Contigo Snapseal Byron Vacuum-Insulated Stainless Steel Travel Mug, 16 Oz, Gunmetal

I just figured out that I’ve had this mug for 8 years and it still works perfectly. It’s skinny enough to fit in any cupholder, though it’s tall so not the cupholders under the dash. It still keeps drinks hot/cold AAAAALLLLLL day long. The paint has flaked off in some places but not horribly. It never leaks. Ever. It’s been sideways in the bottom of many bags and backpacks and I never have to worry about it. It’s so large I can use it as a thermos and get 2.5 cups of coffee out of it throughout the work day. I’ve also used it as a water bottle while hiking and had cold water the whole hike. And when I clean it, the mouth is wide enough to get a brush all the way down to the bottom for scrubbing. This is a good cup.

I almost didn't buy this Contigo mug. My previous Contigo West Loop autoseal mug developed a funky mold in the lid from creamer getting trapped in the complex closing mechanism (I'm not someone who lets dirty dishes sit. I washed/rinsed the mug everyday but I obviously wasn't getting the lid properly cleaned. It was so nasty. I've included a picture so you can see for yourself all of the places that need to be cleaned on the West Loop versus the simplicity of the Byron lid.) After my Contigo failure, I went with a Thermos brand hydration bottle, but then it voluntarily opened its lid on its own all throughout my bag... the bag containing my (now-dead) MacBook. Back to the drawing board for a new mug for me because I don't trust the Thermos, and no more putting my coffee mug into my laptop bag. I looked closely at this Byron mug before I bought it and saw that the company redesigned their lids. Thankfully, you can get at all the parts to clean this Byron snap seal's improved lid. The difference between this Byron model and the West Loop autoseal model is that you have to constantly push the button in while drinking the West Loop model, making it spill proof. This Byron mug has a thing you flip to drink and then flip back to close it. It definitely takes some force to open it. I can't get the lid to open/close unless it's on the mug and my hands can't be wet. Another difference versus the West Loop versus the Byron is that the Byron stays open till you close it. For clumsy folks, this Byron mug may not be your best bet. You can tip your mug over while the lid is open and make a mess - ask me how I know ;) On the plus side, since this Byron one is so tight, I've never had this it open itself on its own on me like a Thermos one did. These Contigo mugs should be hand washed (the lids not soaked for a long time) and rinsed really well. On my previous Contigo lid, it absorbed the taste of dish detergent not too long after I got it because I soaked it too long in the soap. Yuck, yuck, yuck. That was a terrible surprise to start my workday one day. I had to work to get the soap taste eliminated - took a lot of soaking in baking soda to get it gone. Although it says you can, I wouldn't advise putting the lids in the dishwasher because it may develop a funky taste from your detergent. Also don't put the bottle itself in - if you buy a colored one, the paint will come off the outside in the dishwasher. Even though I hand wash, I chose to go with the gunmetal so if I banged this mug into things (ok, when I bang this mug into things), it won't have spots where the color is removed. This mug keeps drinks scalding hot for a half hour or so and very warm for hours. If you want to drink right from the mug relatively soon after filling it, I'd advise leaving the lid off of it for a few minutes after you make it. It stays cold even longer than things stay hot, and doesn't leave sweat rings. To make the hot or cold last for even longer, you can preheat or precool the mug by placing boiling water or ice cold water in and letting sit a few minutes before adding your beverage. All in all, I'm very happy with this new improved mug. There are pros and cons to the Byron versus West Loop but I'd rather be sure I'm drinking out of a clean lid with the Byron and remember to close my lid when I'm not taking a sip.

