The trick to finding out the best coffee mug for you is to understand what type of coffee drinker you are. Perhaps you enjoy a large coffee in the morning or even an expresso shot with a dash of milk. It might be that you prefer to sip your coffee on the train or enjoy being able to see the different layers of coffee through glass. It&#;s all down to personal preference, and you&#;re not limited to just one style.
Most people have a morning routine. For many, it&#;s reaching out for your favourite coffee mug and pouring yourself a much-needed caffeine kick to help start the day. Others might prefer coffee combined with an afternoon catch-up with friends or even on the go as they start their daily commute. Whatever your preference, we&#;re looking at how to choose the best coffee mugs for you.
Stoneware mugs are great for those that love to cup their hands around a mug. They are much thicker in design than a standard ceramic mug and are less likely to scold as they distribute heat evenly. The thickness of stoneware mugs means they can keep coffee hotter for longer, making them excellent for those that love to sip their coffee slowly. These large mugs are perfect for using for lattes, cappuccinos, americanos and filter coffees.
Stoneware mugs have a unique appearance; they boast charm and character with a natural and rustic feel compared to ceramic, making them a great gifting option for someone who loves an earthy country aesthetic. Stoneware is also fairly durable and less likely to chip, so excellent if you're prone to dropping or breaking mugs often. Stoneware also makes a great mug for vegetarians and vegans.
At Sophie Allport, our stoneware mugs are made from clay and are fired at a very high temperature, with no toxic elements used in the manufacturing process. They also have a hand-stamped finish for a unique feel.
There are many benefits of drinking from a fine bone china mug. A fine bone china mug is all about the experience, with the thinness of the rim allowing for maximum exposure of taste, making them perfect for those that appreciate and enjoy the taste of coffee. Fine bone china is also known for keeping your drink hotter for longer, so pop the kettle on a make your drink as soon as you get up and you can enjoy it whilst you get ready for the day ahead. The clean aesthetic of a fine bone china mug also makes them ideal for those that enjoy inviting friends over for coffee and cake in the afternoon and catching up.
With two sizes available at Sophie Allport, our standard size mug measures 8.3cm high and has a capacity of 275ml making it ideal for a small cup of coffee or even a double espresso. Our large size mug measures 9cm high and has a capacity of 425ml making it perfect for those that love a larger wholesome drink. With plenty of different patterned mugs to choose from, we have a selection for everyone, including dog lovers, gardeners, bakers, and country enthusiasts, as well as a selection of nature, insect, and animal prints. Our fine bone china mugs even come in a smart presentation box, making them ideal for gifting.
Fine bone china is made with a percentage of bone ash from animals. It's fired at a slightly lower temperature than porcelain which helps to create the light, thin and delicate material that it&#;s renowned for. All of our fine bone china is made in China and then hand decorated in Stoke on Trent in the UK.
Travel Mugs are ideal for those who are usually on the go, whether that&#;s a long commute into the office or you might be busy running errands and travelling around. Most people probably don&#;t realise how much they would benefit from a travel mug, and they should invest in one. Have you ever gone to leave the house and you&#;ve realised you haven&#;t finished your coffee yet? Probably. Do you ever have a takeaway coffee? If so, a travel mug is perfect for you and makes a more sustainable option and can be reused.
Our Sophie Allport travel mugs are heat-resistant and have a silicone band to further protect your hands from the hot contents. They hold 350ml so are perfect for those that enjoy a mid to large size cup of coffee and best of all they are dishwasher safe.
All of our travel mugs are made from natural materials, including bamboo, corn starch and food-grade melamine. They are made by grinding bamboo into a powder and then mixing it with the binding agents.
A double-walled glass mug offers a contemporary touch to your drink and is perfect for those that like to layer milk between their coffee, you&#;ll be able to see all the different elements. The design of the vacuum space between the double-walled glass allows you to keep drinks at the perfect temperature without getting your fingers burnt or a build-up of condensation outside the glass. A double-walled glass mug is also ideal for those who love iced coffee. The vacuum space works both ways keeping your hot beverages warmer for longer and your cold drinks cooler for longer, making them an excellent choice all year round.
Our Sophie Allport double walled glass mugs have a capacity of 300ml, again making them perfect for those that enjoy a standard-sized drink. They are ideal for creating a modern aesthetic and using when guests visit.
At Sophie Allport, our glass mugs are made from 100% glass and have a decal around the outer rim which is hand applied.
