Last Updated on October 16, 2021 by John Moretti
Have you been yearning to design your homemade latte or cappuccino the way the baristas do when you visit your favorite coffee shop for a cup of joe? Or maybe you’ve been practicing but just not getting it right?
It could be that you’re using the wrong cups for your latte art. There’s nothing like a beautiful glass or ceramic coffee mug to elevate your daily coffee experience.
A cafe-style latte cup never fails to make your lava even more desirable than it already is. There’s a great deal of satisfaction watching your clear glass mug filled with brew, coffee, and crema or having a ceramic mug that keeps your coffee warm for a while.
If you’ve never experienced latte art, I don’t know where you’ve been getting your coffee, and I’m tearing up just thinking about it. Don’t worry; I’ll explain that to the newcomers and present the eight best cups for latte art that I decided on after extensive research. I hope you’ll find your fit in the lot.
Best Barista Level Latte Mug: Coffeezone Latte Art Cup
It was made for use by coffee professionals to create latte arts. It’s great to help you build your confidence and skills in making latte art at home.
Best Jumbo Latte Mugs: Teocera Porcelain
Love everything big, including your latte? It’s the ideal cup for a whole lot of joe. Also, you can use it for other purposes, so it’s the perfect cup.
Best Design Latte Cups: Sweese Latte Cups Six-pack
You can get them in various colors or entirely white to match the white saucers you currently have!
They’re microwave, freezer, and oven safe, making them highly convenient to use. The mug is also dishwasher-friendly, making it simple to clean!
They’re also suitable for latte art since they have wide tops and the perfect base. This package will benefit your needs if you’re searching for the most value for your money!
What Is Latte Art?
If all of that sounds a little too difficult, then latte art is probably not for you.
Latte art is the process of free-pouring microfoam into the mug with just a shot of espresso to create an image. Microfoam is the micro-textured foam produced when steaming milk. It has a paint-like, smooth feel.
The heart and rosetta are the most popular designs, with the swan and tulip being more advanced variants of the two. We can also use etching to create various designs.
Always keep in mind that lousy coffee with latte art is still bad coffee, so pay attention to your espresso shot! Now the cup we use, as mentioned earlier, plays an essential part in getting the art as close to perfect as possible.
Let’s look at those we carefully chose to help you on the road to latte art success.
Mug Size For Latte Art
I generally get a little espresso shot with my java, so the 10.5-ounce mug with saucer from Coffeezone will be ideal. A 15 oz cup, such as the Bodum double-walled glass set, might be better for learning latte art. It’s more difficult to keep steady, but it gives you a giant canvas to practice on!
22 oz is probably the best size for you if you prefer drinking crazy amounts of coffee (however, I would warn against doing so).
Ideal Coffee Cup Material
Each substance has its own set of benefits. Because double-walled glass mugs frequently have good insulation, they’re ideal for hot coffee.
Because some coffee mugs comprise ceramic, they are more comprehensive, denser, and more durable. Porcelain cups, on the other hand, are more light and delicate.
As you’ll be using the cappuccino mug, I believe you should choose the texture that you want. A porcelain cup may be more enjoyable for you because it is lighter or less tempting. It is, after all, delicate.
The simpler it will be for you to study when you’re comfier with your cup!
The 7 Best Cups for Latte Art
Because of their large tops and narrow or rounded bottoms, I prefer latte art with latte or cappuccino cups.
A wide rim provides a large canvas for me to work with and helps me to keep the coffee near to the pitcher while pouring, like:
1. Coffee Zone Latte Art Cup And Saucer
You undoubtedly have a good eye for design if you’re interested in latte art. If that’s the case, you might be working with a particular color scheme in your kitchen and prefer Coffeezone’s variety of latte art cups and saucers. Glossy bright blue and matte brown are two of my favorites!
Because of its broad, shallow, and spherical bottom, this coffee cup is excellent for crafting latte art. It comprises finer, whiter, and more durable new bone china than conventional porcelain.
It also features a thick body, which helps to keep the contents heated. It is suitable for coffee, tea, and almost any other beverage. The only cup on our list that comes with a saucer is this one. None of the other choices come with their saucers.
The only drawback to this cup is that it only holds 10.5 ounces. That’s a lot less than the other choices on this list. While this means less coffee, it also means more money in your pocket. So, if that interests you, this could be a worthwhile investment!
Pros:
- 8.5 oz. Porcelain Mugs of Superior Quality
- Professional Cup design for latte art or cappuccino with matching saucer
Cons:
- For some, the rim is a little too thick.
2. Sweese Porcelain Latte Cups
This set of latte cups is the best of the bunch. These professional-grade porcelain cups would upgrade from practically any breakfast mug if you have a large family or live with many people. They’re solid and chip-resistant cups that will last a long time.
The Sweese latte cup and saucer set are not as large as the coffee zone cup, but it comes in a great collection of four to compensate for its lack of size.
