There's a $150 dollar mug being sold through Starbucks. Why the luxury price tag? The Ember mug features programmable temperature technology that lets the coffee drinker control the heat of a fresh cup of joe. The design is meant to keep your coffee heated to whatever temperature you set it, eliminating that rush to drink your coffee while it’s at the perfect temp. You can sip your coffee – or tea! – and be worry-free.

Invented by Clay Alexander who submitted a patent back in 2010, the mug is controlled through a phone app, which alerts you when your coffee has reached the set temperature. The app lets you choose and save preset temps, switch it up from Celsius to Fahrenheit and make it personal by giving your mug a name. The Ember also comes with a rechargeable battery coaster.

So, does the high-tech tumbler work? Kevin Ryan of Inc. tested it out and discovered that yes, indeed, the mug will keep coffee at the desired temperature for two hours. However, it took 47 minutes to lower it from a piping hot 160 degrees to a more palatable 122. In a paper cup, it took a mere 16 minutes to cool down. Clearly, the product is more suited to sippers than gulpers.

Alexander spent two years after receiving his initial patent refining the technology from a bulky and inconvenient travel tumbler to a sleeker design that fits into a cup holder. Engineers he hired from Amazon and Nokia helped trim the fat of the tech, so to speak, to reach those drinkware goals.

The Ember is available at 100 Starbucks locations and is one of the only third-party tech devices it sells. It’s also available on Amazon. Though pricey, the mug could be a great premium gift for caffeine-fueled employees who go above and beyond.

The Ember is only the beginning for Alexander and his design team. They’re also looking to change dishware technology. It’s only a matter of time before we have a stein that keeps your beer cold and plates that keep your food hot. 

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