The Best Coffee Mugs (That Can Actually Make Coffee Taste Better)

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 our sensory perception of coffee, but we also want a mug that is comfortable to hold and looks stylish—one that makes every cup of coffee stand out.  

“Fresh-roasted, well-brewed coffee requires so many steps to go right, and the final piece is the vessel you’re enjoying it in. If you haven’t thoughtfully chosen your mug, it can turn something that is thoughtfully prepared into a sub-par experience,” says Xavier Alexander, owner of the Chicago café and roastery Metric Coffee.

This means it 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 spoke to roasters, baristas, and other coffee experts to build a list of the best, reasonably-sized (6- to 14-ounce) coffee mugs that will improve the flavor of your coffee while remaining stylish, comfortable, and easy to drink from. 

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Coffee Mug

Here's what, we think, can impact the sensory experience and comfort of a coffee mug:

• Lip thickness: A thin lip is easier to drink from without dribbling, and it allows you to delicately sip 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 also for the coffee to lose heat faster. Narrower cups create more thermal mass but might block your nose. “Aroma, and the psychology around it, is very important to me when drinking coffee,” says Sarah Nguyen, founder of the specialty Vietnamese coffee company Nguyen Coffee Supply, “so I don’t use one with a small diameter where I couldn’t adchieve the aroma’s effect.”
• 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. “I like to see how the coffee changes as it changes temperature,” says Chrisena Ricci, lead production specialist in Buffalo, New York’s Tipico Coffee Roasters. For this reason, she chooses mugs at the larger end of the size range we’re suggesting. To avoid the off flavors that come with cold coffee, she only fills her mug halfway and then goes for a couple of refills.
• Base/wall thickness: Adding mass to the walls or the mug's base will increase thermal insulation, which can help keep coffee hotter even as the volume drops. That’s not always an advantage, though. Some prefer the elegance of a thinner wall. Alexander likes short pours of coffee. “Because I drink less, I’m not looking for thick-walled insulation. I want to drink my coffee at a safe temperature,” he says.
• Material: Ceramic and porcelain are better heat conductors and add insulation while glass helps coffee cool quickly; good for people who are eager to sip. Stainless steel and silicone are durable materials for travel mugs, which might come with ceramic inserts to avoid off flavors.
• Texture: When you’re dealing with a hot liquid and going for maximum enjoyment, the feel of the cup on your lips is important. “I don’t like the rough ceramic that feels sandy or brushed. I don’t want to put that in my mouth,” says Kim Westerman, owner of the terroir-driven roastery Hedonic Coffee. She prefers glass or a more refined ceramic, such as porcelain. “They’re smooth, silky, and create no friction between you and your coffee.”

• Handle: 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. Size and position matter as well for stability. “For good support, you should be able to fit two fingers in,” says Nyugen, “and make sure the handle is not too close to the base. A handle that’s balanced on the side or higher to the rim allows more control when holding it.”   
• 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. For this style, insulation or thick walls prevent you from burning your hand.
• Cup & saucer: A well-designed saucer allows your thumb to pinch the lip, making it easy to carry your coffee from room to room (and catching any spills if you stumble). It’s also a good look for company. “It’s not my everyday go-to,” Nyugen says, “but it’s very sweet for an occasion when you’re trying to create an experience.” 
• 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 Fellow 11oz Monty Double Wall Ceramic Cup and notNeutral 6oz Vero Glass.

The Best Updated Classic Mugs

A Mug with True Grip

Created Co. Angle Drip

View on Created.co View on Eightouncecoffee.com

“I like a square handle because it gives me better control,” Ricci says. Also Alexander’s pick for the mug with the best handle, this update on the traditional diner version lets you wrap three fingers around it, resting them on the flat inner edge so you can navigate through sipping without wobbles or slippage.

An Updated Diner Mug

notNeutral Lino 10-Ounce Coffee Mug

$25 at Amazon $25 at Walmart View on Seattlecoffeegear.com

Working with baristas at Intelligentsia Coffee, notNeutral designed their Lino series 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 Coffee Mug with a Modern Vintage Touch

Manual 11oz Amber Glass Mug

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.

