probably knows what’s coming next.) But I like to have the right tool for the job, and there is good reason to be particular when it comes to a travel tea mug.

Sure, I could place loose tea leaves in a single-use paper steeper or basket steeper and use my favorite travel coffee mug for the job , but travel tea mugs are made with built-in tea steepers (ones that allow you to tightly close the lid while your tea steeps), which means no waste and a hotter finished brew. Plus, coffee mugs tend to take on coffee flavor over time. A dedicated travel tea mug helps keeps a serious tea drinker’s tea tasting pure and clean.

In my quest for the best travel mug to take my cuppa on the road, I sought out a leak-proof model that ranked high in the heat retention department . I also wanted a mug that was easy to grip and to drink from. And because it’s nice to have stylish gear, one that looked good, too. Here are my winning picks and how I tested:

The Very Best Tea Infuser Travel Mug: The Tea Spot Everest Tea Tumbler

The Everest’s double-walled, vacuum-sealed stainless steel insulation kept 22 ounces of tea hot and fresh tasting, and its screw down BPA-free top was terrifically leak-proof. I fell hard for its rugged adventure-meets-urban-chic look, and had a hard time deciding which of its four stylish colors I liked best.

The Everest also won my vote for smart design and functionality with an innovative screw-top and sipping mechanism that stay connected to the mug while you drink (which means when you remove the part of the lid that allows you to drink your tea, it won’t go tumbling down a cliff, through a subway grate, or down between that impossibly narrow space between the seat of your car and your cup-holding console).

The stainless steel steeper basket on this model provided ample room for water and tea leaves to mingle as my tea steeped, and its small holes kept fine leaves from passing into my tea, making a clean and full-tasting brew. The easy to grip exterior is much like that of the popular Hydro Flask water bottle so, if you’re a Hydro Flask fan , you’ll likely love The Tea Spot Everest, too.

The Everest fit well in a tote bag and was also comfortable to carry on the outside of a backpack, using a carabiner clip . And, like all of the travel tea mugs I tested, it can be used for iced tea as well as plain or infused fruit (aka spa) water.

Everest Tea Tumbler

The Next Best (aka Runner Up) Travel Tea Infuser Mug: The Tea Spot Voyager Tea Tumbler

The Voyager, also by The Tea Spot, won my runner-up vote. At 16-ounces, it’s a smaller mug than the Everest but that’s where most of the differences end. This mug kept my tea hot and fresh for 6 hours, and is fitted with the same type of high quality stainless steel steeper basket as the Everest. Its smartly designed leak-proof lid has a comfortable, easy to drink from sip-cup style and doesn’t require removing to use—simply press down on a pop top to drink, then press it again to lock the top into spill-free mode. With its sleek metallic, glossy finish and no loop handle (for carabiner or finger hold), this model is stylistically more ‘urban’ than ‘adventure’, but also, according to highly-rated reviews for both products, a bit more vulnerable to scratches than the Everest. It’s easy to grip and carries well in a tote bag or pocket of a backpack or gym bag.

The Tea Spot Voyager Tumbler

Other Brands I Tried:

Zojirushi travel mug with tea filter shocked me and my editor when this mug didn’t win over my other contenders. Though this darling brand of the product review world took the gold in our best travel coffee mug test and kept my tea even hotter than its competitors at 6 hours, it is designed with a problematic steeping mechanism. To use this mug, you place loose tea leaves inside and add hot water. A filter fitted at the top of the mug blocks the leaves from flowing out while you drink your tea, but, as any true tea drinker knows, for however long you travel with your tea, the tea continues steeping. So, whether we’re talking a few minutes post-ideal steep time or several hours, you’ll be drinking an over-steeped brew (not tasty!). (One reviewer on Amazon noted that tea leaves can be put into the strainer basket, steeped with the mug turned upside down, and then removed. But the basket is so small that, though this works with some tea leaf types, it allows neither ample space for leaves to mingle with water while steeping, nor enough room for large loose tea leaf varieties to steep.) The top, which is made up of multiple and functionally unclear parts (a pain to both wash and keep track of), must be entirely removed to drink the tea, which makes it awkward if not impossible to safely drink from on the go. Used as a canteen-style tea-steeping vessel (to pour tea from as soon as it’s steeped) or to keep tea that’s brewed in a bag or independently from and then transferred to the mug incredibly hot for over 6 hours, this is a great product, but as an on-the-go tea mug, it doesn’t cut the mustard.

The four remaining models I tested, the Uendure Glass Infuser Travel Mug , the Lotus Glass Tea Tumbler , the Pure Zen Tea Tumbler , and the Sacred Lotus Love Sacred Glass Tea Infuser Tumbler were constructed of glass and sell in the $25 to $28 range. None of them (even with easy-to-grip insulating neoprene sleeves complete with nifty loops for carrying) had heat retention capability that came anywhere close to that of my winning contenders, and, though they were sexy looking, they were too fragile for true on-the-go usage. (A note that came with one of the models warned that the glass “may break if you drop it, knock it, or bang it with a metal spoon”.) Their open top lids made for challenging drinking on the go. So, while these might be stylish for drinking at a desk (though you’ll have to watch your keyboard if the mug gets knocked over), they’re too fragile and not practical for real on the go use.

How I Tested

I brewed loose black tea in seven leading travel tea mugs. After brewing the tea, I removed the tea basket and took the temperature of each mug’s tea using a digital thermometer . I closed the lids tightly, then measured the temperature of each tea again after 1 hour, 4 hours, and 6 hours, recording the change in temperature at each interval.

In the breaks between temperature takes, I rolled my tightly closed filled travel tea mugs on the floor; turned them upside down, and gave them all a good shaking around to test for leaks. I took a look at how many parts came with each model and how easy they were to clean. I also considered sipping mechanism design, steeper basket quality (did the basket allow ample room for proper steeping), overall durability, and style.

The Takeaway:

The company Tea Spot makes the best tea infuser travel mugs—models that brew a great cup of tea and are easy to take on the go. Buy the Everest Tumbler for slightly larger capacity and a more rugged, outdoor-adventure-ready design. Buy the Voyager for a smaller travel tea mug that's perfect for urban commuters.

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The Best Travel Mug

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).

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.

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.

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.

Further reading

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.

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!

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.

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

• Glassware & Drinkware

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

Easier on your wallet and the environment

The Spruce Eats / Derek Rose

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

• How We Tested Travel Mugs

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

We Observed:

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

The Spruce Eats / Suzie Dundas

• What to Look For

Types of Travel Mugs

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

• Effectiveness 5 /5
• Functionality 5 /5

Effective autolock and anti-spill lid

Can be locked and unlocked with one hand

Keeps drinks hot/cold for hours

A little wide for smaller hands

Plastic lid seems prone to breakage

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

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

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

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

The Spruce Eats / Tamara Staples

The Spruce Eats / Suzie Dundas 

Stanley Classic Travel Mug

• Design 4 /5
• Insulation 3 /5

Highly durable

Great for commuters

Lid is hard to clean

Faint plastic smell first few uses

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

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

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

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

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

Best for Hot or Cold

Zojirushi stainless steel mug.

• Design 5 /5
• Insulation 5 /5

Easy-to-hold design

Fits in most cupholders

Excellent heat retention

Locking mechanism prevents leaks

Hand wash only, many pieces to clean

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

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

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

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

Best High-Tech

Ember travel mug 2.

Touchscreen display 

Battery lasts up to three hours

360-degree leak-proof lid

Only 12-ounce capacity

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

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

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

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

The Spruce Eats / Russell Kilgore

Best Budget

Copco acadia travel mug.

 Amazon

Safe in both microwave and dishwasher

Colorful grip

Fits in cupholders

Can stack inside each other

Prone to staining

Hole in lid can't be closed

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

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

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

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

Best With Straw

Bubba envy insulated tumbler.

• Design 3.5 /5
• Insulation 4.5 /5

No sweating

Lid seals tightly

Fits in car cupholders

Keeps drinks cold or hot

Can't close hole on lid

Hand wash only

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

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

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

The Spruce Eats / Rebekah Joan

 The Spruce Eats / Rebekah Joan

Best Handled

Thermos stainless king travel mug.

Comfortable to hold

Doesn’t fit in all car cup holders

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

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

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

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

The Spruce Eats / Rebekah Joan

Best Design

S'well traveler mug.

Multiple sizes and many colors

Great temperature retention

Price varies, can be expensive

Lid isn't ideal for commuting

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

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

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

Best for Easy Cleaning

Yeti rambler 20 oz tumbler.

• Size 4.5 /5
• Design 4.5 /5

Dishwasher safe

Magnetic lid slides easily

Multiple color options

Not leakproof

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

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

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

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

Best Large Capacity

Bubba classic insulated desk mug.

Budget price

Lightweight despite size

Too big for cupholders

Lid has a hole you can't close

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

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

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

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

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

Other Options We Tested

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

What to Look for in a Travel Mug

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

Temperature Retention

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

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

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

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

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

Leak-Proof vs. Spill-Proof

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

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

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

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

Portable Coffee Maker

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

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

What is a vacuum-insulated mug?

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

Can I make my travel mug retain temperature longer?

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

How do I clean my travel mug?

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

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

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

The Spruce Eats / Cheyenne Elwell

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

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

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

17 Best Travel Coffee Mugs for Hot and Cold Drinks

Commute with your coffee under control.

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

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

Our top picks:

Best Overall Travel Coffee Mug

Zojirushi 16-ounce stainless steel mug.

Best Value Travel Coffee Mug

Juro stainless steel vacuum insulated tumbler.

Best No-Spill Travel Coffee Mug

Stanley classic trigger action travel mug.

Best Travel Coffee Mug for Espresso Drinks

Avana sedona stainless steel thermal tumbler.

Easiest to Clean Leak-Resistant Travel Coffee Mug

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

Best Travel Coffee Mug with Carrying Strap

Hydro flask flex sip lid coffee flask.

Best Self-Heating Travel Coffee Mug

Smrtmugg heated coffee mug.

Best Wide-Mouthed Travel Coffee Mug

S'well stainless steel traveler.

Best Locking-Lid Travel Coffee Mug

Contigo luxe autoseal vacuum-insulated mug.

Best Travel Coffee Mug with Handle

Yeti rambler mug with lid.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fellow Carter Everywhere Travel Mug

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

W&P Porter Ceramic Mug with Protective Silicone Sleeve

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

Starbucks Classic Green & White Traveler Tumbler Coffee Mug

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

STOJO Collapsible Travel Cup with Straw

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

MiiR Flip Traveler

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

JOCO Glass Reusable Coffee Cup

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

Zoku Instant Iced Coffee Maker

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

How we test travel coffee mugs

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

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

How to find the best travel coffee mug for you

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

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

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

Why trust Good Housekeeping?

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

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

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

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The Best Travel Mugs 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.

Special offer for Gear readers: Get WIRED for just $5 ($25 off) . This includes unlimited access to WIRED.com , full Gear coverage, and subscriber-only newsletters. Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day.

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.

Carlton Reid

Reece Rogers

Medea Giordano

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. 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 .

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.

Nena Farrell

Adrienne So

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Tested: The Best Travel Mugs For Hot & Cold Drinks On The Go

By: Ethan Brehm Published: Feb 15, 2024

By: Ethan Brehm and Cameron Cardwell Published: Feb 15, 2024

Contributors

There are a lot of travel mugs and commuter cups that claim to be “thermal,” but most of them are just cheap imitators that can’t keep a cup of coffee at the ideal temperature that the true drinker demands. Don’t get ripped off by any second-rate piece of plastic with a styrofoam insulator that claims it will keep your hot beverages hot and your cold beverages cool for long drives and long days at the office. Go with one of our picks from our guide to the best travel mugs, which we’ve tested and reviewed so you don’t have to.

Best Travel Mugs Breakdown

Best Budget Travel Mug

RTIC Travel Mug

Best Outdoor Mug

Yeti Rambler Mug

Best Hot Coffee Mug

KeepCup Travel Mug

Best Mug for Commuting

MiiR Flip Traveler

Best Mug Overall

Hydro Flask Coffee with Flex Sip Lid

Best Mug for the Car

Contigo Travel Mug

Best Coffee Mug for Instant Sipping

JoeVeo Temperfect Javabliss 16 Travel Mug

Best Large Mug

Stanley Quencher H2.0 FlowState Tumbler

Article Overview

How We Tested

What makes a good travel mug, travel mug comparison chart, why use a travel mug, single-wall vs. double-wall vs. triple-wall, honorable mentions, the best insulated water bottles.

Let’s be honest: There are a LOT of travel mug options out there, with new ones making their way into the space each year. With that, we had to distill that list down to a select few. To do so, we used our years’ worth of expertise and experience using these vessels to help us out. We also looked at who were the major players in the game, the feisty newcomers, and the trendy outliers. From there, we came up with a short list, looking at materials, aesthetics, claimed performance (prior to testing), features, and lid function, and sourced samples for testing.

Testing took several days and consisted of actually using these mugs for both hot and cold beverages, depending on their intended purposes. For starters, we filled up each mug halfway with ice and halfway with water. Then we checked the temperatures initially and came back to them 15 hours later to see how much the temperature rose (or dropped in one instance). We only did this for the mugs that were intended for all-day drinking and cold temperature retention. In other words, the few mugs that were specifically for hot water only got tested for hot water. However, we performed the hot water test for all 8 mugs. In a similar way to the cold water test, we checked the temperature at the start and revisited each mug after 6 hours (mugs can’t hold hot water for as long as cold). Another thing we did after filling each mug was turn it upside down and shake it somewhat vigorously to see how much water, if any, leaked out. While almost all of these claim to be spill-proof when sealed properly, not all of them are leak -proof. So we’ve presented our findings as a distinction between the two terms. All of our results and findings are detailed down below.

Travel mugs are generally best for coffee, tea, or any other hot (or cold) beverage you need on the go, making them ideal for commuting, traveling, and camping. It’s a better choice than disposable options from an environmental standpoint, but also from a health standpoint because you decide what’s going in there.

Size: 12oz to 24oz is the average range for most travel mugs (with 8oz – 12oz options available for smaller beverages like cappuccinos) and should be sufficient unless you can’t make frequent drink trips or consume entire pots of coffee. For those of you who do need more volume, there are options that get into the 32oz or 40oz territory.

Lid: Lids can vary slightly (and not so slightly) from mug to mug; they can twist open, flip open, snap shut, and even include a straw sometimes. Commuters might want something with a sturdy no-nonsense lid, and those who WFH may go for something with a flip top or a straw. Decide which lid works best with your lifestyle and feels best, and go for that one.

Material: Firstly, make sure whatever you buy is BPA-free, then decide if you want a tempered glass, plastic, or stainless steel mug . Stainless steel retains temperatures better, but glass is more sustainable and can be put in the dishwasher. Plastic is probably the worst of these choices, but there are some solid options out there.

Finish: While you might want a powder-coated finish to keep standard water bottles from slipping out of your hands, mugs often come with handles instead. However, many of the picks below will have some sort of extra grip, whether or not a handle is included.

