The Best Non-Toxic Insulated Travel Mugs of 2026
We scored 15 insulated travel mugs for PFAS forever chemicals and other hazards, then ranked them safest first. The top pick is Thermos THERMOS Stainless Steel King Travel Mug at 95/100. Every score below links to the full breakdown of what earned it.
0% of the 15 insulated travel mugs we scored fail our PFAS and toxin screen.
The safest PFAS-free insulated travel mugs we have scored
- 1
Thermos
Stainless Steel King Travel Mug
Stainless steel interior and exterior, plastic lid
PFAS Grade95ExcellentOverall Grade83Excellent⏳70Plastic lid polymer degradation
Limited concern
⚠️70Gasket/seal material composition
Limited concern
⚠️70Thermal shock stress on seals
Limited concern
Lower concern; bare stainless steel has minimal PFAS risk.
✓Bare metal or glass, no coating at all
- 2
Thermos
Icon 16 oz Stainless Steel Mug
stainless steel, no stated interior coating
PFAS Grade95ExcellentOverall Grade87Excellent⏳70Seal degradation and bacterial growth
Limited concern
⚠️70Lid or cup material (not specified)
Limited concern
Lower concern; bare stainless steel has minimal PFAS risk.
✓Bare metal or glass, no coating at all
- 3
Thermos
18 oz. Icon Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Mug
stainless steel exterior, vacuum insulation, stainless steel interior
PFAS Grade95ExcellentOverall Grade77Excellent⛏️70Nickel leaching from stainless steel
Limited concern
⛏️70Chromium leaching from stainless steel
Limited concern
⏳45Thermal shock and seal degradation
Moderate concern
Lower concern; stainless steel mug has no water-repellent coating.
✓Bare metal or glass, no coating at all
- 4
Thermos
16oz Stainless King Coffee Mug
stainless steel interior, plastic exterior
PFAS Grade95ExcellentOverall Grade83Excellent⏳70Plastic exterior degradation and leachates
Limited concern
⏳70Rubber gasket degradation
Limited concern
🧠70Lead
Limited concern
Lower PFAS concern; stainless steel contact surface unlikely PFAS source.
✓Bare metal or glass, no coating at all
- 5
Thermos
Icon 16 oz Stainless Steel Tumbler
Stainless steel interior, BPA-free plastic exterior
PFAS Grade95ExcellentOverall Grade87Excellent🫧70Plastic exterior degradation and microplastic shedding
Limited concern
⚠️70Silicone gasket bacterial or mold growth
Limited concern
Lower concern; stainless steel tumbler has no known PFAS risk.
✓Bare metal or glass, no coating at all
- 6
Thermos
Guardian Stainless Steel Mug
Stainless steel (uncoated)
PFAS Grade95ExcellentOverall Grade91Excellent⚠️70Bacterial growth in storage
Limited concern
Lower concern; bare stainless steel mug has no known PFAS risk.
✓Bare metal or glass, no coating at all
- 7
Thermos
Stainless Steel Mug
stainless steel, no stated coating
PFAS Grade95ExcellentOverall Grade87Excellent⛏️70Seam or lid leachables
Limited concern
⚠️70Bacterial growth in valve/seal areas
Limited concern
Lower concern; bare stainless steel unlikely to contain PFAS.
✓Bare metal or glass, no coating at all
- 8
S'well
40 oz Stainless Steel Traveler
18/8 stainless steel interior and exterior, plastic lid components
PFAS Grade95ExcellentOverall Grade69Good🍼70BPA & bisphenols
Limited concern
⏳20Plastic lid degradation over time
High concern
⚠️70Lid seal integrity loss
Limited concern
Lower concern; bare stainless steel vessel, verify lid material separately.
