no 1 boss travel mug

17 Best Travel Coffee Mugs for Hot and Cold Drinks

Commute with your coffee under control.

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For many of us, coffee is a constant companion — and that means you'll want a trusty travel mug as you head out the door. Whether you prefer a piping hot cup from your drip coffee maker or single-serve coffeemaker , a refill at Starbucks or a dose of joe from your cold brew coffee maker , your travel coffee mug should handle it all without leaking. Fortunately, there's tons of options out there, including stainless steel coffee thermoses to keep your beverages cool and ones with straws for easy sipping.

Over the years, the pros in the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab have tested 45 different travel mugs for hot and cold temperature retention, durability, resistance to leakage, ease of use and more. In our most recent tests, we called in samples of the latest travel mugs and used them both in the office and on our commutes to see how well they held up. We noted how they felt, how they traveled and, unavoidably, how they held up when dropped. Ahead, we rounded up the best travel coffee mugs based on picks that performed well during testing or come from brands that we trust.

Our top picks:

Best Overall Travel Coffee Mug

Zojirushi 16-ounce stainless steel mug.

Best Value Travel Coffee Mug

Juro stainless steel vacuum insulated tumbler.

Best No-Spill Travel Coffee Mug

Stanley classic trigger action travel mug.

Best Travel Coffee Mug for Espresso Drinks

Avana sedona stainless steel thermal tumbler.

Easiest to Clean Leak-Resistant Travel Coffee Mug

Oxo good grips 16-oz travel coffee mug with leakproof simplyclean lid.

Best Travel Coffee Mug with Carrying Strap

Hydro flask flex sip lid coffee flask.

Best Self-Heating Travel Coffee Mug

Smrtmugg heated coffee mug.

Best Wide-Mouthed Travel Coffee Mug

S'well stainless steel traveler.

Best Locking-Lid Travel Coffee Mug

Contigo luxe autoseal vacuum-insulated mug.

Best Travel Coffee Mug with Handle

Yeti rambler mug with lid.

Read on for more information on our testing process as well as for tips on what to look for when shopping for a travel coffee mug. For more ideas on what to fill your cup with, check out these coffee recipes to make at home .

Zojirushi's travel mug with a locking lid opens with the push of a button but won't leak or spill (even in a backpack). It will keep hot coffee hot — in fact, the brand is so confident that it offers a five-year warranty on heat retention. Iced coffee fans will appreciate that the mouth is large enough to handle big ice cubes for that extra chill.

Our tester noted that the vacuum-sealed lid keeps water cold all day: "I always grab it from my backpack and think, 'There's no way this could still possibly be cool anymore,' and I'm always pleasantly surprised." We also like the slim design, which is easy to grip and fits nicely into backpacks or totes. It comes in several colors and a 12-ounce version.

This stainless steel mug is a great affordable option, especially considering its large 20-ounce size. What's more, it claims to retain the temperature of your coffee for up to six hours. Online reviewers like that it fits easily into car holders and won't sweat when filled with ice. The tumbler includes two lids: The featured slider lid as well as a flip-style lid , so you can choose which you prefer for the beverage you're drinking. It also comes with a reusable straw and a straw cleaner, though we found the straw was short and inconvenient to use.

Stanley has been in the thermal carafe game since 1913. This travel coffee mug delivers the company's insulated design and also includes a push-button "trigger action" lid that keeps the mug sealed unless pushed. We liked that it means the spout stays closed when you're not hands-on . Our pros did note that it requires some level of strength and dexterity to hold the button while sipping. This mug is available in several colors (even camo!) and in a 20-ounce size.

This 10-ounce travel mug from Avana is perfectly sized for espresso-based drinks, but it's also available in 20-ounce and 30-ounce versions. Kitchen Appliances & Innovation Lab Director Nicole Papantoniou likes that the simple two-piece design is easy to clean because the lid is just one solid piece, unlike many other lids. This is particularly helpful if you like coffee drinks with foam, like latte beverages , that can gunk up lids over time. The contoured mouthpiece makes sipping easy, but it doesn't seal closed, so watch out for leaks. The double-walled insulated construction keeps drinks hot or cold and helps prevent condensation from collecting on the outside.

We love when kitchen gear comes apart for a thorough cleaning, but would rather skip the guesswork that can follow when it's time to reassemble. The OXO travel coffee mug with SimplyClean lid solves this pain point: The four-piece lid is color-coded, numbered and etched with assembly instructions . It's easy to take apart and clean by hand (or in the dishwasher), and simple to put back together for your next cup. Never mind, it's also comfortable to hold. The mug comes in four other colors as well as a 20-ounce size.

Hydro Flask has a huge following when it comes to water bottles — in fact, we named the brand our best stainless steel water bottle — and we're fans of its coffee mugs (called coffee flasks), too . GH Lab tests found that its stainless steel, vacuum-insulated body kept drinks hot and cold for hours, and it was quite leakproof. Hydro Flask also offers a separate wide-mouth lid , which can be handy for cold beverages. (The included lid twists to open and close.) But, be careful drinking hot beverages with a wide mouth as it can spill easily. It's available in a range of colors as well as 16- and 20-ounce sizes , and the little handle helps make it easier to transport.

This SmrtMugg travel mug — rated our best self-heating travel mug — has built-in heat technology to keep coffee hot. Its large battery on the bottom — the manufacturer claims a 10-hour battery life — kept coffee hot (above the target temp of 135˚F) for the full four hours of our Lab tests . Once you get the hang of the controls at the bottom of the mug, the clear digital readout is helpful in setting the temperature and turning off the mug. This travel mug also aced our leak tests. Our tester noted that while the push-button lid is easy to use, the edge of the button can bump your lip while drinking.

This sleek 16-ounce bottle has been redesigned to fit more comfortably in your hand. Though we have not tested this model in the Lab, our pros appreciate that i ts large size and wide mouth can easily fit ice cubes , which makes it a great choice for frequent iced coffee drinkers. We have also found other S'well products to be good at maintaining temperatures. It seals shut and is leakproof; plus, it will keep your drinks cold (or hot!) all day. The S'well comes in a ton of color options as well as 12-ounce and 20-ounce sizes.

This coffee mug from Contigo is super comfortable in your hands, and it has a unique locking feature that makes it leak- and spill-proof. When you want to sip (or chug) your coffee, just press the button to release the seal. During your commute, you can lock the button so you don't accidentally press it while on the go . It's also completely dishwasher-safe, even the lid. One tester did note that with hot beverages, the lid can feel too hot to handle.

This popular Yeti mug looks just like a traditional coffee mug, but it's designed to keep your drinks hot or cold and comes with a lid to prevent unnecessary spills. The sturdy and comfortable handle is large enough for even wide hands. It's available in a dozen different colors as well as sizes from 10- to 30 ounces. Another bonus is that when you buy from the Yeti site, you can customize your product with a short text, a monogram or a logo. Our tester found that the lid slides open easily but noted that it's not leakproof. The brand has also introduced the Rambler Stronghold lid , which screws on (rather than presses in), which we're actively testing in the Lab.

Fellow Carter Everywhere Travel Mug

This little cylinder makes a statement, with testers loving how compact it was. The sleek stainless steel shell contains a ceramic liner intended to keep your coffee free of metallic flavors. The screw top reveals a wide mouth that you can sip from any angle and is large enough for adding ice . It comes in seven additional colors as well as a smaller, 12-ounce size.

W&P Porter Ceramic Mug with Protective Silicone Sleeve

Papantoniou likes that the inside of this travel mug is easy-to-clean porcelain, which generally helps to prevent buildup over time that can negatively impart flavors . She also noted that it keeps coffee "nice and hot right off the bat." It includes a simple shape and a silicone sleeve for a comfortable non-slip grip. It comes in several colors and a couple of terrazzo prints . It's also available in a 16-ounce size.

Starbucks Classic Green & White Traveler Tumbler Coffee Mug

Starbucks fans will appreciate that they can purchase this mug online rather than solely in the stores. The ceramic mug is easy to use — the lid just pops into place and is surrounded by a rubber seal to help keep it (and the coffee) in place — and easy to clean . "It keeps coffee warm like a standard ceramic mug would, and the lid helps to keep things a little warmer for longer," our tester says. "I like that it's not scalding hot like in a metal mug, so I can enjoy my coffee without burning my mouth." The 12-oz size is perfect for refills of Starbucks tall drinks.

STOJO Collapsible Travel Cup with Straw

Stojo's collapsible coffee cup makes it possible to travel light while avoiding single-use plastics. The brand impressed our pros with its other collapsible offerings — the Collapsible Bowl won a 2021 Kitchen Gear Award . Similarly, this travel cup is well designed: The cup includes a heat sleeve that provides a structured grip for the squishy silicone cup, and the 16-ounce size includes a straw (which is great for iced coffee or if you prefer to bring your own cup to fountain machines). The collapsed cup is just two inches in size. It's both microwave and dishwasher safe, with 8-ounce , 12-ounce and 24-ounce sizes.

MiiR Flip Traveler

With a 4.8-rating on Amazon, this stainless steel thermos comes in a slim design and an easy-to-open lid. Though we have not tested this pick in the Lab, we like its focus on giving back: T he bottom of each travel mug is printed with a "Give Code" that you can enter at Mirr's website for details on the brand's corporate giving , which is funded through every purchase. The Flip Traveler is available in several colors and 12-ounce and 16-ounce sizes .

JOCO Glass Reusable Coffee Cup

This glass bodied Joco mug has a colorful silicone lid and a matching thermal sleeve. It's microwave (and dishwasher!) safe, which makes it a great option if you like to reheat your coffee throughout the day. Since the glass is clear, it's easy to see how much coffee you have left — and hit your preferred shade when you add your creamer. Take note that the lid does not seal shut, so while it might be handy for car commuting, this isn't one that's great for tossing in your bag.

Zoku Instant Iced Coffee Maker

For iced coffee fiends, this mug is for you. Get your cuppa in flash: Simply store the inner core of the mug in the freezer, then slip the frozen cup into the protective plastic sleeve and pour in hot coffee. Our tester found that the travel mug will chill your coffee rapidly without watering it down with ice cubes. (The brand actually uses the same concept for its ice cream maker .) Slide in the lid with the provided straw, and you're ready for undiluted iced coffee — though you can add ice if you prefer. One caveat is that the freezable core holds only 11 ounces, which some might find too small.

How we test travel coffee mugs

When the experts in the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab test travel coffee mugs, they use thermocouples to track the temperature of the liquid inside the mug over time. Many of the mugs on this list were tested at home over months (even over commutes) to assess their durability, ease of use and temperature retention.

Our pros also evaluate the mugs for stability, cleanability and comfort of both holding and drinking. They test whether the mug is easy to open and close, and they drop each mug to assess its durability. To test for leaking, our pros roll the mug around on its side as well as turn it upside down and shake it vigorously.

How to find the best travel coffee mug for you

✔️ Material : Many travel coffee mugs are stainless steel, though our list also includes porcelain, glass and silicone options. Double-walled construction is common with stainless steel mugs, and that can help keep your beverage hot or cold longer. Other materials may not be insulated. If you opt for a glass mug, consider borosilicate glass, which is tempered to prevent shattering with hot liquids and can be more durable if dropped. Porcelain mugs are generally easy to clean, and because the material is nonporous, the mug is unlikely to develop odd flavors. Silicone is a great lightweight option, but it can get warm if it does not have a heat sleeve.

✔️ Lid : Some lids are more spill-proof than others. Our Lab experts particularly love the locking feature on the Contigo Luxe Autoseal Vacuum-Insulated Travel Coffee Mug , which adds a level of safety if you plan to toss your mug in your bag. Lids that screw on are also often leak-resistant. Those who prefer a more traditional-style mug with a handle may find that slider lids are common; evaluate those for leaking, as some are prone to dribbles (or worse). Note that spill-proof lids often require more care to clean.

✔️ Washability : Check to see if the mug is dishwasher-safe. If it needs to be washed by hand, make sure you can thoroughly clean it with a sponge or bottle brush .

Why trust Good Housekeeping?

Sarah Wharton is the Senior Editor and Analyst for the Good Housekeeping Institute. She tested several of the newest additions to this list as well as led the recent test of heated mugs. She's written about all kinds of kitchen gear as well as coffee advice like how to make a cappuccino and how to make an iced latte .

Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab Director Nicole Papantoniou oversees all testing of kitchen gear, including products like coffee grinders , coffee makers , espresso machines and Nespresso machines . She has tested almost all of these travel mugs and is constantly rotating through an assortment in her daily travel mug use. She is also the lead judge in the Good Housekeeping Institute's forthcoming Coffee Awards .

Sarah (she/her) is a deputy editor in the Good Housekeeping Institute , where she tests products and covers the best picks across kitchen, tech, health and food. She has been cooking professionally since 2017 and has tested kitchen appliances and gear for Family Circle as well as developed recipes and food content for Simply Recipes, Martha Stewart Omnimedia, Oxo and Food52. She holds a certificate in professional culinary arts from the International Culinary Center (now the Institute of Culinary Education).

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• What to Buy
• Glassware & Drinkware

The Best Travel Mugs for Hot or Cold Sips on the Go

Easier on your wallet and the environment

The Spruce Eats / Derek Rose

Whether you drink coffee, iced tea , or water, a travel mug is a handy accessory that keeps you caffeinated or hydrated on the go. Owning a travel mug can also save money (no more need to stop at a coffee shop) and cut down on paper and plastic waste. Some people have a few different travel mugs for various occasions, like an extra-durable one for hiking and a cupholder-friendly option for driving to work. No matter where you're headed, we have a travel mug for you below, all of which we've tested ourselves and can recommend firsthand.

• How We Tested Travel Mugs

To help you make an informed buying decision, we tested more than a dozen of the most popular travel mugs on the market today. Every travel mug was tested for a minimum of one week, and some of them have been used by our staff members for several years. To review the travel mugs, our writers evaluated key areas, including size, design, insulation, and value, and then provided additional insights about what we liked and disliked about each mug.

We Observed:

• How easy the mugs were to clean: We made notes about how rigorous the cleaning process was for each travel mug. Some mugs were dishwasher-safe or only had a couple of parts to clean; others had multiple parts or lids so small that they were difficult to clean by hand.
• How durable the mugs were: Our testers gauged the durability of each mug by traveling with them and putting them in bags if they were leakproof. Some testers have owned mugs on this list for numerous years and, as a result, gave long-term durability insights.
• If any liquids leaked from the mugs: If a mug was labeled as leakproof, our testers shook it upside down over the sink to see if the claims were accurate.
• Design: Our testers rated each travel mug's design on a one-to-five scale. Factors that led to higher design scores included functionality, durability, and a stylish aesthetic.
• Insulation: After using a thermometer and stopwatch to measure drink temperature, we graded each mug on its degree of insulation.
• Value: Finally, we compared the performance of every travel mug to its retail price. Items that lived up to or outperformed their price received higher value-for-money ratings.

The Spruce Eats / Suzie Dundas

• What to Look For

Types of Travel Mugs

About our testers, why trust the spruce eats, best overall, contigo west loop vacuum insulated travel mug.

Effective autolock and anti-spill lid

Can be locked and unlocked with one hand

Keeps drinks hot/cold for hours

A little wide for smaller hands

Plastic lid seems prone to breakage

If you’re looking for a solid, leak-proof travel mug that will keep your coffee hot for up to seven hours, look no further. The Contigo mug is my number one pick for many reasons, the first of which is the “Autoseal” lid. Unlike other travel mugs that have a sliding lid, which is prone to leaks, the Contigo lid has a push button that opens the vacuum seal when you’re ready to drink and closes again when you release the button. (This means you can also use it with one hand.) I was able to carry it around in a bag all day without any leakage. Just keep in mind that this means the lid isn’t interchangeable with any of your other travel mugs.

In addition to hot drinks like coffee or tea , this vacuum-insulated stainless steel mug will keep drinks cold for up to 18 hours depending on whether you buy the 12- or 20-ounce version. You can also choose between seven different colors, so everyone in the family can keep their mug straight.

One of the few drawbacks is that the mug is fairly difficult to clean. If you’re washing the Contigo by hand, be prepared for a bit of an inconvenience as it comes with very specific washing instructions. The lid is dishwasher-safe, but the bottle itself is hand wash only.

Material: Stainless steel | Capacity: 10, 16, 20, or 24 ounces | Dimensions: 3 x 9 inches (20-ounce model)

The Spruce Eats / Tamara Staples

The Spruce Eats / Suzie Dundas 

Stanley Classic Travel Mug

Highly durable

Great for commuters

Lid is hard to clean

Faint plastic smell first few uses

Stanley is a century-old name known for its array of durable mugs, thermoses, and more. In fact, the company patented all-steel vacuum flasks in 1913. That top-grade technology is bottled into the sleek and simple design of the Classic Trigger-Action Travel Mug today. You can purchase the item in three sizes—12, 16, and 20 ounces—as well as five different colors.

We tested the 16-ounce model firsthand and confirmed that it lives up to the brand's claims about temperature retention. Hot coffee stayed warm and drinkable for seven hours, cold coffee lasted 10 hours without ice, and ice water remained refreshing for more than 30 hours. With that in mind, temperature retention varies slightly depending on the size of the mug you buy.

We were pleasantly surprised that the trigger-action lid is completely leakproof. No water escaped even after we shook it upside down over the sink. It's rare to find a mug with a lid as convenient as this one that is also safe to throw in a bag or backpack. It's excellent for hiking, and because it fits in cupholders, it's viable for commuters, too.

We've also used this mug frequently over four years and it shows no signs of slowing down. The item is backed by Stanley's lifetime guarantee. The company claims the bottle can withstand everything from a 4,000-foot drop to a windchill of -70 degrees Fahrenheit. The best part? This lifelong companion is affordably priced, making it one of the top value-for-money options on the market.

Material: Stainless steel | Capacity: 12, 16, or 20 ounces | Dimensions: 2.9 x 8.9 inches (16-ounce model)

Best for Hot or Cold

Zojirushi stainless steel mug.

Easy-to-hold design

Fits in most cupholders

Excellent heat retention

Locking mechanism prevents leaks

Hand wash only, many pieces to clean

While most of the mugs on our list work well for hot or cold beverages, they are generally better at one or the other—but that’s not the case with this mug from Zojirushi. It retains drink temperature for at least six hours, no matter if you take your coffee hot or iced. Our experience with the mug was even better than the company advertises: Coffee was warm enough to drink nearly 12 hours after brewing.

Available in 12 and 16 ounces, the Zojirushi mug also wins points for design and easy drinking. The flip-top cap not only stops the mug from leaking, it also keeps the drinking spout protected and clean. The cap includes a lock to keep it from coming undone in your bag, as well.

Cleaning this model is a bit harder than some of the others (a specially designed bottle-cleaning brush is recommended). Several different pieces need to be cleaned thoroughly to avoid staining and mildew buildup. The plastic sipping piece and rubber gasket on the lid can be popped out easily and cleaned separately, though.

Material: Stainless steel | Capacity: 12 or 16 ounces | Dimensions: 2.625 x 2.875 x 9.125 inches (16-ounce model)

Best High-Tech

Ember travel mug 2.

Touchscreen display 

Battery lasts up to three hours

360-degree leak-proof lid

Only 12-ounce capacity

Just like many other travel mugs, the sleek Ember Travel Mug² will keep your drink hot throughout your morning commute, but it stands out by using smart technology and a high-tech design. This second iteration of the Ember Travel Mug is lighter and more streamlined than its predecessor, mainly because instead of a manual dial, it features a touch-sensitive control panel.

The mug is "smart" because you can use the panel to control and set its temperature or link the mug to the Ember app via your smartphone. The app essentially serves as a temperature gauge for the mug, notifying you when the set temperature has been reached. This is a nice feature because it eliminates the possibility of burning your mouth.

The Ember Travel Mug²'s best design feature is the lid: It only needs a push to open, is leak-proof, and lets you sip from any side of the mug. Furthermore, the mug's design is ergonomic. It's wider at the top than the bottom and is coated with a matte finish, making it easy to grip and comfortable to hold. We wish it held more—12 ounces isn't a lot for many coffee drinkers—and we don't love the high price point, but you are getting a high-tech product so the cost makes sense.

Material: Stainless steel | Capacity: 12 ounces | Dimensions: 3.14 x 7.9 inches

The Spruce Eats / Russell Kilgore

Best Budget

Copco acadia travel mug.

 Amazon

Safe in both microwave and dishwasher

Colorful grip

Fits in cupholders

Can stack inside each other

Prone to staining

Hole in lid can't be closed

This 16-ounce travel mug works for both hot coffee, iced coffee, and cold brew , and it comes at a budget price. It's designed with a double-wall construction to keep drinks at their temperature longer than a non-insulated cup; however, it’s not made for all-day temperature regulation like some stainless steel mugs. We found hot coffee to be lukewarm just two hours after brewing. The good news is that the mug is microwave-safe, so you can easily reheat drinks should they cool off.

Another advantage of this mug is how easy it is to clean. It's dishwasher-safe, and the lid opening is large enough to clean the inside by hand should you choose to do so. The lid doesn't have a cover, however, so you can’t toss the mug in your bag. Another downside is that the interior is prone to staining. We have owned the mug for nearly four years and it still works like new, but the coffee stains set in after roughly a year.

The cup portion is white, but you can choose from a variety of colored bands, so you always know which one is yours. The bands also serve as coffee collars to protect your hands from scorching temperatures while adding extra grip. There's nothing fancy to this mug, but it's dependable.

Material: BPA-free plastic | Capacity: 16 ounces | Dimensions: 3.66 x 6.78 inches

Best With Straw

Bubba envy insulated tumbler.

No sweating

Lid seals tightly

Fits in car cupholders

Keeps drinks cold or hot

Can't close hole on lid

Hand wash only

Prefer iced coffee ? Then a travel mug that has a straw might suit your palette more. This model fits in most cup holders and can keep your drink cold for up to 12 hours. You can use the removable plastic straw with the Tritan lid or not, depending on your preference. The one design flaw, however, is that there is no way to completely seal the lid since the hole doesn't include a cover or flap.

The cup is made of stainless steel, so it will repel stains and odors, meaning your lemonade won't taste like yesterday's coffee. The mug even has a lifetime guarantee, so you know it will last. If you’re looking for a durable travel mug that’s designed to hold both hot and cold beverages, the 24-ounce Bubba Envy Insulated Stainless Steel Tumbler is a solid option at a price you can afford. While the mug is large and doesn't have a handle, it's surprisingly easy to hold because of indents that circle the cup.

Material: Stainless steel | Capacity: 18, 24, or 32 ounces | Dimensions: 3.62 x 3.93 x 10.54 inches (24-ounce model)

The Spruce Eats / Rebekah Joan

 The Spruce Eats / Rebekah Joan

Best Handled

Thermos stainless king travel mug.

Comfortable to hold

Doesn’t fit in all car cup holders

Thanks to the vacuum insulation of most travel mugs, a handle is no longer really a necessity to keep your hand dry from condensation or to prevent it from getting burned, but if you prefer to drink from a handled mug, this version from Thermos is the right pick for you.

Available in five different colors, this 16-ounce mug will keep beverages hot for up to five hours or cold for up to nine hours thanks to the double-wall stainless steel construction. The lid has a “DrinkLock” seal, which opens when you press the lever to the left or right. During testing, there were no spills and coffee stayed hot for longer (even on chilly days). The one drawback (if you even consider it one) is that this mug must be washed by hand.

Tea drinkers will also want to consider this mug since it has a built-in tea hook that accommodates most tea infusers and makes it easy to remove them from the mug. It comes with a five-year limited warranty in case there is an issue.

Material: Stainless steel | Capacity: 16 ounces | Dimensions: 3.3 x 4.9 x 7.8 inches

The Spruce Eats / Rebekah Joan

Best Design

S'well traveler mug.

Multiple sizes and many colors

Great temperature retention

Price varies, can be expensive

Lid isn't ideal for commuting

The S’well Stainless Steel Traveler Mug is inarguably one of the best-designed travel mugs on the market today. Thanks to S’well’s high-end, triple-wall technology, you can rest assured that your drinks will maintain their ideal temperature for hours on end. It performed exceedingly well when we tested it. Coffee stayed hot for 12 hours and, after adding refrigerated coffee without ice, it was still cold 30 hours later.

This mug topped others in the design category because it is cupholder-friendly and available in 17 different color options as well as three sizes: 12, 16, and 20 ounces. The Traveler is completely leakproof and can be trusted in your bag or backpack. Just keep in mind that the lid can't be unscrewed with one hand, so you'll need both hands free if sipping on the go. Also, it's not dishwasher-safe, so to clean it, you can either put a drop of dish soap in and rinse with hot water or use a long bottle brush.

