Nextmug – Temperature-Controlled, Self-Heating Coffee Mug (Spice – 415 mL)

I purchased the Nextmug as a gift for the woman in my life to keep her hot drinks at a consistent temperature during the workday, especially when I’m not able to finish a cup right away.

Intended use:
Maintaining a steady drinking temperature for coffee and tea over extended periods.

Design and build quality:
The mug feels solid and well-made, with a clean, simple design. The charging coaster is compact and easy to place on a desk or counter. The mug sits securely on the base and begins heating automatically when placed on it.

Temperature performance:
The temperature control works as expected, keeping beverages warm without overheating. The preset temperature levels are straightforward to use, and the mug maintains a consistent temperature as long as it remains on the charging base.

Ease of use:
Controls are simple and intuitive. There’s no app required, which makes daily use easier. The mug is also easy to clean, as long as it’s kept out of the dishwasher, per the manufacturer’s instructions.

Limitations:
The mug is able to maintain temperature while off of the charging coaster, but only for about 2-4 hours depending on the temperature setting you’ll be keeping it on, so it’s best suited for desk or countertop use rather than travel. It also requires a bit of care when cleaning due to the built-in electronics suck as making sure it’s dry before placing it on the charger.

Overall experience:
In regular use, the Nextmug has been reliable and does what it’s designed to do—keeping drinks at a comfortable temperature for longer than a standard mug.

Conclusion:
This is a practical option for anyone who wants consistent temperature control for hot beverages while working at a desk or spending time at home.

EDIT: I’ve had the mug about a year now, and I use it daily, all day long!! BUT the internal battery JUST DIED!!! I love this mug, but THERE’S NO WAY TO CHANGE THE BATTERY!!! I won’t be buying another one, ONLY for this reason. If they come up with a mug with a replaceable battery at the same price point, I will consider it. But the way it is, it’s an expensive mug that won’t heat anything. It was fun while it lasted. Now all I have is a working charge plate that can’t charge a dead mug… or anything else. I recommended this mug to lots of people before I realized that it’s a sealed unit. I’m sorry I did that without being able to tell them about the sealed battery.

I won’t change my 4-star rating, because it still applies. I got used to the handle and lid, and it’s a great mug that works fantastically, but now it loses that star for having such a short shelf life. At that price, one year is not long enough, especially when you can’t replace the battery.

All I can say is BUYER BEWARE!! KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU’RE PAYING FOR… and what you’re not paying for. Just be aware. And if you choose to buy one, enjoy it while the battery lasts. I know I enjoyed mine. Just not too happy about the battery situation.

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Original Review:
This is a great mug! It keeps my beverage hot on the lowest setting, and even hotter if I use the lid. The lid took some getting used to, but I really like it. This mug deserves 5 stars, but I only gave it 4 stars, because I have a bit of a complaint about the handle. Yes, it’s big and roomy, but it’s not comfortable. It’s smooth and rounded on the inside, which is good, but it has a thin, sharp edge and the outside is flat. It pinches my hand and makes it a bit difficult to pick up and hold the cup. This might not bother most people, but it really annoys me. If they modify the handle design, it’s definitely worth 5 stars! My only other complaint is the price point. If the mugs ever come down significantly in price, I would consider ordering another, even with the uncomfortable handle, although I hope they modify that part. The mug itself is fantastic, both on and off the charger.

As a previous Ember owner, I’m very impressed with the NextMug.

I decided to try the NextMug mostly because the little prongs on the Ember charge plates kept seizing up needing replacement of the charge coaster. It’s hard to keep them dry all the time since they are always around liquid. Infrequent contact with liquid and the relatively weak springs under each charge contact prong, has resulted in 5 of my charge coasters seizing up over 2.5 years.

I thought the elevated design of the NextMug’s charge plate would result in them being less prone to seizing. We’ll have to see about that over time.

I also, of course, loved the price differential. The NextMug is substantially cheaper than the Ember. I also liked the many colour options. I was, however, concerned that at the lower price the NextMug would be of inferior quality. IT ISN’T.

