As the winter months creep up on us, you may be looking for a new tumbler or travel mug to keep your coffee hot all day. You could certainly peruse our list of the best travel mugs, which is packed with fancy double-walled, vacuum-insulated options, but if you constantly have icy hands, you might consider scooping up the Ember Travel Mug 2+, which has an actual heater inside. It’s currently marked down by $40 at Best Buy, bringing the price down to just $160. While I did spot the reduced price at Amazon as well, at publication time the shipping date was a range of November 9-30.
Photograph: Pete Cottell
While spending over $100 on a travel mug might feel like a stretch, the Ember lineup have internal warmers that keep your coffee or tea hot for hours on end. Unlike the popular home versions, the Travel Mug 2+ is a fully enclosed waterproof tumbler, so it’s perfect for taking on the road, or to your favorite outdoor activities. It has a great seal, which held up without dripping even when dropped into a crowded duffel bag.
With just the internal battery, our tester Pete Cottell managed to get over two hours of heat, which should keep a 16-ounce coffee at a toasty 135 degrees Fahrenheit for at least your morning commute. If you routinely drive even longer distances, there’s a separately sold car charger that will use the built-in 12V port to keep your liquids heated for as long as you’re stuck in the driver’s seat.
If you find yourself regularly losing your existing tumbler, and are worried about losing this more expensive version, the built-in Apple Find My support should give you some peace of mind. Not only can it help you find it when you’re craving a sip, but it can also let you know if you’ve left it behind, as long as you’re on an Apple device.
Overall the Ember Travel Mug 2+ offers a lot for its high price tag, and should appeal to daily coffee and tea drinkers, particularly those who regularly find themselves shivering during the winter. If that sounds like you, make sure to check out our gift guide specifically for people who get too cold and need to be warmed up.
