The 10 Best Coffee Mugs, According to Our Tests

Best Everyday Coffee Mugs

Year & Day Mugs, Set of 4

View on Yearandday.com

When Year & Day set out to make a coffee mug, the focus was on quality, heat retention, and hand feel — and boy did they achieve it. The minimalistic dishware company is a favorite here at Food & Wine (we named their pasta bowls some of the best), thanks to their quality Portuguese ceramics material and durable, straightforward design. These mugs are simple — think the best (and chicest) diner mug you’ve ever come across, with a generous 12-ounce capacity and durable semi-matte glaze finish that comes in gorgeous shades. 

During our testing, these mugs became a fast favorite, thanks in large part to the perfection of their shape. The handle is roomy, allowing four fingers to nestle in for a secure and cozy grip. The 4-inch height means they fit a slightly above-average amount of coffee (fewer refills!), while the tapered base and thick walls allow for superior heat retention. We were also impressed by how easy these mugs were to clean. Even though they were dishwasher safe, they were just as easy to wipe clean with a sponge and dish soap and resisted staining well, even if we let the coffee sit around for a few hours. Their simple aesthetic is timeless and melded easily with our kitchen style and existing mug collection.

Material: Ceramic | Capacity: 12 ounces | Microwave-safe: Yes | Dishwasher-safe: Yes

Best Splurge

Haand Short Mug

View on Haand.us

Everyone has their “thing” they like to splurge on — and if yours is coffee mugs, then this sweet pick from Haand is the perfect new addition to your collection. Handmade in North Carolina from lead-free white porcelain, these compact mugs were modeled after the iconic tin camping mug with the same sturdy shape. Each 10-ounce cup features a roomy handle and wide mouth and comes in unique shades, including Marine (a bold navy-meets-green) and Turmeric (a zesty speckled yellow). 

While the $48 price tag may be hefty, we were quickly impressed by Haand’s mugs during testing. The squat shape allowed our hands to “hug” the mug, which made us feel cozy and comforted. The wide mouth allowed maximum flavor and aroma to escape while drinking, and we found the 10-ounce capacity to be the perfect Goldilocks volume for everyday sips. The handmade quality of these mugs shone through in their shape and glazing. Slight imperfections and nuances made us feel like we scored a one-of-a-kind piece of art, transforming our daily coffee ritual into something truly memorable. 

Material: Porcelain | Capacity: 10 ounces | Microwave-safe: Yes | Dishwasher-safe: Yes

Best Coffee Mugs for Gifting

Jono Pandolfi Mug

View on Jonopandolfi.com

Looking to spoil the food-obsessed person on your holiday shopping list? Snag one of these Jono Pandolfi coffee mugs to sip like the culinary greats. The iconic brand is responsible for creating stoneware dinnerware for some of the most well-known restaurants in the business (including Gramercy Tavern and Lilia), so this is the next best thing to sitting down for a cappuccino with Jean-Georges Vongerichten himself.

The brand's mug is just as impressive. During testing, we fell hard for the shape, which was tall and thick but not too wide. We could easily hold the mug with one hand (great for multitasking), and the handle comfortably fits two to three fingers for a stable and comfortable grip. The thick walls made for excellent heat retention and the glaze meant it was easy to rinse the mugs clean without any residual staining. These mugs are handmade in nature, so they’ll vary slightly in shape, color, and glaze from piece to piece. Perfectionists be warned. 

Material: Stoneware | Capacity: 12 ounces | Microwave-safe: Yes | Dishwasher-safe: Yes

Editor Favorite

East Fork The Mug

$44 at Food52 View on Eastfork.com

If you prefer your coffee mugs to appear as if they’re straight out of the kiln, look no further than East Fork’s iconic mug. Sturdy and solid with a simple rustic aesthetic, this timeless design has a distinctive chunky handle and two-tone glaze that harkens back to a simpler time (maybe when coffee was the only thing on your weekend to-do list?). Each piece is handmade and hand-glazed in the brand's North Carolina factory, so you know you’re getting a mug made with a lot of TLC.

