Cold Teacher & Mom Coffee Solved: The Ember Mug

Every year around the holidays, I get a TON of Starbucks gift cards from students. They add up; if I stick with my usual grande iced coffee in a Venti cup, unsweetened with almond milk, I usually could go to Starbucks for about a week or two.

This school year, it meant I could go everyday, including weekends, for about two MONTHS. I save the cards and usually get myself a nice travel mug, but this year, I wanted to try something different: the Ember Mug.
The Ember website had a store locator and saw that they sold it at the Starbucks by the mall near me. It was a no brainer; this year my students got me the Ember Mug!

The premise of the Ember mug is to keep your coffee piping hot at the ideal temperature; it connects to your phone via Bluetooth and you can control it from there, or use one of the presets.

It also has a timer for tea steeping that is dependent on the type of tea and presets for other hot drinks. I keep it at work since I am there so much during the week; after 1PM I cannot have coffee or tea because then it keeps me awake at night.

My students have noticed me using it in class and ask what the heck it is; when I explain it to them, tons of them go, "Oh my mom would love that!"

I am glad that I waited awhile before writing this review of it because I definitely put it through its paces. Here are my thoughts about the mug after using it in the classroom for about two months:

Gandalf "protects" the coffee machine - a student gave me that FunkoPop!

PROS:

1) The app is pretty easy to use; I had no problems setting up my mug with the Bluetooth, and I had a lot of fun playing around with the settings and customizing it to my needs. It updates with no problem from the App Store, and keeps the software in the mug itself updated. I have had no problems with syncing or controlling it, and I can also use my Apple Watch to control it too.

2) It does what it is designed to do. I like that it has some heft to it because it is sturdy, and it keeps my coffee hot. Like freshly made from the pot hot. I love this mug so much because there is just something about taking that first piping hot sip and just feeling rejuvenated. Or is it just me? Anyone else share that same sensation?

3) Versatility. You do not need to be a coffee drinker for this, and I like that it does go into more specifics on the app for optimal steeping for tea - there are different presets for green or black tea for example, and an alarm for those different types of teas to optimize steeping.

4) Customer service is top notch. I noticed this past week that my mug wasn't charging as effectively as it should and then on Friday, it wasn't charging at all. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that one of the charging pins was recessed; I put in a support request and saw that "recessed pins" was an option, so I am assuming this is a common issue. They responded so quickly and efficiently; within an hour I had submitted photos of the charging coaster and confirmation that I am getting a free replacement.

CONS:

1) This is more a cosmetic thing: the plug is too big. If I want my Nespresso machine and my frother plugged into the surge protector I have, I can't have the Ember plugged in at the same time because the plug is this large box, so I can only use 2 of the 3 outlets at a time. Since I do not use my frother as much at work (only when I need it), I keep the Nespresso and Ember plugged in 95% of the time together.

That being said, it does charge up pretty quickly - I usually keep it unplugged at night, and when I get to work by 6:30AM, I plug it in and its ready by the time I am done with the coffee from my travel mug (between 8-9AM, depending on how busy I get teaching).

2) You have to be careful when washing it. Both the mug and the Travel Mug are submersible up to 1 meter, but I try and keep the water from not touching the charging rings at the bottom, and I learned that I need to use a cloth towel, not paper towels to get it really dry. I have a small legion of students that help me keep my room tidy in the mornings and do things like wash my coffee mugs and milk frother (they get candy in exchange), but I do not let them touch this mug.

3) I wish it held a longer charge. If you keep it on the coaster, obviously it stays charged longer (only at the current charge if there is liquid in it), but I move around my room a lot while I teach, so the cup moves with me.

Either it's because my coaster stopped working, or I need to really time it more, but I feel like it doesn't hold a long enough charge. So if you are the type that has this in a work environment where you are at your desk most of the time, this is not a problem.

4) Price point. It's an expensive mug; this is a mug that is definitely intended for a gift, and I would not have gotten this mug on a regular day. It definitely falls under the category of "Smart Tech That I Do Not Need, But It Is So Cool." That being said, this would make a PERFECT gift for a teacher if a bunch of families go in on it either for the holidays (or if you end up with a ton of Starbucks gift cards) or at the end of the year, for Mother's Day or for a holiday gift, especially if the recipient is a copious coffee or tea drinker and suffers from cold coffee syndrome.

Overall, I would highly recommend this mug if you are in the market for something that goes beyond your standard insulated travel mug or cup, and definitely experience cold coffee syndrome. Ember does have its version of a travel mug, and I would LOVE to try that one next (maybe next holiday season? If I am so lucky in the gift card department)!

I think it makes a really great gift. I am very lucky this year to have such an amazing group of students, and its nice to think that I will remember them every time I take a sip out of the Ember mug, because I definitely need good hot coffee to keep up with my seventh graders.