If you prefer a travel mug with a larger circumference, check out our also great and budget picks. The SM-SCs narrow width also means you cant use an Aeropress, pour-over dripper, or tea steeper with it, and its too tall to fit under a single-cup brewer like a Keurig. Easy to use: A travel mug should be easy to use. While the SM-SC is leakproof, it isnt spill-proof like our runner-up; theres no automatic seal to prevent water from gushing out if you knock the mug over while the lids open. It only comes in a 16-ounce size. To see if mugs would leak when jostled in a bag, I did a shake test. In its eighth hour of freezer testing, the water inside the Transit measured a lukewarm 80 F. Here are the mugs we cant get enough of. In the freezer tests, however, the Transit cooled faster. Plus, it failed to keep beverages as hot as any of our picks in previous tests. Other mugs like the Contigo West Loop (our former runner-up), Avex ReCharge, OXO Good Grips, and Camelbak Forge had a similar button, but I found the Transits horizontal push-button easier to press and hold than other buttons, which required more pressure. You can soak the lid in soapy water as well to thoroughly clean it. The Commuter Bottle leaked during our shake tests, and the latching device that secures the lid broke during our drop tests. It has also traveled in many crowded bags, backpacks, and purses without any leaks. If you commute, work or travel outside, or simply want to savor drinks for longer, a travel mug is for you. I put the plastic bag in a backpack, and then, channeling my high-school Jazzercise days, pumped some tunes and did 30 jumping jacks, ran around for 30 seconds, and then shook the bag by hand for 30 seconds (I would not recommend doing this after eating breakfast, should you conduct your own mug testing). Heres a breakdown: The Tiger MMJ-A048 mug looks and feels similar to the Zojirushi mugs, and we wanted to see how they compared in our tests. The Transit held up fairly well during our drop tests, but scuffed on its plastic lid and rubberized bottom. So what about tumblers, thermoses, and insulated water bottles, all close cousins to the travel mug? Then I filled all mugs to capacity with water, went to my apartments parking lot, and dropped each mug three times from a height of 4 feet. It doesnt retain heat as well as the Zojirushi, but some may find the flat lid easier to drink from and clean. You can completely disassemble the plastic lid to clean out any smells or gunk that might get lodged in hard-to-reach places, although the small plastic parts can be difficult to get on and off the lid. Its also the best material for vacuum insulation (and therefore heat retention). At 7.2 inches tall, it will likely fit under a single-serve coffee maker, but you should measure to make sure this mug will work with your machine.

But it does mean you cant accidentally spill anything, since the mug closes automatically. We opted to test mugs with a 16-ounce capacity, which was the median size for most mugs we considered (one exception that we tested only came in an 18-ounce size). Based on a reader comment, we called in the now-discontinued Avex ReCharge AutoSeal Tumblerbut found it difficult to use due to a tiny metal bar that locks and unlocks the mug for drinking. But if you prefer a different Zojirushi, we think theyre all fine choices; we also break down whats different about all of Zojirushis mugs in our competition section. Although the Transit doesnt keep drinks nearly as hot as the Zojirushi over a long period of time, some people might prefer this (weve heard complaints of the Zojirushi keeping drinks too hot in the past). The Transit will keep drinks warm for hours, but not as hot as the Zojirushi. Zojirushi has released a new mug, the Zojirushi SM-TA. Dishwashers can also scratch or wear away a mugs finish. The Contigo Autoseal West Loop Travel Mug was our previous runner-up, and it has a tab similar to the Contigo Byron that you press to open the sipping port. Handles add additional heft and weight to a bag or backpack, and may also prevent a mug from fitting into a cup holder.

