A good mug is hard to find

Jan 21

An ode to the perfect mug

I often complain about how hard it is to make a mug, and how tiring it is to have people take it for granted. If you make a pumpkin out of clay, people are amazed. Mushrooms? Same. It’s whimsical and fun. A mug on the other hand is so common it doesn’t get the love it deserves. Sure, there are mug collectors, but most people are not. They see it as a utilitarian product that they can get at Goodwill a dime a dozen. So they’re not ready to pay for a mug what they would pay for more decorative items… like a pumpkin or a mushroom. They’re not ready to pay what it’s worth, to be honest. When they see a fair price, people ask stupid questions like how long it took to make this mug. The answer is that it took the time since you made your first mug. It’s been 20 years that I attempt to make the perfect mug. I got close a couple of time.

One of my latest mug: Handbuilt Nerikomi Mug-2026

Another recent mug: carved slipcast mug with colored layers-2026

Why is it so hard to get it right?

Let me count all the ways that make mugs unique.

Finding the right mug is like finding your perfect life partner.

Sure, you can probably drink out of any mug, but it's not the same thing as finding THE ONE.

The right weight in your hand.

The right curve, width and placement of the handle which will decide how the weight is distributed.

Do you like to grip your mug with two fingers? Three? All? Do you like a thumb rest?

The smooth lip with the right thickness for your lips, neither too thin nor too thick.

The right texture for your other hand, the one that's not on the handle. It’s a good place to warm your fingers in winter, resting on the body of the mug .

Let’s talk about this body. Some like it smooth, others a little rough.

No judgment there.

Apparently talking about the perfect mug leads to sexual innuendoes, which makes sense since I compared it to finding the perfect life partner.

Plus, between your lips, your hands, its lips and its body, the relationship gets physical from the get go.

Wheel Thrown mug with Nerikomi handle/strips from 2025

If the mug is too thin, it might get too hot to touch until your beverage has turned lukewarm. You don’t want that.

If a mug is too heavy, it won’t be comfortable to hold. You don’t want that either.

It goes without saying that the right mug won’t seep water or stain easily from coffee or tea, and for this you need a well-made mug, with the right clay and the right glaze and the right firing.

It will also be the right size for the amount of liquid you like to ingest. Personally, I like fairly big mugs, around 14-16 oz/40-50 cl

If you’re lazy, you probably want it micro-wave safe and dishwasher safe as well.

But it’s more than good craft.

The right mug should give you a smile, it should connect with you, comfort you, make your day better.

Wheelthrown Ribbon mugs with Nerikomi inserts-2023

The colors, design, pattern, anything written on it should all feel connected, a deliberate choice, not some random chance or latest fad.

I hear some people have dozens of mugs and choose them depending on their mood.

Extroverts!

I alternate between two mugs with a third as a backup in case one of the other two is dirty (yes, I put them in the dishwasher).

I have a breakfast mug and an after-lunch one. I don’t like to swap them.

No one else should use MY mugs.

I will admit something painful: Neither of those two mugs is perfect. Perfection is hard.

I can make my own mugs and I still struggle to find the perfect mug. You never know exactly how a mug will feel until it’s done.

“Ceci n’est pas une tasse” wheelthrown mug-2022

Also, I probably could try harder. Make mugs all day every day until I produce THE ONE. I don’t.

I made an almost perfect mug once. It broke.

The perfect mug is like a once-in-a-lifetime miracle, pure magic

Please take your mugs seriously and don't settle.

No mass produced mug. No dad joke mug. Have some dignity. Your mug(s) says so much about you!

Maybe you’ll meet the potter first, like their work and one day they’ll create the perfect mug for you! Lightning and thunder!

Maybe it will be the other way round, you will meet a mug that you cannot live without, and wonder about who made it later.

Please let them know you like their mug. A mug is a labor of love, and we love to hear that they connected with you.

A mug is not a mere plate or a bowl. It’s not just supposed to hold your food, it’s part of a ritual.

The Japanese got it right.

And then, one day, your favorite mug might break like mine did.

This was my favorite mug…. From 2018 I believe. “BC”(before Covid) as my kids would say. Then it broke!

It’s a difficult reality, but you must face it.

Mugs won’t live as long as you do.

Just take good care of them and hope for the best.

When the time comes to separate, you’ll feel sad. That’s OK.

Hopefully you’ll be able to start a relationship with another one. It won’t be the same but you’ll be able to live a different story with them. They’ll share some important moments with you.

Enjoy the road ahead but once in a while, you might reminisce about your favorite mug of yesteryears and the good times you shared.

Take a walk down my Muggy Memory Lane below.