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Ember self heating mug

Anyone have one of these? I got one for Christmas after reading some very favorable reviews. Does not heat up anything that is not hot to begin with, but keeps a cup of whatever at just the right temperature, which is supposedly settable though cell phone software. I think I like it way more than I had even expected to. So nice to have an ongoing cup of coffee or tea be just the right temperature from beginning to end. I had not really thought about what I might be missing. Seems high quality.

But the aforesaid cell phone software seems at best fussy and at worse useless. Anyone have any luck trying to get this thing to update software with an Android phone? Apparently out of date app seems to work fine if one can get it to connect with the cup, which it seems to be, although I tried to set the cup for 142 degrees and it is reading a consistent 139 degrees on the app. Online guidance seems to indicate this software issue has been around for years, which is disappointing!

Anyway, except for apparently software issues seems like something I never thought I needed that is very nice to have! Anyone else have any thoughts on these?
 

linty1

My wallet cries.
I have one and like it. The software/staying paired part could use a little work but overall its good, a 8/10 for me.

I found that the oumo mug works better for my needs, no software or anything, its literally just plug and play, and you can charge other devices on the quick charging qi pad to boot. You don't get the battery on it, so you gotta keep it on the pad, but the battery on the Ember doesn't last me long enough for anything useful for me anyways. ymmv
 
Rob,
I have four Ember mugs, so you could say I'm a fan. I've also converted quite a few folks over to Ember fan boys/girls as well ;)

I use the 10oz Ember 2 in black for coffee as my daily driver at home and 14oz Ember 2 for Tea and will eventually keep it at my office whenever all this COVID madness settles down. I also have the 12oz Travel Mug 2 to keep me company outside if I'm having a cigar, as the 10/14oz mugs don't have the battery life or a lid necessary for outside use. Lastly SWMBO has a 10oz in white, so we don't confuse them.

99% of the time I only drink coffee out of them, and for me and SWMBO - the magic temp on them is 141 degrees for coffee. Set it once, then you never need to use the app again (unless you want to check your battery level). I usually don't drink the coffee until it's lowered down to 141 (which is one handy thing about the app, it'll notify you when you have the perfect temp) - then you can enjoy your coffee at the perfect temp. At first it'll seem too cold - as most folks are used to drinking a cup of coffee much faster, and that initial experience is much hotter (too hot) but after a few days you'll adjust and find you were missing so much flavor and that consistent 141 temp is more than hot enough. It keeps it right in that ideal pocket where the temp and the flavor are in perfect harmony, and you can take your time reading a book, smoking a cigar, reading the news, etc - without having to rush the coffee drinking experience.

If you're roasting or buying lovely single origin coffee beans, it's a must have piece of kit in my opinion, as it will materially enhance your experience, and your ability to enjoy that premium product you made or purchased.

Give it a week and let us know what you think. If you have any questions - fire away, I have all of their products, save for two accessories, the car charger (my car doesn't even have a cup holder installed) and the $99 *cringe* 24kt gold halo lid.
 
I got one for Christmas last year and didn't like it. I found the app fussy and problematic, and the highest temp was not hot enough for me. I prefer a mug that I can zap in the microwave when the temp falls too low.
 

steveclarkus

Goose Poop Connoisseur
Anyone have one of these? I got one for Christmas after reading some very favorable reviews. Does not heat up anything that is not hot to begin with, but keeps a cup of whatever at just the right temperature, which is supposedly settable though cell phone software. I think I like it way more than I had even expected to. So nice to have an ongoing cup of coffee or tea be just the right temperature from beginning to end. I had not really thought about what I might be missing. Seems high quality.

But the aforesaid cell phone software seems at best fussy and at worse useless. Anyone have any luck trying to get this thing to update software with an Android phone? Apparently out of date app seems to work fine if one can get it to connect with the cup, which it seems to be, although I tried to set the cup for 142 degrees and it is reading a consistent 139 degrees on the app. Online guidance seems to indicate this software issue has been around for years, which is disappointing!

Anyway, except for apparently software issues seems like something I never thought I needed that is very nice to have! Anyone else have any thoughts on these?
Wonder how long it will before we have Yeti shave mugs now.
 
A little something of a heads up on this item. I still like mine. But my wife had bought an extra charging coaster thinking that the charger did not come in the box with the mug, whereas it turned out the mug always comes with a charging coaster. I have to admit that the postings of these things on line seem a little hard to figure out.

So I could not figure out whether one could buy just the mug sans coaster. I had two coasters so I figured I would have one mug at work and one at home. It is a pain lugging the mug back and forth to and from work. I could not figure out easily whether it was possible to buy just the mug so I wrote Ember, which has a good reputation for customer service to ask. The answer is "No, we do not sell the mugs separately." No explanation of why they seem to feature selling extra coasters separately. No indication of what happens when the battery in my mug inevitably goes out or I damage it and I need a new mug, while I already have two good charging coasters.

This whole set up is just a little too precious and consumer unfriendly to me for a very high priced item.

I do not think I am going to be buying another mug and charging coaster so that I can have this at work and home. I guess I have two charging coasters at work--one on my desk and one at my conference table!

