Coffee is one of those beverages where the temperature is super important. Hot coffee needs to be HOT, and there is nothing more disappointing than taking a nice sip of coffee in anticipation of warmth and goodness only to be greeted with a lukewarm, bitter liquid.
Some people may like their coffee cooler, but I prefer it to be quite hot – just short of tongue-burning, in fact. For me, the heat and warmth add a whole dimension of flavor.
Sometimes, though, we’re just in too much of a hurry to be able to sit and enjoy coffee, so we have to space out our enjoyment – which is why there are some really neat ways to keep coffee hot. Here are our 10 favorites. There is no right or wrong way here, so if you have an innovation of your own, please feel free to share in the comments.
1. Immersion heater
Immersion heaters are really neat devices that you place inside the liquid you wish to warm up, and in a few minutes, you’ll have a piping hot liquid ready to go. It’s basically a hot water kettle without the kettle – the heating element is portable and you immerse it in the liquid, and then plug it in, let it do its thing until the liquid is hot enough, and you have a warm beverage good to go!
Immersion heaters are actually quite common and there are a lot of defective models out there too, but the way to keep it going as long as possible is:
- Plug it in after fully immersing the coil in the liquid
- Leave it in the liquid for a 20-30 seconds after unplugging so the residual heat can dissipate through the liquid
Most immersion heaters run on AC(wall outlet) power so they’re not something you can take in the car, but because they’re so portable, you can easily use them for traveling. You can use this to heat up the water before brewing, too.
2. Mug warmer
This brilliant design is a little heated plate that you just put your mug on and it heats the mug and liquid through conduction and convection. You can power it with a wall outlet up to 110-120V.
For a desk or kitchen or anywhere at home, it’s brilliant. The continuous heating will make sure you have an evenly heated and consistently warm coffee.
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- ☕3-Temperature Settings: Our electric mug warmer can slow down the cooling speed of hot beverage; You can choose the temperature by touching the “Tempering Button” keeps the liquid temperature to 104℉/40℃ or 131℉/55℃ or 149℉/65℃.
- ☕Automatic Shut Off: This cup warmer with a auto shut off function after working 4 hours. After turning off the coffee warmer, the blue light flashs for a while to remind that the heating plate is still hot.
- ☕Use Suitable Mugs: use a thin-walled, flat or slightly concave-bottomed mug for the best results. This coffee cup warmer suitable for tableware, stainless steel cup, mug, milk box, glass cup and etc.
- ☕Safe & Durable: With high-tech materials make the coffee warmer heat-resistant and fire resistant. Life of up to one hundred thousand hours. The spill-proof design avoids damage and makes cleaning a breeze.
- ☕Best Gift Choice: Beautiful and compact design, keep the beverages warm all day long, it's a great gift for lover, dad, mom, wife, husband and all your loved ones on Valentine's day, Thanksgiving and Christmas, and other special occasions to show you care.
3. Heated Travel Mug
A heated travel mug is a great combination of the mug and heater listed in number two. This brilliant design is a standard coffee travel mug except it has a little plug in it. Plug it in, and the heater turns on and warms up the coffee(or any beverage). It comes with a USB plug and a car adapter.
The brilliance of a heated travel mug is that there is already built-in insulation. So if you pour hot coffee and take it on the go, you may not need to plug it in unless it has been a very long time.
- Size: 16 oz., Available in Red
- Double insulated Stainless Steel Mug
- Spill proof lid, Soft rubberized finish, Soft grip rugged handle
- Includes one USB plug for your desktop & one 12V plug for the car
- Plugs into your USB port or 12V auto adapter… keeps your coffee steaming while you work or drive
4. Car warmer
If you like to get your coffee from your favorite coffee joint, you can keep it warm with this portable car warmer for take out coffee. This is the most spill-proof and car friendly option on this entire list. It can fit into the existing cup holder or also double as a cup holder(though you’ll have to find some place to secure it) and it plugs into the car’s DC outlet.
- Safe for disposable cups, similarly-shaped porcelain travel mugs, styrofoam, plastic and metal cups
- Keeps all beverages hot and tasty
- Precision temperature heater adjusts output as needed
- Automatically turns on when cup is inserted and shuts off when cup is removed
- Wipe clean
5. Thermos
How can we write about keeping beverages hot and forget the good ol’ thermos? Built to keep liquids warm for up to 24 hours, thermoses are the perfect way to keep a lot of coffee warm. The options we listed above are only for single servings, but you can get a thermos in a variety of sizes(the one below is 40 ounces), so if a lot of people need hot coffee at once, thermoses are your best friend. Plus there is no hassle of electronics or anything.
