My Picks For Best Coffee Mugs Are For Coffee Lovers Only

The best coffee mugs make a big difference in how you enjoy your coffee. 

Savor your perfect pour-over brew from precision-crafted glassware. Enjoy your joe on the go with an insulated travel mug. Or pour decorative latte art in a specialty cup just for espresso-drinks.

This guide features seven of my favorite coffee mugs this year, with something for every style of coffee lover. Keep reading to learn why I love these mugs and which one is the right choice for you.

The Expert’s 7 Best Mugs For Coffee In 2024

Image	Product	Details
BEST OVERALL BEST OVERALL	KeepCup Reusable Cups	6 oz, 8 oz, 12 oz, 16 oz sizes Glass Only those with silicone bands are dishwasher-safe
BEST SMART MUG BEST SMART MUG	Ember Mug 2	10 oz, 14 oz sizes Ceramic-coated stainless steel Not dishwasher-safe
BEST TRAVEL COFFEE MUG BEST TRAVEL COFFEE MUG	Contigo West Loop Travel Mug	16 oz, 20 oz, 24 oz sizes Vacuum-insulated stainless steel Not dishwasher-safe
BEST GLASS COFFEE MUG BEST GLASS COFFEE MUG	Kruve Excite & Inspire	5 oz size Double-wall borosilicate glass Dishwasher-safe
BEST FOR CAMPING BEST FOR CAMPING	Stanley Classic Trigger-Action Mug	16 oz, 20 oz sizes Vacuum-insulated stainless steel Dishwasher-safe
BEST FOR ESPRESSO DRINKS BEST FOR ESPRESSO DRINKS	Fellow Monty Milk Art Cups	3 oz, 4.5 oz, 6.5 oz, 11 oz sizes Double-wall ceramic Dishwasher-safe
BUDGET PICK BUDGET PICK	Le Creuset Stoneware Mugs	3 oz, 7 oz, 12 oz, 14 oz sizes Glazed stoneware Dishwasher-safe

This list has options for everyone, whether you’re looking for the best travel mug, the perfect cup for your cappuccino, or a smart mug to keep your coffee hot for hours. If you’re anything like me, you’ll probably want one of each!

Best Overall

2. KeepCup Reusable Cups

• Available sizes: 6 oz, 8 oz, 12 oz, 16 oz

• Material: Glass
• Dishwasher-safe: Only those with silicone bands
• Lid included: Yes

The KeepCup is envisioned as a replacement for the paper and styrofoam to-go cups currently filling our landfills (1).

It’s doing its job beautifully, mimicking the classic to-go cup design but improving it in every way – not just environmental friendliness.

KeepCups are made from single-wall tempered glass. They retain heat much better than standard paper takeaway cups, though not as well as double-wall insulated or ceramic mugs. Likewise, the lid isn’t 100% leak-proof like the Contigo, but the stopper makes a spill less likely than those flimsy plastic to-go lids. Each is equipped with a heat-resistant cork or silicone band.

Designed to be barista-friendly, the KeepCup comes in four sizes matched to standard coffee shop sizes, from 6 to 16 ounces. Unfortunately, you’re out of luck if you prefer the oversized Starbucks Venti and Trenta. Every size is designed to fit most espresso machines, so this mug is also ideal for Americanos or lattes.

In keeping with its environmental ethos, the KeepCup is modular. You can replace damaged parts individually without buying a whole new mug.

Best Smart Mug

I admit that I scoffed when the Ember Mug was first released. Who would pay over $100 for a coffee mug? Then I tried it. Sure, no one needs an app-enabled self-heating mug, but it is a wonderful treat. I highly recommend the Ember as a gift for any coffee lover!

The Ember Mug 2 offers a few upgrades from the original, most notably the improved battery life. It keeps your coffee hot for about 80 to 90 minutes – or all day if it’s resting on its charging coaster.

The temperature can be set in the range of 120 – 145 F using the app, or it defaults to 135 F if you’d prefer not to use the app. The gentle heating is built into the mug body rather than focused at the bottom like a hot plate. So your coffee never develops a burnt flavor; every sip is equally delicious, from start to finish.

I think the Ember Mug really shines with frothy milk drinks like cappuccinos because keeping a cappuccino warm in a travel mug with a lid totally ruins the textural experience of the foam. I like using mine to enjoy a morning capp on my balcony on a crisp fall day, when the air temperature would cool it too fast.

