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IKEA is our go-to store for all things furniture. It is the sort of store that we can easily get lost in, and if you are anything like us, you have already spent a day or two wandering around in there. Their selection of furniture that is ready to assemble is second to none. In addition to offering desks and bookshelves, IKEA also provides awesome coffee mugs to their shoppers.

While most of these mugs are not remarkable, they are able to remain in style over the long haul. Their VARDAGEN mugs are especially popular. They do come with a feature that makes us beg the question: why the chip on the bottom? This is not a common feature in most of the coffee mugs that we have in our cupboard. Luckily for us, Reader’s Digest is on the case.

The chip comes with a very specific purpose. The chip in the bottom of the mug is supposed to function as a drainage gate. This keeps all of the water from collecting at the bottom of the mug when it is placed in the dishwasher. Anyone who has ever picked up their mugs and had a tidal wave of water come crashing down is probably having their own personal “eureka!” moment right now.

Photo: IKEA

This makes so much sense, we cannot believe that we did not think of this idea ourselves. IKEA’s ingenuity is always on full display, isn’t it? Mugs are usually loaded upside down and this allows the water to pool during dishwasher process. The splashy messes that are usually created when you are unloading the dishwasher are no longer an issue when you procure your coffee mugs from the good folks at IKEA.

The chips that are placed in these mugs are uniform and smooth. In other words, they are not designed to look like a defect. Many IKEA shoppers barely notice them. VARDAGEN aims to offer the same water draining assistance to those who are purchasing their other ceramic sets as well. If you take a closer look at their teacup and saucer sets, the chips can also be found.

We cannot get over the brilliance of this idea. IKEA is always coming up with new ways to assist us and we are forever grateful to them. Please be sure to pass this information along to all of your friends and loved ones. We were today years old when we learned all about this amazing innovation!

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