Vacuum Insulated Travel Mug with Handle vs Stainless Steel King Travel Mug: which is safer?

THERMOS Stainless Steel King Travel Mug is our pick: better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.

S'well Vacuum Insulated Travel Mug with Handle

S'well

Vacuum Insulated Travel Mug with Handle

PFAS grade

Excellent 85/100

Overall grade

Good 63/100

Verdict

Buy

Hazard flags

⚑ 4

Material

Stainless steel body, plastic handle and cap

Confidence

72%

PossiblePlastic cap/handle thermal migration

PossibleUndisclosed polymer type and additives in handle/cap

PossibleVacuum seal degradation and mold growth

Our pick

THERMOS Stainless Steel King Travel Mug

Thermos

Stainless Steel King Travel Mug

PFAS grade

Excellent 95/100

Overall grade

Excellent 83/100

Verdict

Buy

Hazard flags

⚑ 3

Material

Stainless steel interior and exterior, plastic lid

Confidence

82%

PossiblePlastic lid polymer degradation

PossibleGasket/seal material composition

PossibleThermal shock stress on seals

Where these two actually differ

  • We flag Plastic cap/handle thermal migration, Undisclosed polymer type and additives in handle/cap, Vacuum seal degradation and mold growth and No third-party safety or PFAS testing disclosed on the S'well and not on the Thermos.
  • We flag Plastic lid polymer degradation, Gasket/seal material composition and Thermal shock stress on seals on the Thermos and not on the S'well.
  • The S'well is Stainless steel body, plastic handle and cap where the Thermos is Stainless steel interior and exterior, plastic lid, which is most of the difference in these two grades.

Both products run through the same public rubric: materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls, plus a beyond-PFAS hazard analysis. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests. How grades work →

More insulated travel mugs: see the full ranking