A Heated Mug for Slow Drinkers

Ember Temperature Control Smart Mug

$119 at Amazon $104 at Target $110 at Sur La Table

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

A Lidded Ceramic Coffee Mug

Hasami 13.5oz Natural Mug with Saucer

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 Coffee Mugs

A Lightly Tapered Coffee Mug

Kinto 9oz FOG Mug

$25 at Amazon

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

A Design-World Classic Coffee Mug

marimekko 7oz Oiva/Siirtolapuutarha Coffee Cup

View on Marimekko.com

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

An Editor-Favorite

East Fork The Mug

View on Eastfork.com $44 at Food52

"I have a couple of these mugs," says senior commerce editor Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm. "I love their weight and their large, curved handle. I also think they're beautiful: with an unfinished base and rim."

A Stylish, Squat Coffee Mug

Haand 10oz Short Mug

View on Haand.us

Wide-mouth mugs are perfect for taking in the full aroma of 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. "There is no better vessel for a café au lait than this 10-ounce short mug from Haand. It holds just the right amount of coffee and milk without edging into 'enormous coffee bowl' territory," says commerce editor Rochelle Bilow. "I have the Robin's Egg Blue color, but am deeply obsessed with the rest of the colors. Next on my list is the Birch!."

A Cute, Colorful Coffee Mug

Felt+Fat 8oz Cappuccino Cup

View on Feltandfat.com

Though it’s called a cappuccino cup, this option is great for drip coffee. The smaller, squat mug has a wide opening and straight sides, making it easy to sip your coffee at the perfect temp. We like the confetti colorway, but it comes in a handful of attractive solid colors, too.

A Stackable Classic Coffee Mug

Heath 8oz Stack Mug

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.

A Mid-Century Mug

Kinto Cast Amber

View on Kinto-usa.com

Alexander’s favorite glass is small, lightweight, and translucent, offering an elegant sip. The thin glass lip feels smooth in the mouth, and the handle, though thin, is flat-topped with sturdy corners for a sure grip. Plus, he says, “The amber color makes the hues of the coffee that much more beautiful.”

An Everyday Mug That’s Fun to Look at

ANK Studios Copper Bloom Mug

View on Ankceramics.com

For “daily drip drinking,” Westerman grabs this tie-dyed, hand-fired mug. “It’s visually pleasing with a good medium weight and thickness.” Though the low, round handle is “probably an aesthetic choice,” she likes its size and girth; it’s not too wide that holding it is awkward, and it feels balanced in hand.   

An Inexpensive, Double-Walled Set

Hearth Double Walled Glass Coffee Mugs

$22 at Amazon

"I was gifted this set of double-walled glass mugs for my birthday and I use them nearly every day," says commerce writer An Uong. "They're very elegant and automatically make any drink feel 10 times fancier. Thanks to the double-wall design, the contents stay hot (or cold) for a lot longer while the exterior remains comfortable to the touch. The lip is super smooth to drink from and its curved handle gives me a good grip. I get compliments on them all the time and have my friend to thank."

The Best Coffee Cups & Saucers 

A Coffee Mug That’s Also Perfect for a Latte or Cappuccino

notNeutral Lino 3-Ounce Espresso Gift Set

$36 at Amazon View on Seattlecoffeegear.com View on Clivecoffee.com

We can't get enough of beautiful coffee gifts and this mug fits the bill. Westerman declares this mug “beautifully designed.” Sturdy without being heavy, it features an “ergonomic and functional” handle that’s rounded at the side to hug the curve of your fingers and flat on top for maximum support. “It’s good for any hand size,” she says, “which matters because I have small ones.” It also features a shape designed to hold steaming milk or a fluffy head of foam if you’re going for a specialty coffee.

