EMBER MUG 2 REVIEW: IS A SMART COFFEE MUG REALLY WORTH IT?

How much are you willing to spend to avoid lukewarm coffee?

The Ember Coffee Mug has a lot of fans. And for a good reason – it works precisely as advertised. The real question isn’t whether it keeps your coffee warm but whether it’s worth ten times the price of a standard ceramic mug.

That’s what I decided to find out in this review of the second-generation Ember Mug 2. Does it justify its cost? Or is there a smarter alternative for your money? Keep reading to find out.

The Full Ember Mug Review

This review of the Ember Mug 2 looks at all aspects of the smart mug, starting with its performance and how it compares to the first-generation Ember Mug. From there, I’ll cover my user experience, followed by basics like build quality and design. I’ll wrap it up by considering its value for money and whether it’s a worthwhile purchase to meet your needs. 

How We Rated It

• Performance
• Ease of Use
• Design
• Build Quality
• Value for Money

4.1

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What’s So Special About The Ember Mug?

The Ember 2 is a smart mug that keeps your tea or coffee at your preferred temperature, which you can set between 120 °F – 145 °F. It uses a microprocessor-controlled heating system built directly into the mug walls coupled to four sensors providing constant temperature feedback. 

It works exceptionally well. This is a far cry from letting a coffee sit and cook on a hot plate. In my tests, the Ember maintained my set temperature within 1 °F for the duration of battery life – or indefinitely on the charging coaster. More importantly, the coffee flavor stayed fresh throughout (1).

I think James Hoffmann summed it up nicely in reviewing the original model.

It’s a product you don’t know you need until you have it, and then you never want to give it up.

Battery Life

The powerful lithium-ion battery performs as advertised, though, like all Li batteries, I suspect it will fade over the years. The 10-ounce version of the Ember Mug keeps your drink hot for up to 90 minutes, while the 14-ounce gets 80 minutes.

Factors that influence longer battery life include the external temperature and the desired coffee temperature. But even if you’re enjoying your coffee outside on a cold day, you can expect about an hour of toasty warm java.

Auto On And Off

The automatic on and off functions make this mug nearly as straightforward as a regular mug. The Ember 2 Mug detects when you pour coffee into the mug and turns itself on. When you’ve drained your drink, the auto sleep function turns it off. Easy.

What is the difference between the Ember Mug 1 and 2?

The Ember Smart Mug 2 is the latest generation, released in 2019 to replace the original Ember Mug.

I also found that the auto-sleep function had been improved. One of my main complaints when I tested the first model was that if you left a small amount of liquid in the bottom of the mug, it would eventually boil dry and leave a nasty mess. This issue seems to have been resolved.

Will the Ember heat up cold coffee?

The Ember Mug isn’t designed to heat cold liquids, but it can be done. In fact, it does a much nicer job versus the microwave. It just requires some patience (it can take between 30 minutes and an hour), and it will drain the battery. So plan on only doing this if it’s on the charging coaster.

How To Use The Ember Mug

How you feel about using this product depends a lot on how you feel about needing a smartphone to drink coffee. There are no controls on the mug itself, so you lose most of the functionality without the app on your phone; it simply heats to a preset temp of 135 °F.

But provided you don’t find the whole concept frustrating, you’ll be pleased with how simple the Ember App is to navigate. It does what it needs to without unnecessary complications. Plus, the use of an app allows Ember to add a lot of functionality without disrupting the smooth aesthetics of the mug with buttons, dials, and temperature controls.

Key Features Of The Ember App

First and foremost, the Ember Mug connects to its app via Bluetooth quickly and reliably, which already puts it a cut above many smart coffee products I’ve tested.

Using the Ember app, you can set your preferred drinking temperature between 120 and 145 °F, and I like that it comes with preset options for different drinks – like black coffee, green tea, or a cappuccino (2). The smart LED at the base of the mug indicates when the set temperature is reached or when the battery runs low.

If I’m honest, I found the temperature range surprisingly narrow. Yes, it’s the ideal range for specialty coffee lovers, but many coffee drinkers I know would prefer hotter options. I like my coffee at 135 °F, but I wish there were warmer settings for things like hot chocolate.

You can also use the app to set a custom color for your LED indicator light – a nice option in a household where two people have the same mug. 

Cleaning

The Ember Mug is not dishwasher-safe – no real surprise given the electronics involved. But it is waterproof when submerged up to one meter, so don’t be afraid to get it wet while hand washing. Dry it thoroughly before replacing it in the charging coaster.

