Rival’s warmer is on the small side compared to some others. It is only five inches by six and a quarter and the actual warming plate is less than four inches in diameter. It comes with a mug that is eight ounces, which is the standard measurement for a cup of coffee. However, most people that are shopping for warmers are doing so because they enjoy a big ole mug of Joe, and the Rival may not fit many larger mugs.

This electric cup warmer does feature an off-on switch with a light and this is a nice safety feature. Depending upon the model selected, the total wattage is either 18 or 22 watts, not exactly a powerhouse in the land of quick warming. Rival does provide a solid warranty of one year.

Several users compared this Rival device to the far more expensive model available from Brookstone, and Rival won hands down. Nearly every user said that if the beverage is plenty hot to start out, Rival’s warmer is going to do a satisfactory job of keeping it at a suitable drinking temperature. One of the problems with reviews of warmers is that each and every person has a different tolerance or desire regarding beverage temperature, and what may be perfect for one, could scald the skin right off of the roof of the mouth for another.

For less than ten bucks, in fact, less than nine, this little electric cup warmer is the engine that could and does. It is available from a number of retailers online and is sure worth a good hard look. Why not introduce this to your favorite mug soon?

NorPro gets high marks for its looks. It has a chunkier look than some similar warmers and a faux marble finish that sets it apart from some of the others in this arena. Total dimensions are 12 by nine inches and the unit weighs a tad less than a pound and a half. Overall it is one of the more attractive mini-warming plates available.

The warming pad itself is pretty large. One reviewer reported that she actually puts her whole 32 ounce teapot right on the warming unit and it keeps all of the contents warm for several hours. Another user was very pleased with NorPro’s on-off switch. It is the toggle or roller type switch on the cord, rather than the typical switch found on the base of most electric cup warmers.

On the less than positive side, some users comment on the shortness of the electrical cord. Several felt that most desk and office areas would require the use of an extension cords to reach a wall outlet. Some did not care for the switch being on the cord and would prefer it on the base. One consumer sent a word of warning that the underside of the base has hard plastic “feet” and that these can scratch a desk or table surface.

Nearly every user review of the NorPro electric cup warmer was positive in his or her assessment of the device’s main job, keeping beverages warm. As one might expect, a flat bottomed mug works best for equal heat distribution. Retailing for between $17 and $25 online, this warmer warrants a second look.

This nifty aluminum/rubber type travel mug even has an alarm that beeps when the desired temperature has been achieved. It uses LED technology to display the status of the heat on digital watch type display. While the settings go up all of the way to 160 degrees, many users report that around 120 degrees is the optimum for a nicely warm but drinkable temperature. Others complain that not even the maximum setting keeps their beverages warm enough for their liking.

The Smart Mug has been promoted as primarily an auto-based electric cup warmer. An adapter for the typical car cigarette lighter outlet, a twelve volt, is included. A lot of newer cars do not have a lighter outlet anymore but do have a separate power plug outlet. One user remarked that the product works best when the adapter is plugged into the power outlet and not so well in the lighter outlet.

There are several online users reporting that the first one or even two Smart Mug models ordered did not work even after being received brand new and in the original packaging. One user reported that his first two mugs separately melted in his car and filled the vehicle with a sooty smoke. For whatever reason, he purchased a third and this one did work for him for about three months. Other less than pleased users report that their electric cup warmer never worked, or worked sporadically.

While the ability to create individualized temperature settings can be an asset, there appear to be some manufacturing flaws in this warmer. For those whose units work properly, most expressed satisfaction with the unit. However, the number who report malfunctioning or even dangerous cups makes this product a definite buyer beware purchase.

Not all warmers are created equal and when shopping online for them, there is a huge difference in price points, styles and modes of operation. One electric cup warmer that can be purchased for less than $10.00 is made by Mr. Coffee. It has received mixed reviews on Internet shopping sites, so let us take a look at cost versus quality.

Some people are under the mistaken belief that electric cup warmers are designed to actually heat up stone cold beverages, and this is not what they are designed for at all. Nearly all reviewers agree that the Mr. Coffee brand does an adequate job of keeping an already hot cup of Joe exactly that way with their warmer. In fact, as more of the beverage is sipped, the remainder in the cup actually gets warmer. Some people have commented that they believe that the warming unit overall gets a bit on the hot side, so it is a good idea to keep it away from anything with flammable potential.

The ten buck price tag makes this electric cup warmer a very popular item for office gifts, or as a promotional item for a company. The fact that it performs well for keeping warm beverages warm makes it a terrific value. So what if it doesn’t heat a cold beverage up, it is a warmer, not a heater.

In summary, this Mr. Coffee warmer is well worth its weight in toasty warm liquids. It does the job quite well. For ten bucks, or thereabouts, it is very hard to go wrong. At worst, the coffee gets cold just like it used to and at best (and a much more likely option) is that the magical black juice that we have come to love stays piping hot until the last drop.

This device is geek-certified because it operates by being plugged into a pc or laptop USB port. Alternating between heating and cooling is easy, just toggle the switch on the back of the device. No on and off switch needed, but also no ability to plug it into a regular AC outlet, this one is strictly for the computer box. Even though it is an electric cup warmer, it only pulls down five volts of power, so it will not affect computer speed.

This pretty amazing little device keeps the coffee and tea temps between 120-140 F. If Mountain Dew or energy drinks are the cool caffeine of choice, it accomplishes this too. The gist of the technology involves a heat exchanger and a little bitty fan within the unit combining together as a type of beverage air conditioning unit. How does 55 degrees of liquid enjoyment sound?

For tech spec heads, here is the scoop. This electric cup warmer (and cooler) weighs about a pound and fits on a desk nicely at just over five inches long and a bit over three inches wide. It works with any USB port equipped computer and the connecting cable is three and a half feet long.

There are a lot of these devices available online and it pays to shop around. The USB device is unique simply because it does the job via the computer. Being able to switch from hot to cold also rocks, especially as seasons change. There is a real possibility that even the most serious gamer will eventually leave the building, of course, taking computer and beverage along for the ride.