VSITOO S3 Smart Temperature Control Coffee Mug with Lid - 10oz Self-Heating Travel Mug with Touch Tech & LED Display, App Controlled (White) - Perfect for Office, Home & Gifting - 1.5hr Battery Life, Improved Design

I bought this S3 Pro mug after my Ember Mug (bought from Costco) crapped out. That is to say the charging pads connectors stopped working and I did not care to spend $40 to $50 on new saucer. The saucer did not seem to be well constructed and it seemed like only a matter of time before the next on crapped out. I only had the cup for a year. Here a few good and bad points to think about when considering the S3 VSITOO Pro. The charging saucer on my Ember mug was constructed in much the same way as the saucer on this mug. There are two spring-loaded prongs that rings on the bottom of the cup sit on in order to charge. The spring loaded prongs are not very thick on the Ember, and the springs on my Ember stopped springing back after a year or so. I took good care to always wipe down the mug before setting it on the charger and it still broke. On the S3 Pro the springs are thicker and seem less likely to get stuck like my Ember mug. The cup itself also has a rubber gasket around the bottom that serves to keep any liquid rolling down the side of the mug away from the prongs on the charging saucer. I think that’s a big improvement over the Ember. However, I often get a high pitched whine coming from the product. When I set the mug down onto the charging saucer, it emits a high pitched squeal. The noise is not a high amplitude or loud noise and t stops after a minute or so, but can be distracting. At first I kept wondering what the noise was; thinking that it was coming from the lid or maybe the charging pad connection was arcing. I was afraid something was burning in or under the cup, but it was just producing an annoying noise. I’m able to ignore it now, for the most part, but if your sensitive to this sort of thing, don’t buy this mug. A few other minor annoyances I should mention are that the lid’s stopper snapped off when I tried to lock it onto the back of the lid. I pushed the stopper back expecting to lock onto the back of the lid so that it wouldn’t fall on my nose while drinking and the stopper came off in my hand. I was able to put it back and it seems to be holding on for now, but it does look like the protrusions holding it to the lid were damaged. It seems ridiculous to me that there is no click to lock the stopper back and out of the way while I drink. Also, the mug tends to overheat or burn the liquid when there is just a last sip left. The smell of burning coffee or tea is irritating. I grant that the Ember mug also did this on occasion, this mug seems to do it every time. Lastly, the product doesn’t stay connected with the app. When liquid is added to the cup and then the app is opened, the app does not connect to the cup. If you want the app functions while liquid is in the cup you have to connect the app first then put the liquid inside. It seems like I have to hold down the on/off button to put it in Bluetooth pairing mode each time to pair it with the app. This is kind of annoying if you want to know whether your drink is still warming or at the right temperature. The cup itself seems to be better than the Ember so far. The fact that it has a lid makes it more functional and versatile. I can take it with me if I get called away. The nice wooden spoon is a really nice touch and makes up for some failures. The fact that the S3 has a tactile on/off switch and I can easily tell that the button is being pressed and it is way more responsive than the Ember mug is also great. I used to get very annoyed with the one mushy button on the Ember mug. The main problem is the software. It either overheats or underheats my drinks and then can’t stay connected to the app. Problematic, but if you just keep the drink heating adjusted using control on the front of the cup, drink that last sip instead of letting it potentially overheat in the cup, and don’t mind just using one of the five degree increments, you should be fine. It’s not that I am completely satisfied with this cup, its just that the things the Ember cup does well are not worth the extra money to me. The S3 pro is about a $100 while the Ember goes from $120 to $170. I will not be going back to Ember mugs.I first had an ember mug , which worked "ok" with a ton of flaws that this mug resolves . So i'll just list them in comparison1. Ember mug needs an app to do anything and is super frustrating >> S3 Pro have a button on the mug itself to change the temperature . I did not need to install ANY app to use this mug. There are little lights below the temperature segment that also gives an idea what the current temperature is as it heats up and you can easily toggle between the temperature segments . Of course you are limited to the increments, but this is so much better than needing to use an app.2. The ember mug app and connection is horrible >> S3 Pro does have an app and it detected my mug automatically! No funny resetting / holding the button on the bottom of the mug and trying multiple times to connect. I downloaded the vsitoo app it asked for access to location and ability to detect objects in area and it found the mug right there (without ever doing anything on the mug itself).3. Ember and S3 Pro mugs are in the same price range, i find it expensive . Equal in this dept.4. I had a white ember mug and now have a white S3 Pro . The S3 shipped with a wooden spoon , since ironically my Ember mug started getting scratches at the inside-bottom after using normal metal spoons, so that is a nice touch and reminder! I expect both the ember and s3 to scratch with metal spoons though , so use wooden/non-metal spoons with these mugs!5. The coaster of the ember uses a DC input , the S3 coaster uses a USB-C input . I prefer USB-C as it makes it more travel friendly and usable with potentially other adapters that i might be traveling with already.6. The S3 goes to 150 F (65 celsius) , the Ember only goes to 145 F (62 celsius). I like my coffee hot and i used to run the Ember at the 62/max and trust me the extra few degrees are noticeable!7. I'd say the Ember feels a bit more refined in terms of the the finer quality. Both have some sort of ceramic coating, but it feels like the Ember have a thicker coating that sounds more solid when you tap on it. The S3 sounds more metalic/hollow in comparison.Overall the S3 gets the upper hand on general usability, i want to see and manage the temp on the mug itself, i don't want to do it from my phone, simple. This mug provides it.I ordered this mug for Father’s Day. It arrived in time and in great packaging. It is user friendly and a topic starter around the office. After 5 months it was giving my dad some issues with heating up. We contacted after service sales and they have been very helpful in repairing the issues through the easy to use app as well have stated if it continues they will replace the mug right away. I’ve been very pleased with their service.I wish it would keep the coffee warm for 3 hours, it will stay hot for 1 1/2 hours, but then it needs to be recharge. It is the best compare to the other bran that is out there so I give it a 4 starThe first cup cracked after several weeks and was replaced on June 22, 2022. That second unit has now stopped working. There are three prongs on the heater stand that make contact with the bottom of the cup. One of the prongs appears to have overheated and shows signs of deformation and discoloration. Needless to say, the heater has stopped working. My wife was very happy with the performance but if the unit will not last more than a few months, I would not recommend the unit.I'm very pleased with the Vsitoo mug it gets hot using the charger and stays that way for a while after the charge as long as it sits there and also when you take it off for a while. The vsitoo app on smartphone connects to charger via Bluetooth and allows you to fin grain the temperature given you granular control to the degree you wish with three ranges. I recently applied firmware updates to give greater capabilities. The mug is a nice size and durable. Very good product.The mug looks wonderful. 5⭐️I was disappointed that it didn't have the battery life I had hoped for. I maybe got 1-1.5 hrs out of the battery when used, but I am a slow coffee drinker.Would I buy another one? NoWill I keep this one? Yes