Reusable Coffee Cups: Pros vs Cons

I am a massive advocate of reusable cups. Having worked in a coffee shop, I've seen first hand just how many paper cups are handed out every day - and the store I worked at was not a busy one. And even the stores which recycle their paper cups, the lids are still non-recyclable and that relies on the good will of people bringing them back and not just flinging them on the ground. Let's be honest, how many paper cups do you see strewn on the floor on a twenty minute walk into town? I would say on average around five. Count it next time, I'm curious!

With this in mind, I thought it was high time to put my advocacy to the test and do a Pro/Con list on reusable cups.

To start with: They are better for the environment.
Reusable cups are much less wasteful than paper cups. 2.5 billion coffee cups are thrown away a year in the UK alone. Having a reusable eliminates the opportunity for litter or cups ending up in landfill. If every person switched to reusable cups there would be much less non-recyclable materials littering our streets. They are made from more sustainable materials which have less of an impact on the planet than their single-use counterparts.


However: Emissions need to be taken into account.
Presently, the energy it takes to make one reusable cup is exponentially more than single-use ones can be made for the same energy requirement. This then means, for your cup to be energy efficient it needs to be used multiple times. And I don't just mean, once a week. I mean thousands of times over several years. Which, let's be fair, is exactly what it is designed to do! But with our disposable society, if something breaks (or a prettier one comes along) then there is a chance that the reusable cup will be replaced before its has been used enough times to undo its initial emissions.

More on this here.

Honestly, I am hopeful that this is a situation that will improve over time. With increased demands and the focus we have on environmental impact at the moment, I believe that better methods of production will come into play. Companies won't find better (or cheaper) ways of making their products unless there is a demand for them. Clearly, there is a demand for reusable cups. So we shall see.

Selfish reason now: Coffee shops offer incentives for use.

The following chain stores offer incentives for customers to bring in reusable cups.

Pret: 50p off

Starbucks: 25p off

Costa: 25p off

Caffe Nero: double loyalty stamps

Greggs: 20p off

Each of these deals equates to those "buy nine and get the tenth one free" loyalty stamps you regularly see in food establishments. During University, I must have had about ten of those loyalty cards in my purse, despite never once returning to the stores in question. Why? Because I got a free one if I filled it. The word free is inviting. I have experienced first hand people shrugging off the 25p discount because it does not sound like that much. On an initial glance, no it's not that much. That is why I roped my partner into the doing the maths (I tried but got in a tangle as often does with me and maths) to work out the benefit. That way, I was able to then pass this onto customers and translate it into the "buy nine and get the tenth one free" language people prefer to hear!

Having said that, there is the initial up front cost.
To some it is galling having to pay X-amount for something they already get for free. Which is fair. If you want to save money, it's going to take a lot more than ten drinks to earn back the price of a reusable cup. Especially if you go branded. Sure, you can pick up in Wilko from £3-£10 but there will always be that question of quality that never seems to be asked of branded items. You could go super highbrow and get a porcelain travel cup from Selfridges for £34 - but that really does take the biscuit.

The other thing to consider with price is the "latte levy". It is not in effect now, but for how much longer? Carrier bags went from free to 5p and remember the outrage that caused? The latte levy is being talked about being set at 25p. Can you imagine the furious posts on Facebook and Twitter about that! Using a travel mug is going to bypass that. But will it be enough to deter constant use? People still pay for carrier bags on every shop, after all.


Personally, I think the initial cost of a reusable cup is not outrageous (Selfridges not included). It's a bit like the safety razor thinking - spend a little more but get a lot more out of it. Over time it is going to save you a lot of money, especially if you regularly frequent coffee shops. I see them as more of a treat, but then my coffee fix is a black americano and I can make that at home for free! Still, I carry one in my handbag when shopping because I like to have the option of having my coffee on the go!

Simple mechanics: They stay hotter/colder for longer.

In a bog standard cup, like the ones in your cupboard, a cup of coffee stays piping hot for five minutes, that tasty level of hot for another five, drinking temperature for ten mins, and then is just about drinkable for another five before it falls into the disgustingly cold category. Paper cups stave this inevitability off for ten more minutes purely because of the lid. You have no idea how much I wanted to bash my head into the marble counter when I was faced with, "Oh, I want a paper cup because it stays hotter for longer," for them to immediately remove the lid. God damn, bang. My. Head.

Travel mugs are much better insulators. Why? Because that is what they are designed to do! Literal science has gone into their design process to make it harder for the heat to escape. Science! Certain mugs boast up to 12 hours of hot coffee or 24 hours of luscious coolness. (Like the Chilly's bottle I got for my birthday - thank you Kirk! Also, it is beautiful and has a turtle on it.) They are made from more sturdy materials - like stainless steal, bamboo, or rice husk - which are much better at keeping your drink at the temperature you want it. Hot, cold, luke warm - it'll stay that temperature for a long time.

But, these materials each affect the flavour.