Material: Stainless steel | Capacity: 12, 16, or 20 ounces | Dimensions: 3.3 x 9.3 inches

Best for Easy Cleaning

Yeti rambler 20 oz tumbler.

Dishwasher safe

Magnetic lid slides easily

Multiple color options

Not leakproof

The Yeti Rambler comes in three sizes: 10, 20, and 30 ounces. Some travel mugs are too small for a hand to fit inside or have multiple parts to clean. That's not the case with the Rambler. We appreciate that we can reach every nook and cranny of the mug with a sponge. The Rambler is also dishwasher safe when you're not in the mood to wash it by hand.

We've used the mug for more than two years and it's still going strong. We take it in the car a lot because it fits in cupholders and can be sipped with one hand. There's a toggle on the lid, which Yeti calls a Magslider, that's effortless to open with your thumb. One of the only downsides is that the lid isn't leakproof, so we don't throw it in our hiking backpack or messenger bag.

Like most Yeti products, the Rambler effectively keeps drinks hot for around 10 hours or cold for close to 20. It's also sold in more than 10 colors from neutrals to vibrant hues, so you can find one that suits your style.

Material: Stainless steel | Capacity: 10, 20, or 30 ounces | Dimensions: 3.5 x 6.6 inches

Best Large Capacity

Bubba classic insulated desk mug.

Budget price

Lightweight despite size

Too big for cupholders

Lid has a hole you can't close

This 52-ounce mug is what you'll want to take to the pool, beach, or camping since it holds enough water for several hours. It’s also great for office workers who don’t want to keep running to the water cooler to refill smaller bottles. Of course, the drawback with a mug of this size is that it won’t fit in your cupholder, so this pick is better for non-drive time.

For those who intend to drink hot beverages out of this mug, it doesn't quite have the heat retention that the brand claims. When filled more than halfway full with hot coffee, it was lukewarm less than three hours later. The mug did perform better when tested with cold drinks, however. With refrigerated coffee poured into the mug without ice (as the amount of ice may vary for customers), the coffee was still cold 12 hours later. Another testing observation to note is that the lid opening seemed a little wide, and it was easy to spill when drinking.

As an added bonus, the Bubba 52-Ounce Desk Mug is incredibly durable and can handle being dropped or tossed around in the trunk of your car. The wide, comfort-grip handle feels very sturdy, too.

Material: Stainless steel | Capacity: 34 or 52 ounces | Dimensions: 7 x 10 inches

We highly recommend the Contigo Autoseal West Loop because its sleek, durable, and easy to sip on the go thanks to its button-activated lid. As an alternative, the Stanley Classic Trigger-Action Travel Mug is similar in price and quality, and it performed well in our testing process. You can't go wrong with either one.

Other Options We Tested

• Yeti Rambler Mug : Yeti makes a number of reliable travel mugs—not to mention the brand's beloved coolers—but the Rambler mug has too many shortcomings for us to recommend it, starting with its poor insulative properties. The hot coffee we brewed lost temperature rapidly in the mug and, because it's made with stainless steel, it couldn't be reheated in the microwave. Additionally, the lid is not leakproof, which is a feature that's easy to find in a number of other travel mugs out there.
• Ello Campy Travel Mug : The Ello Campy Mug is a stylish, large-capacity option that many customers may enjoy, especially those into the outdoors. While it doesn't have any major defects, it didn't quite make the cut for this list. We found that the paint can chip easily and that it's tricky to clean. On top of that, it's too large to fit in many car cupholders.

What to Look for in a Travel Mug

It doesn’t matter if you’re drinking coffee , tea, or water—every sip from your travel mug should be smooth and easy. That’s why it’s important to figure out the lid style that best suits you. Some of the top options include flip lids, thumb-sliding lids, push-button lids, twist lids, and straw lids. Each one has its own advantages and disadvantages. Customers who prioritize durability or preventing spills, for instance, should choose a more secure style, like a twist lid. Others who want to seamlessly drink from their mug while on the move may prefer a lid that can be opened with one hand. Luckily, lid style does not affect price, so every option should be on the table when you start looking for a travel mug. Many brands also sell lids individually so that users can have multiple options at their disposal.

Temperature Retention

All too often we take a sip of coffee and find it’s gone lukewarm. A reliable travel mug can thwart that dreaded, flavorless middle zone and keep your coffee at the ideal temperature for hours, no matter if it’s hot or iced. Vacuum-insulated mugs, which are typically made from stainless steel, offer the best performance when it comes to temperature retention, while plastic and silicone are the least effective materials. When buying, think about the type of coffee you drink most often (hot or iced) as some mugs are better designed for one or the other.

The length of time that a mug keeps drinks hot or cold is often listed in its product details, but keep in mind that this figure is often based on the item being preheated or precooled before use. We also asked Graham Nearn of the Stanley brand what temperature range the company defines as "hot" and "cold." He told us that when Stanley says a drink stays hot for a certain amount of time, the liquid must be between 140 to 203 degrees; for a drink to be considered cold, it has to fall between 39 and 50 degrees.

Travel coffee mugs come in a variety of sizes. The average capacity is around 16 ounces, though the range extends far on either side of that. Some are no bigger than a regular at-home coffee mug; others are large enough to keep you caffeinated the entire day. Brands often manufacture the same mug in multiple sizes, so if a specific one catches your eye, you can likely find it in a size you love. Customers interested in larger mugs should see if it is microwave-safe or able to retain heat well; otherwise, they may be sipping a lot of cold coffee. Finally, for those who plan on taking their mug in the car, check out customer reviews or product details to ascertain if a mug can fit in your cupholders.

While most travel mugs are made from stainless steel, options are far from limited when it comes to material. Other possibilities include plastic, glass, silicone, ceramic, and bamboo. This choice naturally affects a mug’s aesthetic, as well as larger factors like price, durability, how the item is cleaned, how long it retains heat, and whether condensation appears on the outside. What factors are most important to you? If you want a budget-priced mug that can go in the microwave, plastic is likely the best material for you. If durability and heat retention are higher priorities, you may want to stick with the stainless steel route. Also keep in mind the downsides that certain materials have. Plastic mugs, for instance, can stain and retain coffee odors, while some stainless steel mugs may unfavorably alter the flavor of your coffee.

If you sift through a list of travel mugs, you will likely come across the phrase "18/8 stainless steel." This denotes a type of stainless steel made from 18 percent chromium and 8 percent nickel.  Graham Nearn  of the Stanley brand says 18/8 stainless steel is often used for drinkware because it's "food-grade, durable, and resistant to corrosion."

Leak-Proof vs. Spill-Proof

Whether walking to class, embarking on a long hike, or heading out for the daily commute, it’s easier to transport a mug if it can be kept inside a bag; that’s where leak-proof travel mugs come in handy. They prevent even the slightest drop from escaping into your bag, no matter what. Make sure to read customer reviews beforehand, however, as some items advertised as leak-proof may not actually be up to the task. There is also a difference between leak-proof and spill-proof. Mugs labeled as spill-proof only prevent major spills from occurring; they are not safe to store in bags since they can still leak.

Taking a travel mug’s design into consideration involves two different paths. First, you can think about the item’s shape or silhouette. Do you want a mug with a handle? Or one thin enough to slide into a bag or backpack? Second, design also involves the many colors and patterns found on the outside of a mug. There is an array of options, from fun and playful to chic and striking, that can convey your personality with every sip.

Not only are most travel mugs affordable, but they also help customers save money by cutting down on daily trips to the coffee shop. The only type likely to break the bank are electric travel mugs. Other than that, budget picks are widely available both in-store and online. Some mugs cost as little as a bag of coffee beans. Size does generally impact price, however, as larger mugs tend to cost more than smaller ones, even if they are the same model. Expect plastic mugs to be the cheapest option, while glass, stainless steel, and ceramic are all slightly more expensive. 

When picturing a travel coffee mug, most envision a tall, tapered item similar to a reusable water bottle, but there are actually many options designed to look exactly like the mugs we use every day at home. Items in this category provide the feel and comfort of a regular coffee mug but with added heat retention and the luxury to take your joe on the go. Because they are smaller in capacity than most travel mugs (usually around 12 ounces), they are also slightly more affordable. Unfortunately, coffee-mug-style travel mugs aren’t leak-proof and don’t fit in cupholders because of their handles.

Portable Coffee Maker

Truly defining on-the-go coffee, there is a category for travel mugs that additionally function as portable brewing devices. They allow users to make coffee and drink it all from the same bottle. This is certainly a less common variety, but it’s still worth consideration, especially for frequent travelers and campers. The majority of portable coffee makers work like French presses. Aptly named “travel presses,” they immerse coffee grounds in water and then push them to the bottom of the mug via a built-in plunger. The second most common type of portable coffee maker utilizes a pour-over brewing method instead.

Well known for their smooth exterior, tumblers are the most popular subcategory of travel mugs. They never have a handle and the body usually tapers to a narrow base, both of which make them cupholder friendly. Tumblers can be used for both hot and cold beverages, but they are especially popular for iced coffee. Many have straw lids for easy sipping. Customers may be familiar with tumblers in other types of drinkware, as they are also used for cocktails, iced tea, lemonade, and general home use.

What is a vacuum-insulated mug?

The phrase “vacuum-insulated” pops up all over the place when searching for travel mugs. It’s also commonly used with another phrase: "double-walled." Both labels denote that a travel mug is built with two different layers, an inner wall and outer wall, and that the space between the layers is partially evacuated of air, creating a vacuum. This design allows drinks to retain their temperature for a longer period of time because they are less exposed to the outside air.

Can I make my travel mug retain temperature longer?

We all want the most out of our products, and this one small tip goes a long way: preheat or pre-cool your travel mug before use. Taking a few extra minutes to let hot or cold water sit in your mug will prime the material for better temperature retention. You can pour hot water from the tap or even boil it for an added boost of heat, all while your coffee is brewing.

How do I clean my travel mug?

Before cleaning, consult the product details or instruction guide to see if the item is dishwasher-safe. This is a common benefit of glass and plastic travel mugs but not stainless steel. If your mug isn’t dishwasher-safe, don’t worry. Cleaning is still quite easy. A simple daily cleaning only requires scrubbing with dish soap and a sponge or gentle brush. Avoid using steel wool brushes and harsh household cleaners on stainless steel mugs. For a more thorough job, allow a solution of vinegar and baking soda to soak inside the mug for several minutes, then rinse and clean with dish soap before using.

Can I add milk to my coffee if it’s in a travel mug?

Most brands advise against putting milk or creamer in thermoses unless it's for a brief amount of time. Bacteria can develop when dairy products are stored at warm temperatures, especially if the travel mug isn't properly cleaned. Graham Nearn of the Stanley brand echoed this thought, telling us: "We don’t recommend putting milk or dairy products in Stanley vacuum bottles or food jars for extended periods of time, as bacteria growth can occur at certain temperatures."

The Spruce Eats / Cheyenne Elwell

• Cheyenne Elwell is a freelance writer specializing in food and coffee. Her work has appeared in Business Insider, Insider, MSN, and her coffee blog BakedBrewedBeautiful.com.
• Suzie Dundas is a freelance writer and editor based in Lake Tahoe, California. Along with The Spruce Eats, her writing has appeared in Forbes, Fodor's, SkyLife Magazine, and Outdoor Sports Guide.
• Rebekah Joan is a writer and blogger located in Northwestern Pennsylvania. She has written for The Spruce Eats since 2019.
• Derek Rose has been The Spruce Eats' coffee and tea expert since 2019. His other work has appeared in Forbes, SPY, and Angi.

This piece was written by  Derek Rose , the coffee and tea expert for The Spruce Eats. He researches a variety of coffee products, from measuring scoops to commercial espresso machines, and interviews field experts for their insight. He has owned or tested a number of the items on this list, including the Stanley Classic Trigger-Action Travel Mug , the Copco Insulated Travel Mug , the S'Well Traveler Mug , and the Bubba 52-Ounce Insulated Desk Mug .

Graham Nearn , the Senior Vice President of Product Creation & Design for PMI Worldwide, was interviewed for this piece. He oversees the Stanley brand, which has manufactured vacuum flasks and more since 1913.

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17 travel mugs on Amazon to keep coffee hot on the go

If you run on caffeine, having a travel mug in your arsenal can help ensure your fix is never far away. And when you find that travel mug on Amazon , it means that it’ll be delivered to your door in only a few days.  

