Coffee Cup and Mug Differences Explained (Pros & Cons)

There are two types of people. Some prefer the coffee cup, and some swear by their coffee mug.

As long as there is a place where coffee is poured, there’s always been two equal champions: The coffee cup; delicate, elegant, and more formal, and then there’s the mug; practical, casual, and informal.

We’ve been having some people ask us what exactly the differences are between these two types of coffee vessels. We thought it appropriate to make a list of pros and cons of a cup and mug for our dear readers.

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Coffee Cup

The coffee cup has got some history: They were designed for drinking tea and infusions, therefore the small handle and saucer: So you could drink it hot without having to burn your hand.

As coffee started to become more popular, the teacup adapted to welcome this new drink, and so white porcelain became the go-to material for these cups because they let you appreciate the color of coffee more appropriately.

Pros:

• Sophisticated design.
• Elegant, made to look like a collection piece more than for practical use.
• Perfect for small meals or for having guests over.
• Better for pouring milk (and latte art) than mugs.

Cons:

• Fragile, they break easily.
• They are small, so your drink gets cold very fast.
• Not very useful if you want to take your coffee with you, not made to be portable.

Coffee Mug

The mug, a more recent invention in history, was designed to maximize practicality: It’s sturdy, hard to break, and carries a lot more liquid than the coffee cup.

A mug is what comes to mind when you want to be drinking coffee while doing something else; be it working on your computer, drinking some coffee while you watch TV, etc.

Pros:

• It holds a lot more liquid.
• It keeps warm for longer, better for winter. (and warming up your hands)
• The handle is bigger, so the grip is safer.

Cons:

• Taking too much coffee can be a bad thing.
• It doesn’t go well with small meals or short coffee breaks.

Do you prefer to drink your coffee in a mug, like a cowboy, or would you rather sit down and savor your coffee sip by sip while you read a book at the café? Leave a comment below and let us know.

Thank you for reading! For more related content for all things coffee, check out “Definitive Guide to Removing Coffee Stains with Ease” for a full guide to removing those stains you have on the carpet.

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We’ll brew ya later!! ☕️