Life

These Are The 3 Travel Mugs You'll Actually Want To Use

by Kim Quindlen

Brewing your own coffee and taking it with you on the go is an easy way to save money. Sure, you might miss fancy $5 lattes, but with the help of one of the best travel mugs, toting your own drink can feel just as expensive (even though it's definitely not).

When choosing the best travel mug for you, you want to think about three main features. First, how much liquid it can hold. Second, whether it prevents leakage, and third, whether it works with both hot and cold drinks.

Most standard travel mugs are 16 or 20 ounces, but if your daily caffeine dose is a little higher than that, large capacity mugs capable of holding up to 50 ounces or more also exist. When it comes to leakage prevention, look out for a travel mug that comes with a spill-proof and tight-fitting lid — ideally one that uses auto-seal technology or a safety lock. Temperature-wise, the best way to ensure that your beverage stays super hot or cold is to choose a travel mug with a vacuum-insulated double-wall construction. This basically means that the air between the two walls is sucked out during construction. And since heat needs air in order to circulate, hot drinks stay hot by preventing the heat from escaping, and cold drinks stay cold since outside heat can’t transfer in.

No matter how you feel about early mornings, the travel mugs on this list will provide you with some easy, effective, and budget-friendly options for staying caffeinated — or just generally hydrated — throughout your day.

1The Best Overall Travel Mug With Superior Leak Prevention

Yes, other mugs on this list are definitely designed to prevent leakage, but this is your best bet for a leak-proof travel mug if that's your main concern. The tightly-fitted flip lid with a wide-mouth opening prevents spills and locks in heat. Plus, the safety lock feature means you won’t have to worry about the lid accidentally opening if you throw it in your bag. Of the several thousand five-star Amazon reviews, users frequently mentioned the excellent leak prevention, with one calling it the "Holy Grail of coffee mugs." Another reviewer called out its functionality, writing: "You can throw it in a bag, it can roll under your passenger seat, it can be upside down, and it won't leak." It's easy to care for, as all three parts are dishwasher-safe, and comes in seven cute colors.

  • Available sizes: 16 ounce, 20 ounce

2A Budget-Friendly Travel Mug With Great Insulation

At just $7, this affordable acrylic travel mug is an excellent choice for anyone who doesn’t want to make a huge investment just yet. Even at its budget-friendly price, this option still features a double-wall insulated construction that's perfect for both hot and cold liquids. Although a couple of the Amazon reviews mentioned that this mug doesn’t have ideal leakage prevention (it's also not dishwasher-safe, FYI), many users are still very happy with it. One reviewer gave it five stars for "keeping everything hot," while another raved about its useful design.

3A Large-Capacity Travel Mug That's Still Easy To Carry

If you're after an extra large travel mug, this 50-ounce option capable of holding both hot and cold liquids inside dual-wall vacuum insulation will do the trick. It also has a sweat-proof body, so you won’t have to deal with any messy condensation or damage to your surfaces. While many Amazon reviewers seemed to prefer this item — which comes in four colors — for storing cold drinks, it does keep hot drinks hot. "I popped the lid off and steam rolled out," said one reviewer after leaving the mug for a few hours. The best part? With a passivated interior that doesn’t retain tastes or odors, it will keep your beverages tasting great.

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