Want a thermos to carry along your coffee? It’s more than just getting a mug for the coffee. It’s important to consider several factors, including insulating capability, odor, and longevity. The best coffee thermos is a subjective choice. However, practically all of us can agree on the important factors going into that decision.
Imagine opening up the thermos on your morning commute. You’re greeted not by the inviting aroma of coffee, but by the terrible smell of the thermos. Now that’s a big downer and a problem all too common.
Buy it for life might be expensive at first look, but it will more than pay itself off over the years.
Like any other product, manufacturers sometimes trade on some facets of the product to reinforce others. Sometimes, attempting to strike that balance doesn’t quite work out. Consider an (imaginary) best thermos for keeping coffee hot that keeps the coffee hot for several hours. But what good is all that if the coffee ends up smelling awful?
Let’s see some of the best thermos options available.
Top Best Thermos For Coffee Options For 2020
- Stanley Classic Vacuum Bottle
- Simple Modern Summit Bottle
- Simple Modern Voyager Travel Mug
- Sunwill Tumbler with Lid
- Juro Stainless Steel Vacuum Insulated Tumbler
- EcoVessel PERK Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Bottle
- Avito Stainless Steel Coffee Mugs with Lids
- Simple Drink Insulated Coffee Travel Mug
Editor’s Choice: Sunwill Tumbler with Lid
Simple, durable, and well-priced – this tumbler hits the top three qualities to make its way as editor’s choice. Oh, and it can keep your coffee hot for several hours. I like the looks and the design and its pretty convenient to use. The Sunwill Tumbler has its priorities sought out and performs admirably well.
Reviewed: The Best Thermos For Keeping Coffee Hot
1. Stanley Classic Vacuum Bottle
If you want quality, Stanley Classic Vacuum Bottle is exactly what you’re looking for. The brand already is a well-recognized name and has managed to live up to its reputation.
It is made from food grade 18/8 stainless steel. This means that the material of the bottle does not interact or interfere with the taste of the drink. In the same vein, the bottle does not acquire or absorb any taste or odor from the beverage stored.
The company claims this thermos is “built for life” and backs that up with a lifetime warranty. There are obviously riders and limits on the warranty but there is no reason to doubt the quality of this vacuum bottle.
According to Stanley, the bottle will keep its contents at the right temperature for up to 24 hours. That might very well be true if you use it to store cold drinks or cold brew coffee. However, if you’re using hot coffee, I’d suggest not going beyond 6-8 hours.
Highlights
- Leak-resistant lid can also be used as 8 oz cup
- Made from high-quality 18/8 stainless steel
- Can keep hot coffee at the right temperature for 6-8 hours, cold beverages for up to 24 hours
- Dated looks and design
2. Simple Modern Summit Bottle
Beautiful patterns and designs are the hallmarks of the double-walled and insulated Simple Modern Summit bottle. Customers get to take their pick from a healthy range of options with changes like bottle size, pattern, and lids.
On a conventional purchase, you get two lids with the bottle. One is a stainless steel insulated lid, the other is a BPA-free plastic free-flip lid. Its 14-22 oz bottles will fit into most cup holders, but the larger ones won’t.
Simple Modern (or S|M) bottles will keep cold beverages at the right temperature for up to 24 hours. For hot coffee and similar drinks, 6 hours could very well be the limit.
Highlights
- Excellent range of options in design, size, and lids
- Stainless steel construction
- Double-wall insulated bottle
- Can maintain hot coffee temperature for up to 6 hours, cold for 24 hours
- Excellent looks and design
- Bottles are not dishwasher safe, lids are top-rack dishwasher safe
3. Simple Modern Voyager Travel Mug
The travel mug has forever been the favored choice of coffee lovers. This one adds excellent insulation to the travel mug. In application, the Simple Modern Voyager Travel Mug is pretty similar to the Simple Modern bottles we just saw. The difference is the design approach – the bottle makes way for the travel mug.