But, what makes a good travel mug? Whether you like your coffee scorching hot or iced year round, NBC Select staffers agree that the best travel mugs keep your beverages at that ideal temperature (for at least a few hours). We also like when a mug has a nice lid — you know the type: one that will stay firmly in place when you toss it in a weekender bag or accidentally knock it over.

Amazon has a number of travel mugs worth considering, including highly-rated options from popular brands like Yeti , Stanley , Hydro Flask and more. Read more about them below to find one that will best suit your needs. 

SKIP AHEAD Top-rated travel mugs and water bottles

Selected. Our top picks

How we picked top-rated travel mugs and water bottles

When searching for travel mugs and water bottles on Amazon, we prioritized the following:

• High ratings: Every travel mug on this list has at least a 4.2-star average from at least 2,500 reviews on Amazon. We paid special attention to those with even higher star averages and tens of thousands of positive reviews. 
• Temperature maintenance: The options that made our list all come from brands that say they keep drinks hot and cold for 5 hours or more.
• Various styles: Some people prefer a tumbler, while others want a handle on their travel mug. To meet all needs, we searched for a variety of highly-rated styles and liquid capacities. 

Top-rated travel mugs and water bottles 

Our top picks are all highly rated and come from popular brands like Yeti, Stanley, Thermos and more. For each, we outline how much liquid they’ll hold and how long they’ll keep your drink hot or cold, according to the brand.

Contigo West Loop Stainless Steel Insulated Travel Mug 

Contigo West Loop Stainless Steel Insulated Travel Mug

This travel mug has a capacity of 16 ounces and is made using insulated stainless steel to keep beverages hot for up to five hours or cool for up to 12 hours, according to the brand. It will fit in most car cup holders and has an auto-seal lid, which means the lid is automatically locked at all times, to prevent spills, according to the brand. This travel mug has a 4.7-star average from over 118,000 reviews on Amazon. 

Yeti Rambler Travel Mug 

Yeti Rambler Travel Mug

This travel mug from Yeti, an NBC Select staff favorite brand, holds up to 20 ounces of liquid and has a handle for gripping. The double-insulated stainless steel cup keeps beverages hot or cold for hours and the lid twists on and off for a more secure close, according to the brand. This travel mug comes in black , charcoal , canopy green and a variety of other shades and it has a 4.7-star average from over 19,860 reviews on Amazon. 

Contigo Huron Vacuum-Insulated Stainless Steel Travel Mug

This option from Contigo comes equipped with a more traditional travel mug lid — meaning, it has a tab you can snap open to drink or close to seal it. The body of the mug is stainless steel and double-walled, which keeps drinks hot for up to 6 hours and cold for up to 12, according to the brand. It is available in 16-ounce or 20-ounce versions and comes in a variety of colors, including licorice , sake and camo . This travel mug from Contigo has a 4.6-star average from over 11,400 reviews on Amazon.

Simple Modern Travel Coffee Mug Tumbler

Available in a 12-ounce, 16-ounce or 20-ounce size, this travel mug also comes in 22 colors — including sea glass sage , almond birch and cherry . The body of this mug is double insulated to keep drinks hot for up to 8 hours and cold for up to 24 hours, according to Simple Modern. The clear plastic lid comes with a flip top that you can close to help prevent spills in between sips. It also comes with a straw that will fit into the flip-top when open. This travel mug has a 4.7-star average from over 5,700 reviews on Amazon. 

Funkrin Insulated Coffee Mug

This travel mug is double-walled to keep your drink hot or cold for up to 4 hours, according to the brand. The lid screws on the flip top can be shut in between sips to minimize spills. If you are filling your travel mug with something hot, instructions from the brand recommend that you leave the flip top open for a few seconds before shutting it to avoid internal steam pressure from building up. This mug has a 4.1-star average from over 3,370 reviews on Amazon.

Beast 20 Ounce Tumbler 

Beast 20 Ounce Tumbler

If you prefer a bigger option, consider this tumbler from Beast — it is available in a 10 , 20 , 30 or 40-ounce size. The stainless steel, double-walled body will keep drinks hot or cold for hours and the lid has a tab that can be pulled back to drink or closed to prevent spills, according to the brand. The Beast tumbler has a 4.7-star average from over 70,900 reviews on Amazon and it comes in 19 colors.  

Contigo Byron Vacuum-Insulated Travel Mug 2-Set

This set comes with two travel mugs.The stainless steel, vacuum-insulated mugs keep drinks hot for up to 8 hours or cold for 18, according to the brand. The outside of the mugs have a textured grip, to provide a secure hold and the lid won’t leak when fully closed, according to Contigo. The set has a 4.7-star average from over 45,500 reviews on Amazon.

Stanley Classic Trigger Action Travel Mug

This travel mug from Stanley, which also makes a very popular tumbler called the Quencher , comes in a 16 or 20-ounce size and is available in a variety of colors (like hammertone green , ash and cream gloss ). The stainless steel, double-walled canister keeps drinks hot for up to 7 hours or cold for up to 10 and it’s made with a wide mouth opening for easy cleaning, according to Stanley. This travel mug has a 4.7-star average from over 22,000 reviews on Amazon. 

Simple Modern Insulated Thermos Travel Coffee Mug

Another option from Simple Modern, this keeps beverages hot for up to 8 hours and cold for up to 24 hours. It comes in a 16 and 24-ounce version and there are 16 colors and patterns to choose from. The lid snaps down to prevent leaks and there’s an additional lock for extra protection if you want to toss it in a bag or your trunk. It has a 4.4-star average from over 2,700 reviews. 

Ello Campy Vacuum Insulated Travel Mug 

Ello Campy Vacuum Insulated Travel Mug

Shaped like an elongated coffee mug, this option from Ello is stainless steel and comes with a screw top that has a sliding seal to prevent spills when you aren’t using it, according to the brand. It can keep your drink hot for up to 5 hours and cold for up to 20. The lid is dishwasher safe, but the brand suggests hand washing the body. Available in 10 and 18-ounce sizes and 9 colors, this travel mug has a 4.6-star average from over 8,500 reviews on Amazon.

Sunwill 20 Ounce Tumbler

Made with insulated stainless steel, this tumbler keeps drinks hot for up to 6 hours and cold for around 24 hours, according to the brand. It has a slightly textured finish to provide a more secure grip and won’t sweat, says Sunwill. The sliding lid has an opening that is big enough to fit a straw, should you want to add one. Sunwill’s Tumbler has a 4.5-star average from over 23,450 reviews on Amazon.  

Hydro Flask Stainless Steel Reusable Mug

Similar in shape to a ceramic coffee mug, this 12-ounce stainless steel option has a lid with a slider top to keep spills to a minimum, according to the brand. Double wall insulation also means that even if your beverage is piping hot, the outside stays cool to the touch, says Hydro Flask. This mug has a 4.7-star average from over 2,700 reviews, is also available in a 6 and 24-ounce option and comes in a range of colors — like black , berry and indigo . 

Haushof 24 Ounce Travel Mug

If you prefer a larger travel mug, this option from Haushof may be a good fit. It will hold 24 ounces of liquid and has an ergonomic handle and a lid that locks closed to prevent spills, according to the brand. It will keep drinks hot for up to 6 hours and cold for up to 24 and the slim button will fit in most car cup holders, according to Haushof. It has a 4.5-star average from over 9,500 reviews on Amazon. 

Ello Magnet Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Travel Mug

Another option from Ello, this one has a 4.6-star average from over 2,500 reviews on Amazon. It is made from stainless steel to keep drinks hot for up to 5 hours and cold for up to 24, according to the brand. It has a cork handle for comfort, as well as a cork base to provide traction so it doesn’t slip and slide across smooth surfaces, according to Ello. The slider lid is magnetic to keep it firmly closed when not in use.

Joseph Joseph Sipp Travel Coffee Mug

Available in 12 and 16-ounce sizes, the flip top on this travel mug completely covers the lip of the lid for better hygiene, according to the brand. It has a 4.3-star average from over 2,600 reviews and is available in green , stainless steel , coral and blue . It’s made with BPA-free plastic and has a soft-touch finish to make for a more comfortable grip, according to the brand. 

Thermos Stainless King Vacuum Insulated Travel Mug

Keep your drink hot for up to 7 hours or cold for up to 18 with this stainless steel mug, according to Thermos. The interior features a small hook to hang a tea bag from and the lid twists to reveal a sip spout. Both the lid and the base are dishwasher safe, with the brand recommending you place them on the top rack when cleaning. This travel mug has a 4.6-star average from over 7,300 reviews on Amazon.

Ello Jane Ceramic Travel Mug

If stainless steel isn’t your thing, consider this 18-ounce ceramic travel mug from Ello. The bottom is wrapped in silicone to act as a coaster and the lid can be slid closed to prevent spills. All parts are dishwasher safe and the lid is made from BPA-free plastic. This travel mug has a 4.3-star average from over 5,000 reviews on Amazon. 

Why trust Select?

Bethany Heitman is a contributor at NBC Select and a journalist who regularly covers topics like beauty, home and lifestyle. For this story, she looked for top-rated travel mugs and water bottles on Amazon. 

Catch up on Select’s in-depth coverage of personal finance , tech and tools , wellness and more, and follow us on Facebook , Instagram , Twitter and TikTok to stay up to date.

Bethany Heitman is a contributing editor at NBC Select.

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14 Best Iced Coffee Cups, According to Experts and Iced Coffee Fanatics

Posted: March 19, 2024 | Last updated: March 19, 2024

As an iced coffee lover, there is nothing more refreshing than a crisp glass of that bean juice that helps you feel energized. For me, preparing the iced coffee is as meaningful as what vessel I’m going to put it in. Some days, I don’t mind drinking an iced coffee from a more traditional cup with a spout. That said, I personally prefer to reach for a cup with a straw/ I’m a team-straw person myself. So, to find the best cups for iced coffee, I wrangled the help of former barista turned coffee -based content creator Johny Morrisson to pick his brain on what qualities to look out for when selecting the perfect cups for iced coffee.

If you have an iced coffee lover close to you, any of these would make a killer "little treat" to give them.

Best Iced Coffee Cups

• Best Overall: Beast Stainless Steel Tumbler 30 oz
• Best Budget: ColoVie Tumbler with 3-in-1 Lids and Glass Straws 20 oz
• Best Cup: Owala SmoothSip Insulated Stainless Steel Coffee Tumbler
• Best Travel Mug: Outlander Premium Stainless Steel Travel Mug 32 oz
• Best Grip: Tronco Glass Tumbler with Straw and Silicone Sleeve 20 oz

What to Consider

In general, there are cups, mugs, and tumblers. Cups are what you think of with an iced coffee cup from the shop that doesn't need a straw. A mug has a handle – and oftentimes a straw. Meanwhile, a tumbler is more of a tall cup with a lid and a straw. But, in reality, they’re all some form of a cup. That said, “avoid cups with hard-to-reach areas or small openings that can get very difficult to clean,” warns Morrison.

“An iced coffee cup needs a lid that seals tightly to prevent leaks,” says Morrisson. So, when you’re driving or walking with your precious iced coffee, it won’t get all over your car or bag. It should also have long-lasting insulation and an open mouth for easy ice access, according to the former barista. Ice is pretty important for an iced coffee so you’ll need enough room to put cubes of all sizes. Plus, the long-lasting insulation will keep your chilled beverage cold for hours-on-end. Another helpful feature is a handle. It will keep your hand away from the container so you won’t feel the chill of your iced coffee. And, if the cup is dishwasher safe, that’s an added bonus.

Morrisson emphasizes “choosing an iced coffee cup that's durable and made from food-safe, non-toxic materials.” The former barista named stainless steel, borosilicate glass, and quality plastic as materials to shop for. Plus, a double-walled product is the best for iced coffee. Double-walled means that there are two layers of material with a bit of air in between the layers – think of a cup within a cup. That construction is less likely to prevent all the watery sweat from reaching your hands. In testing, the best combination is a stainless steel cup with double-walled insulation. That will keep you drink colder for much longer than any other material and the outside of your cup won’t be wet.

How We Selected

Based on Morrisson’s tips, we selected the best iced coffee cups based on body, material, drink style, and spill resistance. For the purposes of this story, “body” refers to the shape of the cup. “Drink style” is how you drink out of the vessel – a spout, a straw, or both. Material as in what the actual cup is made out of. And, spill resistance is in reference to how much iced coffee spills when the cup is naturally knocked over.

