There's a lot of tech that solves problems that don't exist – however this isn't that. This mug from Feppo is one of those little products that makes things easier – especially if you get interrupted right when you've made yourself a coffee or tea.
As someone easily distracted, it's pretty common for me to let any hot beverage go from "needs to cool down" to "tap-water cold" even when it's sitting right next to me as I work or read (I usually then still drink it, although not that happily). The Feppo is here to solve this problem, keeping drinks warm for as long as you happen to be away from them. And a long cable to the coaster it rests on means it's pretty convenient to plug in and have it sit on your work desk or coffee table ready for use.
Build-wise, the mug is large, has a titanium-coated ceramic lined interior and BPA-free exterior, with an ergonomic handle that never heats up. The outside body of the mug remains fine to touch even when there's piping-hot liquid inside. It's also 50% less weighty than glass, and is surprisingly light even when full. The wood-finished lid sits satisfyingly on top and while you obviously can't turn it upside down, it is spill-resistant for carrying around and travel. It also has a pleasant curved edge that makes drinking from it enjoyable without it feeling like a tinny camping mug.
The Feppo mug is also plug-and-play, with its coaster – which plugs into the power source – offering heating no matter what angle you place the mug on it. I found this out only after trying to position the base on the metal points sticking up from the coaster's surface. So there's no need to fiddle with it to click it into place; just drop it down on the coaster and it'll do its job.
It's not designed to boil your drink, but keep it at a pleasant temperature for however long you need. Simply place it on the coaster, press the plush circle sensor near the base, and use the longer sensor buttons either side of it to move the temperature scale. The hottest it'll heat to is 150 °F (65.5 °C). Unlike many heating mugs, it has an in-built 2600-mAh battery in the base that will heat your coffee or tea when it's not on the coaster. The temperature readout is clearly displayed – I'm currently watching the numbers climb steadily to the 130 °F (54.5 °C) that I set it at while on the coaster.
Out of the box the battery was also at near full charge, so you can start using it straight away. That said, I made a mistake, thinking my full hot tea on the coaster would keep it warm. I'd exceeded the safe temperature for reheating, so ended up with flashing zeroes and a beep if I tried to adjust it. So, as I learned quickly, only put drinks already below what feels like 150 °F (65.5 °C) on the coaster. In other words, if it's almost too hot to drink, you don't need to heat it up with the Feppo. If this happens, make sure the mug is completely chilled again and place on the coaster with lukewarm coffee or tea and it'll work as designed.
The Feppo mug is on sale for US$75.99 through the company's store, or Amazon, where New Atlas readers can get a 10% discount by using the code 3NVGJC7F.
Product page: Feppo
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