Having our own travel mugs is a good thing, unless you don’t clean them properly, then they get manky and gross. However, for those mugs that are well-kept, they’re handy and help reduce the mountain of disposable coffee cups.
But we have reached a point in humanity where stem cell technology is entering the world of sci-fi; where a vaccine to a global pandemic was administered only a year after the outbreak; and where travel mugs have gone hi-tech.
Fancy travel mugs: gadget or gimmick?
No longer are travel mugs merely a receptacle for liquids. These days you can have a barista in a bottle, even a smart mug.
The question of whether such as thing is a gadget or gimmick is subjective. To those who consider it a gimmick, we're not sure why you're here, go and look at Tamiya RC cars instead. To those who consider a high-tech travel flask an excellent idea, it's pertinent to maintain usability and quality. Pursuing bells and whistles with total disregard for anything else is a certain way to end up with an underperforming mug.
Whether as a gift or for yourself, think about what drinks are going in this fancy flask. Some are meant specifically for coffee and won't work for anything else. How well it's insulated is also important if it's going to be sitting for a while before you want to start sipping.
The best hi-tech travel mugs
Best coffee flask for people with no time to wait
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This one deserves some genuine credit...from people who are constantly running late. Everyone likes a proper brewed coffee. But there are those of us who are so busy we literally cannot wait for the coffee to brew on the kitchen bench. Herein lies the solution, a travel mug that allows you to take the plunger with you. It may help you be on time for your meeting.
Upon arrival, your velvety barista-style coffee will be ready to plunge. You can then have another one at your desk. Not terribly high-tech? It’s a start. The best is to come.
A genuinely handy gadget
This is a bit of a step in the right direction. It looks like a fairly ordinary 500ml stainless steel insulated flask. However, the top of the lid has a waterproof LCD screen that tells you the temperature of the liquid inside. It's insulated of course, so for cold or hot beverages, you're sorted.
Best for travel and outdoors
Wacaco doesn't go in for electronics and screens to create its high-tech portable beverage receptacle solutions. Instead, it's created a robust and simple way to have a coffee, even when out on a hike. Using the screw top, the Pipamoka pressure-brews a full mug (236ml) of fresh coffee. Thanks to vacuum insulation, it'll also keep your beverage hot for a couple of hours.
Still a bit Dark Ages for you? We’re not done yet.
All the bells and whistles
Where WACACO has opted for less electronics, Ember has gone in the opposite direction. The Travel Mug 2 has a batter, an app, a control panel, the works. The battery is to keep the mug heated for up to three hours. Meanwhile, the app and control panel allow you to monitor and set the desired temperature between 50 and 62.5°C.
The Travel Mug 2 also come supplied with a coaster that charges it. By no means is any of this necessary, and a Stanley flask will certainly outperform it. However, the Ember certainly possesses that 'high-tech' factor so many people crave.