This 6 oz cup is perfect for those who don’t want to drink a giant latte but don’t want to sacrifice the latte art quality.
The flat bottom design will complement your latte art and ensure a high-quality finish.
Pros:
- 6 oz capacity
- It comes in a set of four different colors
- Chip resistant and made of high-quality porcelain
- You can wash it in the dishwasher
Cons:
- For some, it may be too small
3. Teocera Porcelain Jumbo Mugs
How steady you can hold your cup while your pour is one thing that affects how great your latte art turns out. When the handle is more extensive, it aids in keeping the cup steady. The handles on the Teocera giant mugs are great.
Teocera Porcelain Jumbo Mugs with Handle – 16 oz. are the most comfortable to hold. Four-piece set
They’re not overly large, and the tops are squared off. The mugs are made of porcelain as well, making them very light and comfy to hold!
They’re rounded at the bottom and wide at the top, just like cappuccino cups, so they’re ideal for honing your latte painting abilities. They’re also just big enough to keep both hands warm when cradling them. You’re losing out if you don’t do that on cold, rainy mornings!
These mugs, like Bodum’s double-wall glass cups, are oven safe, allowing you to cook in them. Do you have any single-serve cake recipes you’d want to try?
Pros:
- 16-ounce capacity
- Long-Lasting Porcelain Mugs in an Ergonomic Shape
- Oven safe in a jumbo size
Cons:
- They don’t stack appropriately on top of each other, and there’s no matching saucer.
4. Norpro Jumbo Coffee Mugs
These Norpro coffee cups are constructed of white porcelain and are ideal for DIY decoration if you or someone you know likes it.
They’re neat, and the white hue is perfect for scribbling or painting over. Their 16 oz cups help since you have a lot of surface space on which to work.
These cups are also great for crafting latte art, having a large handle that makes it easy to maintain balance. They’re dishwasher and microwave safe, so they’re easy to look after.
Norpro’s gigantic mugs are ideal whether you’re searching for a coffee cup to decorate or simply a high-quality white porcelain cup.
Pros:
- There’s a lot of room for creativity on this large surface.
- Microwave-safe
- Sturdiness
- Dishwasher-friendly
Cons:
- Nondurable
5. Home Basics Extra Large Ceramic Jumbo Coffee Mug
This Home Basics gigantic coffee mug has the most incredible capacity of any coffee mug on this list. It is an attractive option if you want to be able to order a larger cup of coffee. It’s also ideal if you like to pour a lot of milk into your espresso-based drinks!
It has a little handle compared to its size, making it difficult to hold with one hand. Because latte art includes filling the cup with espresso and milk, this could make it difficult. However, if you don’t have any wrist issues to worry about, it’s still viable.
Although it is a little heavier, this cappuccino cup comprises high-quality ceramic designed to last a long time. It has durable materials, is dishwasher safe, and will keep your coffee warm for a long time.
Pros:
- Durable and dishwasher safe
- Ceramic is a rigid material.
- Keeps coffee warm longer
Cons:
- The handle is too small, and it’s a little hefty.
- Some folks may find it too large.
6. Bodum Bistro Latte Cup with Double-wall
These double-walled Bodum Latte Art Mugs are what you need in your coffee shop if you’re seeking style! A double-walled glass has the extra benefit of acting as an excellent insulation layer that helps to keep your latte warm.
Glass coffee mugs are simple to clean and do not collect flavors or stains. It ensures that you have a better coffee experience every time. In contrast to ceramics, the product is also recyclable when broken, so that’s a benefit!
The fact that Bodum’s double-walled glass cups are clear is one of the reasons I chose them as one of my cups for latte art. Because they can tell if I’m steaming my milk correctly and because they let you see the color merge with the espresso underneath.
As I previously stated, the length of time you steam milk dictates whether you make a flat white, latte, or cappuccino.
Cappuccinos have the most excellent foam and are heated the longest. Flat whites are heated the quickest and have the least amount of foam. The latte is a cross between a cappuccino and a flat white, with less foam.
Because these coffee cups are transparent, you can see the bubbles in your milk and determine whether there is too much or too little foam.
They’re likewise double-walled cups, as the name implies, composed of heat-resistant borosilicate glass with air between the walls. As a result, they are well-insulated and will keep your latte warm for longer. They’re microwave and oven safe, so you can even cook with them.
If you’re anything like me, you love watching your black espresso mix with the milky foam to create a rainbow of color!
To top it off, they’re also dishwasher-safe. So you can be sure that keeping these mugs clean is a breeze!
They’re beautiful, but these cups are not inexpensive for a single latte cup. But, once you can afford it, we strongly advise you to purchase these. The flat bottom, designed to complement your latte art, ensures a high-quality finish.