S|M travel mugs still have the lovely looks and design options that set this brand apart. For the travel mug/tumbler, you could use the 12, 16, 20, or 24 oz size variants. The design options remain wide and they all look pretty good. Each travel mug comes with a leak-proof lid and two straws.
All sizes of the travel mug will fit into the conventional cup holder quite easily. It uses double wall insulation, which is fairly effective. However, don’t expect it to beat the bottle in performance. Practically, the limit for hot beverages is three hours, while cold beverages can be stored for 10-12 hours.
Highlights
- Excellent options for design/patterns and size options
- Stainless steel construction with double-wall insulation
- Hot drinks stay hot for up to 3 hours, cold beverages are good for up to 12 hours
- Leakproof
Check design and pattern options
4. Sunwill Tumbler with Lid
Sunwill Tumbler is our top choice for this category. Sized to work as a travel mug and fit most cup holders, this tumbler also offers great value for money. It is backed with good looks, design, size and color options, and excellent value for money.
It claims to keep hot drinks good for 6 hours and cold ones for 24 hours. I call that an overreach. Practically, put hot drinks at 2-3 hours and cold ones for 10-12 hours. That’s about the best performance most tumblers can offer. If you want your beverage to stay hot for several more hours, get the Stanley Vacuum bottle.
The stainless steel tumbler is made from 18/8 food grade stainless steel. It includes a splash-proof sliding lid for easier use. There are several size options available. For example, if you need something smaller, take a look at the 12 oz tumbler.
Highlights
- Good options for color and patterns
- Stainless steel construction with double-wall insulation
- Hot drinks stay at the right temperature for 2-3 hours, cold for 10-12 hours
- Spill proof lid
- Excellent value for money
5. Juro Stainless Steel Vacuum Insulated Tumbler
Juro Tumbler is another excellent option when you’re considering a value for money proposition. The double-walled insulated stainless steel tumbler claims to keep hot beverages going for six hours, cold for 24 hours. Practically, I’d say it’s more like 3-4 hours for hot, cold for 8-10 hours.
The stainless steel tumbler includes two lids in the package. One is a slider lid, the other is a flip lid. Both of them work fairly well and add to the convenience and use of this tumbler.
Highlights
- Double-walled stainless steel construction
- Hot drink temperature maintained for 3-4 hours, cold for 8-10 hours
- Excellent value for money
- Includes slider lid and flip lid
6. EcoVessel PERK Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Bottle
EcoVessel PERK Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Bottle comes with conventional looks and design. It does throw around interesting numbers though. The claim is that it will maintain hot drinks at the right temperature for 8 hours and cold for 36 hours. In practical use, it’s more like the conventional 6 hours and 24 hours range.
One cool feature about this water bottle is that it features a removable tea strainer. Just carry hot water in the bottle and you can have fresh-brewed tea on demand throughout the entire day. The vacuum insulated bottle is made from 18/8 stainless steel and includes a spill proof lid.
Highlights
- Good quality stainless steel construction
- Great insulation
- Will keep hot beverages at the right temperature for up to 6 hours and cold ones for 24 hours
- Includes spill proof lid and removable tea strainer
- A few color options are available for the bottle
7. Avito Stainless Steel Coffee Mugs with Lids
I’d buy this one. Not because these mugs are the most useful or have the best insulation, but because I find them the coolest. These are pretty much regular coffee mugs with insulation. The double walled mugs are made from 18/8 stainless steel and have a spill-resistant lid.
Avito Stainless Steel Coffee Mugs have a few color choices to pick from, which is pretty good. They are insulated, but it isn’t anything to write home about. The 14 oz mugs keep hot beverages good for about an hour, cold ones can last 2-3 hours.
They’re not something you’d bank on to keep your coffee hot for hours. But they are pretty useful for home and office use, especially for slow drinkers. Oh, and did I mention they are pretty cool?
Highlights
- High-quality construction
- Made from food grade 18/8 stainless steel
- Double walled cups for insulation
- Each cup can hold 14 oz
- Some choice of colors
8. Simple Drink Insulated Coffee Travel Mug
Simple Drink Insulated Coffee Travel Mug is a great pick for an insulated travel mug. The mug is made from 18/8 stainless steel and is topped by a spill proof plastic lid. It is designed to fit most cup holders.
