Travel mug by Zojirushi
There’s unquestionable power in an object that does one thing and does it well. Consider the lowly travel mug — it’s a common commodity among the world’s coffee-swilling commuters, and yet the standard design lets us down repeatedly.
How does it fail us? It doesn’t keep our coffee hot for long. And, worse, it’s got a tendency to drip, spill and even spurt lukewarm java onto our clothes and car interiors. Many of my shirts bear depressing coffee stains, the marks of a road warrior using an inferior travel mug.
Well, my taste buds — and my wardrobe, such as it is — are now thanking me for trying a Zojirushi travel mug.
This thing is almost comically over-engineered. Thin, insulated 18/8 stainless steel walls keep the mug lightweight and your precious liquid hot (or cold). The mug’s massive hinged top hides an advanced liquid-dispensing system, dubbed the “Sip Area” in the included instructions sheet(!). The BPA-free plastic Sip Area looks almost vulgar, so finely attuned is it to the shape of the human mouth. And that lid, when it clamps into place, can be securely fastened with a lock.
Yes, a lock. I’m almost certain you could pack a cup of coffee in your checked baggage and enjoy a warm pick-me-up at baggage claim. (Assuming you’re not flying San Francisco to Sicily or something, but who brings coffee to Italy? Nobody, that’s who.) Thanks to that lock and a pair of gaskets that keep the mug tightly sealed, the only way it would spill would be if a nosy TSA agent cracked it open for inspection.
The look of the Zojirushi is nothing too spectacular — it’s understated and reasonably elegant as far as these things go, but it’s generally unremarkable aside from the comical safety warning slapped on its side. The flip-up lid cover seems a bit strange at first, but that locking lid and the well-insulated mug itself? Game-changers for java junkies.
Price: $55 list
Buy from: Amazon
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Lewis Wallace is the managing editor of Cult of Mac and author of our weekly newsletter, The Weekender.
He’s a San Francisco-based writer and editor specializing in technology and culture. He loves his iPhone, hates Siri, and appreciates any hardware that combines form and function.
Prior to Cult of Mac, he juggled words and ideas as culture editor at Wired.com, homepage editor at TechTV, news product manager at NBCi, copy editor at PC World, reporter at The (Hayward) Daily Review and editor in chief of EveryBody’s News in Cincinnati.
He earned a bachelor of general studies degree with a journalism certificate from the University of Cincinnati. While in school, he worked as the entertainment editor of The News Record and as editor in chief of Clifton Magazine.
He’s also a bass player, who’s recorded and performed around the United States with Those Darn Accordions, The Electric Boogie Dawgz and The Mad Maggies. When not writing, editing or laying down bass lines, he plays darts and serves on the board of the San Francisco Darts League.
3 responses to “Shockingly advanced travel mug will protect you from lukewarm coffee”
For half the price ($28) you can get a better mug from the people who basically invented the concept of taking coffee on the go.
http://www.stanley-pmi.com/store/stanley/en_US/pd/productID.325297900
Until you have Zojirushi you can’t say anything is better. I had one of those Stanley mugs in my bag and it just managed to leak everywhere because the valve must of opened, you would not get that with a Zojirushi ;-) and you can get all the spare parts unlike your Stanley gaskets
I have two of these, one with a non stick coating inside and one plain steel. They are the most amazing travel mugs I have ever used. It has changed the way I make coffee, I can’t heat the milk too much otherwise I won’t be able to drink it 5 hours later thats how good it is. Everything about it is perfect…..oh that reminds me I have to go on Amazon and buy another one