Ember launched their first battery powered heated mugs in 2017 and since then they have iterated on the first mug and made it even better. But given that the mugs look almost identical you might be asking
“What's the difference between Ember Mug 1 vs Ember Mug 2”
In this article I'm going to break down exactly what they changed, what they improved upon and how you can know which version of the Ember Mug you are buying so you don't buy the old one by accident.
Ember Mug 1 vs 2: What's Changed
From the outside the Ember Mug 1 looks exactly the same as the Ember Mug 2. So much so that if you put the 2 cups side-by-side next to each other you couldn't tell the difference just by looking at them.
Instead what has changed is the internals and how well it performs. Here's what's different.
Longer Battery Life
The new Ember Mug 2 has an improved battery life by up to 50%. Instead of just 1 hour of battery life you get 1.5 hours (or 80 minutes on the 40 oz size).
It's not a gigantic change but it gives you an extra half an hour to drink your coffee while in a meeting or while on the go and often that's all you really need.
Better Water Proofing
I couldn't find the specs of the original Ember Mug 1 and whether or not it was water proof.
But the Ember Mug 2 now has an IPX7 rating which means it can be submerged 1 meter (3.3 feet) in water for up to 30 minutes without any damage.
This makes it easier to wash and means you don't have to stress about it getting wet when washing it or if you happen to spill your coffee.
Smaller Charging Coaster
This isn't a change to the cup itself but rather the charging coaster has been streamlined and made smaller so it more easily fits on your desk.
The differences here are minor. Rather than having an overhanding plastic top they have culled this back so the top of the coaster is more flush with the body of the coaster.
It just means that it'll take up a little less room on your desk which is good for those who have limited space.
Price
The Ember Mug 1 launched with a price of around $80. While the cup is no longer available for sale on Ember's website there are multiple reviews online dating back to 2017/2018 talking about “The $80 Coffee Mug”.
Now the Ember Mug 2 retails for around $99, or $20 more than the original design.
It was already a really expensive coffee mug and to be completely honest how many people would have bought it for $80 but not for $100? Probably not many.
You can still get the original Ember Mug 1 for the cheaper price on Amazon, but stocks are running low and it likely won't last for long. At the time of writing the newer Ember Mug had a 5% discount on Amazon so maybe you can get it cheaper sometimes.
See the latest price of the Ember Mug 2 at Amazon
(or compare to the price of the Ember Mug 1 at Amazon)
Now Available In “Copper”
The original Ember Mug only came in black and white but the new version also comes in copper.
At the time of writing it's sold out and I'm not sure if it was a limited edition or if they plan on making more.
Ember Travel Mug 1 vs 2: What's Changed
The Ember Travel Mug arguably had a bigger change from version 1 to version 2 and unlike the smaller Ember Mug you can actually tell a version 1 from version 2 just by looking at it.
Here are the biggest changes made in the Ember Travel Mug
Touch Buttons Replace Turn Dial
The new Ember Travel Mug 2 now features PLUS + and MINUS – buttons on the front of the cup that you can use to manually adjust the temperature of your beverage.
This does away with the older style turn dial that they used to have at the base of the cup.
Ember hasn't said why they made this change but less moving parts likely means less chance of breaking, more waterproofing and an overall more reliable mug.
The old style turn dial was cool and intuitive but the plus and minus buttons are just as easy to use.
They also hide themselves away when not in use just like the temperature numbers do so it won't be constantly showing.
Longer Battery Life
Just like the smaller 10 oz Ember Mug the Travel Mug has also seen an upgrade to it's battery life by 50%.
It can now keep your drink warm for 3 hours instead of the original 2 hours of the first generation Ember Travel Mug.
Auto Sleep
The new Ember Travel Mug 2 now has an auto sleep feature.
When there is no liquid in the cup or when the cup has been sitting idle without being touched or picked up for over 2 hours it'll turn itself off and enter into a sleep mode where it stops heating your beverage.
This saves on battery life but also stops the battery from overheating.
Once you pick up the Ember Travel Mug it will detect that motion and turn itself back on.
Now Only In Black
The original Ember Travel Mug came in both black and white but the new Ember Travel Mug 2 currently only comes in black.
No white is available and I'm not sure if they plan to release it in the future.
Price
Like the smaller Ember Mug the Ember Travel Mug 2 also had a price lift and became more expensive than the original.
Originally it launched for around $150 with some places selling it for less than that and some selling it for $159.99.
The Ember Travel Mug 2 at the time of writing this retails for around $180. A jump of $20-30.
While not a huge jump for an already expensive product $180 feels a lot like $200 whereas $150 feels like $150. So it feels a lot more expensive.
Still I'm sure a lot of people would be buying them and loving them.
You can still get the original online at Amazon but I don't know if you would want the original with the shorter battery life just to save yourself $20-$30.
See the latest price of the Ember Travel Mug 2 at Amazon
(or compare to the price of the Ember Travel Mug 1 at Amazon)
How To Tell If You're Buying an Ember Mug 2 or 1
When shopping online to buy the Ember Mug it can be quite confusing as to whether or not you're buying version 1 or version 2.
Searching on Amazon at the time of writing brought up version 2 for the travel mug but it still brought up version 1 of the smaller mug so you need to be careful.
Look At The Advertised Batter Life
One of the easiest ways to tell if it is version 1 or 2 is to look for the advertised battery life.
Version 1 is advertised as:
- 1 hour battery life for the Ember Mug
- 2 hours battery life for the Ember Travel Mug
Version 2 is advertised as:
- 1.5 hour battery life for the Ember Mug
- 3 hours battery life for the Ember Travel Mug
Make Sure It Says Ember Mug 2
Make sure the website listing says Ember Mug 2 or Ember Travel Mug 2.
If it just says “Ember Mug” or “Ember Travel Mug” then there is a chance it may be the original version.
Look For The + and – Buttons On The Travel Mug
The new Ember Travel Mug 2 has + and – buttons to control the temperature and they have done away with the turn dial at the bottom.
If you still seen the turn dial at the bottom then that's an original version and you may want to avoid it.
Go Directly To Ember Mug 2 Listings
I've actually hunted and found the Ember Mug 2 and Ember Travel Mug 2 listings at Amazon.
I'll link to them below using my affiliate links:
See the latest price of the Ember Mug 2 at Amazon
(or compare to the price of the Ember Mug 1 at Amazon)
See the latest price of the Ember Travel Mug 2 at Amazon
(or compare to the price of the Ember Travel Mug 1 at Amazon)
More Ember FAQs
If you want to learn more about the Ember Mugs then you can check out some of the below articles:
How to turn on the Ember Mug plus other heating FAQs
