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If you’re interested in increasing your daily hydration without making frequent trips to the kitchen, your best bet is an insulated tumbler. These vessels, which typically range in size from 20 to 40 ounces, allow you to fill them up once (or twice if you’re ambitious) and then enjoy beverages hot or cold throughout the entire day—if not longer. While filling one up completely with coffee may increase your heart rate (and exceed the recommended amount of caffeine you should be consuming each day), keeping yourself hydrated with water can help your health, according to some studies conducted by the health department at UC Davis. Whether you choose our top pick, HydroFlask’s excellent travel tumbler, or any of our other recommendations, the best insulated tumblers help you keep refreshment at hand and in hand.
- Best overall: Hydro Flask Travel Tumbler
- Best compact: YETI Rambler
- Best design: Splitflask 2-in-1 Hot & Cold Vacuum Insulated Tumbler
- Best value: BrüMate Nav
- Best budget: Contigo Streeterville
How we chose the best insulated tumblers
One of the key characteristics of an insulated tumbler is its ability to keep beverages hot and cold. We tested each of our recommendations throughout a typical eight-hour workday using boiling water (212 degrees Fahrenheit) and fridge temperature (40 degrees Fahrenheit), utilizing a thermocouple thermometer to take measurements throughout the day. Our water was taken straight from an electric kettle and built-in fridge water purifier with ice to chill it down. The good news is that all but one of our recommendations maintained temperatures within one to two degrees of one another, so there’s no wrong choice on this page. The exception is an insulated tumbler with two changers, one for hot water and one for cold water.
In our cold water test, the insulated tumblers raised the temperature from 40 degrees to roughly 55 degrees in eight hours; 12 hours later, the water inside was still a crisp 58 to 59 degrees. You could extend the tumbler’s cold-keeping abilities further by adding ice. In our hot water test, the insulated tumblers fell from 212 degrees to roughly 115 degrees after eight hours, and a pleasantly warm 100 or so degrees after 12 hours. For reference, a hot cup of coffee or tea is typically served at 160 to 185 degrees Fahrenheit, according to a report available through the National Library of Medicine.
The best insulated tumblers: Reviews & Recommendations
Once you’ve decided to get an insulated tumbler over, say, an insulated water bottle, it’s time to pick which one to get. We’ve tested viral hits and other picks and separated the best options into categories for your convenience so you can find the one that suits your needs and budget. Prefer a tumbler to a water bottle in the gym? When it comes to wins, we don’t ask how (you sip), just how many (sips).
Best overall: HydroFlask Travel Tumbler
Brandt Ranj / Popular Science
Cons
- On the large side
Specs
- Size: 32 ounces (also available in 20, 28, and 40 ounces)
- Weight: 1.27 pounds
- Price: $34.95
Pro
- Excellent performance
- Built-in handle
- Leak-resistant lid
- Dishwasher safe
At the end of the day, the insulated tumbler we found ourselves reaching for most often was HydroFlask’s Travel Tumbler. That’s due, in part, to its handle, which made the admittedly sorta-gigantic tumbler easier to justify taking up and down stairs or into the car. Be mindful that HydroFlask offers the Travel Tumbler in smaller sizes if the 32-ounce model is too big. On the other hand, if your liquid needs are too great, there’s a 40-ounce option.
The fact that the Travel Tumbler is available in so many configurations also helped it reach the top of our rankings. There’s a true “something for everyone” approach wherein you could pick up two of these insulated tumblers for different needs. If you’re looking for a larger insulated tumbler to keep your water chilled and tea hot, this is the first one to consider.
Best compact: YETI Rambler
Brandt Ranj / Popular Science
Cons
- No straw or handle
Specs
- Size: 30 ounces
- Weight: 1 pound
- Price: $38
Pro
- Sleek design
- Magnetic top
- Textured surface is easy to grip
If you’re looking for a svelter tumbler to carry with you in the car, YETI’s Rambler is the one to grab on your way out the door. It doesn’t have a built-in straw or come with handle, which could be a dealbreaker for some, but the decision to go with a slimmer design outweighed the cons in our tests. One of the Rambler’s best technical features is its MagSlider lid, which keeps the top securely locked. It was still easy to open with a little bit of force in our fingers, but the lid wouldn’t open accidentally.
In fact, the sipping hole is inset, with the rim of the lid surrounding it the way a smartphone case will protect the device’s screen. While the YETI Rambler has no handle, we found its textured surface made it easy to grab and hold, even when the insulated tumbler was wet. If you’d like a tumbler whose design is compact without sacrificing any capacity, the Rambler is the one you need, and it comes from a company that’s an expert in portable insulation (just see our many cooler roundups).
Best design: Splitflask 2-in-1 Hot & Cold Vacuum Insulated Tumbler
Brandt Ranj / Popular Science
Cons
- Price
Specs
- Size: 30 ounces
- Weight: 1.3 pounds
- Price: $49.95
Pro
- Keeps beverages hot and cold simultaneously
- Separate chambers are both fairly large
- Slim design
Splitflask’s insulated tumbler had a harder job than the other recommendations because of its unique dual-chamber design. The idea is to keep one side hot and one side cold so you can switch beverages through the day. Each leak-proof chamber can hold 15 ounces of liquid, roughly equivalent to a pint or Grande-sized beverage at Starbucks. In terms of performance, the Splitflask did a surprisingly good job, though it couldn’t keep beverages hot or cold as long as our other recommendations when both chambers were full.
