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Whether you’re a devotee of the pre-bedtime TikTok scroll or you’re just, well, a human who perceives the outside world, you’re probably familiar at this point with Stanley cups, the near-comically large water tumblers known officially as Quencher H2.0 Flowstate Tumblers. Since spiking in popularity a few years ago (largely thanks to social media), they’ve become ubiquitous: On a recent stroll around the Condé office, I spotted more Stanley cups perched atop my colleagues’ desks than I could count on one hand.
If bright colors are your priority: Owala 40 oz. Tumbler and Corkcicle Cruiser Insulated Tumbler
For the person toting their tumbler around town: Brumate Era
For the trendy traditionalist: Stanley Quencher H2.0 Flowstate Tumbler
The budget pick: Simple Modern Trek Tumbler
For the minimalist: S’well Tumbler XL
Other tumblers we liked
But here’s the thing: Stanley isn’t the only company making 40-oz. tumblers with handles and straws anymore. In fact, they’ve become a pretty standard offering from most of the big names in hydration, including many of our favorites and the three brands who won our sister publication Epicurious’s best water bottles testing.
So how does the competition stack up to the viral original? After putting nine Stanley-esque cups to the test, I can confidently say that they all did a great job at keeping my water cold and my body hyper-hydrated, and they are all compatible with most cup holders—an important factor for you car-driving folks out there. That said, differences like material, leakiness, washing instructions and color options ultimately separated the tumblers I was excited to use from the ones I don’t think I’ll reach for in the future. But those differences also mean that the ideal tumbler for me may not be the ideal tumbler for you—so read on to find the best option for every kind of hydration head.
How I tested 40-oz. tumblers
I evaluated these tumblers according to a number of factors that can be boiled down to design and drinking experience, cold retention, and leakproof capabilities.
How comfortable is the tumbler to hold? Does it come in fun colorways or patterns? Does it spark enough joy sitting on my desk to make me—a person who is chronically averse to drinking water—excited to hydrate?
To test this, I filled each tumbler with an equivalent amount of ice and water. After 6 hours, each model I tested had done an adequate job at keeping its contents cold.
One of my major gripes with my own Stanley cup has always been how much it leaks: Accidentally knock it off your bedside table and you’ll be left with a massive puddle of water to clean up. To test tumblers for their leakproof capabilities, I filled each one to the brim and turned them 90 degrees, and then completely upside down, noting how much water leaked out of the straw and cap.
If bright colors are your priority: Owala 40 oz. Tumbler and Corkcicle Cruiser Insulated Tumbler
You may know Owala for its FreeSip water bottles, which have also gotten their fair share of TikTok fame over the past few years. Owala bottles are known for their cute colorways and namesake 2-in-1 lids, but did you know it also makes a 40-oz. handled cup? If creative color combos are your thing, you’ll love their take on the XL tumbler. Like the FreeSip, it has a multifunctional lid: This one features both a straw and a small opening for sipping (which slides shut when not in use). An indented handle makes it extremely comfortable to hold. I noticed practically zero leaking when I turned it on its side, and even when flipped over, it leaked less than most of the competition.
Note that only the lid is dishwasher-safe, so you’ll need to hand-wash the cup itself. Other than that, there wasn’t much to complain about with this tumbler—and I’ll add that it was far and away the most complimented cup out of all the ones I had sitting on my desk while writing this story.
Price: $38
Weight: 1.59 lb.
Dishwasher-safe: Lid only
Cupholder compatible: Yes
Keeps cold for: Unspecified
Hot beverages: Yes (not scalding)
If you’re the type who dreams about owning a glossy bright purple convertible, Corkcicle is the tumbler brand for you. There are several things to like about its Cruiser Insulated Tumbler, but the vibrant colorways are the main thing that separates them from the pack. There are also a few notable design features that, while subtle, make for an enhanced user experience: Things like a rubbery grip on the interior of the handle and a nonslip silicone bottom. Similar to the Owala, this cup also affords you the luxury of choice between a straw and a drinking spout, making it a good option for those of you who are looking to chug 40 oz. of hot coffee on your morning commute (whoever you are). It didn’t fare terribly well in the leak test when turned completely upside down, but was perfectly fine when tipped 90 degrees.
Price: $40
Weight: 1.27 lb.
Dishwasher-safe: Yes
Cupholder compatible: Yes
Keeps cold for: 20 hours
Hot beverages: Yes (9 hours)
For the person toting their tumbler around town: Brumate Era
To be honest, I’m not really sure who would want to lug 40 oz. of water around—but if you’re looking to transport your tumbler to and from the office, to the park for summer picnics, or to the beach for a day of hydrated fun in the sun, the Brumate Era is the best pick for you. It’s the only model I tested that completely seals shut, straw and all, which means you can toss it in your tote or cooler bag without worrying about water sloshing out of the top. Just twist the dial on the lid to lock it, after which you could turn the bottle completely upside down (or hell, even play football with it) without risk of a single drop coming into contact with your precious beach snacks or electronics. While the Era may seem like it has a lot of components to it, each piece disassembles for easy washing—and yes, it’s all dishwasher-safe.