These mugs are amazing! We've purchased several of the autoseal contigo's previously and loved those so thought I would give this one a try mainly due to it's larger size and lower price tag. I would say that it might have a slight edge on the autoseal version when it comes to utility (size, comfort in-hand, and the rubber grip) but is not as convenient for single hand operation. In our experience the button's on the autoseal contigo's can break over time. The snapseal's top feels a bit more rugged when opening and as someone who tends to be a big heavy handed, this is a good thing! I also find it edges the autoseal in maintaining a consistent temperature. On a given day I leave the house at 8am and after a 45 minute commute it's sometimes still too hot to drink when I get to the office. On several occasions I haven't had time to drink it until noon or even after and it will be the perfect temperature...not too hot, not too cold. Speaking of, it works even better on cold drinks. Since it's summer time now, I've started drinking iced tea. I can go the better part of the day and still have ice cubes going strong in the mug. Went to see a movie the other day and I left it sitting in the cupholder (about 80 degrees outside) without the top on. By the end of the movie still had ice cubes. All this to say it's an excellent mug and an absolute steal at this price point. There are a few minor issues that may not be an issue for everyone. It is a large mug and if you have small cupholders or if they have removable inserts, you may have a little trouble getting them to fit. Both of our vehicles aren't an issues although I have walked into the office and noticed the rubber cupbolder insert decided to tag along on the bottom of the mug. Another issue is more of an annoyance and that when you open the top it tends to spray a mist of whatever you are drinking onto your hand. If the contents are under pressure from very hot liquid then sometimes it's a little worse. Nothing alarming but it can be annoying especially if someone is sitting next to you. To avoid this I make sure to relieve the pressure right after pouring and securing the lid. All in all this mug is an excellent buy and I will be purchasing more in the future. You won't be disappointed!

*Updated 12/13/2019: I'm now on my 4th Contigo in less than a year. 1 lost, 1 the seal failed, 1 was delivered damaged. I'm removing a star, because it shows that this really isn't built to last. It's really disappointing for the rubber gasket to come loose and for the lid to start to leak after maybe 2-3 months of use. This 4th unit doesn't want to screw on very easily. We'll see how long it lasts, but there likely won't be a 5th. Only saving grace is that it's very cheap to replace. ********************************** My trusty Zojirushi thermos has been getting banged up, and I wanted a backup coffee mug for every day use. What I mean by that is, I want something I can put freshly brewed coffee in the morning, to be kept hot-to-reasonably warm for 2~4 hours. I've kept liquids hot for up to 8 hours with my Zojirushi, but most days, I just don't need that level of performance. I'm not saying the Contigo doesn't have comparable thermal insulation; I just don't need it. The Contigo doesn't have a cap system like the Zojirushi, so there's going to be more heat loss at the very top of the cup, especially where it attaches to the lid. And that's fine. Because sometimes the coffee is too hot, so it's nice to be able to unscrew the lid and let some of the heat escape. Also, it's way easier just to sip out of this without flipping open the whole lid. This seems like a very fine point, but for something you do every single morning, it's nice to have even one less step getting in the way of you enjoying your coffee. Bottom line, I use the Zojirushi for travel, or when I know I'll need extra time to finish whatever I want to keep hot. The Contigo is just a nice, low maintenance, daily driver.

First day - loved it! Great-looking and kept my coffee hot for longer than any other travel mug I have used, with the exception of my Tiger mug, but that one is a pain to clean the top. (You have to remove 3 different o-rings or gaskets, pop out the middle, and clean all 5 parts.) Second day (today) I couldn't get the SnapSeal to snap open. I used all my strength (I have carpal tunnel in both hands, so not so much strength), so I just screwed the top on, deciding I'd have to screw it off for drinking. But after it sat with hot coffee in it for 15 minutes, I was able, with effort, to pop the SnapSeal. This is unacceptable - I drive an extremely rural route with no stores or restaurants or shops or gas stations, and really NEED my hot coffee on the road. Gave it 2 stars because it really does keep the coffee hot. Edited: For now, 4 stars - SnapSeal is working better, will follow up in a few days. Edited: After using it a week or so, I have found I can open the top if I wait several minutes after filling and closing the top. Still have trouble opening it to clean, so I leave the seal open when coffee is gone, or if sitting at my desk and not on the road. So I knocked the mug over and spilled hot coffee on my clothes and recliner - ouch! When closed properly, it IS spill-proof. And if you preheat it, the mug keeps coffee hot all day. But since you drink out of it by tilting the mug (and your head) back and pouring coffee into you mouth, you can very easily get scorched. Not to mention, that's not safe to do when driving and the coffee level is low. Bottom line: Great mug, bad lid design. Taking off another star. wish I could afford their better designed Contigo AUTOSEAL West Loop Stainless Steel Travel Mug with Easy-Clean Lid. Posting a photo of the interior so people can see that it is stainless steel inside and out. 4 years later - Got used to it, LOVE it. back to 5 stars. Now have 3 more.

