The Best Travel Mug for Coffee - Buy Side from WSJ

These are the cups you can count on to keep your morning brew warm—and your iced drinks cold

Written By

Written by

Contributor, Buy Side from WSJ

Korin Miller is a contributor to Buy Side from WSJ.

Updated October 22, 2024, 4:31 PM EDT

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The U.S. has a serious coffee habit: Three-quarters of American adults drink coffee, and of those, more than half sip the stuff on a daily basis. But taking your cup of coffee on the go has its challenges. Without the right travel mug, coffee can easily spill or lose its ideal temperature, which can make for a lousy commute. Choosing a mug that's up to the task is paramount. A quality one can even make a nice gift for the coffee lover in your life.

There are a lot of options on the market, from stainless steel creations with double-walled insulation to sleek ceramic mugs. While the view of what constitutes the perfect travel mug is somewhat individual, most of us want a durable cup that keeps drinks hot (or cold), doesn't leak, fits in the car cup holder and is easy to wash. We tested based on those criteria to round up the best models out there: Here are standout travel mugs that make it easier to caffeinate on the go.

$25 at Yeti

$25 at Amazon

The leakproof Yeti Rambler HotShot has impressive temperature retention and durability, making it great for nearly every coffee drinker.

The Yeti Rambler HotShot performed well on every front. The stainless steel mug was one of the most durable cups we tested-it didn't break, dent or even scratch when dropped from 3 feet. It also kept our coffee hot: From the time we sealed the double-walled insulated mug to an hour later, the liquid's temperature dipped only 2 degrees.

Its unique "HotShot" cap unscrews from the center to allow coffee to flow out all around a hole, rather than through a narrow spout-so you can drink from any side. It also aced our spill test; it didn't leak at all, even after we flipped and shook it.

The spill-proof cap takes a little skill to open one-handed on the road, but it gets easier with practice. (Anyone using two hands will have no problem.) This pick comes in nine colors, with your choice of 12- or 18-ounce sizes. (Iced coffee fans may prefer the larger version.) Both the cap and body are dishwasher-safe.

$35 at Fellow

$35 at Amazon

Sleek and well-designed, this travel mug has a clever splash guard that keeps you from getting burned as you sip on the go.

Few travel mugs have a devoted fan base among serious coffee drinkers like the Fellow Carter Move. The mug isn't just ceramic-it's also made with double-wall vacuum-insulated stainless steel for impressive heat retention. The coffee's temperature only dropped 1 degree during our testing, which was the second-best result of the bunch.

The Carter Move mug has a BPA-free lid that screws on, creating a seal that didn't leak when we shook it upside down. We appreciate that it has a large opening that lets you breathe in the scent of coffee while drinking-along with a removable splash guard to lower the risk of getting a face full of coffee on the road. Another plus: It fits in standard cup holders.

But there were a few negatives that prevented the Carter Move Mug from being our overall top pick. It dented and chipped when dropped from 3 feet. It's also not dishwasher-safe. Overall, though, it delivers impressive heat retention and lets the pure taste of your brew come through.

$28 at Hydro Flask

If you prefer a travel mug with handles, the Hydro Flask Mug is a standout, with a comfortable grip and lid that’s easy to open with one hand.

Travel mugs with handles come with certain challenges: Larger sizes don't fit easily into a cup holder, and the mugs take up extra room in your bag. But if you prefer a handled option, the Hydro Flask Mug is our recommendation. It has double-walled vacuum insulation and promises to keep coffee hot for up to six hours-it lost 3 degrees in an hour during our testing. It also survived our drop test, emerging without a ding, scratch or missing handle.

The mug has a special press-in lid that's easy to secure, along with an opening that's simple to open and close one-handed-a perk for drivers. Iced coffee fans will appreciate that the opening is large enough to fit a straw.

One downside is the mug is not 100% leakproof. While the lid stayed intact when we flipped it upside down and shook it, a small amount of coffee seeped out. So, you wouldn't want to toss it into your bag before it's completely empty. Larger sizes don't fit into standard cup holders, but do rest securely on top. It's also not dishwasher-safe. As far as mugs with handles go, though, it makes a solid desk-side or walking companion.

$33 at Amazon

$33 at Miir

Need your drink to stay warm on a long commute? The Miir Flip Traveler outperformed all other mugs when it came to heat retention.

The Miir Flip Traveler is a heat retention beast. In our testing, it was the only model that didn't lose a single degree of heat after an hour. This double-walled insulated travel mug keeps hot coffee at your preferred temperature, along with a small opening-good for leakproofing and heat retention-that secures via a flap and gives a satisfying snap once it's firmly in place. Worth noting: That flap also stays put once it's open, so you don't need to deal with it flopping in your face as you sip.

The Flip Traveler passed our leak test-it didn't spill a drop-making it a good option to toss into a backpack or bag, and it didn't scratch or dent when dropped from 3 feet. It's also slim enough to secure in most bike water-bottle holders. While the lid is top-rack dishwasher-safe, the mug itself has to be washed by hand. Another small quibble: We found that the mug's slim circumference means it may rattle around in your car cup holder.

$30 at Amazon

A pretty ceramic option that is dishwasher-safe, the Ello Ogden impressed us with its easy operation and comfortable grip.

Ceramic travel coffee mugs like the Ello Ogden are neutral in flavor-meaning they don't retain the taste of previous coffees. Of all the mugs we tested, this lower-price ($15) mug was the most comfortable to hold (that's thanks to a silicone sleeve with a geometric pattern that is easy to grip).