Temperature Retention: Stainless steel options will often be vacuum-insulated (an added layer that keeps heat from getting in or out) and keep your drinks either hot or cold for a while. Since heat rises, going for mugs with smaller lids/lid openings will help with heat retention.

Maintenance: Most stainless steel mugs need to be washed by hand, as opposed to putting them in the dishwasher (which you can do with most glass and ceramic mugs).

Leak-Proof/Spill-Proof: As we mentioned up above, most travel mugs advertise themselves as spill-proof, but what does that really mean? Most of them won’t deluge water if toppled over, however, they might still leak if upside down or sideways for any amount of time. It’s important to distinguish the difference, especially if you’re planning on carrying these in your bag.

• Really good temp retention
• Sleek design
• Handle not super ergonomic
• Lid screws on so sipper opening is too close to handle

Best Budget Travel Mug: RTIC is a legendary name in drinkware, and in less than a decade. Known for offering unrivaled outdoor-ready gear at affordable price points, this 20-ounce option is not only incredibly cheap but looks like a travel mug that’s twice the price, especially considering the size (there’s also a 16oz size available). Compared a lot to YETI, RTIC still gets the job done with double-wall stainless steel insulation for temperature retention, a no-sweat exterior to eliminate condensation, and a splash-proof flip-top lid with an air-tight seal. Also, it’s dishwasher-safe!

If you’re looking for something simple for transporting your drink to and from work or school, or simply want a desktop vessel that can keep your coffee warm for a while, the RTIC Travel Mug will do the trick, and with a price tag much lower than the competition. Aesthetic-wise, it’s simple and sleek enough that nothing about it looks cheap, and it feels durable in your hand. Despite the plastic lid, which helps you see how much of your beverage you have left, the mug had some of the best temperature retention, only gaining 3.6ºF in 15 hours.

My biggest gripe is the lid itself. Aside from being difficult to open upon first use (also there’s a lip on one side that almost implies it’s a seal-on rather than twist-on), the flip-top always lands too close to the handle when twisted all the way. I suppose if you really wanted to force it, you could make it so the sipper was in a better position, but no one should have to use a vice-grip in order to drink from a lid properly. Also, the handle design is pretty uncomfortable with its thin, sharper edges. Surprisingly enough, the RTIC Travel Mug was actually one of the least prone to leaking on this list. Even without clamping the lid all the way on, not a single drop came out of it when shaken upside down. This can be attributed to the actual effectiveness of the flip-top plug, which is pretty deep, despite being fairly easy to snap on and off.

Verdict: The lid design doesn’t make sense with its twist-on function –– not to mention, it restricts which hand you can grab it with –– but RTIC still makes the best budget travel mug around and has some incredible leak resistance and temperature retention.

Size: 20oz Material: 18/8 stainless steel Cap: Flip-Top Finish: N/A Temperature Gain (15hrs): 3.6ºF Temperature Loss (6hrs): 54.2ºF Dishwasher Safe?: Yes Leak-Proof?: Yes

• Secure sipper closure
• Nice-sized sipper opening
• Surprisingly leak-proof
• Won’t fit in many cupholders
• Difficult to open without spilling

Best Outdoor Mug: Since 2006, YETI has been making products (starting with coolers) that stand up to tough conditions and don’t leave you hanging like the mass-produced retail options. Since then, the brand has garnered a lot of popularity among outdoor enthusiasts and people who just appreciate good build quality. And the label’s Rambler Mug is a shining example of this quality, made with double-wall vacuum insulation that’ll keep drinks (and food) as hot and cold as you’d like. This is a great choice for the campsite, and can even be thrown in the dishwasher, unlike most other stainless steel mugs. Plus, it’s stackable, which makes it easier for packing if you have more than one. We tested the 14oz mug, but there are 10oz and 24oz versions too.

We all know YETI’s prowess when it comes to vacuum-sealed water bottles, but the brand is also superb when it comes to other drinking vessels. The smaller size of this 14-ounce Rambler makes it better for sipping hot beverages, as does its sipping lid. The clear top allows you to see how much you have left inside, or you can remove the lid altogether to let your drink cool down a bit faster. After all, the stainless steel construction will keep this hot for much longer than you probably intend it to. Despite the diminutive stature, the Rambler is deceptively capacitious. Aside from the satisfying action of operating the sliding cover over the sipper, the slider itself feels firm when both opened and closed. Other versions of this on other mugs seem flimsy and more prone to leaking. However, after being jostled around a bit, I couldn’t find much leaking coming from the lid or its sipper cover –– only minimal moisture collecting around parts of the edges.

It’s also important to note that the nature of the sealed cap makes it pretty difficult to open up. Sure, this helps prevent leaking but the fact that you’ll have to tilt this at an angle and use force makes it virtually impossible to open when liquid is already inside. Say you just want to top off your coffee or tea –– forcing the lid open when the mug is half full will undoubtedly lead to spillage. The handle feels good in hand and will fit about three fingers when held. Also, the non-twist lid lets you position the sipper hole where you want in relation to the handle for more ergonomic comfort.

Verdict: High on durability, yet relatively lightweight, the YETI Rambler is a fantastic option for drinking coffee and tea on camping trips. Despite being difficult to open with liquid inside, the lid has a sipper hole that isn’t too small, which is great for not burning your tongue on hotter beverages, while the slide opener prevents leaks pretty well.

Size: 14oz Material: 18/8 stainless steel Cap: Open mouth with slide sipper Finish: N/A Temperature Gain (15hrs): N/A Temperature Loss (6hrs): 78.1ºF Dishwasher Safe?: Yes Leak-Proof?: No

• Unique design
• Can fit under coffee machines
• Glass is really tough
• Technically breakable
• Sipper plug comes off too easily

Best Hot Coffee Mug: After two Melbourne baristas saw how much waste was involved with coffee making and drinking, they decided to make the KeepCup, a reusable mug, that hit the land down under in 2009. Now the KeepCup is beloved worldwide, thanks to the mug’s coffee-friendly design made with tempered glass, a cork band, and a splashproof lid. It even fits under most espresso and coffee machines, so you can get your favorite local coffee to go while preserving its flavor and temperature. It comes in four different sizes: 6oz, 8oz, 12oz, and 16oz, although we only reviewed the 12oz version.

The first thing you’ll notice with the KeepCup is its unique design. While the cork band is mostly for aesthetic purposes, it can also help provide an extra bumper if this thing happens to fall or bang against another item or surface. On the other hand, it doesn’t help much with the grip, yet adds an extra layer of thickness that makes it more difficult to hold in your hand. I wouldn’t complain if KeepCup made a version of its flagship model with a handle. Although it’s made of glass, the mug is one of the most durable-feeling glass mugs we’ve used; I can’t imagine it breaking easily. With a lower hot liquid temperature retention time, the glass wall will also be favorable for those who hate steel mugs that make it difficult to drink hot coffee quickly.

For sipping, the lid opening is triangular shaped and is large enough that sipping isn’t unproductive; this isn’t a Starbucks lid. In the center of the lid is a piece that swivels so that you can cover the opening when you’re not drinking or be turned when you want to leave it open. Even though the plug doesn’t quite “snap” into place like I expected, it also didn’t allow leakage when I turned it upside down and shook it. Likewise, the entire lid itself feels like it’s not incredibly secure. I kept thinking it wasn’t on all the way. However, even when I tossed it onto the ground and let it tumble a bit, only a few drops presented themselves around the sipping hole (which, technically, means it’s not entirely leak-proof, but this is still impressive). I was taken aback when the sipper hole cover piece came off the lid, exposing a giant hole in the center of the lid. Then I figured this would make it easier for cleaning . I just wish it didn’t come off so unintentionally; it was much too easy to over-twist this swivel piece.

Verdict: Overall, it’s a lot of fun to use the KeepCup and it will certainly add a stylish element to your desktop space. We don’t recommend putting this in your backpack with liquid inside but it won’t spill if you’re traveling with it in a car. Glass is an attractive option for quicker coffee drinkers who don’t want to wait for the cool-down times of steel mugs. Even though the lid on this model feels a bit flimsy and cheap compared to other options, the company has the right idea.

Size: 12oz Material: Tempered glass and cork Cap: Flip-top Finish: N/A Temperature Gain (15hrs): N/A Temperature Loss (6hrs): 103.3ºF Dishwasher Safe?: No Leak-Proof?: No

• Really sleek design
• Pretty leak-proof
• Good for tossing into backpack or bag
• Sipping is a challenge; flip-top gets in the way

Best Mug for Commuting: The independently owned label MiiR is a certified B Corporation with a Climate Neutral certification, and a mission to craft products that benefit not just the user, but the environment. MiiR’s Flip Traveler is a sleek, simple, and effective travel mug that’s perfect for your commute in that it is leak-proof for carrying in a bag , fits easily into your cupholder, and sports an easy one-handed flip top. It’s made with vacuum-insulated stainless steel to keep your drinks at the perfect temp, and even features an insulated spill-proof lid. Additionally, it’s coated in the label’s Hardshell Powder Coat, making it more durable. We took a look at the 16oz model (12oz and 20oz versions are also available).

As we’ve seen with its other models, such as its Insulated Water Bottle, MiiR really knows how to bring subtle design changes to traditional vessels without losing their recognizability as that object. Case in point is this minimal travel mug, which sports a sleek body and an angular design up top. Easy to open for filling compared to other mugs and bottles, the Flip Traveler sports a lid with a flip-top sipper design that snaps into place to prevent leaking. This proved to be almost true upon shaking the bottle upside down, although some drops did come out. Likewise, there’s no equivocality in whether the top is opened or closed thanks to the effort it takes to snap it shut. This is great if you’re carrying the mug inside your backpack or gym bag (although there are certainly better gym options out there). In the way of our testing, the MiiR had the best heat retention numbers and second-best coldness retention numbers.

In terms of a practical drinking vessel, the Flip Traveler may prove to be more impractical than most. The flip-top doesn’t open far enough and bumps into your nose when drinking, preventing you from doing so comfortably. Likewise, if you’re looking for a single-hand mug, the MiiR will be troublesome due to how difficult it is to open its flip-top. It’s almost impossible to do this without two hands, and closing it requires a bit of extra force. This isn’t an issue if you’re leaving it open for a car ride . However, if you forget to close it or merely think it’s closed all the way, you could have a messy situation. Despite the claim that the outer wall was powder-coated, it was highly slippery in my hand.

Verdict: Stylish and fairly leak-proof, the MiiR will give you some issues when it comes to actually sipping your beverage with a flip-top that simply gets in the way and can’t be opened or closed single-handedly. Nevertheless, the Flip Traveler is a solid commuter option for those who don’t want a giant bottle taking up space and adding weight to their work bag. Plus it has the best heat retention and second-best cold retention of the vessels we tested.

Size: 16oz Material: 18/8 Stainless Steel Cap: Flip-top Finish: Powder-coated Temperature Gain (15hrs): 2.9ºF Temperature Loss (6hrs): 42.1ºF Dishwasher Safe?: Lid only (top rack) Leak-Proof?: No

• Multiple lid options
• Great construction
• Feels good in hand
• Silicone handle is useful
• Lifetime warranty
• Can be tricky to use while driving

Best Mug Overall: If you don’t already have a Hydro Flask (or somehow have never seen one), then you’re missing out on the Oregon-based label’s outdoor-friendly and durable products. Since they’ve taken the world by storm, Hydro Flasks began receiving new iterations, like this insulated mug here that’s part of the company’s coffee-focused lineup , which is backed by a lifetime warranty. Holding 16oz of liquid (12oz and 20oz options available too), it gives you 12 hours of hot drinks and 24 hours of cold drinks, with a leakproof Flex Sip lid that provides a simple way to drink without spilling.

In terms of hitting all the marks well, this Hydro Flask Coffee is a winner. It’s easy to carry with a comfortable silicone strap attached to the lid and it minimizes spillage when turned upside down. The cap is easy to take on and off, and you can tighten it pretty well if you try. While the powder-coating could be more aggressive like some of the brand’s other options, it has a nice in-hand feel and has solid temperature retention without being too heavy. Perhaps the best part about Hydro Flask aside from its tried-and-true quality is its lid options. Aside from this sip lid, there’s the chug cap, sport cap, and straw cap. However, if you’re really looking for a travel mug, especially for drinks like coffee, the sip lid is the way to go. It might not be as pleasant to physically sip from as others on this list in terms of the flow of the liquid, but it’s better for hot beverages and seems to slow down liquid on its way to your mouth.

The biggest downside of the Hydro Flask Coffee is how difficult it is to open while driving. The twisting operation of the sip lid requires two hands and has a good deal of resistance even then. However, this can be remedied if you simply leave the cap open on your car ride. Plus, if you forget to close it back up, the depth of the lid will minimize most incidental spillage. On the other hand, when closed properly, this bottle proved to be leak-proof when shaken upside down. Some users have noted that if the silicone strap breaks, you have to replace the entire lid. But the sturdiness of the strap makes it hard to imagine it getting damaged in the first place.

Verdict: Benefitting from top-to-bottom construction excellence, the Hydro Flask Coffee has decent temperature retention, a stylish aesthetic, and multiple lid options. It’s difficult to open and close single-handedly, but the advantages of this vessel far outweigh its drawbacks.

Size: 16oz Material: 18/8 Stainless Steel Cap: Twist-top sipper Finish: Powder-coated Temperature Gain (15hrs): 6.7ºF Temperature Loss (6hrs): 49.9ºF Dishwasher Safe?: Yes Leak-Proof?: Yes

• Fits in cupholder despite holding a lot
• Autoseal button closes sipping hole when not in use
• Leak proof when Autoseal is locked
• Not leak proof when Autosal is unlocked
• Below average temp retention, but still not terrible

Best Mug for the Car: It’s ideal for the commuter thanks to the simple, one-handed flip design. The brand’s patented Autoseal technology allows the sipper to open up when you need it with the push of a button, but even more, it closes automatically so you can’t accidentally forget. It is guaranteed to be completely leakproof whether you are shaking it, rocking it, or rattling it. Stands up to the worst you can throw at it for those times when you just need a little caffeine after you roll your car. Works for both righties and lefties with equal ease. Large enough for even the hardiest coffee fiend and simple to use at 24 oz (16oz and 20oz options available too). If you need style and substance without dropping a lot of dough, the Contigo has you covered. Comes with a lifetime warranty against defects and provides up to 5 hours of hot drinks and 12 hours of cold drinks.

Car mugs are hit or miss, and many of them are great in one regard but terrible in another. However, the Contigo Travel Mug doesn’t have a lot of flaws, at least not where driving and (non-alcoholic) drinking is concerned. The Autoseal is a great feature that allows this mug to be spill-proof while also making it fun to use. You literally just press the Autoseal button firmly and sip from a hole on the other side. Also, the flow of the liquid was pleasantly paced. This is one attribute that can’t get controlled a whole lot with simple openings in a lid. However, the canal shape required of this particular contraption allows it to have a unique drinking experience.