East Fork is a unanimous favorite among our staff, and testing these mugs out made it easy to see why. Their chunky shape feels cozy, with thick sides that help to retain heat and a full handle that guarantees a secure grip, even as you’re walking around. The lip of the mug has a natural shape, making it easy to sip your chosen beverage without slurping or burning your tongue on a too-hot gulp. Above all, though, is the aesthetic. These mugs won us over with their back-to-basics appeal — they’re essentially the mugs we wish we could create in pottery class. Choose from a selection of “core” colors (such as creamy Panna Cotta or rich Black Mountain) or shop seasonal releases — but hit “add to cart” quickly, as they tend to go fast. 

Editor’s Note: Located in Western North Carolina, the East Fork team and their factory were recently impacted by Hurricane Helene. The brand is back up and running with occasional shipping delays, but many in their community are still rebuilding. East Fork is donating 5% of every purchase to relief organizations, including Nanostead, Be Well AVL, and Umoja.  

Material: Stoneware | Capacity: 12 ounces | Microwave-safe: Yes | Dishwasher-safe: Yes

Best for Hosting

Le Creuset Stoneware Mug, 14 oz

$30 at Amazon $24 at Williams Sonoma $24 at Nordstrom

Nothing impresses fellow food lovers like catching a glimpse of Le Creuset pieces on the table, whether that’s their signature Dutch oven during dinner or their chic Vancouver mug over dessert. The latter easily won a spot on our list of the best coffee mugs as a hosting essential, thanks to its unfussy aesthetic that feels special enough to break out when guests arrive. Like all Le Creuset stoneware, the Vancouver mug is as durable as it gets, with a nonstick surface that resists scratches and stains and an impressive oven-safe temperature of up to 500°F.

While testing these mugs, we were immediately impressed by the combination of their visual and functional appeal. The Vancouver is a beautiful mug — it was one of the prettiest we tested, especially because of the glaze colors. It performed well too, with a tall, easy-to-hold shape that felt weighty and comfortable. The generous 14-ounce capacity allowed it to hold a double serving of coffee or an impressively fluffy cappuccino, and we enjoyed how easy it was to clean these both by hand and in the dishwasher. While our coffee didn’t stay as warm in these mugs as in others, the difference wasn’t all that bothersome, and the aesthetic appeal more than made up for that fault.  

Material: Stoneware | Capacity: 14 ounces | Microwave-safe: Yes | Dishwasher-safe: Yes

Best Modern Design

Fable The Cappucino Cups

View on Fable.com

Sleek and streamlined, you’ll notice right away that these mugs are missing one classic feature: a handle. Designed specifically for a full-hand hold, Fable’s Cappucino Cups are slightly more petite than other mugs on our list, but no less stylish. A smooth, soft glaze covers ¾ of the vessel, leaving the bottle portion as exposed stoneware for an earthy look (and easy grip). The thick walls of the cup keep drinks piping hot while you sip, but still protect your hand from excess heat as you hold it. 

During testing, we quickly found that these little mugs filled a hole in our coffee mug collection we didn’t even know existed. Larger than an espresso cup but smaller than a standard mug, Fable’s 6.8-ounce Cappucino Cups are ideal for shorter espresso-based drinks. We found these mugs to be incredibly sturdy, and they held up well to all tests of durability, whether a quick zap in the microwave, a run through the dishwasher, or a scrub by hand. Their petite, seamless size means they’ll require less space.

Material: Stoneware | Capacity: 6.8 ounces | Microwave-safe: Yes | Dishwasher-safe: Yes

Best Smart Coffee Mug

Ember Smart Mug 2

$130 $97 at Amazon $130 $100 at Target $150 at Williams Sonoma

Let’s be honest: Enjoying a hot cup of coffee before the day kicks off sounds dreamy — and sometimes, it can be just that…a dream. For all those moments where life gets in the way of a warm (or even lukewarm) beverage, there’s Ember. This smart mug is the first of its kind, designed to maintain the temperature of your beverage for up to 80 minutes on a full charge (or all day, when set on the coaster). It’s the ideal pick for busy parents or anyone constantly putting down their cappuccino only to find it cold hours later. 

