Previously she wrote food and lifestyle pieces for Saveur and Kinfolk magazines. 
The SM-SC also has an attractive design thats minimalist yet eye-catching in its simplicity. But if you wont be throwing your mug in a messenger bag or slowly sipping your drink all day, we like the Byron as a budget option. Originally this bottle had a caf-style lid that tended to leak, disqualifying it as a travel thermos. With the Transit, youll need to hold down a button to keep the sipping port open and drink from the mugs. Thats why we also have a bottle-brush recommendation for when you need to clean out the gunk. Like the Transit, the Byron is wider than the Zojirushi SM-SC, and has a rubbery middle for easy gripping. Size: Some people prefer wider mugs that wont rattle in cupholders, while others like slimmer mugs that take up less space in backpacks or bags. snarky The Zojirushi travel mug might be the single product that the most Wirecutter staffers own and use on a daily basisits been a pick through many iterations of this guide, and has proved itself repeatedly. It comes with a large bottle brush, a skinny straw brush, and a looped detail-cleaning brush, all kept together by a handy ring so you wont lose any of the parts. 
In our room temperature tests, the Transits contents measured 171 F after 1 hour, and 114 F after 8. Cooks Illustrated(subscription required) has a review from 2014 that we considered, as does Outside Online. Its available in both 12-ounce (SM-SC36) and 20-ounce (SM-SC60) versions as well as the 16-ounce size (SM-SC48) we tested. The KHE was our original pick for this guide. I also hand washed them, took apart their lids, and tested them in cup holders and with a various brewing devices. Again, we should mention that the Zojirushi SM-SC is identical to the SM-SD and the SM-SA; the others just comein different colors. I found that the lid itself, however, is more difficult to screw on and off than the lid on the Transit, but this is a minor issue. Heat retention: A mug should retain a drinks hot or cold temperature for as long as its specs advertise, and we looked for mugs with the longest heat and cold retention times. We also saw some Amazon reviewers noting that the mug dented, and the grippy rubber middle was slightly off-kilter, but the Byron still has high ratings overall. Durability: A mug shouldnt dent or break when dropped from a reasonable height or start leaking afterwards.
We prefer stainless steel because its more durable than glass or ceramic, and retains heat better than plastic. A mug that keeps your coffee piping hot, even if its cold outside. Multiple Wirecutter folks have also reported successfully using the Zojirushi to bring chilled wine or other alcoholic beverages to events in parks and other public placesthough we couldnt possibly condone such behavior. But if you drink your beverages quickly or dont want to wait for them to cool down before sealing your mug, the Transit may be a better option for you. The Byron only has one sealing mechanisma tab that you push to open the sipping portwhich is easy to use, but doesnt lock closed like the lids on our other picks. I also asked several Wirecutter staffers to measure the height of their Keurigs to get an idea whether mugs would fit under a single-serve coffee maker. First, theyre unnecessary: With a vacuum-insulated mug, you dont need to worry about burning your hand on the mugs body. Whether it's finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we'll help you get it right (the first time). According to a 2012 report, the average American spends $1,092 a year on coffee. Over a period of eight hours in our previous tests, this mug allowed our icy-cold 33 F water to warm up by only 4 degrees, while the other mugs in our test group allowed the temperature to rise considerably more over that time. It has a well-designed exterior, an easy-to-clean nonstick Teflon interior, and a foolproof lid locking mechanism that you can operate with one hand. If you commute, work or travel outside, or simply want to savor drinks for longer, a travel mug is for you. We opted to test the Byron over other budget mugs from Ozark Trail and Mossy Oak because these mugs were explicitly not leak proof, or had more complaints of leaking. At Wirecutter we love tea and coffee, so its no surprise were passionate about the vessels we drink them out of. The OXO bottle-cleaning set has a skinny straw brush and a looped detail-cleaning brush, which are all you need to keep your travel mug squeaky clean. Thats 26 degrees lower than the temperature of our main pick. It will keep drinks warm for hours at room temperature, although not as piping hot as our top pick (it did just as well as the Transit in our heat tests).
