DCI's I Am Not A Paper Cup sells on irony. It looks like a disposable coffee cup with a plastic lid, while in fact it's an insulated ceramic mug with a silicone lid.


And it isn't without its faults. Someone may reach for it, prepared to throw it away for you, and although once they pick it up they will be surprised by its heft, it does feel a bit more vulnerable and in need of your protection. I won't criticize it for not being dishwasher-safe - no double-walled vessels are (if you have been dishwashing yours, water will get in there over time) but both the lid and cup should be washed shortly after use, as they both stain easily. I've found that that's actually a habit I enjoy being coaxed into, as it means I have a clean cup in the morning rather than a dirty one waiting to be washed. It doesn't keep coffee hot quite as long as an insulated stainless steel mug, but it does keep it hot long enough, and is well insulated to the touch.

The white silicone lid seems to stain lightly over time if you just give it a rinse, as I have been doing. But some instructions on Amazon suggest to "soak in boiling water with three lemon slices or wash normally using toothpaste instead of soap," and I haven't done that.

But what I like most about this mug is that while I requested it based on its humor value, that same design is what keeps me focused on the need to bring it with me wherever I go. I am a person who believes in the value of reusable everything but often forgets to bring a mug when I head into a coffee shop. Just seeing this mug reminds me of how much I hate food packaging waste, and what a shame it is to use one of those paper cups with the plastic lids, of which I have undoubtedly used legion in my lifetime. And I pick it up and bring it with me, and have the barista fill it up instead of a disposable cup. No travel mug has ever inspired me so directly and routinely to do this. That makes what I thought was an ironic joke in fact a crucial aspect of the cup's success.

This cup has been around for a few years and there are others like it out there - I've seen one that has a built-in fake insulating sleeve integrated into the surface, but it gets some pretty strong denunciations for leakage, and the I Am Not insulates very well. There's also the We Are Happy to Serve You 10-oz. cup, which I don't know much about. You can pick up DCI's I Am Not A Paper Cup on Amazon.com for about $16.