While it’s spill-proof, it’s not technically leak-proof when the Autoseal is unlocked. Shaken upside down, quite a few drops still came out, but this shouldn’t be much of an issue if the bottle just topples over on the table. On the other hand, if you use the Autoseal lock, this mug is about as leak-proof as they come, just like the brand claims. I do wish, however, that the Autoseal lock were easier to press. It often got stuck when wet and I had to use two fingers to push. While the 8.3ºF temperature gain over 15 hours isn’t bad, it’s still the worst of the ones tested. I was honestly surprised it did so badly considering the density of the lid. But upon further inspection, it makes sense because the seal itself isn’t terribly wide.

Verdict: Not many 24-ounce travel mugs can fit inside cupholders as well as the Contigo Travel Mug. Add to that the ability to seal the drinking spout automatically when not in use and you have yourself the ultimate car ride sipper. Priced fairly, this mug really doesn’t have a lot of flaws outside of below-average temperature retention. However, it will still serve most people’s needs just fine.

Size: 24oz Material: 18/8 Stainless Steel Cap: Push-button flip-top Finish: Metallic Temperature Gain (15hrs): 8.3ºF Temperature Loss (6hrs): 52.7ºF Dishwasher Safe?: Lid only (top rack) Leak-Proof?: No

• Reduces hot temp to drinkable temp in 3min
• Nice aesthetic
• Silicone grip feels good in hand
• Lid’s lip is too large

Best Coffee Mug for Instant Sipping: A big issue with travel mugs when it comes to coffee or other hot drinks is the inability to drink right away. In a standard coffee mug, the liquid cools down instantly and most people drink it fast enough that it can retain a level of warmness the entire time. But if you need coffee on the go, the temperature retention of most steel vessels prevents you from sipping for hours unless you pour it into a separate mug for drinking. However, this Temperfect from JoeVeo uses an innovative system that brings the temperature down to a drinkable level in just 3 minutes AND keeps it at that drinkable level for hours.

Obviously, when a product makes a claim such as the JoeVeo, it’s natural to try and see if it can follow through. As such, to test this specific mug, we checked the temperature right as the coffee was poured and then again 3 minutes later (with the lid on). In that short amount of time, the coffee went from 162ºF to 146ºF –– pretty impressive. I wanted to see how much it would drop after 5 more minutes, this time with the lid open. Lo and behold, the temperature stayed relatively the same, this time hovering around 144.5ºF. If you’re someone who likes to drink coffee quickly, this might still be too hot, compounded even more by the fact that it’s being held at that temperature indefinitely, more or less. On the other hand, coffee sippers will love how drinkable their beverage is in such a short amount of time.

As far as the drinking experience, the anti-slosh sipper shutter isn’t terribly reliable when it comes to leakage. It’s essentially the same effect as if you were to use your finger to cover the opening –– although the brand acknowledges this in the product description online. Likewise, the lip of the lid is just slightly too deep for sipping comfortably. From an aesthetic standpoint, the JoeVeo has an attractive design language, with a silicone sleeve that provides a firm grip in your hand. I also like the silicone base, which eliminates noisy set-downs on your desk. However, as someone with a caffeine addiction, 16oz is a bit small for me (I drink around 64oz of coffee per day ) so I would have loved it if there were a larger size option.

Verdict: Poor lid execution aside, the JoeVeo sports an attractive design and stays put in your hand with a silicone grip. It will definitely leak and is difficult to sip from but the mug follows through on its promise to deliver drinkable hot coffee in just three minutes.

Size: 16oz Material: Stainless Steel Cap: Anti-slosh sipper shutter Finish: Brushed and electropolished with silicone sleeve Temperature Gain (15hrs): N/A Temperature Loss (6hrs): 59.9ºF Dishwasher Safe?: Lid only Leak-Proof?: No

• Holds 40oz inside your cupholder
• Straw or sipping options
• Comfortable handle
• Negative temperature retention
• Dual drinking options aren’t entirely practical
• Difficult to switch drinking modes
• Not spill-proof

Best Large Mug: This is probably the cup your dad used (and still uses) whenever you went camping as a kid. However, we’ve all seen how trendy Stanley Tumblers have become with the younger crowd in today’s viral society. But don’t let the trends fool you; Stanley is a heritage brand through and through, around since 1913, when the founder brought vacuum insulation and steel together to create a rugged cup that can stay hot. You can also trust that the historical quality of this brand translates to its insulated travel mug. It’s made with recycled materials, and the label’s FlowState lid, which offers a full cover top, a drink opening, and an opening for the included straw so it doesn’t spill while using it. Additionally, it’s dishwasher safe and comes with a lifetime warranty. For those who drink a lot during the day and want minimal refills, this 40-ounce option is a great pick, although it’s available in several sizes from 14oz to 30oz.

It’s easy to deride a product that’s become a fad but Stanley’s Tumbler makes it so difficult. For starters, the sheer design that intuitively allows for 40oz of liquid to be held in your car’s cupholder is brilliant. The tapered bottom half has made this mug desirable in and of itself. I also liked how comfortable the handle felt in my hand. Wisely, it’s a different, softer material than the steel mug, which is a crucial element with a thermos this size because it can get quite heavy. As for the cold temperature retention, this mug actually lost degrees over 15 hours and was the only one that still had ice left inside.

As nice as it is to have options between a sipper and a straw, the actual application of this feature is a bit gimmicky. The triple-function lid does not open and close very easily, which can be an issue when you have a full mug of coffee on a bumpy car ride. It almost always requires two hands to operate. Likewise, if you’re out for the day and have decided to switch from the straw to the sipper, you’ll have to find a place for the straw in the meantime. A remedy for this requires you to make the executive decision of sipper-versus-straw before you leave the house. Likewise, the sipper opening is a bit too close to the handle, just like the RTIC above. However, it doesn’t disable you from sipping outright, and at least you’re able to drink this while holding it with your right hand (the cupholder side). Another important thing to note is that the Stanley is in no way spill-proof, let alone leak-proof, and was the only one in this guide where lots of spillage occurred when it was tilted upside down. It was pouring out water even lying on its side. The lid loosens far too easily, which can be a major issue for a lot of people.

Verdict: Stanley’s Quencher H2.0 FlowState Tumbler may be the most trendy on this list but it definitely delivers in a lot of ways. The unique design lets you easily travel with 40oz of your beverage of choice and the phenomenal cold temperature retention is a big plus. Not to mention, the handle is comfortable to hold despite the heavier weight of the tumbler. We didn’t love the lid necessarily, which isn’t spill-proof, but this might not be an issue if you love everything else this mug can do.

Size: 40z Material: Recycled Stainless Steel Cap: Rotating lid with straw and sipper Finish: N/A Temperature Gain (15hrs): -2.9ºF Temperature Loss (6hrs): 45.3ºF Dishwasher Safe?: Yes Leak-Proof?: No

With the myriad options of insulated water bottles these days, one might wonder why a travel mug is a preferable option. Well, for one, mugs are better for hot liquids for their ability to sip rather than chug. Smaller holes on top give you the ability to nurse your coffee or tea rather than meet a daily goal, like you would with water. Likewise, mugs are usually much smaller, which is also better for beverages you don’t want a lot of. On the other hand, you wouldn’t be blamed if you wanted to bring along an insulated water bottle AND a travel mug –– in fact, a lot of people do it.

While a vast majority of stainless steel bottles and mugs are double-wall insulated, you’ll come across single- or triple-wall options every so often. If you’re wondering what double-wall means, it essentially refers to the two layers of stainless steel that have had the air between them vacuumed out in order to limit heat transfer. On the contrary, triple-wall insulation doesn’t mean a third wall of steel but actually a layer of copper between the two steel walls, which helps further insulation. Although the jury is still out on if this is actually necessary or just a marketing ploy. As for single-wall insulation mugs, these may be appealing to those who don’t care as much about temperature retention and want something a bit lighter in weight.

One popular budget option is Zojirushi’s Stainless Steel Mug , a cupholder-friendly flip-top thermos with interesting tech that includes partial vacuum construction which allows for some air between the two walls. The Contigo is similarly priced and has some better features, but the Zojirushi is a popular choice as well.

While the Carter Wide Mug from Fellow has a great design and construction, we preferred the similar YETI Mug above. It’s a popular choice for its aesthetic and performance but lacks a handle and can’t fit in most cupholders.

BruMate’s NAV 22oz is a great choice with its extra capacity thanks to the contoured shape. The company always comes to the party with innovation and originality. However, their products always seem to get discontinued quickly, which prevented its inclusion here.

Despite its design-forward silhouette, the Kinto Travel Tumbler narrowly missed the cut because it lacked a lot of desirable “travel” features, such as a handle and an actual sipping lid, meaning you have to remove the entire lid to sip from it — not ideal. 

Another option that’s more form than function is the Hitch Bottle & Cup Kit , which sports a cool industrial minimalism but feels impractical for actual traveling.

While we love travel mugs for our coffee and tea on the go, we need much more capacity for our hydration needs. Take a look at our best water bottles guide for H20-specific solutions.

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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.

More Serious Eats Recipes

The 7 Best Temperature-Controlled Mugs to Keep Your Drinks Warm

Tired of your hot coffee cooling down too quickly? One of these temperature-controlled mugs will ensure your hot beverage stays that way.

Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. Why Trust Us?

The solution? Temperature-controlled mugs. They keep your drink piping hot (or warm, if you prefer), so that you can enjoy sitting that same drink for hours instead of mere minutes. These convenient mugs can either be battery-powered, use a special coaster to transfer heat to the mug, or some even do both. If you're looking to grab a temperature-controlled mug for your own cozy moments at home, check out one of these bestselling and top-rated options down below.

Best Temperature-Controlled Mugs

Best Overall

Ember the ember mug 2.

Best Travel Option

Ember the ember travel mug 2.

Best Budget

Apekx auto on/off gravity-induction coffee mug.

Most Cutest

Bsigo smart coffee mug warmer & cute cat mug set.

Best Low-Budget Travel Option

Vsitoo smart mug with lid.

Best Warming Coaster

Vobaga coffee mug warmer.

Most Versatile

Muggo muggo 2.0, what to consider.

The main factor to consider when choosing a temperature-controlled mug is how portable you need it to be. Mugs that are designed with a battery inside the unit itself can be carried anywhere and don’t tether you to your desk or countertop. These batteries won’t last forever, though, and once they’re dead, you’re stuck carrying around a heavy mug of cold coffee.

Mugs that use heating coasters, on the other hand, have an unlimited runtime, and as long as you stay near your desk or countertop, your drink will stay hot all day. They’re less portable, though, and will begin to cool off as soon as you pick them up. These heating coasters require you to place your mug on top of them to keep temperatures high.

You should also think about whether or not you’d like to control your mug using a smartphone app. These can allow you to customize precise temperatures and alert settings, but could also be more trouble than they’re worth if you don’t need them. They can cost a pretty penny.

How We Selected

When curating this list of options, we carefully studied the online reviews and customer feedback for many of the options on the market today. No temperature-controlled mug on this list has lower than a 4 out of a 5-star average rating.

We then narrowed down our list by eliminating products that appeared to be chronically unreliable or had frequent safety issues, like overheating. Since users will have different priorities and concerns regarding runtime, temperature ranges, and portability, we made sure to include a variety of styles to choose from. Pricing was also taken into consideration, so regardless of your budget situation, you should be able to find an option that suits your needs.

Looking for other ways to stay cozy during the cooler months? Check out our picks for the best heated blankets , robes , thermal gloves , and smokeless fire pits .

This Ember mug is our pick for Best Overall, and for good reason: It's leagues above the other mugs on this list. The Ember Mug² will keep drinks hot for up to 90 minutes via battery power, or all day long if you utilize the included heated coaster. That coaster is also the mug's charging station, so while it's heating up, your mug is juicing up.

The Mug 2 is compatible with the Ember app, which allows you to customize temperatures and receive notifications for when your drink has reached your desired temperature.

A scratch-resistant ceramic finish makes this mug nice and durable, and its water-resistant design allows you to hand-wash it without harming the battery or internal components. That also means, unfortunately, the mug isn't dishwasher-safe.

In addition to an auto-sleep setting that cuts off after 2 hours of inactivity on its coaster, this mug also wakes up and starts heating as soon as it senses liquid inside. Over 6,000 reviewers give this a 4.6 out of a 5-star average rating. As far as smart mugs go, it doesn't get much better than this.

This multifunctional option would be a great choice for those who want to ensure their drink will stay piping hot all day, wherever they may be.

With an internal battery life of 3 hours, the Travel Mug 2 allows you to carry your drink on the go in a temperature-controlled tumbler, and whenever it’s ready for a recharge, the included charging coaster will bring it back up to full power.

Like the Mug 2, the handy Ember smartphone app allows you to customize the precise temperature of your drink. Unlike the Mug², however, the Travel Mug² has a hidden touchscreen feature that activates when tapping the Ember logo on its side. This lets you adjust the temperature, check battery life, and look at a personalized name that you can set (via app), all from the mug itself. And yes, the auto sleep function is also here for turning that mug off after 2 hours of inactivity.

If you're looking for something dishwasher-safe and/or inexpensive, look elsewhere: This hand-wash-only travel mug will set you back $200.

If you don’t need to travel with your drink, this mug and its heating coaster are a great option that won't break the bank. Although the mug itself doesn’t have a heating element, it uses the included coaster to raise and maintain the temperature of your drink, ensuring it will stay hot virtually all day.

The simple design of this model is also useful for those who don’t want to deal with buttons, apps, or batteries—you simply set the mug on the base and it automatically begins heating.

Keep in mind that the coaster only works with the mug that it comes with, so you won’t be able to have control over a personal mug or cup. However, that coaster uses the same technology as a wireless charging pad, so you can also use it to charge your smartphone or Bluetooth earbuds—as long as those devices feature wireless charging. It also comes with a lid to prevent spills.

Bsigo Smart Coffee Mug Warmer & Cute Cat Mug Set

This cute beverage warmer is a great way to reheat coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and milk. With a 16-ounce ceramic mug decorated in adorable cats, this warmer can keep beverages warm at up to 140 Fahrenheit.

It has an 8-hour auto shutoff that helps avoid burns. It also comes with a waterproof silicone cover for its coaster that’s both heat-resistant and food-grade, so as not to burn any surface it sits on or accidentally touch the hot plate directly.

Tall and stout, this set has a mug perfect for drinking from or pouring hot liquids into a cup of your choice. It also comes with a wooden lid to cover your drink, and a slot to fit a cute cat paw spoon for mixing sugar and milk. This is the perfect mug for cat lovers and gifting to others.

The sliding lid on this 14-ounce mug makes it portable enough to take on a walk or in the car, and depending on the set temperature, can function for up to 8 hours on a single battery charge.

The temperature can be adjusted from 96 and 149 degrees—the widest range of all our picks—and can be controlled by using the Vsitoo app, or via the buttons on the mug itself. We’re also big fans of the LED indicator on the side of the mug, which gives you a real-time view of the current temperature as well as battery life. This mug can keep drinks warm for up to a whopping 4 hours.

Users love the mug for its affordability and easy-to-use buttons, though say that it's tough to clean due to the design of the cup's interior.

You’ll have to supply your own flat-bottomed cup, but the low price and hassle-free design of this warming coaster could be a great deal for the right customer. A single control button turns the unit on and also adjusts the temperature, so you won’t have to deal with extra controls or apps.

