I have had my Ember mug since November 2016 and absolutely love it, so I was curious about some of the 3 star and lower reviews. Upon reading these, it is clear that a number of purchasers (and potential purchasers) don't fully understand how the mug actually works. Ember really needs to do a much better job of explaining this (probably with a cute, animated video), but here is what is actually going on:
It looks like many people think that this is a battery operated/heated mug - not an unreasonable asasumption since you do, after all, have to charge the battery. What really happens is much more interesting. Inside the walls of the mug is something that is called a Phase Changer Material (PCM). When I brew a cup of coffee in my Keurig coffee maker directly into the mug, the initial temperature is about 175 degrees with a target of 140 degrees. What the Ember mug does is to extract the heat from the coffee and store it in the PCM. In this case, the material starts out in a waxy form and liquifies as it absorbs heat. This fairly quickly cools the coffee down to the desired temperature, but in the process the PCM becomes a heat storage "battery". Once the coffee reaches 140 degrees and starts to cool, the mug senses this and extracts heat from the PCM "battery" and uses that to maintain the temperature rather than directly heating the coffee using normal battery power.
If you understand this is how it works, then it is easy to understand why some people are not happy with the battery life. Basically, the hotter the initial temperature, the more storage capacity in the PCM "battery", and the longer it can maintain the coffee at the desired temperature. My coffee maker at my cabin is a smaller unit that requires me to brew the coffee into a measuring cup and pour it into the Ember mug. I also noticed that the initial temperature there is about 154 degrees. That means that the Ember mug at my cabin can't maintain my ideal coffee temperature for as long as it does at home because the PCM "battery" is not as fully charged. In fact, one day I got busy and forgot to pour the coffee into the Ember mug until it was just under 140 degrees. Normally I would expect the mug to quickly heat the coffee to the desired 140 degree temperature, but with essentially no PCM "battery" charge, it took longer than usual to get to the desired temperature and I am sure it would not have maintained the temperature for very long.
So, once you understand this, you will realize that want to brew directly into the mug if possible and transfer it to the charger until it is ready to drink if you can do that. If not, as soon as your coffee is brewed, make sure you transfer it into the Ember mug as soon as you can and it will be able maintain the desired temperature for the maximum period of time. If you do this, I think you will find that you will have no issues with how long the Ember mug can maintain the desired temperature. Ember really needs to explain this to customers. In addition to a video on their website, a simple "How Your Ember Mug Works" sheet will go a long way to solving this issue.
A couple of other comments and one suggestion for Ember Mug II. I actually had a problem with the electronics in my original mug. I found that Ember customer support was very responsive and when they couldn't fix the unit, they quickly sent me a replacement. I also had a problem with the lid in the replacement mug not locking open after a few weeks and they replaced that quickly as well. This is a first generation product so I am pretty tolerant of issues like this as long as the company is responsive, as Ember was.
My suggestion for Ember is to make the next version use wireless induction charging, so there are no issues with the bottom of the mug needing to stay dry to make good contact with the charger.
Enjoy your constant temperature coffee/tea. It really is a completely new experience...
This mug is shortlisted as one of my Favorite Things, right after my dog. It's so nice to make a cup of coffee and then get busy doing something else, and when I come back to it my coffee's still a perfect 140°, right where I left it.
Also of great importance, I was an early backer on their crowdfunding campaign, and when one of their early prototypes failed, they couldn't have been quicker to replace it. Great people!
Highly recommend!
The bottom line
- The mug works perfectly and does what it says it will do and kept my coffee within 2 degrees of my desired temperature the whole time
- I did have an issue and I would give customer service 10 stars if I could for how they handled it
Here is the longer more detailed review
I was frustrated with my coffee being cold half way through drinking it so was intrigued when I learnt of the Ember mug. I had concerns as it was a new company and new technology. I read all the tech reviews I could find and all - yes all of the reviews on Amazon and lots of the reviews on starbucks.
I decided to wait as well let’s be real new tech is going to have issues but when I saw so many positive reviews coming through I decided to try it. I was still expecting that there was a chance I would have an issue but I was comforted by buying it through amazon and by the postive reviews about their customer service and felt any issues would be dealt with satisfactorily.
Well I did have an issue and customer service was everything you want it to be. No excuses, no blame the customer, they were sincere, genuinely wanted to resolve it, incredibly responsive and personal - no cliche copy paste corporate lines.
My issue was one I had not seen anyone else comment on and Ember said they had not heard of it but were very concerned. Basically the lid was too big. You needed to be very strong to screw it on and off and after a few attempts the plastic was wearing off from the friction. We discussed it by email ( note they do not respond on weekends ) and then I shipped it back with the mug at their expense and they sent me a replacement the day after they received it.