Indeed I prefer the shape, ‘feel’ and build quality of the NextMug over the Ember. I also prefer the colours. With Ember you can get any colour you want as long as its black or white (or at least that used to be the case). With NextMug you get a terrific rainbow of deep pastel colours to choose from.

I’ve used the NextMug now for 6 months and love it. I like that I can use it/set it up without the need for an app. There is/was little value in the Ember’s app other than being able to see how much battery was left – and it was a rather clunky app. It always takes time to sink up and the only thing I needed it for, the battery level indicator, wasn’t on the home screen. You had to dig down to find it. The NextMug shows you right on the mug what your battery level is.

The ONLY downside to the NextMug is that you have to turn it on. Ya, I know, quality problem to have. But after a couple years of the Ember Mug just turning itself on each morning when I poured coffee into it, I can’t tell you how many times I have forgotten to press the On button on the NextMug to find lukewarm coffee when I take my first sip 20 minute later. That said, when I press the on button the coffee is piping hot again in just a few minutes. I’ve had the NextMug for 6 months now and I still forget to turn it on about half the time. Grrr! Old habits die hard.

My hopes for a better charge plate, so far, have not been realized. About 6 months in the NextMug charge plate had to be replaced. It wasn’t because the prongs seized though. In this case one of the two prongs broke off when I was cleaning it. There was a bit of gunk between the two prongs and I was cleaning it out with my fingernail and one of the prongs sparked and broke off. I wasn’t pushing hard. I was purposely cleaning out the ‘gunk’ because I believe the gunk that had built up over time between the Ember prongs was part of the reason why they ultimately seized up all the time

But the warranty replacement process was simple. All I had to do was email NextMug and ask for a replacement charge plate and they sent it out to me. I didn’t need to show a proof of purchase or a picture of the damaged plate. They took my word for it. Ember also replaced all their broken charge plates (5 in total over the 2 and a half years I used it) within the one year warranty window. (Note: I had to buy two replacement ones of my own during that time after the warranty on the original and a replacement had ended). To replace under warranty, Ember required me (not unreasonably) to show proof of original purchase (a screenshot of my Amazon order) a photo of the damaged plate, and a photo of the serial number on the bottom of the damaged plate before they would send out a replacement. A bit more work than NextMug. That said, the NextMug person said that if I had needed a warranty replacement on the mug itself, then I would have had to have shown proof-of purchase. But not on charge plate warranty claims.

Over the 2 plus years I used the Ember, the inside white coating had worn off making the inside looks really ugly. Also the life of the battery had more than halved. Meaning at the two year point the battery only lasted about 1/3 as long as when new. I’m guessing that the battery life of the NextMug will run down about the same over time too – like all rechargeable batteries do. Since I’ve only had it for 6 months so I can’t compare them. But I also think the build quality and terrific interior coating of the NextMug will outlast that of the Ember. But I won’t know that for sure for another year and a half.

I wish BOTH companies had a little replacement charging nodule that could be swapped out of the charge plate. Maybe send a few extra with each mug because that is clearly the Achilles Heel of both products. The part that consistently failed on the Ember and, so far, has failed once on the NextMug. There would be no need to replace the entire charge coaster and charge cable if that little part that keeps breaking could be easily swapped out. I bet it would also save them a ton on warranty repair costs and shipping for them and such a swappable part would probably add only a $1 to the cost/price of the product.

All in all, for the significant price savings, the build quality and the colour options and terrific customer service, I now recommend the NextMug over the Ember every time.

This mug does exactly what it promises: it keeps my coffee hot for a long time without me having to reheat it. It’s really easy to use, and I like that you can set the temperature right on the mug.

The mug feels solid and well made, and the battery life has been good for my daily use. It looks sleek and modern, and the black design is nice and simple.

A bit pricey, but totally worth it if you’re tired of lukewarm coffee. I use it every day and wouldn’t want to go back to a regular mug.

Amazing! my mother absolutely loves it! I got it as a christmas gift and she adores it. All her coworkers are jealous! LMAO! The battery lasts long, the coffee stays warm (with the hottest settimg she says it gets sometimes TOO hot so perfect for outside weather! the lid is beautiful and helps with traveling. Great cup!