A teacup tends to be much smaller than a mug, they usually have a handle and come with a saucer, this makes them better suited to drinking with tea when using a teapot, as you can top up your cup when needed. As mentioned previously your perfect mug is always down to personal preference, so if you like a smaller cup of coffee then a teacup could be the right choice for you. Mugs on the other hand tend to be generally much bigger than cups and they don&#;t always have to have handles like our glass mugs and travel mugs.
We&#;d love to know your preferred mug or perhaps you have a favourite Sophie Allport mug? Let us know in the comments below.
Coffee mug preferences are very personal. Style, sentimental value, and routine all play a part in selecting a favorite. At the same time, coffee is a complex sensory experience: There are more than 800 identified flavor and aroma compounds in brewed coffee, and the vessel we drink from can have an impact on how these are conveyed. The thinness of the lip, material, size, and shape can all affect our sensory perception of coffee, but we also want a mug that is comfortable to hold and looks stylish&#;one that makes every cup of coffee stand out.
&#;Fresh-roasted, well-brewed coffee requires so many steps to go right, and the final piece is the vessel you&#;re enjoying it in. If you haven&#;t thoughtfully chosen your mug, it can turn something that is thoughtfully prepared into a sub-par experience,&#; says Xavier Alexander, owner of the Chicago café and roastery Metric Coffee.
This means it might be time to ditch your old, oversized mug. Giant mugs keep coffee too hot due to their large thermal mass when full, but as soon as the volume drops below the halfway mark, the coffee cools off too quickly and becomes sour (coffee tastes best around 130ºF when your palate can detect more subtlety and sweetness). We spoke to roasters, baristas, and other coffee experts to build a list of the best, reasonably-sized (6- to 14-ounce) coffee mugs that will improve the flavor of your coffee while remaining stylish, comfortable, and easy to drink from.
The Criteria: What to Look for in a Coffee Mug
Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
Here's what, we think, can impact the sensory experience and comfort of a coffee mug:
Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
The Best Updated Classic Coffee Mugs
&#;I like a square handle because it gives me better control,&#; Ricci says. Also Alexander&#;s pick for the mug with the best handle, this update on the traditional diner version lets you wrap three fingers around it, resting them on the flat inner edge so you can navigate through sipping without wobbles or slippage.
Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
Working with baristas at Intelligentsia Coffee, notNeutral designed their Lino series with specialty coffee in mind. With a flat handle for your thumb to rest on, a thick base that keeps coffee hot, and a thin lip that&#;s easy to sip from, it&#;s a stylish update to the classic diner mug&#;and it comes in a variety of colors. You may also notice that your favorite local coffee shop has its own version of the Lino mug&#;notNeutral produces custom designs wholesale, so keep your eye out for fun patterns and colors.
PHOTO: Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
PHOTO: Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
These straight-sided mugs from Manual are easy to drink from, and their exaggerated handles add modern flair to their vintage amber glass design. Glass allows coffee to cool more quickly than ceramic, so these mugs are perfect for impatient sippers with a sense of style.
Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
The Ember mug has a built-in heater that keeps coffee hot for 80 minutes and allows you to set the temperature between 120 and 145ºF. Keeping the coffee warm prevents organic acids from breaking down into bitter and sour flavors that you normally find in room-temperature brews. While we preferred the travel option in our tests of temperature-control mugs, we also like the handled mug version for drinking at home.
PHOTO: Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
PHOTO: Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
PHOTO: Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
PHOTO: Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
PHOTO: Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
We&#;re fans of the striking angles of Hasami cups, but we particularly like this lidded option. It&#;s slightly larger than we would normally recommend, but with an included stackable ceramic coaster/lid this mug can keep your coffee temperature regulated before you need a refill. It&#;s made from a combination of porcelain and clay, however, so it does have a rougher texture that could be off-putting to some.
PHOTO: Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
PHOTO: Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
PHOTO: Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
The Best Design-Forward Coffee Mugs
Mugs that taper towards the lip can help hold temperature, though they&#;re usually harder to drink from. This mug from Kinto features a flared lip but keeps all of the heat retention of a squat base without the downsides. We like the squared-off handle, which allows two fingers to nestle nicely with a solid thumb rest.
Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
Finnish design firm marimekko is known for its eye-catching patterns and colors. Its 7-ounce coffee mug is a great size and shape for sipping your coffee at the ideal temperature. Like most options on this list, it has a flat handle and a thin lip, but it also comes in an array of classic marimekko designs (including colorful and monochrome flowers).
