What is the best cup to have coffee in?

There are more options than ever for coffee enthusiasts, but it can take some digging to find the right fit. Above all, a coffee mug should be comfortable and hold the preferred amount of coffee or tea. We've researched and tested a variety of coffee mugs by using them regularly. We've considered several different materials, including stainless steel, porcelain, ceramic, stoneware, and glass mugs , and evaluated each option for weight, durability, and ease of cleaning. Ultimately, coffee mugs are rarely one-size-fits-all, so these are some of the best options available right now, in every category.

Most daily coffee drinkers have a very particular morning routine. Whether you're pouring the maximum volume of coffee as soon as possible or brewing with a carefully calculated espresso maker with premium grounds , the right coffee vessel is essential to complete the process. To take full advantage of whichever pour-over, carafe, or percolator you use, we recommend getting the right mug to complement (or even level up) your coffee-sipping style.

Best Mug with Lid

W&P Porter Mug

Amazon

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$28

View On Nordstrom

$30

View On Wandp.com

For something sleek and perfect for both home and car travel, the Porter ceramic mug is a smart buy. It has a silicone sleeve to protect your hands without a cumbersome handle but is still dishwasher-safe. It will retain heat but won't absorb flavors and doesn't resort to stainless steel (good for those who dislike the metal with their morning brew). The company also offers personalization—another great feature for giving it as a gift.

I've used the Porter mugs for four years, and the cups look as they did on the day I got them (the light blue has not stained, cracked, or faded). I opt for it over classic handled mugs and insulated tumblers almost always. The lid is a great extra assurance for someone prone to spills and keeps my coffee hot for longer. Though there isn't a handle, I don't find that I miss it. The Porter series has great bundles (like the mug, the wine tumbler, and the water bottle) that make great gifts, too.

Material: Ceramic and silicone | Volume: 12 ounces (also 16 ounces) | Dishwasher-safe: Yes | Microwave-safe: Yes

Best Stoneware Mug

Le Creuset Stoneware Mug

Amazon

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$30

View On Williams-Sonoma

$24

View On Sur La Table

$24

Le Creuset's reputation precedes it, and one of the brand's best-selling items is the stoneware mug. It's sturdier than almost any other ceramic or stoneware mug out there, and the density prevents cracking (even under the heat of a broiler; it's oven-safe up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit). It won't stain or scratch from metal utensils, and it's nearly nonstick for easy cleanup. The mug has a generous capacity, retains heat, and feels great to hold.

The mug has signature ridges and the brand logo along the bottom and is available in several classic Le Creuset hues. Coffee drinkers should be wary of the versions with extra art detailing or brand collaborations since those are not microwave or dishwasher-safe.

Material: Stoneware | Volume: 14 ounces | Dishwasher-safe: Yes | Microwave-safe: Yes

Best Smart Mug

Ember Temperature Control Smart Mug 2

Amazon

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$133

View On Target

$130

View On Williams-Sonoma

$150

Kitchen gadget fanatics and slow coffee drinkers will likely enjoy the Ember mug. The cup is able to keep drinks hot and even heat cold ones when needed. The element is controlled with your smartphone to keep it at the exact temperature you prefer, with an app that includes presets for your favorite drinks. The charging coaster provides an hour of battery life, and the cup is safe to hand wash (and can be submerged up to 1 meter deep).

After receiving the Ember as a Christmas gift, I can definitely see the charm in having hot coffee the entire way through slowly sipping my classic brew. I can also see how forgetting to charge it makes for a rather expensive mug with no insulation and that hand-washing might not be ideal for every household. But once I used the charger as a coaster at my desk, the mug was perfect, and I'd still recommend it as a gift to any coffee or tea drinker.

Material: Stainless steel with ceramic coating | Volume: 10 ounces (also 14 ounces) | Dishwasher-safe: No| Microwave-safe: No

Best Diner-Style

Made In Coffee Mugs

Made In

View On Madeincookware.com

These fully-glazed and chip-resistant mugs from Made In have that classic cozy diner look with optional red, black, or blue rim finishes. True to the style, these mugs can handle the microwave, dishwasher, freezer, and oven (hello, mug desserts!) They're also stain-resistant, so you can feel confident your black pour-over or espresso drinks won't harm the white finish after months of use.