Best Travel Coffee Mug

My Contigo West Loop mug is my go-to anytime I leave the house with coffee. I used to have the Contigo Byron, but the West Loops blows it out of the water! 

You press the button to drink, and as soon as you release it, the lid is fully leak-proof. Plus, you can lock it so there’s no chance of accidentally pressing the button if you toss the mug in your bag.

It’s easy to operate one-handed – I’ve used it while bike commuting – and comfortable to hold. In my experience, the double-wall stainless steel insulation keeps coffee hot for about 4 hours. Cold drinks stay cool far longer, up to 12 hours if you pack it full of ice.

This is the perfect mug if you want to express your style and personality. It’s available in about a dozen colors, and new options and limited-edition versions rotate regularly.

The West Loop comes in three sizes. While I prefer the smallest 16-ounce model, the bigger versions are some of the best large coffee mugs I’ve encountered – the perfect size if you like to brew a half-pot in the morning and take it to sip all day.

Best Glass Coffee Mug

4. Kruve Excite & Inspire

• Available sizes: 5 oz

• Material: Double-wall borosilicate glass
• Dishwasher-safe: Yes
• Lid included: No

I don’t pull out my Kruve glassware for just any cup of joe. But these are the only cups I trust with a painstakingly prepared pour-over brewed with expensive specialty beans. 

The Excite & Inspire set includes one each of the Excite and Inspire glasses. Alternatively, you can buy a matching pair of either, but I think the mixed pack is way more interesting. 

The different rims and surface areas affect the coffee’s oxidation rate and how aromatics are funneled to your nose, yielding two very different drinking experiences. It’s eye-opening to brew 10 ounces of coffee, pour half into each glass, and taste the difference.

Kruve glasses use a double-wall design that tapers to a single wall at the lip. I love this! It combines the comfortable drinking experience of a single-wall glass with the heat retention of double-wall insulation.

For espresso fans, the same concept is also available for small servings. Check out the 2.5-ounce Kruve Propel glasses. Or if you’re interested in seeing more variety, check our our review of the best glass coffee mugs.

Best for Camping

I love my Contigo West Loop for daily commuting, but for more vigorous or long-duration travel, I always turn to the Stanley Classic stainless steel travel mug. Like all Stanley gear, it’s incredibly durable – even backed by a lifetime warranty!  – and its heat retention is second to none.

In my experience, if you preheat this mug with boiling water before adding coffee, it’ll keep your brew hot for up to 8 hours. Without preheating, it’s closer to 6 hours. Cold drinks will stay cold for a full day.

Like the West Loop, the trigger-action lid can be operated one-handed, perfect for drinking on the go. Despite its rugged build, it’s surprisingly lightweight, at just 0.8 pounds, so it won’t weigh you down on a hike.

I like that removing the lid leaves you with a wide-mouth tumbler. This often-overlooked feature makes it easy to add ice cubes for iced coffee – and easy to hand-wash if you’re out camping.

While you’re here, check out our review of the Ember 2 mug.

Best For Espresso Drinks

6. Fellow Monty Milk Art Cups

• Available sizes: 3 oz, 4.5 oz, 6.5 oz, 11 oz

• Material: Double-wall ceramic
• Dishwasher-safe: Yes
• Lid included: No

Pouring latte art is hard, so I’ll take all the help I can get. Enter the Fellow Monty Milk Art Cups. The interior curvature is engineered to funnel milk under the crema, providing a perfect canvas for decorative designs.

The first thing you’ll notice about these mugs is their refined look, a hallmark of all Fellow gear. These trendy coffee mugs come in two color options: matte white with a copper base (my favorite) and matte black with a polished black base. The mugs are sold individually, but the base design makes them stackable if you opt for a set.

The Monty Cups come in four sizes, chosen specifically to correlate with the most popular espresso-based drinks – a 3-oz demitasse for espresso and macchiato, a 4.5-oz cortado cup, a 6.5-oz mug for cappuccino or flat white, and an 11-oz latte cup.

I really have nothing negative to say about these mugs, besides their relatively high price tag. If I had to find a quibble, it would be that I like my cappuccino cups to come with saucers to catch the inevitable foam overflow.

