Best reusable coffee cups to buy this year

You've all seen the Blue Planet footage and Greta Thunberg speeches (if not, where have you been?). Single-use materials, such as paper cups, are clogging up our landfill and our oceans.

But just because your favourite coffee shop's cups are bad for the environment, doesn't mean you should be deprived of your morning caffeine. While thermos flasks and reusable water bottles can also do the job of carrying hot liquids, thermoses can be a bit bulky if all you want is a cup of joe, and drinking coffee from a bottle seems all kinds of wrong to us.

Enter the reusable coffee cup - a more sturdy version of the standard takeaway cup and often more aesthetically pleasing too.

Alongside the environmental benefits, lots of coffee chains also offer money off if you bring your own cup. Discounts range from 20 to 25p (Greggs, Starbucks and Costa Coffee) to 50p in Pret a Manger and Paul. Caffè Nero also offers double rewards on its loyalty card stamp system.

So there are plenty of good reasons to invest in a reusable coffee cup. Now all you need to do is find the right model for you.

We’ve scoured the Mumsnet forums and other expert reviews sites for the best reusable coffee cups on the market now, in various materials, styles and sizes.

1. Best reusable coffee cup: KeepCup Original 12oz Reusable Coffee Cup

Price: £11 | Buy now from Amazon

“For looks, you can't beat a choose-your-own-colours KeepCup. But think of them as replacing the disposable cup you get from a coffee shop, i.e they're not leakproof or insulated.” Cordillera

Australian brand KeepCup is one of the most iconic reusable coffee cups out there. Its original silicone cup is practically bomb-proof and really lightweight, making it a great choice for a commute to work. You can simply reseal it to prevent leaks and throw it in your bag when you’ve finished your coffee.

KeepCups are really easy to take apart and clean, and the resealable lid is easy to work if you’re driving or walking and don’t want to risk a spill. We love the huge array of colours on offer and it's pretty good value too. You’ll make your money back on it in savings at Pret within a month.

Key specs

• Volume: 12oz (370ml), but available in other sizes too

• Weight: Not listed

• Material: Silicone/polypropolene

• Resealable lid: Yes

• Dishwasher-safe: Yes (on top shelf)

• Microwave-safe: Yes, excluding the lid

2. Best budget reusable coffee cup: Circular & Co Now Cup

Price: £4.95 | Buy now from Amazon

At less than a fiver, we’ve spent more money on a coffee in a throwaway cup, so this reusable version from Circular & Co is a pleasant surprise, and should last five years of daily coffee consumption.

Made from recycled single-use cups (and it can itself be recycled at the end of its life too), the Circular & Co model is insulated to keep your drink warmer and has a snap-on lid to prevent spills. The lid comes in three fancy colours and, at this price, you could have all three.

Key specs

• Volume: 12oz (340ml)

• Weight: 210g

• Material: Melamine and paper

• Resealable lid: No, but it is splash-proof

• Dishwasher-safe: Yes

• Microwave-safe: No

3. Best reusable glass coffee cup: KeepCup Cork Brew Reusable 12oz Glass Coffee Cup

Price: £22 | Buy now from John Lewis & Partners

“KeepCups are great. I have a glass one, but you can mix and match the different components to be as bright or as understated as you like. I've had mine a year now and it's dishwasher-safe and doesn't leak. You can also buy replacement seals, instead of replacing the whole cup, should you need to, so they are good value and less wasteful too.” GlossyGlossy

KeepCups are the original barista-standard reusable coffee cup and this durable glass version is also made with non-toxic plastic which is free of both BPA and BPS (chemical compounds commonly used to make plastics, which could have long-term health effects).

The glass KeepCup is easy to clean – just put it on the top shelf of the dishwasher – and, with the lid off, the cup can be heated to 110°C. The range also has a wide array of colours and styles which you can mix and match as you wish. And, when your cup eventually does wear out, the cup, lid and lid plug are all recyclable.