Material: Vitrified china | Volume: 12 ounces | Dishwasher-safe: Yes | Microwave-safe: Yes

Best Travel Mug

Yeti Rambler 20 oz Tumbler

Amazon

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$35

View On REI

$38

View On Yeti.com

The Yeti Rambler is famously unrivaled in insulation technology, and it's still one of the best durable and portable coffee vessels. Yeti products are famously "over-engineered" to hold temperatures for hours, and the brand's coffee mugs are more than up to that task. Unlike many other insulated mugs, Yeti's cup and lid are both dishwasher-safe, and the 20 and 30-ounce versions fit in standard cupholders.

I've used the 20-ounce version for years, and it's the right balance of volume and being slim enough to grip while on the go. The lid's slider prevents heat from escaping, and the handle is wide enough to hold while wearing gloves (great for campers and those in colder climates). While the old Rambler mug lids are not leakproof, the new Rambler with a "Stronghold" lid holds up against leaks (and the mug's higher handle placement fits standard cupholders). All mugs come in Yeti's signature color options, so it's as good for getting one yourself as it is for gifting.

Material: 18/8 stainless steel | Volume: 20 ounces (also 30 ounces) | Dishwasher-safe: Yes | Microwave-safe: No

The 9 Best Travel Coffee Mugs, Tested and Reviewed

Best Pottery Mug

East Fork The Mug

East Fork

View On Food52

$40

View On Eastfork.com

Those truly in-the-know of stoneware pieces know about The Mug. Regularly on waitlists and continuously coming out with fresh pieces, East Fork Pottery created the quietly famous vessel with a rustic minimalism worthy of many dream kitchens. Something about this cup just feels comforting. East Fork's dinnerware is pretty and unique, with natural variations in every batch.

East Fork's signature neutral colors are handmade in their Asheville, NC factory with regional lead-free clays. There are natural variations in all pottery pieces, making each piece and set unique. The Mug comes in white eggshell, creamy panna cotta, earthy morel, deep orange amaro, dark blush rococo, and the darkest "black mountain."

Material: Stoneware | Volume: 12 ounces | Dishwasher-safe: Yes | Microwave-safe: Yes

Best Infuser Mug

Sweese Porcelain Tea Mug

Amazon

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Everyone has a loved one they know who is serious about drinking A LOT of tea at once. Think of this 20-ounce mug as its own teapot of sorts, complete with an infuser and a lid that acts as a tray once your leaves or tea bags have steeped to your liking. It's completely dishwasher safe, and the ceramic will keep things warm for a few hours (it's also microwave-safe without the infuser, in case). The XL handle will keep your fingers safe from hot temps and makes it easy for all hand sizes to enjoy.

Material: Ceramic | Volume: 20 ounces | Dishwasher-safe: Yes | Microwave-safe: Yes

Best Insulated Mug

Hydro Flask 12 oz Mug

Hydro Flask

View On Amazon

$28

View On Hydroflask.com

View On Moosejaw.com

In a world of viral insulated water bottles, Hydro Flask is always in the conversation, and the brand's line of coffee mugs is of equal measure. I've been smitten with the rubber "bark" edition of this mug, which feels great to hold and has a naturally nonslip base. The 18/8 stainless steel has no flavor transfer, and the double-wall insulation means I can avoid the microwave while I'm slowly sipping in the mornings or afternoons. It's also available in 6-ounce size for on-the-go espresso or coffee as well as an XL 24-ounce mug for volume maximalist and iced coffee lovers.

Material: Stainless Steel | Volume: 12 ounces | Dishwasher-safe: Yes | Microwave-safe: No

Best Porcelain Mug

Hasami Natural Mug with Saucer

Blue Bottle

View On Bluebottlecoffee.com

This mug, however understated, makes a beautiful statement for your kitchen space and comes with a fitted saucer right on the bottom that can also double as a lid to keep your coffee or tea warm. The porcelain and clay piece is made by ceramicists at Hasami Porcelain and has a matte finish you won't find on run-of-the-mill mugs. The mug is stackable, and no two are exactly alike, making it a truly unique gift or everyday mug.

Material: Porcelain | Volume: 13 ounces | Dishwasher-safe: Yes | Microwave-safe: Yes

Best Enamel Mug

Crow Canyon Enamel Mugs

West Elm

View On Food52

$60

View On West Elm

$60

View On Crowcanyonhome.com

From the kitchen to the campfire, these lightweight and bright enamel mugs have our attention. Easy to toss into a backpack for your outdoor excursions as well as into the dishwasher for cleanup, these enamel-coated stainless steel cups are an easy and durable choice for outdoorsy folks and busy households.