Budget Pick

7. Le Creuset Stoneware Mugs

• Available sizes: 3 oz, 7 oz, 12 oz, 14 oz

• Material: Glazed stoneware
• Dishwasher-safe: No
• Lid included: No

Le Creuset may be most famous for its colorful enameled cast-iron Dutch ovens, but the iconic French brand has an extensive range of equally high-end dinnerware sets, all available in Le Creuset’s signature colors.

Sure, if you’re on a tight budget, you can buy a set of plain ceramic diner mugs for less money.  But this set from Le Creuset is the cheapest on our list, and I would argue it’s a worthwhile upgrade from basic white porcelain mugs. 

The most affordable option is to buy a set of six – I love the rainbow set – but even if you choose to mix and match individual cups, you’ll still get a great deal in the long run because the best stoneware coffee mugs are so durable. 

These stoneware cups have excellent resistance to thermal shock, and the tough enamel glaze doesn’t scratch or develop stains with heavy use. They aren’t dishwasher safe, but the non-stick glaze is super easy to clean. If I’m just drinking black coffee, I usually only rinse my mug in hot water.

A Few Pieces Of Advice On Choosing The Best Cup For Coffee

My all-time favorite mug is a lovely ceramic piece made by a friend who took up pottery as a hobby, and I definitely encourage you to support local artisans in your area. For dedicated coffee drinkers like you and me, a coffee mug is more than just a piece of glassware. It’s an intimate part of a special morning ritual.

But different occasions warrant different mugs. Just because a mug is my favorite doesn’t make it the best coffee cup for a latte or my morning commute. So let’s talk about different types of coffee mugs and how to find the best one to meet your needs.

Do you drink coffee at home or on the go?

This is the most important question to ask yourself when choosing a coffee mug. For most of us, the answer is both, and it’s well worth having separate mugs for both purposes.

If you’re taking your coffee to go, your mug should at least have a spill-proof lid. If your version of to-go means tossing your coffee in a backpack and hitting a trail, then a leakproof seal is crucial. And if you plan to sip and savor that coffee all day, look for a stainless steel double-wall insulated mug, which will keep your coffee warm and survive any bumps and bangs while you’re out and about.

On the other hand, drinking coffee at home is more of a ritual. For the best coffee mug for home, prioritize something that pleases your eye, feels nice to hold, and is comfortable on your lip when drinking. 

What material is best for coffee mugs?

The main consideration when selecting a mug material is heat retention, though depending on your needs, you may also want to factor in durability, aesthetics, price, and whether it is compatible with a dishwasher or microwave (2).

While I definitely don’t recommend microwaving your coffee, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consider a microwave-safe mug for enjoying other hot beverages like tea or hot chocolate.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the popular mug materials:

• The best ceramic coffee mugs, including porcelain and stoneware, are practical, affordable, and retain heat well. They are easy to find in a wide variety of colors, shapes, and sizes.
• Glass mugs have a nice visual appeal and let you see the drink within. Single-layer glass has relatively poor heat retention compared to ceramic, but double-walled glass mugs are excellent insulators. Glass mugs can be expensive and fragile.
• Stainless steel is a popular material for travel mugs because it is virtually indestructible, though it can be pricey. All stainless steel mugs are double-wall vacuum insulated, which will keep a hot drink warm for hours.

Does coffee taste better in certain mugs?

Yes! Believe it or not, there are numerous ways a coffee mug impacts coffee flavor – or your perception of that flavor.

Most decent mugs won’t add any unwanted flavors to your cup of coffee. Glass and ceramic are totally inert. Some evidence suggests that the acids in coffee will eventually break down steel mugs, producing a safe but noticeable metallic taste. I have never experienced this, so I suspect it takes a lot of coffee over a long time. Plastic mugs are the worst culprits for adding nasty tastes to your brew, which is why I haven’t recommended any.

Material isn’t the only factor, however. The shape, color, and pattern of your mug also play a role, according to experts (3). Even funny coffee mugs with silly or uplifting slogans have been shown to influence our coffee-drinking experience.

A fascinating 2014 scientific study showed that the color contrast between coffee and mug can influence how you perceive flavor (4). Other studies have shown that we associate certain colors with flavor notes – coffee in a green mug seems more acidic, coffee in a pink mug tastes sweeter.

The Verdict

All of these mugs are great, and I regularly use each one in different contexts. But if you can only choose one, the Contigo West Loop stands out as a flexible and practical choice. Its comfortable design, vacuum insulation, and innovative Autoseal lid make it a perfect travel companion and an excellent all-rounder.