Each tested cup was put through a few different scenarios: a knock-over test, an eight temperature test, and a multi-hold test. For the knock-over test, all of the cups tested were knocked over when filled to the top and filled about 75 percent of the way. The temperature test observed how long the ice cubes lasted in each cup over the course of nine hours. And, if the iced coffee stayed cold for nine hours. The multi-hold test involved holding the cups at different angles. They were held vertically, on a 45-degree angle, and upside down. Check out our favorite iced coffee cups below!

1) Beast Stainless Steel Tumbler

This tumbler is a Beast! Jokes aside, there are a number of features that set this cup above the rest. First of all, it’s completely dishwasher safe. It also features a leak-resistant lid that flips open to reveal a sippable spout – that can still fit the two straws it comes with.

Yes, this cup comes with a straight straw and a curved straw, along with a brush to clean it. And, although it’s sold separately, there’s a handle attachment to turn it into a travel mug. Plus, there's no metal taste imparted into the coffee.

I love this iced coffee cup not only for its stunning ability to keep your beverage inside your cup cold but also because it's not too big that you feel as though you've drowned yourself in coffee. It's a pretty economical choice as well, making it the best overall. Plus, the vibrant colors really only need a bow to be given as a gift.

The only thing is that these stainless steel straws do not have silicone tips. So, no chewing on your straw between sips.

2) Tumbler with 3-in-1 Lids and Glass Straws

ColoVie’s lets you sip your iced coffee for the cost of a couple of iced coffees. It features a lid that can be used to hold a straw, sip from, or completely closed. And, it comes with two glass straws and silicone tips for comfortable sips.

However, this glass tumbler is relatively fragile since it’s made from a single layer of glass. So, as you prepare your iced coffee, add a layer of coffee-only, then, add your ice and finish it off with more coffee to prevent anything from breaking.

3) SmoothSip Insulated Stainless Steel Coffee Tumbler

The Owala SmoothSip Insulated Stainless Steel Coffee Tumbler gives you the feeling of drinking out of a traditional cup, only this one is completely travel-friendly. Its simple design features a strawless spout and a small steam release hole (for when you do opt for a hot coffee) on the lid. Also, even though the lid has two open holes, when knocked over I found that barely anything spilled even when it’s filled to the top. So, if you’re on your last sip and knock this cup over, it’s likely that your last bit of ice coffee won’t spill.

As for the main vessel, it is round towards the top and square on the bottom. I found that the square sides help my slippery hands get a grip on the cup. However, I wish that there was some grippy silicone for some added piece of mind.

4) Outlander Premium Stainless Steel Travel Mug 32 oz

The Outlander Premium Stainless Steel Travel Mug is truly satisfying to hold while you take sweet sips of some iced coffee. My large hands are thankful that the handle is comfortable to hold. And, I can hold it in multiple ways without feeling like I’ll drop it. Plus, the top of this travel mug boasts a couple unique features.

On one side, there’s a sipping spout and a straw hole. The sipping spout has a seal that slides closed when you don’t want the chill to escape the plastic lid. Meanwhile, the other side has a removable straw that features a silicone band at the bottom. So, if you knock your mug over, the straw won’t go flying. There’s also an attached stopper that plugs the straw hole when you do choose to remove the straw.

However, even with all of those seals, a few drops of iced coffee do escape when this stainless steel mug is knocked over – with or without the straw inserted.

5) Glass Tumbler with Straw and Silicone Sleeve 20 oz

This Tronco Glass Tumbler boasts a simple design that’s easy to clean and grip onto. There’s the removable straw, borosilicate glass, and silicone sleeve. All of which come apart so you can clean each piece.

The sar is the silicone sleeve that covers a majority of the glass. It offers an easy grip when you reach for a sip. That said, this tumble is still partially glass. So, if you drop it off of your desk it’ll likely break. Reviewers note that you really have to try to break this one thanks to the heavy-duty silicone surround.

6) Glass Water Tumbler with Straw and Lid 20oz

When you want your iced coffee vessel to match your outfit, grab a few Kodrine tumblers. It comes in a vast color range of 42 sleeve colors.The sleeve even has windows so that you can see when you’re running low on iced coffee.

That said, this tumbler is mostly glass, which can break when dropped. While the sleeve also provides grip, it does sweat. So, if you don’t prefer reaching for a damp cup, try another option on this list.

7) Tumbler with Straw and Lid

Tronco’s Tumbler fits in your car's cup holder but still lets you have up to 32 ounces of iced coffee. And, it has a unique silicone sleeve. It has windows and time stamps so that you can plan your sips accordingly. Plus, it follows the contour of the glass – which tapers down at the bottom – so that you can put this cup in your car holder. But, this silicone sleeve does sweat, which is expected, but still kind of a bummer.

Albeit, there is another unique feature to this tumbler. It has a stainless steel straw with a silicone tip so that your lips don’t get cold while you’re sipping on an iced coffee.

8) Glass Tumbler with Bamboo Lid and Straw

When you want to drink your iced coffee, without freezing your lips off, try this Tronco cup. It has a long stainless steel straw that comes with two silicone tips. The silicone prevents your lips from freezing. And, if you like to nibble on the end of your straws, you can take a few bites without hurting your teeth. Plus, the tip is slightly larger near the hole. That helps reduce the amount of spilled coffee when knocked over.

This iced coffee cup was designed for boba, so if you're a fan of boba in your iced coffee or tea, this straw is big enough to accommodate those delicious pearls.

9) Insulated Tumbler with Lid and Straw

This Insulated Tumbler by Simple Modern lets you customize your sipping experience. It comes with two completely different lids. One lid flips up, and seals shut, for more of a traditional coffee experience that also happens to be spill-resistant. And, there’s also a straw lid included.

While these lids are interchangeable, for some, they can get stuck. That's not uncommon for a lot of brands, but when you have interchangeable lids, it feels more annoying.

10) FreeSip Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle

This Owala water bottle doubles as a handy vessel for large portions of iced coffee. It has two spouts. One is larger for swigs of coffee. And, the other smaller is attached to a removable straw for easy sipping. Plus, when it’s time to clean the bottle, everything comes apart. Even the silicone stopper at the top pops out so that there’s no residue when you want to switch from iced coffee to water.

I’ve also found that when filled about half way with standard sized ice cubes, there will still be ice cubes left after more than eight hours. Plus, with the cap fully closed, it doesn’t spill a single drop of iced coffee when knocked over. And, to my surprise, no dents on the main bottle.

However, there’s one thing I’d change. I’d add a silicone band to the lower-half of the bottle. Why? Because my leather-like hands could use some extra grip when I want to fish my ice out for some chomps.

11) Carter Cold Tumbler

Most tumblers with straw are prone to some level of spillage. But, this Fellow barely leaks according to most reviews, thanks to the genius design featuring multiple gaskets and a tight-fitting straw.

Along with its impressive lid, there are a few other highlights to this iced coffee cup. The inside of this tumbler has a coating that prevents any odd flavors or odors from popping up. Not even a metallic taste will make it into your iced coffee. But, several customers wish that this tumbler came in a bigger size as this one only holds 16 ounces.

12) Double Wall Glass Bottle

Try this SOMA bottle if you want to craft your pour-over iced coffee in the same vessel you plan on drinking it from. This bottle has a removable stainless steel filter that holds the coffee ground in place as you pour the energetic goodness into your bottle. The filter is great, not even allowing small grounds through its hold.

However, this bottle could benefit from a protective sleeve. Since the body is entirely made of glass, one drop and you’ll end up saying bye-bye bottle.

13) Rambler Tumbler

A crisp iced coffee is so refreshing. So, when you want that crispness to last all day give Morrisson’s pick a try. It’s this Yeti tumbler. “It has excellent insulation that retained cold temperatures for over 12 hours in my testing,” exclaims the former barista.

Built like a cooler, this multi-layered iced coffee cup separates the outdoor temperature from the indoor temperature, so that not only is it cold hours later, it doesn't sweat.

14) Drinking Glasses with Lids and Straws

When you want the best bang-for-your-buck, reach for this set of four NETANY cups.The set comes with four 16 oz glass cups, four bamboo lids, four glass straws, and two straw cleaners. All for under $23. Also, you don’t have to wash out your iced coffee cup every single day.

Users enjoy that these cups fully come apart so that you can easily clean every crevice. However, these are still glass containers so treat them with care. But, at least if one breaks you have three more for backup.

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• 【Coffee Tumbler 20 Oz Tumbler】With Lid And Straw Double Wall Travel Tumbler For Hot And Cold I Came I Saw Forgot What I Was Doing Color Rose Quartz Tumbler Personalized Stainless Steel Tumblers Reusable, Funny Anniversary Gifts For Women And Men.
• 【Funny Design】With Its Individualized I Came I Saw Forgot What I Was Doing Color Rose Quartz Design, This Tumbler Mug Is The Perfect Way To Showcase Your Sense Of Humor And Personality.
• 【Double Wall Tumbler】This Coffee Mug Adopts A Double Vacuum Insulation Design, Which Can Keep Hot Drinks For Up To 3 Hours And Keeps Cold Beverages For Up To 9 Hours, And Can Maintain The Proper Temperature Of Various Beverages For Longer, Nice For Coffee, Milk, Juice, Beer, Tea And More!
• 【Indoor Or Outdoor Places】Fit For Enjoying Drinks At Home, At The Pool, At The Party, During Rv Tours, Cabin Trips, Hiking, And So On. Enjoy The Time Of Drinking Without Other Concerns.
• 【Novelty Gift】This Cup Stands Out For Both Its Functionality And Humorous Design, Making It A Truly Unique And Unforgettable Present. Perfect For Father's Day, Birthdays, Anniversaries, Graduation, Holidays, Retirement, And Christmas.

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With Lid And Straw Double Wall Travel Tumbler For Hot And Cold

With Its Individualized I Came I Saw Forgot What I Was Doing Color Rose Quartz Design, This Tumbler Mug Is The Perfect Way To Showcase Your Sense Of Humor And Personality.

This Coffee Mug Adopts A Double Vacuum Insulation Design

Fit For Enjoying Drinks At Home, At The Pool, At The Party, During Rv Tours, Cabin Trips, Hiking, And So On.

Perfect For Father's Day, Birthdays, Anniversaries, Graduation, Holidays, Retirement, And Christmas.

Specifications:

Material: Stainless steel

Comes with: lid, straw

Size: 6.77*3.4*2.75Inch

Product Includes:

1*Travel Coffee with Lid and Straw

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10 Reasons No One Plays High-Level D&D

• May 21, 2024
• Posted by Janay Zeilstra

Written by Luke Hart

I have now run three D&D 5e campaigns that have gone from level 1 all the way up to the high levels. My Hand of Light campaign ended at level 20. My Sword Coast Guard campaign ended at level 17. Currently, the Ancient Dragon campaign I run for my patrons is at level 18. So, I can tell you from experience that most people don’t play D&D at high levels for a reason—besides the simple fact that most campaigns fizzle out after a few game sessions.

And I can guarantee you that Wizards of the Coast game designers know this, too. The real question is: Are they going to fix these problems with the new edition that’s not a new edition they’re releasing in 2024/2025?

By the way, if you’re looking for a low-level, fifth-edition adventure module, check out Into the Fey . It’s designed for levels 1 to 5 and features lots of new fey creatures and their tricksy plots. Pick up the Into the Fey Ultimate Bundle to get the hardcover, the PDF, digital maps, and digital tokens!

Watch or listen to this article by clicking the video below.

#1 It’s exceptionally hard for game masters to create balanced encounters and adventures.

Volumes have been written on how bad the challenge rating system is. Balancing encounters using the challenge rating system becomes more difficult around level 8 and mostly useless after level 12. At that point, you’re really just guessing! I mean, my players may think I look like I know what I’m doing, but that’s just my poker face. I’m actually living a life of quiet desperation as a game master in high-level play. 

The thing is, when creating encounters at higher levels, unpredictability can cause encounters to be unintentionally deadly or anticlimactically easy. I have had a party easily handle an encounter that is four times deadly, then nearly TPK to a moderate challenge. I crap you not, and it is mind-boggling to see that happen.

Furthermore, the magic items a group has access to—or not—can make encounters trivial or deadly, as can simple things like whether the group gathered information about the foes in advance. Were they prepared? 

Let us not forget, either, that a single spell can significantly change the threat level of the encounter. The forcecage spell, for example, can take a dangerous melee combatant—even something like a dracolich—out of combat because they don’t have access to teleportation magic, drastically changing the threat level of the adventure with a single action. 