After eight hours, the hot side was 108 degrees Fahrenheit while the cold side was 73 degrees Fahrenheit. For reference, our other tumblers clocked in at 135 and 57 degrees in the same timeframe. Be mindful that this was a stress test, and if you drink the hot beverage within an hour, the cooler side will raise its temperature more gradually. Eventually, the liquid in both chambers reached the same temperature (73 degrees Fahrenheit) in 17 hours.
You’ll know immediately whether the Splitflask’s design will appeal to you, and if it does, we can recommend it without any caveats. What it lacks in performance, it makes up for in a unique design that can hold its own given its dual purpose.
Best value: BrüMate Nav
Brandt Ranj / Popular Science
Cons
- No straw or handle
Specs
- Size: 35 ounces (also available in 25 ounces)
- Weight: 1.29 pounds
- Price: $39.99
Pro
- Excellent performance
- OctoLock design
- Magnetic lock
While all of our insulated tumblers kept temperatures within one to two degrees from one another, BrüMate’s Nav actually had the advantage, keeping cold and hot water about a degree colder and hotter than the rest. This performance, coupled with two smart design choices, makes it the best choice in its price range. The first is what BrüMate is calling its “octolock threading system,” which means you can twist the lid on at eight different points, and it’ll lock securely into place. This is helpful as lids with twist-on lids don’t always catch onto their threads.
Like YETI, Brumate has implemented a magnetically sealed design to prevent the top of its lid from popping up, but it took the design a step further. To drink, you first need to push the lid forward and then flip it up, whereas the YETI Rambler only has you push the top of the lid up. This double protection will absolutely prevent the Nav from popping open accidentally. These design choices are impressive, but they make the Nav a little more expensive than most of our other recommendations. Still, you’re getting what you pay for, and it’s a worthwhile investment if you’re fearful of your insulated tumbler opening up in your bag.
Best budget: Contigo Streeterville
Brandt Ranj / Popular Science
Cons
- Size may be too big
Specs
- Size: 40 ounces
- Weight: 1.21 pounds
- Price: $34.99
Pro
- Built-in lid and straw
- Ultra-high capacity
- Sipping slot
Contigo’s Streeterville has the best price-to-ounce ratio of any of our recommendations, which is why we’re recommending it as the best budget choice in our guide. It’s also our only recommendation to come with straw built in and a sipping slot protected by a flip-top lid. The insulated tumbler’s handle was easy to grip, its color was striking, and its performance aligned with our most expensive recommendation. At 40 ounces, it has the highest capacity, which means it’s the largest physically. That was fine for us when using it around the house, but there’s no getting around the fact that the Streeterville would be a little cumbersome to take around with you on a commute. This won’t be an issue if you leave it at home or in the office (or decide to get two of them).
What to consider when shopping for the best insulated tumblers
There are many factors to consider when deciding which insulated tumbler is right for you. Below are the factors we considered most important when writing this guide:
Size
Many insulated tumblers come in a variety of sizes, typically from 20 to 40 ounces, and require making a big tradeoff. Larger tumblers can hold more liquid but are heavier and require more space. Smaller tumblers are more compact but hold less liquid. Consider how much you currently drink or would like to drink before deciding. The science is still out on how many cups of water are healthy daily, though the Mayo Clinic has recommendations. Luckily, almost all manufacturers have recognized that their designs need to take the standard size of cup holders into consideration.
Weight
Similarly, consider the weight of an insulated tumbler, as this is an item you will be carrying around all day and filling with liquid. This metric correlates to the tumbler’s size, and it’s important to be mindful of attributes.
Handle
The only significant design difference between the insulated tumblers we’ve tested is whether or not they have a handle. Handles are particularly helpful with larger tumblers, which are difficult to carry without one. A handle does add a significant amount of bulk to the tumbler, which is especially important to keep in mind if you plan on carrying yours on public transportation.
Straw
You can stick a straw inside any insulated tumbler, but some of them come with one that’s built into their cap. This adds a significant amount of vertical height to the tumbler but makes it easy to drink from it without having to physically lift it to your mouth every time you’d like to take a sip.
FAQs
No. A tumbler’s insulation will not degrade over time unless you scratch the inside significantly and begin to wear down its layers.
Insulated tumblers should only be used for liquids, including water, tea, coffee, soda, and seltzer.
Stainless steel tumblers can be used for both hot and cold drinks.
The insulated tumblers in our guide cost between $35 and $50.
Yes. Our insulated tumbler recommendations are all dishwasher safe.
Final thoughts on the best insulated tumbler
- Best overall: Hydro Flask Travel Tumbler
- Best compact: YETI Rambler
- Best design: Splitflask 2-in-1 Hot & Cold Vacuum Insulated Tumbler
- Best value: BrüMate Nav
- Best budget: Contigo Streeterville
Our testing has proven that no “bad” insulated tumblers exist, so choosing one comes down to personal preference. The biggest decisions you’ll have to make include the tumbler’s size and whether it has a built-in straw or handle. Once you’ve made your choice, you’re off to the races or reps or just relaxing. An insulated tumbler doesn’t guarantee you’ll drink more healthy liquids—that’s up to you changing or maintaining a habit, and maybe investing in a good water filter pitcher—but it’s helpful not to be forced to get up frequently to fill up a standard glass.