Key specs

• Volume: 12oz/340ml

• Weight: 272g

• Material: Glass, cork and BPA-free plastic

• Resealable lid: Yes

• Dishwasher-safe: Glass cup is safe, but cork band isn't

• Microwave-safe: Glass cup only

4. Best reusable coffee cup for flavour: JOCO Glass Reusable Coffee Cup

Price: From £14 | Buy now from Amazon

This is a real coffee drinker’s coffee cup, said to offer the best flavour, with its glass cup and cyclone shape designed to help distribute syrups and sugar easily and prevent sediment at the bottom.

The silicone sleeve is heat-proof to ensure you don’t burn your hand carrying your coffee around, and it’s available in lots of different colours. The splash-proof lid also feels really solid and secure.

Key specs

• Volume: 12oz (340ml) but available in 6, 8 and 16oz sizes too

• Weight: 400g

• Material: Glass and silicone

• Resealable lid: No, but it is splash-proof

• Dishwasher-safe: Yes

• Microwave-safe: Yes

5. Best collapsible reusable coffee cup: Stojo On the Go Collapsible Coffee Cup

Price: £9.99 | Buy now from Amazon

“Recently bought a silicon Stojo cup simply because it's collapsible and doesn't take the same room up in my bag. Stojo copes with a medium Costa [coffee]” SpongeBobJudgeyPants

The main selling point of the Stojo is that it's collapsible (squeezing down from five inches to two) and can be transformed into a leakproof disk, which is perfect for stashing in your bag.

It's made from food-grade material which is also glue-free, and the seamless, take-apart design makes for very easy cleaning. For price and practicality, Stojo simply can't be beaten. Their cups look pretty cute too.

Key specs

• Volume: 12oz (370ml)

• Weight: 100g

• Material: Silicone

• Resealable lid: Yes

• Dishwasher-safe: Yes

• Microwave-safe: Yes (cup only)

6. Best bamboo reusable coffee cup: Ecoffee Cup 14oz Bamboo Reusable Coffee Cup

Price: £7.99 | Buy now from Nisbets

“I have an Ecoffee cup. It is as easy to clean as a mug, and is really pretty (mine has William Morris designs on) so I wouldn't want to lose it.” SeaGlassHunter

The natural fibre of this bamboo coffee cup means the Ecoffee Reusable Coffee Cup is not only BPA- and BPS-free but also doesn't contain any phthalates, making it fully deserving of its eco-friendly credentials.

The resealable no-drip lid and the sleeve are made with matte, latex-free, food-grade silicone which is designed especially for hot liquids - hence no unpleasant plastic aftertaste.

What's more, the Ecoffee cup comes in a wide range of lovely patterns from bright geometric numbers to William Morris florals.

Key specs

• Volume: 14 oz (14ml)

• Weight: 210g

• Material: Bamboo, cornstarch and melamine

• Resealable lid: Yes

• Dishwasher-safe: Yes

• Microwave-safe: No

7. Best leakproof reusable coffee cup: rCup Reusable Coffee Cup

Price: £12 | Buy now from John Lewis & Partners

“I have the rCup. I got it because it was the Which-recommended number one and I like it. It's light and not bulky, doesn't leak, is easy to clean, you can sip all the way round, and it keeps warm for an hour or so.” NuffSaidSam

Now manufactured by Circular & Co, the rCup is made of recycled coffee cups, so does double duty as a planet-saving product.

We really like the lid on this one, which opens and closes easily with a gentle push and offers 360-degree drinking (a fancy way of saying you can sip from any side of the cup), which makes it really good for drinking one-handed, whether that’s driving, pushing a buggy or simply having one’s hands full. The cup is also insulated to keep your drink warmer.

Key specs

• Volume: 8oz

• Weight: 177g

• Material: Paper, plastic

• Resealable lid: Yes

• Dishwasher-safe: Yes

• Microwave-safe: Not listed

8. Best eco-friendly reusable coffee cup: Huskee 12oz Cup

Price: £14.98 | Buy now from Amazon

If you’re buying reusable to be more sustainable, a Huskee Cup is a brilliant buy. Made from old coffee husks and food-grade resin, a Huskee Cup’s entire lifecycle is carefully designed to be as eco-friendly as possible.

