Best travel mugs 2026
Which insulated beaker is our cup of tea (or coffee)?
It’s not just cars that struggle to get started in the morning. Most of us need a hit of caffeine from a mug of coffee or tea before we feel ready for the day, and it makes sense to save time and sup from a cup while you’re stuck in traffic.
Making the brew at home and keeping it warm in an insulated beaker will save a fortune compared with coffee shop prices, but if you are treating yourself, then many outlets will offer a discount if you choose a reusable cup. It’s much better for the environment, too.
Most cars have holders to securely keep a cup within reach, and insulated mug walls mean you won’t burn your hand. A well designed lid will help to prevent any spillages, too. Which of our seven travel mug contenders will take the winner’s cup?
How we tested
We wanted cups that will fit standard car cup-holders and allow us to sip without spillage. Ease of use, plus features such as easily sealing lids got extra points. We expected them to be cool to the touch even with very hot water inside and spill-free when tipped. We filled the cups to 90 per cent capacity with freshly boiled water and then measured its temperature after 30 minutes. We also considered price.
Regatta Thermulate Insulated Tumbler
- Price: around £8.80
- Size: 600ml
- Retained heat: 73C
- Rating: 4.5 stars
- Contact: regatta.com
Used - available now
2023 Hyundai
Tucson
34,195 milesManualPetrol1.6L
Cash £19,315
2022 Toyota
Corolla
74,597 milesAutomaticPetrol1.8L
Cash £14,381
2021 Ford
Focus
32,991 milesManualPetrol1.0L
Cash £13,777
2023 MG
ZS EV
29,361 milesAutomaticElectric
Cash £12,547Look at the Regatta website and you’ll see the Insulated Tumbler has been reduced from £22 to just £8.80, but even at the higher price we think it would be a winner. It is big enough to satisfy the thirstiest driver and could easily be repurposed to keep drinks cool in summer.
The tapered shape meant it fitted snugly in all our cup-holders, and the handle makes it easy to carry. Using a straw to drink hot beverages seems unusual at first, but makes perfect sense while driving.
Lifeventure One-Touch Thermal Mug
- Price: around £19.99
- Size: 350ml
- Retained heat: 72C
- Rating: 4.5 stars
- Contact: lifeventure.com
If we were giving the prizes on looks alone, the Lifeventure would win, thanks to its smart satin-black finish. Inside it has easy-clean stainless steel, and the insulated layer means it retained heat well. It remained cool to the touch outside, too. The best part of this mug is the ‘One Touch’ lid though. It is secure and leak- free until you press it down. It then allows you to drink from any point around the rim, meaning you don’t need to look down to search for a spout.
rCup
- Price: around £15
- Size: 340ml
- Retained heat: 63C
- Rating: 4.0 stars
- Contact: teapigs.co.uk
Our previous Best Buy is still a lovely cup to use, with a similar pop-top mechanism to the Lifeventure One-Touch, giving it safe sipping and an almost leak-free seal when the lid is in the up position. It fitted neatly into all our cars, too, with its tapered sides giving a snug fit.
The distinctive look results from the rCup being made of recycled paper cups mixed with plastic. It doesn’t insulate against heat loss as well as the metal-walled rivals, so your brew might get cooler if you are on a longer trip.
Temu Insulated Travel Coffee Mug
- Price: around £6.09
- Size: 520ml
- Retained heat: 68C
- Rating: 4.0 stars
- Contact: temu.com
As usual with Temu products, it is all about the value for money, and you get a lot for your cash with this mug. It’s available in 11 colours, so you can find one to match your car’s paintwork, and has rubber grips on the bottom and side to prevent accidents. The lid is unsophisticated, with a simple flap that clips back to reveal a small sipping hole. But it was totally leak-free in testing and it was reasonable at retaining heat.
YETI Rambler
- Price: around £28
- Size: 355ml
- Retained heat: 75C
- Rating: 3.5 stars
- Contact: uk.yeti.com
Starbucks aficionados will note the Yeti has a capacity of 355ml – the exact size of its ‘Tall’ measure of coffee. Once your chosen brew is inside, it’ll be kept amazingly warm too – the Rambler’s 30-minute figure was the highest on this test and it was still hot four hours later. The lid feels like it would be safe to seal a submarine, which means it is leak-free and easy to sip from, but the Rambler needs two hands to open, which is not ideal if you are driving.
Regatta Travel Commuter Mug
- Price: around £10.95
- Size: 350ml
- Retained heat: 69C
- Rating: 3.0 stars
- Contact: regatta.com
The initially smart stainless-steel looks of the Travel Commuter soon start to look scruffy with fingerprints. The clear lid with a sliding sipper lets you see the drink inside but doesn’t seem to insulate very well, because the retained heat figure is beaten by three other mugs. The cup is comfortable to hold at the bottom, where the wall is the thickest, but it feels hot near the top. It looks pricey, too, even compared with Regatta’s other cups.
Tesco Black Coffee Cup
- Price: around £2.50
- Size: 350ml
- Retained heat: 58C
- Rating: 2.0 stars
- Contact: tesco.com
Tesco’s cup is so cheap it is almost disposable and makes the Temu look pricey. It resembles a disposable paper container but is made of rigid plastic, with a rubber layer of insulation, which makes it comfortable to hold. It was well adrift at the bottom for heat retention, and we had trouble ensuring the simple lid was in place, so risked spilling the contents while drinking.
Verdict
The Regatta Thermulate Insulated Tumbler is big enough to satisfy thirsty drivers, yet fits easily in a cup-holder and lets you drink without taking your eyes off the road. It’s unbeatable value at the current price, too. The Lifeventure One-Touch Thermal Mug is smart and insulates well, so finishes second. Third goes to the rCup; it’s simple to use and clean, but doesn’t insulate as well as rivals.
Did you know you can sell your car through Auto Express? We’ll help you get a great price and find a great deal on a new car, too.
