Ember Mug 3 vs. Mug 2 vs. the Original: What Changed, and What to Buy Instead

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The Ember Mug 3 is the first Ember you can put in the dishwasher, the first you can set to a temperature without opening an app, and the first that ships with a lid in the box. It costs $149.95 for the 14 oz and $129.95 for the 10 oz. What it doesn’t do is last longer off the coaster. Bare and lidless, the 14 oz Mug 3 is rated for 80 minutes, which is exactly what the 14 oz Mug 2 has been rated for since 2019.

If you’ve ever microwaved the same cup of coffee three times before 10 a.m., either generation fixes that. The extra money for the Mug 3 buys you out of hand-washing and out of the app.

I haven’t had a Mug 3 on my own desk. It went on sale September 16 and reached Amazon in October, so I worked from Ember’s spec sheets for all three generations, the launch coverage for each, Engadget’s hands-on review, and Amazon prices pulled the day I wrote this.

Key Takeaways

The Mug 3 is top-rack dishwasher safe. Every earlier Ember mug is hand wash only.
You can set it without the app. The power button cycles through five presets from 125°F to 145°F in five-degree steps.
A sliding lid now comes in the box (a $14.95 accessory before), and Ember rates the 14 oz for over three hours with the lid on. The lid holds no battery; it slows heat loss.
Bare-mug battery life did not improve. 14 oz: 80 minutes, same as the Mug 2. 10 oz: about 90 minutes at 135°F, same as the Mug 2.
The Mug 2 is now the value pick at $89.99 (10 oz) and $119 (14 oz) on Amazon, $30 to $40 under the Mug 3.
The original 2017 Ember Ceramic Mug is discontinued. It launched at $79.95 with about one hour of battery.
Best non-Ember picks: Nextmug (no app, goes up to 150°F), OHOM Ui 3 (real ceramic, heats on a pad only), and a $21 mug warmer if you never leave your desk.

What the Ember Mug 3 Changes

It finally goes in the dishwasher

The Mug 2 is IPX7 rated, which means you can submerge it in a meter of water, and yet its Amazon listing still says “Do not place in the dishwasher.” The Mug 3 keeps the same stainless steel body with a ceramic-reinforced coating inside and out, and Ember credits “improved materials and manufacturing” for clearing it for the top rack on a low-temperature cycle. The lid goes in too. The charging coaster and cable do not, and the mug has to dry completely before it goes back on the coaster.

If your household runs the dishwasher every night and anything that needs special handling ends up crusted in the sink until Saturday, this alone might justify the price.

You can set the temperature on the mug

Press the button on the bottom and the Mug 3 steps through 125°F, 130°F, 135°F, 140°F, and 145°F. Lights show the setting. Whatever you pick syncs to the Ember app if you use it, and the app still handles anything in between.

The Mug 2 could technically run without the app too, but only at its 135°F default or whatever you last set from your phone. Changing it meant finding your phone, opening the app, and hoping Bluetooth cooperated.

The Mug 3’s only button sits on the bottom of the mug. Engadget’s Max Miller, who used the 14 oz for a week, pointed out that underneath a full mug of hot coffee is not where you want your fingers.

The lid is included, and that’s where the “three hours” comes from

Every Mug 3 ships with a sliding lid that Ember sold separately for $14.95. With it on, the 14 oz is rated for more than three hours on a charge.

There’s no battery in the lid, as Engadget’s review points out. It keeps heat from escaping out the top, so the heater runs less. If you sip with the lid off, which is how most of us drink at a desk, plan on the 80 minutes.

New colors, and a stainless 10 oz

The 14 oz comes in eight colors: black, white, sage green, lavender, powder blue, salt blue, sandstone, and matcha green. The 10 oz is black, white, or a new bare stainless steel finish.

What Stayed the Same

The charging coaster still uses two metal pogo pins rather than Qi wireless charging, and it still plugs into the wall with a barrel connector instead of USB-C, two things Miller wished Ember had changed. He also found the coaster charges slowly: starting at about 30% battery with the mug set to 145°F, it died within two hours while sitting on the coaster, because the coaster couldn’t keep up with the heater. With a full charge, he finished his drinks before the battery quit.

The app is still the weak spot. On Android, Miller reported temperature changes that didn’t stick, errors on launch, and having to re-pair over Bluetooth about half the time. He didn’t test iOS.

Miller also found the 14 oz heavy for its size, closer to holding a 24 oz thermos.

Warranty terms carry over: one year on the mug and a lifetime warranty on the coaster, per Ember’s product page.

About the price. The original Ember Ceramic Mug cost about $80 in 2017, which Engadget figures is roughly $108 in today’s money. The 14 oz Mug 3 is $149.95. Ember has historically discounted its mugs hard around Black Friday, so if you’re buying in late October, waiting a few weeks may pay.

