Picking The Perfect Coffee Container for The Occasion
Coffee containers come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and materials so picking the correct one for the occasion can not only benefit you, but also shows everyone else that you’ve prepared for the occasion. So, lets dive into the different drinking containers out there and the time and place to use them.
Materials:
- Ceramic: Holds your drink hotter longer, that’s because it is a porous material. This means the air (the best insulator) that’s trapped inside these pores are going to slow heat conduction of the two walls, the outer what you see and the inner where the coffee makes contact. Ceramic chips easily, so be careful.
- Glass: Doesn’t hold the heat as well as ceramic, non-porous, can see scratches easily, can chip easily.
- Stainless-Steel: When made in a double walled fashion, this can be the best of the three when it comes to holding heat as well as cold liquids, just don’t put this in the microwave! Stainless-Steel doesn’t chip but can dent if heavily impacted.
Shapes/Sizes:
- Tall mugs give you the choice to place them in vehicle cup holders. This is a must when traveling to work in the morning or when you’re on those long road trips. However, they have a higher center of gravity and can easily get knocked over if you place them near your work area.
- Short and fat containers are not car friendly and really should stay home where they need their own space. They are often heavy and usually require two hands hold.
Occasion Specific:
- Home: You have friends over and you want to serve them some coffee, so you may want to put your best foot forward. In this situation you want to bring out some classic white ceramic mugs, nothing too big where it takes two hands to hold and risk getting burned. Select something around 12 fl. oz. size with a decent sized handle to put two or three fingers through. Thinned walled ceramic to cut down on the weight is preferred.
- Special Events: So, you want to impress your guests and you want to wow them with great coffee, but it must be presentable. Behold, the glass mug. It innately comes with an elegant/sophisticated look. The glass bends the surrounding light making it an area that desires attention. Plus, if you want to add your favorite toppings like cream and cinnamon, everyone can see your doing something different and will want to approach you to see what you’re drinking. This can be a conversation starter.
- On the Go: Like most, we are rushing to get out the door in the morning and don’t have time to sit and enjoy our coffee, so we must bring it with us. The thermos has this foothold and no other dares to intrude. The thermos has come a long way. If your old enough, you may remember those 12” + tall thermoses with a cap that doubles as a cup. Thankfully through innovation, thermoses have slimmed down in size and are capable to be placed in vehicle cup holders. They can be used just about anywhere you go. You no longer need to take the top off to drink coffee. Some have a push button that opens a small port for you to drink out of. This is perfect to use at the office, because if you should happen to knock over your thermos, the lid is sealed preventing spillage.
- Coffee Shops/Cafes: We’ve all been to one. Yes, you can get the disposable paper cup with the cardboard sleeve and look like everyone else in the arena, that’s your choice. But if you want to be different and stand out, then bring your container with you. If your coffee shop/café allows you to bring in your own container, then why not? In this situation you can bring in any container you want, it’s all about making a statement. You can be subtle with a stainless-steel thermos or loud with a custom painted ceramic mug. Either way can be a conversation starter. Another reason to bring your own container is that you’re not using another paper cup that will end up in the landfill. Plus, not choosing the paper container will cut down on operation costs to the shop owner. It’s really a Win-Win-Win situation.
Now that you have learned some of the different containers to hold your favorite coffee, you have no excuse to not have your coffee by your side.