Metal and Plastic Cup: Which is Better?

While choosing cups for your business or personal use, you might have come across two options: Metal Cups and Plastic Cups.

Both of them are widely used, but choosing one of them becomes a bit difficult, especially if you are unfamiliar with their pros, cons, features, and other intricate details.

In this article, we will explain the types of metal cups and plastic cups and the materials used to make them. We will also compare both to make your selection easier.

What Are Metal Cups Made Of?

Metal cups are made of food-grade metals, such as stainless steel cups, aluminum cups and aluminum tumblers.

These metals are melted and even mixed with some other metals to offer excellent durability. The melted metal is poured into molds of the desired shape to turn it into metal cups. Some metal cups are made by extrusion, deep draw, or snipping.

Some metal cups, such as aluminum cups and copper cups, are also coated with a thin layer of some other material that does not react with acidic drinks.

Finally, the cups are polished to give them a finished look that is clean, even, and shiny.

Types of Metal Cups

You can find three types of metal cups in the market:

• Stainless steel cups
• Aluminum cups
• Copper cups

Stainless steel and aluminum cups are the most commonly used and preferred. However, copper cups are rarely used.

Stainless Steel Cups

Aluminum Cups

Copper Cups

Copper cups are also used for drinking. They are durable and appealing. However, pure copper can react with liquids, so it is necessary to line or coat copper cups with tin or any other suitable material to prevent the reaction.

Types of Plastic Cups

What Are the Cons of Using a Cup Made of Steel or Aluminum

Metal cups are preferred over plastic cups because of their benefits. However, there are a few cons you must know.

Expensive: Metal cups are expensive compared to plastic cups. Stainless steel is quite expensive, and after that, we have aluminum on the list.

Heavy: Metals are heavy compared to plastic cups. If you are ordering in bulk, the shipping rates will be higher.

Thermal Conductivity: Metals are known for good thermal conductivity. Therefore, they get hot and cold according to the drink poured into them. If there is no insulation on the handle, you will feel the temperature.

Condensation: Due to thermal conductivity, condensation happens at the outer surface of the metal cups. You will have water drops, which make the handle and cup slippery.

Metal Cups vs Plastic Cups

Let’s compare metal cups and plastic cups on some important aspects to help you make the right choice.

Health Safety

Metal cups are safe, and they can be used for hot and cold drinks without any worries. They do not rust or corrode, and the metal itself does not leach into the drink. They do not raise health and safety concerns and are not questionable or doubtful at all.

On the other hand, plastic cups aren’t safe. There are risks of microplastics in the drinks, especially if the drink is hot. Secondly, there is a risk of BPA, which is a cause of various health issues, including obesity, diabetes, heart disease, etc.

Durability

Metal cups are extremely durable. They can last for a lifetime. Once they are made, they can work for centuries without any degradation in functionality. They can also bear impact; however, it results in dents and poor appearance.

Plastic cups are not durable. They can get damaged with a small impact. They can’t bear the heat, which is why you can’t put hot drinks in most of them.

Recyclability

Metal cups are reusable and recyclable. They can be recycled again and again to make new cups or other products. Stainless steel and aluminum are in the most recyclable materials list.

On the other hand, plastic cups are not reusable. They are usually disposed of after one use. Then, they are added to the landfill and ocean garbage.

Some types of plastic cups can be recycled. However, there are chances of contamination. Secondly, recycling plastic is more complex.

Heat Retention

Metals have the property to retain heat for a long time. Whether you have poured a hot or cold drink, it can retain the temperature, which is the reason metals are used for making thermos flasks.

On the other hand, plastic cups do not have the capability to retain temperature for a longer duration.

Cost

Metal cups are way more expensive than plastic cups. However, their cost is recovered through reusability and recyclability. In that sense, they are way cheaper.

	Aluminum Cups	Stainless Steel Cups	Plastic cups
Durability	Durable	More durable	Not durable
Safety	Safe	Safe	Safe
Costs	Cheaper	Expensive	Cheapest
Weight	Lightweight	Heavier	Lightweight
Recyclability	Recyclable	Recyclable	Not totally recyclable
Reusable	Reusable or disposable	Reusable	Disposable
Portability	Portable	Portable	Portable
Rust-resistance:	Rust-resistance	Rust-resistance	Rust-resistance
Dishwasher safe	Yes(after special deal)	Yes	No
BPA-FREE	Yes, BPA-FREE	Yes, BPA-FREE	No
Customizable	Yes	Yes	Yes
Sustainability	Yes	Yes	No
Easy of cleaning	Yes	Yes	Yes

Conclusion

After the above introduction, we know that metal cups are generally better than plastic cups. Metal cups have more advantages in durability,safety, recyclability, reusable, dishwasher safe, BPA-FREE, and so on. However, metal cups are usually more expensive than plastic cups. So if you only have a low budget, then you can also consider these plastic cups. Anyhow, it all depends on your decision.

Need Metal Cups at Wholesale?

FLYTINBOTTLE offers a complete range of aluminum and stainless-steel cups for different purposes. We are a one-stop solution with over 20 years of experience.

We offer services in more than 100 countries at reasonable prices. We can make custom cups according to your needs. For more details and samples, feel free to contact us.

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