So, you are a coffee lover and want to know whether it is safe to consume your favorite brewed coffee in a copper mug?
Well, it has been a frequent question and people are looking for a worthy response to it on the internet.
Being a coffee lover as you already know, I also had this question in mind since last so many days.
One day, I researched a lot about this topic and then got some interesting insights which I am going to share with you today in this article.
In the article, I will delve deep into this topic and will tell you whether you can use copper mugs for coffee.
Are they poisonous to use for drinking any beverage?
Several studies including the research report released by the Iowa alcoholic beverage division have concluded that drinking any substance below a pH of 6 can be harmful to the human body.
Substances having a pH below 6.0 are strongly prohibited to be used in the copper vessels.
These substances include wine, vinegar, fruit juice, and similar beverages.
But our main question is can you drink coffee in your copper mug.
The short answer is “Yes” and “No” both.
You still can drink your coffee in the copper mug.
But it is healthy for you only when you are using a copper mug lined with non-reactive metals such as stainless steel, nickel, and tin.
If you do not use a lined coffee mug for consuming your coffee, you might be putting your health at risk.
Also, hot coffee is not good to drink using copper mugs.
It is best for you to use copper mugs to drink cold iced coffee only.
Do you know that coffee has acidic properties and has a pH of about 4.85 – 5.13?
The pH is quite below the mark of 6.0 so it increases the risk of copper dissolving in the coffee and making your coffee taste like metal.
At hot temperature, there is also risk of copper getting infused in your coffee and making it poisonous to drink.
The level of harm also depends on the amount of coffee you are drinking in the mug.
For example, if you are drinking an average of 1-2 times of coffee in the mug per day, there is a very low risk of getting affected by the reaction.
On the other hand, if you are drinking coffee quite frequently in your copper mug every day, or say you are drinking from it all day, then you are more likely to be affected by the copper particles present in the mug.
If you are looking for a safe and healthy copper coffee mug for consuming your daily coffee, then I highly recommend you to use only these special PG Moscow Mule Copper Plating Coffee Mugs.
The main reason why I recommend this mug is because of its inner stainless-steel lining.
However, instead of hot coffee, I also strongly suggest to use this mug for drinking iced coffee only.
Because the heat from hot coffee will transfer to your lips pretty quickly and it may burn your lips if you drink too hot coffee with this mug too quickly.
So, try drinking only cold iced coffee from such copper coffee mugs.
Table of Contents
- FAQ Regarding Use of Copper Coffee Mugs
- Is Copper Mug Bad for Drinking Coffee?
- Can You Drink Hot Coffee Using Copper Mugs?
- Lined vs. Unlined Copper Coffee Mugs – Which one is Best?
- Is a Double Walled Copper Travel Mug Good for Outdoor Coffee?
- What is the Best Copper Mug to Drink Daily Cup of Coffee?
FAQ Regarding Use of Copper Coffee Mugs
Is Copper Mug Bad for Drinking Coffee?
The answer can be both Yes and No.
If you are using a pure traditional copper coffee mug, it might turn out to be dangerous for your health.
A pure copper coffee mug may react with the oxygen and dissolve in your acidic coffee, making it unhealthy for your body.
On the other hand, if you are using a modern lined copper coffee mug whose interior is made of non-reactive metals like stainless steel, then there is less risk.
When you drink cold drinks and other beverages from a stainless steel lined copper coffee mug, then your coffee does not react with copper metal easily.
Its because now there is enough barrier in between your coffee and the copper material.
So, there is no harm in drinking your coffee from such lined copper mugs.
I also recommend to use double walled lined copper mugs instead of single walled copper mugs.
The heat transfer happens pretty fast in a single walled mug as compared to the double walled coffee mug.
I also suggest limiting the intake of your daily coffee through your copper coffee mug to reduce the metal exposure.
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Can You Drink Hot Coffee Using Copper Mugs?
The straightforward answer is “No”.
I will not recommend you to use plain copper mugs for drinking hot coffee.
Usually, drinking hot coffee using copper mugs is not considered good for human health.
Also, if you are using a pure copper mug for drinking your hot brewed coffee, you might burn your lips and hands.
