Best Travel Coffee Mug To Rely On During Your Fun Trips

The best travel coffee mug should have excellent insulation, a spill-proof lid, and a comfortable grip.

A great travel mug is a must for any coffee drinker on the go. There’s nothing worse than brewing a perfect cup only to spill it during the morning commute or find it’s gone cold before your first sip.

I’ve tried and tested dozens of travel mugs for my coffee, and these are my top picks.

The 8 Best Travel Mugs Of 2024

image	product	details
BEST OVERALL BEST OVERALL	Zojirushi Stainless Steel Mug	Double-wall stainless steel with vacuum insulation Leak-proof flip-open lid with safety lock 12 oz, 16 oz, 20 oz sizes
Best To Keep Coffee Hot Best To Keep Coffee Hot	Stanley Classic Trigger-Action Mug	Double-wall stainless steel with vacuum insulation Leak-proof trigger-action lid 16 oz, 20 oz sizes
Best For Car Best For Car	Hydro Flask Travel Mug	TempShield️ double-wall vacuum insulation Closeable press-In lid 12 oz, 16 oz, 20 oz, 28 oz sizes
Best Glass Best Glass	KeepCup	Tempered glass with cork band Splashproof press fit lid 6 oz, 8 oz, 12 oz, 16 oz sizes
Best With Handle Best With Handle	Yeti Rambler Mug	Double-wall stainless steel with vacuum insulation Spill-proof MagSlider press-on lid 14 oz size
Best Ceramic Lined Best Ceramic Lined	Fellow Carter Move Mug	Double-wall vacuum-insulated stainless steel with ceramic interior Leak-proof screw-on lid 8 oz, 12 oz, 16 oz sizes
Best Coffee Press Mug Best Coffee Press Mug	Espro P1 Travel Press	Double-walled vacuum insulated stainless steel Screw-on leak-proof lid 12 oz size
Budget Pick Budget Pick	Contigo West Loop Mug	Double-walled vacuum-insulated stainless steel Leak-proof auto-lock with push button 16 oz, 20 oz sizes

Here’s an overview of my favorite travel mugs this year, from heavy-duty models that mimic thermoses to barista-friendly takeaway cups. 
Overwhelmed by options? I’ve included a helpful guide below with some tips to help you find the best travel mug for your needs. If you prefer to savor your morning brew at home, check out my picks for the best coffee mugs.

Best Overall

The Zojirushi insulated travel mug is a good all-rounder that will satisfy the most discerning users. I use mine for everything. It’s equally at home in the cup holder of my car, tossed in my backpack, or strapped to my bike.

The double-wall vacuum insulation and lockable leak-proof lid keep my coffee toasty warm right from morning brewing to mid-afternoon break, while the flip-top lid makes it operable with one hand.

Let’s talk more about that awesome lid. It consists of two parts that can be easily dissembled for deep cleaning. When you flip the lid to drink, there is a small opening, perfect for careful sipping and keeping heat inside. But if you unscrew the lid, you’re left with a wide opening for easy cleaning and adding ice cubes, making this my pick as the best travel mug for iced coffee too. I’ve enjoyed cold coffee a full 24 hours after brewing!

The Zojirushi mug is available in three sizes and a variety of fun colors (1). I particularly appreciate the 12-ounce option, as many competitor brands don’t offer anything that small. Its durable build is backed by a 5-year warranty.

Best To Keep Coffee Hot

I took this Stanley One-Hand Mug when I went camping last June. The Stanley brand heavily markets in the outdoor space, so this seemed like an appropriate test for their best-selling travel mug. Overall, I was impressed with its quality and durability, earning it a place on this list (2).

The Stanley Classic Trigger-Action Travel Mug resembles the larger Stanley Classic thermoses. While it can’t quite match its big brothers for heat retention, it’s far more practical for backcountry travel. 

It’s easy to operate one-handed, so I could drink on the go without losing pace. And its stainless steel build is surprisingly lightweight, so I never felt burdened on long hikes. The leakproof lid means no messy spills, even when it jostled around in my pack.

Most importantly, the Stanley coffee travel mug kept my drink hot all day – literally. I brewed a cup in the morning, drove to the trailhead, hiked in and set up camp, and then enjoyed a still-warm cup about 9 hours later. I found it really helped to preheat the mug with boiling water to maximize heat retention.

It’s a great option if you don’t feel like packing in a camp stove but still want to end the day with a hot drink. A cozy tea or hot chocolate would be equally wonderful.

Best For Car

I’m a big fan of my Hydro Flask water bottle, so it comes as no surprise that their basic coffee tumbler is just as well-made and enjoyable to use. There is nothing fancy here, just a functional insulated mug from a great brand at a reasonable price.

The Hydro Flask Coffee Tumbler is a perfect option for car commuters. It comes in four sizes, from a modest 12 ounces to a behemoth 28 ounces of coffee for those folks who need a half pot to get moving, and all four are shaped to fit most car cup holders.

The lid is snug but not entirely leakproof, which is another reason I prefer it for the car. It won’t make a mess if you hit a rogue pothole, but don’t toss it in your bag unless you want coffee-scented everything. 

