I Tested 11 Insulated Tumblers (Including Stanley) to Find Hydration Heroes (2024)

Straight to the Point

The best water tumbler is from Simple Modern. It had excellent cold retention, didn’t leak, is available in a plethora of colors, and is reasonably priced. The Stanley The Quencher H2.O Flowstate Tumber did well in our tests, too, for those wondering whether it’s worthwhile investing in the viral item.

I can’t say that I’m often ahead of trends, but I bought a Stanley tumbler years ago. And, reader, I hated it, as did my husband and even my dog. The tumbler caused us all to jump whenever it fell over with a thwack, water pouring out around its straw. With its tapered base and top-heavy design, topple over it did…all of the time.

Thus, I was happy to find out that the Stanley’s lid was redesigned, with a silicone seal that holds the straw in place and (allegedly) prevents the sort of splashes that have caused me to utter many an expletive. That, coupled with the virality of the aforementioned ginormous cup (if you’ve been on TikTok lately, you’d be unsurprised to find out Stanley’s sales jumped from $194 million in 2021 to about $750 million in 2023, according to CNBC), made me want to formally test insulated tumblers—those from Stanley, Yeti, Owala, Hydro Flask, and more.

To evaluate these tumblers, I drank from them (duh), tested their cold retention, looked at how much they leaked when tipped over, and more.

Editor's Note

In light of recent concern about Stanley's tumblers containing lead, I wanted to address it quickly. Yes, Stanley's bottles do have a lead pellet in their enclosed base, but the tumbler would have to be severely damaged to expose it. It's also worth noting this is and has been true for many vacuum-insulated bottles, including Yeti. If you're concerned about this, there are a couple of brands (like Hydro Flask and Owala) that don't use lead in their manufacturing process.

The Winners, at a Glance

The Best Insulated Tumbler

Simple Modern 40 oz Trek Tumbler with Handle and Straw Lid

$30 at Amazon $30 at Target View on Simplemodern.com

This insulated tumbler had the best cold retention of the bunch and didn’t leak even when fully tilted on its side—no small feat, as you’ll read below. It was great to drink from, comfortable to hold (thanks to its large handle), came in a range of hues, and was about $30.

Another Great Insulated Tumbler

Owala 40-Ounce Tumbler

$38 at Amazon View on Owalalife.com $38 at Target

The Owala was one of three models that passed the leak test. Its cold retention was great, too, and its handle had an indent that ran its length, which made it nicely grippy.

The Best Stanley Tumbler

Stanley Quencher H2.0 FlowState Tumbler

$45 at Amazon $35 at Williams-Sonoma $41 at Walmart

This Stanley tumbler’s lid is much improved upon compared to the previous iteration. Its silicone seal stopped water from flooding out (though it’s not leakproof). It had solid cold retention and felt well-balanced. The silicone portions on its handle were exceptionally nice to hold, too.

The Best Insulated Tumbler of Various Sizes

YETI Rambler Mug with Straw Lid

$42 at Amazon View on Yeti.com

The Yeti was the only model without a silicone seal around its straw that did well (but not perfectly) in the leak test. Its lid presses in and pulls out without much fuss, too. Its rectangular handle has rounded edges and is nice to hold onto and its wide straw provides smooth sips. It’s available in two smaller sizes, which are the same shape.

There are other Yeti tumblers, like the Rambler with MagSlider lid, great for those who are not fans of straws but still want the size options.

The Best Small, Lightweight Insulated Tumbler

Miir All Day Straw Cup

The Best Insulated Tumbler with a Silicone Straw

Hydro Flask All Around Travel Tumbler

$35 at Amazon View on Hydroflask.com View on Campmor.com

With a wide, stiffer silicone straw, the Hydro Flask was pleasant to drink from (a boon for those who’d rather not sip from hard plastic). Its lid pressed in easily and it had solid cold retention.

The Best Insulated Tumbler with a Retro Vibe

Corkcicle Cruiser 40oz Tumbler with Handle

$40 at Amazon $50 at Saks Fifth Avenue $50 at Nordstrom

With good cold retention and a silicone-lined handle, the Corkcicle is a perfectly fine insulated tumbler. And while not all of its colors are retro-looking, the Sunglass Tan, Purple Dolphin, and 80s Windbreaker certainly have Saved by the Bell vibes.

The Tests

I Tested 11 Insulated Tumblers (Including Stanley) to Find Hydration Heroes (8)

General Use Test: I evaluated how easy it was to remove and put each tumbler’s lid back on and what it was like to hold and drink from.
Leakage Test: I filled each tumbler with water, and then tilted it over the sink to see if it leaked.
Cold Retention Test: After filling each insulated tumbler with 100 grams of ice and cold (45°F) water, I placed the lids on and took the temperature every two hours for 16 hours using an instant-read thermometer.
Cleanup Test: I washed the tumblers by hand, then placed the dishwasher-safe models (which were all of them) in the top rack of the dishwasher to see how they fared.
Long-Term Testing: All of my favorite tumblers have entered long-term testing (she writes, currently drinking from the Simple Modern). I will update this review with any notable findings.

What We Learned

Twist-On vs. Press-In Lids

I Tested 11 Insulated Tumblers (Including Stanley) to Find Hydration Heroes (9)

The insulated tumblers either had twist-on or press-in lids. Neither was better or more secure (both styles had winners that leaked and others that didn’t), so it’s a matter of preference. For those with dexterity or hand strength concerns, the press-in lids were easier to add and remove. The Yeti and MiiR in particular had sizeable plastic tabs on their lids, which you can press your thumb upwards on and use to pop the lid off (though the Yeti requires more force).

As far as the twist-on lids, I struggled at one point to thread them all but managed after a try or two. Ultimately, other factors (like the straw) superseded any lid qualms.

Straw Placement and Size

I Tested 11 Insulated Tumblers (Including Stanley) to Find Hydration Heroes (10)

A few of the tumblers (the Owala, Hydro Flask, and MiiR) had straws located in the center of the lids. For most (i.e. those who aren’t testing 11 insulated tumblers side-by-side) this placement will be unnoticeable. However, I did find straws that were located closer to the edge and set at a slight angle were more intuitive to drink from. This way, you don’t have to crane your neck over the top of the tumbler or tilt it when sipping. That said, this is somewhat splitting hairs and my winners include both straw placements.

The best insulated tumblers were also a joy to drink from, providing an ample amount of water effortlessly with each sip. A couple of the tumblers (the Swig Life and TeamVV) had narrower straws than the top performers, providing noticeably less water and more resistance when I drank from them.

Leakage: Expect It

I Tested 11 Insulated Tumblers (Including Stanley) to Find Hydration Heroes (11)

Unlike water bottles, you shouldn’t expect most insulated tumblers to be leakproof. With their tapered, narrower bases and uncapped straws, they’re bound to be tip- and leak-prone. However, this doesn’t mean water should flood from them when tilted.

Most of the insulated tumblers dribbled during the leak test, specifically around their straws. The ones that didn’t (the Simple Modern and Owala, most notably) had tighter silicone seals holding their straws put. It was to the point where I had to forcefully pull the straw out of the Simple Modern to get it to budge. If a leakproof tumbler is your priority, you now know which one to get.