And we’re not even talking about the slew of other high-level spells players and monsters might bring to bear: arcane eye, dimension door, teleport, legend lore, power word kill, and, of course, wish.

Sometimes, spellcasting at high levels just comes down to who has more counterspells because the first spell to get through will be devastating. 

#2 High-level spells and abilities ruin the fun of the game.

Storytime: In my Ancient Dragon game, my players inadvertently unleashed three Servants of the Void—they keep calling them hags—from a jar where they had been imprisoned for hundreds of years. Naturally, these hags began doing evil stuff, the principal of which was beginning a process that would see the entirety of the Dark Shards consumed by the Void—a not-so-good thing. However, my players have access to the wish spell—actually, several different wishes via magic items—and they were discussing the idea of just wishing the hags had never been released from their jar.

So, as the game master, I was faced with the time-old conundrum: Do I somehow twist their wish so it doesn’t do exactly what they wanted and complicates their lives even more? Or do I let it work, thus undoing hours of my game prep time? In other words, do I nerf the spell or allow it to invalidate all my hard work? And the irony of the whole situation is that if you analyze it from the meta and they wish away the hag problem, they are literally just skipping that part of the game. They would be noping out of the adventures planned along that storyline. So, it rather feels like a lose-lose situation: They don’t get to play the game, and I, as the GM, wasted a bunch of my time preparing those adventures. This begs the question: Why do it?

You might say, “Well, Luke, maybe they didn’t like that storyline and wanted to do something else.” And that’s fair, but let me say this. Up until that point, they had been presented with this the basic storyline that nine evil overlords must be defeated, and they had been going from one to the other, clearing out the dungeons and killing the overlords. After a few adventures of doing that, I thought we needed to shake things up because it was probably getting monotonous for my players. Thus, I introduced the quandary with the Servants of the Void. So, I would argue that this new twist was probably more exciting than just going back to taking out overlords. At any rate, my players never did use that wish—much to my relief.

That’s one example of how spells and abilities can “break the game,” invalidate GM work, and arguably make the game less interesting—partly because they allow players to win without really playing. It’s like a big skip button they can push.

Another example is if the GM plans a series of encounters only to have the players teleport past them. The players then enter the final fight without using any significant resources, turning a challenging, climactic battle into an unmemorable sweep. This also, by the way, can also make the GM feel like they wasted hours of preparation. 

However, besides the skip button issue, there’s another general issue with high-level spells: although players love using high-level OP spells on the bad guys, they often hate it when the GM uses the same spells on them. 

For instance, the forcecage spell can take a major monster out of the fight, which makes players feel awesome. However, if a player’s beloved barbarian is completely neutered by a forcecage , it can ruin an entire session for that player. You see, players don’t like sitting at the table watching their friends play any more than the DM likes his monsters to be completely useless. It’s a double-edged sword that cuts both ways, making the game less fun for players and game masters. 

Well, you might say, the game master just shouldn’t use those spells on the players’ characters then—and you’re right, GMs probably shouldn’t. However, where does that leave the GMs? Holding the bag, that’s where. Doing the prep work, facilitating the game for everyone, and then getting screwed when their monsters are wished away, forcecaged, banished, plane shifted, and the like hardly seems fair now, does it? 

Well, you might say the game master could just add more monsters or take measures to counter those spells. And you’re right, of course, but then we’re delving into the territory of invalidating characters’ spells and special abilities, which just takes us into another problem. 

Frankly, the only real solution I’ve found as a DM running high-level D&D 5e is a truce, an armistice, between the game master and players that no one will use spells or abilities that ruin the fun for the other side. Otherwise, we just find ourselves in an arms war with the losing side not having fun. 

#3 The game is too easy for the players and too hard for the dungeon master.

Fifth edition D&D is designed in such a way that characters are incredibly powerful and, in the higher levels, become invincible superheroes. Now, yes, while being awesome feels, well, awesome, when there is no challenge in the game, many players find it unsatisfying. It’s not that they don’t want their superpowers; it’s more that they want the encounters and adventures to be more challenging. However, that can be exceedingly hard for dungeon masters to pull off. 

First, most monsters aren’t strong enough to challenge high-level characters. Less than 10 percent of the creatures in all 5e monster books are CR 17 or higher, and even high CR monsters fall flat and will get whomped on unless they have four or five minions with them. 

I can tell you, though, that with experience, you figure out how to get around this and craft challenging encounters using the creatures in the books. However, the new dungeon master who thinks they can stick one CR 24 monster against five level 17 characters and have it be challenging just because the challenge rating calculator says it’s a deadly encounter will be sorely disappointed. Because every experienced DM knows the PCs will kill that monster in just a couple rounds without even breaking a sweat. So, I really feel for new DMs who have to deal with this. I bet that makes them prefer low-level play, don’t you think? 

Furthermore, the issue of the game being too easy for players and too hard for the DM to run is compounded by the issue of high-level spells that we just discussed. I mean, everything just adds up, doesn’t it? 

#4 There isn’t much published content for high levels.

Wizards of the Coast has published three adventures for parties of over level 15, and only one of these, Dungeon of the Mad Mage , is a cohesive adventure from low to high level. The other two appear in “collections” of adventures, Candlekeep Mysteries and Tales of the Yawning Portal. The upcoming “Planescape” set is supposed to have an adventure for level 17 characters. Still, again, that doesn’t seem to be part of a larger adventure. What this means, of course, is that dungeon masters who don’t want to homebrew their own adventures are crap out of luck. 

So, you might be asking: Why doesn’t WOTC publish more high-level adventures? Well, I’ll tell you why, but it probably differs from what they’ll say. I suspect the official reason is, “We’ve done surveys, and most players say they enjoy low- and mid-level play more. Therefore, we are just giving players what they want.” And my counter to that is to ask, “ Why do you think players enjoy low- and mid-level games more? Could it be because the higher levels—say, after 12, and certainly level 15—are mostly unplayable for the various reasons we’re discussing?” 

Now, I think the folks working at WOTC are very smart and undoubtedly know about this. They also know that designing adventures and modules for high-level play is extremely challenging. After all, how do you design an adventure for a GM to run when the players could just use their powerful abilities and spells, thus causing the GM to have to throw out practically everything in the adventure and improvise on the fly? Now, I’m not knocking improvisation. I’m saying that when a GM buys a module, they want to be able to use it, not just have to homebrew everything anyway. 

If you look at some of the old-school modules and even some modern ones, they acknowledge the game-breaking nature of many of these spells by specifically banning them in the adventure. Of course, they may not have banned them outright, but they put story reasons into the adventure that made them not work. In Ravenloft , plane travel just doesn’t work. Why? Oh, because of dark powers, that’s why. Certainly not because plane travel would make escaping Ravenloft trivial and thus invalidate the entire module. 

#5 The incredibly low chance of character death makes combat less thrilling.

At higher levels, death is rarely permanent. If a character somehow manages to die (which, by the way, is nearly impossible), they’ll be resurrected again before anyone bats an eye. As long as one character with a raise dead spell survives a near-TPK or one character can load the bodies into a cart and haul them all back to town, the entire party will likely come back . . . and if most of the body is missing, there’s always reincarnation.  

Fun fact: In my in-person group, we have an ongoing joke about whether or not a character is wearing a “do not reincarnate” bracelet. In part, this is because some players would rather just roll a new character than risk their character coming back as a species they don’t want to play—or one that breaks their build. 

I’ve made entire videos about this, so I won’t belabor the point, but in combat, risk equals reward, and a game with no risk is boring. Most board games have a way to win or lose; a game you can’t lose isn’t as exciting. Competitive sports are only popular because fans want their teams to win and feel the agony of defeat. Well, the same thing applies to TTRPGs. 

#6 Combat is a slog at higher levels.

Anyone who has played high-level D&D can attest to how long combat often takes; it isn’t unusual for combat to take one to two hours. If it’s a boss fight—shoot, I’ve had those last a full four-hour game session. 

Why does this happen? I think there are a few reasons. First, player and dungeon master turns just take a whole lot longer. There are more spells, abilities, and options to consider, and adjudicating them takes longer. Next, hit point pools are much higher for both players and monsters. Now, you would think that it wouldn’t matter because damage is also scaling, and yes, it does, but not nearly as much as hit points. The result is monsters that just take a long time to go down. 

Of course, we could just reduce hit points and increase damage to get the same challenge, and that’s certainly a good option. And if you’re a game master with enough spare time to homebrew every monster or tweak the existing ones to do that—and enough experience to get the challenge level right—knock yourself out. However, it begs the question: Why don’t the game designers just design monsters that way to begin with? 

I’ll tell you why. Because they know that players enjoy inflicting damage on enemies but do not enjoy taking damage. So, since one is more fun than the other, we get enemies that are big sacks of hit points and do less damage. The trade-off, of course, is that combats take a lot longer. 

#7 Characters get more complex.

The higher a character’s level in level-based games like D&D, the more complicated they become; players have many more abilities to remember, spells to learn (or look up), and magic items, potions, and scrolls to track. Character sheets become more cluttered, and classes require a lot more “going to the book” for clarification. 

Even if a player has been playing a character from level 1, the plethora of abilities can make a character hard to play. This is even worse for high-level one-shots or if a character dies and a new character joins that already has a sheet full of options. 

This high level of complexity is undesirable to some players and undoubtedly slows the game down, which could make it less exciting. 

#8 Math gets more complex.

Math is the least popular subject in school, and as levels get higher, math becomes more complex. For instance, spells result in more dice rolled for damage, which requires more adding; it slows the game down if a player can’t calculate quickly. A classic example is the rogue with 10d6 sneak attack damage, who gets a critical hit. You’d be surprised at how long even a wizard upcasting magic missile can take to add up the damage. It’s a noticeable bog on the game at times.

But then you need to add and subtract hit points, of course, slowing things a bit further. There is a reason I gave up keeping track of exact hit points on my monsters years ago. Now, I track hit points in multiples of ten. It speeds up the game a lot . 

The easy solution is to shout, “Be smarter” or “Learn to add,” but the truth is that such talk just makes people who aren’t great at math feel worse and enjoy math even less. Math is a genuine source of anxiety for a lot of people, and high-level play doesn’t help with that. 

#9 Players get bored and want to play new characters.

A lot of players believe that half the fun of RPGs is making new characters; DND Beyond’s servers are loaded with characters that have never been played. I once had a player who wanted to change characters every game session—I crap you not. I had to make a rule that he couldn’t change a character in the middle of an adventure—that’s how bad it was.

 For many players, the longer they live in a character’s skin, the more likely they will get bored. Even our favorite TV shows get stale when it’s the same week after week. Players want to try new things, and new ancestries and classes are a constant temptation—especially if they see another person playing an awesome class they’re interested in trying. The same can be said of game masters. Sometimes, a campaign just gets dull; they become bored and want to do something new. Of course, this is not necessarily a failing of the game system; it’s just one of those “it is what it is” situations, I guess. 

#10 The story reaches a logical conclusion and a new one is desired.

If you’re playing a campaign with a single “big bad” with a beginning, middle, and end—a narrative game rather than a collection of unrelated adventures—eventually, the story will come to a logical end. Players and GMs alike are rarely interested in playing a game past the end of the narrative, and very few games start a “new” story with high-level characters after the original story ends, though they could, I suppose. However, it often doesn’t feel natural, and it would probably be better to just start a new campaign with low-level characters instead.

A 5e Adventure Module Filled with Fey Creatures and Their Tricksy Plots!

If you’re looking to start up a new 5e campaign or reboot your current one,   Into the Fey   may be exactly what you need. Designed for levels 1 to 5,   Into the Fey   contains everything you need to start playing:

• 11 fey-themed adventures
• over 40 new fey creatures
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Pick up the   Into the Fey Ultimate Bundle   to get the hardcover, the PDF, digital maps, and digital tokens.

Starting a new campaign can be tons of work; let   Into the Fey   do some of the heavy lifting for you!

• Adventure Ideas
• Drag and Drops
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• Kontinental Hockey League

Gagarin Cup Preview: Atlant vs. Salavat Yulaev

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Share All sharing options for: Gagarin Cup Preview: Atlant vs. Salavat Yulaev

Gagarin cup (khl) finals:  atlant moscow oblast vs. salavat yulaev ufa.

