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The best travel mugs keep your hot drinks hot and your cold drinks cold for hours. They are also lightweight, easy to carry, and—most importantly—leakproof. I can't tell you how many times I've wrongly put my faith into a travel mug on my way to work only to end up wearing my coffee or have a spill in my tote bag. Luckily, those days are behind me. I've finally found a perfectly reliable travel mug to take with me on the go, and so have several of our editors. We rounded up our favorites (like this ceramic mug from W&P) for morning commutes to the office, long road trips, and walks around the neighborhood. After all, it's better for our planet, and our wallets, to drink our oat milk lattes in a reusable mug that's easy to clean and take with you anywhere (on that note, check out our favorite reusable water bottles, too). Read on for 12 of the best travel mugs according to our editors, with picks from Hydro Flask, Stanley, Yeti, and more. clear water bottle
This gallery has been updated with new information since its original publish date. Additional reporting by Kristi Kellogg.
Behold, my most-used, tried-and-true travel mug: Stanley's AeroLight Transit bottle. It really is so good. I've been using it for over a year now to transport everything from hot coffee to pumpkin cold brew—and let's just say, there's no reheating or running to the refrigerator necessary. The best thing about it is that it's actually leakproof. I'm usually not very trusting of tossing mugs or water bottles in my bag, but with this one, I need not worry. I keep it laying sideways in my lunch bag every day on my way to work and it's never failed me. I've even flipped it completely upside down and nothing spills out. I also appreciate how slim the bottle is—it's so easy to carry around and leaves room to spare in a lunch bag, backpack, or tote. —Meaghan Kenny, commerce editor
This is one of those gifts I have become deeply attached to—it was given to me about two years ago, when I was getting really into camping and the chic outdoor brand Snow Peak, and it’s since become a staple in my house. It has a beautifully minimalist design, is small enough to feel really portable (as in, it’s not a pain to have to tote home once it’s empty), and it never leaks. It’s no bargain, but given how much I use and love it, I think the math sort of works out in the end. —Megan Spurrell, associate articles director
The 20-ounce version of Hydro Flask’s All Around Tumbler has been my go-to for over year, both at home and on the commute to work. It keeps coffee warm for a few hours, so if I’m sipping slowly I don’t have to bother with reheating it, and it does its job in keeping iced coffee cool, too. It has the type of lid that you can push back and forth to open or close, and the opening is wide enough to easily fit a reusable straw. I don’t drive, but the mug's size seems very cupholder-friendly, too! —Madison Flager, senior commerce editor
When I'm traveling, the most essential ritual I preserve is my morning coffee. While I love nearly all of the Yeti drinkware options, this mug is perfect for coffee—both for its manageable 10-ounce size, as well as the side handle, which makes this especially easy when I'm on a road trip or a train. (This mug has come with me on camping trips in the Shenandoah Valley and Delaware Water Gap, on a road trip through the Appalachian Highlands, and a long drive between D.C. and New York City.) A fair word of warning though: The airtight lid and insulation work almost too well—coffee stays hot a long time, so I recommend you get it close to your ideal temperature before pouring it in. —Corina Quinn, former Traveler editor
I am a Hydro Flask stan through and through. I use the brand's reusable water bottles daily and brought its soft, insulated cooler to the pool every weekend this summer. The brand's 16-ounce bottle is definitely one the best travel mugs on the market. I love the Flex Sip lid (it's completely leakproof) and the wide mouth, which makes it easy to clean and refill with lots of ice. The double-wall vacuum insulation keeps cold drinks cold for up to 24 hours and hot drinks hot for up to 12. More great features: The carry-handle makes it easy to hold on chilly morning walks and it's cupholder-friendly. —M.K.
This mug hits all the right marks: The silicone sleeve makes it easy to grip and quiet when placed down on a surface; the mouthpiece on the lid is easy to slide open and close; and it’s safe to put in the dishwasher and microwave. Plus, it just looks nicer than the rest of my logo-clad travel mugs. Most often I use it to sip coffee on my morning commute, but I have also brought it on longer train rides to D.C. and on flights as a vessel for oatmeal. —M.F.
This mug is a thing in my house. My partner received one as a Christmas gift, only to find it missing every morning—truth be told, after I stole it once to use for hot coffee on my morning subway commute, I couldn’t go back to any other thermos. I personally love that this mug doesn’t have a handle, because it’s so insulated it never burns my hands, yet the coffee inside stays piping hot, and its shape is nice and easy to hold. When I’m done enjoying my hot drink on the go, it takes the least space possible in my bag, where it usually clangs around for the rest of the day until I make my way home (or back to wherever I’m staying). —M.S.
This Hydro Flask mug checks all the boxes: It's BPA-free and dishwasher-safe, has a leakproof lid, carrying handle, a no-sweat matte finish, and comes with a lifetime warranty. You can use it as a thermos, a water bottle, or a coffee cup. It's currently available in two gorgeous limited-edition, speckled colorways, including this style shown in Seasalt and another in Sandy. —Kristi Kellogg, contributor
You can't walk through the office, the airport, or the gym without spotting at least a few people sipping out of their Owala water bottle. These fun-colored, viral water bottles are bestsellers and have built up a bit of cult following, so we'd be remiss not to mention that the brand offers sleek travel mugs, too. The Owala SmoothSip stainless steel tumbler has earned rave reviews on Amazon and a near-perfect rating. Its splash-resistant lid, double-wall insulation, and easy-to-sip strawless spout make it well worth a spot on out list. It keeps hot drinks hot for 6 hours and cold drinks cold for up to 24.
The main reason I adore my collapsible Stojo cup is its clever design that makes it incredibly easy to carry around. I’m not kidding when I say that when folded down, my 16-ounce cup turns into a disc that fits into my jacket pocket. It’s also light enough to drop into a travel backpack or a sling bag when you go hiking. I use mine for everything from coffee to smoothies, and when dry, for snacks and berries. Don’t expect an insulated mug with this one: It keeps a beverage warm (or cool) for long enough for you to drink it, but isn’t a double-walled metal cup. However, it has helped me cut down on a ton of waste when traveling, and might I add is cute-looking, too. —Arati Menon, global digital director
Read a full review of the Stojo cup.
It’s not hyperbole to state that I’ve tried the lion’s share of travel mugs on the market. I drink a ton of coffee and I travel and drive a lot. I hate the way metal mugs make coffee taste—it’s so much better out of a ceramic mug. The Okay Cup from Portland, Oregon–based ceramicist Marina Thornhill is gorgeous, doesn’t leak, and doesn’t make your coffee taste like mud. It’s pricey, but a better long-term deal than always dumping the coffee you put in another mug and don’t actually drink. It’s constantly selling out, so put your name on the pre-order list—it’s worth the wait. —Rebecca Misner, senior features editor
One of my favorite reusable water bottles is from Simple Modern, so I had high hopes for its travel mug and it certainly did not disappoint. This stainless steel mug keeps hot beverages hot for four hours and iced coffee cold for up to 16 hours, so it's great for day trips and using at the office. It's dishwasher safe and the handle makes sipping on the go easy. The under-$20 price tag is nice, too. —M.K.
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