14 Types Of Coffee Mugs (Best Types Of Coffee Mugs You Should Buy + More Information)

A nice mug of coffee makes a lot of difference in your coffee drinking experience. This article gives you a list of the best types of coffee mugs.

I am convinced that I will never have enough coffee mugs, and I am always on the search for the next best coffee mug. Whether I am shopping online or in a Target, I always find myself gravitating towards mugs and end up taking home a new coffee mug. But it’s not just because I like splurging on coffee mugs; It’s because my grandmother ingrained in me the importance of a good ceramic coffee mug, for example, and how it keeps my coffee hotter for longer without ever altering the taste of the drink.

Unfortunately, there always are many confusing options to choose from, and some of the mugs deemed to be the best playful, quirky, minimalist, maximalist, small, and oversized coffee mugs don’t always turn out great. In this post, I will give details on the best coffee mugs you should buy, so read on.

How many types of coffee mugs are there?

There are about 14 types of coffee mugs which differ depending on the material used, intended use, and design. These include ceramic coffee mugs, glass, stainless steel, melamine, China coffee mugs, stoneware mugs, classic mugs, demitasse or espresso cups, travel mugs and tumblers, novelty, pour-over mugs, vintage, custom/oversized/artisanal, and double-walled coffee mugs.

What is the best material for coffee mugs?

While the best material for your coffee mug differs based on your preference, ceramic mugs are regarded as the best variety of coffee mugs thanks to their affordability, size variety, and heat retention. Ceramic mugs are also microwave and dishwasher-safe, offering the weight and comfort needed when drinking coffee. Ceramic coffee mugs also create a higher level of perceived quality.

What is the best size of coffee mug?

The best coffee mugs are small (6-8 oz) or medium-sized (16-20oz) for flavor optimization and heat retention. While a huge coffee mug means more of your favorite brew, it will not keep the drink as hot or chilled as desired.

How we choose the Best types of coffee mugs

Few people put much thought into their coffee mugs, and they’ll drink from whatever coffee mug they find, but every coffee lover understands how a coffee mug plays into coffee’s flavors and the whole coffee experience. So, we took time to research extensively about the features of the best coffee mugs. To draw up any conclusions, we spoke to and learned from coffee experts and baristas.

We determined that choosing the best coffee mug is crucial, and one has to pay attention to the mugs’ shape, material, size, durability, heat retention, and how comfortable the mug feels when held. All these factors determine how good a coffee mug is, and we used the factors to create this list of coffee mugs.

14 Types of Coffee Mugs

RANK	TYPE OF COFFEE MUG	FEATURES
1.	Ceramic Coffee Mugs	Heat, Taste, and Flavor Retention, Odor-Proof, and Durable
2.	Stoneware Coffee Mugs	Excellent heat and flavor retention and durability
3.	Stainless Steel Coffee Mugs	Durable and excellent in heat retention, but alter the taste of coffee
4.	Glass Coffee Mugs	Good for presentation, flavor, and taste retention
5.	Double-Walled Coffee Mugs	Elegant, don’t alter taste or heat
6.	Melamine Coffee Mugs	Durable, Chip Resistant, No change in the taste of coffee
7.	China Coffee Mugs	Exquisite designs, good heat, and taste retention but delicate
8.	Hard plastic Coffee Cups	Durable, but they affect the taste of coffee and do not retain heat.
9.	Paper Coffee Cups	Good for hot coffee; they don’t change how coffee tastes but have no heat retention.
10.	Espresso Coffee Mugs	Elegant, good heat-retention qualities
11.	Travel Coffee Mugs	Elegant and retain heat, but they may alter the taste and flavor of Coffee.
12.	Tumblers	No handles, but they keep coffee hot or cold.
13.	Oversized Coffee Mugs	Durable and elegant, enhance heat retention, and they don’t alter the taste of coffee.
14.	Personalized or Novelty Coffee Mugs	Highly personalized in different designs with moderate heat retention qualities

Ceramic Coffee Mugs

Ceramic coffee mugs are the most popular and the best variety on the market, and I cannot count exactly how many ceramic coffee mugs I have.

These mugs feature a solid, neutral material that is non-porous and doesn’t impart or absorb flavors, retaining all the intricate and complex flavors of the coffee. Additionally, ceramic is thick, absorbing heat uniformly, reaching equilibrium in seconds, and enhancing heat retention. And so, every time you use a ceramic coffee mug, you enjoy rich, delicious, and pure coffee goodness in a mug. These features account for the perceived high quality of coffee in a ceramic mug.

Other advantages associated with ceramic coffee mugs include their durability – they do not break easily, aren’t too heavy, are affordable, and are designed in various styles and shapes. They are safe in the dishwasher and the microwave.

Stoneware Coffee Mugs

Did you know that stoneware is a type of ceramic? While this little fact isn’t well known, stoneware makes some of the best coffee mugs because it’s much denser than typical ceramic. Their stoneware walls offer excellent heat retention abilities, allowing the cups to keep your coffee hotter or cold for much longer. Stoneware mugs are also non-porous and neutral and will neither change your coffee’s flavor nor aroma.

Also, stoneware mugs are durable, chip-resistant, and thermal shock resistant, meaning that the mug can safely go from the fridge to your oven and vice versa.

Stoneware coffee mugs are available in different styles and colors; they are often sold as sets and can be themed.

Stainless Steel Coffee Mugs

Most coffee lovers will have a number of ceramic coffee mugs and an equally big number of stainless steel coffee mugs thanks to their versatility and durability.

