Types of Coffee Mug Warmer
Thermal flask technology has been with us for some time now, but it’s hardly an appropriate vessel to serve or drink coffee out of at home with it’s chunky, on the move design.
The following devices are far more appropriate for at home use, focusing on warming the mug itself, so that your coffee remains hot in the cup it was meant to be served in!
Hot Plate
If you’d never heard of a mug warmer before and had to imagine what they might be like, you’d probably come up with a hot plate design.
Coming in the form of an electric coaster, these are usually a circular platform which can be plugged in at the wall to generate heat.
Smart Mugs
An innovation that is becoming increasingly popular is the smart mug/electric cup. These tend to be insulated, rechargeable mugs which generate heat themselves, meaning they don’t require a power source
USB Warmer
A strange and new phenomenon in the industry, USB mug warming.sees users able to connect devices to a computer, Playstation or any other device you can think of with a usb port! Again coming in a coaster like design, they’re great for laptop warriors who enjoy seeking out the newest coffee shop hotspot.
Although this may seem like a great idea though, realistically the amount of power a USB connection can generate is very small and people who go for USB options often find that it doesn’t warm things up to the degree they would like!
Features To Look Out For
Material
We’re not sure how much you remember from school, but it pays off to remember some of your junior school science lessons when choosing a mug warmer.
That’s because warmers made out of materials like plastics are going to be less high-quality conductors of heat than stainless steel or metallic materials. They’re also going to be twice as durable!
Price
Depending on what you are looking for in a mug warmer, you need to keep an eye on the going rates. A top of the range smart mug can cost anywhere up to £100 and so if you simply want a standard device that keeps your coffee hot for a little longer, it’s probably not a necessary purchase. There are plenty of high quality options out there that range between £10 and £40 which will serve you just as well!
Portability
If you spend a lot of time out on the road, a coffee mug warmer is a device that could come in real handy and so it’s never a bad idea to consider the portability features of a mug warming product.
Cable Length
If your warmer requires plug-in to work. How far is your desk from the nearest plug?
Temperature Control
Naturally one of the most important things for a coffee warmer is it’s temperature settings! You want to try and find a device which can fluctuate between very high and low heat settings quickly, as this is your best bet to ensure your device is energy efficient.
Auto-Shut Off Features
If you’re uncomfortable about having a heat generating device on for long periods of time, pay attention to the automatic shut off features of a device or if it has any at all! These can range from an hour’s heating time to much longer – so it really depends on just how long it takes you to get through a mug!
