What are mugs made of?

How do we usually choose a mug for tea or coffee? That's right - attractive design, suitable volume, appropriate price. It seems that everything is simple. But in reality, a nice appearance and an affordable price are not the main criteria. It is also necessary to pay attention to the material of manufacture, since it affects how quickly tea or coffee cools, and indeed the safety of you and your loved ones.

Mugs can be made from different raw materials: porcelain, glass, plastic, wood, ceramics and even clay. And all of them will differ not only in appearance, but also in the features of application.

What materials are used to make mugs?

Indeed, if you think about the differences between models, one of the first things that comes to mind is the difference in materials. Several groups can be distinguished here.

Porcelain

Such dishes have always been considered a sign of wealth and high status of the family. It is porcelain sets that are passed down from generation to generation, and for good reason! The value of porcelain is very high because it has the following advantages:

• The material undergoes heat treatment twice at a certain temperature - this contributes to its durability, it is quite durable and maintains its integrity for a long time.
• Able to maintain the warmth of the drink throughout long tea drinking.
• Environmentally friendly, does not contain harmful substances.
• Aesthetics and presentability thanks to the glazed surface.
• Porcelain can be washed in the dishwasher without the risk of mechanical damage.
• Convenient to store stacked.

BUT! Porcelain dishes do not withstand strong shocks and are expensive.

Glass

For the production of mugs, both ordinary glass and tempered glass are used, which has greater strength and impact resistance. Another type of impact-resistant and especially heat-resistant material from which mugs are made is borosilicate.

Such products are very popular, including due to the variety of options, as well as affordable prices. Advantages:

• huge selection of color palettes;
• stylish appearance;
• unusual design: from smooth to rough;
• some products are made with a double glass bottom - they have two layers, with a vacuum located between them, thereby achieving optimal thermoregulation and maintaining the temperature regime;
• Boiling water cools quickly, which is sometimes important at work.

In general, a glass mug deserves the proud title of one of the best options for every day.

Ceramics

An excellent alternative to expensive porcelain: it retains the heat and aroma of the drink just as well, is quite durable, but will cost less. A relatively inexpensive and high-quality material that does not deform and does not release harmful substances to the body when exposed to high temperatures. The main advantages of ceramics:

• Absolutely environmentally friendly. The material is chemically inert and does not react with the drink or its individual components. Even when overheated, such a mug does not emit harmful substances, and there is never scale on it.It can be used by children and people prone to allergic reactions.
• Modern ceramic dishes are not afraid of strong cooling and heating. You can store it in any conditions.
• Resistant to mechanical damage. Scratches or abrasions rarely appear on its surface.

Metal

Metal products have quite a lot of advantages. They are durable, have a long service life, are resistant to chips and impacts, and keep the drink hot for a long time, since steel is a material with a low degree of thermal conductivity. Some models have double walls, which allows you to maintain the temperature of the contents for as long as possible.

Stainless steel mugs are available on the market today in a variety of shapes, sizes and designs.

Tree

Wooden mugs are a creative and eye-catching kitchen item. Of course, such dishes are not in demand as they were before, when there was simply no other one. But today the eco-friendly trend is quite popular in the world, so wooden options are again in demand. Moreover, such models have, although they have few advantages, they are quite significant:

• environmental friendliness;
• some types of wood used to make mugs can improve the condition of the stomach, and sometimes even cure gastrointestinal diseases;
• high strength - will not break if dropped, no cracks will appear;
• relatively low cost.

Plastic

Mugs made from this material are quite convenient to use: you can drink drinks from them both at home and take them with you outdoors, since they are light. When purchasing, it is very important to pay attention to the label: it should be marked “PETE”, which means the presence of polyethylene terephthalate - it is ideal for food use.

In fact, plastic mugs are quite good, but they cannot be used for a long time - precisely due to the material. The optimal service life is 1 year, then it is better to change it.

Clay

The main advantage of such mugs, of course, is the naturalness of the material and its safety. Clay is not capable of oxidizing the drink or entering into any chemical reactions at all, and when heated it does not release toxic inclusions that would negatively affect our health and the quality of tea or coffee.

In addition, such models have simply wonderful thermal properties - you get a kind of thermos effect.

To summarize, we can say that choosing a mug is a very responsible matter, and the purchase of any option still depends not only on personal preferences and the appearance of the dishes. The material of manufacture is an important criterion that must be paid attention to.