An auto-shutoff feature will power off the coaster after four hours, and the 59-inch cord should be long enough for most desk setups. The best feature is that it comes in six colors, making it much easier to match your existing home and office decor.

The Muggo 2.0 can be used either as a temperature-controlled mug or—by simply removing the battery—a standard travel mug without any extra weight. The spill-resistant rubber seal and fully-closable lid combine to nearly eliminate the chances of leakage, and the powerful battery heats up your liquid in about ten minutes. The mug will work for up to three hours on a single charge.

This mug comes with a dual charging coaster and has two docking spaces: one for the battery to recharge, and the other to continue heating your drink while you wait. Its impressive temperature range is also a nice perk. Customers say that although the mug works as promised, the lid has design flaw that makes liquids flow from it slowly.

Alex Rennie is a freelance writer who specializes in the Home Improvement, DIY, and Tool space. As a former residential and commercial carpenter, Alex uses his hands-on experience to write practical buying guides, how-to articles, and product reviews. His work has also appeared in Business Insider's Insider Picks, and before his writing career, he was a full-time carpenter living in New York City. There, he worked as part of a team designing, building, and installing large furniture pieces, as well as performing a variety of home repair and maintenance projects. Alex currently lives in Los Angeles, CA, and spends his free time exploring the beaches and mountains with his fiancé and their dog Louie.

Kevin Cortez is an editor for Runner's World, Bicycling, and Popular Mechanics covering reviews. A culture and product journalist for over ten years, he’s an expert in men’s style, technology, gaming, coffee, e-bikes, hiking, gear, and all things outdoors. He most recently worked as the Style Editor for Reviewed, a top product recommendation site owned by USA TODAY. He also helped with the launch of WSJ's Buy Side commerce vertical, and has covered the music and podcast industries for Mass Appeal, Genius, Vulture, Leafly, Input, and The A.V. Club. Equally passionate about leisure as he is his penmanship, Kevin dedicates his spare time to graphic novels, birding, making cold brew, and taking long, meandering walks.

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16 best flasks and travel mugs that will keep drinks hot (or cold) for hours

Enjoy a hot or cold beverage wherever you travel, with these best-rated flasks and insulated mugs, article bookmarked.

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If you can’t stand your tea being tepid or your water turning lukewarm, an insulated flask could be the answer. Whether used during the commute, long car journeys or nippy outdoor trips, some flasks will keep your beverages hot for 24 hours or more, while others can manage until lunchtime.

When it comes to choosing the best flask for your needs, think about the size, and whether you’re more likely to use it for hot or cold beverages. Water bottle -style vessels are best for chilled drinks, while travel mugs are better for taking quick sips of coffee . Then there are the more capacious flasks that tend to come with a cup for leisurely mugfulls of teas and soups.

Ultimately, what makes a flask worth your money is it’s ability to slow down heat transfer – either in or out – via a layer of almost airless space sandwiched between the flask’s inner and outer walls.

You may also want to consider helpful features that set one flask apart from the next, whether that’s carry-loops and handles, clever mouthpieces and incorporated cups, and even self-cleaning technology.

Keep reading to find out which flasks impressed us the most.

Related stories

How we tested the best flasks.

First and foremost, flasks had to keep drinks hot or cold as promised, to make it onto our list. We assessed the brands’ claims by filling the flasks with boiled water (or iced water), and drank from them after a number of hours, to see if the temperature had held. We also considered how easy the flasks were to use and any design features that made them a joy to drink from, as well as mouthpieces, lids, handles and more. Generally, they had to be leak-proof – although, there are a couple of entries that aren’t, but more on that later.

The best flasks for 2024 are:

• Best flask overall – Thermos superlight drinks flask, 470ml: £14.50, Amazon.co.uk
• Best compact flask with a cup – Lifeventure TiV vacuum flask, 700ml: £22.99, Lifeventure.com
• Best for style – Stanley quencher H2.0 flowstate tumbler, 1.2l: £37.39, Amazon.co.uk
• Best insulated mug – Hydro Flask coffee mug, 354ml: £28.95, Amazon.co.uk
• Best high-tech flask – Larq bottle purevis, 500ml: £99, Livelarq.com

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Thermos superlight drinks flask

• Best : Flask overall
• Material : 18/8 food grade stainless steel, BPA-free
• Weight : 0.21kg
• Capacity : 470ml
• Max temperature preservation times : Hot for 10 hours, cold for 24 hours
• Dishwasher safe : No
• Looks great
• Light and compact
• Not everyone will like the mouthpiece for hot drinks

There’s so much to like about this little flask from Thermos. On first impressions, it has a sleek, simple look to it – it’s slim, compact, and the lightest of all of the flasks we tried, making it ideal for taking it with you on the go.

There’s a little button that releases the lid, so opening the flask is a breeze, and the mouthpiece is one of the best (if not the best) we tried – wide and curved, for effortless, comfortable sipping.

When it came to the temperature test, our water was still chilled after a full 24 hours, as promised. Meanwhile, coffees and teas were still piping hot after 10 hours, so rest assured this flask will keep drinks toasty until the commute home.

Lifeventure TiV vacuum flask

• Best : Compact flask with a cup
• Material : 18/10 stainless steel, BPA-free
• Weight : 445g
• Capacity : 700ml
• Max temperature preservation times : Hot for more than eight hours, cold for 24 hours
• Slim and very portable
• Brilliant temperature retention
• The cup is fairly small

This 700ml flask boasts all the perks of a larger option while stripping away the extra bulk. With a copper coating to improve heat preservation, it boasts the ability to keep drinks hot for up to eight hours. Impressively, we found ours was still nice and warm after around 20 hours, which is pretty good going. Equally impressive was the flask’s ability to keep drinks chilled – there were still ice cubes in our cold water after 24 hours.

Should you prefer sipping hot tea and coffee from a cup rather than straight from the flask, this is a brilliant, compact choice. Unscrew the flask’s lid and it becomes a cup, although, admittedly, quite a small one, so you will probably need to fill it a few times to quench your thirst.

The flask isn’t dishwasher safe but this is a minor annoyance with an otherwise very efficient and purse-friendly piece of kit.

Stanley quencher H2.0 flowstate tumbler

• Best : For style
• Material : 90 per cent recycled 18/8 stainless steel, BPA-free
• Weight : 635g
• Capacity : 1.2l
• Max temperature preservation times : Hot for seven hours, cold for 11 hours
• Dishwasher safe : Yes
• Ergonomic handle
• Fits into some car cup-holders
• Not leak-proof

The unlikely product to have taken TikTok by storm, Stanley’s quencher flowstate can barely stay in stock. But is it worth the (considerable) splurge? Boasting a 1.2l capacity, the reusable tumbler keeps cold drinks chilled for up to 11 hours (or two days when iced). We tested these claims with an ice-cold smoothie, which stayed deliciously chilled. The ergonomic handle adds to its ease of use, while the narrow base that fits some (but not all) car cup-holders is a nice touch.

Though it’s easy to switch between the three lid positions, the full-cover top failed to pass the leak-proof test. This completely rules out the quencher in terms of carrying it loose in a bag, which is quite a big drawback, considering the price. There’s also no denying it’s heavy, and the sheer size of the thing is slightly impractical for lugging around a city during the commute. But, when working from home, we appreciated the large capacity, as it helped boost our water intake (the colours are pretty, too).

Le Creuset travel mug

• Best : Small flask
• Material : Stainless steel
• Weight : 140g
• Capacity : 350ml
• Max temperature preservation times : Hot for six hours, chilled all day
• Small and compact
• Looks smart
• Takes force to open and close

The smallest of the flasks we put to the test is Le Creuset’s travel mug – a smart, compact and robust choice from the cookware brand. Although, the lid does take a bit of force to open and close, which might be a deal-breaker for some. It closes with a reassuring snap, though, so we felt confident it wouldn’t leak a drop. Despite the brand not specifically describing the flask as leaf-proof, we found it didn’t leak at all while we were putting it to the test.

It has a simple, utilitarian look to it, with a nice metallic finish, incorporating the signature Le Creuset three-ring design, while the lid sports the brand’s bright volcanic orange hue (the flask is also available as blue or red versions). We also liked that it’s been designed with a rubbery base, which ensures it won’t clang when you set it down.

There’s no knocking its heat retention, either, as this little flask kept drinks piping hot after six hours. Meanwhile, cold water stayed lovely and chilled all day long.

Stanley adventure to go bottle

• Best : Sturdy design
• Material : 8/8 stainless steel, BPA-free
• Weight : 512g
• Capacity : 750ml
• Max temperature preservation times : Hot for 20 hours, cold for 25 hours (four days when iced)
• Dishwasher safe : Unspecified
• Robust design
• Matte finish
• Splashy if you don’t unscrew the stopper enough

While this is a strapping flask from Stanley, it looks more streamlined and contemporary than the drinkware veteran’s classic designs. It’s a good size, but doesn’t feel overly bulky, and it promises to keep drinks hot for up to 20 hours, and cold for 24. Happily, these claims stood up during testing.

The lid doubles as an insulated cup, and, while it’s modestly sized, we think it’s big enough. There’s no chance of spills, as you might expect from a screw-in stopper, while little gaps in the stopper mean you can pour without having to unscrew it all the way. It’s a sturdy flask that gets the job done.

Thermos stainless steel king flask

• Best : Flask with a cup
• Material : 18/8 food grade stainless steel
• Weight : 650g
• Capacity : 1,200ml
• Max temperature preservation times : Hot for 24 hours, cold for 24 hours
• Twist and pour stopper
• Collapsible handle
• Cup included
• The cup can get hot in your hands

As Thermos has become synonymous with insulated flasks, naturally, the supersize “steel king” was going to be pretty hard to beat. It has a whopping 1.2l capacity, and we were genuinely quite stunned by how hot it kept our water over 24 hours. Most of the ice in our cold drink was still solid after 24 hours, too – you could fill your Thermos in the morning and it will still be refreshingly cool the following day.

It’s sturdy but surprisingly lightweight for its size, and the handle, which is collapsible (to save on space), helps with one-handed carrying and pouring. Everything about the steel king feels exceptionally well-made – from the thick-rimmed stainless steel cup (which doesn’t have a handle but is still nicely capacious) to the twist and pour stopper. Our one quibble would be the stainless steel cup can feel hot in your hands when the liquid inside is especially scorching. However, never having to completely remove the screw cap before pouring will make for smoother al fresco pit stops. A classic for a reason, we can’t knock it.

Ocean Bottle flask

• Best : Environmentally conscientious flask
• Material : 90 per cent recycled stainless steel, BPA-free plastic, silicone rubber and ocean-bound plastic
• Weight : 320g
• Capacity : 500ml
• Max temperature preservation times : Hot for six hours, cold for six hours
• Conscientious choice
• Versatile mouthpiece
• Carry loop for portability
• The mouthpiece can drip momentarily after the lid is removed

A conscientious choice when it comes to the materials used and environmental impact, this insulated flask from Ocean Bottle is largely made up of recycled stainless steel and ocean-bound plastic. On top of this, the brand says buying one bottle will fund efforts to prevent the equivalent of 1,000 plastic bottles from ending up in the ocean as plastic waste – so you can feel genuinely good about buying this one.

Water, coffee and even thicker smoothies and soups aren’t off limits, thanks to the bottle-esque mouthpiece – although, we did find the mouthpiece can momentarily drip slightly once the lid has been removed.

Easy to grab, owing to the flexible carry loop, you can unscrew the larger lid for cleaning and chucking in ice. Our drinks were still impressively hot after six hours and refreshingly chilled after the same amount of time – cold enough that some of the ice we dropped in there was still intact.

Hydro Flask coffee mug

• Best : Insulated mug
• Material : 18/8 Pro-Grade Stainless Steel, BPA free
• Weight : 317g
• Capacity : 355ml
• Max temperature preservation times : Up to four hours
• Versatile lid and mouthpiece

Sometimes, it just feels better to drink from an actual mug than a flask – particularly when you’re not actually heading into the wild, but sitting at your desk, wanting your tea or coffee to stay hot for a few hours longer.

This insulated mug isn’t leak-proof, so you won’t be carrying it around in your bag, but if you tend to forget about your cups of tea until they’ve turned tepid, it’s ideal. The matte finish is nice in the hand, and while the brand doesn’t specify for how long it should keep drinks hot or cold, our boiled water was still fairly hot after four hours, which is all you really need for a tumbler like this.

When it came to ease of use, the lid can be placed on at any angle, and the mouthpiece slides open and close easily. The mouthpiece can also be removed completely, if you’d prefer to drink straight from the mug.

Yeti 18oz bottle with hotshot cap

• Best : Mid-sized coffee flask
• Material : 18/8 stainless steel, BPA-free
• Weight : 531g
• Capacity : 532ml
• The hotshot cap allows you to drink at any angle
• It’s not clear when the hotshot cap is closed

This flask is robust enough for outdoorsy excursions, but not so bulky that you wouldn’t reach for it for everyday use, so it’s a good choice for taking to work, too. While Yeti doesn’t specify a maximum heat retention time, we found that our water was still hot after 24 hours, while some of the ice in our cold water managed to survive for just as long.

Everything from the matte surface to the range of fun colours on offer suggests high-quality materials. We are also big fans of the aptly named hotshot cap, which, once swivelled to one side, will let you sip from any angle. However, something to remind us whether or not the swivel mechanism had been ‘closed’ would have been really helpful.

What we consider to be the perfect amount of liquid flows through at the perfect speed (although this will be quite subjective) and the hotshot cap didn’t let us down when it came to being completely leak-free.

Ohelo tumbler

• Best : Flask with a strainer
• Material : 18/8 stainless steel, lead- and BPA-free
• Weight : 245g
• Capacity : 400ml
• Max temperature preservation times : Hot for six hours, cold for 12 hours
• Strainer works well
• Variety of colourways
• No indication of when the lid is closed
• Taking it apart for cleaning is a little fiddly

A perk of Ohelo’s tumbler is the strainer, which we found worked well with our loose-leaf tea, but keep in mind you can’t easily remove the tea leaves on the go. Still, you could also use it for fruit infusions or lumpy protein shakes. To drink, you just need to twist the lid until it clicks into place, letting you know it’s open. The lid proved to be leak-free, and it’s quite helpful that you can take sips from anywhere around the lid, rather than just one mouthpiece.

The lid needs to be taken apart to be cleaned, and putting it back together is a little fiddly, but we got the hang of it. As for heat retention abilities, this little tumbler performs brilliantly – hot water was still impressively hot after six hours, and chilled after 12.

Klean Kanteen insulated TKPro

• Best : Plastic-free flask
• Material : Stainless steel and silicone and 18/8 food-grade stainless steel interior, BPA-Free
• Weight : 620g
• Max temperature preservation times : Hot for 28 hours, cold for 90 hours when iced
• Dishwasher safe : No, hand wash recommended
• Plastic-free
• Large cup included

Sleek and plastic-free, this flask from Klean Kanteen is an efficient and eco-conscious choice. While not quite as capacious (750ml) as the flasks from Thermos (£23, Amazon.co.uk ) and Zwilling (£31.95, Zwilling.com ) despite its fairly bulky design, it’s still going to be an excellent choice for bringing on longer outdoor adventures.

