This high tech coffee mug keeps your drink warmer, longer
A California company is reinventing the coffee mug with a new, electronic mug that keeps your drink at the perfect temperature for a longer amount of time.
If you follow my Tech Smart report, you might remember the Ember Temperature Controlled Travel Mug I showed you a while back. It’s an amazing device that keeps your coffee at the perfect temperature for up to two hours. The downside is that it’s pricey at $150.
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For starters, the mug looks like your typical coffee mug. The difference is that the bottom of the mug hides a bunch of electronics – Bluetooth and a heating element to name a few.
You start by connecting the mug to an app, then you use the app to set your perfect temperature. For me, it’s 136 with coffee. The Ember Ceramic Mug remembers your preference so you don’t really need to to use the app again unless you want to adjust your temperature or do a firmware update. And yes, you can adjust settings from your Apple Watch, too.
The Mug doesn’t have a digital display like it’s predecessor, so it relies on a single LED light to let you know what’s going on. One color for charging, another to let you know when your beverage is at the right temp, another color for when it needs to be recharged.
The Ceramic Mug also turns on an off automatically, so it’s ready to go when you are. No turning it on and off. Using it is an absolute pleasure. It really elevates the coffee experience because you can enjoy an entire cup from start to finish at the perfect temperature. No more cold sips at the end.
As for the heating effect, it lasts about an hour with the ceramic mug, which is a bit less than Ember’s original product. But the reality is that one hour should be plenty of time to finish a cup of coffee. If you need longer, you can always rest the mug on it’s included wireless charging pad.
The other thing to note is that the Ceramic Mug is hand wash safe – you don’t want to put it in the dishwasher or the microwave as there are lots of electronics packed inside.
If I had to find a fault with the Ember, it would be the size. I wish it was slightly bigger. Ember says it is a 10-ounce mug, but I find that when I fill it with the same amount of coffee and creamer that I put in my typical mug, the liquid goes right to the top. Usually, I use an oversized coffee mug so it’s easier to walk around the house without spilling. This is not a huge deal or even a deal breaker, but it did surprise me the first time I made a K-Cup into the Ember. The funny thing is that the Ember Mug is the same physical size as a typical coffee mug but the bottom inside of the cup is raised up about an inch or so to contain the electronics beneath.
Overall, if you have a coffee lover in your life, the Ember Ceramic Mug makes a great gift. This is a mug for around the house or at the office for someone who likes to linger over their morning cup of Joe.