Stanley issues major recall of 2.6 million travel mugs with faulty lids — what you need to know

Stanley has issued a recall of a massive 2.6 million travel mugs due to a fault with the lid which could cause it to fall off, posing a burn risk if hot liquid spills out.

Although the company is best-known for it's now-iconic Quencher (the large metal bottle with a handle and straw), this recall applies only to the Switchback and Trigger Action travel mugs.

Unlike the brand's water bottles, these are designed to store hot (and cold) drinks, but a faulty thread that seals the top into place means the lid can suddenly fall off, potentially spilling extremely hot liquid on you.

The recall was issued through the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), and affects all Switchback and Trigger Action mugs sold between June 2016 and December 2024.

If you own one of these mugs, the CPSC advises that you stop using it immediately and contact Stanley for a replacement. Fortunately, the company has set up a dedicated recall website, where you can confirm if your mug is affected and request a new one.

The specific issue seems to be with the threads on the lid (which are used to screw it into place on top of the mug). When the material gets hot, the threads shrink and distort as you twist it into place, so it remains loose even when you think it's locked in.

And because these travel mugs don't have a straw, like the Quencher, you need to raise the mug directly in front of your face to take a sip. So if the hot drink pours out, it'll land on you, causing the risk of burns.

According to the company, it received 91 reports of this problem, with 38 involving burn injuries and 11 requiring medical attention. It might not seem a lot compared to the 2.6 million mugs sold, but it's not a risk worth taking when Stanley is offering free replacements.

But if this news has got you thinking about what other options there are, we recently tried Ninja's new travel mug, which keeps your coffee at a drinkable temperature and has a push-button lid, unlike the Stanley models.

And as big-time coffee fans, we test a lot of cups to pull together our list of the best travel mugs, with large, budget and versatile options depending on how you like to carry your brew around.

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