Pros:
- 15-ounce capacity
- Insulated double-walled glass
- Dishwasher safe and ideal for latte art
- Safe to use in the microwave and the oven
- Cleaning is a breeze.
- It is not stain-resistant.
Cons:
- It’s a little pricey.
7. Revolution Mod Latte Cup
This Revolution Mod Latte Cup, which comes in a range of sizes but is only available in white, is the last on our list of latte art mugs.
The cup has a flat bottom designed to enhance your best latte art and comprises durable porcelain. It also comes with a matching saucer.
Pros:
- 4-8 oz Capacity
- Flat Bottom for Better Latte Art
Cons:
- It does not come with a saucer
- Only white is available.
How to Become an Expert Latte Art Designer
Before I begin teaching you, I’d like to remind you that latte art is as essential to your coffee as the kick we get from coffee is crucial to an excellent day for us.
It’s an art form, but you don’t need it to make a great cup of coffee. But if you’re dead set on learning how to draw on your coffee with milk, I won’t keep you waiting any longer!
What You Will Require
A successful pour requires four essential items:
The Right Mug
So that the pattern is proportional and you can have your milk as near to the java as feasible while pouring, you’ll want a mug with a thin or curved base and a large, circular top.
You’ll need a mug that’s lightweight so that you don’t stress your wrists during pouring. For persons with weaker wrists, a smaller mug with an enlarged handle is preferable.
Then there are your preferences when it comes to kitchenware. If you like your cups to go with saucers, Coffeezone’s option would be the finest choice for you. If you want anything to offer you information on your heating, Bodum’s double-walled glassware set is a good option.
Cappuccino glasses are typically the finest choice for mastering latte art since they perfectly meet the specifications. However, they aren’t required! You can make latte art with any cup that is shallow, broad, and proportional.
Espresso
The espresso serves as the base for your latte. It’s what provides coffee its taste, and it also acts as a palette for latte art.
You’ll want a medium that will let you produce your artwork just as you picture it in your head. It will be tough to fill in patterns with milk if the espresso crema becomes too thick. If the milk is too thin, it will combine with the espresso.
The appropriate grind size, quantity, tamping force, and extraction time for the ground coffee are crucial to making the perfect espresso.
If you’re not acquainted with such words, you can learn more about them in this post! Also, if you need a basis for your brew, check out the list of our favorite espresso beans.
Microfoam
So, we’ve laid out your canvas. Now it’s time to move forward with your platform: milk. To steam milk, first, aerate it (the steaming rod produces a hissing noise and sends out steam) till the heating rate of the milk in the jug is the same as your palm. To be capable of doing this, hold the pitcher at the base.
Dip the wand’s top underneath the milk’s surface after the temperature of your palm, and the pitcher is the same. Shut off the steaming rod once the cream is almost too warm to the touch (for your safety!).
The milk will now have the appearance of wet paint. It’s gleaming, silky, and somewhat denser than before it became steamed. It must not have many air pockets, and when you stir it, it must coat the inside of your milk jug.
Put it on a surface to burst the bubbles if it has any. These bubbles have the potential to wreck your work!
Wrists And Hand Motion Should Be Good.
Finally, latte art necessitates a great deal of body control. Once you pour milk into that cappuccino cup, your wrist generates swirling motions, which you must hold stable with your other arm.
Furthermore, you must vary the pitcher’s tilt to distinguish between pouring thinly and pouring heavily. It’s a delicate skill to perfect, but I promise it’ll be well worth it once you’ve mastered it.
How To Pour The Best Latte
It’s now time to create some artwork for yourself! To begin, lean your mug towards the pitcher while holding the pitcher a few inches above it. Allow for a thin pour of milk and gently move it around the espresso.
You need it to reach the crema’s surface without diluting your espresso. Dip the pitcher down till it’s almost getting the crema when your espresso mug is about half full.
You can now use a thicker pour to make designs with your coffee, either constantly or one after the other. You can also use a thin pour to pull your patterns in precise directions.
Bottom Line
Bodum’s double-wall glass cup is best for practicing latte art as you can see what’s going on inside the cup. It also offers good insulation, so you’re less likely to get burned. It also allows you to practice getting the perfect milk-to-foam ratios.
If you want to be a good barista, you need a barista-style mug, and Coffeezone has that. Even though porcelain, these cups are robust, perfectly designed, and will make your art beautiful.
My favorite overall is the Sweese Porcelain Latte Cups. First, you get them in a set, they are cute, and you get the ideal portion of coffee. Great for those of us who do not know our limits when it comes to coffee.
They’re microwave, freezer, and oven safe, making them highly convenient to use and dishwasher-friendly. But, whether you’re buying Sweese Porcelain cups or Coffeezone, make sure to analyze the benefits and drawbacks of each option.
Read the reviews thoroughly before making a decision, and keep in mind that the ideal coffee cup for you is the one you feel most at ease purchasing.