Much like the Elitserien Finals, we have a bit of an offense vs. defense match-up in this league Final.  While Ufa let their star top line of Alexander Radulov, Patrick Thoresen and Igor Grigorenko loose on the KHL's Western Conference, Mytischi played a more conservative style, relying on veterans such as former NHLers Jan Bulis, Oleg Petrov, and Jaroslav Obsut.  Just reaching the Finals is a testament to Atlant's disciplined style of play, as they had to knock off much more high profile teams from Yaroslavl and St. Petersburg to do so.  But while they did finish 8th in the league in points, they haven't seen the likes of Ufa, who finished 2nd. 

This series will be a challenge for the underdog, because unlike some of the other KHL teams, Ufa's top players are generally younger and in their prime.  Only Proshkin amongst regular blueliners is over 30, with the work being shared by Kirill Koltsov (28), Andrei Kuteikin (26), Miroslav Blatak (28), Maxim Kondratiev (28) and Dmitri Kalinin (30).  Oleg Tverdovsky hasn't played a lot in the playoffs to date.  Up front, while led by a fairly young top line (24-27), Ufa does have a lot of veterans in support roles:  Vyacheslav Kozlov , Viktor Kozlov , Vladimir Antipov, Sergei Zinovyev and Petr Schastlivy are all over 30.  In fact, the names of all their forwards are familiar to international and NHL fans:  Robert Nilsson , Alexander Svitov, Oleg Saprykin and Jakub Klepis round out the group, all former NHL players.

For Atlant, their veteran roster, with only one of their top six D under the age of 30 (and no top forwards under 30, either), this might be their one shot at a championship.  The team has never won either a Russian Superleague title or the Gagarin Cup, and for players like former NHLer Oleg Petrov, this is probably the last shot at the KHL's top prize.  The team got three extra days rest by winning their Conference Final in six games, and they probably needed to use it.  Atlant does have younger regulars on their roster, but they generally only play a few shifts per game, if that. 

The low event style of game for Atlant probably suits them well, but I don't know how they can manage to keep up against Ufa's speed, skill, and depth.  There is no advantage to be seen in goal, with Erik Ersberg and Konstantin Barulin posting almost identical numbers, and even in terms of recent playoff experience Ufa has them beat.  Luckily for Atlant, Ufa isn't that far away from the Moscow region, so travel shouldn't play a major role. 

I'm predicting that Ufa, winners of the last Superleague title back in 2008, will become the second team to win the Gagarin Cup, and will prevail in five games.  They have a seriously well built team that would honestly compete in the NHL.  They represent the potential of the league, while Atlant represents closer to the reality, as a team full of players who played themselves out of the NHL. 

• Atlant @ Ufa, Friday Apr 8 (3:00 PM CET/10:00 PM EST)
• Atlant @ Ufa, Sunday Apr 10 (1:00 PM CET/8:00 AM EST)
• Ufa @ Atlant, Tuesday Apr 12 (5:30 PM CET/12:30 PM EST)
• Ufa @ Atlant, Thursday Apr 14 (5:30 PM CET/12:30 PM EST)

Games 5-7 are as yet unscheduled, but every second day is the KHL standard, so expect Game 5 to be on Saturday, like an early start. 

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Money blog: Top 10 places kids spend pocket money - as new data reveals going rate for 2024

Pocket money is in decline, data shows - but kids are finding new ways to pay for their everyday "essentials". Read this in our weekend edition of the Money blog below and leave your thoughts in the comments box. We'll be back with regular updates after the bank holiday.

Saturday 25 May 2024 14:45, UK

Weekend Money

• How much is pocket money in 2024 and where are kids spending it? New data reveals all
• Inflation, election and energy bills: What a big week of announcements means for your pocket
• Ford engine problems, inflation data scepticism and BT landline switch: What readers have said this week

Best of the week

• What now for mortgages after inflation and election announcements?
• Ian King : Here's why price cap is still £300 more than before Ukraine war
• Which biscuits have the least sugar? Your guide to elevenses
• Savings Guide: Britons urged to act quickly to grab above-inflation savings rates while they last
• Best of the Money blog - an archive

Ask a question or make a comment

By Bhvishya Patel , Money team

Pocket money is in decline, data shows - but kids are finding new ways to pay for their everyday "essentials".

Data from the Natwest pocket money index  (looking at transactions from 308,000 children in the Rooster app) shows only 30% of families now pay pocket money as part of a regular routine (down 2%), with children getting £3.78 on average a week (down 10p from last year).

In fact, pocket money now makes up just 14% of children's income. Instead they're finding new income streams - with a typical child netting £479.96 a year (£9.23 a week) for one-off chores or entrepreneurship.

These "salaries" obviously differ for age groups... 

• £5.68 for a six-year-old 
• £24.71 for a 17-year-old

British children are now charging extra for chores and squeezing more money out of their side hustles.

• Car cleaning earned £3.25 on average - 32% (79p) more than a year ago
• Paper round earnings increased 2% (45p) to £23.10 a week
• However, it's been a less good year for reselling - with earnings down 15% to £22.62 a week.

Arguably the most interesting part of the data is where kids are spending their money.

Amazon was top, with Tesco and McDonald's next. Primark, Co-op, PlayStation, Xbox, Sainsbury's and Asda are next in that order - but there's no place this year for Apple, which has been replaced by fashion brand Shein, rounding off the top 10.

NatWest Rooster Money said "kids' money is completely changing shape"... 

"Kids are increasingly complementing [pocket money] in other, more sophisticated ways. This move to greater independence and maturity in their earning has been fantastic to see and bodes well for some bright, financially confident futures ahead." Will Carmichael, chief executive and founder of NatWest Rooster Money

An illustration of this maturity is kids' saving rate of 9.5% - not far off the adult average of 10.2%. Gaming, holidays and the future were the top three saving incentives, in that order.

Is there a right answer?

Kirsty Ketley, a parenting specialist from Surrey, said she gave her 11-year-old daughter Ella £5 and her seven-year-old son Leo £2 a week in cash.

They both started receiving pocket money when they were six.

"I often say to parents, even with children as young as four, it's fine to start giving a bit of pocket money because it's such an important life skill to have – to learn how to manage money because you don't get taught it," she said.

Presenter and children's author Konnie Huq, who has two sons, Covey, 12, and Huxley, 10, told the Money team that a regular pocket money allowance was a "really good way" of getting children into the habit of earning and spending.

She said receiving a regular allowance helped teach children "responsibility" and "financial literacy".

"That's what they will be doing as the grown-ups they become," she said. "I've always said kids are shaping and forming between 0 to seven. You want to put the values in them now in these younger years that they will take through with them in their life."

Sharon Olivero-Chapman, chief executive and founder of Harrienna Health, disagrees. She has always thought a regular pocket money figure is the "wrong message to give to children" - and her daughter Harriet, 13, is one of those raking it in from side hustles.

"Pocket money gives them the wrong association with money," she said. "They're just given money on a plate, whereas that's not real life, is it?"

Ms Olivero-Chapman said if her daughter did want to buy something she had to work out how she could get that money and would then be given chores to earn it. She said it was £1 to unload and fill the dishwasher, £1 to fill and empty the washing machine and 50p to make her bed.

"It's not a regular thing every week," she explained.

Ms Olivero-Chapman said the family's entrepreneurial bug had rubbed off on Harriet and she began running her own Etsy store business last year which sees her personalise phone cases. Her business has earned nearly £1,000 so far.

Your pocket money stories - how much, how and in return for what

The Dursuns, Scotland

Aga Dursun, 41, a PMO analyst from Erskine, gives her 13-year-old son Galip £3 a day and her nine-year-old son Troy £1 a day via transfers into a Starling account. They also get £20 each on her pay day. No chores are required.

"It gives them a lot of freedom and they learn the value of money as well because for example now if they want more expensive trainers they have to save up," she says.

"It's mostly spent on games which breaks my heart."

The Shaws, London

Sammy Shaw, from Enfield, said she gave her eight-year-old twins Teddy and Hope £3.50 a week via the Natwest Rooster Money card.

To earn the money, her son and daughter are set a number of activities which they must complete  - if they don't, money is deducted.

"My two have got an exceptional amount they have got to do. The first thing they've got to do is make their bed, get dressed independently. When they go downstairs they've got to do 10 minutes of practice on the keyboard, they do Times Tables Rock Stars (a digital maths app) and then 10 minutes of reading. 

"The parent has to go into the app and approve these activities and if they don't do them it takes percentages off."

Last year, the twins saved up to buy theatre tickets for the family at £35 a pop.

The Regulskis, Wales

Over in Caerphilly, Dean Regulski, 44, has a fairly similar routine: money in return for washing, ironing, dog walking, laundry and vacuuming. He and his wife give kids Emmeline, Nancy and Abraham (aged 12 to 15) £10 a week also using Rooster.

"Every time they want to make a transaction, it pings my phone so straight away I can have a conversation with them about what they are buying and if it's just sweets I can limit it on the app so it's a £1 transaction," Dean says.

"My son the other day was asking if he could buy something that was beyond the £40 and I said he can take it out next month but that will cost extra chores. I explained the concept of interest to him."

The Moores, West Midlands

Ben Moore, 40, from Solihull, said his 13-year-old twin daughters had got £5 a week in pocket money for the past two years.

They used GoHenry before switching to a debit card.

"We spent a year on GoHenry and it was good because we could say 'you can't spend it on McDonald's' and restrict the type of spending but there was a monthly fee for it," he said.

Chores are not a requirement as he is "really keen" his daughters use the money to "go out with their friends rather than just sit on their phones".

The Scotts, Wiltshire

Fiona Scott, 58, from Swindon in Wiltshire, said her three children Samantha, 24, Georgia, 22, and David, 17, all got pocket money until they were able to make their own money.

"We've always had a little book at home showing this is what is coming in and going out and this is what we've got to spend, so I've encouraged them all to do that in different ways. They've got used to seeing and understanding what a household budget is," she said.

The Joneses, West Midlands

Mother-of-three Jenny Jones, 43, said her 11-year-old daughter Rebecca receives £10 a month - no chores, but everyone is expected to muck in.

It started off with 50p a week when she was seven but when she turned 11, Ms Jones opened up a junior account at Barclays and money goes in monthly.

"It's taught her general management around money. At the moment she loves bubble tea and she loves getting bits of jewellery so it's a case of her thinking what does she want, can she afford both? It enables her to make those decisions.

"It's just those life lessons, isn't it? We can't have everything we want and you've got to make those decisions - and it's okay to make the wrong decision, which is normal."

The main topics from the Money blog that got you commenting this week were...

• Known issues with Ford EcoBoost engines
• Inflation drops to 2.3% 

BT delays switch from analogue landlines

'My second-hand Ford is being written off with a known issue - but no one is taking responsibility'

Every Monday, we get an expert to answer your money problems or consumer disputes. 

This week, Rory Raftery told us about a known issue with his Ford C-Max which had caused it to be written off. He asked if there was anything he could do. 

Several readers wrote in to say they had similar issues. 

Money Blog, I had a Ford Focus with an EcoBoost Engine that failed after 62k miles on it, and Ford won't entertain any responsibility because not full Ford service history, offered no help whatsoever, have and are being treated appallingly at every level. Damian Moynihan

Bought a second hand EcoBoost 1.0 13 plate Focus from a broker… had it less than three months and the car has had sudden coolant loss and engine failure due to a cylinder head crack, almost a £5,000 repair. Ford need to be held accountable for this, it's ridiculous... no warning light, no temperature rises and then bang the car's engine is finished. The car has covered 73,000 miles. Gareth from Wigan

The Ford EcoBoost problem has prompted a recall for US cars with the exact same issue. Yet in the UK Ford are doing nothing about the issue. There is a Facebook page with over 20k members all experiencing the same issue and Ford refuse to acknowledge the issue, in the UK at least. anonymous

Here's what Ford had to say when we published Rory's problem: "Ford is confident in the robustness and reliability of its EcoBoost engine technology when the stated guidelines for maintenance and service are followed. 

"Ford UK is happy to investigate service support and/or compensation measures for any customer who believes they have had an EcoBoost engine issue and is happy to review cases with a full-service history for vehicles up to 10 years old with less than 150,000 miles.

"For any customers in the UK whose vehicle meets these parameters, you can speak to our customer relationship team and contact details can be found on our website  here ." 

The company said timely and correct servicing as outlined in the owner's manual was key for wet belt maintenance and any illuminated dashboard warning lights should always receive attention. 

On Wednesday, we got the latest inflation figures, showing it had dropped to 2.3% in April - down from 3.2% in March.

A drop to 2.1% had been expected by the Bank of England, but it showed the fight against price rises was being won.

Here's what some readers had to say about it... 

