I have strong, purist opinions on cappuccino cups and I’m not sure why, exactly, but it did come in handy for writing this post! I fell in love with cappuccinos (and a very special tea cup) during a trip to Italy and promptly came home, got an espresso maker, purchased the correct-sized mugs (this is important!!!), and perfected the cappuccino. I’ll be breaking down what to look for in a cappuccino cup and what considerations to think about while finding the perfect cup for you! I’m sharing a wide array options in many price points, from a variety of stores – Crate & Barrel, Target, Amazon, Macy’s, Etsy, and one very special tea cup that is made and shipped directly from Italy!
I’m all about making my morning coffee a ritual and I think that is part of the reason why finding the best cappuccino cup was important to me. And naturally, as a self-proclaimed home barista, the right equipment and cup styles are important to me. But remember, your best option might not be my best option. 🙂
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Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
Typically, I see large capacity cups being used for cappuccinos (tsk,tsk), but a traditional cappuccino is about 5 ounces, so using a 12 ounce mug is far too large! Most coffee cups are 12 ounces or more, so while they will, of course, work, they are not ideal. And while I was looking for the perfect cappuccino cup, I was shocked by well-respected kitchen stores that had “cappuccino mugs” that were 12 ounces big! While that’s an excellent size for a latte, it’s WAY too big for a cappuccino.
I did the research so you can easily find the right cup, in the right size, that is perfect for you! Let’s get into it.
Types of Coffee Cups
- Cappuccino Cup – A traditional cappuccino cup should be about 5-8 ounces and most will come with a matching saucer. I make my cappuccino with a double shot of espresso, so 6-8 ounces is the best choice.
- Espresso Cup – These will be tiny and just a few ounces! Great for sipping straight or brewing your espresso shot.
- Latte Cup – Latte mugs are typically around 10-12 ounces or bigger and will have a really wide, bowl shape in order to perfect that latte art!
- Coffee Mug – Anything goes for coffee mugs, most coffee mugs are larger in size and
- Iced Coffee Cup – There are also a lot of options for iced coffee cups, my favorite are a clear glass (perfect for sweet cream cold foam) and come with a glass straw.
- Tea Cup – Given the smaller size of tea cups, they make great cappuccino cups and can often be found in a variety of colors, materials, and styles.
Factors to Consider
Finding the right cappuccino cup is really going to come down to your personal preference, here are some things to consider to find your favorite cup.
- Size – This is one of the most important factors to consider, for me at least. Again, I don’t know why this is such a sticking point, but it is!
- Material – I prefer a china or porcelain cappuccino cup, but I have to admit that it’s mainly for the looks and feel. It doesn’t retain heat the best. There are also glass, stoneware, or even travel cups so find the best material for you.
- Storage – A stackable design can be convenient,
- Heat retention – If you want your drink to stay warmer longer, look for a double-walled cup or some sort of thermal insulation.
- Set or Individual – Again, this will come down to
- Look – I am a sucker for beautiful cups. After falling in love with a tea cup and saucer in Italy and then thinking about it for the next 10 months, I finally ordered my favorite porcelain cappuccino cups from Ginori! Technically it’s a tea cup, but the size is right, and there are plenty of elegant designs and different colors to choose from. They are definitely a splurge, but they honestly make me so happy and get daily use so it’s been worth it.
Cappuccino Mugs I Have Purchased
We had the Aspen coffee cups from Crate & Barrel, so the smaller size cup and saucer ended up being a great option for me – it was a perfect size, had a modern look, could be purchased as a set for a great price, and came in a classic white color that matched my other dishes. Shop the Aspen coffee cup and saucer. I also hosted a “coffee shop brunch” for my 40th birthday and wanted plenty of mugs to use for coffee drinks, and they were the perfect addition to our random coffee mug collection.
And then, as I mentioned above, my favorite set of cappuccino cups are my Ginori Italian china cups. They were a splurge but bring me so much joy each and every day!
Shop All Cappuccino Mugs
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Drink Recipes for Coffee Lovers
If you are a home barista, you’ve got to try some of these recipes:
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Did you like this recipe? Please leave a review and let me know what you thought! I appreciate it so much.