So can we talk mugs? I tend to make a half liter (~17 oz) of coffee in a French Press in the morning. I run into the problem that I get about a half hour to 45 minutes (I've never timed it this number might be wildly off) in before the, "Crap! Its getting cold!" moment and feel like I have to accelerate my consumption to avoid cold coffee when I'd prefer to keep going at a leisurely pace. I realize the most obvious solution is a couple of smaller batches but I'm lazy, easily distracted, and have a bit of a cutoff in the morning as my wife hates the smell of freshly brewed coffee and I catch a bit of drama if I'm brewing while she's awake or just before she wakes up.
I do have a Contigo Autoseal stainless steel travel mug that I use occasionally for cheap tea and it works well for retaining heat. I can sip on hot tea for hours but the lid has all sorts of nooks and crannies that retain coffee oils that is a pain in the ass to clean and it has a very small drink hole limits the orthonasal olfactory pathway (aka you can't sniff your coffee). The ability to take my drink somewhere is kinda nice but strictly speaking isn't critical for me.
So anyone mind sharing their experiences with features or even specific recommendations? Don't worry about if it is available in the US (where I'm located) I can always look at the features your favorite insulated or travel mug so it can still be handy to share. Or you may have a solution so elegant and obviously I'm going to facepalm when you point it out.
Overdue Update: I ended up going with a Carter Move and I'm quite happy with it. I appreciate everyone who gave me ideas and things to think about.
I’ve had many travel mugs, even the Zojirushi someone posted here. It’s a great mug in that it keeps coffee hot well into the afternoon. However, I find it keeps it too hot, and that I can’t drink directly from it. When I use it now, I use it only as a carrying vessel and pour out some coffee into a regular mug. Also, it’s a bit of a hassle to clean.
Long story long, after probably a dozen travel mugs, I’ve landed on the Yeti Rambler Mug as my favorite and go to. I even bought a universal wide cup holder adapter for my car on Amazon to be able to fit it. The Yeti Rambler is well built, holds the coffee at the perfect temp for me for hours (though I usually drink it within an hour), is easy as shit to clean and easier to operate than any other mug - the magnetic closure is really good.
Thanks for suggesting Yeti. I think in my head I had it pegged as a coolers and cold drink tumblers company but it makes sense that insulation is insulation. I'm looking at the Rambler Mug and I imagine that thing would last forever as there really isn't anything to have break on it compared to some of the more complex lid and gasket systems some travel mugs are using.