Buying
What the ounces on a mug actually mean
Why an 11 oz mug and a 20 oz mug are different objects, and which one you are picturing.
Mugs are sold by capacity and almost nobody has an intuition for it. Eleven ounces sounds small and twenty sounds enormous, and in practice the difference is one coffee against two.
The sizes, translated
| Capacity | In practice | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| 11 oz | One standard coffee, filled to the line | The default. Fits every cupboard and every dishwasher rack. |
| 14 oz | A generous mug, or a coffee plus milk | Most people who complain that mugs are too small. |
| 16–20 oz | Two cups without a refill | Working from home, and anyone who lets tea go cold. |
| 24 oz+ | A bowl with a handle, effectively | Soup, cereal, and the person who wanted a bigger one. |
The other number nobody checks is the height. A 20 oz mug is often too tall for the top rack of a dishwasher and for the shelf under a kitchen cabinet. Measure before falling for the artwork.
Ceramic against steel
Ceramic holds heat gently and lets it go: a coffee in a ceramic mug is drinkable in two minutes and cold in twenty. A double-walled steel tumbler does the opposite, holding temperature for hours, which is either the point or a nuisance depending on whether you like your tea scalding.
Where the art sits
On our ceramic lines the design is fired under the glaze, so washing cannot reach it. On steel it is printed onto the outer coating, which is durable but not eternal: daily dishwasher cycles will dull it over a couple of years, hand washing will not.
Capacity, material and care sit on every card in the mug range.