Tumblers have sipping ports that dont seal as tightly or securely as travel mugs and have wider mouths so you can add ice cubes; many also have straws for sipping cold beverages. The Contigo Autoseal Transit Mug is a very different mug from the Zojirushi SM-SC, but it offers several features we like. The lid has fewer parts, is easier to clean, and prevents spills with its Autoseal button, which you have to hold down to keep the sipping port open. Then we ventured to Target to see how some of the mugs actually felt in our hands. Cooks Illustrated(subscription required) has a review from 2014 that we considered, as does Outside Online. Over the past four years, weve spent 60 hours researching travel mugs to keep this guide current. The Byron is compatible with pour-over drippers, the medium size of our tea steeper pick and Aeropresses. And lets not forget that these things need cleaning every once in awhile. After 8 hours in the freezer, the water inside the SM-SC was 142Fa decrease of 58 degrees.

Finally, at around $25 for the 16-ounce size, the SM-SC is on the higher end of the price range for a travel mug. The identical SM-SD comes in matte gold, red, stainless steel, and blue. We eliminated mugs with poor reviews that complained of leaking, paint chipping, or dents. We independently review everything we recommend. At room temperature, water in the Byron was 172 F after 1 hour and 115 F after 8. But it can be confusing to determine whether the button is in the up or down position just by looking at it, so you may find yourself pressing it multiple times to figure out whether its open or closed. If your mug comes with silicone seals, like the ones on our Zojirushi pick, youll likely notice that over time theyll take on the smells of what you drink from your mug. It will keep drinks warm for hours at room temperature, although not as piping hot as our top pick (it did just as well as the Transit in our heat tests). I eliminated any mugs that broke or leaked upon impact. The SM-SC also has an attractive design thats minimalist yet eye-catching in its simplicity. But its expensive: $40 at the time of writing, with a newer version that costs $280 (wow). We prefer lighter mugs because theyre easier to carry, and we looked for mugs that would fit in cup holders while still being easy enough to hold in one hand. Next, I investigated how well each travel mug could maintain the heat of the liquid inside. Although the Contigo SnapSeal Byron Mug isnt as hardy or leakproof as our top pick, its a wide, easy-to-hold mug that will work fine if you use it more gently. When youre hand-washing your mug, most of the time dish soap and water will do the trick. We also looked at reviews from Your Best Digs and Good Housekeeping, and read through hundreds of comments on our existing mug, water bottle, and tumbler reviews. For this update, I (Anna Perling) spent 10 hours researching and comparing mugs from 12 different brands and four major retailers, and 18 hours testing 13 finalists against our top picks. The Zojirushi SM-SC (or SM-SD or SM-SA in certain colors) offers amazing heat retention, one-handed usability, and a locking, leakproof lid. First, theyre unnecessary: With a vacuum-insulated mug, you dont need to worry about burning your hand on the mugs body. We previously tested the Thermos Vacuum Insulated Travel Mug (with tea hook). The Transit may fit more securely in car cup holders since its wider than the SM-SA. A travel mug offers green solutions to both problems. The Byron only has one sealing mechanisma tab that you push to open the sipping portwhich is easy to use, but doesnt lock closed like the lids on our other picks. The SM-SC is durable. Zojirushi released an updated version of its classic travel mug, the Zojirushi SM-TA, that comes in 12-, 16-, and 20-ounce sizes and multiple colors. We like that its simple to use (one pop-top button lets you sip from the mug) and is easy to clean. We also saw some Amazon reviewers noting that the mug dented, and the grippy rubber middle was slightly off-kilter, but the Byron still has high ratings overall. TheKlean Kanteen Insulated Wide was our top insulated water bottle pick for most of 2016 and early 2017, and was a runner-up in this guide. I tried putting a pour-over dripper and an Aeropress on each mug, and measured each opening to see whether our favorite tea steeper would fit. Although the also-identical SM-SA has been discontinued, you can still find some online; the SM-SA came in black, cinnamon gold, red, and pearl pink. It comes inslate gray, turquoise, and coral. I found that the lid itself, however, is more difficult to screw on and off than the lid on the Transit, but this is a minor issue. In