So can we talk mugs? I tend to make a half liter (~17 oz) of coffee in a French Press in the morning. I run into the problem that I get about a half hour to 45 minutes (I’ve never timed it this number might be wildly off) in before the, “Crap! Its getting cold!” moment and feel like I have to accelerate my consumption to avoid cold coffee when I’d prefer to keep going at a leisurely pace. I realize the most obvious solution is a couple of smaller batches but I’m lazy, easily distracted, and have a bit of a cutoff in the morning as my wife hates the smell of freshly brewed coffee and I catch a bit of drama if I’m brewing while she’s awake or just before she wakes up.
I do have a Contigo Autoseal stainless steel travel mug that I use occasionally for cheap tea and it works well for retaining heat. I can sip on hot tea for hours but the lid has all sorts of nooks and crannies that retain coffee oils that is a pain in the ass to clean and it has a very small drink hole limits the orthonasal olfactory pathway (aka you can’t sniff your coffee). The ability to take my drink somewhere is kinda nice but strictly speaking isn’t critical for me.
So anyone mind sharing their experiences with features or even specific recommendations? Don’t worry about if it is available in the US (where I’m located) I can always look at the features your favorite insulated or travel mug so it can still be handy to share. Or you may have a solution so elegant and obviously I’m going to facepalm when you point it out.
Overdue Update: I ended up going with a Carter Move and I’m quite happy with it. I appreciate everyone who gave me ideas and things to think about.
You might get some milage out of looking at the camping end of the market. You can get double walled mugs without lids (or with simple ones) and you are still drastically cutting heat loss even if it isn’t sealed.
You could also get a more traditional flask, just fill it up then pour out into a smaller cup as you need it. You should still be able to get ones with glass inner walls.
That’s a good idea that doesn’t cost and arm and a leg as you are right there are a ton of double walled mugs intended for camping. Or a thermal flask is like thinking to the insulated carafe someone else suggested but has the advantage of portability if I should ever want it.
I’m going to say, for saving money, Ozark Trail from Walmart cannot be beat. I’ve even seen videos and articles putting them head to head against Yeti and coming out the same or better, never worse. Yeti is overpriced as there is nothing whatsoever special about them other than the name and maybe some fancy design work. A double walled vacuum container is the same regardless of whose name is on it.
I’ve used their mugs for years and have never once been disappointed. I’ve had drinks where half or more of the mug was ice and still came back to being ice cold with some ice left the next day. The lids are cheap so if you lose or break one or too much oil gets built up, replacing it will not break the bank. Some of the name brands sell the exact same lid for more than an entire Ozark Trail mug goes for. Don’t fall for their shenanigans.