portable coffee mugs
getting coffee out doesn't appeal to me as i much prefer the stuff i'm brewing at home. i've never used a portable coffee mug before because i didn't used to drink so much of it before and there's something about the sippy hole that bothers me.... my favourite mugs in the cupboard are earthy ceramic without a handle.
so... any suggestions on what brands or where to get such an item that will keep my coffee hot, accessible, nice looking, and not make me say ew?
i've heard that many people really like the starbucks versions but i'd prefer to stay away from such emblazoned brands.
thanks!
and any suggestions that are accessible in toronto garner many many points.
pinstripeprincess
Oct 30, 2007 10:29AM
I have no idea if these are available in Toronto, but my favorite is the MiGo travel mugs. They have many different styles, some tall with handles, some without handles, short ones, some have straws. They have a lifetime guarantee, lids fit well, easy to open and shut, and they are very insulated. I am in Houston, Tx, and I use mine for cold water. I can leave the mug in the car in the middle of summer, grocery shop (about an hour or so), come out and have cold water! They cost about $10.00.
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I've been using a couple of MiGos for four or five years. While I can recommend them for great spillproofish lids, durablility (one fell off the roof of the car at 40mph and survived) and style, they really don't do a good job in the keeping things warm department. Plus they're plastic, which imparts a faint taste (even after five years).
I also have a metal starbucks mug that gets used sometimes. Less spillproof lid, no taste problems, but it doesn't keep anything warmer any longer. The starbucks logo dishwashered off after a year or so. You could hit it with some steel wool and get it off immediately if you wanted.
If keeping coffee warm for more than an hour or so is important, than I'd look elsewhere.
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For a no-nonsense mug that's easy and predictable to use, try the Oxo. There might be others that will keep coffee warmer for longer periods (like the Nissan), but few are as downright pragmatic in all their areas of design as the Oxo. And it's pretty cheap to boot.
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The Alfie ones with the vaccuum seal are my absolute favorite.
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Bed Bath and Beyond has great travel mugs w/o advertising, if that is what you seek. I found 1 that is anodized aluminum so it matches my car interior, for $15.95.
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thanks for the suggestions!
i googled the migo and came up with some odd plastic looking things with very weird patterns.... not sure if this is the same variety you might be referring to. i'm hoping for something a little bit sleeker.
kelli reminded me of another requirement, weight. my main use for these things are either a mug to go to work (i take public transit) or a mug to have while walking the dog. it takes me about 10 minutes to get to the park and then we spend easily one hour taking the dog around. i'd love it if this thing didn't feel like a rock in my hand and it will need to be good at insulating for all that time it'll be exposed in the oncoming canadian weather.
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Yes, princess, there are some pretty weird MiGo mugs out there but there are also stainless steel and plain ones. Go to amazon and look under insulated travel mugs. You will see some very nice looking ones. Or, go to this site and see them:
http://www.aladdin-pmi.com/shop/produ...
Of course they are more than $10, but very nice (the SS ones).
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ok, so i looked around amazon.com (amazon.ca is NO WHERE near as awesome as the .com version) and fell in love with the following, anyone have any comments?:
swiss, sleek, vacuum... too bad it's close to $30
http://www.amazon.com/Sigg-Thermal-Bottle-13-Ounces-Silver/dp/B000R7JJAS/ref=sr_1_106/102-1335895-3540148?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1193859869&sr=1-106
timolino.. i can't find a single review about this model but the other models seem to come well reviewed enough. much more affordable at $17 and looks like a total rip off of the sigg.
http://www.amazon.com/Timolino-Vacuum-Bottle-%252d-oz%252e/dp/B000FZYY9I/ref=sr_1_92/102-1335895-3540148?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1193859834&sr=1-92
and a beautiful migo @ $19 but i can't find a single review for this particular one either. it doesn't mention a vacuum seal at all which will apparently cool my hot beverage down very very quickly. i do like the idea of the grip...
http://www.amazon.com/miGo-10-00160-0...
i will still have to try adventuresinbaking's suggestion..... perhaps cheap and awesome awaits me around the corner
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Again, MiGo will NOT keep your coffee warm.
