The Best Ceramic Coffee Mugs
Find the best ceramic coffee cups out there, chosen by our coffee professionals.
I’m telling you now, coffee just tastes better when it’s served in a beautiful cup.
Whether you’re a flat white sipper or an espresso downer speciality coffee deserves more than a white porcelain coffee mug.
Visiting coffee shops has become more of an obsession than a hobby of mine over the last few years.
I’m lucky enough to have visited many countries around the world and in each place, I always try to hunt down the best coffee in town.
| Rank | Coffee Mug Brand | Catagory |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Woven Rosa - Parasol | Best Overall Ceramic Mug |
| 2 | Kinto - Slow Coffee Style | Best Ceramic Mug For Filter |
| 3 | Loveramics - Tulip | Best Ceramic Mug For Flat Whites |
| 4 | Kinto - Ceramic Lab | Best Neutral Coloured Cups |
| 5 | HK Living | Best Colourful Cups |
| 6 | Le Cafetière - Barcelona | Best Robust Ceramic Cups |
| 7 | Fellow - Joey | Best Coffee Mugs For Lattes |
| 8 | Kinto - SCS Stacking Mug | Best Coffee Mug For a Cafe |
| 9 | Jord | Best Coffee Mug For Cappucinos |
| 10 | Le Creuset | Best Ceramic Cups For a Set |
| 11 | SGW Lab | Best Bright Coloured Ceramic Mugs |
I am admittedly a bit of a coffee snob (in a nice way - I’ll still be polite and compliment people on how great their instant coffee is) with that I can ‘usually’ tell by looking through a coffee shop window how good the coffee is going to be.
There are a couple of giveaways; the coffee machine they are using is a big sign of how serious they are taking the coffee as well as any sign of speciality coffee bags.
But a sure sign that my coffee taste buds are going to be quenched is a cafe’s choice of coffee cups.
Often, when you’re purchasing coffee mugs online it's hard to visualize how big they are and how much coffee they are able to hold.
Here are a few dimensions with some rough estimates of volume (the material and shape can change the volume):
So if you appreciate the chalice in which to enjoy your coffee like me or maybe you’re in the market for a coffee related gift, then take a look at some of my favourites ceramic coffee mugs below.
Why Trust Me?
Top 11 Coffee Mugs UK
Find below our favourite ceramic coffee cups. If you think one is missing please leave a comment below.
1. Woven Rosa - Parasol Collection
Material: Ceramic
Diameter/Height: 70mm/80mm
Capacity: 235ml
Colours: Purple&Green, Pink&Red, Blue, Orange&Yellow.
Inspired by the dynamic and colourful Spanish coast of Valencia, where the cups are handmade in a small family-run ceramics workshop.
The warm shades mirroring the striped umbrellas that line the beaches. A cup to to be enjoyed at your leisure, all year round.
Designed to bring sunshine & pleasure to your morning coffee, the ParaSol Collection embraces the simple joys of Spanish life.
2. Kinto - Slow Coffee Style
Material: Porcelain
Diameter/Height: 75mm/80mm
Capacity: 320ml
Colours: White, Pink, Green, Navy, Brown.
Japan-based brand Kinto find inspiration and ideas for their products from everyday life, drawing from personal experiences and joyful moments to create lifestyle products in many forms and materials.
Kinto values simplicity and usability as well as a sprinkle of good aesthetics. Their range of porcelain mugs come in a variety of shapes and sizes each one differing slightly from the last.
Like the look of Kinto? Check out:
3. Loveramics - Tulip
Material: Porcelain
Diameter/Height: 60mm/60mm, 80mm/75mm, 90mm/90mm
Capacity: 80ml, 180ml, 280ml
Colours: White, Black, Brown, Denim, Red, Yellow, Teal, Mint, River Blue
Loveramics specialise in speciality coffee and tea ceramics with a range of pour-over equipment and tea infusing pots.
The coffee cups that they showcase start with bold coloured cappuccino cups through to the beautiful pastel green ceramic cups without a handle.
