Table of Contents
Introduction
Drinking coffee is now a very common part of our daily lives. It is not only a house drinking beverage, but it is also consumed at outside events like offices, social gatherings, and sometimes picnic places. So, because of its outdoor importance, it is also necessary to have a specially designed outdoor cup that can be used for drinking coffee. Many types of lightweight cups are available on the market that are specially made for outdoor events; the Styrofoam cup is one of them.
But a common question raised in every coffee lover’s mind is, “can you put coffee in a styrofoam cup” or “Can this Styrofoam have the ability to hold hot beverages like coffee?” So, to solve that query, we created this article, in which we mention all the comprehensive knowledge regarding the question “can you put coffee in a styrofoam cup”.
What is a Styrofoam cup
Before exploring “can you put coffee in a styrofoam cup ” you have to understand what it is.
A type of disposable cup that is made up of polystyrene foam is called a Styrofoam cup. It is called Styrofoam because it is light-weight and foam-type in nature, and because of this characteristic, it is commonly used for serving beverages, especially at outdoor events.
can you put coffee in a styrofoam cup
Now the answer to our main query, “can you put coffee in a styrofoam cup” is yes.
Styrofoam is usually used for drinking hot beverages like coffee, but always remember that, like other disposable cups. So, before exploring further knowledge about this cup, let’s explore the science behind the Styrofoam holding hot beverages.
How long can you keep coffee in a Styrofoam cup
Styrofoam can tolerate heat for a long time. After around 30 to 45 minutes and some time for an hour, it can maintain the temperature of a hot beverage without any issue. But it is better to consume the beverage as soon as possible.
The science behind Styrofoam and hot beverages
So, for an excellent understanding of “can you put coffee in a styrofoam cup” you have to understand its properties as a hot beverage. Because it is made up of expanded polystyrene foam, it has tiny air pockets inside the foam matrix.
Because of these tiny pockets, Styrofoam provides the best insulation and blocks the internal temperature of hot liquid from expanding outside the cup while the cup remains cold to touch from outside.
But remember that this cup can tolerate heat at some certain temperature, almost between 130°F and 160°F (54°C to 71°C). If the temperature rises from this range, then this will cause some health concerns.
How Styrofoam differs from another disposable cup
There are many other types of disposable cups available on the market, but every type of cup has its own advantages and disadvantages. Take the example of dixie cups and solo cups. These cups are also considered one of the best disposable cups, but they are made from other materials such as wax, plastic, and polypropylene. That is why sometimes these cups fail to insulate and maintain the temperature of the beverage as compared to Styrofoam cups.
Benefits and drawbacks of the Styrofoam Cup
| Benefits | Drawbacks |
| As we discuss the insulation property in above section, this will help to keep the coffee hot for longer period Easy to hold, means if a hot beverage is present inside this cup so the hand of person who hold this cup will be safe from the internal hot temperature, because of its cellular air pocket structure. Like other disposable cups, Styrofoam is lightweight, affordable and easy to carry, that is why people prefer it. The best part of this cup is disposable ability, that is why it is consider as the environment friendly product and provide a best hygienic felling to the user. | If the temperature of internal liquid is exceeded from the above-mentioned temperature range, then a chemical reaction take place between the polystyrene material and the internal liquid. Hence, styrene will be released and mix with the beverage which will cause potential health issues. The Styrofoam cup is not a biodegradable cup, means after disposing, it’s pieces will not be break down in environment and that the possibilities of long-term pollution may raised in terms of land filling and marine pollution. It has also some recycling challenges, many recycling companies not ready to recycle this product because of high cost and difficult practices involvement. |
Alternatives to Styrofoam Cups
After finding “can you put coffee in a styrofoam cup” and its pros and cons, now it’s time to find out its alternatives, which are given as follows:
Dixie cups
Dixie cups are also considered one of the best disposable cups for holding coffee. It is more friendly as compared to Styrofoam cups because the primary material used in Dixie Manufacturing is paper, which is easily decomposable. Also, it can easily be recycled, so the chances of environmental pollution are also reduced.
Solo cup
As with dixie cups, solo cups are also considered one of the best alternatives to Styrofoam cups. Solo cups are made from a kind of plastic called polypropylene, which makes them durable for handling all kinds of beverages. Also, as compared to Styrofoam cups, these Solo cups can easily be reused by just washing them.
Other alternative cups
It is not an ideal alternative, but it is also considered an alternate solution for Styrofoam cups, if you can. So, I prefer to use small permanent cups that are made of stainless steel, glass, or BPA-free plastic. This will be reused by washing, and it has no serious drawbacks for human and environmental health. Due to its small size, it is easily recyclable.
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Conclusion
Hence, the main answer to our query, “can you put coffee in a styrofoam cup” is yes, and it has several advantages, but it also has some concerns, which we have mentioned in the above drawback section. We hope that after reading the complete article from top to bottom, you will gain complete and comprehensive knowledge regarding styrofoam cups.