Choosing the right mug for your brew is essential. The wrong cup could mean a loss of flavour or decline in temperature. Also, when purchasing a mug, one must look for durability and prolonged reusability. There are three main types of coffee mugs that people use nowadays depending on their intended use.
Glass mugs. Glass is easy to wash and will not contaminate the flavour of your drink with residual drink tastes. Glass is often a high-quality product, and can usually be microwaved for those needing to reheat. Keep cups are often made from glass and save a few cents instead of having to buy a new takeaway cup each time—incentive to choose a glass mug that can accompany you from A to B. The downside of glass is its fragility. Lots of today's keep cups utilise glass encased in cork or plastic to ensure safety. Notably, glass is the best option to display your latest Instagram-worthy drink creation.
Stainless steel mugs. Stainless steel mugs are relatively easy to clean and will not retain flavours from previous drinks. They are more durable than glass, meaning they also make good options for travel mugs. Although they may not be the most stylish cup to keep your drink in, they provide a practical approach to coffee on the go. A downfall of stainless steel is that in general, you can't microwave it.
Ceramic/porcelain mugs. These mugs have a tendency to retain flavours, meaning that for home use—when you can align a specific cup to a particular drink—they are perfect. However, for drinks on the go, they may not be the best option. Ceramic travel mugs are harder to find than glass or stainless steel, but for the diehard fan, it’s not impossible. These mugs can often be very presentable and feature aesthetically across coffee-related Instagram posts.
The final section is dedicated to the recyclable and unique. Recyclable cups are given to those who take their coffees away and do not own a keep cup. They are not often meant for reuse but have the added benefit of recyclability. Structurally, they are usually sound but are designed for convenience and practicality, not aesthetics or longevity. In terms of the obscure, some coffee cups are being manufactured from wasted coffee grounds—a novel and appropriate use for an otherwise wasted product. There are also images floating around of wooden coffee cups—the effectiveness of something like this is likely marginal at best.
The ideal coffee cup is something that suits the drinker in their current situation. Where some people may lean towards the aesthetic of the ceramic mug, some people may instead lean towards the practicality of a glass travel mug.
