The best travel mugs
For the school run, the commute and the walk in the park: mugs that keep tea hot, don't leak in a bag and fit the car's cup holder.
A good travel mug does three things: keeps a drink hot long enough to enjoy it, doesn't leak in a bag, and is easy to wash. The rest comes down to how you drink: a push-button lid for one-handed sips on the move, a slide-top for sipping at a desk.
Every pick here is double-walled stainless steel. On a cold morning, swirl some hot water round the mug before filling it and the drink stays hot for longer.
What matters
- A leakproof lid you can trust in a bag.
- How long it keeps drinks hot.
- Size: a big coffee or a standard mug.
- Dishwasher safe, or hand wash only.
#1 of 5
Best overall
Stanley Aerolight Transit Travel Mug (470ml)
£20–£30 Price range
Light at 240g, it keeps drinks hot for six hours and cold for eight, and every piece goes in the dishwasher. Stanley's story began in 1913, when William Stanley Jr. patented the all-steel vacuum flask.
What owners say: Owners say it keeps drinks hot for hours, the lid is robust and drip-free, and it slips into cup holders and bags with ease.
A closer look: Push the lid up to sip and lock it down before it goes in a bag. It holds about as much as a big mug, so one fill covers the morning commute.
- 470ml
- Hot 6 hrs, cold 8 hrs
- Locking drink-through lid
- Dishwasher safe, every piece
- Fits car cup holders
Best for: Commutes and dishwashers
- Capacity
- 470ml
- Keeps hot
- 6 hrs
- Lid
- Flip-up, locks shut
- Dishwasher safe
- Yes
#2 of 5
Most spill-proof
Contigo West Loop Autoseal Travel Mug (470ml)
£20–£30 Price range
The Autoseal button seals the lid between sips, so it can roll round a bag or a car footwell without leaking, and a lock stops the button being pressed by accident. Drinks stay hot for up to five hours or cold for twelve.
What owners say: Owners say it's the best travel mug they've had: it keeps drinks hot for hours and really doesn't leak or drip.
Heads up: The lid goes in the dishwasher, but the steel body is hand wash only.
A closer look: Hold the button down to drink and let go to seal. The lid hinges fully open for cleaning, with no separate parts to lose.
- 470ml
- Autoseal push-button lid
- Button lock
- Hot 5 hrs, cold 12 hrs
- Fits car cup holders
Best for: Bags, cars and clumsy mornings
- Capacity
- 470ml
- Keeps hot
- 5 hrs
- Lid
- Autoseal button, locks
- Dishwasher safe
- Lid only
#3 of 5
Nicest to drink from
Owala SmoothSip Slider Tumbler (355ml)
£20–£30 Price range
A tumbler-style cup with a smooth, wide spout that feels more like drinking from a mug, and a slide-top that closes completely, so it's leakproof. Drinks stay hot for up to six hours and cold for up to a day.
What owners say: Owners say it's leakproof, lovely to look at and easy to carry about.
A closer look: At 355ml it holds a small coffee-shop order. The lid goes in the dishwasher; wash the cup by hand.
- 355ml
- SmoothSip slider lid
- Leakproof
- Hot 6 hrs, cold 24 hrs
- BPA-free
Best for: Sipping at a desk
- Capacity
- 355ml
- Keeps hot
- 6 hrs
- Lid
- Slide-top
- Dishwasher safe
- Lid only
#4 of 5
Best compact
BOTTLE BOTTLE Travel Mug (350ml)
£10–£20 Price range
A compact 350ml cup with a push-button lid for one-handed drinking and a cushioned base that stops it clanking on a desk. It keeps coffee hot for up to six hours and fits most cup holders.
What owners say: Owners say it keeps drinks hot for hours without leaking, holds a generous amount without being bulky, and is easy to drink from.
A closer look: The lid comes apart for cleaning, so coffee doesn't build up in the button. It's hand wash only.
- 350ml
- Push-button lid
- Hot up to 6 hrs
- Cushioned, quiet base
- Fits cup holders
Best for: Small coffees, one-handed
- Capacity
- 350ml
- Keeps hot
- 6 hrs
- Lid
- Push button
- Dishwasher safe
- No
#5 of 5
Best budget
CS COSDDI Insulated Travel Mug (380ml)
Under £10 Price range
A slim, powder-coated steel cup with a screw-on lid and silicone seal that stays shut in a bag. It keeps drinks hot or iced for up to six hours, and the non-slip sleeve and base stop it sliding about.
What owners say: Owners like the sleek design and the quality for the money, and say it keeps drinks hot and travels easily.
A closer look: The lid unscrews completely for washing by hand; check the seal is sitting flat before the next fill. It makes a good Secret Santa or teacher's thank-you.
- 380ml
- Screw-on leakproof lid
- Hot or iced up to 6 hrs
- Non-slip sleeve and base
- Fits car cup holders
Best for: Budget and gifts
- Capacity
- 380ml
- Keeps hot
- 6 hrs
- Lid
- Screw-on, one-hand opening
- Dishwasher safe
- No
How they compare
| Feature | #1Stanley Aerolight | #2Contigo West Loop | #3Owala SmoothSip | #4BOTTLE BOTTLE | #5CS COSDDI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Most spill-proof | Nicest to drink from | Best compact | Best budget | |
| Picked Rating | 9.2 | 9.0 | 8.8 | 8.7 | 8.6 |
| Price | £20–£30 Price range | £20–£30 Price range | £20–£30 Price range | £10–£20 Price range | Under £10 Price range |
| Capacity | 470ml | 470ml | 355ml | 350ml | 380ml |
| Keeps hot | 6 hrs | 5 hrs | 6 hrs | 6 hrs | 6 hrs |
| Lid | Flip-up, locks shut | Autoseal button, locks | Slide-top | Push button | Screw-on, one-hand opening |
| Dishwasher safe | Yes | Lid only | Lid only | No | No |
| Best for | Commutes and dishwashers | Bags, cars and clumsy mornings | Sipping at a desk | Small coffees, one-handed | Budget and gifts |
| Check price | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
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