We Tested The 7 Best Coffee Mug Warmers to Keep Drinks Hot

Best Overall

Nextmug Self-Heating Coffee Mug

$130 at Amazon $130 at Walmart View on Nextmug.com

If you're a daily coffee drinker with a standard ceramic mug, you're probably used to your drink being lukewarm by the time it's half-full and full-on cold for the last few sips. What impressed us most about the Nextmug is its precise and consistent temperature controls. From the full mug to the last drops, our coffee stayed equally hot.

We also like the ease of using this warmer, which has its controls and heater self-contained within the mug. You turn it on and select a temperature using a single button on the front, and the onboard battery regulates the temperature without any coasters or plugs required. The available settings of warm, hot, and piping equate to 130, 140, and 150 degrees Fahrenheit; we found the lowest setting perfect and the highest too hot to drink, but this range covers most people's preferences without being hot enough to cause burns.

No matter the temperature setting, the Nextmug's battery lasted only about an hour in testing; we wish it had lasted longer. But the mug will continue to heat while it recharges on its compact plug-in coaster base. It includes a spill-resistant lid that makes it more portable, though you can't really bring it in the car as its handle won't fit in a round cup holder. The precision and accuracy make this the best-performing warmer in our tests, and the price tag reflects that—however, the Nextmug is often on sale for a nice discount.

Dimensions: 4.5 x 5 inches | Capacity: 14 ounces | Temperature Settings: 130, 140, and 150 degrees Fahrenheit | Cord Length: 72 inches | Dishwasher-Safe: No

Best Budget

Kin Element Mug Warmer and Lid Set

$21 at Amazon $35 at Walmart $35 at Wayfair

This inexpensive model is essentially a tiny, low-powered portable electric burner incorporated into a coaster. You place a mug onto the glass base, and it heats up to one of three set temperatures. Don't worry, there are safety features incorporated: The warmer won't turn on unless it senses the weight of a mug, and there's an automatic shut-off feature in case you forget about your coffee. It also doesn't get anywhere near as hot as a stove.

The Kin Element works by heating your mug (and its contents) only from beneath, which makes the temperature less even than mugs that heat from the bottom and sides at the same time. We did find this to be a problem in testing—a full mug might start to get cool on top and hot on the bottom, while a nearly empty cup heats its contents to a noticeably higher temperature than a full one. However, it comes with a solution to this problem, in the form of a dishwasher-safe silicone lid that sits on top of your mug to trap heat. We didn't expect the lid to do much, but it regulated the temperature better than an uncovered mug.

The three temperature settings for the Kin Element are a bit lower than the Nextmug, ranging from 110 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit, but we think that's plenty hot for most beverages. The base is 4.5 inches wide, enough for all but the largest novelty mugs, and it has a perfectly flat surface to accommodate even larger vessels. However, that means there's no lip to hold your mug in place and it can be easy to knock over.

A somewhat serious issue we encountered with this model came when we used it with glass: A candle cracked sitting on the base. Kin says you can use the Element as a candle warmer, and the product listing also shows it used with glass mugs, but we'd stick to ceramic to be safe. (We had no problems in testing with any ceramic mugs.)

Dimensions: 4.5 x 1 inches | Weight: 10.2 ounces | Temperature Settings: 110-140 degrees Fahrenheit | Cord Length: 72 inches | Dishwasher-Safe: No

Best Smart

Ember Mug 2

$103 at Amazon $150 at Wayfair $124 at Home Depot

Ember calls itself the "world's first temperature control mug," and its Mug 2 is the latest in self-warming drink-holding technology. The wireless device's battery lasts up to 90 minutes per charge, and its slim charging base is barely wider than the mug itself.

Where it really stands out is its futuristic smart functions. This mug is controlled by an app that lets you set its temperature to an individual degree, anywhere from 120 to 145. The app has a steeping timer with recommended temperatures for different types of tea, specialized presets for different beverages, and the ability to program your own beverage routine exactly how you like it. It can even connect to your phone's health app to track how much caffeine you're consuming. And we found the Ember app blissfully intuitive to connect and use, with none of the bugs and glitches we often run into with "smart" kitchen appliances. The temperature control was precise, keeping coffee at the same temperature whether the mug was full or next to empty.

On the other hand, you can't really use the Mug 2 without the app. You can turn the device on manually and it will heat to the last temperature it was set to, but you don't have any control over it otherwise. We also found it undersized, with a mere 10-ounce capacity for the standard model. (There's a 14-ounce version available that's significantly more expensive.) We love the matte finish on the Mug 2 as well as the fact that it comes in black, white, or a few other colors, but it is rather delicate. You have to wash the mug by hand and can't use metal implements—we scratched a test model pretty badly with just one metal spoon stirring session.

Dimensions: 6 x 5 inches | Capacity: 10 ounces | Temperature Settings: 120-145 degrees Fahrenheit | Cord Length: 70 inches | Dishwasher-Safe: No

Best Design

Ohom Ui Self-Heating Mug Set

$88 at Amazon $88 at Food52 $88 at Nordstrom

This mug looks...like a normal coffee mug, and that's a big part of why we like it. The OHOM Ui mug has a ceramic exterior, with a thin layer of metallic material in the bottom that heats up via induction when you place it on its base. The mug comes in lots of colors (check different retailers for different options), and it's even safe to put in both the dishwasher and the microwave, something few other warming mugs can claim. On top of that, the charging pad uses the Qi wireless standard and can charge many cell phones, tablets, earbuds, and other small electronics when you're not using it to heat your coffee.