If you want a mug that will fit more snugly in a cup holder and is easier to clean, get the Contigo Autoseal Transit Mug. It resembles an old-school vacuum bottle but has a modern button-activated lid that makes it easy to drink from one-handed. Zojirushi released an updated version of its classic travel mug, the Zojirushi SM-TA, that comes in 12-, 16-, and 20-ounce sizes and multiple colors. You can check out our guide to tumblers if these kinds of cups are what youre looking for. In both our shake test and overnight leak test, the Transit didnt leak a drop. Contigo does offer a limited lifetime warranty, and sells replacement lids, should something happen to your mug. Other mugs like the Contigo West Loop (our former runner-up), Avex ReCharge, OXO Good Grips, and Camelbak Forge had a similar button, but I found the Transits horizontal push-button easier to press and hold than other buttons, which required more pressure. I also hand washed all mugs, reading their manuals to learn how to take apart and reassemble their sometimes-tricky lids. The Byrons SnapSeal lid is easy to use: you simply press down on a tab at the top of the lid to open the sipping port. It doesnt retain heat as well as the Zojirushi, but some may find the flat lid easier to drink from and clean. The set is dishwasher safe, and it barely has any one-star reviews on Amazon, so its a pretty good bet for anyone looking to get gunk out of their hard-to-clean items. Dont want your coffee to taste like yesterdays brew? Anna Perling is a former staff writer covering kitchen gear at Wirecutter. Plus, a growing number of mugs lined with stainless steel now come with electro-polished interiors, which makes the steel less likely to retain strange odors and flavors. The Zojirushi SM-SC (or SM-SD or SM-SA in certain colors) offers amazing heat retention, one-handed usability, and a locking, leakproof lid. A travel mug offers green solutions to both problems. After reading Your Best Digss review on travel mugs, which named the now-discontinued Camelbak Forge as their winner, we retested this mug. Its been praised for still working well after years of use, as well as surviving drops onto cement (once from a third floor balcony) without more than a dent. The Byron is compatible with pour-over drippers, the medium size of our tea steeper pick and Aeropresses. However, it weighs a little more than our main pick, has a bulkier lid thats not as pleasant to drink from, and comes only in a 12- or 16-ounce size, whereas the SM-SC also comes in a 20-ounce size. We compared the top 40 bestsellers from Amazon, Target, Walmart, Costco, and REI, and reviewed the mugs we dismissed in 2016 to see if any had been updated or discontinued. It did develop a few scuffs after our drop tests, but not any more than the other mugs we tried (some of which dented, chipped, and scuffed far worse). If you prefer a travel mug with a larger circumference, check out our also great and budget picks. (If youre opening the mug more frequently than once an hour, however, it might cool a bit faster.). The Byron also didnt keep drinks nearly as hot as the Zojirushi SM-SC. You can soak the lid in soapy water as well to thoroughly clean it. I disqualified any mug with a green stain on the paper towel underneath in the morning. Zojirushi also offers the SM-SA and SM-SD mugs, which are exactly the same as the SM-SC but come in different colors. After spending close to 78 hours on research and testing and considering more than 98 travel mugs over four years, we have no doubt that this is the best travel mug you can get. It comes inslate gray, turquoise, and coral. Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Although it held up well in our leak and drop tests, it only has one leak-proofing mechanism, unlike our picks. I wrapped mugs, still full of water and green food dye, in a paper towel and then put them in a plastic bag. Zojirushis stainless steel mugs have continued to dominate the competition in our heat-retention tests. This mug offers the same heat retention and a locking lid similar to that of the SM-SC but has a smaller lid and drinking hole and a double-nonstick coating. The Transit held up fairly well during our drop tests, but scuffed on its plastic lid and rubberized bottom. It only comes in a 16-ounce size. Dishwashers can also scratch or wear away a mugs finish. *At the time of publishing, the price was $10. We also looked at reviews from Your Best Digs and Good Housekeeping, and read through hundreds of comments on our existing mug, water bottle, and tumbler reviews. The mug is lightweight and slim, but that means it may not fit snugly in some cup holders. The SM-SC has sturdy, leakproof seals and a simple locking mechanism that we trust to keep our belongings dry. Rachel also reached out to Michael Wise, the director of coffee at Dapper & Wise and a licensed Q grader (basically, a coffee sommelier) to find out how long coffee will really stay good in a travel mug. The Transit is a little wider than the SM-SC, good if you want your mug to fit more snugly in a car cup holder or use devices like an Aeropress, pour-over dripper, or tea steeper directly with the mug, but this means its heavier and bulkier, too. But it was unable to keep beverages as hot as our main pick did, and we saw multiple complaints about the button failing. Although the also-identical SM-SA has been discontinued, you can still find some online; the SM-SA came in black, cinnamon gold, red, and pearl pink. Like the Transit, it also has a rubberized grip, so its easier to hold onto. The nonstick interior also helps to prevent odors and stains, but the mugs instructions warn against using milk or fruit juices in the mug. If you care about colors, the Transit comes in a few fun combinations: white with either mint green or periwinkle accents, matte black, or a brushed stainless steel. We liked the look and feel of the Icon, but every time we flipped the lid open to drink from it, a small amount of liquid splashed out of the opening and off the spouts rubber stopper. Well be testing this new model and will report back on how it compares to our picks.
