Mugs & tumblers

Features of outdoor mugs and tumblers

Almost everything in this category is double-walled 18/8 stainless steel. There is a vacuum between the walls, and that keeps coffee warm for hours and ice water cold for hours without the outside sweating. That is the difference compared with an ordinary mug or tumbler from the kitchen cupboard: it loses its heat within fifteen minutes and becomes too hot to hold.

Sizes range from an espresso cup of 118 ml to almost 900 ml. In the office or at home, 300 to 500 ml is enough for one coffee; for a day outdoors or at the campsite, choose a larger one.

Many models have a lid, and that does more than prevent spills: it keeps the steam inside, and a large part of the heat loss is there. Almost everything is dishwasher safe and can be engraved, and separate lids can usually be reordered.

How do you choose the best mug or tumbler?

The first question is whether you want a handle. A mug has one and stays where you put it. A tumbler does not have one and fits in a cup holder. After that, it is about capacity and lid.

For coffee at the office, 200 to 350 ml is enough. If you want to get through half a morning on one fill, you are more likely to need around 500 ml or more.

• A sliding lid opens and closes quickly. A screw lid stays closed more securely in a full backpack.
• For cold drinks there are lids with a straw.
• The stackable models take up less room on the go than separate tumblers.
• Almost everything is dishwasher safe and can be engraved. The handful of exceptions is listed per product.

Yeti and Stanley together supply most of the range, with Tatonka and Le Creuset alongside. Yeti also sells its Rambler lids separately and by size, so one lid fits more than one tumbler in that line.

If you want to pour rather than drink from it, have a look at the thermos flasks. If you have only lost a lid or cap, you will find those under accessories.