While the shape and size of this mug are standard (though functional, nonetheless), the tech is what impressed us during testing. Ember’s mug and its corresponding mug warmer kept our coffee at the perfect temperature for over an hour, all without the exterior of the mug itself getting hot. The app to control the cup and maintain the temperature was surprisingly simple and fun. While this mug requires a gentler touch than others on our list (don’t get the tech components wet), it’s a small price for an always-warm cup of coffee.

Material: Stainless steel | Capacity: 10 ounces | Microwave-safe: No | Dishwasher-safe: No

Best Travel Coffee Mug

Fellow Carter Move Mug

$35 at Amazon $21 at Fellowproducts.com View on Bluebottlecoffee.com

Many of us take our coffee on the go, but finding a great travel coffee mug can be difficult. You need something that maintains temperature well, doesn’t leak, and fits easily in a bag or car cup holder. If that sounds like a tall order, that’s because it is — but Fellow’s Carter Move Mug rises to the challenge. The double-wall vacuum stainless steel body retains heat for 12 hours (or stays cold for 24), and the interior is lined with a ceramic coating to help maintain the flavor purity, with none of the metallic or copper coffee taste some travel mugs can impart. 

While testing this mug, there was not a feature we didn’t like. The size of the 16-ounce mug was generous but still comfortable to tote around, fitting seamlessly in our bags and car. It kept our coffee piping hot for hours while the outside of the mug was still cool and was virtually leak-proof, even when stored horizontally on the floor during an entire flight. Even better, this piece comes with loads of extras to make the sipping experience even more elite, including a spill guard clip-in insert and add-ons like a straw lid, carry lid, and optional personalization. 

Material: Ceramic, stainless steel, BPA-free plastic | Capacity: 16 ounces | Microwave-safe: No | Dishwasher-safe: Yes

Best Handleless

Hawkins New York Atelier Mug

View on Hawkinsnewyork.com

What started as a small upstate New York shop has since ballooned into a well-respected tabletop brand with a focus on minimalistic and sleek offerings, including the forever-classic Atelier Mug. Made without handles, this piece is hefty enough to house your morning cup of brew, but could just as easily flex to serve up sparkling water or an evening hot toddy. The durable yet delicate design is lightweight yet substantial with slightly uneven edges and a tapered bottom that make it easy to hold and sturdy at rest. 

Though drinking coffee out of a handleless mug was new, we were quickly impressed by how natural this design made it feel. The mug never got too hot to handle, and the gently tapered shape was natural and comfortable. Though it doesn’t come in any other glaze colors, the soft white and exposed stone base of this design easily paired with our existing dishware collection, and we loved the sleek and minimalist appeal.

Material: Stoneware | Capacity: 12 ounces | Microwave-safe: Yes | Dishwasher-safe: Yes

Best Glass Coffee Mug

Zwilling Sorrento Double Wall Coffee Glass Mug Set

$35 at Amazon $35 at Nordstrom $35 at Wayfair

A glass coffee mug is ideal for seeing the perfect crema on top of your espresso shot or the velvety foam finishing your cappuccino. Sipping from one is way less precious than you think. Our favorite pick, Zwilling’s Sorrento Plus Mug, is double-walled for added heat retention and made from durable borosilicate glass.

During testing, we liked the sleek appeal of this mug, which was matched effortlessly by its functionality. The roomy handle is wide and comfortable, allowing us to easily fit our fingers inside for a hug-like hold on the mug. The lip of the vessel was thick but easy to sip from, and the double-wall insulation ensured that our beverages stayed at the right temperature longer than expected. The piece was easy to clean, but our one gripe was that it was quicker to show marks, fingerprints, and etching than the ceramic or stoneware options on our list. It’s not a deal breaker if you love the purist look of this piece, but it's something to consider. 

Material: Borosilicate glass | Capacity: 12 ounces | Microwave-safe: Yes | Dishwasher-safe: Yes