Best Coffee Mug For Your Car (Commute-Friendly Mugs)

Everyone has their schedule packed up, but a busy routine should not be your excuse to miss out on your daily cup of coffee.

Keep an insulated travel mug or thermos in your car all the time. Bring coffee from home or get your travel mug filled with your favorite coffee instead of buying it in a plastic cup from the coffee shop. This way, you also do your part in reducing plastic waste.

Now, options are endless to buy a perfect cup for your car, but these are my recommendations:

Yeti Rambler
Stojo Collapsible Coffee Cup With Straw
Contigo Autoseal West Loop travel mug
Zojirushi SM SC Stainless Steel Mug
Kinto To-Go Tumbler
KeepCup 12oz Reusable Coffee Cup

Keep on reading to find out the best coffee mug for your cars and know if it is safe to take coffee in the car.

Table of Contents

Best coffee mugs for your car

Now, any metal mug with double insulation is best to take with you on the go or put in your car. however, some of the best ones that caught my eyes are the following:

Coffee Mug	Material	Capacity
Yeti Rambler	Stainless Steel	20 oz
Contigo AUTOSEAL West Loop Mug	Stainless Steel	16 oz
Stojo Collapsible Coffee Cup With Straw	Silicone	16 oz
Zojirushi Stainless Mug	Stainless Steel	12 oz
Kinto To-Go Tumbler	Stainless Steel	12 oz
KeepCup Reusable Coffee Cup	Glass	12 oz

Best Mug for your car

Yeti Rambler

I have not talked about any mug as much as for Yeti, but this one does have a cult following, and that too for a good reason.

In addition to being famous for hugely popular coolers, Yeti makes the best travel mugs out there. One of the most famous is the uber-popular 20-ounce rambler.

It is made of stainless steel and has double-wall vacuum insulation that keeps hot drinks warm and cold drinks cool for hours without ever sweating. It also has a DuraCoat exterior to avoid any peel and crack-on ramblers. It comes in a rainbow of beautiful colors.

The tumbler’s lid has popped off magnetic sliders for a more thorough cleaning, and the whole tumbler can be put in the dishwasher for everyday cleaning. However, this mug may not be as leak-proof as it looks, so have to watch out about where you put your mug.

Contigo Autoseal West Loop travel mug

Available in 32 beautiful colors, Contigo Autoseal is the best vacuum insulated cup to keep hot drinks hot for up to four to five hours and cold drinks cold for a minimum of 12 hours.

It has an auto-seal button lock to ensure the drink won’t spill or leak on bumpy car rides.

But you should be careful with your purchase though, as several reviews have stated that sometimes they receive their mugs broken. Though the company offers a lifetime guarantee, many customers have said to have never received a response, even after several messages. So take that lifetime guarantee with a grain of salt.

Stojo Collapsible Coffee Cup With Straw

If you don’t want to carry a bulky travel mug all day round, then give this collapsible cup from Stojo a try.

After use, all you have to do is rinse it off with water and then put it under a 2 by 4 inch foam that comes with the cup to store it in the car or bag.

This mug holds up to 16 ounces of your favorite hot or cold drink and comes in a variety of colors. You can drink your favorite java with a straw or without a straw, it has both options. Just shove it in the dishwasher once you reach home, and it will be clean to use for the next day.

You might wanna be careful though, as several reviews noted leaking. The ring on the cup also require a few tries before you get it tight enough to stay put. But other than that, this is a great cup.

Zojirushi SM SC Stainless Steel Mug

Zojirushi is an insulated travel mug

that is designed to fit in your car or backpack for travelling.

It has a non-leak lid with a lock, Teflon interior, and an elegantly designed exterior.

The size is perfect to fit in your car cup holder, plus it is lightweight. This one comes in various volumes of 12 oz, 16 oz, and 20 oz, so everyone can choose the size they like.

Be extra careful when you wash it though, as it may leave a soapy smell that might ruin your coffee-drinking experience. The non-stick coating of the mug might also come off if you brush a little too hard when cleaning it.

Kinto To-Go Tumbler

This reusable cup was designed by Haley Boyed, keeping in sight the sustainability goals.

The Kinto To-Go Tumbler has solid color and the perfect shape to fit in your car.

It has a sip lid that allows you to drink on the go without spilling it in your car.

KeepCup Reusable Coffee Cup

These are comparatively smaller than other travel mugs, allowing them to store in the car easily.

Plus, it is perfect for getting your latte from a barista with latte art on it. They will easily fit in an espresso machine, so that is another plus point.

Watch out for a plastic smell that might come with the lid. If you’re uncomfortable with the smell of plastic, this might ruin your coffee experience. The cup is also made of glass so you might not wanna drop it as it can easily break. The cork is a bit fragile as well and may break when you wash it a bit too hard.

Should you have coffee in your car?

You can have coffee in your car but with safety precautions. Use travel and insulated mugs with a proper fit lid to avoid any spilling in the car. Keep the coffee cup in the cupholder.

You can even brew coffee in your car if you have special adapters that can handle a 120V outlet.

Although most coffee makers are not meant to be used in the car, always make sure to check that the one you will use is a car-specific coffee maker or kettle.

You can also keep your coffee in the car for hours, how long it will stay warm depends upon the type of coffee mugs you use. For example, if your coffee is in insulated mugs, then it will stay warm for at least an hour. Read more about insulated mugs in my other article if you’re interested to know more.

Can you leave coffee in the car?

You can leave coffee in the car safely in a car cup holder.

For about 30 minutes, coffee can stay at room temperature without losing its flavor and even for more time if it is in a double-insulated mug.

Never leave coffee in plastic or polythene cups in the car. Not only will it make the taste go bad, but it can also spill in your car.

If you leave it in the car for too long, it will lose its aromatic compounds and develop an unpleasant flavor and bitter taste. However, if you are having black coffee, you can leave it for more time, and it will still be safe to drink even after 24 hours though it will lose its flavor.

The wise thing to do is to not leave any coffee for more than 2 hours in your car or unless you have to throw it away.

What happens when you spill coffee in your car?

Coffee contains acid that, if spilled in a car, can harm paint. If you spill it on the inside of your car, make sure you wash it off immediately, or else it can leave stains.

To clean the spilled coffee in the car, wash it with water first and then blot until no stain is left. After that, use a hairdryer or other such equipment to dry the spot where coffee spilled.

If you still see spot stains, use vinegar dilute in water and wipe with a fresh cloth to remove the stains altogether.

After you clean the car, you might still have the smell of coffee lingering in the car. Use baking soda or car odour to freshen up your car. Also, open windows for 10 to 1 minute to allow air out after you use any cleaner.

Watch this video below to learn how to remove coffee stains:

Bottom Line

In my opinion, these are the best mugs for a car: Yeti Rambler, Stojo Collapsible Coffee Cup With Straw, Contigo Autoseal West Loop travel mug, Zojirushi SM SC Stainless Steel Mug, Kinto To-Go Tumbler, and KeepCup 12oz Reusable Coffee Cup.

All of these are the perfect fit for your car and are durable to carry on the road. Always try to put the mug full of coffee safely in the car cup holder, and make sure to wipe off any coffee that slips in your car to avoid stains.

As long as you choose the right mug for your car, you are good to go on the road while enjoying your favorite java. Never miss your coffee again!