Customer Reviews

Contigo AUTOSEAL Elle Double Wall Insulated Mug - 14oz. - Red

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(17)
2 star:		(14)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

Contigo's mostly plastic Elle mug, is unfortunately a subpar performer in comparison to Contigo's West Loop or Elite style mugs, which are constructed using stainless steel. While each of these Contigo mugs employs insulated double wall construction, the plastic used in the Elle mug does a vastly inferior job of insulating liquids inside the mug from ambient temperatures, than stainless steel.

Although the label on the mug says "No Sweating With Ice", I did not find this to be true. If you fill the Elle with ice, add water, and seal the lid, typically enough cold will seep through the walls of the mug to cause condensation to form on the mug. This does not occur when the same test is performed with the West Loop mug, as between these three mugs, the West Loop easily does the best job of insulating either cold or hot liquids. The Elle keeps liquids cold initially, but ice melts much faster than in the West Loop. After washing, I found water droplets inside the Elle between the double walls, indicating that the seal is compromised somewhere, which may contribute to the condensation issue. There's almost zero airflow inside the mug, so the water will take forever to evaporate.

For hot beverages, heat is also transmitted to the exterior walls of the Elle. Contigo does not recommend that boiling hot liquids (which can damage the rubber seals) be poured into their mugs. It's also a good idea not to shake the mug, as it causes pressure to build up. Drinking really hot beverages directly from the mug can be kind of tricky, as you may have no idea how hot the liquid may actually be. This can possibly result in a burnt tongue or lips. While the Elle may not keep your drink hot as long, the temperature of the mug can give you some Indication of how hot the liquid inside may be.

Generally, Contigo mugs are spillproof as advertised. You push a button on the lid that opens a valve on the top that you drink from. The seal is airtight, so using the mug with carbonated drinks is not recommended, but it's really not a major issue, as long as you press the button and release whatever gas has built up, before you drink. Those with children might be interested in knowing, that shaking a sealed mug with hot liquid inside can cause a leak. Liquids do not acquire a "plastic" taste, however keeping the mug, lid, seals and valve clean is highly recommended to prevent the buildup of bacteria, or gunk from coffee or tea.

Between the West Loop, Elite, and Elle mugs, the West Loop by far does the best job, with the Elite running second. The Elle does a decent job, but is so far behind in comparison, that I regret buying it. Plastic just isn't that great as a thermal insulator, and is harder to keep clean than stainless steel. The fact that my mug leaks, drops my rating down from three to two stars for poor quality control.

The Elle is cheaper, but the superior performance of the West Loop, makes it well worth the additional cost. Prices for the West Loop vary according to the color, so shop around for the best deal. The Elite mug is also very good, but is currently only being sold in a package with two mugs, and not individually. You can find my comparative review of the Elite and West Loop mugs at the Elite product page Contigo Vacuum Insulated AUTOSEAL Elite Travel Mugs, Green and Blue (Pack of 2).

This my favourite mug ever. It's super easy to use and it looks fabulous in red! The Autoseal Lid works great, no spils even in your backpack or tote. It's great when you have your hands full and don't have to try to keep the mug "heads up". I've been using it during super cold winter months (Jan. and Feb.) and it kept my coffee warm for about 2 hours. It would probably keep it warm/hot longer if I would use hot coffee, but I don't like boiling hot coffee so it perfect for me. Another good thing about it is that you can see through the walls how much coffee you have left so you know for sure when you need to refill. This is the travel mug that you are going to fall inlove with in fact yesterday I've ordered another one for my sister too!!!

I purchased two glasses from another merchant and have found them to be the absolute best of their kind. Even in Texas weather, this glass doesn't sweat and leave a ring. You can knock it over and there is nooooo leak. And if I put it by my bed at night, there is still iced water in it when I wake up. . . I highly recommend it.

Oh, and my cat can't drink out of it either!

I bought this for my husband for Christmas. He drinks coffee all day and loves it because he can easily carry it around with him without spilling. The base of the cup is slim enough that it is easy to hold. I will probably get him another.

Bought this for my father as part of xmas. He uses daily & it does what it says. Does not leak, spill or sweat & seals automatically. He has dropped it a couple of times & has yet to break(not sure if won't since made of hard plastic but will see). Likes it so much asked for another one but larger, so ordered same brand but a 16oz stainless steel, so now will have one to use while other in dishwasher. Great product so far. Would definitely recommend.

As others can attest to, this is a great no-spill mug. And the price was right! Others who were fixing to do something other than drink out of this will be disappointed (as a number of silly reviews will attest), but if you just want a good solid travel mug, this will do the trick.

I have to disagree with the poor reviews for this mug. As long as you follow directions and do not overfill the mug above a circular line on the interior of the mug, it will not spill. If you do overfill it though, it will squeeze some liquid out of the mug, and will "spill" when it is tipped (I know from experience). This mug is by far better than my previous mug, which did not keep coffee warm nearly as long and spilled quite often (I purchased it from a coffee shop). This product really is quite amazing how well it keeps the seal. I fill my mug with coffee every morning and flip it upside down just to make sure it doesn't leak!!

Other people mentioned it being weird to hold and hard to push the button open...I think the mug is easy to hold and even is designed to be slimmer near where it is supposed to be held (as can be seen in the picture). I also don't have the hard-to-push button that some people mention. Also, this mug will not keep coffee reasonably warm for about 6 hours, depending on how often you take sips and how much is left in the mug.

The only thing that could make this mug better would be if it could fit more liquid, but that would inherently make it larger and more would complain about it being harder to hold.

If you are looking for a great mug to keep liquid warm (or cold) for a good amount of time, this is definitely a great choice!

I bring this mug traveling with me as I know it will keep my coffee hot for a decent amount of time. Happy with the purchase.

I was looking for a coffee mug for my husband for Christmas NOT made of stainless steel. It took awhile, but I found the Contigo, and he just loves it! There is no bitter aftertaste since it is made with plastic. Also, the ease of using the red button to drink is flawless. I would definitely recommend this mug to anyone who commutes.

Easy to use. Keeps my coffee warm. Easy to clean. Great product for the money.