Relaxing by the fire is about the most lavish part of even your survivalist camping trip. What’s more, with a hot coffee in your hand, you’ll undoubtedly be in for a pleasant, restful evening. With this idea, some campers opt for the classic glass or ceramic mug. Yet, whether you truly want a treat, it’s the enamel mugs that you should grab your attention! So, why are enamel mugs good for camping? Read on to discover much more!
Enamel mugs are great for camping because they are splinterproof, easy to wash, take less room, and are quite durable. Also, they look good, are almost weightless, and you can place them into a campfire.
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What are enamel mugs?
Enamel camping mugs are one of the finest pieces of equipment for your camping and backpacking journeys. Long-lasting, universal, and amazingly decorated, there’s truly no reserve for one of these mugs in the alfresco.
What Are Enamel Mugs Made Of?
Enamel camping mugs are typically made from steel and then sank in porcelain enamel to cover the steel and shield it from oxidizing and unraveling. So, what exactly is enamel?
Enamel is a material that is the outcome of melted and fused glass powder. It is shot with additive dyes at high temperatures of about 850°C. The outcome is a soft, glossy, defensive layer to whatever you dip in it.
Why Are Enamel Mugs Good for Camping?
Eventually, fetching an enamel mug will significantly benefit you during your camping trip. This goes without saying! Their broad design makes them well-equipped for expedition usage. As most brands have a reputation to be handy, inexpensive, and, not to mention, stylish nowadays, these mugs have effectively become the campers’ go-to! Here are just a couple of grounds why you should have an enamel mug. Let’s hop into more below!
#1 Enamel Is Safe for Drinks
Enamel mugs are non-toxic, implying that their material doesn’t impact your drink. Most study shows that enamel porcelain is 100% safe for food and drinks. So, making this about the best mug for a lovely, warm cup of coffee alfresco! The enamel layer is immune to deterioration from acids and bases, which lets drinks maintain their tastes refined, secure, and most notably, scrumptious! Should parts of your mug chip-off and reveal the base metal, these areas oxidize naturally—holding your consumables unchanged, as a consequence!
Nonetheless, to sidestep the hazard of contamination, you must always consider how old your mug is. After all, you wouldn’t want to uncover tiny parts of enamel in your morning coffee! Moreover, you must withhold from utilizing “vintage” enamelware for consumption. Why? These may include harmful matter, such as cadmium and lead. For your journey safety, it’s best to purchase your mug from a contemporary medium.
#2 Enamel Mugs Are Almost Weightless
As a rule of thumb, in comparison with their ceramic and glass look-alikes, enamel mugs are lightweight. This makes for suitable ease, particularly when you’re on the move!
Stuff them in your backpack, or carry them in a duffel—with these mugs, you’ll be light on your feet, and well-equipped just about anyplace! Be mindful that lighter enamel mugs can oftentimes be less long-lasting. Because of this, try checking out their various brands, sizes, and components before choosing one of your own.
#3 Taking up Quite Little Room
Enamelware is typically invented to go inside one another, thus lowering the room they take up. This stackable, packable quality is particularly useful whether you’re one to pack a lot of things! That’s a fact!
On average, enamel mugs carry about 12 fl oz (354 ml) of beverage, which is enough for a fine sip by the fire.
#4 These Mugs Are Long-Lasting
Longevity is the key component of enamel porcelain. With its glass-layer steel, mugs in this classification are frequently hard to crack. Should you be taking care of children, or transiting in a moving camper or a trailer, for sure, these mugs will do magic, as they won’t break or bust at an unexpected drop.
Yet this doesn’t imply that enamel mugs are entirely invincible. At times, pieces of your mug may perhaps chip off, particularly when dropped on a rigid exterior. Though, lucky for you, these deteriorations don’t render your creation ineffective or unsafe. In reality, that only counts to their vintage appeal!
#5 Resistant to All Temperatures
No matter if you place them on the campfire, or keep them in a cool box. Oftentimes, enamel mugs can adjust to various temperatures, letting you have any beverage, hot or cold, at your comfort! According to an analysis, its enamel exterior can soak heat or cold to the contact and maintain temperatures up to 530°F or 270°C.
Be mindful of this, however, that you must be attentive in managing enamel porcelain:
- A heated enamel mug can periodically get too hot. So, it may burn your hands and lips whether you’re not cautious enough! Before taking your drink, be certain to let it chill down first.
- Likewise, a chilled enamel mug may break due to hasty temperature shifts. So, instead of abruptly getting your mug from the freezer, let it defrost gradually.
It’s okay to have a great camping mug. However, make sure that you are careful on your camping trip. You may see a surprise such as a snake crawling in your sleeping bag at night. So, watch out and bring proper gear!
#6 Enamel Mugs Are Versatile
Knowing its structure, there are quite many methods you can employ for your enamel mug on a camping trip.
Place it above an open fire, or on an electric stove, and your enamel porcelain will work its wonders. Take as much as braising, fretting, steaming, or just heating up your booze. This material won’t dissolve over plain heating. In the best-case scenario, it’ll get a fair share of soot, which isn’t too difficult to clean up!
Still, no matter what you do, never set an enamel mug in a microwave. Under their enamel surface is a steel mold, and warming this up in a microwave may induce “arcing”—that is, the jumping of electricity among surfaces. That could perhaps start a fire, so be really careful.
#7 Enamel Mugs Are So Easy to Clean
Let the worrying about the longevity of the stain be a thing of the past as enamel mugs aren’t a hard wash. You can, by all means, clean them manually. It’s advisable that you do so as most enamelware taints get readily cleared by gushy water alone. Just detour utilizing abrasive sponges or brushes while cleaning, as these can scrape their enamel layer. This goes without saying, by all means!
What more, you can employ baking soda for harder stains, or warm water for hardened waste. On any chance, your mug can bear the warmth, and get back to the main setting in no time. Are you doubtful? If yes, you can invariably retain some lemon juice in-store to scrub the stains altogether.
Enamel mugs are likewise safe to put in a dishwasher, provided that you’ve separated them out from other kitchenware to detour chipping. Still, whether it can be helpful, try to sidestep this method entirely, for your dishwasher may wear off your mug’s luminance after some period. Take this into consideration.
#8 They Have the Unique Design
Lastly, enamel mugs are widely famous for their captivating formats and design in general. That can definitely count that individual touch to your camping gear. That goes without saying, by all means!
Whether it be a complex image or a sprinkle of colorful specks. Every mug features a beautifully handmade format, which confirms that no two mugs are identical. Moreover, for vintage parts, some of their metallic components can be traced back to their sites of origin! Again, most have rolled rims for your sipping comfort.
Note: Your hiking or camping venture may be ruined by rattlesnakes, so take precautions to avoid any incidents.
Are They Safe to Eat and Drink From?
Surely, enamelware is safe to consume as it does not respond with any acids in nutrition. That makes it 100% food-safe in spite of everything, the porcelain can uncover the metal underneath and can chip but they’ll rust naturally and always be adequate to eat without stressing about the risk of contamination.
Besides, it is safe to drink from enamel cups as they are typically enamel over steel which makes it much safer to sip coffee, water, or any beverage. Although, don’t go with a larger cooking pot as it can chip off on your plate.
Across-the-board, enamel mugs are splendidly-crafted dish pieces, made with both operation and style in mind. Their sturdy form, unique shine, and universal applications make these mugs come the best for an outdoor trip.
