Sharing Cup M/L large-capacity version is officially launched: let’s talk about our design ideas
The long-awaited high-capacity version is finally here. Sharing Cup M and L are officially on the shelves. Today I want to share with you the design ideas behind these two cups in a relaxed way.
Does the coffee cup really affect the flavor?
Before talking about Sharing Cup, I would like to share with you something that many people may not pay attention to: the cup you use to drink coffee will actually affect the taste of your drink.
This is not metaphysics, but is backed up by research. Research by Professor Charles Spence of the University of Oxford and neuroscientist Fabiana Carvalho both pointed out that the shape of the cup, the thickness of the rim, and even the color will affect our perception of coffee's sweetness, acidity and bitterness.
Just like there are special glasses for wine tasting, coffee actually deserves to be taken seriously.
Cup mouth width: not just a matter of capacity
Regarding the cup mouth design, many people will think of the narrow mouth of the wine tasting glass, thinking that this can gather the aroma. But based on some research and our own testing, that statement may need to be rethought.
Features of narrow cup mouth:
- The aroma will be more concentrated and may smell stronger
- But when drinking, the area where the coffee liquid contacts the tongue is smaller
- The nose easily touches the rim of the cup, affecting the comfort of drinking.
Features of wide mouth:
- The liquid surface area is larger and the aroma is released more naturally
- Coffee can flow through the entire tongue more evenly, and the flavor experience is more complete
- Some studies have pointed out that a wider cup mouth may make people feel more sweet.
We chose the wide-mouth design because we found that increasing the contact area between liquid and air allows the aroma to emit more naturally. When you bring the cup to your mouth, you don’t need to smell it, the aroma is already there.
Cup rim thickness: an easily overlooked detail
The thickness of the cup rim is something that many people don’t pay much attention to when choosing a cup. But its impact on the drinking experience may be greater than you think.
The feeling of thick cup rim:
- The lip contact area is larger and the touch is rounder and thicker
- Thermal insulation effect is usually better
- Psychologically, it may make the coffee feel richer and more substantial.
- But the perception of delicate flavor may be slightly weakened
The feeling of thin cup rim:
- Coffee can flow into the mouth more directly, and the presence of the "cup" is reduced.
- It’s easier to feel the subtle flavor changes of coffee
- The entrance is lighter and more elegant
- Suitable for tasting specialty coffee with rich flavor levels
We chose the thin edge design for the Sharing Cup in the hope of reducing the "foreign body feeling" and making the cup less of an obstacle between you and your coffee. The thinner the cup rim, the more you can focus on the coffee itself.
Influence of Material: Why We Choose Black Clay Ceramics
Cups made of different materials have different effects on the temperature and flavor of coffee.
Advantages of ceramics:
- The thermal insulation effect is better than that of glass. Research shows that ceramics dissipate heat about 11% slower than glass.
- The material itself does not affect the taste of coffee
- The tiny pores of ceramics create a natural thermal insulation layer
- It feels warm to the touch and feels comfortable in your hand.
We choose black clay ceramics not only for its unique texture and color, but also because of its thermal insulation and tactile properties, which are very suitable for drinking coffee.
So, what experience does Sharing Cup want to bring you?
Based on the above considerations, the design direction of the Sharing Cup series is:
- Wide mouth design: Increase the liquid surface area, making the aroma easier to perceive
- Thin edge design: Reduce the foreign body feeling at the entrance and make the flavor more direct
- Black clay ceramics: Good thermal insulation and unique feel
We hope that when you drink coffee from the Sharing Cup, you can feel the aroma and flavor of the coffee more naturally, rather than being distracted by the cup itself.
The overall design direction of the Sharing Cup series
Whether it is S, M or L, you should be able to tell from the appearance that they are from the same series. In the design of the entire Sharing Cup, we focus on two directions: aroma experience, and reducing the foreign body feeling when entering the cup.
About thin edge design and cup rim thickness
The entire Sharing Cup series adopts a thin-rim design, but you may find that the larger the cup, the thicker the rim is:
- S: Cup rim about 2mm
- M: Cup rim is about 2-3mm
- L: Cup rim is about 3-4mm
This is actually a physical limitation of ceramic firing. Larger ceramics are more likely to collapse or deform when fired at high temperatures. If you insist on using a thickness that is too thin to make a large-sized cup, it is likely to be damaged during the kiln firing process.
We spent a lot of time testing to find a balance between thinness and structural stability. The current thickness is a relatively safe limit for what we can achieve using the material black mud.
A friend asked if there would be a thick-edged version. There are currently no plans for this, but this possibility cannot be ruled out in the future.
M version: a balance of sharing and drinking
The rim diameter of the M is approximately 1 to 1.5 cm larger than that of the S, and the depth is also increased in the middle.
Suitable for you if:
- Get used to brewing 15-20g of coffee powder at a time
- I like to drink it slowly in 2-3 times to feel the flavor levels brought about by the changes in coffee temperature.
- Want to share different stages of the same pot of coffee with friends
- Run a cafe and want to provide customers with a better drinking experience
This design makes it easier for your nose to fall in the middle of the cup when you drink, allowing you to feel the aroma more naturally.
L version: Satisfaction after one cup
L is the version that took the most care this time.
The diameter of the cup rim is about 2.5cm compared to S, and the capacity is about 300 to 330ml. In terms of design, we hope to maintain the consistent sense of lines of the Sharing Cup series, but it is actually very challenging to make it wide at the top and narrow at the bottom while having a large capacity.
When the original prototype came out, it was even larger than it is now, and would look a bit exaggerated to fit in your home. Later, we kept adjusting the lines until we found the ratio that is more suitable now.
Suitable for you if:
- I am used to drinking more than 20g at a time and like the satisfaction of a large cup.
- I use hand brewing in the office and want to reduce the number of utensils on my desk.
- I don’t like to refill the cup frequently and want to drink the whole pot of coffee in one go.
- L can be used directly from the pot and you can drink it after brewing.
When you drink until there is about 150 to 200ml left, in a normal drinking posture, your nose will be right in the middle of the mouth of the cup, and the aroma will be particularly noticeable at this time.
Specification reference
| Size | Capacity | Cup rim thickness | Cup rim diameter | Suitable for the scene |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | About 60-65ml | about 2mm | Standard | Espresso, tasting |
| M | About 170ml | About 2-3mm | Approximately 1-1.5cm larger than S | Drink in batches and share in Cafe |
| L | About 300-330ml | About 3-4mm | Approximately 2.5cm larger than S | Office hand brewing, drink to the end |
Which one do I use daily?
To be honest, S is what I use most every day. But it has recently been replaced by another one, the upcoming limited edition Sharing Cup Alpha.
What's so special about Alpha? Why is there a concave design in the middle? I’ll leave this to share with you next time.
finally
Everyone has different preferences for coffee cups. Some people like a thick feel, while others prefer a light touch; some care about heat preservation, while others pay more attention to the presentation of flavor.
This article just shares our own design ideas and some observations about coffee cups. I hope it can give you a reference when choosing a coffee cup.
If you have any questions about Sharing Cup, please leave a message to communicate.
Sharing Cup S/M/L is now on sale on the official website.
Link: https://mycoffeestage.com/products/coffee-stage-sharing-cup
