Ember Mug
★★★★☆
I’m an avid tea drinker. I get annoyed when my tea gets cold. So, I decided to purchase an Ember mug.
I’ve tried gimmicky ‘cup warmer plates’ before, but those had varying (mostly disappointing) results. I’m assuming everyone has been in “the zone” while working and if something interrupts this “flow-state”, then it’s tough to refocus. The interruption can be something simple – an alert on your phone, a jarring noise, or an unforeseen task that pulls you away. For me, the walk to the microwave to reheat a beverage is the worst of those interruptions. Lol I hate it.
I’d seen the ember mug and thought it was overpriced. That thought hadn’t changed when I decided to purchase it at Target (instant gratification > Amazon). It’s offered different colors; I chose black.
You unbox the cup and plug in the charging plate, easy. The material has a nice finish to it; not glossy and not fully ceramic. It is good. Something too shiny would’ve felt cheap. The status light is invisible when the cup is empty, but subtly turns on when full. The light doesn’t turn or off abruptly. It’s a fuzzy glow without a hard edge. I appreciate the design touch. The handle is an appropriate size and makes the cup easy to hold. Satisfied with it, though I’m sure those with hamburger helper hands might have an issue.
After you set the cup up, there is a corresponding app to download on your iPhone. Initially I thought this was a gimmick, but was pleasantly surprised with the extra functionality offered. The app can set the cup to be whatever temperature you’d like; custom brew temperature presets, idle temperature control, and a beverage based brew timer. Lastly, I had low expectations with the battery-life, but this performed fairly well and kept a charge for about ~3-4 hours. The charging plate is located on my desk anyway so I never run out of battery.
All in all, a good buy.
TL:DR
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• Keeps the drink warm
• Cup looks nice
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It's expensive, even for what it offers. (I like it, but at $129..its a lot for a cup)
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App features are very useful; custom temperature controls, timers, and etc are a big value add.