✓Bare metal or glass, no coating at all
Every insulated travel mugs that passes, side by side
Sorted by score. Higher is safer. Scored against 2 hazards that apply to this category.
| # | Insulated Travel Mugs | Score | Rating | Made of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thermos THERMOS Stainless Steel King Travel Mug | 95 | Excellent | Stainless steel interior and exterior, plastic lid |
| 2 | Thermos Thermos Icon 16 oz Stainless Steel Mug | 95 | Excellent | stainless steel, no stated interior coating |
| 3 | Thermos Thermos 18 oz. Icon Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Mug | 95 | Excellent | stainless steel exterior, vacuum insulation, stainless steel interior |
| 4 | Thermos Thermos 16oz Stainless King Coffee Mug | 95 | Excellent | stainless steel interior, plastic exterior |
| 5 | Thermos Thermos Icon 16 oz Stainless Steel Tumbler | 95 | Excellent | Stainless steel interior, BPA-free plastic exterior |
| 6 | Thermos Thermos Guardian Stainless Steel Mug | 95 | Excellent | Stainless steel (uncoated) |
| 7 | Thermos Thermos Stainless Steel Mug | 95 | Excellent | stainless steel, no stated coating |
| 8 | S'well S'well 40 oz Stainless Steel Traveler | 95 | Excellent | 18/8 stainless steel interior and exterior, plastic lid components |
The insulated travel mugs we would skip
Lowest scoring in this category, worst first.
S'well
S'ip by S'well Takeaway Mug
Stainless steel exterior, insulated
BPA & bisphenols
Limited concern
Bacterial growth in lid seals
Limited concern
Thermal shock or seal failure from temperature cycling
Limited concern
Low concern. Stainless steel design with no reported coatings.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
S'well
Vacuum Insulated Travel Mug with Handle
Stainless steel body, plastic handle and cap
Plastic cap/handle thermal migration
Limited concern
Undisclosed polymer type and additives in handle/cap
Limited concern
Vacuum seal degradation and mold growth
Limited concern
PFAS
Moderate concern
Low concern, though S'well discloses no PFAS information.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
Thermos
Foam Insulated Travel Mug GS1500TRI6
Stainless steel interior, foam insulation outer shell
Foam insulation degradation
Limited concern
Flame retardants
Limited concern
Bacterial colonization in crevices
Limited concern
Lower concern; stainless steel interior, typical foam shell unlikely PFAS.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
What we check on insulated travel mugs
- Lead. A heavy metal with no safe exposure level, especially for children. ATSDR
- Cadmium. A toxic heavy metal found in some glazes, pigments, and batteries. ATSDR
Full point-by-point rubric on the methodology page.
The insulated travel mugs brands that will not say
2 of the brands here publish nothing about PFAS at all. Silence is not evidence of harm, but it is why none of them score well on disclosure.
S'well, Thermos.
Common questions about PFAS-free insulated travel mugs
Is insulated travel mugs PFAS free?
Mostly not. Of the 15 insulated travel mugs we have scored, 0% fail our PFAS and toxin screen, which leaves 15 that pass. The highest scoring is Thermos THERMOS Stainless Steel King Travel Mug at 95 out of 100. The lowest is S'well S'ip by S'well Takeaway Mug at 85.
What is the safest insulated travel mugs you have scored?
Thermos THERMOS Stainless Steel King Travel Mug, at 95 out of 100, which we band as Excellent. It is stainless steel interior and exterior, plastic lid. The runner up is Thermos Thermos Icon 16 oz Stainless Steel Mug at 95.
Which insulated travel mugs should I avoid?
The three lowest scoring we hold are S'well S'ip by S'well Takeaway Mug at 85, S'well S'well Vacuum Insulated Travel Mug with Handle at 85, Thermos Thermos Foam Insulated Travel Mug GS1500TRI6 at 85. The problem with the first is that made from ceramic, mineral, or natural fiber with no PFAS risk.
How can you tell if insulated travel mugs contain PFAS?
In this category we check for lead, cadmium. A heavy metal with no safe exposure level, especially for children. Language like stain resistant, water repellent or easy release usually means fluorinated chemistry even when PFAS is never printed on the box.
Which insulated travel mugs brands will not say whether they use PFAS?
2 of the brands we scored in this category publish nothing about PFAS at all, including S'well, Thermos. Silence is not evidence of harm, but it is the reason those brands cannot score well on disclosure.
Do you lab test insulated travel mugs?
No. We score from published ingredient lists, materials, certifications, disclosures and third party lab results where they exist. Where a product has been independently tested we use that result and say so.
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Does a particular brand of insulated travel mugs have PFAS?
Want to filter the whole category yourself? Browse all 15 insulated travel mugs.