PHOTO: Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
PHOTO: Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
"I have a couple of these mugs," says associate commerce editorial director Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm. "I love their weight and their large, curved handle. I also think they're beautiful: with an unfinished base and rim."
PHOTO: Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
PHOTO: Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
PHOTO: Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
Wide-mouth mugs are perfect for taking in the full aroma of coffee as you sip. Since half of coffee&#;s sensory experience is in its aromatics, these shorter, wider mugs help you take it all in. Haand offers this design in a variety of colors and patterns, too, allowing you to build a set or just pick out a single mug. "There is no better vessel for a café au lait than this 10-ounce short mug from Haand. It holds just the right amount of coffee and milk without edging into 'enormous coffee bowl' territory," says commerce editor Rochelle Bilow. "I have the Robin's Egg Blue color, but am deeply obsessed with the rest of the colors. Next on my list is the Birch!."
Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
Though it&#;s called a cappuccino cup, this option is great for drip coffee. The smaller, squat mug has a wide opening and straight sides, making it easy to sip your coffee at the perfect temp. We like the confetti colorway, but it comes in a handful of attractive solid colors, too.
PHOTO: Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
PHOTO: Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
PHOTO: Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
PHOTO: Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
Heath has been making ceramics for Bay Area coffee roasters for decades, and this smaller, stackable mug is great for people with limited cabinet space. We love the flattened handle for an easy thumb rest, and the stoneware body offers great heat retention.
Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
Alexander&#;s favorite glass is small, lightweight, and translucent, offering an elegant sip. The thin glass lip feels smooth in the mouth, and the handle, though thin, is flat-topped with sturdy corners for a sure grip. Plus, he says, &#;The amber color makes the hues of the coffee that much more beautiful.&#;
Midas Product Page
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For &#;daily drip drinking,&#; Westerman grabs this tie-dyed, hand-fired mug. &#;It&#;s visually pleasing with a good medium weight and thickness.&#; Though the low, round handle is &#;probably an aesthetic choice,&#; she likes its size and girth; it&#;s not too wide that holding it is awkward, and it feels balanced in hand.
PHOTO: Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
PHOTO: Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
PHOTO: Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
"I was gifted this set of double-walled glass mugs for my birthday and I use them nearly every day," says commerce writer An Uong. "They're very elegant and automatically make any drink feel 10 times fancier. Thanks to the double-wall design, the contents stay hot (or cold) for a lot longer while the exterior remains comfortable to the touch. The lip is super smooth to drink from and its curved handle gives me a good grip. I get compliments on them all the time and have my friend to thank."
Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
The Best Coffee Cups & Saucers
We can't get enough of beautiful coffee gifts and this mug fits the bill. Westerman declares this mug &#;beautifully designed.&#; Sturdy without being heavy, it features an &#;ergonomic and functional&#; handle that&#;s rounded at the side to hug the curve of your fingers and flat on top for maximum support. &#;It&#;s good for any hand size,&#; she says, &#;which matters because I have small ones.&#; It also features a shape designed to hold steaming milk or a fluffy head of foam if you&#;re going for a specialty coffee.
PHOTO: Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
PHOTO: Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
Designed for a cappuccino, the d&#;Ancap 6-ounce cup and saucer is a favorite among coffee pros for drip coffee as well. It features high-quality porcelain with a thicker base that tapers to the lip, offering superior heat retention without sacrificing sippability. Its small capacity makes it easy to drink your coffee at the perfect temperature, and the wide mouth lets you take in the full aroma.
Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
A larger cup-and-saucer combo, this high-quality porcelain set from Pilivuyt is elegant and sturdy. Porcelain holds temperature better than regular ceramic, but it&#;s also non-porous and easier to keep clean of coffee stains. Pilivuyt has been making porcelain since , and these cups are considered commercial-grade.
PHOTO: Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
PHOTO: Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
The Best Handleless Coffee Mugs
The Monty ceramics line from Fellow has a double-walled design for better heat retention while keeping the outside cool to the touch. This is a great option for people who like drinking coffee from handleless tumblers but don&#;t want to grab a hot cup. The insides are slightly sloped to assist in latte art pouring, so this mug is well-suited for espresso drinks.
