Frequently Asked Questions About Reusable Coffee Cups
What should you pay attention to when choosing a reusable coffee cup?
“I would look for something that won't break if I carry it in my bag, and something that's easy to clean,” says David Abrahamovitch, founder and CEO of an organic coffee shop GrindingIt's also worth choosing a durable material, such as stainless steel or ceramic, with good insulation and a leak-proof lid if you're on the go.
How do you clean a reusable coffee cup?
“Quickly and regularly,” says David. “I make sure I rinse it out as soon as I’m done, and then give it a good wash when I get home.” Some of the mugs we tested above are dishwasher safe, but others need to be washed by hand. We recommend a bottle brush for this task, with a little dish soap and hot water. The specifications of your cup should indicate the best way to wash it.
Which material is best for the reusable coffee cup?
Stainless steel is generally considered the best material for reusable coffee cups because it is non-reactive, durable, and excellent at regulating temperature. However, there are five popular materials used to make travel mugs, including ceramic, glass, hard plastic, and bamboo.
It's all a bit confusing, so we called in the experts at Caravan Coffee Roasters to help navigate. Here's what head of coffee Sam Langdon had to say:
“Stainless steel “It’s non-reactive, so it shouldn’t affect the flavor,” Langdon explains. “However, if it’s not properly insulated, it can cause heat loss.” Well-insulated thermal units shouldn’t lose heat, but “if someone has a bottle of drip coffee that’s been sealed and hot for eight hours, you can get a little stale as the coffee oxidizes.”
And what about the environment? “Stainless steel has a relatively low carbon footprint compared to glass or ceramic.” It’s also incredibly durable, meaning it can withstand a beating and last for decades. If you do run into a problem, it’s usually recyclable.
Ceramics is “It's equally non-reactive, so it shouldn't affect the flavor,” Langdon says. However, it has a relatively high carbon footprint (a lot of energy is lost when firing in kilns) and can be fragile. Plus, ceramic isn't the best insulator. Many ceramic coffee mugs, on the other hand, look nice.
Glass is very similar to ceramics, where firing in a kiln requires a lot of energy. “It's a slightly better insulator than ceramics, but it's marginal.”
Hard plastics are still commonly used for storage cups, but make sure to choose a BPA-free option. “Plastic can be a great insulator, has a relatively small footprint compared to glass or ceramic, but it can leach a plastic flavor into the beverage the first few times it’s used,” Langdon warns. It’s also fairly inexpensive.
“I think as a society we need to look for alternative solutions to plastic, because even with recycling we see problems with microplastics in the ocean.”
Plastic can be quite durable, but it is never recycled, only downcycled. That means that at some point it is no longer usable.
“Bamboo has no impact on taste, the raw materials used to produce it are sustainable (bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants on earth) and the energy costs to produce it are comparable to plastic cups, but with a much better footprint,” says Langdon.
Which coffee shops offer the best discounts for using reusable coffee cups?
At Pret and Paul you save 50p if you take a disposable coffee cup. At Starbucks it's 25p. Greggs and Gail's are giving 20p off, while Caffe Nero and Costa are doubling up on loyalty stamps. None can be beaten To waitwho, however, offer free coffee to members who bring their own cup.
View the latest news Amazon offers