The self-heating mug that will keep your tea nice and toasty

THERE can be few things more annoying than making a piping hot mug of tea, only for a distraction to crop up – leaving your brew distinctly lukewarm.

But now a British inventor claims to have come up with a product to end this disappointment: the first self-heating china mug.

Called the Glow-stone, the ‘smart mug’, pictured, uses two mobile phone batteries hidden in the base to power a tiny heating element claimed to keep the drink at a toasty 60-65C (140150F) for up to half an hour.

The batteries are charged wirelessly from a special coaster, and because they are sealed the mug can even be put in he dishwasher.

Thomas Gostelow, 37, from Manchester, came up with the idea two years ago after becoming frustrated with his coffee getting cold within minutes.

However, there is one snag – the mug costs £69, and could retail at nearer £100. By contrast, a vacuum mug can be bought for under £10.