It performed ludicrously well when it came to preserving drink temperatures – our hot water was piping hot after 28 hours. We were dubious about claims that it could keep iced water iced for 90 hours, and were flabbergasted to find it does exactly that (yes, really, almost four days).

Leakproof and cleverly designed, the flask features a twist-and-pour cap, which can be poured from any angle – while slightly splashy if you don’t open it enough (or indeed too much), this is a really nifty way to save time and prevent some of the heat from escaping.

We loved how capacious the stainless steel lid was (216ml), and appreciated the wide mouth for comfortable sipping – perfect when you’re gasping for a big cup of tea.

Contigo luxe autoseal travel mug

• Best : Flask for easy, one-handed sipping
• Max temperature preservation times : Hot for five hours, cold for 12 hours
• The mouthpiece is convenient
• It’s small and compact

There’s something satisfyingly simple about this travel mug from Contigo. Press the large button on the lid, and your beverage will flow from a hole in the lid. As the flow of liquid is more concentrated than it is from larger mouthpieces, it feels almost similar to a mini vortex, which is fun. Our water was hot after five hours, and cold after 12.

Drinking from this flask is a one-handed operation, as you don’t need to unscrew the lid before taking a sip. The lock on the lid will also prevent the button from being pressed when you don’t want it to be – say, when it’s being pushed up against your laptop in your bag. The flask is also very compact, narrow (making it easy to hold in one hand) and lightweight to carry. It’s a sleek bit of kit when it comes to design as well, with its all-over metallic finish, although there’s a range of other colours to choose from, too.

Larq bottle purevis

• Best : High-tech flask
• Material : Stainless steel, BPA-free
• Weight : 280g
• Max temperature preservation times : Hot for 12 hours, cold for 24 hours
• Dishwasher safe : Bottle is but the cap needs to be hand-washed
• Self-cleaning technology
• Stylish design
• Not recommended for tea and coffee

If you feel uneasy about water quality while travelling, Larq’s self-cleaning water bottle is a high-tech investment that has blazed a trail with its patented UV-C light hidden in the lid, eliminating nearly all (99.9 per cent) of bio-contaminants inside.

Looking a little sci-fi, the flask has a button on the lid, which can be pressed for either a short (one minute) UV-C cycle or you can choose adventure mode (three minutes) for extra peace of mind. Beneath the intimidating tech, though, the purevis is also just an excellent flask – our water remained hot after 12 hours, and there were still cubes of ice in our cold water after 24 hours. Importantly, please note purification will be less effective with ice in the bottle, as this may partially block the UV-C light.

A clean bottle should help to keep that musty bottle smell at bay, and, while we admit we may have been swayed by the knoweldge our water was completely clean, we did find our water tasted fresher for being purified. We liked that the bottle will clean itself automatically every two hours and, unlike the rest of our tech, only needs to be charged every month or so. It is worth noting the brand doesn’t recommend using the bottle for drinks such as coffee and tea.

Chillys series 2 lichen

• Best : Flask for keeping water cold
• Material : Powder-coated stainless steel, BPA-free
• Weight : 390g
• Colour and design variety
• Antimicrobial drinking collar
• Unscrewing the lid can unscrew the drinking collar, causing leaks

Chilly’s has become somewhat synonymous with stylish drinkware – from dreamy ombre to abstract and floral bottles, there are plenty of styles to choose from. While you can use the brand’s insulated bottles for holding hot drinks (ours did a good job of keeping water piping hot for 24 hours) we would say we preferred using ours for keeping drinks cold. Some of the ice in our cold water was still intact after 24 hours and, naturally, the water was refreshingly chilled.

The series two bottles boast an antimicrobial drinking collar, which is dreamy to drink from and can be removed easily when it comes to cleaning the bottle, or dropping in ice cubes. This can sometimes open with the lid when it hasn’t been screwed on tightly enough, though, but the lid itself is completely leak-proof. Plus, the handle on the lid wins major points in terms of portability, while the protective rubber base means you don’t need to worry about making an obnoxious clang when setting down the flask.

Thermos ultimate insulation flask

• Best : Flask for commuting
• Material : Stainless steel with silicone rings
• Weight : 300kg
• Sturdy design
• Lightweight

This is a really solid little Thermos that does pretty much everything you’d ask of a flask. Thermos claims the flask retains temperatures for 24 hours, and it certainly did keep water cold and coffee warm over the full period. We were particularly impressed by how secure the flask felt, and we had no concerns about it leaking while bouncing around in our work bag on the Tube, in the car, or even while cycling, so it’s ideal for commuting.

The silicone rings make the flask feel extra sturdy, which we appreciated when out hiking, but, for most outdoor adventures, we’d probably opt for a flask that has a greater volume. That being said, it’s lightweight and has a decent 500ml capacity, which feels just right for taking tea or coffee into the office.

Partner in Wine wine bottle

• Best : Flask for wine
• Material : Stainless steel and plastic lid, BPA-free
• Weight : Unspecified
• Good choice of colourways
• The mouth of the lid is too narrow fo ice cubes

As photogenic as they come, this insulated flask from Partner In Wine has been purpose-built for keeping your bottle of plonk cool for up to 24 hours. A great purchase if you really resent sipping on ever-so-slightly warm wine during the summer months, this would be perfect for filling up before picnics, festivals and any al-fresco gatherings when you would rather leave the wine cooler at home. It will fit one bottle of wine perfectly, and feels markedly lightweight for a bottle of this size (750ml).

While we weren’t able to test this flask during the summer months, we still found that fridge-chilled wine stayed suitably cold for 24 hours. There’s no chance of vino spillages, either, as we can attest that the lid, which screws on easily and securely, is leak-proof. If you like ice in your wine, it’s worth noting the mouth of the bottle is quite narrow (indeed, wine-bottle narrow), so typical ice cubes won’t fit through.

While the black colour we tested is currently sold out, there are plenty of other dreamy hues to choose from, including soft pastels and all-over stainless steel.

The verdict: Insulated flasks

Sleek, compact and brilliant for sipping on the go, the Thermos superlight drinks flask was the top performer – we can’t recommend it enough for everyday use. We found our water was still piping hot after 10 hours, and it doesn’t hurt that the flask also looks great.

Lifeventure’s TiV vacuum flask also offers excellent value for money, while the Klean Kanteen flask is ludicrously good at keeping drinks hot or cold for many, many hours.

The Ocean Bottle deserves a mention for being so versatile when it comes to carrying cold water and hot drinks as well as thicker liquids such as smoothies and soups, and we love that the brand is built on the premise of protecting the ocean by reducing plastic waste.

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The Best Tea Infuser Travel Mug (And Why Real Tea Lovers Need One) - Epicurious

by Mindy Fox for   Epicurious  

Photo by: Joseph De Leo

I can hear my better half, Steve, now: “Do you really need a dedicated travel tea mug? Can’t you brew a cup of tea and then use any ol’ travel mug to take it on the go?”

Yeah, babe, you could. (And he probably knows what’s coming next.) But I like to have the right tool for the job, and there is good reason to be particular when it comes to a travel tea mug.

Sure, I could place loose tea leaves in a single-use paper steeper or basket steeper and use my   favorite travel coffee mug for the job, but travel tea mugs are made with built-in tea steepers (ones that allow you to tightly close the lid while your tea steeps), which means no waste and a hotter finished brew. Plus, coffee mugs tend to take on coffee flavor over time. A dedicated travel tea mug helps keeps a   serious tea drinker’s tea   tasting pure and clean.

In my quest for the best travel mug to take my cuppa on the road, I sought out a leak-proof model that ranked high in the   heat retention department. I also wanted a mug that was easy to grip and to drink from. And because it’s nice to have stylish gear, one that looked good, too. Here are my winning picks and how I tested: 

The Very Best Tea Infuser Travel Mug: The Tea Spot Everest Tea Tumbler

The Everest’s double-walled, vacuum-sealed stainless steel insulation kept 22 ounces of tea hot and fresh tasting, and its screw down BPA-free top was terrifically leak-proof. I fell hard for its rugged adventure-meets-urban-chic look, and had a hard time deciding which of its four stylish colors I liked best.

The Everest also won my vote for smart design and functionality with an innovative screw-top and sipping mechanism that stay connected to the mug while you drink (which means when you remove the part of the lid that allows you to drink your tea, it won’t go tumbling down a cliff, through a subway grate, or down between that impossibly narrow space between the seat of your car and your cup-holding console).

The stainless steel steeper basket on this model provided ample room for water and tea leaves to mingle as my tea steeped, and its small holes kept fine leaves from passing into my tea, making a clean and full-tasting brew. The easy to grip exterior is much like that of the popular   Hydro Flask   water bottle so, if you’re a   Hydro Flask fan, you’ll likely love The Tea Spot Everest, too.

The Everest fit well in a tote bag and was also comfortable to carry on the outside of a backpack, using a   carabiner clip. And, like all of the travel tea mugs I tested, it can be used for iced tea as well as plain or infused fruit (aka spa) water. 

The Next Best (aka Runner Up) Travel Tea Infuser Mug: The Tea Spot Voyager Tea Tumbler

The Voyager, also by The Tea Spot, won my runner-up vote. At 16-ounces, it’s a smaller mug than the Everest but that’s where most of the differences end. This mug kept my tea hot and fresh for 6 hours, and is fitted with the same type of high quality stainless steel steeper basket as the Everest. Its smartly designed leak-proof lid has a comfortable, easy to drink from sip-cup style and doesn’t require removing to use—simply press down on a pop top to drink, then press it again to lock the top into spill-free mode. With its sleek metallic, glossy finish and no loop handle (for carabiner or finger hold), this model is stylistically more ‘urban’ than ‘adventure’, but also, according to highly-rated reviews for both products, a bit more vulnerable to scratches than the Everest. It’s easy to grip and carries well in a tote bag or pocket of a backpack or gym bag. 

How I Tested

I brewed loose black tea in seven leading travel tea mugs. After brewing the tea, I removed the tea basket and took the temperature of each mug’s tea using a   digital thermometer. I closed the lids tightly, then measured the temperature of each tea again after 1 hour, 4 hours, and 6 hours, recording the change in temperature at each interval.

In the breaks between temperature takes, I rolled my tightly closed filled travel tea mugs on the floor; turned them upside down, and gave them all a good shaking around to test for leaks. I took a look at how many parts came with each model and how easy they were to clean. I also considered sipping mechanism design, steeper basket quality (did the basket allow ample room for proper steeping), overall durability, and style.

The Takeaway:

The company Tea Spot makes the best tea infuser travel mugs—models that brew a great cup of tea and are easy to take on the go. Buy the  Everest Tumbler  for slightly larger capacity and a more rugged, outdoor-adventure-ready design. Buy the Voyager for a smaller travel tea mug that's perfect for urban commuters.

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Steeping Instructions

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Steep perfect hot or iced tea on-the-go with no mess. | 16oz - 470ml

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Stop-Infusion Travel Mug & 3 essential teas for your day

HOW IT WORKS

Add loose leaf tea to the mug.

* It will also work with tea bags, or even (gasp!) coffee. We won't judge.

Add warm water to either the Hot or Iced fill line.

Leave the press up so your tea can steep.

Push the press all the way down when you're ready to stop infusion.

SEE STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

1. Add loose leaf tea to the mug.

2. Add warm water to either the Hot or Iced fill line.

3. Leave the press up so your tea can steep.

4. Push the press all the way down when you're ready to stop infusion.

We went to great lengths to keep your stuff dry. The Stop-Infusion Travel Mug is 100% leakproof, so go ahead and throw it in your bag. As long as you've screwed the lid on tightly, you're good to go.

Zero leaks (Seriously)

Ever been sipping in a car when the driver hit the brakes? No worrying about getting soaked here, thanks to the unique flow control valves we designed into the top of the press. Just a perfect sip, every time.

no-splash flow control

Safe for you to use day after day. The mug is made of medical-grade stainless steel. The press is made of Eastman Tritan, a rigorously tested food-safe material that is BPA-free and Bisphenol-free, and is durable and safe even in boiling water.

TOXIN-FREE MATERIALS

MORE TO LOVE

make hot or iced

It's easy to make it how you like it. We designed the press with an innovative chamber for ice and added 2 fill lines – top for hot, bottom for iced – on the interior of the mug. We recommend doubling the amount of tea you use when going iced. Then simply add ice to the chamber before inserting the press, and be on your way.

easy to clean

The press fully disassembles for easy cleaning. Use warm, soapy water to clean the mug and press. Make sure the press components, mug, and lid are completely dry before storing.

stylish & comfortable to use

Our travel mugs are powder-coated in 6 stylish colors for a high-end look and feel. We also tapered the lip for comfort, and added a non-slip base.

YES, IT'S REALLY THAT GREAT.

“Best Tea Tumbler”

Saw the ad for Firebelly and took a chance and I’m glad I switched to this tea tumbler over the metal basket versions. Great design, great product, and I’m drinking more tea.

“Had My Doubts But...”

I am really enjoying my travel tea maker. I’ve made tea and transferred to a thermos or various drink containers and always burn or spill my tea. The container lip and splash guard actually works.. Plunger works beautifully... I love the feel and it hasn’t leaked. Try it – I love it!

CHRISTOPHER

“Outstanding”

Absolutely outstanding in every way. Holds heat for 12 hours, easy to open and easy to clean. Wholly recommend.

“Great Tea Travel Mug”

I have tried many travel mugs, most of which have been disappointing for tea even if they work for coffee. I was skeptical of this mug but decided to give it a try – and I’m so glad I did. It is well built, feels great in the hand and to drink from, and seals perfectly. I have been enjoying using it every day.

My #1 problem as a tea drinker was that I couldn't make loose leaf tea on-the-go.

I absolutely love tea. And I drink the good stuff – high-quality loose leaf tea. Most travel mugs are designed with coffee in mind. We put tea first. After decades of designing tea accessories, this is by far the one I'm most proud of. - David, co-founder & tea lover

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I absolutely love tea. And I drink the good stuff – high-quality loose leaf tea. Most travel mugs are designed with coffee in mind. We put tea first. 

After decades of designing tea accessories, this is by far the one I'm most proud of. - David, co-founder & tea lover

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ASK US ANYTHING

WHAT MATERIALS IS THE TRAVEL MUG MADE WITH?

It's critical that we use the very best materials, and that's what we did. The mug itself is made of medical-grade stainless steel, and the colors are powder coated to feel great in the hand, look fantastic, and last a long time. The press is made of a material called Eastman Tritan. This material is rigorously tested for safety and durability, even in contact with boiling water. It does not contain BPA.

HOW DOES THE TRAVEL MUG STOP TEA INFUSION?

The press inside our mug works very similarly to a French press, with some innovative upgrades.

When you push the press firmly all the way down, the leaves are trapped at the bottom of the mug. The tiny perforations on the bottom of the press prevent particles from escaping, and the flexible seal further prevents continued infusion.

HOW DOES THE SPLASH-PROOF FLOW CONTROL WORK?