Because copper is a great heat conductor and can transfer heat from the inner part to the outer part pretty faster.
So, when you pour up the coffee in the mug and try to lift it up by the handle, it will be too hot to do so.
Please note that this issue can cause you severe burns if you drink your coffee quickly.
Another reason why you should not use pure copper mugs for drinking coffee is that copper particles can react with the coffee, making it unhealthy for you.
According to the Centers of Disease Control, consuming copper-containing coffee can cause vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, and even death in extreme cases.
If you still want to enjoy your favorite coffee in a copper mug, then you should always use a lined copper mug with an interior made of non-reactive metals.
This is the best method to use copper mugs to drink hot coffee.
Lined vs. Unlined Copper Coffee Mugs – Which one is Best?
Both lined and unlined copper mugs can be used for coffee, as long as the amount of copper exposure to the body is moderate.
But I highly recommend to use them for drinking cold iced coffee instead of hot coffee to avoid burning your lips.
Unlined copper mugs are also highly recommended in comparison to the pure copper mugs.
Because these types of coffee mugs do not involve any other element in their making.
Unlined copper mugs have been found to leach copper particles when something having a pH of less than 6.0 comes in contact with it.
For example, when coffee is poured into an unlined copper mug, there are possibilities that copper reacts with oxygen, and copper particles may leach into the coffee.
If this reaction happens, then it could raise the issue of copper toxicity.
However, studies have concluded that the infrequent use of copper mugs do not lead to copper toxicity.
But if you use these mugs on a regular basis for longer period of time, then it could cause some health issues later on.
For these reasons, unlined copper mugs are already banned in Iowa.
Talking of lined copper mugs, they are considered quite safer than the unlined copper mugs.
In a lined copper mug, the interior is made of non-reactive elements such as stainless steel, or ceramic material.
This lined material prevents any kind of reaction and leaching of copper into your coffee.
The interior elements used in the copper are bad conductors of heat so they can keep the hot coffee hot for a longer time period and the same can be said with the cold coffee.
From the above comparison, I can easily say that the lined copper mugs are much better than the unlined copper mugs.
Is a Double Walled Copper Travel Mug Good for Outdoor Coffee?
Yes, certainly the double walled copper travel mugs are great choice for consuming coffee when you go outdoors.
Double-walled copper travel mugs are quite popular nowadays for travel purpose and even for regular office work.
The thick layer of a double walled copper travel mug prevents the heat transfer and avoids burning of your lips and hand when drinking hot coffee.
According to a certain research, if it is a double-walled copper vacuum insulated travel mug, then it is safe and healthy for drinking outdoor coffee.
In these mugs, the copper-plated interior walls prevent heat from entering the double-wall by thermal radiation.
This keeps hot coffee hot up to 8 hours and cold coffee cold up to 16 hours, which is quite good for outdoor purposes.
The best double-walled copper travel mug which I can recommend you to use for outdoor purpose is PG Moscow Mule Copper Mug.
What is the Best Copper Mug to Drink Daily Cup of Coffee?
Well, you can use both lined and unlined copper mugs to enjoy your daily cup of coffee with lower health issues.
However, using a lined copper mug is always preferred because it eliminates all the possible health side effects.
The issues such as, the copper leaching into your coffee and the coffee mug turning too hot because of the heat transfer from the interior part, can be prevented when you use lined copper coffee mug.
In the above section, I have already mentioned a high-quality, durable and double walled copper coffee mug that has been proven to be safe for consuming mainly cold iced coffee.
However, I would not recommend these copper mugs to drink hot coffee due to possible copper leaching problem.
To drink hot coffee safely, I highly recommend you to make use of Hydro Flask Wide Mouth Flex Sip Stainless Steel Vacuum Bottle.
Click here to know why you should use it to drink outdoor coffee.
References:
https://advancedmixology.com/blogs/art-of-mixology/moscow-mule-copper-poisoning
https://www.webstaurantstore.com/blog/2500/copper-mug-safety.html
https://fullcoffeeroast.com/copper-mugs-for-coffee/#can-you-use-copper-mugs-for-coffee