A Traditional Italian Coffee Cup

d’Ancap 6.1oz Verona Cappuccino Cup and Saucer

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 drink 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

$30 at Williams-Sonoma

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

The Best Handleless Coffee Mugs

A Handless Art-Piece Coffee Mug

Wilcoxson Brooklyn Ceramics 8oz Small Cup Leaf

View on Wilcoxsonbrooklynceramics.com

With its soft curves and folded walls, this piece from Wilcoxson Brooklyn Ceramics creates a shape that fits nicely in your hand. Its thin walls help coffee cool to drinking temperature while letting the heat warm your hands. 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

$28 at Amazon

The Monty ceramics line from Fellow has a double-walled design for better heat retention while keeping the outside cool to the touch. This is a great option for people who like drinking coffee from handleless tumblers but don’t want to grab a hot cup. The insides are slightly sloped to assist in latte art pouring, so this mug is well-suited for espresso drinks.

A Set of Stackable Tasting Glasses

notNeutral Vero Cortado Glass

View on Clivecoffee.com

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

A Pair of Mugs Made for Light and Dark Roasts

Kruve EQ Glass Set

$50 at Amazon View on Kruveinc.com

This double-walled duo is scientifically designed to enhance coffee’s flavor and aroma. The squat interior of the Excite mug softens acidity in darker roasts, while the narrower insides of the Inspire mug focus acidity in fruitier coffees. Westerman likes their look and feel. “They’re really smooth in the hand, very symmetrical, proportional, and balanced,” she says, “and the coffee follows through to a long finish because of the focused shape.”

A Tea Cup for Pour-Over Coffee

Ling BaoBao 200 ml Gaiwan

$14 at Amazon

The Gaiwan is a Chinese lidded cup-and-saucer designed for loose-leaf tea, but Alexander uses it as a stylish vessel for pour-overs. “When I brew on a Chemex, the temperature drops 15 to 20 degrees automatically on pour, so the coffee is ready to drink,” he says. The brew has cooled enough to allow him to grip the thin-walled cup. “I really like the delicate nature of it. Similar to the perfect wine glass, it feels almost as if it has no weight.”

The Best Travel Coffee Mugs

A Spill-Proof Travel Mug

Fellow Carter Move Mug

$35 at Amazon $21 at Fellowproducts.com $35 at Best Buy

Some of the most popular travel mugs are monster-sized, but coffee drinkers looking for flavor rather than just a big caffeine boost will appreciate the reasonable size of this mug in addition to its durability. Stainless steel with a ceramic coating inside ensures proper flavor. The Carter's lid seals up tightly. “I put it in my backpack, and it doesn’t matter how I turn it,” says Westerman. “I could leave it upside down, and that thing will never leak.” Ricci marvels, “One of my bosses drove over hers, and it still worked.” We named the Carter Move Mug as one of the top picks in our travel mugs review.

A Collapsible, Eco-Friendly To-Go Cup

Stojo 12 Oz Cup

$15 at Amazon

A silicone cup with a heat sleeve and tabbed lid, this lightweight, travel-ready mug collapses to save room in your bag before and after use. Ricci is a fan of its sustainability; rather than using a disposable cup, she can tote this around and present it to the barista when she stops at a café. Silicone can impart flavor over time, so she suggests scrubbing it with a paste made of equal parts baking soda and water before washing it with soap and water.

An Insulated Travel Mug

MiiR Camp Cup

$26 at Amazon View on Miir.com

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

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 to 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. They also retain heat better. The thick walls can hold higher temperatures than thin ceramics, but they are also harder to drink from, heavy, and awkward to hold.

How do you keep coffee mugs clean? 

To keep ceramic and glass mugs nice and clean so that coffee tastes fresh, Ricci soaks them in a solution of baking soda and vinegar and then washes them out with soap and very hot water. It's the same chemical reaction needed to get baked goods to rise properly, so it's food-safe. She’s also a fan of Cafiza, a cleanser used in coffee shops to eat away the coffee proteins and oils that build up on equipment. You can buy it in easy-to-use tablet form.

Why We're the Experts

• Jesse Raub was the commerce writer for Serious Eats. He worked in the specialty coffee industry for more than 15 years.
• Betsy Andrews is a freelance writer at Serious Eats.
• She is a James Beard- and IACP-nominated food and drink journalist who was previously the executive editor of Saveur magazine and a dining critic for The New York Times.
• For this article, Betsy interviewed coffee experts about the essential qualities of coffee mugs.