Hot Paper Cups: Insulation Factors

When buying or conceptualizing hot paper cups for your business, it is important to think about insulation, environment and consumer safety. To most business owners, what matters most in business is durability and profitability. Meaningless cost for cups and of course customer satisfaction. However, with cost and durability in mind, would you prefer insulated or non-insulated hot paper cups? Here is a look at what both of them have to offer.

Insulated cups

These are designed by having an air pocket between two layers of paper or plastic to ensure that the temperature of the cups’ content does not get to the outer layer. In its natural form, a paper is not the best insulator so it allows heat to pass right through. To ensure this doesn’t happen, manufacturers found a way to make double-walled hot paper cups with a poly-lined interior to prevent the cup from becoming soggy and or from leaking.

Advantages of insulated hot paper cups

•   Insulated cups do not allow heat to pass through so the customer will not burn their hands.
•   These cups eliminate the need for using sleeves and double-cups as insulation saves on cost.
•   Insulated hot paper cups keep hot liquids warm for longer and cold beverages colder because the heat is not penetrating through the double layers.
•   The cups are extra strong and durable which is good for taking hot drinks on the go.
•   Using an insulated cup is safer as accidents such as sleeve falling off, cup slipping out of your hand or dropping a hot cup of coffee on your lap are avoided.
•   The cup provides a comfortable, sturdy and non-slip feel so you can use it even when the car is moving.
•   You can print and brand the cup’s exterior without worry because the ink won’t reach the content thanks to the air pocket.

Non-insulated cups

Most coffee shops and restaurants use non-insulated coffee cups because they are cheaper to buy. Unfortunately, the lack of insulation means that the cup will get hot when you pour hot coffee or tea and the customer won’t be able to hold it. To solve that problem, these business owners use coffee cup sleeves or put two cups together to provide some form of insulation so the customers don’t burn their hands. In actual sense, buying sleeves or using two cups per drink costs just as much as buying an insulated cup.

While the advantage of a non-insulated paper cup is that they are less expensive, there are some other things to consider. These include:

•   The single layer of paper is extremely light yet strong enough for taking drinks on the go.
•   Non-insulated cups are very smooth and slippery so they can slip out of your hand and burn you with coffee even if you are using a sleeve to protect your hand.
•   When printing or branding cups, it’s recommended that the cup’s got a clear heat-safe inner clear coat on the inside so the paint or any ink does not seep through.  The easy way to brand such a cup is to print the sleeves separately and leave the cup as it is.
•   Using a sleeve or double-cup can make the cup not fit in a cars coffee holder forcing you to hold your cup throughout the use of it.

Insulated or non-insulated? With this information, one will be able to make an informed decision on which type of hot paper cups to buy for their establishment. It is also important to consider your target clients and their preferences.

Using a non-insulated cup for your business or event is more practical and what most big names use in the beverage industry.  It is cost effective, requires the use of a sleeve (which is also good for a business to avoid the chance of customers saying the cup is too hot).  They can be printed on very easily and most of them are heat-safe throughout for printing on the external side.

Ask a sales representative today for any questions you may have about which hot paper cup is right for your business.  Call us today and we are glad to be of assistance at 1-888-982-1628.