Is it okay to leave my Ember Mug plugged in all the time?

Yes, it’s fine to leave the Ember Mug on its charging coaster when not in use. It stops charging when the battery is full. This is actually good practice if you’re planning not to use it for a long time because Ember uses “maintenance charging” to keep the battery topped off, preventing possible damage from discharging over the long term.

Beautiful Sleek Aesthetic

The Ember is sleekly designed, with little on the outside to indicate the technology within. It looks like a standard mug. The only sign that it’s a smart coffee mug is the subtle LED light at the base, which communicates its status.

It’s available in a 10 oz or 14 oz size, each with eight standard color options. The colors seem to vary regularly, but you can always expect classics like matte black plus a few fun alternatives, like sage green or lavender.

The Ember also comes in metallic gold, copper, rose gold, and stainless steel – known as the Metallic Series. Any of these gorgeous versions would make a fantastic gift for that friend or family member who has everything and loves coffee gadgets. But be prepared to shell out an extra $30 for the aesthetic upgrade.

The mug comes with a charging coaster that plugs into a wall outlet. I’d love to see a USB option in future iterations. The charging coaster is as sleek and subtle as the mug itself, and you need only set the mug on the coaster to start charging.

What Is The Lifespan Of An Ember Mug?

Thanks to its premium materials, the Ember Mug is built to last. It’s made from durable stainless steel with a scratch-resistant, food-grade ceramic coating. The stainless steel protects the electronics, while the coating ensures it still feels like a regular ceramic mug while you’re drinking – the proven best choice for coffee taste (3). 

The lifespan of the Ember Mug comes down to the battery, which begins losing its ability to hold a charge after 2 or 3 years. You cannot replace this battery, so unless you’re very tech-savvy, at this point, you’ll need to buy a whole new cup or keep it on its charging station. 

The Ember Mug comes with a 1-year warranty, so if you encounter battery issues early in life, you can get a free replacement.

Is The Ember Mug Worth It?

This is the million-dollar question, isn’t it? Or should I say the $150 question? The Ember Mug is undeniably a great tool, but is it worth more than a regular coffee cup? Or an insulated mug or thermos? Or a mug warmer? 

The answer is: yes and no. 

For the right person (with the funds available), I truly believe the Ember Smart Mug is worth its price. It works so beautifully that you need not fear buyer’s remorse.

It’s perfect for the coffee or tea fanatic who likes to savor their brew and appreciates the nuances of the ideal serving temperature. I’d recommend it even more highly to lovers of lattes or cappuccinos. Those frothy milky drinks just don’t hit the same when slurped through the hole at the top of a travel mug.

A quick aside about the Ember Travel Mug 2

I have the opposite opinion of the Ember Travel Mug. I don’t think it’s great value. Any decent insulated coffee travel mug can keep my coffee hot for 8 hours – albeit with less precise control of temperature. The Ember Travel Mug takes something that isn’t broken and makes it more expensive, less durable, and annoying to clean.

The charm of the original Ember Heated Mug is that it keeps your hot beverage warm while maintaining the comfortable feel of a standard mug. If you don’t mind sipping through a small hole, I’d say just buy a travel mug.

Don’t Buy the Ember Smart Mug If…

• You drink your coffee quickly: Not one to savor your morning coffee? Then don’t waste your money. A normal mug will keep your freshly brewed coffee hot enough for the few minutes it takes to down your beverage and get that caffeine coursing through your veins.

• You plan to stay put: If you intend to enjoy your hot cup of coffee at your desk, a simpler mug warmer is probably better value. Or check out the unique new OHOM UI 3 self-heating mug.

• You don’t want to use an app: The NextMug is an Ember Mug knock-off that puts the controls right on the mug, so you don’t need to pull out your phone. It delivers similar performance and battery life but limits you to just three temperature settings (130°F, 140°F, or 150°F).

• You want something more affordable: The cheapest way to keep hot drinks hot is with an old-school insulated thermal mug. But if you’re set on a self-heating smart mug, the best budget version I’ve tried is the Civexa self-heating mug, which also has the nice bonus of getting hotter than the others (up to 160°F).

The Verdict

The Ember Coffee Mug was made for anyone who likes to sip and savor their freshly brewed coffee. Take your morning cup of joe out on your balcony, crack open a good book, and enjoy perfectly hot coffee for 90 minutes of bliss.

Yes, it’s expensive. And no, it’s not for everyone. But if it’s for you, there’s nothing else on the market to match it, and it will be money well spent.

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