Ember announced today the second generation of its connected, precision temperature-controlled mugs. According to a press release sent to The Spoon, the Ember Travel Mug2 and Ember Mug2 feature longer battery life and a redesigned charging coaster.
Before we dive deeper into the news, let’s just get this out of the way: these new Ember mugs ain’t cheap. The 10 oz. Ember Mug2 costs $99.95, the 14 oz version costs $129.95, and the Travel Mug2 is a whopping $179.95.
It’s easy to scoff at the idea of such an expensive “smart” mug, but what the Ember does, it does very well. It consistently keeps your hot beverages at your preferred temperature (between 120°F – 145°F) from first sip to last. No more lukewarm dregs towards the end or re-heating your coffee in the microwave. I bought one for my wife a couple Christmases ago, and she loved it (while admittedly getting a little over-caffeinated).
The new mugs all have a longer battery life than previous versions, so the Travel Mug2 will keep beverages hot for 3 hours, the 10 oz Ember Mug2 lasts 1.5 hours, and the 14 oz. Ember Mug2 goes for 80 minutes. However, if you keep the mugs on the charging coasters, you can keep them at full power all day.
Another new feature for the Travel Mug2 is the touch display that replaces the rotating dial that was at the base of the earlier mug. The controls stay hidden until you tap the Ember logo, at which point the menu lights up, allowing you to control the temperature of your drink by tapping the plus or minus symbols. The new display also let you see the battery life, temperature levels and a personalized name.
While these next-gen mugs are cool and all, I’m a little disappointed that Ember’s news wasn’t the release of the temperature controlled smart plates or baby bottles that the company has been working on. Maybe next year?
In the meantime, those interested in the new Ember Mugs can purchase one directly from Ember as of tonight.
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