Material: Porcelain Enamel on Steel Base | Volume: 12 ounces | Dishwasher-safe: Yes | Microwave-safe: No

Best Glass Mug

JOCO 6oz Glass Reusable Coffee Cup

Amazon

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$23

If you're particular about vessel sizes for cappuccinos and lattes, this is the coffee mug for you. Joco's borosilicate glass can handle piping hot liquids and thermal shock, and it comes in several different sizes, from 4-ounce espresso cups to 16-ounce long coffee mugs. The measurements are barista-certified, which will delight your local coffee shop when you bring it in for a refill or your particular family member when you give it as a gift.

The Joco lid is an ergonomic design meant to make it easy to sip without tipping your head back, which is great while you're walking or driving. The cup and lid are easy to toss in the dishwasher, and the silicone sleeve makes it comfortable to hold while the coffee is hot. I've had a "terra cotta" pink once for four years, and it hasn't stained or deteriorated after many microwaves and runs through the dishwasher.

Material: Borosilicate glass | Volume: 12 ounces (also in 4, 8, or 16 ounces) | Dishwasher-safe: Yes | Microwave-safe: Yes

Best Short Mug

Haand Short Mug

Haand

View On Haand.us

We love Haand's handmade porcelain mugs, perfect for gifting and for acquiring particular sizes for your espresso drink of choice. The feel of the handle on these mugs is sturdy and comfortable but doesn't sacrifice good looks for your glass cabinets or floating shelves. You'll find Haand pieces in 175 restaurants around the world since their sturdy construction holds up to regular use and professional grade dishwashers.

Opt for this low 10-ounce version or shop all mug styles from petite chemist cups to diner mugs and tapered cloudware designs.

Material: Porcelain | Volume: 10 ounces | Dishwasher-safe: Yes | Microwave-safe: Yes

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 your sensory perception of coffee, but we also want a mug that is comfortable to hold and looks stylish—one that even makes black, drip coffee stand out.  

It also 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 built a list of our favorite, reasonably-sized (6- to 14-ounce) coffee mugs that will improve the flavor of your coffee while still remaining stylish, comfortable, and easy to drink from. 

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Coffee Mug

Serious Eats / Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm

There are a number of specific details that can impact both the sensory experience and comfort of a coffee mug, so we wanted to break those down individually:

• Lip thickness: A thin lip is easier to sip from without dribbling, but it also allows you to slurp the same way a wine glass does to take in more of the aroma of your brew.
• Opening width: A wider opening will allow your nose to take in more aroma, but will also lose heat faster. Narrower cups create more thermal mass but also might block your nose.
• Size: Our sensory receptors detect more nuance in coffee from 120-140ºF, and smaller mugs help coffee cool to drinking temperature quicker while allowing you to finish your mug before it becomes cold and sour. 
• Base/wall thickness: Adding mass to the walls or the base of the mug will add more thermal insulation, which can help keep coffee hotter even as the volume drops. 
• Material: Ceramic and porcelain are better heat conductors and add insulation while glass helps coffee cool quicker for people who are eager to sip. 
• Handle shape: Round handles can rotate and slip but handles with a flat top give your thumb a better leverage point and are more comfortable to hold. 
• Handleless options: Sometimes a handleless cup can feel more natural to pick up than those with a handle, and they tend to be more stylish and sleek. 
• Cup & saucer: A well-designed saucer allows your thumb to pinch the lip easily, making it easy to carry your coffee from room to room (and catching any spills if you stumble). 
• Double-duty: Though some of the mugs below were originally intended for espresso drinks, we included them because they're also favorites of coffee pros for brewed coffee. These multi-talented options include the Felt+Fat 8oz Cappuccino Cup, d’Ancap 6.1oz Verona Cappuccino Cup and Saucer, Fellow 11oz Monty Double Wall Ceramic Cup, and notNeutral 6oz Vero Glass.

The Best Updated Classic Mugs: Thin Lips, Flat Handles, and Straight Sides

Working with baristas at Intelligentsia Coffee, notNeutral designed their Lino series specifically 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.

A Modern Vintage Touch

Manual 11oz Amber Glass Mug

Manual

View On Manual.is

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.

