Coffee mug shapes: The best types of cups for your favorite beverage

The coffee party – a lovely symbol of conviviality – has its origins in the 17th century. At that time, coffee was mainly drunk by workers who needed to be fit for hard physical labor. For a long time, ladies were not welcome in public coffee houses. So they moved the pleasure to their own homes, setting the table with fine porcelain tableware and delicious pastries – and the coffee party was born.

In small groups, people exchanged news and thoughts, often in literary circles that included famous writers such as the Brothers Grimm. The term “Kränzchen” originally comes from student slang. Kränzchen were originally student associations. To make it sound more chic, ladies added the term “coffee.” Even today, this tradition lives on in modern forms when friends enjoy a cup of coffee together, for example, at home or in their favorite café.

At Rosenthal, elegance begins with design. The coffee mugs and cups in the iconic Rosenthal collections combine practical functionality with outstanding aesthetics. Every curve, every handle, and every decoration reflects Rosenthal's philosophy that design and aesthetics are inextricably linked.

When the morning starts early and a working day demands full concentration, a generous coffee mug is just the thing – whether for the office or your home office. Depending on the model, Rosenthal coffee mugs have a capacity of between 280 ml and 420 ml, making them ideal for frequent drinkers. Handle-free coffee mugs are particularly comfortable to hold and warm your hands on cold winter days. Coffee mugs with handles ensure that the heat does not directly touch your hands.

At Rosenthal, you will find a wide selection of coffee mugs with designs ranging from purist and modern to playful and romantic. The The Mug+ collection offers stylish coffee mugs without handles in four trendy colors. The large coffee mugs with handles from the Rosenthal Joyn and Rosenthal Form 1382 collections are the ideal choice for frequent drinkers of this delicious hot beverage, impressing not only with their timelessly beautiful design but also with their generous capacity of 380 ml and 420 ml respectively. Finally, the coffee mugs from the Rosenthal Brillance collection are playful and romantic, available in delicate white or with various floral illustrations. These charming coffee mugs are perfect as gifts for special people in your life or to treat yourself every morning.

Café au lait is the French answer to cappuccino. It contains less foam and more milk. It is therefore usually served in even larger cups than cappuccino. The classic milk coffee cup is characterized by a generous, open, slightly bulbous to cylindrical shape. Its capacity is larger than that of a cappuccino cup and can be up to 500 ml. The glass is often thinner than that of a cappuccino cup so that the milk coffee is pleasant to drink.

With the café au lait cups from Rosenthal Mesh, your coffee table will shine with a modern, trendy look. The café au lait cups from the Rosenthal Jade collection captivate with their elegant and timeless aesthetics. The Rosenthal True Blue collection, on the other hand, with its blue floral decoration, turns milk coffee into an authentic Mediterranean delight – ideal for an elegant country-style table arrangement.

Just a few sips, but full of character: espresso is a true explosion of flavor. It is powerful, aromatic, and reduced to the essentials. In a special espresso cup, this characteristic is elevated to the highest level, as the shape of the coffee cup and its function are in perfect harmony. Espresso cups are small, compact, and thick-walled to keep the coffee hot for as long as possible. Their capacity usually ranges from 80 to 100 ml. The shape is slightly conical or cylindrical, with a comparatively small drinking opening that perfectly concentrates the aroma.

Espresso is traditionally served on a small saucer, which offers just enough space for a spoon and small biscuits such as amarettini. Depending on their capacity, some espresso cups are also suitable for enjoying a lungo, an espresso diluted with water.

Rosenthal offers espresso cups ranging from classically elegant to rustic and nature-inspired. The cups in The Cup+ collection impress with their minimalist and innovative design and go perfectly with the coffee mugs in The Mug+ collection. The Rosenthal Sonetto series impresses with its elegant design with gold accents for particularly opulent coffee tables or for the harmonious conclusion to an elegant dinner. The espresso cups from the Rosenthal Bloom collection are particularly well suited for a more natural table arrangement. The straight-lined stoneware cups are particularly stable and comfortable to hold.

Choosing the right material for a coffee cup is not just a question of appearance. The material determines how a cup feels in your hand, how long the coffee stays warm, and how the aromas come into their own.

At Rosenthal, you can choose from a wide variety of coffee cup shapes and three different materials:

·       Porcelain is the all-rounder material for coffee cups and impresses with its fine structure, high density, and temperature resistance. It keeps coffee pleasantly warm and preserves its aroma – perfect for the classic coffee table.

·       Bone china fascinates with its silky matt sheen, translucency, and astonishing strength. Almost weightless, yet resilient—ideal for those who value elegance when enjoying their favorite coffee.

·       Stoneware tableware has a more earthy, robust look and brings a touch of craftsmanship to the table with its slightly grainy surface. It feels heavier in the hand and exudes rustic warmth and authenticity. The material is particularly suitable for modern interiors.

Each of these materials exudes its own character – warmth, elegance or closeness to nature. Sometimes it is precisely this subtle difference, chosen to match the desired mood of an occasion, that turns a moment of enjoyment into something truly special.

Alternatively, the design of the cup can be decisive in how long its contents remain warm or cold. The cups and mugs in The Cup+ collection and The Mug+ collection feature a unique double wall with insulating effect. This keeps cold refreshments cool for longer and hot drinks warm for a particularly long time.