addition to being portable, travel mugs also retain hot or cold temperatures for several hours so you can enjoy your coffee, tea, or cocoa over time. When you look at various other guides that have been written on the subject, including an extensive heat-retention test performed by Tested, the mugs that rise to the top are always double-walled, vacuum-insulated, and stainless steel. After reading Your Best Digss review on travel mugs, which named the now-discontinued Camelbak Forge as their winner, we retested this mug. We found that the best bottle-cleaning set out there is theOXO Good Grips Water Bottle Cleaning Set. When designing tests for this update, I considered the everyday wear and tear that a travel mug might go through in a variety of real-world scenarios: on bike commutes, cars, trains, fishing boats, and beyond. Although it held up well in our leak and drop tests, it only has one leak-proofing mechanism, unlike our picks. We considered testing the Joeveo Temperfect mug, which purportedly uses a special insulating material to capture excess heat energy and then release it over time, keeping your beverage at an optimal drinking temperature. Its easy enough to clean the SM-SC using some soap and occasionally a bottle brush when necessary. With the Transit, youll need to hold down a button to keep the sipping port open and drink from the mugs. The Transit is a little wider than the SM-SC, good if you want your mug to fit more snugly in a car cup holder or use devices like an Aeropress, pour-over dripper, or tea steeper directly with the mug, but this means its heavier and bulkier, too. Plus, the flat lid wont bump your nose or get in your line of sight while youre drinking like the Zojirushis flip-top lid can. In our latest round of testing, the Zojirushi kept liquids significantly hotter than any other mug we tried, even after 8 hours in the harsh environment of a freezerand thats important if you want to enjoy your drink for longer. Coffee roaster and licensed coffee grader Michael Ryan told us: Coffee that is kept hot is still subject to a breakdown in flavor.

bubba tootoolbay After reading through this guide, we are still confident in our picks. Its a 16-ounce tumbler-style travel mug with a flip-up lid and an electro-polished interior. Another small complaint is that this mug is a bit skinnier than your typical travel mug, which means it may not fit snugly in a car cup holder or bike water-bottle cage. Bodum makes a combination French press and travel mug that sounds appealing: You can literally brew your coffee inside the mug as you take it with you. Compared to paper or styrofoam to-go cups or open ceramic mugs, a good travel mug will offer better insulation and also safeguard against leaks or spills. Our pick has a non-stick, Teflon inner coating, so its a breeze to rinse out. Regardless of the mug design, you may need a few sizes of bottle brushes to clean in and around the lid mechanism, the spout, and deep into the vacuum bottle itself. Zojirushis stainless steel mugs have continued to dominate the competition in our heat-retention tests. Well consider the SM-TA for a future update, but it seems to differ from the SM-SC only in exterior design. Thats likely because some people think that stainless steel affects the taste of beverages, but theres no scientific evidence to prove this phenomenon. This Thermos mug also has a push-button interface: You press the button on top when you want to drink and press again to seal it when youre done. The lid shouldnt completely block your vision while driving, or hit your nose when drinking, and it should be easy to disassemble for cleaning. If you want a mug that will fit more snugly in a cup holder and is easier to clean, get the Contigo Autoseal Transit Mug. I spoke to two engineers about mug design, Dr. Hongbin (Bill) Ma, director of the Center of Thermal Management at the University of Missouri and owner of ThermAvant Technologies, and Dr. Michael Dickey, a professor of chemical and environmental engineering at North Carolina State University. asobu insulated mug ultimate vacuum 360ml Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. This auto-sealing mechanism prevents spills if you knock over your mug. The other Zojirushi mugs we tested, the SM-KHE (the older version of this mug) and the SM-LA (a wide-mouthed option with a screw-off lid) kept liquids just as warm as the SM-SC over the course of 8 hours in the freezer. Compared with our Zojirushi pick, the SM-TA has similar temperature retention and the same great locking lid but costs more and has a few different design features, such as a smaller lid with a rounder opening. You should check a mugs manual to see if it is