Price: $45
Weight: 1.56 lb.
Dishwasher-safe: Yes, top rack (except certain colors)
Cupholder compatible: Yes
Keeps cold for: 24+ hours
Hot beverages: No
For the trendy traditionalist: Stanley Quencher H2.0 Flowstate Tumbler
It’s a classic for a reason: The Stanley Quencher H2.0 Flowstate Tumbler (a.k.a. the Stanley Cup) is cute (so many fun colors!), well designed (comfortable handle! multifunctional lid!), and effective (it’ll keep your beverage at temperature whether you fill it with icy cold water or a hot herbal tea). Do note that this was one of the leakiest tumblers I tested, so clumsy people and public transit commuters beware: I fear a sudden stop on the subway or sharp turn on the bus could send water spurting out the top of this thing. But if you want in on the handled tumbler trend, I wouldn’t blame you for sticking with the original here—I know I’ll still be reaching for mine even after conducting all of this testing because what it lacks in the leakage department it makes up for in vibes and joy sparked. Are either of those things technically quantifiable? No. Do they influence how likely I am to pick up this cup and drink from it? Yes.
Price: $45
Weight: 1.4 lb.
Dishwasher-safe: Yes
Cupholder compatible: Yes
Keeps cold for: 11 hours
Hot beverages: Yes
The budget pick: Simple Modern Trek Tumbler
If the $40-plus price tag on most of these options is more than you’re willing to drop on a water cup, the Simple Modern Trek Tumbler is a great option that rings in at a more reasonable $30. Don’t let that lower price tag fool you: You’re still getting a wide range of fun color options, sturdy BPA-free construction, and even better cold retention than some more expensive options on this list like the Stanley. I also appreciated the comfy-to-grip ergonomic handle and sleek design of this option, and it performed in the middle of the road in terms of leakage when tipped completely over. The only real downsides? The low-profile lid is slightly harder to unscrew than other models, and it does feel a tad cheaper, partially because the plastic its straw is made of feels a bit flimsier and more prone to deterioration over time than that of others I tested. Still, this is a solid tumbler that strikes me as a true bang for your buck.
Price: $30
Weight: 1.27 lb.
Dishwasher-safe: Yes (except certain colors)
Cupholder compatible: Yes
Keeps cold for: 24 hours
Hot beverages: Yes (12 hours)
For the minimalist: S’well Tumbler XL
If you partook in the S’well water bottle craze of the mid 2010s, the brand’s entry into the handled tumbler space is sure to tickle your fancy. In keeping with the design ethos of the rest of S’well’s products, this model is ultra sleek, with a minimalist look and slim profile compared to other models. It’s also the only model I tested that comes with a completely stainless-steel straw (while some others have a straw with a stainless-steel base, their tops have silicone covers), so take note if that’s your preferred material. Another point for the S’well: It’s one of the less leaky tumblers of the bunch.
Price: $45
Weight: 1.18 lb.
Dishwasher-safe: Yes (lid is top rack only)
Cupholder compatible: Yes
Keeps cold for: 50 hours
Hot beverages: Yes (10 hours)
Other tumblers we liked
Another brand with a cult following, Hydroflask didn’t disappoint with its take on the 40-oz. tumbler. It’s a solid option, especially if you prefer a press-on lid and like the idea of a flexible straw (straw chewers, you know who you are). It’s also compatible with Hydroflask’s large closable press-in lid, which is handy if you want the option to sip hot beverages out of it too.
Price: $40
Weight: 1.27 lb.
Dishwasher-safe: Yes
Cupholder compatible: Yes
Keeps cold for: 20 hours
Hot beverages: Yes (9 hours)
With its press-on lid and flexible straw cap, the Oxo Strive tumbler looks and performs much like the Hydroflask—so much so that I’d say if you’re choosing between the two, you can feel safe opting for whichever brand has your preferred colorway or is being offered at a lower price in the moment. The only downside to the Oxo is that at the time of writing there doesn’t seem to be a separately sold compatible lid alternative should you want to sip from a spout rather than a straw.
Price: $40
Weight: 1.27 lb.
Dishwasher-safe: Yes
Cupholder compatible: Yes
Keeps cold for: 20 hours
Hot beverages: Yes (9 hours)
If you’re a true klutz with slippery hands, the Takeya tumbler is the grippiest, most nonslip option I tested. It’s got a rubber bumper around the upper rim that makes the lid a breeze to untwist and a protective bumper at the base that keeps it from easily toppling over. It’s also the only tumbler that comes with two straw widths: a narrow one for sipping water and the like and a wider straw that’s great for jumbo-size smoothies.
Price: $40
Weight: 1.27 lb.
Dishwasher-safe: Yes
Cupholder compatible: Yes
Keeps cold for: 20 hours
Hot beverages: Yes (9 hours)