Reusable Coffee Mug

[conwy]

So after clumsily losing my previous re-usable mug, I decided to go on a quest to find the ideal re-usable mug. One that would support my coffee addiction throughout my travels and adventures..

After much searching of supermarket aisles, I finally found the cup of my dreams and proceeded to purchase it.

Brand: "Trudeau" (relation to the Canadian prime minister? who knows?)
Cost: Around $7 USD
Where: Random supermarket in L.A.

So what makes this particular mug so appealing?

Here are my favourite features:

• Cheap. So probably easy to replace if lost, assuming I can purchase it online.
• Light. Made of all plastic, definitely worth its weight.
• Large. Can hold enough coffee to last me a day, which is convenient.
• Cylindrical. Easily fits in the strap on the side of my backpack.
• Thermal. Keeps contents hot for at least 2 hours, which is all I need.
• Spill-proof. Sturdy screw-on lid and open/close mechanism for drinking part.
• Simple construction. Easy to clean.
• Microwaveable! Thus, it can double as a food or soup container, when the only source of heat is a microwave oven. Or I can just re-heat my coffee in a microwave! *

* This last features was surprisingly rare in coffee mugs!

This mug has been an absolute pleasure to use.

This morning I went to the kitchen at my AirBnB, put a pot of water on the stove, threw in some ground coffee. Brought it to the boil, switched the stove off, waited 2-3 minutes for it to settle, then poured the brew straight into the mug and closed the lid. Then I just threw the grounds in the bin and washed up the pot in the sink and was all done.

Bam! 5 minutes of time + about 25c worth of ground coffee = coffee for the whole day.

That's exactly a quarter of the price of a $1 7-Eleven coffee and an even smaller fraction of the price at your typical coffee shop.

You can do the math and figure out how quickly this mug will pay for itself!

[Frita]

Isn’t it amazing how a simple, quality product makes like easier? Agreed, buying coffee out is a waste of money. I use a stainless steel Contigo travel mug (trying to avoid food in plastic). If I knew how to post a picture, I would. My favorite thing is it keep coffee hot all day. This is handy when I take it crosscountry skiing.

[jennypenny]

I use a stainless steel Contigo travel mug (trying to avoid food in plastic). ... My favorite thing is it keep coffee hot all day.

I use the same travel mug for the same reasons. I've thought about switching to a combo french press/travel mug but I really like the contigo mug ( here). It keeps stuff hot enough to double as a thermos.

[conwy]

That Contigo looks good. I like the grip layer.

It’s amazing how cheap this stuff is, yet it saves you money.

And saves time/hassle of queuing up at Starbucks or 7-Eleven. Just find somewhere nice to sit and sip away.

I stopped somewhere in Griffith Park, Hollywood to have mine. Beautiful surroundings.

[Jason]

[*] Spill-proof. Sturdy screw-on lid and open/close mechanism for drinking part.

Even if you drop it? That would be huge.

[conwy]

Even if you drop it? That would be huge.

Haven't tried deliberately dropping it yet. That'd be a good test. Might give it a go.

[conwy]

Oh... and the cheap hostel I'm staying at provides free breakfast and endless coffee. So this morning I filled up for the day free of charge!

[Jason]

The issue I have with these types of mugs is trying to sip when I know its hot. I usually end up burning my lips. The second is that the lid is removable, not attached. This means if I place it in my coffee holder while driving and I stop short and it falls, I can (a) burn areas of my body even more sensitive than my lips and/or (b) coffee stains the interior of my car. The invention of a travel mug that can maintain its liquid content under such conditions would be a Godsend.