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One of the few good things of 2020 was realising how pointless it is spending money daily on expensive takeaway coffee.
Depending on how you like your coffee, a decent filter machine and some good quality coffee can often compete well with many store-bought options and at a fraction of the price.
If you get a coffee machine, another good upgrade is a decent burr grinder for whole beans. Coffee Geek’s coffee burr grinder recommendation is a good starting point.
With many of us now back in the office, and the weather getting cold, it is a great idea to invest in a thermos flask so you can continue to have high-quality coffee without paying the prices.
Furthermore, anyone wanting to be healthy and cut down on the costs; they are superb for taking your homemade soup to work with too.
Best Small Thermos
Umi. by Amazon – Double Walled Vacuum Insulated Flask – 500ml from £13.98
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I’d be inclined to spend a little extra on a bigger bottom, but if space is a premium, then the affordable option by Amazon-owned Umi is a good choice.
Best Mid Size Thermos
Thermos Flask, Stainless Steel, Raspberry, 1.2L from £16.60
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thermos 81092 Flask, Stainless Steel, Raspberry, 1.2L |
£25.76 | Buy on Amazon |
Under £17 for 1.2L from the biggest brand in the business, it is not even worth look at other options.
For context, a Starbucks Venti is 20oz so 590ml or a Grande is 16oz/473ml so that’s 2 or 3 big cups of coffee you can take with you. Two Venti Americanos are about £5
Best Big Thermos
Stanley Classic Vacuum Bottle, Stainless Steel, Green, 1.9 L from £45
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stanley Classic Legendary Thermos Flask 1.9L - Keeps 32... | £66.75 | Buy on Amazon |
It is big, and it is expensive, this will carry soup or drinks for multiple people, or a serious caffeine junkie.
Alternative option: ONEISALL 91oz Stainless Steel Vacuum Insulated Flask from £38
There is big; then there is massive. This gigantic vacuum flask will hold 2.6L
Best Insulated Coffee Mug
Contigo West Loop Autoseal Travel Mug from £20.65
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contigo West Loop Autoseal Travel Mug, Stainless Steel... |
£22.99 | Buy on Amazon |
Travel coffee mugs are the main option I go for, allowing me to make a good large cup of coffee on the commute to work, allowing me to skip Starbucks.
Best Insulated Food Jars
WisFox Food Flask Insulated from £17.47
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| WisFox Food Flask Insulated 304 Stainless Steel Food Jar... | Buy on Amazon |
If you want something a little more substantial than soup, an insulated food flask could be the solution. It’s basically the same as the other, but the opening of the flask is much larger, allowing you to use a spoon. They come in multiple shapes, but I am greedy, and the largest I can find is 750ml
Alternative option: Thermos Stainless King Food Flask from £24.29
Obviously, a much more reputable brand and not much difference in size or price so certainly worth considering, Thermos also do a smaller 470ml model, but it is not much cheaper so I would only consider it if you are short on carrying space.
Best Smart Thermos
Ember Temperature Control Smart Mug from £140
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ember Temperature Control Smart Mug, 12 oz, Black, 2-hr... | Buy on Amazon |
This wouldn’t be a tech blog without at least one smart product, the price of this mug makes it a little niche, but if you want your drink at a very specific temperature, then the Ember is the way to go.
This 12oz/340ml smart mug will keep your drink at a set temperature which you set via the app with temperature ranges between 50°C and 62.5°C.
This insulated mug then has a 2-hour battery life and will wake up and shut off automatically as the temperature moves up and down. The mug can then also be charged via a QI charging coaster (included) allowing you to keep your drink at an ideal temperature all day.
Affordable option: flintronic Travel Mugs from £10
You can’t set your temperature so this may be no use for people wanting to avoid overheating their coffee, but this filtronic travel mug offers a temperature display allowing you to know when your drink is too hot or cold.
Best Portable French Press
Wacaco Pipamoka Portable Coffee Maker from £49.99
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WACACO Pipamoka Portable Coffee Maker, Mini Travel Coffee... |
£49.90 | Buy on Amazon |
The Ember may be an impressive bit of tech, but a portable coffee maker will be a more logical solution for most coffee fans. There are lots of options on the market, all of which look impressive. The WACACO is the one I chose as it uses a twisting cap to generate pressure inside the mug for a quicker and superior brew (similar to the AeroPress concept). The biggest downside to this is that it is only 295ml.
Alternative option: BODUM Travel French Press Coffee Maker from £18.60
Same concept but this is a manual French press style coffee maker, and from reputable brand Bodum, it is cheaper and stores a bit more coffee at 350ml
Alternative to a thermos
Ember Temperature-Control Smart Mug 2, 284 ml from £99
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Ember Temperature-Control Smart Mug 2, 295 ml, White,... |
£129.95 | Buy on Amazon |
I mostly work from home now, so my main problem is not keeping my coffee warm on the way to work, but keeping it warm as I get distracted by work while drinking it.
The Ember Smart Mug 2 is a bit more useful than their insulated mug, in my opinion. It uses the same concept, being a battery-powered mug that is then charged via a QI coaster, so I don’t have to remember to place it on the coaster each time I take a sip.
I am James, a UK-based tech enthusiast and the Editor and Owner of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Passionate about all things technology, my expertise spans from computers and networking to mobile, wearables, and smart home devices.
As a fitness fanatic who loves running and cycling, I also have a keen interest in fitness-related technology, and I take every opportunity to cover this niche on my blog. My diverse interests allow me to bring a unique perspective to tech blogging, merging lifestyle, fitness, and the latest tech trends.
In my academic pursuits, I earned a BSc in Information Systems Design from UCLAN, before advancing my learning with a Master’s Degree in Computing. This advanced study also included Cisco CCNA accreditation, further demonstrating my commitment to understanding and staying ahead of the technology curve.
I’m proud to share that Vuelio has consistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of the top technology blogs in the UK. With my dedication to technology and drive to share my insights, I aim to continue providing my readers with engaging and informative content.
Last update on 2024-10-06 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