This is a special feature, and just one of the ways we went above and beyond to make your experience better.

When designing the press, we included valves along the top. These valves are carefully sized and placed to limit the flow of liquid when the mug is tilted. That means that even drinking from the mug while in motion or tilting it for those last few sips, you get a smooth, controled flow. No water on your nose, no splashes down your shirt.

IS THIS TRAVEL MUG ACTUALLY LEAKPROOF?

Short answer: YES. Now only did we test this rigorously during development, but our customers have, too. We can confidently say that as long as you screw the lid on fully, your travel mug Will. Not. Leak. Throw it in your tote bag. Toss it in your backpack. Your laptop, passport, or anything else you're carrying will be safe and dry.

HOW LONG WILL TEA STAY HOT OR COLD?

You can expect your tea to stay hot or cold for over 12 hours. We constructed the Firebelly travel mug with double-wall vacuum insulation to make sure of it, and a quick scroll through the reviews will tell you it worked. We've even tested it against a leading competitor known for temperature maintenance, and the Firebelly travel mug maintained a higher temperature for longer every time.

HOW DO I MAKE LOOSE LEAF TEA?

First, add your tea leaves to the mug. We normally recommend about 1 tbsp. Next, add your warm water to the appropriate fill line – that's the top line for hot tea or the bottom line for iced tea. When the press is in an "up" position, the leaves can freely open and infuse in the warm water. When you push the press firmly all the way down, the leaves are trapped at the bottom of the mug, and infusion stops. There's no need to remove the leaves before you enjoy your tea, so no reason to make a mess while you're out. You can even put the lid on without fully pressing down the press so that you can steep on the go, and stop the infusion wherever, whenever.

HOW DO I MAKE ICED TEA?

It's a snap (that's a cold pun – we couldn't resist). First, add your tea leaves to the mug. We recommend using around double the normal amount of leaves you would use for hot tea. Use about 2 tbsp, or to your taste. Next, add your warm water to the bottom fill line inside the mug. Now, unscrew the lid on the press and add ice to the chamber. Put the lid back on. When you're ready to stop steeping, push the press firmly all the way down, trapping the leaves at the bottom of the mug and stopping infusion.

WHAT'S YOUR RETURN POLICY?

You'll enjoy a 30-day free returns period, so you can place your order with confidence. Just get in touch with our support team via email to start a return.

Our travel mug has been rigorously tested, and we stand behind the quality. If you believe you've received a damaged or defective mug, please reach out to us right away.

"for tea drinkers looking for something a bit more elevated"

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Best Travel Mugs to Keep Your Drinks Hot or Cold

H aving a cup of hot morning coffee or your favorite cold drink on the go is easy. All you need is a good travel mug. These mugs have good insulation to maintain the temperature of your drink. In this guide, we have listed our top picks from Amazon for the best travel mugs — the ones that are durable, affordable, compact, and leakproof.

1. YETI Rambler Stainless Steel Vacuum Insulated Tumbler

• Available in 14 different colors
• Made of durable stainless steel
• Double wall insulation
• Button lid keeps your drink secure

The Yeti Rambler travel mug will help you get through your long day of travel, thanks to its double wall insulation that keeps your drink hot or cold to the last sip. So, it is perfect for iced coffee as well. It is also dishwasher safe and has a no-sweat design that prevents condensation and keeps your hands dry. In addition, it comes in several fun dura-coat colors, which ensure your cup stays durable and does not peel or crack. The only caveat with this mug is that it is not entirely spill-proof, so you’ll need to make sure it stays upright.

2. THERMOS Stainless King Vacuum-Insulated Travel Mug

• Fits into a cup holder
• Comfort handle
• Vacuum insulated
• Leakproof lid

Not every travel cup fits into a car cup holder, but this stainless steel travel mug from THERMOS does the job. Plus its large size and excellent temperature retention will keep your caffeine cravings at bay for hours. Its lid is both sweat-proof and leakproof to ensure that your drink does not spill out during the bumps of your journey. The stainless steel construction makes your mug durable, firm, and resistant to wear and tear. We also like that the screw-on top has a tea hook for holding tea bags and loose-leaf infusers.

3. Contigo West Loop Stainless Steel Travel Mug

• Available in several chic colors
• Push-up button for one-handed drinking
• Autoseal technology for leakproof travel

Whether it is a cold beverage or a hot beverage, the Contigo West Loop travel mug’s Autoseal technology ensures superior temperature retention and a spill-proof experience on the go. A push-button lid comes in handy when you’re wheeling a suitcase through the airport. The lid is easy to clean and is top-rack dishwasher safe. It is important to note that the painted area is hand washable only. We like the stylish colors and brushed matte finishes, and it’s also available in sizes ranging from 16 ounces to 24 ounces.

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4. Zojirushi Stainless Steel Vacuum Insulated Mug

• Available in three different sizes
• 5-year warranty on heat retention
• Locking, leak-proof flip spout
• Easy-to-clean stainless steel interior

Despite its capacity of up to 20 ounces, the Zojirushi mug is lightweight and easy to carry, making it perfect for a cup of coffee or a cold drink on the go. The flip-open lid and mouthpiece are easy to disassemble for cleaning, though the product is not dishwasher safe. We also like the added feature of an air vent at the mouthpiece, so that the travel mug allows an easy flow of beverages without gushing or overflowing. Moreover, the wide opening allows for easy filling of beverages, as well as tea bags, powdered drink mixes, and ice cubes.

5. COKTIK Tumbler Cup

• Leak-proof lid
• Fun color choices
• Generous 20-ounce capacity
• Stainless steel straws included

Set the whole family up with travel mugs with the Coktik Tumbler Cup, which is sold in multi-packs of up to 16 colorful tumblers. Each kit comes with straight and curved stainless steel straws, a tumbler cleaning brush, and a straw cleaning brush. It is ideal for gifting to your loved ones. This tumbler cup is versatile and aesthetically pleasing. Drink from the straw or use the flip-top, which when closed promises leakproof, spill-proof performance. The tumblers are made with a durable powder coat finish and are dishwasher-safe.

6. S’well Stainless Steel Travel Mug with Handle

• Triple-layered vacuum insulation
• Slide open lid
• Splash proof
• Condensation-free exterior

We love the teakwood version of this comfy S’well travel coffee cup, though it’s available in two other colors and sizes. S’well, one of the original manufacturers of travel cups and mugs, will keep your coffee as hot as you get from a coffee shop for up to three hours, or keep your iced coffee cold for up to 10 hours. It also fits into many car cup holders. The S’well mug is BPA-free and lasts a long time. Please note that it is handwash-friendly only.

7. IRON °FLASK Nomad Tumbler

• Features two different lids
• Noise-proof, grippy rubber bottom
• Made of BPA-free materials
• Available in different fun designs

This hardworking travel tumbler is made of 100 percent BPA-free plastic and high-quality stainless steel, which never rusts or leaves a metallic taste. The tumbler comes with two insulated lids, so you choose between sipping from the leak-proof mouthpiece or from the included straw.  and a splash-proof straw. Available in 15 different colors and patterns, this stainless steel tumbler is nicely boxed and makes a great gift.

8. MiiR, Flip Traveler, Double-Wall Vacuum Insulated Travel Mug

• Sleek design and attractive powder coat finish
• Leakproof flip lid design
• Fits most car cup holders
• Well-suited to the gym or outdoor adventure

While on the go, you need something easy to carry to keep yourself hydrated. The Miir Flip Traveler mug ensures that hot stays hot and cold stays cold for a long period, thanks to its thermal 3D double wall vacuum insulation. The hardshell powder coating preserves and protects the mug from any damage. It is designed in such a way that if you are on a run, you can carry it in one of your hands and continue your activity. It is stylish, portable, and available in several colors.

9. Ello Port 40 oz Tumbler with Carry Loop & Integrated Handle

• Extra large capacity
• Leak proof lid
• Built-in carry loop
• Built-in straw
• Features a durable flip lid

This giant travel tumbler from Ello is packed with features, including a comfortable handle, a convenient carry loop, and a pop-up straw. And despite its size, it still fits in most car cup holders. The lid is top-rack dishwasher safe, ensuring easy cleaning. The stainless steel construction ensures the stability and durability of the mug. The tumbler is leakproof, so it won’t leak even if it turns upside down in your bag.

10. STOJO Collapsible Travel Cup STOJO Collapsible Travel Cup Buy Now

• Compact and collapsible
• Food-grade premium silicone 
• Dishwasher-safe and microwave-safe
• Sustainably made

Travel cups don’t come much more compact than this STOJO model, which collapses to pocket size when not in use. It fits car cup holders and handles both cold and hot drinks, thanks to an included heat sleeve. The product is leakproof and best of all, is dishwasher safe (top rack) and can be used in the microwave. It’s available in a range of sizes and stylish colors.

11. Greens Steel Reusable Coffee Cup with Lid and Handle

• Sturdy, large-capacity coffee cup
• Optional handle for easy carrying or hanging
• Money back lifetime warranty
• Leakproof design

If you’re serious about your cup of coffee, the Greens Steel coffee cup is a robust, vacuum-insulated travel tumbler made with coffee drinkers in mind. It features a double-wall vacuum that ensures your coffee remains as hot as when you brewed it in the French press. A handle, that folds down when not in use, means it’s easy to carry or hang on a tote bag or hook. The brand’s Armor-Coat finish is scratch and chip-resistant, and the product comes with an impressive lifetime warranty.

12. Tupkee Double Wall Glass Tumbler Tupkee Double Wall Glass Tumbler Buy Now

• Unique glass body and sip lid
• Silicone band protects hands from hot drinks
• No plastic or metal aftertaste
• Slip-proof silicone base

Stainless steel is the primary material in some of the best travel mugs, but many users don’t like their metallic taste — ditto for plastic, even if it’s BPA-free. That’s why this glass travel tumbler from Tupkee is such an innovation for hot coffee tea or cold drinks on the go. The glass tumbler is covered with a silicone grip sleeve to ensure a non-slip grip that is easy to hold. It also has a silicone base, which keeps the glass from slipping on surfaces. The hand-blown borosilicate glass is made to withstand thermal shock and shattering with temperature changes. Your drink will stay hot or cold, and your hand will stay dry since the outer wall remains dry. It also contains an FDA food-grade tested BPA-free silicone seal, which prevents any leakage while having a sip.

13. HYDRAFLOW Capri 40 oz Tumbler with Straw and Handle HYDRAFLOW Capri - 40oz Tumbler Buy Now

• Top insulation technology provides good temperature control
• Wide mouth for ice cubes
• Powder-coated finish in lots of colors
• Triple wall vacuum insulation with copper lining

This high-capacity travel mug keeps hot drinks hot and cold drinks and does it with some attractive features. The vacuum-insulated mug is made of high-quality materials such as food-grade stainless steel and BPA-free plastic, and it’s still dishwasher-safe. The lid offers two drinking options — either with an included straw or by direct sipping. A comfortable handle makes this a go-to travel tumbler for road trips, and it will fit in most car cup holders. We love that it’s offered in 33 different colors, plus three different sizes.

14. ALOUFEA  12 oz Stainless Steel Insulated Coffee Mug ALOUFEA 12oz Stainless Steel Insulated Coffee Mug Buy Now

• Weighs only 12 ounces
• Compact, single-cup size coffee mug
• Available in multiple colors
• Sliding, spill-proof lid

Whether you like espresso, an Americano, or a refreshing iced coffee, this travel mug will ensure you can bring along your favorite brew. This cute, mug-sized drinkware provides vacuum insulation and contains a sliding lid, which is tight and secure to prevent any spilling of your drink. It is lightweight and takes up minimal space in your backpack. The sweatproof, powder-coated finish and a range of attractive colors make this a great gift idea, too.

15. KeepCup Reusable Tempered Glass Coffee Cup KeepCup Reusable Tempered Glass Coffee Cup Buy Now

• Barista-style cup in 4 sizes
• Splashproof
• Easy to carry
• Coffee maker compatible

Set KeepCup’s reusable coffee cup right under your espresso or coffee maker, and brew yourself the perfect to-go cup of coffee. The eco-friendly design uses recycled, sustainable materials to deliver a coffee shop-quality drinking experience on the go. The splashproof and press-fit lid adjusts to your nose for a balanced flow of the beverage. It is lightweight, easy to carry, and compatible with many car cup holders. An attractive cork ring protects hands from hot drinks, and the tempered glass is shatter-resistant.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is a travel mug.

Travel mugs are portable, compact, and easy-to-use drink containers for hot or cold drinks on the go. They’re designed to maintain your beverage at the desired temperature for a long period. They are reusable, sustainable, and made of durable and usually leak-free materials. Travel mugs are as easy as carrying water bottles while maintaining the temperature of your liquid.

What to look for when buying a travel mug?

A travel mug is designed to keep your favorite beverage at its desired temperature when traveling or running errands. Therefore, it is important to note several important factors before buying.

• Construction: Most travel cups come in either stainless steel, BPA-free plastic, or silicone. Stainless steel offers durability and vacuum-insulated construction that helps keep your beverage either hot or cold for several hours.
• Portability: Since it is meant for traveling, portability is extremely important. Try to look for cups that are small, lightweight, and easy to carry. However, ensure that the travel mug has more capacity than your ordinary ‌ ceramic mug.

How long can a travel mug keep beverages hot or cold?

It varies from mug to mug. Good travel mugs usually keep drinks hot for four to six hours, and cold for six to eight hours.

What color is better for travel mugs?

Darker colors are better for mugs since they provide good insulation. They can keep beverages cold or hot for a longer period. Some people also believe that darker colors enhance the taste of the drink. However, it is essential to know that color is not a big deal for travel mugs since the inner wall construction and insulation are important to keep the drink to their temperature.

How do I clean my travel mug?

Most of the travel mugs are top-rack dishwasher safe, though some manufacturers say to use the dishwasher only for lids. Handwashing the body of the mug increases the lifespan of the mug.

This article may contain affiliate links that Microsoft and/or the publisher may receive a commission from if you buy a product or service through those links.

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Home » Europe » Moscow

EPIC MOSCOW Itinerary! (2024)

Moscow is the heart of Mother Russia. Just the mention of this city conjures images of colorful bulbous pointed domes, crisp temperatures, and a uniquely original spirit!

Moscow has an incredibly turbulent history, a seemingly resilient culture, and a unique enchantment that pulls countless tourists to the city each year! Although the warmer months make exploring Moscow’s attractions more favorable, there’s just something about a fresh snowfall that only enhances the appearance of the city’s iconic sites!

If you’re a first-time visitor to Moscow, or simply wanting to see as much of the city as possible, this Moscow itinerary will help you do just that!

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Best Time To Visit Moscow

Where to stay in moscow, moscow itinerary, day 1 itinerary in moscow, day 2 itinerary in moscow, day 3 and beyond, staying safe in moscow, day trips from moscow, faq on moscow itinerary.

Here is a quick look at the seasons so you can decide when to visit Moscow!

The summer months (June-August) are a great time to travel to Moscow to take advantage of the enjoyable mild temperatures. This is considered peak travel season. Bear in mind that hotel prices rise along with the temperatures!