In testing, we found the Ui a bit underpowered. It kept our coffee just warm when covered with the included heat-retention lid and barely lukewarm without it. There are no temperature controls or settings with this mug; it turns on when you place it on the base and turns off after an hour or when you take it off the base. The brand says its maximum temperature is just 130 degrees Fahrenheit—not all that hot—so this is probably a mug for coffee drinkers who don't like their java scalding.

Dimensions: 3 x 3 x 4 inches | Capacity: 12 ounces | Temperature Settings: Max 130 degrees Fahrenheit | Dishwasher-Safe: Yes

Best for the Office

Cosori Original Coffee Warmer & Mug

$40 at Amazon View on Cosori.com

Most mug warmers aren't equipped to deal with a very large mug, which is a problem if you like to chug hot coffee all morning. Cosori's set includes the biggest mug on this list, a 17-ouncer that even the most serious caffeine addicts won't have to refill quite as often. It's made of stainless steel, which conducts heat well and comes to temperature quickly, but it also has a heatproof handle and rubber sleeve around the middle that protects your fingers and serves as insulation. (That said, the bare metal parts of the mug get hot enough to singe, so be careful.)

The Cosori warmer plate has the widest temperature range and highest power of all the models we tested, with single-degree precision between 77 and 230 degrees Fahrenheit. The brand says not to set beverages above 158, but the warmer can double as a hot plate—it's not hot enough for much real cooking, but you could use it to reheat lunch at your desk or boil water for tea. We didn't measure its abilities as a hot plate in this set of testing, but as a warmer, it was able to maintain a full mug of coffee at 140 degrees for four hours with no trouble.

Because it doesn't have a self-heating mug, this model is cheaper. The downside is that the mug has to stay on the base at all times. It also heats only from the bottom, which can lead to uneven temperatures, so we recommend keeping the included heat-retaining lid on top of the mug. (Unfortunately, the lid just sits on top and doesn't seal, so it doesn't make it portable.) You can, in theory, use the Cosori base with any heat-safe mug, but the instructions say it won't heat as effectively with a ceramic or thicker metal mug.

If you drink a lot of coffee at work, this device is ideal to plug in at your desk. It's unobtrusive but stable, works simply and easily, and is cheap enough that it won't be the end of the world if a thieving co-worker makes off with yours.

Dimensions: 5.4 x 4.3 inches | Capacity: 17 ounces | Temperature Settings: 77-230 degrees Fahrenheit | Cord Length: 61 inches | Dishwasher-Safe: No

Best for Travel

Ember Travel Mug 2

$200 at Amazon $165 at Walmart View on Ember.com

Ember put all the functions of its popular Smart Mug 2 into a more travel-friendly configuration with this warmer that's ideal for anybody with a long morning commute. The tall, round tumbler has a spill-proof lid and can be stashed in a cupholder, backpack, or purse while you can use the Ember app or the onboard controls to set any temperature from 120 to 145 degrees Fahrenheit. In testing, the Travel Mug 2 was just as accurate in heating as the Smart Mug 2, and its three-hour battery life is quite a bit longer.

But this model also adds a bunch of other useful features. It incorporates Apple's FindMy technology, which means you can use your iPhone to track a lost mug down. It will automatically turn off after two hours or when it senses it's empty, but then it turns back on when it feels movement or liquid. You can even set the LED temperature and control display to scroll a name or other message, which is helpful if there are several Travel Mug 2s in the office or family—and it's just fun.

The big downside here, of course, is cost. The Travel Mug 2 is the most expensive model we tested; you pay for all those features and functions. It's also quite small for its size—it's as tall as a 16-ounce container but can only hold 12 ounces since its electronics and heating element take up a lot of room. One other minor quibble we found is that the push-to-open lid makes such a good seal that it can build up pressure while it heats up and spatter when you open it. If you're heating coffee from cold in this mug, open the lid briefly every few minutes to relieve the pressure and avoid any mess.

Dimensions: 4.1 x 7.9 inches | Capacity: 12 ounces | Temperature Settings: 120-145 degrees Fahrenheit | Cord Length: 70 inches | Dishwasher-Safe: No

Best with Lid

Vsitoo S3pro Smart Mug 2

$57 at Amazon

With the Vsitoo Smart Mug, users can set the temperature of their coffee or tea between 86 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperature adjustments can be made manually from a button on the bottom of the mug or via the Vsitoo app. We found the app intuitive–all you have to do is slide the temperature dial with your finger–but the setup to be longer than necessary.

Most importantly, though, is that unlike many self-heating mugs, this one comes with a removable lid. It prevents major spills and adds peace of mind if you drink coffee near a computer or fabrics that are easy to stain. The lid has a simple sliding tab to open and close.

The mug works for roughly two hours when it's not on the charging coaster, which is generally enough time to finish a cup of coffee. If you want a longer charge, it's easy to keep the 4.8-inch charging coaster on a coffee table or side table. The handle is wide enough that you never come into contact with the mug itself. We also appreciated the lights that indicate when the mug is hot. Along with coffee and tea, we used the mug to keep oatmeal warm for breakfast and it worked well.

Dimensions: 3.5 x 4.8 x 4.7 inches | Capacity: 14 ounces | Temperature Settings: 86 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit | Dishwasher-Safe: No