If you're of the opinion that you can have too many travel mugs, I'm thinking my Fellow mug review might change your mind. Seriously, you're probably going to want one of these!
If you’re of the opinion that you can have too many travel mugs, I’m thinking my Fellow mug review might change your mind. Seriously, you’re probably going to want one of these!
It’s not often that I deem a travel mug worthy of its own review, but this is the Fellow Carter Everywhere Mug we’re talking about. So, the question is: should you be taking the Everywhere mug everywhere?
To help you answer that question I ordered the Fellow mug from Amazon to test out for you. And having spent the last couple of weeks carrying it around with me, I’ve got more than a few things to say about this minimalist beauty.
Fellow Mug
Travel mugs don’t get better than this
Stylish design
Excellent heat retention
Compatible with manual brewers
Leak-proof
Rather pricey
Doesn’t fit in most car cup holders
Fellow Mug Review Overview
At $35.00, the Fellow mug is a bit pricier than most insulated coffee mugs or coffee thermoses you’ll find online. Still, that steep price tag is pretty on par with most Fellow products.
If you’ve read my reviews for the Fellow Kettle, Fellow Ode grinder or Fellow Clara French press, then you know this company doesn’t produce anything half-baked. And the Fellow Carter Everywhere mug is no exception.
Right off the bat, you can tell this coffee mug is trying to stand out from the pack.For example, it’s missing the plastic lid and basic metal interior that you’ll see in most travel mugs. I’ll have more to say about that later on in my Fellow mug review.
The Carter mug appears to be slim and sleek, and if I saw someone toting this around in public, I might mistake it for a Bluetooth speaker. However, I doubt Fellow will be adding WiFi connectivity to this mug’s list of features anytime soon.
In my experience, the best coffee mugs toe the line between practicality and style. The Carter mug leans heavily on that second part, but it’s got plenty of functional features I can appreciate too. Let’s get into them!
Fellow Carter Mug Features
From its drinkable thin lip to its leak-proof seal, my Fellow mug review is about to shine a light on all the features of the Carter Everywhere mug.
Size and Design
Capable of holding up to 16 ounces (473 milliliters), I wouldn’t say the Carter is the biggest mug on the block. It’s definitely compact enough to fit most bags and backpacks. However, this mug is no Goldilocks solution when it comes to car cup holders.
It’s wide enough to be an awkward fit for many cup holders, which is less than ideal for a travel mug. Of course, there is a smaller 12 ounce version if you find this one too bulky.
With that said, I think aesthetics and design are still where the Carter mug excels. Like most of Fellow’s products, the Carter stands alone as a design statement piece.
Really, my biggest complaint is about the lack of a handle, especially seeing as the Carter is so chunky. To be honest, I’d say this thing will only be comfortable to hold for those with bear-sized paws.
You could argue that an ergonomic handle might take away from some of the modern appeal, but it’s also practical! When you’re rushing out the door and you’ve got a million things in your hands, a handle would come in, well … handy.
Colors
When Fellow originally debuted the Carter Everywhere mug, it only came in a couple of shades of monochrome. These days, you’ll find it available in all sorts of colors, including Buttered Popcorn and Mint Chip. Is anyone else getting a little hungry or is it just me?
Check out the other available options on Amazon:
If you’d like your travel mug to match the rest of your Fellow collection, I’d recommend sticking with traditional Matte Black. It really will go with everything!
True Taste Ceramic Coating
If you ask me, too many brands sacrifice taste and aroma in favor of durability and heat retention. For this reason, I’m usually hesitant about recommending completely stainless steel travel mugs. Ceramic travel mugs tend to be the better pick.
Stainless steel may keep the coffee inside hot for days on end, but you’ll never escape that metallic aftertaste.
I don’t know about you, but I’d prefer my brewed coffee doesn’t taste like the change rattling around in my pocket.
The good news is that the Fellow Carter Everywhere mug has, once again, struck the perfect balance with its True Taste ceramic coating. While you’ll still get a stainless steel tumbler, the interior features a protective layer.
That way, you’ll avoid nasty odors and oil buildup, but you’ll still get all the benefits of a stainless steel interior. I’m talking about durability and longer heat retention.
I suppose the ceramic coating shouldn’t be too much of a surprise. After all, Fellow advertises this as a mug that won’t “compromise the coffee drinking experience,” and it seems like they mean it!
Heat Lock
Speaking of temperature, let’s talk about the heat lock on the Fellow Carter mug. Fancy looks aside, you’re still getting a 304 18/8 stainless steel double wall vacuum insulated tumbler.
To translate the technical jargon, you can expect the Carter to keep your americano hot for 12 hours and your iced coffee cold for 24 hours. That’s impressive, even for a “vacuum flask.”
Brew-and-Go Compatibility
Time to talk about one of my favorite features of the Carter Everywhere mug: its brew-and-go compatibility. This is one perk of buying from a company that also makes coffee gear and coffee makers. Fellow is selling to home baristas, not just coffee drinkers.
The rim of the Carter isn’t just designed for the lid – it’s designed to fit manual coffee brewing tools too. Next time you’re in the mood for pour over coffee, you can position that classic dripper right over the mug.
That isn’t to say every manual brewer will work, but some of the best pour over coffee makers as well as an AeroPress should fit just fine. And as you can see from the photos, the Fellow Stagg Pour Over works like a charm with the Carter mug!
Leak-Proof Seal
I’ve encountered plenty of leak-proof lids in my time, some of which have proven to be … less than leak-proof. A true leak-proof lid should live up to its name – even when your curious cat or toddler gets their paws on it.
