Ember Tumbler Review – An insanely expensive but amazing heated smart coffee travel cup

I have previously received the metallic Ember Mug 2, which is undeniably an overpriced luxury, but I absolutely loved it and still use it every day.

The new Ember Tumbler is the largest Ember mug yet and is designed to be the perfect travel companion for anyone who loves coffee or tea, if you insist.

Features

• Capacity: 16 oz / 473 ml
• Temperature Range : 50°C – 62.5 °C (120°F – 145°F). Select your temperature with the Ember app.
• Built-In Battery: 3 hours or all day when placed on a charging coaster.
• Smart LED: Indicates when the beverage has reached its perfect temperature and more.
• Auto Sleep: Intelligently senses when to turn on and off.

Design

The Ember Tumbler comes in one colour, black, and it is not as aesthetically pleasing as my metallic Mug 2.

The black finish is matte and doesn’t seem to get marked by fingerprints, nor is it slippy when holding it.

You get two lids. A thick screw-on lid is ideal for transport, and it appears to be better insulated. Then, a thinner push-down lid with a slotted slipping hole.

The rest of the design is similar to the Mug 2. You have the same notification LED at the base, which will let you know if it is heating, charging, or the battery low.

Then, the thick base contains the heating components and metal rings for charging.

Battery & Charging

Ember states the tumbler has a 3-hour battery life, or all day if you place it back on its coaster.

The coaster is redesigned to be smaller and thinner than previous models, but it is still the same two-pin conductive charging used on the other devices, and it is compatible with all the other devices. It is just the outer rim that’s smaller, not the section that you place the mug/tumbler into.

I have seen some criticism of the coaster online. It seems to be the thing that people dislike the most. Many people claim the coaster will fail at some point. I can’t say I have had a problem with it, I have used it for two years every day and my charger still works fine.

It would be good if they had QI wireless charging and switched out the DC barrel for USB-C, giving you more flexibility on charging your Ember.

App

Similar to the Mug 2, you can connect to the Tumbler via Bluetooth and control the temperature settings.

The initial pairing process requires you to hold down the button on the base of the Tumbler and then pair it up through the app. You should then be able to reconnect any time you want.

The app has dreadful reviews online, but I have had no issues with connecting at all with my Pixel 8 Pro.

However, the app is largely redundant for my needs. The Tumbler is set to 55°C by default for coffee. But if you are a tea drinker or have a specific preference, then you can easily customise it.

Performance vs Ember Mug 2

My morning coffee is an essential part of my daily and unorthodox routine. I wake up naturally at 3 a.m. and will start work immediately. I have a Melitta filter coffee machine that is set to brew my coffee for when I wake up, so there is no unnecessary waiting around. I then spend the next few hours chugging away the full flask as I get through as much work as possible in the morning before I lose concentration. In hindsight, considering my addiction to coffee and the need to stick to a strict schedule just so I can function properly, it is no surprise that I am now diagnosed with ADHD.

Throughout the morning, I inevitably get distracted with my work and forget about my coffee until it is ice cold. Having to schlepp downstairs to microwave my coffee is one of my biggest pet peeves and such a waste of time. I even moved my Melitta after realising it was a waste of time walking down to the kitchen just to get my jug of coffee.

This is why I love the Ember Mug 2. It saves the horrendous disappointment of taking a sip of cold coffee and probably saves me hours per year of microwaving my coffee. Therefore, technically, it is good value for money.

Originally, I wasn’t keen on the 295ml capacity of my Mug, as I prefer a big cup, but it ended up working well, meaning the cup is not warming my coffee for an unnecessary amount of time.

The Mug 2 still often run out of battery because I stupidly never place it back on its charging pad.

The Ember Tumbler may designed more towards drinking on the go, such as the commute to work, but my commute is moving to the room next to my bedroom. Therefore, I have solely used it in my office.  

While it is not as aesthetically pleasing as my copper-coloured Mug 2, I was excited at the prospect of being able to keep my brew warm for an even longer period of time.