- Made with Thermos patented vacuum insulation for maximum temperature retention, hot or cold
- Designed to keep liquids hot for 24 hours, and cold for 24 hours
- Durable stainless-steel interior and exterior keep bottle cool to touch with hot liquids and sweat proof with cold liquids
- Lid doubles as insulated serving cup; twist and pour function allows you to pour without moving the stopper
- With an ample 40-ounce capacity, the bottle offers plenty of sustenance on the go
6. Cozy
A more traditional way of keeping coffee and other beverages hot is by using a simple cozy. This little insulator will just wrap around your mug and prevent the heat from escaping quite as quickly. Another neat cozy-related tip is to cover your glass french press in a cozy so the coffee stays warmer as it brews.
- Quality ceramic mug
- Removable balaclava (remove before washing)
- Balaclava keeps drinks hot longer
- Dishwasher safe
- Measures 3.15-Inch tall by 3.74-Inch tall by 4.33-Inch wide
7. Using a warm mug
If you just need to keep your coffee hot for a little longer than usual, then you can just warm your mug before filling it with coffee. This will prevent the liquid from losing heat to the mug itself, so it won’t cool as quickly. This tip is not quite as useful for keeping coffee hotter for longer, but it’s a good way to boost the warmth for a short time.
To warm up your mug, just pop it into the microwave for 30 seconds to one minute. The mug will be hot when you take it out, so be careful. Then just pour your coffee into the mug and enjoy.
You can also zap coffee in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds to warm it up, too.
8. Candle Warmers
These are essentially the same as mug warmers, except they’re meant to be used with scented candles. However, the heating principle is the same so you can really use these too if you’re unable to find a mug warmer.
- IT STARTED WITH THE ORIGINAL - Improving upon the original candle warmer that started it all, the new Original Candle Warmer melts scented candles from the bottom up releasing the candle’s fragrance; It ensures to melt your favorite scented candles and provide your home an aromatic atmoshphere
- FITS LARGE AND SMALL CANDLES - The new larger hot plate design fits most of your favorite scented candles; Enjoy your favorite scents in different sizes with the Original Candle Warmer
- SAFE AND SECURE - Eliminates fire hazard, smoke damage, and indoor pollution caused by burning candles indoors; Enjoy a scented home with peace of mind
- ON AND OFF SWITCH - On/Off switch with light indicator indicates when warmer is on; Because safety is always a priority, this warmer is designed with your protection in mind
- NO OVERHEATING - Heat vents disperses heat out and away from the warmers base to prevent overheating; No more worrying if you left the device switched on the whole night
9. Heating pad
If all else fails(as in nothing else is available) you may have a heating pad lying around at home or at work. These are usually used to soothe aches and pains but if your ache or pain is a hankering for warm coffee you can use the heating element of the pad and just place a mug of coffee on top of it. The heating pad will transfer heat into the mug – for a quicker job, try to wrap the sides of the mug with a bit of the heating pad, too.
- SOOTHE ACHES WITH FAST HEAT THERAPY: XpressHeat heats up the pad in 30 seconds (3 times faster than standard heating pads) so you get relief fast. Power: 180 Watts
- EASY TO USE WITH CONVENIENT FEATURES: Easy-to-operate digital LED controller lets you switch between 6 personalized heat settings; select-hour auto-shutoff feature helps you conserve energy and prevents excessive heating
- SOFT AND EASY-CARE: Easy-care, machine-washable fabric pad in luxurious microplush offers maximum comfort for daily use. Make sure pad is not folded or bunched up in any area
- PLENTY OF COVERAGE: King-size pad measures 12" x 24" to cover larger areas that need relief, including spine, legs, and across the shoulders; also features an extra-long 9-foot power cord
- DURABLE FOR YEARS OF USE: 5-year limited warranty
10. Styrofoam
Finally, the least preferable option – when all else fails – is a styrofoam cup. These are not particularly good for the environment, but they do retain heat very well, so desperate times may have to call for desperate measures.
Conclusion
As I said in the beginning of the post, these are just 10 suggestions – there are numerous ways you can keep coffee hot, but these just happen to be our favorites.
If you have another method you prefer to use please share in the comments!
The important thing, after all, is that everyone has access to hot coffee wherever and whenever they need it!
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Last update on 2020-05-30 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API