Personally, I think that is absolute nonsense but then maybe I have been slowly killing my taste buds over the years with my incessant spice intake. However, it is very much something people believe or can taste. Again, it was one of the reasons why people would ask for paper cups over ceramic because it "tasted better". But it's like that mentality that beer tastes better out of a bottle than a can. Or the other way around. Again, cannot taste the difference. But I think for someone to swear off reusable cups because of taste, they need to try their drink out of every single type because there are so many on offer now. And probably many more to come. 

Only a few short years ago, the only travel mugs available were those giant thermoses or plastic ones so I can understand the hesitation, then. Of course, it could be very expensive (and wasteful of emissions) to buy one of every type of cup to decide which is best but there are other options. Borrowing from friends for long term testing, stealing a sip for the immediate test - possibly more! If you can think of them please share.

Like I have already mentioned: There are lots of variations to suit every need.

There are ones with handles. Ones which look like paper cups but are made from bamboo. Silicon lids. Screw lids. Vaccum sealed. Branded. Non-branded. Stainless steel. Personalised. Collapsible. Spill proof. Lids which have straw holes. Features your favourite character. Monotone. Colourful. Designed to hold cold drinks. Designed to hold both temperatures. The list goes on and on and on and on. It really would not take much research to find the perfect cup for you. Point in case, here is the Amazon page if you literally search just "travel mug". Over 10,000 results. You've got choice for days.

Nevertheless, coffee shops won't accept them under certain circumstances.

You're traveling up the M6 and you've finished the cup of coffee you made yourself before you left. You've still got another 3 hours of driving and your butt hurts. It's time to stop and move about. Perfect excuse to grab another coffee and it can go in your travel mug - huzzah! Except, you get to the counter and the barista says that they unfortunately cannot put a drink in your cup because it is dirty. The dregs of your first coffee are still swilling about in there. It's a matter of health and safety. It is procedure which they have to follow - it even says so on the poster promoting the 25p off. I know, because I have read it. (I also largely ignored it, but I had the time to swill out a cup whereas a busy M6 store might not.)

Without understanding the reasons why, this can be a deterrent. This is very much a story a regular told me about an M6 journey he had. He said he wasn't going to bother taking his reusable in next time. I joked he needed two - one for the way there, one for the way home. We laughed, he ordered his coffee, and did not buy a second cup. And that is reasonable. Why should he? He already has one and only has one mouth.

The reason being health and safety may make you think, "It's health and safety gone mad!" But, again, I can understand it. As a barista being handed a dirty cup, you have no idea what was in that before. They could have made their coffee with off milk that morning but not feel it until they'd drunk the coffee you'd made them. There is a certain level of protecting yourself in the service industry. It's why the allergen procedures are so strict. But for me, being handed a dirty cup I could easily just clean it and make the new drink. My boss even reused her cup several times a day. But if you don't have that option of being able to clean it, then it's just not worth risking it. Because if nothing else, it would make the new drink taste like crap.

Now, if it were me, I would rinse out my coffee cup before I took it into store. There's usually a bottle of water somewhere in the car on long journeys - I'd use a bit of that. Or if I was really desperate, I'd use the bathroom sinks but that is a little gross. But that's just me. I will always try to think of ways around things rather than just give up.

Final point: They are so. God. Damn. Pretty.

As I have already said, there are so many available now. It's not just your boring cheap plastic ones available in three colours - red, blue, or black. They are patterned. They have motivational quotes on them. Companies partner up with artists to make limited edition ones. I am honestly getting heart eyes over these that I caught a glimpse of from that Amazon list. They have become a fashion accessory. They are desirable. If Clueless had been made now, Cher would have a matching travel mug for every outfit. In a world that puts a lot of value on aesthetics, travel mugs very much cater to that now. Twenty years ago, they were these big clunky, leaky things which had to be kept separate from the rest of the picnic. Now they are sleek, small, compact and fit nicely into handbags. Whenever we go down a home aisle in a supermarket, I have to stop and look at all the pretty cups. And then tell myself I already have more than I need, so no I cannot buy another one. (At least now I can back that up with emission costs!)

The biggest detractor I've come across is having to remember to bring one.

And you would not believe the amount of people it puts off. So I would suggest keeping it in their car, but then oh it would never get washed. Honestly, there is always an excuse not to do something. What if it leaks in my bag? What if I leave it in the car? What if it's not clean? There's more, but remembering it in the first place is the main one. And I get it, my mind can be like a sieve. Especially if I'm stressed or rushed or in a hurry - which one can often be in the morning. And having that one extra thing to remember could the thing that derails everything else. We live in an anxious world and even the smallest, insignificant things can set us off. So it comes down to ease, why put more on my plate when there is already something else available, for free? 

All in all, I wholeheartedly believe that travel mugs do more good than they do bad. And the more we use them, the less bad they will eventually do. Like with emission costs in production. Or them simply becoming a new cultural habit. Most people bring their bags for life when food shopping now. Just think how unfathomable that was to some when the 5p carrier bags first came out. One a whole, the world is taking steps towards becoming a greener place they are just very slow steps. My favourite Youtubers SortedFood put it very well on this video (13 minute mark, roughly). The more we have a need for these products, the more accessible and functional they'll be.

So what do you think? Do the pros outweigh the cons? Or is it the other way round? Would you like to see more of these lists? Let me know below!

Listening to: Saw Oh Damn Music