I use the Tumbler with the sipping lid, which hopefully reduces the heat loss. Admittedly, I prefer the mouth feel of drinking out of my mug, but this is a sacrifice worth making for hot coffee.

The performance has been excellent. I haven’t timed it specifically, but it does easily outlast my Mug 2.

My Melitta doesn’t keep the coffee hot-hot for more than a few hours, so after a while, when I refill the Tumbler, it has to warm the coffee up, and it has done a good job of this, only taking a few minutes for significant improvement in temperature.

The sipping lid is good for preventing the inevitable spillages on a commute, but it doesn’t completely seal the unit. I know this by turning it upside down and immediately regretting it. The screw lid works well, but I haven’t had much need for it.

I saw an alternative but similar viewpoint praising Ember on Reddit that I think is worth highlighting. My style of coffee drinking is likely offensive to coffee snobs, but if you are particular about having the best coffee possible, then Ember is ideal.

The example I read was that the person loved coffee and needed to drink it at the ideal temperature. Too hot, and you don’t get the best experience. He would, therefore, make the coffee and wait for it to cool down to the ideal temperature, but once that temperature was hit, he would have to drink it fast, or it would end up cold.

Using the Ember at a set temperature allowed him to wait for the coffee to cool down to the desired temperature, but then he had a much larger winder to enjoy his coffee at the perfect temperature.

Price and Alternative Options

The Ember Tumbler has an RRP of £200 / $200 with a capacity of 473 ml with a 3-hour battery life.

The existing Ember Travel Mug 2+ has a capacity of 355ml with a 3-hour battery life and on-device controls with a temperature display. This is also priced at £200.

The Ember Mug 2 is priced at £150 for the 414 ml with an 80-minute battery life. Or the 295ml model with a 90-minute battery life is £130.

I know a lot of coffee aficionados like the Yeti range of products; these are not smart and are just high-performance thermos flasks. They have the Rambler tumbler with 592ml of storage that will keep coffee warm for hours. This is priced at just £30.

Overall

As someone who puts a lot of emphasis on value for money in my reviews, I should be a lot more critical of Ember than I am. Spending £200 on a smart heating coffee cup sounds insane. Yet I absolutely love it.

The fact that there are no good like-for-like alternative options helps justify the high price tag.

To try and provide a balanced point of view, depending on your scenario, something like the Yeti Rambler may make a more logical choice, it will keep a drink warm for hours. I have not used one, but I would assume if you were actively drinking from it, the cool-down time would be much quicker. Alternatively, it will keep a drink like coffee too hot for too long.

I also feel like Ember could extend the performance of the Tumbler by making it better insulated. The current double-walled design looks quite thin.

I had planned to give the Tumbler to my partner as she commutes to her work, but I am now unsure if I am capable of being that generous.

Just like the Mug 2, I am not suggesting everyone runs out and buys the Embler Tumbler, but for those of you who love coffee, or waste a lot of time reheating coffee, it is a luxury item that you will certainly love.

With Christmas approaching, it would make a perfect gift.

James Smythe( Editor-in-chief )

I am James, a UK-based tech enthusiast and the Editor and Owner of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Passionate about all things technology, my expertise spans from computers and networking to mobile, wearables, and smart home devices.

As a fitness fanatic who loves running and cycling, I also have a keen interest in fitness-related technology, and I take every opportunity to cover this niche on my blog. My diverse interests allow me to bring a unique perspective to tech blogging, merging lifestyle, fitness, and the latest tech trends.

In my academic pursuits, I earned a BSc in Information Systems Design from UCLAN, before advancing my learning with a Master’s Degree in Computing. This advanced study also included Cisco CCNA accreditation, further demonstrating my commitment to understanding and staying ahead of the technology curve.

I’m proud to share that Vuelio has consistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of the top technology blogs in the UK. With my dedication to technology and drive to share my insights, I aim to continue providing my readers with engaging and informative content.