Huskee runs a scheme whereby you can take your cup into any cafe that’s part of its HuskeeSwap scheme and be given a new coffee in a freshly washed Huskee Cup. It also operates a collection project for Huskee Cups that have reached the end of their life so they can be made into new Huskee products rather than go into landfill.

We like the push-on lid which has ventilation holes that allow you to smell your coffee as you drink. It also looks really cool and stacks beautifully in your kitchen if you care to buy more than one.

Key specs

• Volume: 12oz (340ml)

• Weight: 100g

• Material: Coffee husks

• Resealable lid: No

• Dishwasher-safe: Yes

• Microwave-safe: Yes, but repeated use in microwaves is not recommended

9. Best ceramic reusable coffee cup: Frank Green Ceramic Reusable Cup

Price: £38.32 | Buy now from Amazon

“I have a Frank Green cup. I love it. Keeps drinks hot and it hasn't leaked.” AnneShirleysNewDress

Pleasingly chunky and smooth-lined, a Frank Green cup is a pleasure to hold in your hand and the non-slip grip means you’ll never end up with a cappuccino on the pavement.

Its push-button lid is easy to use and prevents spills, and a stain- and odour-resistant ceramic lining means the cup doesn’t retain any strange niffs or tastes. The unbreakable steel base means you can plonk it down with impunity too. Available in several colours including neons, that you will never be able to lose!

Key specs

• Volume: 12oz (340ml), but smaller sizes also available

• Weight: 277g

• Material: Stainless steel and ceramic

• Resealable lid: Yes

• Dishwasher-safe: Yes

• Microwave-safe: No

What is the best material for reusable coffee cups?

Reusable coffee cups can be made from all kinds of materials including silicone, glass, stainless steel, ceramic and even bamboo. The best material for you will depend largely on your priorities.

If you prize flavour above all else, you'll be better off with glass. But while glass coffee cups tend to be fairly tough, they won’t survive every fall.

If you’re taking your coffee on the school run and then jogging to the station for work, a silicone cup - perhaps even one that collapses down - might be the answer. And if planet earth is your main priority, something like bamboo is a good, green choice.

How do I choose a reusable coffee cup?

There are a few things to consider when choosing a cup.

• Where are you going to be using it? If on the go, a plastic or silicone one will be better. If it’s to drink at your desk, the world of glass and ceramic mugs open up to you.

• Size: Are you ordering a quick espresso or a long latte?

• Material: Think about what’s important to you - flavour, warmth of drink (if travelling long distances before drinking you might want to look at an insulated travel cup rather than a simple reusable cup), what the environmental impact is and so on. Also consider whether it's microwave- and dishwasher-safe.

• Style. Yes it does matter. In many ways, a reusable cup is a bit of a style accessory and you’re going to be walking around with it on display a lot, so it’s important that you like the look of the thing, enjoy using it and that it says what you want it to say about you. You don’t need to match it to your outfit, but we’re not going to stop you.

What's the best reusable coffee cup?

We like something about all the cups on our list but we think the very best reusable coffee cup, and the one that will suit most people, is the silicone KeepCup Original 12oz Reusable Coffee Cup. It's lightweight, a breeze to clean, and leak-proof to prevent spills.

How we chose our recommendations

Because there’s no recommendation like that from a real person who has owned the product themselves, we always go direct to Mumsnetters for their recommendations first. We also looked at some of the top reviews sites to see whether the Mumsnetter-recommended reusable coffee cups had also impressed the experts, and we checked out customer reviews online too to make sure purchasers of our cups were happy with their products.

Why you should trust us

Here at Mumsnet, we know a thing or two about the importance of coffee - especially in the early days of parenthood. Our consumer writers have decades of experience at tracking down the best brands and products and ensuring they represent best value for money. We also listen carefully to Mumsnet members about their real experiences with each product we recommend because we know that if Mumsnetters are recommending a product, it will have been thoroughly put through its paces.

Transparency is really important to us and that's why we're always upfront about where we find our recommendations. We write about products that we feel offer the best value to most parents – the ones that our users would recommend to their own friends and family.