Stainless steel coffee mugs are double-walled with an air pocket between the walls to keep the coffee hotter for much longer. Often, these mugs are mostly designed for travel and are often heavy and thin. Note that most of these stainless steel mugs are made of iron, carbon, and chromium for their durability and rust resistance. While they keep your drink as hot or cold as you’d like, stainless steel mugs give our coffee a metallic taste that can be annoying.

Glass Coffee Mugs

If you prefer drinking coffee from a mug that would elevate your cup of coffee, a glass coffee mug will go a long way in keeping your drink elegant, especially when drinking lattes or cappuccinos.

The best of glass coffee mugs are heat resistant, thanks to their construction out of tempered glass. Tempered glass has been processed in controlled chemical and thermal conditions that impart high resistance against changing temperatures and extreme heat. Glass coffee mugs are also great because they don’t alter the coffee’s taste. The only downside is that they don’t retain heat, and the glass would burn your fingers unless it’s a double-walled glass mug.

Double-Walled Coffee Mugs

You could invest in elegantly designed double-walled coffee mugs for heat, flavor, and taste retention. These glass mugs come in a modern design and are durable, with the space between the walls serving as a vacuum that keeps your coffee hot. This coffee mug is also non-porous, and it doesn’t alter the taste of your coffee. Espresso, lattes, and cappuccinos all look great in the double-walled coffee mugs. These mugs may or may not have handles.

Melamine Coffee Mugs

Although it’s not as popular as ceramic or stainless steel, melamine coffee mugs are equally durable and great for your coffee. These mugs are dishwasher-safe and don’t chip easily. Unfortunately, melamine coffee mugs are not microwave-safe.

China Coffee Mugs

China or porcelain coffee mugs are also a great option if you are looking for a high-quality material that will preserve the taste and flavors of your coffee and also keep the coffee hot for a long.

Made of petrified materials, China is non-porous and won’t absorb any odors or new flavors that would otherwise impart the taste of your coffee. It is, therefore, a more hygienic option. China also makes excellent coffee mugs because it’s heat-resistant and dishwasher-safe. The major downside of China coffee mugs is that the material used is quite delicate and expensive to replace.

Hard plastic Coffee Cups

Although plastic doesn’t have the best reputation, it is an equally good option for coffee mugs when you need something simple to use when traveling, especially for cold brews. The hard plastic coffee mugs are durable and corrosion-resistant. However, you’d have to trade these qualities for its unfriendliness to the environment and the fact that plastic alters the taste of your coffee, regardless of the coffee’s temperature. So, avoid plastic coffee mugs if you wish to enjoy all your coffee’s delicate notes and complex flavors.

Paper Coffee Cups

The other common type of coffee mug used widely in the coffee industry and by significant coffee chains is the coffee mug made of paper. Paper coffee cups are often used to serve hot coffee options because they don’t alter the taste or flavors of coffee or absorb odors or flavors from the environment. These cups come with airtight lids to prevent spills.

Espresso Coffee Mugs

Also called demitasse coffee mugs, the espresso coffee mugs represent the smallest coffee mugs, thanks to their 3oz fluid capacity. These cups are ideal for espresso shots, and the best part is that they offer adequate insulation, keeping your coffee brew hotter for longer. These coffee cups are often sold as sets.

You could also use the pour-over mugs to brew your coffee. These mugs have unique designs and shapes.

Travel Coffee Mugs

The travel coffee mugs industry is becoming increasingly popular by the day, with new and renowned brands doing their best to design and offer the best portable and durable coffee mugs for travel. These coffee mugs have become the best travel companions, and they are mainly made of stainless steel and have a 16oz capacity.

Unfortunately, some of the travel mugs don’t fit under the coffee machine, and it’s essential to think of this before buying the coffee travel mug, especially if you wish to brew coffee in the mug directly. There are many well-sized options, with brands like Contigo offering some of the best leak-proof travel mugs that keep the drinks hot for as many as 7 hours in the car holder. Some travel coffee mugs have handles, others lack handles, although they have a grippy surface.

Tumblers

Tumblers represent a class of coffee mugs with intermediate designs between travel and classic ceramic coffee mugs. Tumblers are wide, with leak-proof lids and a stainless steel exterior. But they lack handles. Yeti offers some of the best tumblers for coffee lovers.

Oversized Coffee Mugs

Don’t we all think coffee tastes better in oversized coffee mugs that keep us warm and toasty? You can finally make your days better and brighter by investing in oversized coffee mugs. Most of these coffee mugs have a 21-ounce capacity, but they are easy to hold, have very comfortable handles, and have an overall warming grip. They are often made of pro-grade ceramic or porcelain and are microwave and dishwasher-safe.

Most oversized mugs have a glaze coating and are chip-proof and lead-free. The mugs also come in different designs, shapes, and colors.

Personalized or Novelty Coffee Mugs

These are expressive, exciting, and personalized coffee mugs with a special message. These custom mugs are available in any design and style you can imagine, and they are often made of insulated ceramic or enamel. These mugs are also great for sending a special message or supporting causes. Heat-sensitive, color-changing coffee mugs also fall under this category.

INFORMATIVE SECTION

Can you put hot coffee in a glass mug?

You can put hot coffee in a glass mug if it is made of high-quality and heat-resistant glass. High-quality glass coffee mugs are great when trying to showcase your coffee’s intensity and color, especially because of the glass’s heat retention ability. Opt for double-walled insulated glasses to enjoy these benefits from glass coffee mugs.

What is the lightest material for coffee mug?

Melamine coffee mugs are the lightest mugs, and they are also the most affordable and most functional coffee mugs in the market.

What is the most popular coffee mug?

Ceramic coffee mugs are the most popular coffee mugs on the market. These ceramic mugs are also deemed the best coffee mugs because of their variety in style and design, as well as their non-porosity and heat retention.