I've been backpacking with using Sigg fuel bottles for many years. The company certainly seems to be able to produce a durable, leakproof aluminum container. Not sure how that translates to a coffee container, though.
If you're looking for heat retention, you're going to have to give up the under $30 price point, as well as any sense of "nice looking". The Nissan travel mugs seem to get good reviews:
http://www.coffeegeek.com/proreviews/...
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i've been convinced to look for something glass lined but i know that might be a frustrating and fruitless search.
i'm off of the migo, but that's only because they don't seem to have a vacuum seal, which is exactly what is causing the quick heat loss.
i'll go out looking for the nissan's and try out a friends starbucks version...
but after some searching nearby, i came across this: http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_de...
which seems like a ridiculously cheap version of what i want. i'll have to inspect it at the shop but i think it could be the one.
thanks!
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I honestly have no idea how my MiGo would do with coffee, since I don't drink it, but if it can keep my ice water cold for over an hour in a car that is probably around 105 degrees in the summer, then I would consider that well insulated and the seal is very tight. So it's more important to me to keep things cold than hot! Sorry, I have no hot coffee experience.
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I would look for a style more than a brand. Also check out a few non-starbucks places that sell coffee.
I got my favorite to go mug at a local convenience store chain. The mug part is one piece hollow piece of seamless metal. The lid also makes an effective seal and can come apart for cleaning.
The best part was I paid less than 4 dollars for the whole thing and it came with a free cup of coffee.
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Agreed on that. For years I used insulated plastic models from places like Bucks County Coffee or Einsteins. Those kept my coffee hot enough for my commute, even in winter, and could be tossed into the dishwasher when I got home. Best of all, they were cheap and usually came with a cup of coffee. However, there seems to be a shortage of these available at the usual places. Everyone has gone to the high end, $10 to $20 models like the Starbucks kind I mentioned earlier. If I had been able to buy a cheap plastic one, I would have. If you can't find these, you are going to have to do what I did, which I said I did reluctantly, i.e., spend more money on a cup that can't be put in the dishwasher. The inability to put it in the dishwasher bugs me, as does the inability to put them in the microwave if you want to reheat it (I know, I just blasphemed because you are not supposed to reheat your coffee). I'm also far less likely now to "loan" out coffee cups to departing guests because of the high price tag. I used to give them out freely to people who had a long drive home. No more -- I only got one back in many years of doing this. However, I have to admit that NOTHING keeps coffee as hot and as long as this Starbucks cup, so there is no need to microwave it.
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I reluctantly tried a Starbuck's at my daughter's insistence, and it was surprisingly good. It keeps coffee as hot as a thermos, so if you keep the lid closed, you can literally keep it around for a few hours. It does not go in the dishwasher, which is my only complaint. It has a shiny decorative outside and a metal insulated inside. The lid can go in the dishwasher, and has a flip-top closure - far less confusing than the twisty kind. ( I found I was loosening the lid with the twisty kind -- could be dangerous). Other than the need to wash it by hand, I now use it every day without any reservations.
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My favorite travel mug is one made of pottery with a cork top. It's beautiful and pleasant to use (I don't like the feel of plastic or stainless in a mug). And because the pottery is pretty thick, it does a good job of keeping my tea warm.
My mug came from Eckel's Pottery in Wisconsin, many years ago, but they still make these mugs (and sell them online - http://www.eckelspotterybayfield.com/... ).
I'm not sure if you'd want to do mail order across the border (those shipping and customs fees can be prohibitive), but I'll bet there are potters in Toronto who make the same type of mugs. What a great excuse to go to every art fair you see!
Anne
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Ok I don't think all these other people are actually looking out for what you like. If you prefer an earthy ceramic mug in your home, why would you like the taste out of a plastic mug? I have been searching for a ceramic travel mug for my mother in law and I finally found a bunch.
Go to amazon.com and search for "ceramic mug" in the home and garden area. They have mugs with crazy sayings and pictures, football (well USA teams), and plain eye appealing designs.
Honestly, for you to enjoy your coffee or tea, you have to have a travel mug just like the one you have at home. Don't get a plastic or metal, it makes the coffee taste bad. Get a ceramic!
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