With a capacity of just under 8oz which is roughly a small takeaway coffee, it makes the perfect size for your morning flat white or filter.
Love the look of Loveramics?
4. Kinto - Ceramic Lab
Material: Porcelain
Diameter/Height: 60mm/75mm
Capacity: 180ml
Colours: Beige
The second Kinto Cup is the Ceramic lab.
The combination of a matte glaze with a rough clay textured base gives Ceramic lab products a look and feel that immediately stands out in any coffee shop or home, with the added benefit that these coffee mugs can be stacked when not in use.
Why not serve on top of the matching CLK teapot, which warms the cup, keeping tea hotter for longer?
Like the look of Monoware?
5. HK Living
Material: Stoneware
Diameter/Height: 75mm/80mm
Capacity: 180ml
Colours: All the Colours.
The dutch based HKliving are responsible for creating some of the most amazing ceramic coffee cups on the market. The 70’s themed coffee mugs have a great feel to them, they are all finished by hand so each one is slightly different from the rest.
They make the perfect size coffee cup for a flat white or to accompany a coffee server if you own a drip coffee machine.
The handmade ceramic coffee cups come in a variety of styles and themes.
Like the look of HK Living?
6. Le Cafetière - Barcelona
Material: Ceramic
Diameter/Height: 90mm/100mm
Capacity: 450ml
Colours: White with Blue, Grey or Yellow.
The Barcelona collection from La Cafetiere is designed for relaxed moments to enjoy flavourful and richly brewed drinks with it’s low maintenance, durable ceramic design & smart-casual style. Their range of coffee equipment brew some of the best coffee for cafetieres in the UK.
Embracing the rich colours, cool style and laid back nature of its namesake, the Barcelona collection can be coordinated or mixed and matched.
The coffee mugs and saucers are microwave and dishwasher safe.
Like the look of La Cafetière?
7. Fellow - Joey
Material: Ceramic and Copper
Diameter/Height: 100mm/95mm
Capacity: 240ml
Colours: White, Black.
The Joey by Fellow is a pretty unique mug as it has two walls that acts like a thermos keeping the brew warm and stopping your hands from burning.
The slick ceramics combined with the copper gives the Joey something else to stand out from the crowd.
They also come in three different sizes, from small espresso coffee cups to larger latte mugs so you can cater for all of your guests' coffee orders.
Like the look of Fellow?
8. Kinto - SCS Stacking Mug
Material: Porcelain
Diameter/Height: 85mm/90mm
Capacity: 320ml
Colours: Grey, White, Orange, Navy
Kinto are a killing it in the speciality coffee mug scene. Their style and functionality can be seen in coffee shops throughout the world.
The combination of a matte glaze with the smooth clay texture gives SCS Stacking mugs a look and feel that immediately stands out.
Stacking different coloured mugs together is great for saving space and creates an eye catching visual on any counter top
Like the look of Kinto SCS Stacking Mug?
9. Jord
Material: Stoneware
Diameter/Height: 90mm/80mm
Capacity: 375ml
Colours: Natural Sand.
The Jord natural sand coloured stoneware mugs are part of a Scandinavian tableware range that oozes great design.
The stoneware coffee cup has a slightly wonky appearance that adds to its overall character. The textured stone finish makes it a must for anyone who appreciates Scandinavian themed homeware and handmade ceramic mugs.
Like the look of Jord?
10. Le Creuset
Material: Glazed Porcelain
Diameter/Height: 91mm/94mm
Capacity: 350ml
Colours: Lots of Bold Colours.
Le Creuset is a legend in the kitchenware department. Their red stoneware pots are synonymous with quality and have been gracing hobs around the world for years.
One of the best things about preparing a meal in a Le Creuset pot is that the stoneware material retains so much heat during cooking the food stays warm for much longer.
This is the case for their stoneware coffee mug sets. If you preheat these guys before you pour in your coffee, the brew will stay warm much longer than when consumed in a regular coffee cup.
The dense stoneware is crafted with specialist clays and later enamelled with their host of bright bold glazes resulting in a robust, designer mugs.
