The Ember also came with a proprietary charging base that worked with its mugs only, while the Ohom has a wireless charging pad. The Ui3 mug has metal infused in the base that is heated by Ohom’s dual wireless charger. It works like an induction hob to heat the mug at 22 watts but can also charge phones, AirPods, and other small gadgets that support Qi wireless charging at up to 15 watts. This dual use helps reduce clutter on my desk, and I often use the pad to charge something else once my drink is finished.
As the temperature outside has started to drop, having a constantly warm mug of coffee at hand has been lovely. Crucially, unlike the Ember, the Ohom Ui3 is virtually indistinguishable from normal mugs. It’s the kind of Goldilocks mug I would pick out of a cupboard because it looks nice and sturdy, holds the right amount, and is pleasant to sip from.
The Ohom Ui3 comes with a USB-C cable that’s just shy of 5 feet long and a power adapter. The LED on the front pulses purple when it’s heating your drink and blue when it’s charging a gadget. Although the charging base can act as a regular Qi wireless charging pad, you can’t use other Qi pads with the mug. The pad heats a little to the touch when in use but not dangerously so, and it cools quickly.
Off the Boil
As much as I like the Ohom Ui3, there is room for improvement. The charging pad is ugly, with a safety warning on the top that tells you not to place any other metal objects on it and, weirdly, not to try wirelessly charging your phone face down. While the former is an understandable safety concern, I can’t help wondering who needs the second warning. It’s a shame, with such a lovely and unobtrusive mug, that the pad couldn’t emulate a regular coaster (many wireless charging pads do).
Photograph: Simon Hill