Really keeps my coffee warm and it has a large volume at 20 ounces. Great product for the price! UPDATE: Okay so I am going to give this cup 5 stars because of the price, spill proof lid, durability and the fact that this cup simply feels great in your hand. The rest of the Contigo cups are a solid 4. Their are a lot of comments about why would anyone want a cup that holds Ice all day and your a snob who is living like the Joneses. Well here is my simple explanation. I spend a lot of time on the lake almost every day in 90+ degree heat and always mix drinks a cup that holds ice like these do means your pulling less ice out of your cooler to make drinks witch at 3-4 dollars per 10 pound bag adds up to a lot of money buying when your buying 20 pounds of ice on Friday and Saturday to keep your cooler cold through Sunday nite because your constantly pulling ice out to make drinks. Just add that up over a 5 month boating season. You can do the math! I have tried a number of these cups and honestly have to say that Contigo makes my favorite. They have the spill proof lids and hold Ice forever and at about 15 dollars they are a fraction of the Yeti price. The 20 ounce cups are my favorite and I have saved a lot of money on ice since using them. I fill the cup with my ice maker and it last all day and sometime into the nite mixing drinks with the chilled items in my cooler. I have been getting through a whole weekend on one 20 pound bag of ice instead of three since switching to these cups. Additionally it is hands down better to have closed containers on your boat and not beer cans laying around if you get safety checked. Also the Contigo cups are air tight and keep a beer not only cold but carbonated. I love the Yeti and use it every nite for cold water by the bed. The Yeti was a Xmas gift from my daughter. But for any type of actual activity the Yeti cups are over priced and the lid simply falls short. Save your money and get one of these you will not be disappointed. The Contigo cups are all great. I am not a huge fan of the narrow neck because it is difficult to get ice in it under your ice maker but this model has a wide neck and takes ice well. Additionally the lid threads around the outside of the cup so you can fill it all the way to the top with ice and still get your lid on. I am surprised this is the cheapest of the Contigo cups I have one or two of almost every model as I require every passenger to have there drinks in a sealed container. Absolutely no beer cans allowed. The cups are simply awesome. Cheap, durable, stylish, spill proof, and COLD. Don't just get one get 4-5 for the price of one Yeti they make great gifts. I have 6 of this model unfortunately I have lost 2 lids. Hope this review helps. I don't usually do reviews but I have saved so much money since using these cups I feel like spreading the word.

Keeps coffee hot for hours.

I have 5 of these in different colors now. And I've given 3 as gifts, planning on more. And seriously, if you close the top, you can turn it UPSIDE DOWN and not spill a drop. For someone who habitually spills coffee on her desk, it's perfect. 2016: The only complaint I have is that coffee taste gets into the space between the little thing that seals the top and the tube it sits on. So, if I want to drink something besides coffee in my coffee one, I take off the little silicone thing and washit and the tube. It was easier to get a different color for coffee. At this price, I could have a different one for jasmine tea, black tea, kombucha and milk. Really. Update 2020: Well, they don't last forever. The little silicone o-ring will eventually come out or twist and then it doesn't seal right and it leaks. I also had a lid get a hairline crack in it and it took a while to figure that out, although i knew something was wrong because it was leaking slowly onto my desk if it fell over. And finally, I had one lid that just flat out cracked apart. But they lasted about 4 or 5 years before they started doing that. Now, in 2017, they replaced a lid when the silicone o-ring twisted. But in 2020, they said they don't replace lids, and though they have a guarantee, they said they were making a one-time replacement of the whole thing, which sounds wasteful. Also, it doesn't much sound like a guarantee. Whatever. They are still the best mug for someone who needs to keep something sealed and insulated. They keep cold drinks icy 4 or 5 hours and keep hot drinks hot about 3 or 4 hours. They aren't perfect, but they are the best thing that's available out there. I'll take it.