The Perfect, Spill-Proof Travel Mug That Saved My Mornings

contigo auto seal travel mug

Can't start your day without a hot cup of coffee? Me neither. I've managed to break the $5/day latte habit by making it at home. (I'll share my money-saving recipe, later.) But sometimes, I still need to take my coffee to go.

Reusable coffee cups are the way to go. They save paper, reduce chlorine use in bleaching the paper, and reduce landfill waste. But when you need a mug for the road, what do you do?

Allow me to recommend these spill-proof mugs [Amazon], which have helped me keep my morning routine simple and environmentally friendly.

You may have seen the commercial for these fancy-looking travel mugs:





After reading rave reviews about it, I bought one. Then I bought another one.

It's called the Contigo Autoseal West Loop Vacuum Sealed travel bug, and once I used it, I quickly got over paying over $20 for it. It comes in a 16 oz. and 20 oz. size (equivalent of a Starbucks grande and a venti respectively, for those who take their own reusable mugs to the coffee shop). The 16 oz. fits under the K-cup machine at work.

So what's the big deal? Well for me, it passes the hardest test, which is, "Is it spill-proof?"


The lid is where the magic happens. It screws on with a tight seal, but then you press the "lock" button to seal it shut and prevent spillage. I throw the mug in my work bag in the morning and hop on the subway without giving it a second thought. It gets jostled around plenty, but I've never had a drop spill.

The most fascinating bit of design, though, is inside the lid:


To use the "Easy-Clean lid," you simply push down the tab to pop open internal mechanism so you can wash underneath it.

The directions say to just soak the lid in hot water (or put it in the top rack of the dishwasher), but I found that after transporting coffee in the morning and having all day to dry out, the lid accumulates stuck-on gunk in all the nooks and crannies that needs to be scrubbed off. A soak just wasn't enough to get the lid clean, so I ordered some bottle brushes [Amazon]. The smaller brush also works great for cleaning the lid on my CamelBak water bottles.

The Contigo travel mug has a stainless steel body that's BPA free and dishwasher safe (body only).  Here's what the inside looks like:

The other feature I'm sure many people are wondering about is the temperature insulation. I've only tested the insulation with hot coffee during my 30-minute commute, but Contigo says, "Drinks stay hot up to 5 hours and cold up to 12."

My only complaint about this travel mug is that you have to hold down the button to drink. I understand that this is a trade-off for the spill-proofing, but it's still a bit awkward and unnatural. They boast that you can do it one-handed, but I don't think being able to do something one-handed that you're supposed to be able to do one-handed is worth boasting about. So I sip while I'm in transit, but when I get to work, I transfer my coffee into a regular mug. Don't hate me.

Despite that one pet peeve, I liked my travel mug so much that I ordered a spare in case I leave one at work or don't get around to washing it in the evening. I like to have one ready to go at all times. If you're ready to get one for yourself, for a co-worker, or as a stocking stuffer for the holidays, you can save by buying the 2-pack:

Oh, and about that money saving coffee recipe? I heat up some milk, stir in 2 tbsp. of Medaglia d'Oro Instant Espresso Coffee [Amazon], and sprinkle a dash of cinnamon on top. I mix everything right in my Contigo and go.

Happy drinking!

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