This double walled insulated mug can be expected to keep your coffee hot for a couple of hours. If you’re carrying cold beverages, expect them to last an hour more. The lid is top rack dishwasher safe, the mug is not.
Highlights
- Made from 18/8 stainless steel
- Double walled or insulation
- Can maintain hot beverages for a couple of hours, cold beverages for 3-4 hours
Honorable Mention: Thermos Travel Tumbler
This is the brand that’s synonymous with the thermos – so much so, that the product is better known by the name of the company. The company has a fairly good range of coffee thermos options available and it might be worthwhile to look into it.
Unfortunately, the overall quality seems to have taken a nosedive. At the very least, it seems like they have some quality control issues. The products can be very inconsistent in quality, which is why this didn’t make our top recommended list.
Disappointing Mention: Contigo Autoseal
At one point, I was pretty sure the Contigo Autoseal deserved being called the best thermos for coffee. Now, it doesn’t even make the top recommended list. It does work fairly well with insulation and the autoseal holds its own for spill proof and leak proof qualities.
But, oh dear, the smell. It just won’t go away. The bad odor is expected for many coffee thermoses or even coffee makers. However, it’s supposed to go away after a few uses. For this one, it seemingly never does. That speaks to questionable quality control and (in my mind) to what might really be the chosen material of these mugs.
A Guide To Buying The Best Thermos For Keeping Coffee Hot
Insulation And Best Times
The job of a thermos is to keep hot beverages hot and cold ones cold. When you buy one, it is important to consider just how long the thermos will hold the temperature. Manufacturers make all sorts of wild claims, but they don’t necessarily translate to practical use.
Temperature is a gradient. The coffee in the mug begins to cool the second you put it there. Similarly, any cold beverage will start to heat up. The important time to consider is when the hot (or cold) beverages are still close to being enjoyable.
A thermos can claim to keep the coffee hot for 8 hours and serve lukewarm coffee at that point. I suggest making an allowance for marketing claims. Knock off a couple of hours for whatever the manufacturer or seller claims. It isn’t always necessary, but you will be on the safe side of things.
Capacity And Use For The Coffee Thermos
Any coffee thermos is only as good as it being fit for your intended use. So take a closer look at what you’re going to buy and if any accessories available work to your benefit. For example, having a cup, as with the Stanley thermos, can be very convenient for larger volume thermos.
For most of the modern double walled and insulated options, consider the lids and caps available. Some of them can make it remarkably easy to manage your drink. At the same time, an improper lid can make things needlessly difficult. Considering options like spill proof and leak proof lids can be useful as well.
The capacity is an unavoidable consideration. Coffee thermos options are available in a variety of sizes. You could go from something simple like 12 oz to larger options that go way further. So consider whether your coffee thermos is intended for a single person or a group. Or, how much is your appetite for coffee!
General Use Ideas For A Coffee Thermos
Some simple tips and maintenance ideas can enable you to get more out of the coffee thermos. It is a good idea to temper the thermos to the preferred use. For example, if you intend to carry hot coffee, pour boiling water into the thermos and let it stay for five minutes. Then empty the thermos and pour your coffee in. Similarly, use freezing water to temper it for cold.
Most double-walled insulated bottles or thermos don’t fare well in the dishwasher. At the very least, you can expect it to damage the paint on the thermos. Carefully read the instructions to see what accessories are dishwasher safe. I’ll suggest keeping the thermos to manual washing/cleaning, even if it can go into the dishwasher.
My Coffee Thermos ‘Pal’
The best coffee thermos could be a friend that will be with you for years. A quality thermos can fulfill the buy it for life criteria. Even with daily usage and associated wear and tear, it can last several years.
You don’t need to go overboard when buying a coffee thermos. Considering value for money and practical uses, however, is an essential aspect of any responsible purchase. Take a look at the options listed here and you will find one suited to your requirements.