When pouring our coffee into travel mugs, we quietly acknowledge the fact that there will be some change in taste. Even with high-quality food-grade steel, some changes are unavoidable. Glass fares better where taste is concerned, but there are a few challenges, primarily with insulation.
Glass travel mugs can be fairly rewarding in use. Plus, with recent developments like double-walled glass, the mugs have improved in construction. Ceramic is another interesting material.
If you’re absolutely looking for insulation, the steel thermos coffee mugs are tough to beat.
Top Glass Travel Coffee Mugs To Buy (And Ceramic Options)
- JOCO Glass Reusable Coffee Cup
- Cicike Premium Double Walled Glass Coffee Mug
- Godinger Glass Travel Mug
- Ello Fulton Ceramic Travel Mug
- Stanley Go Series Bottle with Ceramivac
1. JOCO Glass Reusable Coffee Cup
Practically speaking, JOCO Glass Reusable Coffee Cup is pretty much your average glass cup by build. It has received some upgrades to enable it to work as a travel mug. And they’ve done a fantastic job at that. And yes, even though it’s “just like another cup”, the build quality is pretty good.
So to get the coffee mug advantage going, they put a silicone sleeve around the glass so it’s easier to pick. A lid has been tacked on to complete the coffee mug look. Overall, the setup is pretty good and dependable.
JOCO Glass Reusable Coffee Cup is made from heat-resistant borosilicate glass. It is resistant to thermal shock, durable, and lightweight. JOCO claims the glass is blown by artisans, not machines. Personally, I couldn’t care either way – it’s a coffee mug, and I don’t mind it being mass-produced by machines.
The glass and the silicone sleeve are microwave safe, odor resistant, and can last fairly long. Several color options are available for matching lid and sleeve. The cup is available in several sizes, 4 oz, 6 oz, 8 oz, 12 oz, and 16 oz. So go wild, I guess.
Travel Mug Highlights
- Durable mug built with high-quality borosilicate glass
- Well-constructed lid and silicone sleeve
- Microwave and dishwasher safe
2. Cicike Premium Double Walled Glass Coffee Mug
Cicike Premium Double Walled Glass Coffee Mug holds 14 oz and is designed like a conventional travel mug. Being double-walled, it feels remarkably light, though that doesn’t mean the construction isn’t sturdy. The mug is made from borosilicate glass and is resistant to thermal shock.
The double-walled glass doesn’t sweat, so it’s easy and convenient to hold on to. Similarly, when packing something hot, the mug remains easy to pick up. They’ve still added a silicone sleeve, which likely is more about keeping the mug slip-resistant. It also adds a splash of color to the otherwise plain glass body.
Even the lid on Cicike Premium Double Walled Glass Coffee Mug is made entirely out of glass, and is well-crafted to fit the mug. A silicone seal keeps the lid firmly in position. They claim it is leak-proof, and I say, yeah right. It won’t start spilling as soon as the bottle flips to the side, but expecting it to stay waterproof is going overboard.
Travel Mug Highlights
- Double-walled glass coffee mug
- Made from borosilicate glass
- Silicone sleeve for body and silicone seal at top of the mug
- Microwave and dishwasher not recommended
3. Godinger Glass Travel Mug
No frills for this guy. Except for double walls, which I think is totally legit. Godinger Glass Travel Mug is pretty much a straight up glass mug without any embellishments on its body. The 16 oz tumbler has its top covered by a lid that fits in snug but isn’t exactly leakproof.
The total volume of the tumbler is 16 oz, but then this is a double-walled system. So, the usable volume drops a bit and comes down to 12 oz. Still good enough, though not exactly generous. There are no sleeves on the exterior – it’s just a tall glass mug.
Double-walled glass on the Godinger Glass Travel Mug performs pretty well. The outer layer remains at a constant temperature unaffected by the contents of the interior. The mug doesn’t sweat, but it’s still a good idea to be careful. It’s still a glass mug, and glass is pretty easy to break. Even more so for double-walled glass.
To its credit, Godinger Glass Travel Mug looks pretty stylish and cool. It fits easily into cup holders, and can travel along just fine. This is a great travel mug – perhaps not best for camping, but it will look pretty good on a desk.
Travel Mug Highlights
- Double-walled glass
- Partially spill-proof
- Borosilicate glass construction
- Not recommended for microwave and dishwasher
4. Ello Fulton Ceramic Travel Mug
If glass isn’t your jam, inert ceramic makes for a pretty good material for coffee mugs. Ello Fulton Ceramic Travel Mug is a pretty good example of what can be achieved by the use of ceramics. The interior of this mug is coated with ceramic that remains inert to the use of food items.
The tall travel mug has a slider lid for convenience. It isn’t leak proof or spill-proof, but it does its job fairly well. The tumbler is splash resistant, but it isn’t completely spill-proof. A wooden handle is added to the side for extra style and added ease of use for the mug.
