A dramatic improvement!
"The first generation of heated cups tended to stain, got too hot, and were visibly strange. This cup, unless it's sitting on its special coaster, looks like any other cup in my collection, with a very nice ceramic lid that's especially useful for making tea. What I love about it is that it doesn't get too hot, and other than taking it off the warming coaster when it's empty, there's nothing to do here. Just put your cup of coffee on the coaster, and the edge lights go on to let you know it's heating. I've developed the habit of putting it on a separate coaster when it's almost empty to prevent a mess. (I put milk in my coffee, which doesn't "cook" well. ) This cup cleans very well. I'm not at all concerned about putting it in the dishwasher, since everything is ceramic, but I wash it by hand. It's great, I highly recommend it."