My new mug works perfectly. I brewed my coffee into it directly this morning at 140 degree. Within 8 minutes it cooled it to my desired temp of 130 degrees and kept it there within 2 degrees for an hour until I had finished my coffee. I kept the inner lid depressed the whole time as I didn’t want to keep opening and closing it but it still stayed hot as dialed in.
When I first depressed the lid it did spray 5 or 6 drops of crema out but I closed and opened it a couple of more times and it didn’t repeat that. I would be a little cautious the first time and maybe put a napkin over it. It’s possible it was a tad over the max fill line so it may have been user error.
After it kept my coffee hot at 130 degrees OFF the charger plate btw the battery was at 69%.
Other considerations
The mug has pleasing aesthetics. Quite Apple like. It’s simple and graceful. Has a good weight and a pleasing tactile feel. The charger is slim and simple in style too.
The rim is thin. I dislike drinking from thick rimmed mugs so was pleased with this detail.
The 360 degree opening ring to drink out of is also a positive. You don’t have to line up with a hole every time you take a sip.
The lid doesn’t leak! That’s a great feature combined with a quick and easy way to drink from it by just pressing down on the centre ring of the lid. I’ve had soooo many travel mugs leak I had given up on them until Ember came along. It was a big selling feature for me.
There is nothing this mug didn’t do that it said it would and it did everything it said it would.
You may wish it did more but it’s only fair to measure it on what it promises and if you want to get cutting edge technology then realistically be prepared to have an issue but you should demand excellent customer service to rectify and they certainly provide that.
A measure of a company is how well they manage a problem. Two thumbs up to Ember support team!
If you want to enjoy every drop of your coffee at the right temperature without gulping it down all at once I recommend this mug. It’s just made my mornings a whole lot more pleasant 😊
I am attaching a pic of how my first lid fit ( it was too big and sat too high in the mug ) and how my new lid fits - obviously this is before you screw then in place so if your lid seems to fit too tightly this will give you some perspective for comparison.
I first bought the Ember Ceramic Mug for my wife (and really for me). I was simply tired of being the "honey, my coffee is cold" person. The Ceramic Mug does a great job of being the "keep my coffee or other hot beverage my perfect temp while I'm at home" product.
Turns out the Travel Mug is better at that too... It's at its best while I'm at home. Keeps my coffee at exactly 134 degrees for as long as I want while at home.
You see, it's all about the maximum two hours (really 1:50) it can maintain that temp while away from its powered coaster.
Now... don't get me wrong, I am really enjoying it. I never have to burn my mouth again to see that I need to let my coffee cool a little longer nor miss that perfect sip of 134 degrees.
Every sip is that perfect temp, while at home.
Ember... PLEASE create a USB adapter so I can at least keep it going longer during my commute...
I recently purchased the Ember temperature control mug because unlike my wife, I can't drink my tea at 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit. I always have to sit and wait for my tea to cool down to a temperature that won't blister the inside of my mouth, and by the time I remember I was letting it cool down, it's too cold to drink, leaving me with lukewarm, unsatisfying tea. When I first heard of the Ember mug I was skeptical, but I finally gave in, and after a couple days of use, I'm not sure how I started my mornings or finished off my afternoons without Ember. It keeps my tea at the precise temperature of 117 degrees, right where I like it, for the hour plus I lollygag around drinking it between emails and business calls. It's such a simple, yet brilliant idea, I'm surprised it didn't come along much sooner than it did. The only problem is trying to hide it from the wife before she can use it to keep her tea at a smoldering 1000 degrees, but if she does, the app allows me to keep my preferences and presets customized to my liking and hers to her liking. Two thumbs up!
Feature Product
- Precise - Ember keeps your coffee or tea at the perfect temperature from the first sip to the last.
- Simple - Ember is simple and elegant. No buttons or complicated instructions. Just rotate the dial at the bottom of the mug to adjust your temperature.
- Customizable - Ember is a connected device that can be used on its own or through the app. The app allows you to remotely change your temperature, "name" your mug, create presets, and choose notification preferences.
- Push-to-open leak-proof 360˚ lid. 12 ounce capacity. Cleaning - hand wash body, dishwasher safe lid
- Battery lasts about 2 hours on full charge; includes Charging Coaster.We want you to be satisfied with your purchase. Please feel free to contact the manufacturer directly at Support@ember.com if there are any questions, comments, or concerns
Description
Meet Ember. Designed for use on the go, The Ember travel mug allows you to set your preferred drinking temperature, then maintains it. Or, you can extend the experience All day long When used with the charging coaster. Experience the pleasure of drinking your Coffee or tea in its perfect state, from the first sip to the last drop. The Ember app allows you to name your mug, create temperature presets, create temperature presets and choose Notification preferences. The Ember Travel Mug was designed to last an average of two hours on the go. The two hour battery life is expected when pouring in liquid hot, and a set temperature of 54°C. If you like it cooler, your battery will last longer, and if you like it hotter, battery will decrease slightly. The battery life will also vary based on a number of external factors such as: external temperature, liquid temperature at pour, speed of liquid consumption, set temperature, whether the lid is on or off, and much more
Bought this initially for my wife but it didn’t really work for her mostly because she wanted it to hold more coffee. For me it works great. I keep my coffee at 130 and it seems like I get a few hours at that temp. My only issue is recently my spill proof cover stopped working and I have only had it about 3 months.
