The average city dweller spends a considerable part of his life in a car. And if it is cold and uncomfortable in the car in the morning, a cup of tea or coffee, but always hot, is able to invigorate the body for 20-30 minutes. And this is enough for the salon to warm up, the media center to play hits, and the people around began to smile.
Yes, for such an idyll, much is not needed. But after all, you object, there is no stove and kettle in the car … This, of course, is an argument, but not iron. In our age of a wide variety of electronic gadgets, a very useful device has already been invented that allows you to make dreams of your favorite hot drink come true. This is a heated mug that can be powered by a 12-volt cigarette lighter.
Without a doubt, it will become an indispensable accessory for many categories of the population:
- People for whom visiting a cafe is a way of life;
- Parents who, for various reasons, spend a lot of time in the car with their young children;
- Avid hunters and fishermen, lovers of “quiet” hunting and countryside picnics;
- Just drivers who value comfort while driving.
What is this device and how does it work? Let’s try to figure this out with the utmost care.
What does a thermal mug consist of and how does it work?
Everyone knows about the principle of the thermos. So, the mug warmer in its design is, as it were, a reduced analog of this Chinese invention.
It consists of the following elements:
- Case, which is double for such a gadget, like a thermos, and in most cases both the outer and inner shells are made of thin-walled stainless steel or stainless alloys. From top to bottom, the mug narrows, which allows you to put it in a standard car cup holder. A vacuum is used as a thermal insulation layer between the cases, or, alternatively, this space is filled with a special filler with low thermal conductivity.
- The handle, like the lid of such a mug, is made of a high-strength variety of plastic that can withstand the temperature of boiling water. On the lid of the gadget, there is a filling hole, sealed with a cork. Both the cover and the handle are not subject to heat, being safe for the driver and passengers.
- The heating element, located in the lower part of the mug, hidden from the eyes, is similar in structure to the shadows of household electric kettles, but much smaller.
Such a mug heated from the cigarette lighter in the off-state is able to work like a classic thermos, keeping the liquid hot for a long time. True, we are not talking about boiling water: such devices heat water to a temperature of about 70-75 ° C. This was done intentionally in order to prevent overloading the car’s power supply network.
Varieties of car thermal mugs
So, we already know that the body of the car mug can be metal and plastic. But this applies only to the outer shell: the inner one is always made of stainless steel. Otherwise, you simply cannot heat the water.
Metal gadgets are able to retain heat longer, and they are much stronger, but many are deterred by their high cost, which is quite expected. But if you spend a lot of time driving, it’s not worth saving.
Plastic ones are much cheaper and much easier to assemble. But they have big problems with durability: after short use, they will most likely be covered with scratches. And cracks will inevitably appear over time.
