Once upon a morning in the land of Greater Manchester, there was a cup of tea going cold – AGAIN! It had been made but sat on the desk, forgotten and lonely. But a brave little gadget emerged to battle the dreaded cold brew – a fate worse than decaf for any self-respecting hot beverage. Enter the ikago Smart Mug Warmer, a valiant knight in shining plastic, armed with a hot plate, digital display and infrared sensors, ready to keep your cuppa at the perfect sipping temperature using its smart technology.
Yes, yes, I’m fully aware that mug warmers are not a new concept and have been around since the dark ages (well, maybe not quite that long). But this is the James Bond of mug warmers, something Q would have on their desk among all those other cool gadgets.
In the box:
- ikago Smart Mug Warmer
- 15oz Handmade Ceramic Mug with Matching Lid
- Spoon/Stirrer
- Instructions
How often have you picked up that fresh brew you made 5 minutes ago (in reality over an hour ago and forgot about while reading cool reviews on Savage Reviews), taken a sip only to baulk at the cold and tasteless contents of that forgotten about mug? I do it all the time, and I really hate cold tea. Tea and coffee should be drank at the correct temperature of at least 140°F. And now I have a new drinking companion that will keep my hot drinks at a consistent drinking temperature that I like, down to the last dregs of the mug with the wonderful ikago Smart Mug Warmer!
The ikago Smart Mug Wamer is a very smart coaster for your ceramic mugs and hot drinks. A sleek and modern gadget that is sure to make your other gadgets green with envy. This set comes with its own 15oz ceramic mug with a matching lid and rather cool spoon, but it doesn’t discriminate – you can use your own favourite ceramic mug, and it will treat it just like an old friend or beloved family member and warm it up just the same. Just don’t bring plastic, metal, or your hopes and dreams; it’s not equipped for existential crises.
Using the ikago Smart Mug Warmer is as easy as pie, although you probably shouldn’t put a pie on it. Pop your favourite mug on the hot plate, set the temperature, and voilà you brew will heat up to that temperature and stay that way! The digital display will show you the current temperature, which you can adjust faster than you can say “thermal conductivity.” Want your drink lava-hot? Crank it up to 175ºF. Prefer it just above room temperature, so you can chug it like a marathon runner at a water station? Dial it down to 105ºF.
But here’s where the ikago mug warmer truly shines and earns its smarts – its IR sensors. These little beams of genius light detect when a mug is present, heating it when its there and stops heating once the mug is lifted off. And if you forget your mug on the warmer for over two hours, it powers off, because even inanimate objects know you shouldn’t leave tea unattended for that long.
Features:
- Precise Infrared Temperature Measurement: ikago mug warmer is the FIRST infrared temperature measurement mug warmer, which can monitor the temperature of the beverage in the cup in real-time. You can get the temperature you want down to exactly one degree, up to 175ºF. You have complete control over the temperature of your drink. Note: This product will be affected by other ultraviolet rays, please do not use in direct sunlight.
- Intelligent Constant Temperature: Since the ikago coffee mug warmer controls the temperature of the drink rather than the heating plate, no matter how much coffee is left in the cup and what the temperature of the beverage is, the ikago smart coffee mug warmer is able to intelligently regulate the temperature and display the drink temperature. Once you find your favourite drink temperature, it’s able to remember your last setting without having to reset it each time.
- Smart Security Settings: ikago coffee warmer is equipped with the latest program design, can detect whether the cup is on it through infrared, if the cup is not on it then it will automatically stop heating, if the cup leaves the coffee warmer and enters the standby state more than 15 minutes, it will automatically shut down. If the touch bar is not operated for more than 3 seconds, it will be automatically locked to avoid accidental touch.
- Advanced Configuration: ikago coffee cup warmer’s heating plate adopts high quality die-cast aluminium heat conduction plate, has the best heat conduction efficiency, will not break easily. The edge of the heating plate is designed with a waterproof silica gel ring, and the water guide structure is set inside to prevent electric shock by sprinkling water. Panel and touch bar using matte spray process, more quality, and easier to clean.
- Matte black metal style: perfect for office and living room decoration style.
So, is the ikago Smart Mug Warmer and Mug Set worth the desk space and the cost? If you’re like me who gets involved in whatever task you are doing and returns to a sad, cold cup of tea or coffee, then absolutely. It’s the sidekick every hot beverage deserves, and the one you need right now. Because life’s too short for cold brews, and you’re too busy for microwave trips (and I, for whatever reason, don’t like reheating my tea in the microwave).
You can purchase the ikago Smart Mug Warmer on its own or as part of the mug set. I have the mug set which comes with the mug warmer, mug and spoon. The mug supplied in this set is perfect, at least for me and I’m very fussy with my mugs. The mug is 100% handmade, black with the word ikago in white on the front and is a great size, holding a generous 15oz. It is nice and comfortable to hold with a good weight and handle size, and great to drink out of – it gets my fussy seal of approval. Good mugs are hard to find! And then there is the spoon/stirrer, it looks cool, feels good quality, nice and sturdy, and can even stay in the mug with the lid on as the lid has a nice little cut-out for the spoon handle.
Overall, I love the ikago Smart Mug Warmer & Mug Set. It looks good and sits proudly on my desk, ready, willing and able to keep my tea perfect for drinking. It works fast with its 75w of efficient heating power, heating and maintaining the temperature of the liquid contents of the mug, and I love being able to set my own drinking temperature so that my brew retains its heat and flavour. The touch panel is simple to use, using just plus or minus touch controls to set the temperature – and the display will show the required drinking temperature and the current drinking temperature above it.
As for the mug, I’m very fussy with mugs, when I broke my favourite mug and couldn’t replace it (it had been discontinued as was a limited edition) it was like losing a loved one, but I love the one that comes in this set. It looks and feels good and it holds a good amount of liquid; not too little so that you need another cup straight after but not too much like those massive infamous sports shop mugs that make you feel like you have just swallowed a three course meal, as Goldilocks would have said “it’s just right” (although she better not creep into my house and start drinking my tea).
If you like your tea of coffee at a good consistent drinking temperature, when you remember to pick up you mug, the ikago Smart Mug Warmer is a MUST HAVE desk accessory! It is an excellent gift idea, whether to treat yourself, a loved one or even a friend.
No more wasted brews and that morning, or anytime, cuppa will always be the perfect drinking temperature, from the very first sip to the very last!
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £69.99 (Warmer and Mug Set) / £54 (Warmer only)
For more information, visit ikago.tech. Available to buy from Amazon here.