Anyway, consumer issues like this annoy the heck out of me. I though I might save someone else some annoyance.
 
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Doc4

Stumpy in cold weather
Staff member
@The Knize this seems like yet another gadget in search of a problem.

I like drinking tea and coffee out of my favourite mugs and cups that have a sentimental value to me, sometimes overlapped with the cachet of high inherent quality.

This electro-mug would remove that element of enjoyment. I normally just drink the drink quickly enough that cooling isn't an issue for me. And insulated mugs and travel mugs can keep drinks warm a long time without being tied to a power cord.
 
@The Knize this seems like yet another gadget in search of a problem.

I like drinking tea and coffee out of my favourite mugs and cups that have a sentimental value to me, sometimes overlapped with the cachet of high inherent quality.

This electro-mug would remove that element of enjoyment. I normally just drink the drink quickly enough that cooling isn't an issue for me. And insulated mugs and travel mugs can keep drinks warm a long time without being tied to a power cord.
I thought the exactly same before I had one, believe me. And this is not an inexpensive item.

I sincerely recommend that you not try one. Rather addictive.

I am still really annoyed that I cannot but a mug separate from the charging pad. I left my mug at work on Friday and I am missing it at home this weekend. I thought Joel's post was spot on. It is something I have gotten used to and now I am spoiled.
 

Doc4

Stumpy in cold weather
Staff member
I am still really annoyed that I cannot but a mug separate from the charging pad.
That seems like a bad business decision. I bet you are not the only one who has soured on the product for this reason, and decided against giving it as a Christmas present to numerous relatives &c.

Who would have bought a razor from King Gillette if he hadn't been selling extra razor blades too??
 
That seems like a bad business decision. I bet you are not the only one who has soured on the product for this reason, and decided against giving it as a Christmas present to numerous relatives &c.

Who would have bought a razor from King Gillette if he hadn't been selling extra razor blades too??
Yep. The old saw, if I recall, was always giving the razor away but selling the blades. Ember seems to have this a little backwards!
 
I found a new Salton "Hot Spot" that I received as a gift many years ago. It is a miniture hot plate looking device to keep a ceramic mug warm. I never opened it as I had tried something like it before and found that it did not work very well. But rather than throw it, I will give it a try. I figure it will make a decent coaster at least.
 

FarmerTan

"Self appointed king of Arkoland"
Please let us know if it works, or how well it works.....every winter I swear I do this dance with having one of those devices go in my online cart one day, and come out the next, and then April hits and I find something else to distract me!
 
Confession time. Costco on-line has the 14 oz 2 version of the Ember mug (with charging base, of course :) ) for $99.95. I seem to be incapable of remembering to either bring the mug to the office or bring it back home when I do. So for $100, additional charging base I am annoyed to have aside, I am pleased to have one of these mugs at home and one at work. I think I will use the at home version as my commuter mug. So far I am not feeling the need for the travel mug, although Joel's earlier description of why he has one, may become compelling.

I also got my wife one for her birthday, which is coming right up.

Joel's earlier post explains everything anyone needs to know about the merits of these things way better than I every could.

These are mighty expensive, and I hate being a fan boy. I saw a review that said "best thing since sliced bread." I get that.
 
Please let us know if it works, or how well it works.....every winter I swear I do this dance with having one of those devices go in my online cart one day, and come out the next, and then April hits and I find something else to distract me!
I have used my new old Salton "Hot Spot" mini-hotplate a number of times now and overall I like it. The improvement is enough that that I will keep using it during the cooler months of the year. The biggest benefits were:
1) kept the coffee warmer when lingering over the cup. It kept it from cooling down as much.
2) kept the cup nice and warm, so that when going back to pour a second coffee from the thermal carafe, the cup did not immediately cool down the coffee.
3) since the cup was warmer, it made the coffee drinking experience more satisfying. Like how drinking an iced tea or soda from a tall cold glass is better than drinking through a straw.

I have a small worry that I will accidentally leave it on, but there is a lighted power indicator to help avoid that and it does not get that warm so it should be safe if left on.
 
Confession time. Costco on-line has the 14 oz 2 version of the Ember mug (with charging base, of course :) ) for $99.95. I seem to be incapable of remembering to either bring the mug to the office or bring it back home when I do. So for $100, additional charging base I am annoyed to have aside, I am pleased to have one of these mugs at home and one at work. I think I will use the at home version as my commuter mug. So far I am not feeling the need for the travel mug, although Joel's earlier description of why he has one, may become compelling.

I also got my wife one for her birthday, which is coming right up.

Joel's earlier post explains everything anyone needs to know about the merits of these things way better than I every could.

These are mighty expensive, and I hate being a fan boy. I saw a review that said "best thing since sliced bread." I get that.
That does look tempting, though I would potentially be more interested in their travel mug.

Their line of mugs makes me wonder if they or anyone else makes a large carafe, say around 1 liter, which provides a similar temperature holding feature. A vacuum carafe works well enough to keep coffee hot, but a travel mug/carafe that would take freshly brewed coffee and let it cool down quickly to the target drinking temperature would be even better.
 
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