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Where Did the Mug Handle Come From?

Category: Technology

The handle on a mug looks like a simple solution for holding a hot drink. However, the original tea bowls from China did not have handles at all. [1]

The modern mug is actually a mix of two things: the handle from large drinking vessels and a request from the US Navy in the 1940s for sturdy coffee cups for use on warships. The handle was added later, not from the start. [4]

1. Why Chinese Tea Bowls Had No Handles

Chinese tea bowls were small vessels without handles. [1] In Europe, people began making cups that copied the design of Eastern-style ceramics exported from Japan (Imari) and China (Canton). These copied designs also had no handles. [1]

One explanation for the missing handle is the idea that tea too hot to hold should not be drunk yet. However, this is a cultural explanation, not a confirmed design record. [1]

2. What a Mug Is and How Early Mugs Got Handles

In English, the word "mug" refers to a drinking vessel with one handle, usually holding about 250 to 350 milliliters. Larger vessels are called tankards. [2] Early mugs were larger than today’s versions and were mainly used for beer and other alcohol. [2]

Pottery allowed makers to add handles easily after shaping the vessel on a wheel, so handled pots appeared early. However, thick pottery felt rough on the lips, and metal vessels were not suitable for hot drinks. [2] The origin of the word "mug" is unclear. Dictionaries show examples from around the 1560s, and some sources say the first use of the current meaning was in 1664. [3] [2]

4. When Handles Were Added and Mugs Became Diner Favorites

After the war, Victor sold mugs to the public. They added handles, made the body slightly thinner, and offered more colors. [4] [5] Handles were added when coffee shops became central to customers, for ease of holding and sturdiness. [6]

Thick, white mugs used in diners are called "diner mugs," and other manufacturers made similar vessels. Eventually, cheap copies increased, and Victor stopped producing white mugs. Some sources say this happened in 1987, while others say it was in the spring of 1990. [4] [5]

5. What Today's Mugs Keep from the Past and What We Still Don't Know

Today’s mugs still have one handle, a moderate capacity, and a thick, sturdy body. The handle was added later to help hold hot drinks, while the thick white vessel is said to have spread for resistance to spilling, sturdiness, and heat retention. [6] [2]

Sources differ on when handled vessels spread in the West. The English Wikipedia article on "Teacup" says handles appeared in the early 19th century. It also notes that 17th-century chocolate cups had handles. This claim relies on one book, so it needs checking against other sources. [1] The reason and time for the spread of straight, cylindrical mugs is not clear from these materials.

6. How to Investigate Mug Designs at Home

You can try this at home: Place three mugs from your house side by side. Compare the handle position, the thickness of the vessel, and the finish of the bottom. Placing them next to a tea bowl or yunomi can show the role of the handle.

You can also observe when you go out: Look at the shape and handle direction of mugs in diners or cafes. You might notice that thickness varies even within the same shop. [6]

If you read sources, compare the English Wikipedia articles on "Mug" and "Victor Insulators." You will find differences in the dates given. [2] [5]

Sources

  1. English Wikipedia "Teacup" (Retrieved: October 8, 2026) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teacup (Covers the origin of handle-less tea bowls, the shape of ceramics exported from Imari and Canton, and descriptions of when handles appeared in the West.)
  2. English Wikipedia "Mug" (Retrieved: October 8, 2026) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mug (Covers the definition of mug capacity and handles, materials and uses of early mugs, handling of pottery vs metal, and the 1664 first use description.)
  3. Online Etymology Dictionary "mug" (Retrieved: October 8, 2026) https://www.etymonline.com/word/mug (Notes that the origin of the word mug is unknown and that first appearances are cited around the 1560s.)
  4. Chris Clemens "How the Victor Coffee Mug Changed the Way We Drink Coffee" Exploring Upstate (March 6, 2016) https://exploringupstate.com/how-victor-changed-the-coffee-mug/ (Covers the Navy order and first handle-less vessels, bottom finish, post-war addition of handles, rise of imitations, and the 1987 end-of-production date.)
  5. English Wikipedia "Victor Insulators" (Retrieved: October 8, 2026) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Insulators (Notes that Victor Insulators turned to tableware due to decreased insulator work, the Navy's white thick vessels, post-war handled versions, and the Spring 1990 end-of-production date.)
  6. Mental Floss "Why Do Diners Across America All Use the Same Mugs?" https://www.mentalfloss.com/big-questions/why-do-diners-america-use-same-mugs (Covers Navy requests, durability and heat retention of thick white vessels, addition of handles linked to coffee shops, and status as diner staples.)