When you’re on the go and in a rush, it’s easy to pick up a cheap coffee and chuck the cup away when you’re done. But while it might be convenient, it’s also two other things – bad for the environment and bad for your wallet - which is why you need one of the best travel mugs around.
For a start, if you choose wisely, they look great, can be used over and over again, are good for the environment and can even save you money. Even if you don’t make your drink at home and take it with you, many coffee shops now offer a discount if you bring your own cup.
Here’s our pick of the best on the market. Don't forget to upvote your favourite.
- Want to make barista-grade coffee at home? Check out our test of the best coffee machines.
Best travel mugs
Available in a number of eye-catching designs, the rCup’s aesthetics are a big selling point.
But it also has some excellent features. It’s the only travel cup actually made from recycled paper cups, which is a good gimmick. It’s also leak proof and dishwasher safe, as well as being able to keep your drink hot or cold, making it great for longer journeys.
The design of this Keep Cup is now ubiquitous. A smart cork lid tops off a simple and elegant glass mug.
It’s tough, too. The glass is tempered, so it’s going to be able to handle being chucked around in your bag. The product has also recently been updated, with a larger drinking hole.
And it fits perfectly in a car cup holder.
If you’re looking for something seriously stylish, this Kinto mug is the one for you. It was designed with aesthetic minimalism in mind. The label’s designers say they want to elevate “even seemingly mundane everyday items” to gorgeous cult status. And it’s worked!
It’s an impressive product beyond this too. Insulation allows you to keep your drinks hot or cold, and it’s fitted with a sealed, leak-proof lid.
And it comes in numerous colours, though we think this understated cream version is the best of the lot.
Our lightbulbs are smart, our heating systems are smart, our phones are smart – and now we can even make sure our mugs are smart.
This mug has all the usual functions of a travel cup – made of stainless steel, leak proof lid, keeps your drinks hot and cold.
But it can also be controlled by an iPhone or Apple Watch, meaning you can set your precise drinking temperature or even track how much caffeine you’re drinking. It has a built-in battery, recharged using a clever coaster. This is our one pick with "active" temperature control.
Another good looking mug, this Zojirushi mug can hold 480ml of liquid – big enough for a good cup of coffee but small enough to fit in your bag. A 600ml version is also available.
A specially designed vacuum means your drink will stay hot or cold for longer, and a combination leakproof and safety locked lid so you won’t end up covered in coffee.
This is another gorgeous looking design. The marble version is particularly nice, we reckon. It’s scratch proof, so the mug won’t get ruined as you use it, and it has all the bells and whistles the other mugs have.
But FOSH is the one to go for if you’re particularly keen on preserving marine life. Its mission statement is to reduce the amount of plastic that ends up in the oceans every year.
Having something you can use on the go is obviously at the heart of buying a travel cup – and if you’re really short on space, the Stojo could be a good option.
Other mugs might be small, but they’re unlikely to be as small as the Stojo. That’s because it collapses into a tiny, leakproof disc – so you can store it wherever you are, no matter how tiny the space.
It also breaks down into even smaller parts, allowing for easier cleaning.
One for real coffee lovers, this BODUM French press mug allows you to have your coffee exactly how you like it every day.
It’s a little bigger than other options – it does have a handle sticking out of it, after all. But it could be particularly handy for those taking a travel mug away on holiday with them – if you’re camping, hiking or going on holiday, then no need to take a bulkier coffee maker.
If you’re a particular fan of Pret, its reusable cup is probably for you.
It’s pretty basic – a lightweight, bamboo fibre cup. It also – and importantly – has a no-drip lid, which is just what you need when you’re having your coffee on the go.
Pret has pledged to reduce its plastic use across the board, so this may be the first in a series of reusable products. No surprise: you'll find it in Pret cafes rather than online