Fortunately, I don’t think the Fellow mug will be much of a disappointment in this area. The sealtwists and locks into place when you put the lid on, leaving no room for accidental spills. Plus, Fellow offers a guarantee that your bag won’t get wet when you’re transporting the Carter Everywhere mug.
I guess that goes some way to alleviating the frustration of the Carter mug not fitting in your car cup holder. At least your seats won’t get covered in coffee!
Drinkable Thin Lip
The mug may be leak-proof, but a lid that’s too awkward to drink from can cause embarrassing dribbles. Maybe that’s why I like the drinkable thin lip on the Fellow mug so much.
It’s not perfect by any means, but it’s inspired by the elegant lip of a cabernet glass. Actually, it kind of reminds me of some of the best glass coffee mugs I reviewed recently. Not to mention, it’s also stainless steel, so you can add another point for durability.
Aromatic Wide Mouth
While the lip may be thin, the opening of the Carter Everywhere mug is not. Fellow has coined this an Aromatic Wide Mouth, and I have to agree.
The ceramic coating makes the mug resistant to odors and oils, but the wide diameter means your nose “dips” into the opening whenever you take a sip. In other words, you should get a big whiff of whatever you’re drinking.
Because your sense of smell plays a large role in how you taste things, you should have a more well-rounded coffee drinking experience. You should get the same effect with a regular mug in your cabinet, but I still find this to be a thoughtful feature.
Warranty
As with most of Fellow’s non-electric products, the Fellow Everywhere mug comes with a 30-day limited warranty. Limited means just that – limited. It really only covers manufacturer defects or damage during that first month. After that, you’re on your own!
Fellow Carter Everywhere vs Carter Move
If you’ve heard of the Everywhere mug, there’s a good chance you’ve come across the Fellow Carter Move mug at some point or another. I’ve talked about the former in my Fellow mug review, but I don’t want to gloss over its sibling and biggest competitor.
Both come from Fellow, and both are made to hold your coffee on-the-go. They’re also both vacuum insulated stainless steel tumblers with a ceramic coating.
However, size and lid options are where the differences begin. While both mugs are available in 12 ounce (355 milliliter) and 16 ounce (473 milliliter) sizes, you can also buy the Move mug in a more compact 8 ounce (236 milliliter) size.
Speaking of size, the Move mug has a noticeably slimmer profile. While you may lose the ability to use manual brewers, you do gain wider cup holder compatibility. So, if it comes down to what’s easier to transport, the Fellow Carter Move mug may come out on top.
The Fellow Carter Move does have one more leg up on the Everywhere mug – its lid options. You can swap out the sip lid for the slide lock, which comes with a splash guard for the liquid inside. The slide lock lid sits on an angle so that you can flip it open whenever you need a quick sip. It’s certainly a handy feature when you’re trying to drink coffee on the road.
Suffice to say, I think these mugs live up to their names. If you’d like something that easily travels with you, the Carter Move is probably the best travel mug for you. Alternatively, if you’re willing to sacrifice cup holder compatibility for something that’ll fit a manual brewer, you still can’t beat the Everywhere mug.
Fellow Carter Mug Cleaning
This wouldn’t be a thorough Fellow mug review if I didn’t tell you how to clean it, right? Really, there’s only one golden rule to keeping the Carter mug clean: don’t put it in the dishwasher. The dishwasher is more foe than friend when it comes to the Everywhere mug’s sleek finish and ceramic coating.
Instead, I’d rinse away the stains from drinking coffee with a washcloth and non-abrasive soap. Harsh chemicals and cleaners will be just that on this mug – harsh. Gentle hand washing may seem tedious, but it’ll pay off in the long run.
While you shouldn’t need to worry too much about odors with the Fellow mug, you should be able to get any smells under control with baking soda. Add a teaspoon of baking soda to the mug, fill the rest of the cup with warm water and let it sit for at least an hour. Rinse the mug thoroughly once the time is up, and let it air dry.
By the time you’re done, you should have a mug that smells as good as new!
Verdict: Fellow Mug Review
Fellow Mug
Travel mugs don’t get better than this
Stylish design
Excellent heat retention
Compatible with manual brewers
Leak-proof
Rather pricey
Doesn’t fit in most car cup holders
If you haven’t already guessed from my Fellow mug review, I’m a big fan of the Carter Everywhere mug. Of course, I love the way this thing looks. Still, there’s more than just a gorgeous design going on here. The cup is crafted with thoughtful features like a drinkable thin lip and excellent heat retention, making it beautiful and functional.
With all that said, I was a little taken aback by the mug’s diameter. Aside from it being a bummer that the thing didn’t fit in my car’s cup holder, I never felt like I could get a good hold of the thing.
While I can’t say there aren’t more affordable travel mugs out there, I think you’ll be hard-pressed to find one as awesome as this. If you like Fellow products, you won’t want to miss adding the Carter mug to your growing collection.
What’s your experience using the Fellow Carter Everywhere mug? Do you take it everywhere you go? I look forward to your comments!
Fellow Mug Review FAQ
Fellow mugs are not safe to put in the dishwasher. Instead, hand wash your Fellow Carter Everywhere mug with warm water and mild dish soap.
Carter mugs are made from stainless steel, so they’re not safe to put in the microwave.
The Fellow mug is worth it if you don’t mind spending a little extra cash on a well-designed and aesthetically pleasing travel mug.
The Fellow mug should be resistant to odors, but you can use baking soda and water to get rid of any lingering smells.
