Coffee is the lifeblood of corporate America. It is a symbol of alertness and focus that is required to be productive and creative. It is also a reminder of one’s attention span when it is staring back at them lukewarm and forgotten. If you keep forgetting your coffee or simply take too long to finish it, you might need a coffee cup warmer.
The best coffee cup warmer on the market is Mr. Coffee Mug Warmer which looks good and keeps the mug from sliding off while efficiently warming it within 2 minutes. It is also among the highest-rated products in its category on most major retail sites.
In this article, we will go over the best features and the highlight-worthy drawbacks of each of the best coffee cup warmers, including:
- Best in General: Mr. Coffee Mug Warmer
- Most affordable: COSORI Coffee Mug Warmer & Mug Set
- Most portable: Ember Smart Mug
- Best for cold brew: KADIP Dual-Purpose Cup Coaster
Best Overall: Mr. Coffee Mug Warmer
If you consider the best of function and form, you cannot find a better mug warmer than Mr. Coffee, which has a sleek black design that is hard to stain. More importantly, it has an easy to wipe surface that offsets the risk of coffee spills by cushioning the mug just right. It also prevents the boil-and-spill phenomena by alerting you when the beverage is hot.
Key Features:
- Desirable appearance – If you care about aesthetics, this mug warmer’s sleek black color alongside a coffee-appropriate brand name can make it look at home, whether it is on your office desk or on your kitchen island.
- 17-watt efficient energy use – This mug warmer doesn’t require high voltage or wattage to operate and can operate with any standard electric power inlet. Of course, the wire is included in the package.
- Warms coffee in less than 2 minutes – Because the mug is a non-USB variety warmer, it heats the beverage more quickly and effectively.
- Helpful indicators – Mug warmers need to be handled with care because they can get quite hot. This warmer indicates when it is on and alerts you when the beverage is optimally heated.
Drawbacks to consider:
- No USB support – While the direct electricity advantage applies, this mug warmer’s incompatibility with USB cables means its use is confined to spaces with electric outlet access.
- Cup size problems – The mug warmer is perfect for the standard mug, and its raised boundary helps keep the mug in place. But what if your cup is bigger than the average mug? It might not fit in the warmer’s hot place.
Verdict: 8/10
The warmer has flexibility drawbacks that it easily overcomes on the performance side. If you use a computer or laptop at work, you probably have the electric access needed for the warmer. Our experience is also consistent with over 49,000 reviews and ratings that this product has gotten on Amazon. Its global average rating is 4.2 out of 5 stars, which is almost equal to what we have assigned it.
Best Value: COSORI Coffee Mug Warmer & Mug Set
Most houses have microwave ovens which is why coffee warmers are usually used in offices. COSORI coffee mug warmer comes with an environment-appropriate mug. It excuses you from the burden of taking your home-use coffee mug to work. Here is why it has excellent value.
Key Features
- Comes with a mug – It costs around the same as most high-end mug warmers, yet comes with a mug with a non-conducting grip.
- 24-watt impactful energy use – This warmer is compatible with most electric outlets (AC 100–240V, 50–60Hz) and allows you to warm different beverages in less than 1.5 minutes.
- Temperature controls and display – It displays temperatures within the accuracy range of 1 Farenheit, which gives you more control over how you warm your coffee.
- Auto shut-off – This warmer simply shuts off when it has been left on for 8 hours. That means you don’t need to worry about having left it on.
Drawbacks to Consider
- Beverages can get too hot – Because it is geared towards office use, the last thing you want is the coffee spilling over after boiling. But it is very much possible with this mug warmer. Even an alarm signaling the beverage heat up can be inconvenient, yet this product requires you to keep an eye on it while it is on.
- No USB support – Given that it is quite a high-capacity warmer, it is understandable that it cannot be plugged into a laptop. It’s not a deal-breaker but is definitely a drawback worth considering.
Verdict: 7.5/10
The mug warmer lacks in timely indication of heat and doesn’t support USB power. That’s why its otherwise perfect score needs to be taken down by 2.5. Still, its great value-for-money proposition makes it a decent contender for the best coffee cup warmer list.
With over 5000 reviews and ratings, it stands at 4.5 out of 5 stars, which shows that other customers have rated it higher than we do. In our estimation, it is because the flaws of this mug warmer become apparent after extended use.
Best for Versatility: Ember Smart Mug
One key feature has eluded most options on this list. The flexibility of use is essential and partly what sets a mug warmer apart from a hot plate or a microwave over. Ember Smart Mug Warmer seems to excel where others lack by providing a battery-operated design. The cup and coaster combination works the same way as a mug warmer but is geared towards maintaining the temperature of a beverage.
Key Features:
- Mug and Coaster Power System – The best thing about this setup is that the coaster doesn’t act as a direct heater. Instead, it powers the mug, which heats itself. 1.5 hours of continuous off-coaster use capacity is more than enough to finish a drink, while 24 hours of heat-maintenance capacity on the coaster make it very practical even for the forgetful consumer.
- Smart app-driven controls – Mug warmers are a thing of the past in a world where smart mugs communicate with you via the app. Ember app allows you to set up temperature and other preferences, including notifications, so you can make your coffee consumption predictable.
- Auto shut off – The smart mug turns off when empty or if left inactive for 2 hours. This helps save energy and preserves battery life. You can also override this by using the app.
Drawbacks to Consider
- Doesn’t work with your personal mug – As nice as this electric-powered coaster is, it doesn’t heat the mug directly. It works with the mug that comes in its package as the heating mechanism is inside it.
- Slower to heat – We have found this mug to be the best at maintaining hot drinks’ temperature, but it is considerably slow at heating a lukewarm beverage. It is ideal for those who take too long to consume their coffee, not those who like to leave their coffee for hours and then return to it.
Verdict: 7.8/10
We like the smart mug’s performance potential, but it can disappoint customers in the ways in which it deviates from the standard mug warmer model. Still, it is portable and maintains the beverage’s temperature for a long enough time to get a high overall rating from us.
Best for Heating and Cooling: KADIP Dual-Purpose Cup Coaster
You might be thinking of your regular coffee order when getting yourself a coffee cup warmer. And if you’re buying it as a gift, you’re most certainly thinking about hot beverages. But what if the coffee lover you’re getting it for also loves iced coffee? KADIP Dual-Purpose cup coaster erases this dilemma by offering both heating and cooling options.
Key Features:
- USB Power – Unlike most options covered here, this mug warmer is USB powered, so you don’t need an electric outlet near your desk. Your laptop or computer works just fine as an energy source for this.
- 100% portable – Because it uses USB power, you can use a power bank or your car’s USB charger to power this mug warmer.
- Heats and cools beverages – While it is better at heating than cooling, it can serve both purposes to an extent.
Drawbacks
- Requires a metal cup for optimal performance – This can be a little impractical for those who want to heat a beverage from scratch in a regular coffee mug.
- It takes a long time to cool or heat – Drawing 5 watts, this coaster can’t be expected to instantly cool or heat a beverage. But when it comes to maintaining temperature, it does so really well.
Verdict: 6/10
This warmer’s portability and added cooling ability would have gotten it the highest rating if it weren’t for an average waiting period of 10 minutes. Still, the ability to get hot or cold coffee at any place with a trade-off of 10 minutes is reasonable enough to warrant a slightly above-average verdict.
Final Thoughts
Mug warmers serve a large section of the coffee-consuming population. Before you get one, remember to reflect on where you or the recipient of the warmer lie. Corporate employees would like an office-friendly mug warmer, while a creative might want a smart mug they can return to after hours of being distracted.