dishwasher-safe. The SM-SC has sturdy, leakproof seals and a simple locking mechanism that we trust to keep our belongings dry. Although we didnt place much emphasis on keeping cold liquids cold for this guidecheck out ourwater bottle guide for whats best in that regardwe have historically found that the Zojirushi SM-SC retains cold better than all of the other mugs in our testing lineup. Thats 51 degrees colder than the water in the Zojirushi after 8 hours. We tested the Timolino Icon Vacuum Travel Tumbler (PCT-46KM)in 2015. It did develop a few scuffs after our drop tests, but not any more than the other mugs we tried (some of which dented, chipped, and scuffed far worse). I tested mugs for leaks, dropped them, measured how long they could keep drinks warm in a cold environment. The Amazon page for the mug liststhe SM-SC, SM-SD, and SM-SA versions side by side. It maintains heat at a drinkable level for only a handful of hours (four or less), and the drinking lid cant lock, so its at risk of flipping open, potentially spilling everywherea fact that the companys own website points out. Originally this bottle had a caf-style lid that tended to leak, disqualifying it as a travel thermos. Most reported 6-7.5 inches of clearance after removing a bottom platform. Previously she wrote food and lifestyle pieces for Saveur and Kinfolk magazines. Stainless steel: Most travel mugs are made from either glass, ceramic, plastic, or stainless steel. This mug comes in 12-, 16-, and 20-ounce sizes (the SM-SC36, SM-SC48, and SM-SC60 respectively). After spending close to 78 hours on research and testing and considering more than 98 travel mugs over four years, we have no doubt that this is the best travel mug you can get. Although cleaning in the dishwasher is not advisable, and Zojirushi specifies hand-washing (see the Care and maintenance section below), this mug has survived several accidental trips through the dishwasher without any noticeable decrease in performance (though the external paint has occasionally flaked as a result). We think the Autoseal is easier to use than our previous runner-up, the Contigo West Loop, and like that it has an added barrier over the sipping port to keep out dirt and help prevent leaking. *At the time of publishing, the price was $30. Some other reviewers mention that the lid has hard-to-reach nooks and crannies, but it has fewer pieces than the Zojirushi, and is overall easier to take apart. The Byron also didnt keep drinks nearly as hot as the Zojirushi SM-SC. I disqualified any mug with a green stain on the paper towel underneath in the morning. We retested the Thermos Commuter Bottle based on good user reviews, but still found its secondary locking mechanism, a metal loop fitting over the front of the lid, to be finicky to use. The push-button interface is slightly harder to operate than just flicking the switch on the Zojirushi, and may be frustrating to some who dont want to have to push before taking every sip. Anna is a mentor at Girls Write Now and a member of the Online News Association.

But it was unable to keep beverages as hot as our main pick did, and we saw multiple complaints about the button failing. Occasionally, travel mugs come with a stainless steel exterior and a ceramic or glass interior. Our top picks, on the other hand, have two lines of defense against water coming out and anything else getting in: the Zojirushi has a lid that closes over the sipping port and locks, and the Transit has a cover that slides over the sipping port and an automatic seal to prevent spills. Leakproof and spillproof: When you put a mug into a bag or cup holder, its lid shouldnt leak. The MMJ has a similar pop-top lid and locking mechanism to our pick, but its more difficult to take apart to clean. The best mugs have two sealing mechanisms: the first covers the sipping port and the second locks the lid into place to prevent it from being jostled open. The Byrons lid is one of the easiest to clean from the mugs we tested, because its only one piece. Contigos SnapSeal Byron Travel Mug is a basic mug that passed our leak tests, is easy to drink from and clean, and is wide enough to fit snugly in car cup holders. Dr. Hongbin Bill Ma, director,, Center of Thermal Management at the University of Missouri, phone interview, September 22, 2017, Dr. Michael Dickey,, professor of chemical engineering at North Carolina State University, phone interview, September 26, 2017, Rachel Sandstrom Morrison, digital editor of Fresh Cup Magazine, email interview, September 28, 2017, Michael Ryan, Director of Coffee and Licensed Q Grader, Dapper & Wise Roasters, email interview, September 28, 2017, Amy Barnum, Zojirushi, phone interview, September 25, 2017.