It also has a lid that's simple to secure, and a drinking spout that easily slides open and shut for one-handed operation. We liked the way this mug felt against our mouth.

Ceramic travel mugs typically don't hold heat as well as their stainless steel double-walled- insulation counterparts, but the Ello Ogden still keeps the coffee warm, with the contents dropping 6 degrees in an hour. The mug is also microwave-safe, so you can reheat your drink at the office.

It fits in most cup holders and can be tossed into the dishwasher. One issue is it's not leakproof. When we held it upside down and shook it, coffee flowed out, making this a poor choice for throwing into your bag or holding on a bumpy train. If you want a companion for your car commute that gives you the pros of sipping from a real ceramic mug, it's a great option.

$18 at Amazon

Consider this lightweight tumbler with a flip top if you care most about keeping your iced coffee completely cool.

While you can use Simple Modern's Voyager Tumbler for cold or hot drinks, it shines as an iced coffee mug. The Voyager Tumbler retained its cold temperature after an hour of being sealed and the ice didn't look melted. It also comes with two reusable bisphenol-A-free straws that slide easily into the opening.

The flip-up drinking spout cover can be snapped into place when you're not ready to drink, and the screw-on lid provides excellent leakproofing-when it's firmly tightened. Failure to screw it on hard enough will result in leaks, as we discovered in our leak test. The tumbler is lightweight-so it's not heavy when filled with ice-and comes in a range of colors and sizes. While it did scuff slightly during our drop test, it wasn't to the extent most people would notice. The mug, which is dishwasher-safe, should fit comfortably in most cup holders.

$24 at Amazon

$30 save $6

$38 at Walmart

The rugged Contigo Westloop 2.0 features multiple safeguards to prevent leaks, and we found it didn’t spill a drop—even when flipped upside down.

The Contigo West Loop 2.0 passed our leak test with flying colors. The mug is a fortress with multiple features that prevent coffee from sneaking out. To drink from it, you press an Autoseal button on the lid. For added protection when the mug is in your bag, there's a lock button you can press to keep the Autoseal button from activating if it's accidentally touched.

It's also impressively durable: It didn't scratch, chip or leak when dropped from 3 feet. It is vacuum-insulated and lost just 3 degrees during our temperature test. Its design with a slight inward curve around the neck makes it simple to carry; the shape also fits neatly into most cup holders. The downside of its being so well-sealed is it can be a bit tricky to open: It took some repeat use to get into the habit of pressing the Autoseal button every time we wanted a sip (thankfully, the mechanism is easy to work one-handed). Another consideration: The body of the mug isn't dishwasher-safe, though the lid is.

$25 at Dick's Sporting Goods

A slender mug with a secure cap with a huge range of color options.

Stanley is known for its supremely useful products, and the brand's Classic Trigger Action Travel Mug lives up to that reputation. This tall mug has a sturdy stainless steel frame and it didn't dent, scratch or chip in our drop test. It also didn't spill during our leak test. It fits in car and bike cup holders. This stainless steel mug has impressive heat and cold retention: It lost only 1 degree of heat after an hour. Our iced coffee was still cold to the touch after 48 hours. The entire bottle-lid and body-can be tossed into the dishwasher. Keep in mind that, like the Contigo West Loop 2.0, you'll need to push a button every time you want to sip from it, a small inconvenience. But if you're searching for an easy-care pick that will keep your hot and cold beverages at the right temperature, this is your mug.

$25 at Amazon

$30 save $5

$25 at Walmart

The Thermos Stainless King Mug is a sturdy, lower-price option that only lost a few degrees in heat after an hour. And it passed our leak test. It isn't perfect, though-the lid is complicated to reassemble after you take it apart to put in the dishwasher, and the large handle isn't compatible with all car cup holders.

$30 at Dick's Sporting Goods

$30 at Yeti

$50 at Amazon

The Yeti Rambler Mug has a lot going for it, including being leakproof, dishwasher-safe and simple to open and close for sipping. It also has impressive heat retention. One issue with this 14-ounce model is it's too big to fit in most cup holders.

$28 at Amazon

$30 save $2

$30 at Walmart

A beautiful option with a ceramic body and bamboo lid, the Soma Ceramic Mug passed our leak test. But it didn't retain heat as well as our top ceramic choice, the Ello Ogden, and it's fragile-more so than the Ogden, which has a protective silicone sleeve. It's also not dishwasher-safe.

I have tried and tested travel mugs for years in my work as a shopping writer. I've also taken coffee on the go for nearly two decades (after picking up the habit in college), and my chef-husband and I have a cabinet full of travel mugs between us. For this article, I interviewed experts including Matt Woodburn-Simmonds, co-founder of Home Coffee Expert; Adam Edmonsond, a coffee specialist at Masters of Coffee; and Scott Rao, a coffee consultant and author of "Everything but Espresso."

Each travel coffee mug was filled with coffee at 180 degrees Fahrenheit, sealed and left on a counter at room temperature. Temperatures were then tested using a kitchen thermometer after an hour. Travel coffee mugs designed for cold drinks, including our Simple Modern winner, were filled halfway with ice cubes and checked after an hour for temperature and ice contents. Temperatures were also tested at a later time to verify company claims. The mugs were put through real-world conditions, including carrying them in a bag; flipping them upside down and shaking them to test for leaks; dropping them from a 3-foot height to check for durability; and fitting them into cup holders. Mugs that are rated dishwasher-safe were put through a wash cycle three times. Elements like grip, design and mouthfeel were also evaluated. Our criteria included:

Korin Miller is a contributor to Buy Side from WSJ.

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