Not long after the birth of my daughter, I realised that my ability to finish a hot beverage was severely compromised – and, tbh, I was a bit miffed nobody had warned me about it.
Between the constant feeds, nappy changes and having to get a million chores done during her 30-minute naps, I would manage a few sips of my beloved cup of tea, only to remember 45 minutes later that I still had about three-quarters left to drink.
The same would go for coffee. Or any hot beverage for that matter. It became impossible to finish the cup before it had turned stone-cold.
It became a running joke among some of the mums in my NCT Whatsapp group that none of us could finish our hot drinks ’cause babies.
Fast forward to now and I’ve got a toddler, which means when she’s engrossed in a puzzle or removing every single decoration from our Christmas tree (yours too? So fun!), I have slightly more time – about five to 10 minutes – to take a few more sips.
But inevitably, she’ll run over, grab my hand and guide me away from my drink; only for me to become engrossed in playing or setting her up with colouring books, forgetting about the remainder of my drink until half an hour later.
Cold coffee is not the one
Yes, I could probably top it up with hot water or microwave it – but let’s be real, it’s not the same. At this point you might as well just make a new one.
Then I heard about the Ember cup, which is basically a mug (well, more of a tumbler) that keeps your hot drinks warm for a long period of time.
Ember make a couple of different drinking vessels – there are lidless mugs with handles, perfect for the home, but I ended up trying out the newer tumbler because I figured it would be good for when I’m on-the-go, whether dashing my daughter to the park or taking he for a stroll in the buggy.
The tumbler is all black and comes with two lids – one for sipping and a leakproof one for when you’re on the move. I’ll be honest, I tend to just use the leakproof lid if I’m going to work and, if I’m at home, I’ll keep the lid off, ensuring, of course, that the cup is out of reach of tiny fingers.
It also comes with a charging station so once the battery has run out, you can recharge it and go again the next day.
I know it’s only a cup but for someone like me who spends (/wastes) an awful lot of time making hot drinks, and tipping most of them down the sink, the tumbler has been a game-changer. I haven’t wasted a single cup of tea since.
The stainless steel cup keeps drinks warm for up to three hours and you can set the exact drinking temperature (between 50°C-62.5 °C) you’d prefer via an app.
What’s more, the leakproof lid is nice and secure so you don’t have to worry about any spills.
Not gonna lie, I’m pretty useless with technology so I was pleased to see that this mug is very simple to use. You just push a button on the bottom and a light flashes while it heats up.
Then, when you’ve finished drinking, you hold the same button and it turns off.
There are some downsides. Firstly, the price. It’s £199.95 which is expensive – although there are cheaper options available. The Ember Mug 2, for example, is £129.95. It’s definitely a treat purchase but if you’re a prolific tea drinker you’ll get your cost per sip right down.
There’s also nothing quite like sipping a freshly brewed coffee from a ceramic cup. Sipping from a large metallic vessel (basically a heated flask) changes the tasting experience – not a huge amount, but it was noticeable for me. Although less noticeable when sipping tea.
The tumbler comes with two lids and I find the sipping lid to be a bit of a faff to work – it’s also not leakproof so if you’re on the go, you’ll need to take both lids with you.
My partner has also taken to stealing borrowing the cup on the days he’s in work and it’s saved him a fortune as he’s buying far fewer takeaway coffees and it lasts him pretty much all morning. “I’d say it was pretty good overall,” he tells me when I ask him what he thinks.
With another baby on the way, I know this nifty gadget is going to be a life-saver during the depths of January when it’s cold, dark and I need a hug in a mug to keep me going after a night of cluster feeding – and I’d go as far as saying this would make the ideal pressie for any new parent this Christmas.
The Ember Tumbler is available to buy online for £199.95.