The Ember mug has a built-in heater that keeps coffee hot for 80 minutes and allows you to set the temperature between 120ºF 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 really like the handled mug version for drinking at home.

This camp mug-inspired cup from Miir checks the right boxes: a thin lip for sipping and a thumb rest on the handle, plus the added bonus of vacuum insulation. Its lid lets you take it on the go, and its sturdy handle can be easily clipped to a backpack for hiking and camping.

A Lidded Ceramic Choice

Hasami 13.5oz Natural Mug with Saucer

Blue Bottle

View On Bluebottlecoffee.com

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.

The Best Design-Forward Options: Smaller Sizes with Some Added Flair

A Lightly Tapered Mug

Kinto 9oz FOG Mug

Amazon

View On Amazon

$26

Mugs that taper towards the lip can help hold temperature, though they’re usually harder to drink from. This mug from Kinto also features a flared lip but keeps all of the heat retention of a squat base without the downsides. We also like the squared-off handle, which allows two fingers to nestle nicely with a solid thumb rest.

A Design-World Classic

marimekko 7oz Oiva/Siirtolapuutarha Coffee Cup

marimekko

View On Marimekko.com

Finnish design firm marimekko is known for its eye-catching patterns and colors. Their 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 wide array of classic marimekko designs (including colorful flowers, monochrome flowers, and dots).

A Stylish, Squat Option

Haand 10oz Short Mug

Haand

View On Haand.us

Wide-mouth mugs are perfect for allowing your nose to take in the full aroma of the 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.

A Cute, Colorful Option

Felt+Fat 8oz Cappuccino Cup

Felt+Fat

View On Feltandfat.com

Though it’s called a cappuccino cup, it’s best for drip coffee. This smaller, squat mug has a wide opening and straight sides, making it easy to sip your coffee at the perfect temp. We particularly like the confetti colorways, but it also comes in a handful of solid colors.

A Stackable Classic

Heath 8oz Stack Mug

Heath Ceramics

View On Heathceramics.com

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.

The Best Cups & Saucers: Wide-Mouth Cups with Drip-Catchers

A Traditional Italian Cup

d’Ancap 6.1oz Verona Cappuccino Cup and Saucer

Prima Coffee

View On Prima-coffee.com

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 sip your coffee at the perfect temperature, and the wide mouth lets you take in the full aroma.

A French Porcelain Set

Pilivuyt Coupe Porcelain Cup & Saucer

Williams-Sonoma

View On Williams-Sonoma

$30

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 old coffee stains. Pilivuyt has been making porcelain since 1818, and these cups are considered commercial-grade.

The Best Handleless Options: Style and Comfort Combined

A Handless Art-Piece

Wilcoxson Brooklyn Ceramics 8oz Small Cup Leaf

Wilcoxson Brooklyn Ceramics

View On Wilcoxsonbrooklynceramics.com

With its soft, folded walls, this piece from Wilcoxson Brooklyn Ceramics creates curves that fit nicely in your hand. Its thin walls help coffee cool to drinking temperature while letting the heat warm your hands directly. It comes in a variety of colors and patterns, and serves as a beautiful art piece as much as it does a coffee vessel.

A Sleek, Double-Walled Tumbler

Fellow 11oz Monty Double Wall Ceramic Cup

Amazon

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$28

The Monty ceramics line from Fellow has a double-walled design for better heat retention while keeping the outside cool to the touch. They’re a great option for people who like drinking coffee from handleless tumblers but don’t want to directly grab a hot cup. The insides are also slightly sloped to assist in latte art pouring if you’re looking for a cup that’s well-suited for espresso drinks as well.

A Stackable Tasting Glass

notNeutral Vero Cortado Glass

Clive Coffee

View On Clivecoffee.com

The Vero line from notNeutral features a thick, glass base and a thin lip, keeping it eminently sippable while making it 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.

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 into 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, and also so they retain heat better. The thicker ceramic walls can hold higher temperatures than thinner ceramics, but they are also harder to drink from, heavy, and awkward to hold.

Why We're The Experts

• Jesse Raub is Serious Eats' commerce writer and spent over 15 years working in the specialty coffee industry. He's our in-house coffee expert and regularly tests coffee gear, including reviews of coffee roasters, coffee scales, and pourover brewers. 
• For this review, he pulled from his experience in coffee education and training to select the best-performing mugs that he's tested in the past along with Serious Eats tested picks, like the Ember Temperature Control Mug.