The Ember Travel Mug 2+ is a smart mug with a very stupid problem
Imagine making your morning cup right before you head out the door for your daily commute and it goes from tongue-burning hot to just right in minutes. Even better, it stays at that perfect temperature for up to three hours, no matter the season. Sounds idyllic, right?
The Ember Travel Mug 2+ promises to bring you this blissful experience, and its power doesn’t stop there: it also comes equipped with Apple’s Find My support, so if you lose it on the go, you can find it using the Find My app on your iPhone, iPad, or MacBook.
Now I am no stranger to the Ember smart mugs. I use the Ember Mug 2 at home, so I choose to take my morning tea (I am not a coffee drinker) in the Ember Travel Mug 2+ instead of my usual 470ml (16oz) Thermos Insulated Travel Mug Seemed like a smart upgrade. The only thing that stopped me from switching was the rather meager 355ml (12oz) capacity of the Ember travel mug. I find a lot of tea.
I finally did it… and the experience was unfortunately not as ideal as I had hoped. Don’t get me wrong: the Ember Travel Mug 2+ is a lovable smart mug that does what it says on the tin – mostly.
Within seconds it connected to the accompanying phone app and I was able to set the desired temperature (60ºC / 140ºF in my case) and then remotely lock the mug’s touchscreen to prevent accidental temperature changes while I had it in my possession. So far so good.
Straighten up
I usually don’t start my morning brew until I’m at my desk in the office (or even at home), which is usually a little over an hour after I’ve brewed it. In transit, I stash my travel mug in the side pocket of my backpack—which was unfortunately a bad idea with the Ember Travel Mug 2+, despite the company claiming it has a leak-proof lid.
Although no drips ran down the screw top, a slight tilt caused my tea to drip through the closed spout. It’s not sealed tight and with tea filled all the way up to the max capacity mark, even the tiniest bit of liquid saw it seep through the hair’s breadth opening.
So I’ve started carrying the mug in my hand when I go to work, and I make a conscious effort to keep it upright. The problem is that I can no longer read during my morning commute, which makes the whole experience less than idyllic.
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Battery Boo-hoo’s
Additionally, I think the non-airtight seal around the mouthpiece means the mug’s heating element has to work harder to maintain temperature, which detracts from the 3-hour battery life. This is the longest-lasting battery on an Ember mug so far – the 14-oz (414ml) Mug 2 I use at home lasts for up to 80 minutes on its charging plate.
I find the travel mug gives me 2.5 hours max and unfortunately for me, I’m usually only halfway through the content at that point. I’m a slow guzzler so sue me! To be fair, I get distracted by work and forget to drink my tea so the limited battery life probably won’t bother most people.
If you want the Ember Travel Mug 2+ (or any of the brand’s other smart mugs) to keep your drink warmer for longer, you’ll need to leave it on the charging plate.
What is lost can be found again
But there’s another advantage: I’m unlikely to lose the Ember Travel Mug 2+ anytime soon, thanks to built-in support for Apple’s Find My network.
This may seem redundant to most people, but I’m already on my third Thermos travel mug. They’ve slipped out of the side pocket of my backpack without me noticing – once a Good Samaritan came running over to return the dented stainless steel mug.
Considering the Ember’s price tag – it’ll set you back $199.95 / £199.95 / AU$300 – I’m hoping I don’t lose it, but at least I know I have a chance of finding it again if I do.
It’s a premium mug, that’s for sure, and if the leaky lid and the need to handle it with kid gloves don’t bother you, it could be a worthy investment or a thoughtful (if expensive) gift for a loved one. It’s well made, and the bright display looks really sharp when it lights up. The latter even automatically shuts off after a few seconds, saving battery life. If Ember can fix that lid, the next version might just be the best self-heating travel mug you can buy.
While I can’t say anything negative about how hot my tea stays, I can sum up my feelings about the Travel Mug 2+ in one word: lukewarm.