PHOTO: Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
PHOTO: Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
PHOTO: Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
The Vero line from notNeutral has a thick, glass base and a thin lip, keeping it eminently sippable and heat-proof enough to handle. It&#;s a great vessel for coffee tasting, too. If you&#;re looking to brew up an expensive, limited-edition coffee to share with a friend, a set of Vero glasses lets you sip small volumes lightly without feeling like you&#;re holding an empty cup.
PHOTO: Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
PHOTO: Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
This double-walled duo is scientifically designed to enhance coffee&#;s flavor and aroma. The squat interior of the Excite mug softens acidity in darker roasts, while the narrower insides of the Inspire mug focus acidity in fruitier coffees. Westerman likes their look and feel. &#;They&#;re really smooth in the hand, very symmetrical, proportional, and balanced,&#; she says, &#;and the coffee follows through to a long finish because of the focused shape.&#;
PHOTO: Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
PHOTO: Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
PHOTO: Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
The Gaiwan is a Chinese lidded cup-and-saucer designed for loose-leaf tea, but Alexander uses it as a stylish vessel for pour-overs. &#;When I brew on a Chemex, the temperature drops 15 to 20 degrees automatically on pour, so the coffee is ready to drink,&#; he says. The brew has cooled enough to allow him to grip the thin-walled cup. &#;I really like the delicate nature of it. Similar to the perfect wine glass, it feels almost as if it has no weight.&#;
Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
The Best Travel Coffee Mugs
Some of the most popular travel mugs are monster-sized, but coffee drinkers looking for flavor rather than just a big caffeine boost will appreciate the reasonable size of this mug in addition to its durability. Stainless steel with a ceramic coating inside ensures proper flavor. The Carter's lid seals up tightly. &#;I put it in my backpack, and it doesn&#;t matter how I turn it,&#; says Westerman. &#;I could leave it upside down, and that thing will never leak.&#; Ricci marvels, &#;One of my bosses drove over hers, and it still worked.&#; We named the Carter Move Mug as one of the top picks in our travel mugs review.
Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
A silicone cup with a heat sleeve and tabbed lid, this lightweight, travel-ready mug collapses to save room in your bag before and after use. Ricci is a fan of its sustainability; rather than using a disposable cup, she can tote this around and present it to the barista when she stops at a café. Silicone can impart flavor over time, so she suggests scrubbing it with a paste made of equal parts baking soda and water before washing it with soap and water.
PHOTO: Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
PHOTO: Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
PHOTO: Serious Eats/Eric Brockob
PHOTO: Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
This camp mug-inspired cup from Miir checks the right boxes: a thin lip for sipping, a thumb rest on the handle, and the added bonus of vacuum insulation. Its lid lets you take it on the go, and its sturdy handle can be clipped to a backpack for hiking and camping.
PHOTO: Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
PHOTO: Serious Eats/Eric Brockob
PHOTO: Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
PHOTO: Serious Eats / Eric Brockob
FAQs
What mug shape keeps coffee the hottest?
While a coffee mug with a heavy base that tapers upwards to the lip might keep your coffee slightly hotter, mug temperature is more of a measure of thermal mass. Larger mugs, around 16 ounces or more, will have a large thermal mass when they&#;re full and keep coffee hotter the longest&#;as long as they stay full. As soon as you start to sip coffee, the thermal mass drops significantly and the coffee will cool down quicker. Smaller mugs, between six and 10 ounces, will keep coffee warm until you finish your last sip and go for a refill.
Is glass or ceramic better for coffee?
Materials that are non-porous, like porcelain or glass, are the best vessels to drink coffee from because they don&#;t impart any flavor and don&#;t retain coffee oils. Smooth-glazed ceramics are also great options, but natural glazes and rough surfaces can impart flavor to brewed coffee. Plus, it&#;s harder to clean coffee oils from their surface.
Why are diner mugs so thick?
Diner mugs are designed with thick, ceramic walls so they&#;re sturdy and won&#;t break in busy kitchens and dish pits. They also retain heat better. The thick walls can hold higher temperatures than thin ceramics, but they are also harder to drink from, heavy, and awkward to hold.
How do you keep coffee mugs clean?
To keep ceramic and glass mugs nice and clean so that coffee tastes fresh, Ricci soaks them in a solution of baking soda and vinegar and then washes them out with soap and very hot water. It's the same chemical reaction needed to get baked goods to rise properly, so it's food-safe. She&#;s also a fan of Cafiza, a cleanser used in coffee shops to eat away the coffee proteins and oils that build up on equipment. You can buy it in easy-to-use tablet form.
Why We're the Experts
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