After close to 78 hours of research and testing over the past four years, we still believe that theZojirushi SM-SC48 Stainless Steel Mug is the best travel mug for keeping your drinks hot, preventing leaks, and accompanying you on any commute. I tried putting a pour-over dripper and an Aeropress on each mug, and measured each opening to see whether our favorite tea steeper would fit. The Transit wont keep your beverages hot for as long as our top pick, but that might be a plus for some people who think the Zojirushi keeps drinks too hot. To prevent spills, the Transit has a push-button (the Autoseal) which you have to hold down to drink, plus a cap that rotates to cover the sipping port. But we think its worth the extra dollars over the competition because of its superior construction and performance. asobu insulated mug ultimate vacuum 360ml Weve found that if we make a fresh pot of coffee and pour it directly into the travel mug, the liquid ends up staying scalding hot for hours, and weve heard feedback about this from readers as well. Although we didnt place much emphasis on keeping cold liquids cold for this guidecheck out ourwater bottle guide for whats best in that regardwe have historically found that the Zojirushi SM-SC retains cold better than all of the other mugs in our testing lineup. And lets not forget that these things need cleaning every once in awhile. The SM-SC is durable. Well consider the SM-TA for a future update, but it seems to differ from the SM-SC only in exterior design. We considered testing the Joeveo Temperfect mug, which purportedly uses a special insulating material to capture excess heat energy and then release it over time, keeping your beverage at an optimal drinking temperature. This auto-sealing mechanism prevents spills if you knock over your mug. Zojirushi has released a new mug, the Zojirushi SM-TA. With a thermos, instead of popping open a lid to take a sip, youll need to unscrew the cap and pour liquid into an open cup to drink. In the freezer tests, however, the Transit cooled faster. While it passed our leak test, it doesnt have an actual lock to secure the lid cover like the Zojirushi does. Stainless steel: Most travel mugs are made from either glass, ceramic, plastic, or stainless steel. And insulated water bottles are geared towards keeping drinks cold, and dont have sipping ports like travel mugs (instead, they often have screw-top lids that require two hands, or sport caps that arent great for hot drinks). eng emac *At the time of publishing, the price was $30. To see if mugs would leak when jostled in a bag, I did a shake test. The Zojirushi is also on the pricey end for a mug, but after our years of long-term testing, this is the mug we trust most not to spill in a bag, and its hard to put a price on that. So, know that your coffee might not taste as great after a long period of time even if it is still warm.
I also took a trip to Target to see how the mugs felt in real life. The SM-SCs narrow width also means you cant use an Aeropress, pour-over dripper, or tea steeper with it, and its too tall to fit under a single-cup brewer like a Keurig. Give your travel mug a good deep cleanand do the same for your insulated water bottle, too! Most reported 6-7.5 inches of clearance after removing a bottom platform. Based on our expert interviews and research, we looked for mugs that met the following criteria: Vacuum-insulated: All of the mugs we considered are double-walled and vacuum-insulated. A good mug should be easy to both open and close, as well as to lock and unlock, with one hand. We love the look of the 16-ounce Stanley Classic One-Hand Vacuum Mug, which we tested in 2015.