If you’re looking for a Hydro Flask for a more rough-and-tumble adventure, pair any of their wide mouth bottles with the watertight flex sip lid.

You lose heat a little faster than with the thermos-style mugs on this list, but you still have plenty of insulation to get you through the morning commute and then some. In our tests, it kept coffee warm for about 4 hours, while cold drinks stayed cold as long as 10 hours when packed with ice.

The Hydro Flask comes in a huge assortment of colors, so it’s a great way to express your style. The exterior powder coating is super durable. I’ve been running my bottle through the dishwasher for years without a scratch. 

Best Glass

The KeepCup is unique on this list as the only glass travel mug and the only non-insulated mug. It’s not designed to keep your drink hot for hours or survive an off-road adventure. Rather, these glass cups were created as an environmentally friendly alternative to the ubiquitous paper, plastic, and styrofoam to-go cups (3).

The target demographic is people who regularly get their caffeine fix from a café. It’s a barista standard coffee cup designed to fit under the group head of most commercial espresso machines, and its four sizes correspond with traditional coffee shop cups – x-small (6 oz), small (8 oz), medium (12 oz), and large (16 oz).

The KeepCup is made from durable tempered glass, a splash-proof BPA-free plastic lid, and a heat-proof cork or silicone grip. The single layer of glass won’t keep your coffee hot for hours, though it is a step up from a paper takeaway cup. Mine stays warm for about 30 minutes, depending on the temperature outside.

The most fun thing about KeepCups is that if you buy directly from the company, you can create your own personalized coffee travel mug. The design is totally modular, and you can choose from dozens of fun colors for the lid, stopper, and band. That same modular design means that if you lose or break a part of your cup, you can replace it without buying a brand-new one.

Best With Handle

I test and review many coffee mugs for this job. Many are excellent and some are terrible, but rarely does a mug truly surprise me. The Yeti Rambler has the first magnet-operated lid I’ve ever encountered, and that alone was enough to make me sit up and take notice.

Yeti needs no introduction in the insulated gear space. The brand is renowned for fantastic coolers, thermoses, and mugs. 

This Yeti coffee travel mug comes in several shapes and sizes – not to mention about 20 different colors – but I’m particularly partial to the wide-mouthed 14-ounce mug. 

The handle is great for maintaining a comfortable grip, especially with my smaller hands. But an overlooked benefit is that a mug with a handle is easy to clip to the outside of my hiking pack with a carabiner. Just keep in mind that makes it unsuited to most cup holders. You might prefer the Yeti Rambler Travel Tumbler if you’re a car commuter.

The patented MagSlider lid is very effective at preventing spills, but it’s not 100% leakproof, so don’t stow it in your pack if it’s full of coffee. That lack of seal limits the insulation efficiency of this mug a little, but I still get about 5 hours of hot coffee from mine.

Best Ceramic Lined

The Fellow Carter is a mug with a cult following among coffee nerds, and having tested it myself, I understand why. Its high price tag won’t appeal to all users, but if you take coffee seriously and spend good money on specialty beans, this mug was designed with you in mind.

Most travel mugs prioritize insulation and durability. While these are worthwhile goals, this focus means that coffee quality and an enjoyable drinking experience are often overlooked. Not so at Fellow.

The Carter Move Mug has a ceramic interior to avoid any off flavors from metal or plastic as it ages. And they tapered the double-wall design towards the lip to make drinking more comfortable.

That doesn’t mean they overlooked everything else. This mug doesn’t leak and keeps coffee hot the longest of any mug I tested, provided you don’t open it. If kept sealed, your coffee will still be warm 12 hours later. But because you need to completely remove the top of the mug to drink, your coffee will cool much faster if you’re constantly sipping.

Fellow addressed this complaint by designing new lids, which you have the option to buy separately. The slide-lock lid is fully leakproof but can be operated one-handed for drinking. This modular design is becoming increasingly popular, and I love it. It expands the versatility of your mug without forcing you to buy more than one.

Fellow gear is reliably beautiful, and the Carter Move Mug is no exception. It’s available in a variety of lovely matte colors, and you can even customize it with a bespoke personal engraving. Its slim frame fits nicely in most cup holders.

Best Coffee Press Mug

If I’m being entirely honest, I have mixed feelings about French press travel mugs. They have an inescapable design flaw. The ground coffee and hot water stay in contact the entire time you’re drinking – as opposed to the typical 3 to 5 minutes for brewing coffee. Every coffee press mug eventually produces over-extracted coffee.

However, I appreciate their convenience. A French press mug is likely the easiest and least messy way to brew on the go, so I definitely wanted to include one on this list. While somewhat pricey, the Espro P1 is by far the best of any I tried.

The dual micro-mesh filters and silicone seal around the plunger do an above-average job of avoiding over-extraction and the resulting bitter coffee. You can even add a paper filter between the two mesh filters for a cleaner cup.

