Has your morning ever been ruined at a stoplight? Picture this: You’re sitting in your car on the way to work with a mug of perfectly brewed coffee. You stop to take a sip when you realize that your delicious French roast now tastes like cold mud. Terrible, right?
If you’ve ever wished your coffee could just manage to keep its fresh-brewed temperature and taste even after a long commute, you might be glad to know there’s a solution. You might think you’ve seen some travel mugs but trust us: these heated travel mugs for your car take coffee commuting to the next level.
What Is a Heated Travel Mug?
A heated travel mug is a work of coffee genius. Usually made of stainless steel and insulating material, a travel mug not only keeps your coffee toasty but goes an extra step. With a quick plug-in to your car’s lighter, the mug heats up, allowing you to keep your coffee or tea at a perfect temperature even while driving through winter weather.
What Should You Look For in a Heated Travel Mug?
Definitely look for a travel mug that’s easy to use, easy to clean, and designed with a true coffee aficionado like you in mind. Features such as spill-resistant lids, tapered bottom, double-walled construction, and real heating ability are crucial factors to look for. You want a mug that heats your coffee, keeps it in the mug, and keeps it piping hot.
Here are some great choices for your morning drive.
Wagan EL6011 12V Stainless Steel Heated Travel Mug
The Wagan EL6011 is a steel bullet of a travel mug. With a Eurosleek metal design, this BPA-free 16-ounce mug is made of double-walled stainless steel to prevent heat transfer (i.e., cold coffee). With a 12V detachable cord, the Wagan EL6011 plugs into your car’s lighter to heat up your beverage in 30 minutes — and keep it piping for two hours. The Wagan comes with several thoughtful touches such as an ergonomic plastic handle, spill-proof lid, a nonstick base, and a tapered body for fitting comfortably in your cup holder.
Tech Tools Heated Smart Travel Mug
Tech Tools Heated Smart Travel Mug
This is definitely a smart travel mug. From the sleek stainless-steel design to the digital temperature readout on the front of the 16-ounce mug, this is a travel mug commuters will love. Easily plugging into your car’s AC adapter to heat (but not boil) your drink, the Tech Tools mug comes with a helpful analog indicator to check your heat level from “room temp” to the promising “v. hot.” The rubber base keeps the Tech Tools heated travel mug upright to minimize spills.
Smart Temperature Control Travel Coffee Mug Eastmount Electric Heated Travel Mug
Smart Temperature Control Travel Coffee Mug
The Eastmount Electric Heated Travel Mug is deliciously programmable. You can set it anywhere from 50-194 degrees Fahrenheit (10-90 degrees Celsius), making it the perfect temperature for coffee, tea, noodles, or even baby milk. Best of all, when you program the 400-mL mug, the liquid inside will be kept exactly at that temperature — so much easier than “cold” or “hot.” A removable inner cup makes cleanup of the Eastmount Electric Heated Travel Mug quick and easy.
Auto Cafe Take-Out Hot Cup Warmer
This is a great solution for anyone who gets their morning java at a coffee shop, convenience store, or fast-food place and just needs to keep that coffee nice and warm on the way to work. The Auto Cafe Take-Out Hot Cup Warmer fits in all cup holders and comes with a 12-volt DC plug and cord. Specifically designed for those 12-to-20-ounce drinks, the Take-Out HOt Cup Warmer is safe to use with disposable cups including paper, plastic, foam, and porcelain. Best of all, the cup warmer automatically shuts off when you take out your cup.
Aibearty 400ml Stainless Steel Electric Heat Cup
Unlike some coffee mugs for your car, the Aibearty Stainless Steel Electric Heat Cup travel mug promises to heat up to a full boil, hot enough to cook eggs and gently warm liquid food. This makes the Aiberty Heat Cup a welcome companion not just on morning commutes, but on long car trips where a good mug of warm soup can make your day lots better. Made of food-grade silicone and 304 stainless steel, this 400 mL travel mug is leakproof and attractively designed.
Wagan 2 Pack Stainless Steel Heated Travel Mugs
The only thing better than one Wagan heated travel mugs is a set of two. Available in a variety of colors including a metallic blue or red, the double-walled Wagan Stainless Steel Heated Travel Mug is tapered at the base to fit into most car cup holders and heats cold beverages to 145° F (65° C) in under a half-hour. Keeping your beverages toasty for up to two hours after being unplugged, the Wagan Travel Mug is clean-lined and easy to use straight out of the package.
Ember Temperature Control Travel Mug
The Ember is really in a class by itself. Stylized, even futuristic, the clean lines of the Ember are slick and distinctive. With no buttons or complicated displays, the Ember’s precision temperature settings are adjusted by rotating the base at the bottom of the mug. If you’ve ever wanted to name your travel mug and program it via the Internet, you can do that with the Ember, which comes with its own app. The Ember app allows you to customize your temperature settings with preset times and notifications. With a leak-proof lid, the 12-oz Ember comes with a battery lasting about 2 hours on a full charge.
All in all, whether you’re on your morning commute or heading out for a long cross-country trek in the middle of winter, it’s a great idea to start your day with fresh, hot coffee, soup, tea, hot chocolate, or anything else to jump-start your day.