If you’re planning a trip to Moscow during fall (September-November) try to plan for early fall. This way the temperatures will still be pleasant and winter won’t be threatening.

Russian winters (December-February) are not for the faint of heart as Napoleon learned to his peril. Some days the sun will be out for less than an hour, and snow is guaranteed. Although winters are exceptionally cold, this is when you’ll get a true glimpse of the Moscow experience!

The best time to visit Moscow is during spring  (March-May). The temperatures will begin to creep up and the sun begins to shine for significant portions of the day. Hotel rates will also have yet to skyrocket into peak ranges!

With a Moscow City Pass , you can experience the best of Moscow at the CHEAPEST prices. Discounts, attractions, tickets, and even public transport are all standards in any good city pass – be sure invest now and save them $$$ when you arrive!

Moscow is a large city with many accommodation options to choose from. Staying in a location that fits with your travel plans will only enhance your Moscow itinerary. Here is a brief introduction to a few great areas of the city we recommend checking out!

The best place to stay in Moscow to be close to all the action is Kitay-Gorod. This charming neighborhood will put you within walking distance to Moscow’s famous Red Square, thus cutting down on travel time. This will allow you to see more of the city in a shorter amount of time!

It’s surrounded by restaurants, cafes, bars, and shops. If you’re a first-time visitor to Moscow, or just planning a quick weekend in Moscow, then this area is perfect for you!

Another great area to consider is the Zamoskvorechye district. This area of the city offers a blend of new and old Moscow. It has an artsy vibe and there are plenty of fun sites you can explore outside of the main touristy areas of Moscow.

Of course, as in all areas of Moscow, it’s close to public transportation that will quickly connect you with the rest of the city and make your Moscow itinerary super accessible!

Best Airbnb in Moscow – Exclusive Apartment in Old Moscow

Modern and cozy, this apartment is in the heart of Old Moscow. Bordering the Basmanny and Kitay-Gorod districts, this two-bedroom flat is walking distance to the Kremlin and Red Square. Safe, quiet, and comfortable, this is the best Airbnb in Moscow, no question!

Best Budget Hotel in Moscow – Izmailovo Alfa Hotel

The Izmailovo Alfa Hotel is a very highly rated accommodation that provides all the components necessary for a comfortable trip to Moscow. There is an on-site restaurant, bar, fitness center, and an airport shuttle service. The rooms are modern and spacious and are equipped with a TV, heating/air conditioning, minibar, and more!

Best Luxury Hotel in Moscow – Crowne Plaza Moscow World Trade Centre

If you’re touring Moscow in luxury, the Crowne Plaza Moscow World Trade Centre is the hotel for you! Elegantly furnished rooms are equipped with a minibar, flat-screen TV,  in-room safes, as well as tea and coffee making facilities! Bathrooms come with bathrobes, slippers, and free toiletries. There is also an onsite restaurant, bar, and fitness center.

Best Hostel in Moscow – Godzillas Hostel

Godzillas Hostel is located in the center of Moscow, just a short walk from all the major tourist attractions and the metro station. Guests will enjoy all the usual hostel perks such as self-catering facilities, 24-hour reception, Free Wi-Fi, and security lockers. This is one of the best hostels in Moscow and its wonderful social atmosphere and will make your vacation in Moscow extra special!

An important aspect of planning any trip is figuring out the transportation situation. You’re probably wondering how you’re going to get to all of your Moscow points of interest right? Luckily, this sprawling city has an excellent network of public transportation that will make traveling a breeze!

The underground metro system is the quickest and most efficient way to travel around Moscow. Most visitors rely exclusively on this super-efficient transportation system, which allows you to get to pretty much anywhere in the city! It’s also a great option if you’re planning a Moscow itinerary during the colder months, as you’ll be sheltered from the snow and freezing temperatures!

If you prefer above-ground transportation, buses, trams, and trolleybuses, run throughout the city and provide a rather comfortable alternative to the metro.

Moscow’s metro, buses, trams, and trolleybuses are all accessible with a ‘Troika’ card. This card can be topped up with any sum of money at a metro cash desk. The ticket is simple, convenient, and even refundable upon return to a cashier!

No matter which method you choose, you’ll never find yourself without an easy means of getting from point A to point B!

Red Square | Moscow Kremlin | Lenin’s Mausoleum | St. Basil’s Cathedral  | GUM Department Store

Spend the first day of your itinerary taking your own self guided Moscow walking tour around the historic Red Square! This is Moscow’s compact city center and every stop on this list is within easy walking distance to the next! Get ready to see all of the top Moscow landmarks!

Day 1 / Stop 1 – The Red Square

• Why it’s awesome: The Red Square is the most recognizable area in Moscow, it has mesmerizing architecture and centuries worth of history attached to its name.
• Cost: Free to walk around, individual attractions in the square have separate fees. 
• Food nearby: Check out Bar BQ Cafe for friendly service and good food in a great location! The atmosphere is upbeat and they’re open 24/7!

The Red Square is Moscow’s historic fortress and the center of the Russian government. The origins of the square date back to the late 15th century, when Ivan the Great decided to expand the Kremlin to reflect Moscow’s growing power and prestige!

During the 20th century, the square became famous as the site for demonstrations designed to showcase Soviet strength. Visiting the Red Square today, you’ll find it teeming with tourists, who come to witness its magical architecture up close!

The square is the picture postcard of Russian tourism, so make sure to bring your camera when you visit! No matter the season, or the time of day, it’s delightfully photogenic! 

It’s also home to some of Russia’s most distinguishing and important landmarks, which we’ve made sure to include further down in this itinerary. It’s an important center of Russia’s cultural life and one of the top places to visit in Moscow!

In 1990, UNESCO designated Russia’s Red Square as a World Heritage site. Visiting this historic site is a true bucket-list event and essential addition to your itinerary for Moscow!

Day 1 / Stop 2 – The Moscow Kremlin

• Why it’s awesome: The Moscow Kremlin complex includes several palaces and cathedrals and is surrounded by the Kremlin wall. It also houses the principal museum of Russia (the Kremlin Armory).
• Cost: USD $15.00
• Food nearby: Bosco Cafe is a charming place to grat a casual bite to eat. They have excellent coffee and wonderful views of the Red Square and the Moscow Kremlin!

The iconic Moscow Kremlin , also known as the Kremlin museum complex, sits on Borovitsky Hill, rising above the Moscow River. It is a fortified complex in the center of the city, overlooking several iconic buildings in the Red Square!

It’s the best known of the Russian Kremlins – citadels or fortress’ protecting and dominating a city. During the early decades of the Soviet era, the Kremlin was a private enclave where the state’s governing elite lived and worked.

The Kremlin is outlined by an irregularly shaped triangular wall that encloses an area of 68 acres! The existing walls and towers were built from 1485 to 1495. Inside the Kremlin museum complex, there are five palaces, four cathedrals, and the enclosing Kremlin Wall with Kremlin towers.

The Armoury Chamber is a part of the Grand Kremlin Palace’s complex and is one of the oldest museums of Moscow, established in 1851. It showcases Russian history and displays many cherished relics. Definitely make sure to check out this museum while you’re here!

The churches inside the Moscow Kremlin are the Cathedral of the Dormition, Church of the Archangel, Church of the Annunciation, and the bell tower of Ivan Veliki (a church tower).

The five-domed Cathedral of the Dormition is considered the most famous. It was built from 1475–1479 by an Italian architect and has served as a wedding and coronation place for great princes, tsars, and emperors of Russia. Church services are given in the Kremlin’s numerous cathedrals on a regular basis.

The Grand Kremlin Palace was the former Tsar’s Moscow residence and today it serves as the official workplace of the President of the Russian Federation (Vladimir Putin seems to have bagged that title for life) .

Insider Tip: The Kremlin is closed every Thursday! Make sure to plan this stop on your Moscow itinerary for any other day of the week!

Day 1 / Stop 3 – Lenin’s Mausoleum

• Why it’s awesome: The mausoleum displays the preserved body of Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin .
• Cost: Free!
• Food nearby: Khinkal’naya is a charming Georgian restaurant with vaulted ceilings and exposed brick. It’s a popular place with locals and right next to the Red Square!

Lenin’s Mausoleum, also known as Lenin’s Tomb, is the modernist mausoleum for the revolutionary leader Vladimir Lenin. It’s located within the Red Square and serves as the resting place for the Soviet leader! His preserved body has been on public display since shortly after his death in 1924.

It’s located just a few steps away from the Kremlin Wall and is one of the most controversial yet popular Moscow attractions!

Admission is free for everyone, you’ll only need to pay if you need to check a bag. Before visitors are allowed to enter the mausoleum, they have to go through a metal detector first. No metal objects, liquids, or large bags are allowed in the mausoleum!

Expect a line to enter the building, and while you’re inside the building, you’ll be constantly moving in line with other visitors. This means you won’t be able to spend as long as you’d like viewing the mausoleum, but you’ll still be able to get a good look. Pictures and filming while inside the building are strictly prohibited, and security guards will stop you if they see you breaking this rule.

The mausoleum is only open on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday – unless it’s a public holiday or a day scheduled for maintenance. The hours it’s open for each day are limited, make sure to check online before you visit to make sure you can fit this into your Moscow itinerary for that day!

Insider Tip: The Lenin’s Museum is there for people to pay their respect; remember to keep silent and move along quickly, it’s not intended for people to congregate around. Also, men are not allowed to wear hats and everyone must take their hands out of their pockets when inside the building.

Day 1 / Stop 4 – St. Basil’s Cathedral

• Why it’s awesome: A dazzling designed cathedral that showcases Russia’s unique architecture. This cathedral is one of the most recognizable symbols of the country!
• Cost: USD $8.00
• Food nearby: Moskovskiy Chaynyy Klub is a cozy cafe serving food items and pipping hot tea; it’s the perfect place to go if you’re visiting Moscow during the winter months!

Located in the Red Square, the ornate 16th-century St. Basil’s Cathedral is probably the building you picture when you think of Moscow’s unique architecture. Its colorful onion-shaped domes tower over the Moscow skyline!

The cathedral was built from 1555-1561 by order of Tsar Ivan the Terrible. It was designed with an iconic onion dome facade and enchanting colors that captivate all who see it. Fun fact: If you’re wondering why Russian churches have onion domes, they are popularly believed to symbolize burning candles!

This iconic cathedral has become a symbol of Russia due to its distinguishing architecture and prominent position inside the Red Square. It’s one of the most beautiful, wonderful, and mesmerizing historical cathedrals in the world!

The interior of the church surprises most people when they visit. In contrast to the large exterior, the inside is not so much one large area, but rather a collection of smaller areas, with many corridors and small rooms. There are 9 small chapels and one mausoleum grouped around a central tower.

Visiting the inside is like walking through a maze, there are even small signs all around the cathedral tracing where to walk, and pointing you in the right direction! The walls are meticulously decorated and painted with intricate floral designs and religious themes.

The church rarely holds service and is instead a museum open for the public to visit.

Insider Tip: During the summer months the line to go inside the cathedral can get quite long! Make sure to arrive early or reserve your tickets online to guarantee quick access into the cathedral!

Day 1 / Stop 5 – GUM Department Store

• Why it’s awesome: This is Russia’s most famous shopping mall! It’s designed with elegant and opulent architecture and provides a real sense of nostalgia!
• Cost: Free to enter
• Food nearby: Stolovaya 57 is a cafeteria-style restaurant with a variety of inexpensive Russian cuisine menu items including soups, salads, meat dishes, and desserts. It’s also located inside the GUM department store, making it very easily accessible when you’re shopping!

The enormous GUM Department Store is located within the historic Red Square. It has a whimsical enchantment to it that sets it apart from your typical department store.

A massive domed glass ceiling lines the top of the building and fills the interior with natural sunlight. There are live plants and flowers placed throughout the mall that give the shopping complex a lively and cheerful feel! A playful fountain sits in the center, further adding to the malls inviting a sense of wonder and amusement!

The GUM department store opened on December 2, 1893. Today, it includes local and luxury stores, including Fendi, Louis Vuitton, Prada, and many more! There are numerous cafes, restaurants, and even a movie theater inside!

For a special treat, head into Gastronom 1. This 1950s-style shop sells gourmet food items, like wine, freshly-baked pastries, cheese, Russian chocolate, and of course, vodka! Also, be on the lookout for a bicycle pedaling ice cream truck with an employing selling ice cream!

The ambiance is simply amazing, a trip to this idyllic shopping mall is an absolute must on any Moscow itinerary!

Insider Tip: Make sure to carry some small change on you in case you need to use the restroom, you’ll need to pay 50 rubles – or about USD $0.80 to use the bathroom in GUM.

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Novodevichy Convent | Gorky Park | State Tretyakov Gallery | All-Russian Exhibition Center | Bolshoi Theater

On your 2 day itinerary in Moscow, you’ll have a chance to use the city’s excellent public transportation service! You’ll explore a few more of Moscow’s historic highlight as well as some modern attractions. These sites are a little more spread out, but still very easily accessible thanks to the metro!

Day 2 / Stop 1 – Novodevichy Convent

• Why it’s awesome: The Novodevichy Convent is rich in imperial Russian history and contains some of Russia’s best examples of classical architecture!
• Cost: USD $5.00
• Food nearby: Culinary Shop Karavaevs Brothers is a cozy and simple place to have a quick bite, they also have vegetarian options!

The Novodevichy Convent is the best-known and most popular cloister of Moscow. The convent complex is contained within high walls, and there are many attractions this site is known for! 

The six-pillared five-domed Smolensk Cathedral is the main attraction. It was built to resemble the Kremlin’s Assumption Cathedral and its facade boasts beautiful snowy white walls and a pristine golden onion dome as its centerpiece. It’s the oldest structure in the convent, built from 1524 -1525, and is situated in the center of the complex between the two entrance gates.

There are other churches inside the convent as well, all dating back from many centuries past. The convent is filled with an abundance of 16th and 17th-century religious artworks, including numerous large and extravagant frescos!

Just outside the convent’s grounds lies the Novodevichy Cemetery. Here, you can visit the graves of famous Russians, including esteemed authors, composers, and politicians. Probably the most intriguing gravestone belongs to Russian politician Nikita Khruschev!

The Novodevichy Convent is located near the Moscow River and offers a peaceful retreat from the busy city. In 2004, it was proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The convent remains remarkably well-preserved and is an outstanding example of Moscow Baroque architecture! 

Insider Tip: To enter the cathedrals inside the complex, women are advised to cover their heads and shoulders, while men should wear long pants.

Day 2 / Stop 2 – Gorky Central Park of Culture and Leisure

• Why it’s awesome: A large amusement area in the heart of the city offering many attractions!
• Cost: Free! 
• Food nearby: Check out Mepkato, located inside Gorky Central Park for a casual meal in a cozy setting. There are indoor and outdoor seating options and the restaurant is child-friendly!

Gorky Central Park of Culture and Leisure is a large green space in the heart of Moscow. The park opened in 1928, and it stretches along the scenic embankment of the Moskva River. It covers an area of 300-acres and offers a lovely contrast from the compact city center.

