If you've ever travelled with coffee, you've probably used a travel cup or flask.
Unfortunately, their quality varies...
some are great at keeping your coffee hot, others leak, and others aren't easily washed! So today we're answering the age-old question about the best travel cups.
I am basing this on five criteria:
- how well the lid performs, how easy it is to clean
- how easy it is to clean
- how environmentally friendly it is
- if it imparts any unwanted flavours
One: S'well
The first travel cup that we think is worth looking at is the S'well.
- Insulation: this particular travel cup is double-walled and vacuum-insulated, which keeps drinks hot for 4 hours or cold for 16 hours
- Lid: the S'well has a pop-top, drink-through lid that doesn't leak
- Washability: it's very easy to clean, as it can be put on the top rack of the dishwasher
- Environmentally friendly: one of our favourite things about the S'well is that it was originally created for environmental reasons! Founder Sarah Kauss realised that people don't like to use water bottles/travel cups because they're ugly. So she specifically designed the S'well to be beautifully designed to encourage people to actually use it!
- Flavour: unfortunately the one downside of the S'well is that you do get a bit of a metallic taste from the steel rim of the travel cup.
If you're interested in learning more about the S'well, head here!
Two: KeepCup
Next up is the KeepCup, which you can actually purchase on our website! There's a reason why we sell this particular travel cup.
- Insulation: the KeepCup tends to keep hot liquids warm for 90 minutes - so not the longest, but definitely long enough for you to drink your morning coffee!
- Lid: the splash-proof lid works perfectly
- Washability: the KeepCup is dishwasher safe, making it very easy to clean
- Environmentally friendly: we love how environmentally friendly this travel mug is! The cork band is made from wine cork waste in Portugal, and the glass of the cup can be recycled once the product has come to the end of its life. Even better, once you’ve used the cup for approximately 10 days, you’ve saved the equivalent carbon footprint that it takes to make your KeepCup.
- Flavour: because the cup is made with glass, no flavour is imparted
You can find one of the best travel cups on our websiteThree: rCup
The rCup looks like it was made with coffee lovers in mind. For example, it is the perfect size to use with an Aeropress, so you can press straight the coffee straight into it! It's very convenient.
- Insulation: much like the KeepCup, this travel cup keeps drinks hot for approximately 90 minutes
- Lid: this is an interesting one, because the rCup has a 360 drinking lid - this means that you can drink from any side of the cup once the top is unlocked. But when locked, it's spill-proof
- Washability: once again, the rCup is dishwasher safe
- Environmentally friendly: once again, this is a great environmentally friendly cup! It's actually made from recycled paper coffee cups, and is itself recyclable.
- Flavour: Not only does the rCup not impart a flavour, the 360° drinking supposedly improves flavour because more aroma is released
Four: Hydro Flask
You may have heard about the Hydro Flask, as they're very popular at the moment! But are they worth the hype?
- Insulation: the insulation is very good, as the Hydro F|ask will keep liquids hot for around 12 hours
- Lid: 100% leak-proof when closed, even if you turn it upside down
- Washability: although you can't wash the Hydro Flask in the dishwasher (because it affects the insulation), it is very easy to hand wash because the lid is so large.
- Environmentally friendly: it is BPA-free and phthalate-free, and completely recyclable. Hydro Flask also created a charity called Parks For All and they make a donation with every purchase. As a result, Hydro Flask has donated more than $1.5 million to over 92 eco-friendly non-profits.
- Flavour: the Hydro Flask is great for this particular category, as it doesn't retain flavours from past drinks or impart its own
In all, the Hydro Flask is a great option if you're looking for a great travel cup.
It is a bit more expensive than the other options, but it's the largest of any on this list, and it will definitely hold up for a long time.
The Hydro Flask is one of the best travel mugsFive: Contigo
Finally, we have the Contigo! This is a vacuum-insulated stainless steel travel mug which is pretty perfect for anyone who wants to take hot coffee on a commute or when camping.
- Insulation: the Contigo keeps drinks hot for up to 5 hours, which is pretty good in our book!
- Lid: there are no spills with this travel cup, because it has a push-button seal that makes it spill-proof
- Washability: both the lid and body are top-rack dishwasher safe
- Environmentally friendly: Contigo isn't specifically environmentally friendly, but it is BPA-free
- Flavour: even though the Contigo is made with steel, it doesn't impart any metallic flavour.
Hopefully this list will help you decide what the best travel cups are for you.
