Your Buying Guide to Travel Mugs

If you are mobile or always on the go, then, you would like to take your drink--be it coffee, juice, tea or any kind of beverage--with you as you travel to and from the office, client or even when you are doing errands.  This way, you don't want to have to stop at a coffee shop or restaurant to buy a drink, which is expensive and not echo-friendly. 

And s, we're going to discuss the different types of travel mugs, what other buyers are saying, what to look out for as well as some of the most popular brands.

Types of Travel Mugs

Custom stainless steel travel mugs: Stainless steel is today's most popular choice of materials for travel mugs.  It has a number of advantages that make it an ideal material for mugs.  It is very easy to clean and highly resistant to stains and to absorbing tastes and odors.  It is unbreakable and extremely durable with a high strength-to-weight ratio.  It is also resistant to corrosion.  Stainless steel mugs may potentially last for years.  Stainless steel is also an excellent surface for imprinting on, with colours that are truer and fade and peel-resistant.

Ceramic travel mugs: Ceramic is what most people think of with a traditional coffee mug.  Like stainless steel, ceramic is easy to clean, though not as stain resistant.  It is also conducive to heat retention, so drinks stay hotter longer. Ceramic looks sleek and sharp and is relatively inexpensive.  Ceramic mugs can often be washed in the dishwasher, a trait that may be important to some users.

Plastic travel mugs: Plastic is fairly inexpensive and so it is a popular material for travel mugs.  Plastic is more durable than ceramic, and though not as durable as stainless steel, it is resistant to breaking, denting and cracking and so has the potential to last for years. 

Double-walled travel mugs: Many of the custom travel mugs are double or dual-walled.  This means that they are constructed with two layers of material with a cushion of air or foam in between.  Both layers may be constructed of the same material, or they may be made with different materials.  Stainless steel outer walls and plastic inner walls are one common dual-wall mug style.  The cushion between the outer and inner wall serves two main purposes.  It acts as an extra barrier which helps to further insulate the mug and keep the beverage inside hotter (or colder) for a longer period of time.  It also keeps the outside cooler to the touch, preventing burns to the skin.

What Other Buyers Are Saying

When you buy a travel mug, consider the material that makes up the product.  if you want your drink to be hot or cold for a long period of time, for example, choose a double-walled travel mug.  However, if you are on a budget, choose a plastic travel mug that you can take while outside of your home.

Aside from the material, read through buyers' reviews and get a feel of what they thought when they bought the travel mug.  Some examples of reviews are:

My new morning commute cup, fill it with my coffee on the morning and I'm set for my journey to work. Fits inside my drinks holder and doesn't rattle or move around. No leaks and a really handy handle means I don’t have to touch the actual mug and chance burning my hands. The handle stays cool and the drink stays hot for a long time. Works as a travel mug perfectly.

Looks good however I don't like the fact it does not close properly . The top , when you slide the " open " to open it's fine . When you close and turn it ,coffee is leaking .not very practical to have it in my handbag as this is meant to carry my morning coffee.

I bought this mug for travelling to work, it keeps my coffee hot for around 1 hour, which it's perfect for what I need it for.
The only bad thing that I didn't know before I ordered was that it is not leak proof so can not be put in a bag or knocked around as it will leek out of the top pretty easy.
I recommend this product if it's going to be used in similar circumstances as mine, but it's going to be in a bag or even a car on a bumpy road, then I suggest a different version that doesn't leak.

What to Look Out for

If you like to take your coffee or any drink with you outside of your home, be sure to buy a travel mug as this makes it easy to drink.  Consider the material used to make the mug, the price as well as the quality as it should last for a long time.  Also, consider what you are going to put in your mug.  If you have a hot drink, buy a double-walled travel mug.  On the other hand, if you want a mug that's easy to clean and can preserve the hotness of the drink, go for a ceramic travel mug.

Most Popular Brands

Thermos - is a popular brand in the UK that manufactures double walled travel mugs, which is made of stainless steel exterior with easy to clean plastic liner.  It's spill-resistant and can fit most vehicle cup holders.

Science in Sport - is a brand that manufactures sport drinks bottle that can contain powdered drinks.  It can contain up to 800 ml of liquid.