You’ll find all sorts of wonderful attractions, from boat rides to bike rentals to tennis courts and ping-pong tables, and much more! there are an open-air cinema and festive events and concerts scheduled in the summer months.  A wide selection of free fitness classes is also offered on a regular basis, including jogging, roller skating, and dancing!

Although many of the options you’ll find here are more suited for outdoor leisure during the summer, you’ll also a selection of winter attractions, including one of Europe’s largest ice rinks for ice-skating!

If you’re trying to decide what to do in Moscow with kids, the park also offers several venues designed specifically for kids. Check out the year-round Green School which offers hands-on classes in gardening and art! You can also feed the squirrels and birds at the Golitsinsky Ponds!

The park is very well maintained and kept clean and the entrance is free of charge, although most individual attractions cost money. There is also Wi-Fi available throughout the park.

With so many attractions, you could easily spend all day here! If you’re only planning a 2 day itinerary in Moscow, make sure to plan your time accordingly and map out all the areas you want to see beforehand!

Day 2 / Stop 3 – The State Tretyakov Gallery

• Why it’s awesome: The gallery’s collection consists entirely of Russian art made by Russian artists!
• Food nearby : Brothers Tretyakovs is located right across the street from the gallery. It’s a wonderfully atmospheric restaurant serving top quality food and drinks!

The State Tretyakov Gallery was founded in 1856 by influential merchant and collector Pavel Tretyakov.  The gallery is a national treasury of Russian fine art and one of the most important museums in Russia!

It houses the world’s best collection of Russian art and contains more than 130, 000 paintings, sculptures, and graphics! These works have been created throughout the centuries by generations of Russia’s most talented artists!

The exhibits range from mysterious 12th-century images to politically charged canvases. The collection is rich and revealing and offers great insight into the history and attitudes of this long-suffering yet inspired people!

All pictures are also labeled in English. If you plan to take your time and see everything inside the museum it will take a good 3-4 hours, so make sure to plan your Moscow trip itinerary accordingly! This gallery is a must-see stop for art lovers, or anyone wanting to explore the local culture and history of Russia in a creative and insightful manner! 

Insider Tip: When planning your 2 days in Moscow itinerary, keep in mind that most museums in Moscow are closed on Mondays, this includes The State Tretyakov Gallery!

Day 2 / Stop 4 – All-Russian Exhibition Center

• Why it’s awesome: This large exhibition center showcases the achievements of the Soviet Union in several different spheres. 
• Food nearby: Varenichnaya No. 1 serves authentic and homestyle Russian cuisine in an intimate and casual setting.

The All-Russian Exhibition Center is a massive park that presents the glory of the Soviet era! It pays homage to the achievements of Soviet Russia with its many different sites found on the property.

The center was officially opened in 1939 to exhibit the achievements of the Soviet Union. It’s a huge complex of buildings and the largest exhibition center in Moscow. There are several exhibition halls dedicated to different achievements and every year there are more than one hundred and fifty specialized exhibitions!

The Peoples Friendship Fountain was constructed in 1954 and is a highlight of the park. The stunning gold fountain features 16 gilded statues of girls, each representing the former Soviet Union republics. 

The Stone Flower Fountain was also built in 1954 and is worth checking out. The centerpiece of this large fountain is a flower carved from stones from the Ural Mountains! Along the side of the fountain are various bronze sculptures.

You will find many people zipping around on rollerblades and bicycles across the large area that the venue covers. It’s also home to amusement rides and carousels, making it the perfect place to stop with kids on your Moscow itinerary! Make sure to wear comfortable shoes and allow a few hours to explore all the areas that interest you!

Day 2 / Stop 5 – Bolshoi Theater

• Why it’s awesome: The Bolshoi Theater is a historic venue that hosts world-class ballet and opera performances!
• Cost: Prices vary largely between USD $2.00 –  USD $228.00 based on seat location.
• Food nearby: Head to the Russian restaurant, Bolshoi for high-quality food and drinks and excellent service!

The Bolshoi Theater is among the oldest and most renowned ballet and opera companies in the world! It also boasts the world’s biggest ballet company, with more than 200 dancers!

The theater has been rebuilt and renovated several times during its long history. In 2011 it finished its most recent renovation after an extensive six-year restoration that started in 2005. The renovation included an improvement in acoustics and the restoration of the original Imperial decor.

The Bolshoi Theater has put on many of the world’s most famous ballet acts! Tchaikovsky’s ballet Swan Lake premiered at the theater in 1877 and other notable performances of the Bolshoi repertoire include Tchaikovsky’s The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker!

Today, when you visit the theater, you can expect a magical performance from skilled singers, dancers, and musicians with the highest level of technique!

If you don’t have time to see a show, the theater also provides guided tours on select days of the week. Tours are given in both Russian and English and will provide visitors with a more intimate look at the different areas of the theater!

The stage of this iconic Russian theater has seen many outstanding performances. If you’re a fan of the performing arts, the Bolshoi Theater is one of the greatest and oldest ballet and opera companies in the world, making it a must-see attraction on your Moscow itinerary!

Godzillas Hostel

Godzillas Hostel is located in the center of Moscow, just a short walk from all the major tourist attractions and the metro station.

• Towels Included

Cosmonautics Museum | Alexander Garden | Ostankino Tower | Izmaylovo District | Soviet Arcade Museum

Now that we’ve covered what to do in Moscow in 2 days, if you’re able to spend more time in the city you’re going to need more attractions to fill your time. Here are a few more really cool things to do in Moscow we recommend!

Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics

• Hear the timeline of the ‘space race’ from the Russian perspective
• This museum is fun for both adults and children!
• Admission is USD $4.00

The Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics is a museum dedicated to space exploration! The museum explores the history of flight, astronomy, space exploration, space technology, and space in the arts. It houses a large assortment of Soviet and Russian space-related exhibits, and the museum’s collection holds approximately 85,000 different items!

The museum does an excellent job of telling the full story of the exciting space race between the USSR and the US! It highlights the brightest moments in Russian history and humanity and is very interesting and fun for all ages!

If you’re a fan of space or just curious about gaining insight into Russia’s fascinating history of space exploration, make sure to add this to your 3 day itinerary in Moscow!

The Alexander Garden

• A tranquil place to relax near the Red Square
• Green lawns dotted with sculptures and lovely water features
• The park is open every day and has no entrance fee

The Alexander Garden was one of the first urban public parks in Moscow! The garden premiered in 1821 and was built to celebrate Russia’s victory over Napoleon’s forces in 1812!

The park is beautiful and well maintained with paths to walk on and benches to rest on. The park contains three separate gardens: the upper garden, middle garden, and lower garden.

Located in the upper garden, towards the main entrance to the park is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier with its eternal flame. This monument was created in 1967 and contains the body of a soldier who fell during the Great Patriotic War!

The park stretches along all the length of the western Kremlin wall for about half a mile. Due to its central location in the city, it’ll be easily accessible when you’re out exploring The Red Square.

It provides a bit of relief from the city’s high-energy city streets. Bring a picnic lunch, go for a walk, or just sit and people watch, this is one of the best Moscow sites to wind-down and relax!

Ostankino Television Tower

• Television and radio tower in Moscow
• Currently the tallest free-standing structure in Europe
• Make sure you bring your passport when you visit, you can’t go up without it!

For spectacular views of the city, make sure to add the Ostankino Television Tower to your itinerary for Moscow! This impressive free-standing structure provides stunning views of the city in every direction. The glass floor at the top also provides great alternative views of the city!

It takes just 58 seconds for visitors to reach the Tower’s observation deck by super fast elevator. The tower is open every day for long hours and is a great site in Moscow to check out! There is even a restaurant at the top where you can enjoy rotating views of the city while you dine on traditional Russian cuisine or European cuisine!

The tower is somewhat of an architectural surprise in a city that is not known for skyscrapers! To see the city from a new perspective, make sure to add this stop to your Moscow itinerary!

Izmaylovo District

• The most popular attractions in this district are the kremlin and the flea market
• Outside of the city center and easy to reach via metro
• Most popular during the summer and on weekends

Travel outside the city center and discover a unique area of the city! The Izmaylovo District is a popular destination for locals and tourists alike, and one of the coolest places to see in Moscow! The two main attractions we recommend checking out are the Kremlin and the flea market.

The Izmailovo Kremlin was established as a cultural center and molded after traditional Russian architecture. This colorful complex is home to several single-subject museums, including a Russian folk art museum and a vodka museum!

Next to the Kremlin is the Izmailovo open-air market, which dates back to the 17th century! The market is connected to the Izmailovo Kremlin by a wooden bridge. Pick up all your Russian souvenirs here, including traditional handicrafts, paintings, books, retro toys, and Soviet memorabilia!

You will find many hand-made and hand-painted options available at higher prices, as well as mass-produced souvenir options at lower prices!

Museum of Soviet Arcade Games

• Closed on Mondays
• Filled with old arcade games that visitors get to try out!
• The museum also includes a small cafe and burger shop

For something a little different, check out the Museum of Soviet Arcade Games! The museum features roughly 60 machines from the Soviet era, including video games, pinball machines, and collaborative hockey foosball! The machines inside the museum were produced in the USSR in the mid-1970s.

The best part is, most of the games are still playable! Purchase tickets and try the games out for yourself! The museum also has a neat little screening room that plays old Soviet cartoons and an area with Soviet magazines! This unique attraction is a fun addition to a 3 day itinerary in Moscow, and an attraction that all ages will enjoy! 

Whether you’re spending one day in Moscow, or more, safety is an important thing to keep in mind when traveling to a big city! Overall, Moscow is a very safe place to visit. However, it is always recommended that tourists take certain precautions when traveling to a new destination!

The police in Moscow is extremely effective at making the city a safe place to visit and do their best to patrol all of the top Moscow, Russia tourist attractions. However, tourists can still be a target for pickpockets and scammers.

Moscow has a huge flow of tourists, therefore there is a risk for pickpocketing. Simple precautions will help eliminate your chances of being robbed. Stay vigilant, keep your items close to you at all times, and don’t flash your valuables!

If you’re planning a solo Moscow itinerary, you should have no need to worry, as the city is also considered safe for solo travelers, even women. Stay in the populated areas, try and not travel alone late at night, and never accept rides from strangers or taxis without a meter and correct signage.

The threat of natural disasters in Moscow is low, with the exception of severe winters when the temperature can dip below freezing! Bring a good, warm jacket if you visit in Winter.

However, please note that Russian views on homsexuality are far less accepting than those in Western Europe. Likewise, Non-Caucasian travellers may sadly encounter racism in Russia .

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Now that we’ve covered all the top things to see in Moscow, we thought we’d include some exciting day trips to other areas of the country!

Sergiev Posad (Golden Ring)

On this 7-hour guided tour, you’ll visit several scenic and historic areas of Russia. Start your day with hotel pick-up as you’re transferred by a comfortable car or minivan to Sergiev Posad. Admire the charming Russian countryside on your drive and enjoy a quick stop to visit the Russian village, Rudonezh!

You’ll see the majestic Saint Spring and the Church of Sergiev Radonezh. You’ll also visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, one of the most famous Orthodox sites in Russia!

Lastly, you’ll swing by the local Matreshka market and enjoy a break in a nice Russian restaurant before returning to Moscow!

Day Trip to Vladimir and Suzdal

On this 13-hour trip, you’ll discover old Russia, with its picturesque landscapes and white-stoned beautiful churches! You’ll visit the main towns of the famous Golden Ring of Russia – the name for several cities and smaller towns north-east of Moscow.

Your first stop will be in the town of Vladimir, the ancient capital of all Russian principalities. The city dates back to the 11th century and is one of the oldest and the most important towns along the Ring! Next, you’ll visit Suzdal, a calm ancient Russian town north of Vladimir with only 13,000 inhabitants!

The old-style architecture and buildings of Suzdal are kept wonderfully intact. If you’re spending three days in Moscow, or more, this is a great option for exploring the charming areas outside the city!

Zvenigorod Day Trip and Russian Countryside

On this 9-hour private tour, you’ll explore the ancient town of Zvenigorod, one of the oldest towns in the Moscow region! As you leave Moscow you’ll enjoy the stunning scenery along the Moscow River, and make a few stops at old churches along the way to Zvenigorod.

Upon arrival, you’ll explore the medieval center, including the 14th-century Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery. Next, you’ll take a break for lunch (own expense) where you’ll have the chance to try out the Russian cuisine! Next, you’ll visit the Museum of Russian Dessert and sip on tea at a Russian tea ceremony.

The final stop of the day is at the Ershovo Estate, a gorgeous place to walk around and enjoy nature!

Day Trip to St Petersburg by Train visiting Hermitage & Faberge

On this full-day tour, you’ll enjoy a a full round trip to St Petersburg where you’ll spend an exciting day exploring another popular Russian city! You’ll be picked up from your hotel in Moscow and be transferred to the train station where you’ll ride the high-speed train ‘Sapsan’ to St Petersburg.

Upon arrival, you’ll start the day by touring the Hermitage Museum and the Winter Palace. Next, you’ll visit the Faberge Museum, where you’ll explore the impressive collection of rare Faberge Eggs! In the afternoon, enjoy a sightseeing boat ride and a traditional 3-course Russian lunch.

If you’re spending 3 days in Moscow, or more, this is an excellent trip to take!

Trip to Kolomna – Authentic Cultural Experience from Moscow

On this 10-hour tour, you’ll escape the city and travel to the historic town of Kolomna! First, you’ll visit the 14th-century Kolomna Kremlin, home to the Assumption Cathedral and an abundance of museums!

Next, enjoy lunch at a local cafe (own expense) before embarking on a tour of the Marshmallow Museum – of course, a marshmallow tasting is provided!  Your final stop is the Museum of Forging Settlements, where displays include armor and accessories for fishing and hunting.

Discover this beautiful Russian fairytale city on a private trip, where all of the planning is taken care of for you!

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Find out what people want to know when planning their Moscow itinerary.

How many days you need in Moscow?

We recommend that you spend at least two or three days in Moscow to take it all in.

What’s the best month to visit Moscow?

The best time to visit Moscow is over the spring, from March to May as temperatures are mild, crowds are thin and prices are reasonable.

What are some unusual things to do in Moscow?

I mean, queuing up to see an almost 100 year old corpse is pretty unsual! Check out Lenin’s Mausoleum if you fancy it!

What are some fun things to do in Moscow?

The Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics is a fun place to explore the famous space race from the perspective of the ‘other side’!

We hope you enjoyed our Moscow itinerary! We’ve made sure to cover all the Moscow must-sees as well as some unique attractions in the city! Our addition of insider tips, favorite food stops, and day trips from Moscow is an added bonus and will guarantee you make the most out of your exciting Russian vacation!

Immerse yourself in the modern and traditional Russian lifestyle! Get lost in museums, witness awe-inspiring architecture, and indulge in Russian cuisine! Spend the day strolling through all of the charming sites of Moscow, admiring the beautiful scenery and discovering the city’s fairytale-like enchantment!

And for transparency’s sake, please know that some of the links in our content are affiliate links . That means that if you book your accommodation, buy your gear, or sort your insurance through our link, we earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we don’t believe are up to scratch. Again, thank you!

Alya and Campbell

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