At 16 oz, Ello Fulton Ceramic Travel Mug is large enough to hold your favored choice of beverage. The mug is not recommended for use with microwaves or dishwashers.
Travel Mug Highlights
- Ceramic travel mug
- Not insulated
- Not recommended for use with microwave or dishwasher
5. Stanley Go Series Bottle with Ceramivac
Stanley Go Series bottles with ceramic lining are a great pick that match quality and usability. The bottles are made from 18/8 food grade stainless steel, which doesn’t leach into or add odors to stored items. Going further, the interior is coated with ceramics. Or, as Stanley likes to call it, “ceramivac granite”.
The company claims this new technology brings together the best qualities of ceramic and the conventional insulation of Stanley products. Go series tumblers are double-wall insulated and will keep your beverage at the right temperature for several hours.
The bottles come with a plastic lid and a non-skid silicone footpad. They fit into cup holders rather easily. Stanley says the bottles are dishwasher safe, though I’d suggest avoiding it. Dishwashers and double-wall insulation rarely play well together.
Travel Mug Highlights
- High-quality construction with 18/8 stainless steel and ceramic coating
- Double-walled insulated
- Can keep coffee hot for 4 hours, cold beverages for 7 hours
- Not suited for microwave or dishwasher
- Leak-proof and spill-proof lid
- Available in several sizes and colors
What Should I Know Before Buying A Glass Travel Mug Or Ceramic Options?
The Risk Of Breakage Is Real
Glass breaks easily. Of course, everyone knows that, but it’s a topic worth revisiting here. We don’t quite treat travel mugs the same way as we would a coffee cup. Travel mugs, by definition, are intended for rougher use, or rather, in rougher situations. The risk goes higher for double-walled glasses.
The way they’re constructed, each layer of the double-wall itself is pretty thin. Companies try to get around the problem by using tougher glass, but that doesn’t change the fact that the mug is held together by thin walls. As such, they carry a higher risk of breaking.
Long story short, don’t expect your glass travel mugs to be nearly as resilient as other, more commonly used options.
Lids Don’t Work As Well At Stopping Spills Or Leaks
Don’t expect your glass mug (or for that matter, ceramic mug) lids to be leak-proof. Most of them are mediocre at best for stopping spills and leaks. That’s not to say the lids are completely useless. They will withstand shaking or the mug being on its side for some time. But they can’t be as tight a fit and will eventually give way for the coffee to flow.
Why Bother With Glass Travel Mugs?
Glass travel mugs don’t measure up to their steel counterparts in durability, lid quality, and insulation. However, glass excels at being completely inert. A glass travel mug won’t absorb (or impart) any flavors or odors to its contents. This makes it the best travel mug option where taste and aroma are your top priorities for coffee.
There’s also the aspect of appearance and looks. Double-walled glass looks pretty and so does the coffee inside it. Plus, double-wall insulation is pretty good at keeping your coffee hot for a long time. It won’t go on for hours, but it can stay on long enough to be useful. Based on personal experience, I’d say it lasts well for up to an hour.
A bigger bonus is that glass won’t bother you with chemicals like BPA leaching into your coffee.
Ceramic Lined Travel Mug
An alternative to the classic glass travel mug is the ceramic-lined travel mug. In a sense, ceramic offers similar uses as glass. It doesn’t absorb or transfer flavors and can keep your coffee tasting great. Another advantage is that ceramic lined travel mugs can be made from a variety of materials and then be coated by ceramic.
Coffee mugs like the Stanley Go Series have used this to great advantage.
FAQs For Glass Travel Coffee Mugs
Are glass mugs safe?
Absolutely. Glass is a safe material for foods and can be used for coffee mugs without a problem. The ones to avoid are glasses where the interior has been painted, colored, or decorated. These decorations may leach chemicals into the beverage, which makes them undesirable.
Borosilicate glass is preferable for coffee. It’s sturdy and lightweight. Plus, it doesn’t shatter with thermal shock, so you can pour your coffee into the glass without worry.
Do glass mugs keep drinks hot?
Yes, but not for a very long time. Double-walled insulated glasses reduce the rate at which your drinks lose heat. However, the change isn’t dramatic as with thermos or stainless steel insulated bottles. Expect your coffee to stay hot for longer than usual, but even double-walled insulated glass mugs won’t beat a thermos. If you intend to use it for the commute, glass mugs can work pretty great.
Are glass mugs better than ceramic?
There is no clear answer, but the result can depend on your preferences. Both of these are neutral materials and don’t interfere with the taste or aroma of your coffee. While it is easier to clean than glass, ceramic can get stained. Neither material retains heat, so don’t expect them to keep your drink hot/cold for a long time.
The Wonderful Coffee Mug To Pick
Getting a glass travel coffee mug is a good choice. Glass is a neutral material that doesn’t alter the taste of coffee, doesn’t stain, and is easy to use. Besides, the double-walled cups look great and definitely can work well as travel mugs.