There’s a simple joy that comes from holding a mug with a fresh cup of coffee, tea or your favorite warm beverage. With so many mugs available, it can be difficult to choose just one. Whether you’re shopping for the whole family, one special person or a treat for yourself, a mug is a timeless piece to add to any kitchen. Nostalgic designs, personalization and interactive elements can make a practical gift even more special.
Mugs are designed to hold liquid, hot or cold. Beyond their basic functionality, they may also offer other features that make them easier or more fun to use.
The most common mug sizes are 12 and 15 ounces. Some handmade mugs vary and may hold closer to 11 or 16 ounces. Smaller mugs comfortably hold a serving of coffee, a full cup of tea or another premixed beverage such as hot chocolate or apple cider. Larger mugs leave room for adding cream and sugar, espresso drinks with milk such as lattes and extra toppings such as whipped cream.
Some mugs offer customizable elements such as names and graphics. You choose these elements before the mug is completed and delivered, creating a one-of-a-kind keepsake. When ordering a personalized mug, double-check any custom information you provide, including spelling, capitalization, color choices and other custom selections. Since personalized mugs are unique, refunds are not available for custom items.
While sipping a delicious drink from your favorite mug is technically interactive, some mugs go above and beyond their main function. You can find mugs with color-changing graphics, mugs you can color yourself and other mugs with interactive brewing methods and other activities. For these multipurpose mugs, read the instructions carefully as they may require additional care.
If you want a mug that’s easy to clean, look for one that’s dishwasher safe. Handmade mugs may need to be hand-washed. Similarly, if you know you’ll want to reheat your beverage, you’ll want a mug that’s microwave safe. Stainless steel mugs may be easy to clean in the dishwasher but they are not safe to use in the microwave.
This mug features formulas and shortcuts for the data entry nerd in your life. It’s a great way to get through the workday. The 12-ounce mug is dishwasher- and microwave-safe.
Sold by Uncommon Goods
Celebrate the ratification of the 19th Amendment with this mug featuring graphics and memorabilia from the women’s suffrage movement. The 12-ounce mug is dishwasher- and microwave-safe.
Sold by Uncommon Goods
This tall and slim mug is made for tea lovers on the go. You can brew loose leaf tea just as easily as tea bags with the top strainer compartment. The double-walled stainless steel interior holds the temperature for about six hours, and the soft-grip exterior is easy to hold.
Sold by Uncommon Goods
These handmade stoneware mugs are for animal lovers who love to give back while they sip on their favorite beverage. Choose from four 3D designs with color and texture that bring the animals to life. The oversized 16-ounce mugs are microwave- and dishwasher-safe.
Sold by Uncommon Goods
For anyone who has wrestled with working from home recently, this mug is a fun reminder of how we navigate our spaces during the remote workday. It features a fictional mass transit map of household rooms and items. At 11 ounces, it’s big enough to last until you hop on the red line back to the kitchen for a refill.
Sold by Uncommon Goods
Enjoy your favorite drink while you reminisce about dinosaurs that roamed the Earth in prehistoric periods. Choose from four hand-stamped designs. The 16-ounce mug is dishwasher and microwave safe.
Sold by Uncommon Goods
Elwood the Rainbow Unicorn Mug
Travel to a magical place when you sip out of this unicorn-shaped mug, complete with a rainbow handle, four tiny feet and a gold horn. The 12-ounce handmade mug is microwave- and dishwasher-safe.
Sold by Uncommon Goods
For a custom gift, these 15-ounce mugs are a fun way to show off each person’s unique style. Make a personalized mug by adding their name and selecting their hobby, skin tone, hair color and clothing. For family gifts, you can even add the family name to the backside of every mug.
Sold by Uncommon Goods
Each of these wheel-thrown and hand-glazed mugs features a 3D outline of your state with a screen print of an iconic landmark or landscape. The 14-ounce mug is dishwasher safe.
Sold by Uncommon Goods
Add an interactive element to your daily drink with this map mug. Fill in every new place that you visit and bake the mug in the oven to make your newly colored map permanent. Choose from either a world map or U.S.A. map.
Sold by Uncommon Goods
Hot or Cold Vacuum-Brewed Coffee Maker
With this clear glass mug, you can watch as your coffee brews right before your eyes. The small vacuum-sealed brewing device sits atop the mug and pumps the coffee through a superfine metal filter. Splurge on one special mug to make barista-quality coffee anytime.
Sold by Uncommon Goods
Every day is more fun when you get to paint and smile with Bob Ross. The temperature-sensitive design on this 12-ounce mug reveals a colorful masterpiece when you fill it with a hot beverage. It’s microwave-safe so you can bring the painting to life every time you reheat it.
Sold by Uncommon Goods
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Katy Palmer writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