Ember Mug 3 vs. Mug 2 vs. the Original, Side by Side

	Original Ember Ceramic Mug	Ember Mug 2	Ember Mug 3
Released	Nov. 2017 (14 oz added April 2019)	Oct. 2019	Sept. 16, 2026
Launch price	$79.95 (10 oz), $129.95 (14 oz)	From $99.95	$129.95 (10 oz), $149.95 (14 oz)
Amazon price today	Discontinued	$89.99 (10 oz), $119 (14 oz)	$129.95 (10 oz), $149.95 (14 oz)
Battery, no lid	About 1 hour	1.5 hours (10 oz), 80 min (14 oz)	About 90 min at 135°F (10 oz), 80 min (14 oz)
Battery, with lid	Lid sold separately	Lid sold separately	3+ hours (14 oz), lid included
Temperature	Set in app	120°F to 145°F in app; 135°F default	Five presets 125°F to 145°F on the mug; finer control in app
Cleaning	Hand wash	Hand wash only (IPX7, submersible)	Top-rack dishwasher, low temp
Coaster	Included	Included, redesigned	Included, pogo pins, barrel plug

Specs from Ember’s product pages and launch announcements, plus period coverage from TechCrunch, MacRumors and The Gadgeteer for the older models. Amazon prices checked October 19, 2026.

Should You Upgrade From a Mug 2?

Not if yours still holds a charge. You’d be paying $150 for a dishwasher rating, five presets on a button, and a lid you could have bought for $15. Batteries are what wear out on these mugs, and the Mug 3 doesn’t give you more runtime off the coaster.

Upgrade if your Mug 2’s battery has faded to the point that it only works on the coaster, or if hand-washing is the reason it lives in a cabinet. A longer battery isn’t a reason to upgrade unless you’ll keep the lid on.

Should You Buy the Mug 2 Instead?

For a first Ember at 10 oz, the Mug 2 is the better deal right now. The Ember Mug 2, 10 oz, is $89.99, against $129.95 for the 10 oz Mug 3. That $40 buys a dishwasher rating, the on-mug presets and the lid. The battery rating and the app don’t change. If you’d buy the lid anyway, the gap is $25.

At 14 oz the gap shrinks. The 14 oz Mug 2 is $119 and the 14 oz Mug 3 is $149.95, and counting the included lid, the gap is about $16. At that spread, take the Mug 3.

Gifting changes the math too. A Mug 3 doesn’t need the recipient to download an app on Christmas morning before it’s useful, which matters for anyone on your list who won’t bother with Bluetooth pairing.

What About the Original Ember Mug?

The Ember Ceramic Mug launched in November 2017 at $79.95, sold through Ember and Starbucks, and later through Apple stores. It held a drink for about an hour off the coaster. A 14 oz version arrived in April 2019 at $129.95, about six months before the Mug 2 replaced it. TechCrunch’s launch coverage of the Mug 2 put its battery at up to 50% better than the original, which lines up with the jump from roughly an hour to 90 minutes on the 10 oz.

It isn’t sold new anymore, and I’d skip it on resale sites, since any original you find now has a battery seven or eight years old. If you want an Ember for as little as possible, a renewed 10 oz Mug 2 is $59.99 on Amazon, $20 under the original’s 2017 price.

Ember Mug Alternatives Worth a Look

Nextmug: for people who never want to see an app

Nextmug, designed in Boulder, Colorado, has no app at all. One button picks from three settings: Warm (130°F), Hot (140°F), or Piping (150°F). That top setting runs five degrees hotter than any Ember allows, which matters if you take your coffee scalding. It holds 14 oz, comes with a spill-resistant lid and a charging coaster, and shows battery and temperature with LED lights.

Nextmug doesn’t publish a battery runtime in minutes, which makes a straight comparison with Ember impossible. Price varies by color: the Graphite 14 oz is $99.95 right now, while the Black 14 oz is $129.95. Every color is the same mug, so buy the cheaper one.

OHOM Ui 3: for people who want a real ceramic mug

The Ui 3 is a 12 oz handmade ceramic mug with no battery and no electronics inside. It heats only while it sits on its pad, which warms it by induction and holds the drink around 130°F. Lift it off and it’s a regular mug. The pad shuts itself off after an hour and doubles as a wireless charger for your phone or earbuds, and the mug itself is dishwasher safe.

The Ui 3 set in Jasmine White is $79. If 130°F sounds lukewarm to you, the newer Ui set with the Pad Max, $109, adds infrared temperature sensing and three heat modes. Miller named the Ui Inkstone as a similar-looking alternative to the Mug 3 for about $40 less.

Ember Tumbler: for the commute

For a commute, the 16 oz Ember Tumbler is $124.99 (list $179), runs up to three hours on a charge between 120°F and 145°F, and comes with two lids. It’s hand wash only, like the Mug 2, and like the Mug 2 it’s IPX7 rated.