I bought this mug for my wife last year. I have mixed feelings about it.
The mug does keep her coffee hot for longer than some other travel mugs but not scolding hot enough for her (she's a succubus after all). It keeps it at 145ish for up to about 30 minutes on battery. It does help to buy an extra charger coaster for work and home which keeps it charged (and heating).
It would be great if there was a car charging feature (a simple micro USB port would do fine). This was it always stays hot in your daily commute.
However, I hate the lid. Ember has replaced it two times in about a year's time and it is broken yet again. This is no fault of my wife, trust me I observed her closely the second time around so I could catch where the problem lies and no luck, it just stops opening one day.
If they could fix the lid issue I would give it 4 out five stars (there is always room for improvement). They also don't offer a replacement option through Amazon that I can find.
Edit 2019: Ember not only replaced the mug free of charge due to a charging problem, they replaced the old broken lid with a newer version that will hopefully be much more durable. This was well over a year after the initial purchase. I am impressed, thankful and amazed by this company and how strongly they stand behind their products.
Absolutely love this! If you like coffee/tea or any hot beverage as much as I do the abality to have temperature control is something I can’t live with out not. Initially a “smart” mug seamed silly but I take it back now haha. It has a phone and watch app but I never use them as the stand along mug is all you need. The propriety charger sucks as you can have it plugged in the car or on the go but other than that it’s awesome!
First off, if you’re here contemplating the price and you’ve made it this deep into the reviews, who are you kidding, you should buy it. It’s awesome.
Alright, now into the nitty gritty:
1) This will be the most attractive mug you own. You didn’t make the purchase for the sleek design, but it sure as hell is an added benefit.
2) You will never have to chug coffee when it hits the sweet spot again. Using other vacuum seal mugs I often need to let the coffee sit for 10 minutes with the lid off so I don't burn my tongue, but if I wait too long I’ve got a lukewarm beverage. I really didn’t appreciate what a luxury having the perfect sip was prior to owning this mug. Early mornings are slightly more tolerable and I can’t go back now.
3) I’ve read a few reviews about the battery life being short, but I haven’t experienced it myself. LIFEPROTIP: the hotter the coffee in the longer the battery lasts. Again not much of an issue, but I’ve gotten more than the alleged two hours without a charge. (If the previous reviewer is correct on how the cup actually insulates then you can also boil extra water and add it to the mug while your coffee brews!)
4) I use this travel mug just as much at home as I do on the go. When working on projects I put this bad boy on the charging coaster on my desk and my coffee stays at 138 for forever. If their regular mug is more your style then far be it from me to convince you otherwise, but I like that this is more dynamic.
5) I haven’t much tinkered with the app. They’ve made it so easy to control manually, but what tech would be complete without an app? None. You’ve gotta have the app.
6) This is no regular travel mug and isn’t right for everyone. That’s okay. You’re probably not an average joe who tolerates some average joe. You’re likely someone who ended up here because you were genuinely interested in bettering your everyday coffee experience. For you, sir/madam/human this mug, this mug is for you.
My first fear was that I hate drinking coffee from aluminum mugs. I always used ceramic mugs because aluminum makes it taste like tin / metal. But this aluminum mug has a coating of some sort inside which eliminates any metal tasting after taste. The lid is great. Drink from any angle with no worries about having to line up a mouth spout or whatever and inadvertently spilling on yourself. So just as a mug I like it a lot.
For all the gripes about battery life. No, it's not as good as it should be. But easy work around is only use battery when you need to. Right after brewing I don't need the battery, my Joe is warm and tasty as is. Maybe half way through my coffee I feel it could use a warmer upper, so I kick in the battery and when it's at the temp I want it to be then shut the battery off. Repeat again later if necessary. I don't see the need or reason to leave the battery & warmer running perpetually except maybe if outdoors in the cold temps.
If they come out with a V2 of this thing I'd rather see some tactile buttons on it rather than the current config. Holding your finger on the logo to turn on/off has led to a couple of accidental turn ons where I wasn't aware of a finger being on the logo. Changing temps with the scroll wheel then tap to set/hold is a little more involved than it needs to be. it's finicky too, hard to land on the desired temp sometimes. They could easily make physical buttons indented or like little bubble buttons for power and +- temps. I never use the app, the mug is in my hand already so seems easier to just do things that way than fumble to find, open and use an app all the time.
I like it. It's only been 2 weeks that Ive had it, we'll see if it falls apart or not, but I don't understand all the hate. It's super over priced, but all that aside, I've enjoyed it.
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