All my experiences when I go grocery shopping don't fill me with optimism that prices are almost stabilising. Particularly household items, such as cleaning costs, are still rising steadily and frequently. An item I buy was £3 something a matter of weeks ago. This morning... £5. Su H

Am I the only person who thinks that increasing the minimum wage by 10% in April and the knock-on effect of increasing wages by more than 8% in labour intensive industries is going to cause an increase in inflation that will make a reduction in interest rates very unlikely? Rayayre

The national living wage for workers increased by 9.8% on 1 April from £10.42 to £11.44.  

Since the recent decline in inflation is largely due to energy prices, can anyone name a specific government action that influenced energy prices traded on the international market? This government can't resist taking credit for everything! Marek

You have written this story as a failure of government to bring inflation down to a level some analysts forecast, despite it being a huge drop and within a whisker of the 2% target. It reads like a piece one would expect to hear coming from a Labour politician. Tom Jeffries

I don't believe this for one moment, did my shopping yesterday the price of food is disgracefully high still and takes up most of my income as a family. Andrea

I have seen no change in the cost of living, my car insurance is up 10%, council tax did the same. Shrinkflation is still going on. Food prices may have stopped increasing, but they have not gone down. My job as an assessor had its hours and pay cut of 1/3, bills remain! StevieB

Inflation down but prices remain high, my mortgage and day-to-day bills are still cripplingly high while my wages stagnate. In real terms I've never had so little disposable income. The cost of living crisis is far from over. Kingsholm_Neil

How does UK inflation compare around the world ? KevinPB

We found the answer to this one on Wednesday...

Why are prices on certain things still expensive and will they ever go down? Nick12

On Nick's question, inflation coming down doesn't mean prices are. It just means prices are rising at a slower rate. 

For prices to drop, we would need negative inflation, which isn't common. 

But, in the April data, we did see it in the energy sector thanks to the price cap change. 

On Monday, BT Group pushed back its timetable for moving all customers off the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and on to digital landlines.

From this summer, customers who have not used their landline in the past 12 months, who do not identify as vulnerable or have additional needs, have not contacted an Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) in the past 24 months and live in an area where a data sharing agreement is in place, will be switched - unless they have opted out.

Vulnerable customers or those with additional needs will start to be switched from summer 2025, with the aim to have all customers moved off the old analogue PSTN by the end of January 2027.

We have a thatched house and no mobile signal. We signed up to Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP) and despite protests, we were "upgraded" to digital voice at "no extra cost". Time to give us back our copper which always works - even when we have no electricity. Ian P

Living in a rural area where we have power cuts for different reasons and internet signal is non-existent without Wi-Fi, how will we stay connected? Melanie

I live in Lancaster but my signal is so poor that I have to ask family to call me on my landline. How on earth are we supposed to manage without one? Pat

Three big announcements this week could have significant implications for the money in your pocket.

First, April's inflation data , which on the face of it was good news. 

Price rises slowed to 2.3%, within touching distance of the Bank of England's 2% target and into what economists regard as normal levels.

The Bank has repeatedly stressed that interest rates (which have been elevated to squeeze spending and encourage saving, which usually stops prices going up so quickly) would start to fall when the 2% figure was sustainably hit.

Herein lies the issue - sustainability. Because while headline CPI has fallen dramatically from highs of more than 11% in 2022, a closer look at the numbers suggests the fight against price rises isn't over just yet.

Core inflation, which strips out the volatile elements like energy and food, remains at 3.9% - while service inflation is at 5.9%. All of these numbers, including the headline figure, are above forecasts.

All of which has prompted markets to price in an August rate cut from 5.25% to 5% - previously they'd expected June.

Economics editor Ed Conway wrote this analysis...

Some suggested the fall in inflation, combined with the IMF upgrading UK growth forecasts , provided Rishi Sunak with a positive platform on which to call a summer election.

Conway isn't so sure.

He says: "We're out of recession. That's one of the key things they were waiting for. Inflation is now down to a normal level. Those things have been ticked off [but] there are a couple of issues. 

"First of all, it doesn't look like, with inflation not falling quite as far as everyone would have expected, that the final thing they were hoping for, the Bank of England cutting interest rates, is going to happen in June. There probably is not going to be an interest rate cut before the election. That's quite significant.

"Secondly, when people look at this election, it's that old question: do you feel better off than you did four or five years ago? 

"And in this case, there is no parliamentary period in history where people have seen their real disposable incomes squeezed as much as this one. 

"That's what the prime minister's fighting against."

We took a closer look at what the election and new interest rate forecasts mean for mortgages and the housing market here...

We also examined what the election result on 4 July could mean for people's finances, honing in on what we know about the major parties' plans from childcare to train fares to tax...

Finally, energy bills will fall again in July after Friday's price cap announcement.

They'll be £122 (annually) below the April-June figure.

However, daily standing charges are going up - which means those who use more energy will feel the most benefit from the price cap fall...

Sir Keir Starmer told us that Labour's plan for a new company called Great British Energy would help bring prices down...

And business presenter Ian King explained why energy bills are still £300 more than before the Ukraine war...

The Money blog is your place for consumer news, economic analysis and everything you need to know about the cost of living - bookmark news.sky.com/money.

It runs with live updates every weekday - while on Saturdays we scale back and offer you a selection of weekend reads.

Check them out this morning and we'll be back on Monday with our regular Money Problem feature - and full rolling news and features after the bank holiday on Tuesday. 

The Money team is Emily Mee, Bhvishya Patel, Jess Sharp, Katie Williams, Brad Young and Ollie Cooper, with sub-editing by Isobel Souster. The blog is edited by Jimmy Rice.

Cara Delevingne's childhood home is up for sale - but it's come to market with a huge £23.5m price tag. 

The 5,456 sq ft property in London's Belgravia was also home to controversial casino and zoo owner John Aspinall in the 1960s. 

Mr Aspinall and the mansion were also linked to the disappearance of Lord Lucan in 1974 - a mystery that still hasn't been solved. 

After he died in 2000, the five-bedroom house was bought by Charles and Pandora Delevingne - the parents of supermodel Cara and her older sisters Chloe and Poppy.

The Grade II-listed building on Lyall Street comes with two reception rooms, a study, a home cinema and a professional chef's kitchen. 

A gym, sauna, steam room and rooftop cocktail bar are also included. 

In around 2014, with their daughters grown up, the Delevingnes moved from the Lyall Street mansion and downsized.

The current owners bought the house a couple of years later and have given the mansion an extensive renovation and modernisation. 

"It is one of the best houses currently available for sale in Belgravia and is immaculately presented and beautifully interior designed," said Charles Lloyd, head of Beauchamp Estates. 

The reason for the fall in the household energy price cap is pretty straightforward - wholesale electricity and gas prices have fallen since the price cap was last set in February this year.

Wholesale gas and electricity prices make up by far the biggest proportion of the energy bills - £720 of the current £1,690 - and Ofgem is assuming, for July, August and September, a wholesale electricity price of 22.36 pence per kilowatt hour (kWh), down from 24.50 pence per kWh during the current quarter.

It is also assuming a wholesale gas price of 5.48 pence per kWh from July to September, down from 6.04 pence per kWh during the current quarter.

That brings down the wholesale energy component of the typical bill (which is based on an assumption that a household will use 12,000 kWh per year of gas and 2,900 kWh of electricity) from £720 to £619.

The question some people may have, though, is why the energy price cap that Ofgem has set for the three months from July remains higher, at £1,568, than the level at which it was set - £1,277 - at the time the energy crisis was sparked by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

At first blush, this seems a reasonable enough question, given that a barrel of Brent Crude - a reasonable enough proxy for wholesale energy prices - stands today at $80.78 (£63.50) per barrel, down from the heights it hit after the invasion.

But bear in mind that, in those days, the price cap was only set by Ofgem every six months, rather than quarterly as at present.

The price cap in place immediately before the crisis came into effect on 1 October 2021 having been set on 6 August that year.

Prior to that, wholesale energy prices had been lower than they are now. The wholesale energy component for the price cap for the winter of 2021/22 was, accordingly, £528 - lower than the £619 it will be from July.

Other costs taken into account by Ofgem are also higher now than they were before Russia invaded Ukraine.

The UK needs "longer term solutions" on energy prices because they are still "record high almost", Sir Keir Starmer has said.

The Labour leader was commenting on a fall in the energy price cap.

From 1 July it will be £1,568 a year - a drop of £122 from the previous quarter. 

But Sir Keir said many people were still struggling to make ends meet.

"Everywhere I go, so many people tell me the cost of living is still bearing down on them," he told Sky News.

"People on a mortgage, [those] coming off a fixed mortgage, know their mortgages are going up by hundreds of pounds.

"Everybody knows prices are still going up - energy prices are still record high almost."

He added: "We need longer term solutions."

Labour's proposed Great British Energy (GBE) would help energy prices "come down for good", Sir Keir claimed.

GBE would be a publicly owned company with a mandate to invest in clean energy – wind, solar, tidal, nuclear and other emerging technologies. It would be designed to invest in riskier areas where the private sector might be reluctant.

Asked when energy prices would drop under GBE, and how quickly it could be established, he said: "Certainly by the end of the parliament, and a lot sooner than that.

"We can set up Great British Energy pretty quickly."

Discussions are already under way with potential partners, he added.

Claire Coutinho, the energy secretary, told Sky News that Great British Energy is a "complete gimmick" and a "drop in the ocean".

She also accused Labour of having "no plan" on energy security.

Putting off "life admin" could be costing you thousands of pounds a year, research has suggested.

It is estimated that adults in the UK could save £300 a year by cancelling unused subscriptions, £420 by reviewing their day-to-day finances, and £372 by re-evaluating a gym membership. 

"On average, Brits admit to putting off simple tasks by four to six months," Lloyds Bank said.

When asked why they had been delaying, almost a fifth (18%) said there was no deadline, one in seven (16%) said it was easier to take no action, while for 13% the memory of previous difficulties was off-putting.

Turning to the future, a fifth (20%) admitted not having a pension, while only two fifths (42%) knew how to add more money to their pension if they had one. 

If you are looking for a detailed analysis of today's cut in the energy price cap (see our breaking news post from 7am) then the following from Martin Lewis is worth digesting.

The founder of Money Saving Expert has split his reaction into three sections.

Lewis says the cap will drop on 1 July by an average of 7.2% for Direct Debit customers, 6.9% for prepay customers, and 7.1% for those who pay when they get a bill.

The cap will fall to £1,568 a year - a drop of £122 from the previous quarter. 

Standing charges (what you pay regardless of how much energy you use) "remain high" and are "virtually unchanged", Lewis says.

"All the cut" is via unit rates, he adds.

That means those who use more energy will be seeing bigger savings.

The electricity unit rate for Direct Debit customers from July will be 22.36p/kwH - down 9% from 24.5p, Lewis says.

The electricity standing charge will be 60.12p a day - up from 60.1p.

The gas unit rate will be 5.48p/kwH - down 9% from 6.04p.

And the gas standing charge will be 31.41p - slightly down from 31.43p.

Lewis says the results of a consultation on standing charges are likely to be published sometime in the "summer", adding: "Whenever that is."

As we reported in our post at 7.34am, respected market researcher Cornwall Insight is predicting that bills are likely to rise once more in the run-up to winter. 

Lewis comments: "If they're right this is the last fall, and the coming rises are big.

"On 1 July it's confirmed [the cap] drops 7%, so for every £100 paid today you pay £93. 

"Then on 1 Oct it's predicted to rise 12%, so you'll go back up and be paying £104. 

"Then on 1 Jan the crystal ball is saying it'll stay flat (at £104). 

"All this makes the cheapest fixes, which are currently 9% cheaper than now (so £91 per £100 on the price cap), look a decent bet."

Thousands of darts fans packed out the O2 last night as Luke Littler was crowned champion in the Premier League Darts final.

While his victory was met with big celebrations, the price of a pint left many upset.

Tom Park shared a photo of the menu on X which showed a pint of Camden Hells Lager cost £9.50. 

A Budweiser came in at £8.95 - and it was the same for a Stella Artois. 

Other social media uses responded to his post in shock.

Here are some of the replies we saw: 

• "That's absolutely disgraceful."
• "Bloody hell! That's a joke." 
• "We get so ripped off in this country."
• "£9.50 for a pint of Camden Hells in f****** robbery." 

Two pint offers didn't seem to be any better, with the menu showing the deal just worked out the same as buying two normal pints.

The Money team has contacted the O2 for comment. 

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