Coffee Temperature: Tips for Prolonged Heat Retention

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There is nothing worse than a cold cup of coffee, drinking lukewarm coffee isn’t the best experience in the world, and it’s probably one of the biggest reasons why coffee is poured down the sink. Let’s be honest, It doesn’t take long for your mug to go from boiling hot to an undrinkable slurry; you only have to be preoccupied for a few minutes to then come back to find it’s stone cold. Not the best way to start your day!

​But what if I told you that I know how to keep coffee hot for absolutely ages without ruining it. No longer do you have to live with that limited window of when you can drink your cup of coffee. In fact, there are many ways to keep your coffee warm for longer and, in some cases, nearly all day.

Below I have compiled a list of the best ways to keep your coffee hot so you can start enjoying a hot cup of coffee whenever you want, even in the car!​

Debunking The Myths About Keeping Your Coffee Hot

Before I share my secrets on keeping your cup of Joe hotter for longer, let’s first debunk some of the myths about how to keep coffee warm.

Myth: Keeping your coffee in the glass carafe will keep it hot

Busted: Storing your freshly brewed coffee inside of the glass carafe it was dripped into may seem totally normal, but it’s a big no-no. The problem with this is that almost all of the best automatic drip coffee makers utilize a hot plate underneath the glass carafe. But what’s the problem with that it’s going to keep my coffee warm, isn’t it?

Yes, it certainly will, and it’s perfect for using for a limited time, but if you try and keep your coffee on top of the heat plate for an extended amount of time, you will soon discover that your coffee is bitter, and it simply will not be enjoyable to drink. Think of McDonald’s coffee!​

Myth: You can use a hot plate

Busted: As I mentioned above, using a hot plate found on coffee makers is a BIG no. But how about cooker stovetop hotplates? It’s a no again, I’m afraid. Sure, they’re perfect for cooking food and heating up almost instantly but try to heat up your coffee, and you are going to end up with a bitter-tasting, over-extracted mess on your hands (yuk!)

Myth: Can’t I just reheat my coffee in the microwave?

Busted: It will work, yes, and I’m even guilty of doing this on a few occasions. But, the problem with using the microwave to reheat your cold coffee is that the microwave uses a type of radiation (1) (radiofrequency (RF) radiation) if that wasn’t enough to put you off, the radiation cannot adequately heat your coffee.

You will find that your coffee is hot and steamy on the surface, but it is stone cold as you get to the bottom. Because of the intense heat produced by microwaves, your coffee will also end up burnt, leaving you with a bitter aftertaste.

How To Keep Coffee Hot For Ages! (8 Fail-Proof Ways)

​Now that we have debunked some of the common myths on how to reheat and keep your coffee hotter, let us take a look at some REAL tried and true ways, some of which can keep your coffee hot all day!

​1. Preheat Your Cup

pouring boiling water from a kettle into a coffee cup

As simple as it sounds, preheating your coffee mug before you pour in your coffee can make a huge difference in how long your coffee stays hot. Think about it, if you pour your coffee into a cold mug, the odds are already stacked against you, and you’ll find that your once-warm coffee will plummet in temperature rapidly.

Preheating your cup is super easy. In fact, you’ve already got hot water laying around from making your coffee. Simply pour some into your coffee mug, let it sit for 30 seconds, give it a swirl, and then throw it out. Done. Your mug is now piping hot and ready for your coffee.

2. Use A Cup Sleeve

knitted sleeve on a coffee cup

Cup sleeves were initially designed to stop you from burning your hands on your hot coffee mug. But they do a great job at keeping your coffee warm by giving your mug an extra insulating layer by maintaining the heat in your cup and away from your skin (and they look kinda cool too).

​There are various types available, from knitted sleeves, paper varieties, neoprene sleeves, and some that can be customized to your liking. They are small and portable you can keep them in the glove box of your car or throw a few in your handbag for when you are out and about. You can find them at your local coffee shop. Here is my favorite cup sleeve at Amazon.

3. Use A Coffee Cup Or Mug With A Lid

pouring coffee into a glass cup

It’s obvious when you think about it, but by simply choosing a coffee mug or cup that has a lid, you can drastically improve the amount of time your coffee stays hotter.

The cover helps to trap in the steam as well as lock in the aroma and flavors of your brew, it’s straightforward and effective. As far as I’m concerned, the best coffee cup to keep coffee hot comes with a lid! Just take a look at the KeepCup!

4. Buy A Thermal Mug That Keeps Coffee Hot

man kneeling with a Thermal flask

One of the best ways to keep your coffee hot is to purchase a product that has been designed to hold in the heat; the Thermos Flask and the Yeti Tumbler do just that. The best thermal mugs have been designed to hold in the heat for up to six hours, and some can keep your coffee hot and steamy for the best part of the day! They typically use an insulating material such as silicone, plastic, stainless steel, and a layer of sandwiched air to trap and lock in the heat.

​Many of the best coffee makers are now being designed to fit a travel mug into their machines so you can brew directly into your favorite to-go coffee mugs; if you’re a French Press fan, there is even a Bodum Travel French Press so you can enjoy French Press coffee on the move.

5. Cup Warmer For Car

coffee cup in a car holder

If you don’t want to use a “to-go coffee mug” (insulated cup) when you leave the house, why not buy a cup warmer for your car. This is probably going to be the best option for keeping your coffee hot while in the car for extended amounts of time (or stuck in the morning rush-hour traffic). Plus, the best warmers also double up as a portable cup holder so you can keep your coffee held firmly as you navigate the busy streets.

6. Mug Warming Plate

Coffee cup sat on a Oreo warming plate

A mug plate is a great option for those of you that live at your desk; it’s small, compact, and costs only a few bucks. Most have an AC Adapter or a USB cable to heat the plate, which in turn will keep your coffee piping hot for hours. The above-pictured Hot Cookie USB Cup warmer can be found here at Amazon.

7. Use Metal Coffee Beans

metal coffee beads next to a black cup

As strange as these metal coffee beans look, they actually do work at keeping coffee warm. The metal beans are called Coffee Joulies, and once submerged inside of your coffee, they will start to absorb the heat; when they’ve warmed up, they will help to keep coffee hot for an extended amount of time.

​To make Coffee Joulies even more efficient, you can preheat them before dropping them into your mug of coffee. Don t worry about swallowing the metal objects as they’re bigger than they look, in fact, they’re the size of soup spoons! Find these at Amazon here.

8. Use A Scarf Or A Glove

women holding a coffee cup with both hands

If all else fails, simply use a scarf or a glove to wrap around your coffee cup to help keep in the heat (it’s cheaper than the cup sleeve!). It’s not the best solution, but it should give you a fast way to keep your coffee hot for an hour or more, even when you are out in the wilderness.

​If you are out in the sticks and still want great-tasting coffee, you should check out our tips on how to make a coffee travel kit so you can enjoy hot coffee anywhere.

References
(1) American Cancer Society, Inc. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/radiation-exposure/radiofrequency-radiation.html

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