Best Travel Coffee Mugs - CNET

Article updated on October 22, 2024 at 10:52 AM PDT

Take your hot beverages to go with these completely spill-proof travel mugs.

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

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

Whether you prefer iced coffee, hot coffee or hot tea, we've all struggled to finish our morning beverage before heading out the door -- or worse, risked a spill in the car. If you want to be able to keep your drinks hot and take them to go, then you need a travel mug. The best travel mugs have a leakproof lid, are dishwasher safe, can fit in any car's cup holders and retain heat. We've tested several of them and the $29 Zojirushi stainless steel is our pick for the best reusable cup available right now.

A travel mug isn’t necessarily a huge investment, but it can cost up to $45, which makes it a great gift under $50. To help you pick the right travel coffee mug, we tested several of the best travel mugs to see which ones keep drinks hot longest, protect against leaks and feel nice to hold -- and look at. These are the seven best travel mugs of 2024 to keep your car's cup holder busy.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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