How to Keep Your Coffee Warm When You Travel for Work
If you have a job that’s go go go, you might find it difficult getting a warm cup of coffee on the run.
Every morning, you have your choice of a Keurig pod brewer or making a traditional pot of coffee.
You might enjoy a pot of coffee, even if you’re the only coffee drinker in your house.
These days, you normally do not have time for more than a cup before heading out the door. Many of us put our coffee in travel mugs and take them with us on the run.
Being in emergency services gives a comparison to regular people in regular jobs.
Are there differences between coffee found in fire or nurses’ stations, compared yours at home?
Yes.
It often sits cooking on the warmer for longer periods.
We still drink it.
I tell people to “just cut yourself a slice and add some water!”
How to Keep Your Coffee Warm
When the going gets tough, the tough get their coffee to get going!
Brewing a pot or a K-cup
You’ll find most emergency responders using Keurig and Bunn machines in their stations. It gives them options. It doesn’t take many paramedics or firefighters to go through a pot quickly.
Our command vehicles have 4-cup personal drip-machines. Man does not live by bread alone. It’s better to be prepared than be without coffee.
Decaf – ½ caf – or full caf?
The odd hours and spontaneous emergencies play with our body systems.
Many emergency personnel have developed a delicate digestive system that can only function on regular coffee.
No decaf for them.
They can sleep standing up with regular coffee in their veins.
How to Keep Your Coffee Warm On the Road
Good gear is scarce. Here are my favorites.
Starbucks
The Starbucks 12 oz ceramic travel mug is my favorite.
The double-wall construction keeps my coffee warm and my hands cool.
The tumbler is smooth and feels good in my hands.
I like the fact there isn’t a handle, allowing it to fit nicely in most cup-holders.
The locking lid cuts down on spills, yet slides in and out of the cup easily for refills and cleaning.
The only drawback – it’s fragile if you have a rough job. I have bought three over the past few years and they have slid out of my hands when getting into or out of my vehicle. Ceramic is not very durable when contacting concrete from a three-foot fall. I’ve never been so somber over a mug, as when I broke one. I would love to have another, but they aren’t cheap.
Yeti and Rtic
Yeti is the king of double-wall insulated stainless travel mugs. They make excellent coolers too. You’ll find many knockoffs providing a similar look and feel to the Yeti. One difference, Yeti powder coats its painted travel mugs. They also label them dishwasher safe. Most imitations prefer hand-wash only.
The Yeti travel mug is excellent for keeping hot liquids hot and cold beverages cold. The lid attaches magnetically to some models. The drawback – they are very expensive.
You can find many budget imitation travel mugs. Those most familiar are Rtic, and more recently, Ozark Trail (by Walmart). In a non-scientific head-to-head contest, Lina at Hip2Save.com discovered there were no discernable differences (Hip2save.com – December 19, 2019). The $34.99 Yeti performed equal to the $8.74 Ozark Trail travel mug.
Many people are brand conscious, and money isn’t as important to them. I get it – but it’s not me. That is why I haven’t bought another ceramic travel mug from Starbucks, for now.
Grabbing a Cup On the Road
There are many others traveling the roads and drinking their coffee. You’ll see them stopping for refills at Dunkin Donuts and truck stops along highways and convenience stores.
Many people swear by their thermos (I like the classic Stanley vacuum bottle thermos and have two.), others prefer a large mug and frequent stops. I use my Stanley thermos cup or regular mugs. I detest the metallic feel on my lips and tongue. I’m not sure why.
Making adjustments to name brands
You’ll adjust brands to suit your tastes. Cream and sugar, a pinch of nutmeg, and chicory are common condiments. You might make dietary choices. Use care in choosing your additives, as they have calorie, fat, and carbohydrate implications. It is easy to consume a lot of calories in our beverage choices.
Keto / Low carb adjustments
Doing keto – Your best option is drinking your coffee black. You want to customize it to your own tastes. Heavy cream is a good option. Consider unsweetened almond milk for an even lower carb option.
By adding a spoon of coconut oil to your morning cup, your healthy fats increase and provide the extra calories you’ll need. This is very important if you aren’t eating breakfast. It will keep you full longer.
For a more satisfying blend, consider unsweetened almond milk, and a pinch of nutmeg or cinnamon. It adds an incredible flavor with minimal carbs and fewer calories. You may find this especially friendly during the holidays when high-carb beverages are everywhere.
How to Keep Your Coffee Warm – In Summary
Where there is a will, there is a way.
You can take coffee with you. You can stop along the way to grab a cup or make it yourself when you arrive – if not along the way. The way we make our coffee is as much out of convenience as it is a habit. Some prefer instant coffee. Others want their coffee brewed in a drip machine. I grew up with percolators!
Enjoying your coffee consists of having a cup that works for you. It needs to be comfortable to hold and feel good on your lips. We may add to our coffee to customize it to our tastes, or unbeknownst to us – out of habit and in memory of someone.
There is something besides the heat that warms your heart when enjoying your favorite brew.