Like the look of Le Creuset?
11. SGW Lab
Material: Glazed Porcelain
Diameter/Height: 90mm/100mm
Capacity: 380ml
Colours: Lots of Bright Funky Colours.
Artist Yuta Segawa founded SGW lab in 2018, since then the ceramics studio that is based in London has been producing some of the most eye-catching tableware in the UK.
The spectacular array of colours in all the ceramics that these guys produce are like nothing else. The unique colours alongside their slick, ergonomic feel make these a pretty cool handmade coffee mug for your home.
Like the look of SGW Lab? Check out more styles at Trouva.com
Is a Ceramic Mug Microwave Safe?
Yes, ceramic cups are microwave safe. Obviously making sure that there are no metallic rims to the cup.
We would also advise that you consumed coffee immediately after it is brewed as that is when the flavours are at their best. Reheating coffee in the microwave may result in a flat-tasting coffee. Try using a thermos if the coffee goes cold before are able to consume it. Read more about how long coffee stays fresh for.
Is a Ceramic Mug Dishwasher Safe?
Some are dishwasher safe and some are not. Always check if the cup has a dishwasher symbol on the bottom then you’re good to go.
What is a Ceramic Coffee Cup Made From?
Ceramics is the term used to describe any product that is made from non metallic materials by firing at high temperatures. This includes earthenware, porcelain or brick.
Colloquially, we refer to ceramic cups as any kind of clay product that isn’t porcelain so the definition does become a little grey.
Where Can I Buy a Ceramic Mug?
Ceramics can be purchased from many online independent shops. Check out the range of cups that we love above.
There are so many up and coming ceramicists today, much like the specialty coffee industry where small micro coffee roasters are popping up around the UK it’s great to support local and seek out talented crafts people.
What Size Ceramic Coffee Mug is Best?
It depends on the type of coffee you would normally drink and the amount of coffee that you drink at once.
If you are an espresso drinker or prefer shorter milk based coffees such as traditional Macchiatos, then a small ceramic cup would be more appropriate like a 50ml - 150ml or 2oz - 5oz.
If you prefer flat whites or maybe a filter coffee that you would decant from server then ceramic mugs that hold volumes from 150ml - 300ml or 5oz - 10oz.
If you like a large mugs that hold a lot of coffee then opt for ones that hold over 300ml.
Are Ceramic Mugs Good For Coffee?
Ceramic mugs are the perfect material for coffee. They not only keep the coffee warmer than most other materials but they also are ergonomically superior to most other styles of coffee mug.
What Keeps Coffee Hotter Glass Or Ceramic?
Generally speaking ceramic mugs will hold the heat of coffee longer than glass mugs. This is because of two main reasons.
Firstly ceramics are more porous than glass, which means that they retain the heat of the coffee.
Secondly, ceramics are generally thicker walled and heavier than their glass counterpart. This means that the heat will be retained for a longer period in a heavier ceramic coffee mug.
What Colour Mug Makes Coffee Taste Better?
There is no litoral answer to which colour will make your coffee taste better. However from a psychological stand point certain colours may trigger reactions in your brain that can alter the way we taste.
In a professional coffee cupping (coffee tasting) the cups are white. This helps the taster to firstly distinguish the colour of the coffee (whether it is a dark or a light roast) which may lead to certain preconceptions of how the coffee will taste.
What Is The Best Brand For Coffee Cups?
There are many brands of coffee cups in the UK. We would always suggest supporting independent brands, especially when there are so many to choose from. Take a look at our list of the best ceramic coffee cups above for some inspiration.
What Is The Difference Between Porcelain And Ceramic Mugs?
Ceramics is actually the umbrella term for many other types of coffee cups such as pottery, stoneware, earthenware and porcelain. So essentially porcelain are ceramics.
However, porcelain is generally made with thin walls and the overall weight of the cup is much lighter resulting in a more fragile coffee cup.
A ceramic mug is heavier and the walls thicker, a much more robust feeling coffee mug that can come in many colours.