A $21 mug warmer: for people who never leave the desk

If your coffee goes cold because you’re glued to a laptop, not because you’re walking around, a warming plate does most of what an Ember does for about a seventh of the price. The House Gem mug warmer is $20.89, has settings at 130°F, 150°F, and 176°F, shuts off after four hours by default with a 2 to 12 hour timer, and carries a TÜV SÜD certification to the UL 1026 safety standard. It works with any flat-bottomed ceramic, glass, or steel mug you already own.

Carry the mug to a meeting, though, and it cools like any other.

Every Option Compared

Mug	Size	Price (Amazon)	Heat off the base	Temperature	Dishwasher	Needs an app?
Ember Mug 3	10 or 14 oz	$129.95 / $149.95	80 to 90 min; 3+ hrs with lid (14 oz)	125 to 145°F	Top rack	No
Ember Mug 2	10 or 14 oz	$89.99 / $119	80 to 90 min	120 to 145°F	No	To change from 135°F
Nextmug	14 oz	$99.95 to $129.95	Not published	130, 140, 150°F	Not stated	No app exists
OHOM Ui 3	12 oz	$79	None; pad only	About 130°F	Yes	No
Ember Tumbler	16 oz	$124.99	Up to 3 hrs	120 to 145°F	No	For fine control
House Gem warmer	Any mug	$20.89	None; plate only	130, 150, 176°F	Use your own mug	No

Prices checked on Amazon October 19, 2026. Battery and temperature figures are manufacturer ratings.

Which One I’d Buy

First Ember, for yourself, 10 oz: the Mug 2 at $89.99, as long as you don’t mind washing it by hand.
First Ember, 14 oz, or anything you’d put in a dishwasher: the Mug 3 at $149.95.
A gift for someone who won’t download an app: the Mug 3 or a Nextmug. Both work out of the box.
You like your coffee hotter than 145°F: Nextmug, which reaches 150°F.
You want it to feel like a real mug: the OHOM Ui 3, accepting it only stays warm on the pad.
You drink at your desk and only at your desk: the $21 warmer and the mug you already love.
Your coffee rides in the car: the Ember Tumbler.

If the app is what’s stopping you: Ember’s app pairs over Bluetooth, with the re-pairing headaches that come with it. The Mug 3’s button lets you pick a preset and leave the app closed. If you’re fighting Bluetooth across a houseful of gadgets, our review of the Homey Pro hub covers one way to run them from a single place.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between the Ember Mug 3 and the Ember Mug 2?

The Ember Mug 3 is top-rack dishwasher safe, lets you choose one of five temperatures (125°F to 145°F) with a button on the mug, and includes a sliding lid. The Mug 2 is hand wash only, needs the app to change from its 135°F default, and sells the lid separately. Rated battery life without a lid is the same: 80 minutes for the 14 oz.

Is the Ember Mug 3 worth it?

At 14 oz, yes: it costs about $31 more than the Mug 2 and includes a $14.95 lid. At 10 oz, the Mug 2 is $40 cheaper with the same battery rating, so the Mug 3 makes sense there only if you need it to go in the dishwasher or want to skip the app.

Does the Ember Mug 3 have a longer battery than the Mug 2?

Not without the lid. The 14 oz Mug 3 is rated for 80 minutes and the 10 oz for about 90 minutes at 135°F, the same as the Mug 2. Ember’s three-hour figure applies to the 14 oz with the included lid on, which traps heat rather than adding battery.

Can you put the Ember Mug 3 in the dishwasher?

Yes, on the top rack with a low-temperature cycle. The lid can go in as well. Keep the charging coaster and cable out, and let the mug dry completely before setting it back on the coaster.

Can you put the Ember Mug 2 in the dishwasher?

No. The Mug 2 is hand wash only, even though it’s IPX7 rated and can be fully submerged in up to a meter of water.

Can you use an Ember Mug 3 without the app?

Yes. Pressing the button on the bottom cycles through 125°F, 130°F, 135°F, 140°F, and 145°F. The app is optional and lets you fine-tune between presets.

How much does the Ember Mug 3 cost?

$129.95 for the 10 oz and $149.95 for the 14 oz, on Ember’s site and on Amazon as of October 2026. The 14 oz comes in eight colors; the 10 oz in black, white, and stainless steel.

Is the original Ember mug still sold?

Not new. The Mug 2 replaced the 2017 Ember Ceramic Mug in October 2019, and the original no longer appears on Amazon. A renewed Mug 2 on Amazon, currently $59.99 for the 10 oz, is the least expensive way into an Ember.

What’s the best alternative to the Ember mug?

Nextmug is the closest match: battery-powered, a lid and coaster included, button controls with no app, and a 150°F top setting that Ember doesn’t offer. If you only drink at a desk, a $21 mug warmer covers most of the same need with any mug you own.