The Best Insulated Tumblers

This tumbler measured up to its online fanfare. It had one of the most convenient all-in-one lid designs in our lineup, consisting of an open hole for direct sipping that closes with a rotating plastic tab. The tab also housed a straw hole with a small silicone gasket that clung tightly to the included reusable straw. Like all models we tested, it wasn’t designed to be fully watertight and leaked water from its lid during our spill tests. However, it leaked less than most other models we tested. We were also impressed by this tumbler’s spacious handle embedded with soft silicone grips, which made it comfortable to hold. Though heavy when full of water, this model wasn’t the heaviest in our lineup, and it fit snugly into our cupholders. Best of all, it outperformed every other tumbler in our durability testing, sustaining only a small dent and some chipped paint after multiple drops onto stone from 6 feet in the air. It kept its contents hot and cold, respectively, for 24 hours during our tests.

We were impressed with this tumbler’s lid design: A large hole for sipping was covered by a sliding plastic tab that in turn housed a secure, gasketed opening for a straw. Users could slide the cover back and forth to choose between sipping and drinking through a straw. The whole setup made for the most watertight straw lid in our lineup, and we were happy that we didn’t have to change lids if we wanted to drink using a different method. This model’s manufacturer recommends hand-washing the body to preserve its powder-coated finish; we found it easy to scrub clean and liked that it didn’t retain stains or odors. It kept our cold drinks under 60 degrees for over 24 hours during testing (in a 72-degree room), though it performed slightly less effectively than our winner in our hot-water temperature tests. We found this tumbler comfortable to hold, not too heavy, and easy to drink from. It sustained some small dents and scratches when we dropped it, but it was still able to stand upright and function well afterward.

This tumbler’s all-in-one convertible lid was ingeniously designed, with plastic tabs that flipped open or closed based on whether we wanted to sip or drink from a straw. We could also flip down a solid plastic tab to securely close the whole thing. While no water escaped when we spilled this tumbler with its lid fully closed, it did leak through its straw (as did every other model we tested). This dishwasher-safe model was easy to clean, and its ceramic interior didn’t stain or hold onto odors from hot, dark-roast coffee. It kept our drinks hot and cold for hours, though not for as long as the best-insulated models in the lineup. This cup also fared relatively well in our durability tests; it suffered a moderately sized dent in the bottom but still stood up and worked effectively.

This model led the pack in temperature retention, insulating both hot and cold drinks so effectively that they were still scalding or frosty after 24 hours. We also liked that this cup was among the lightest models in the lineup even when full of water, which made it easier to carry. While we liked that it was quick and simple to screw this tumbler’s lids on, we disliked having to switch to a different lid (sold separately) when drinking hot beverages. We also didn’t like this tumbler’s handle, which felt bulky and uncomfortable as we carried it. This model did poorly during durability tests; it dented badly after both drops and was unable to stand upright by the end of testing.

We liked that this model was relatively lightweight with a comfortable handle, which made it less burdensome to carry around than other models we tested. It was also surprisingly durable for its weight, and it sustained less damage in our drop tests than most other tumblers in our lineup. We also liked this cup’s flexible silicone straw topper, which we could bend in any direction to drink from. Unfortunately, this model’s separate press-in lids were both somewhat flimsy and prone to leaking. When we knocked the cup over, it leaked water from the seam where the lid met the cup. This tumbler also didn’t insulate its contents as effectively as other models, allowing hot drinks to cool (and cold drinks to warm up) faster than its competitors.

We liked this model’s thick handle, which made it fairly comfortable to hold, and silicone-covered bottom, which helped keep it from slipping. We also liked that the manufacturer included two different straw sizes, one of which was an ultrathick plastic straw that allowed us to drink a large amount of water very quickly. Unfortunately, this tumbler performed poorly during temperature retention tests and dented moderately when we dropped it as part of durability testing. This cup’s manufacturer doesn’t sell a lid that is compatible with hot beverages. While this isn’t a deal-breaker for many people, it makes the cup less versatile than the others we tested. It also meant that this tumbler was one of the leakiest in the lineup, since the straw hole leaked water throughout all our spill tests.

This tumbler fared the worst throughout our durability tests; its body was severely dented and scratched after the drops, and its plastic lid completely shattered. We also disliked having to change out this cup’s lids for different drinks. We found both lids difficult to thread and screw into the tumbler body, such that we dreaded using the tumbler. While this cup retained cold and heat well enough, it’s still not worth purchasing due to its fragility and inconvenient lid design.

This cup’s rugged steel performed fairly well in durability tests, though it dented and scratched in a few places. But this cup was the heaviest model we tested by several ounces, making it a hassle to lug around. Its thin, flat handle was also the least comfortable in the lineup, digging into our hands unpleasantly. This tumbler’s separate press-in lids for straws and sipping were both leaky and hard to remove; we especially disliked that the straw lid’s opening wasn’t gasketed and leaked a large amount of water when we knocked the tumbler over. This model did an acceptable job keeping drinks hot and cold, but not enough to redeem its heavy construction and uncomfortable handle.