The Espro P1 Coffee Travel Press can keep your coffee hot for 4 to 6 hours, but I’d recommend enjoying your brew within the first 2 hours for the most delicious cups. This is a big step up from cheaper French press mugs I’ve tried, which start tasting bitter after about 15 minutes.

It’s also worth mentioning the Espro’s sleek modern design, available in four finishes: brushed stainless steel, matte white, matte black, and matte grey. It doesn’t have the bulky look of many coffee press travel mugs. In fact, you’d never guess it was a brewer just by looking at it.

Budget Pick

The Contigo Autoseal West Loop is the perfect basic stainless steel travel mug for coffee. It has a sleek design, affordable price tag, and leak-proof seal. 

The insulation doesn’t quite match more premium options like the Zojirushi, but it keeps my coffee warm for about 5 hours – plenty of time to survive rush-hour traffic and power me through until my morning coffee break.

The best feature of this Contigo Coffee Travel Mug is the Autoseal lid, especially if you’re the klutzy type prone to spilling coffee on your keyboard (speaking from experience). You have to press the button to drink; the default mode is closed. So there is no way to accidentally spill. 

Plus, the button can be locked so it won’t leak if you accidentally press it tossing it in a bag. It’s a clever system for such a bargain-priced cup!

The West Loop travel mug is sized to fit car cup holders, and the one-handed operation makes it an obvious choice for drivers. But with its durable steel build and leakproof design, there’s really nowhere this mug can’t go. 

I only wish they would offer it in a smaller 12-ounce size. It always flusters the barista when I ask for a small coffee in a large mug.

How To Choose The Best Coffee Mug For Travel

A good coffee mug can really brighten up your day. It’s a small luxury to brew coffee just the way you like and enjoy it on the go. It’s also a lot more affordable than regularly getting takeaway and considerably better for the environment.

What is the best insulated travel mug? That depends on exactly how you plan to use it. Here are the most important things to consider.

Insulation And Heat Retention Are Crucial

Good insulation is a key asset in a travel coffee mug if you don’t plan to drink your coffee right away. Many good travel coffee mugs use the same working principles as coffee thermoses, relying on vacuum insulation (4).

A stainless steel vacuum-insulated travel mug or tumbler has two walls with a layer of vacuum between them. Since a vacuum does not conduct heat, there is no path for the heat to escape (or for cold drinks to warm up). Mugs with this design are more expensive but will keep your drink hot for up to 12 hours.

Not everyone needs extremely high heat retention. If you just want a travel cup to enjoy hot and cold drinks on a short commute, there’s no reason to invest in an expensive double-walled thermos for coffee.

Lids: Spill Proof Vs. Leak Proof

Let’s talk about lids. Every travel mug has a lid. I would argue that’s what distinguishes it from a standard coffee mug. But the type of lid can vary, and the right style for you depends on where you want to take your coffee.

A leak-proof lid is completely secure. You can toss your mug in your backpack or flip it upside down without making a mess. They’re great for camping and adventures as they also tend to have longer-lasting heat retention due to their better seal. 

In comparison, a mug with a spill-proof or splash-proof lid should be kept upright. It closes to prevent spills, but it isn’t watertight. These mugs are great for car commuting or sipping at your desk.

Another consideration is how the lid operates. If you plan to sip a piping hot beverage during your morning commute by car or bike, something you can operate one-handed is the best bet. You don’t want to be driving your car with your knees while using two hands to unscrew your coffee mug!

How Much Coffee Do You Drink?

It’s important to size your coffee mug to your needs. If you like to brew a whole pot of coffee to guzzle down before noon, you’ll probably be frustrated with a tiny travel cup – even if it’s more convenient to carry. On the other hand, there’s no need to lug around a big, heavy, and expensive thermos if you like sipping more modest amounts of coffee and tea. 

Find the right travel mug size that balances being comfortable to carry and meeting your caffeination needs.

Cleaning And Longevity

Travel mugs are relatively affordable compared to a lot of coffee gear, but you still want something that’s going to last. Again, the way you plan to use your mug should dictate your choice.

Keeping your mug clean will extend its lifetime, so if you’re not a fan of handwashing, opt for a dishwasher-safe design. Personally, I prefer a dishwasher-safe mug for drinking coffee with milk, when a thorough cleaning is more crucial. For black coffee, I’ll just rinse my mug with hot water, then give it a more thorough clean once a week to avoid coffee stains.

The durability of your mug is crucial if you plan to use it for rougher travel – like backcountry adventures – or if you’re just clumsy. Opt for stainless steel if you need a mug that can take a beating. On the other hand, a glass, glass-lined, or ceramic-lined mug is perfectly fine for car commuting (5). 

Some people prefer to avoid mugs with stainless steel interiors because they will eventually degrade with exposure to coffee acids, giving their brew a noticeable metallic taste. In my experience, this takes many years of use.

The Verdict

All of the travel mugs included on this list are solid options, and you should make your final choice based on your personal preferences and needs. My pick for the absolute best travel mug for coffee this year is the Zojirushi Travel Mug. This all-arounder keeps my drinks hot for at least half a day, and I love its one-handed operation, leak-proof design, and sleek style.