We went hunting to find the best tumbler on the market. The process of searching was pretty extensive and very thorough. At the end of the day, it has become loud and clear to us that the RTIC 30 oz. Tumbler is simply the best, if you are looking for a great value. By the way, I like to define “great value” as the following: the best ratio of high performance to low cost.
- THE IDEAL TRAVEL COMPANION – Our insulated tumblers are made for drinks on the go. A stainless steel tumbler with lid that comes in 20oz, 30oz, and 40oz sizes in an assortment of colors.
- DOUBLE-WALL INSULATION – It’s a double-wall vacuum-insulated travel mug with an airtight seal. Retains heat and cold, to keep your drinks ice cold longer and warm beverages piping hot.
- FOR HOT AND COLD DRINKS – This insulated coffee tumbler is a cold and hot beverage travel mug. Use this travel tumbler for tea, the outside stays dry with its sweat-proof exterior.
Contents
Our Pick for Best Tumbler..
The RTIC 30 oz. Tumbler is an offer you shouldn’t refuse. It is almost identical in to its competitors in how it functions– it performs just as well, but it only costs half as much! Throw in the fact that you can choose from a variety of colors, and this tumbler picks up style points, too.
Why do we love the RTIC Tumbler?
So the specific choice was RTIC’s 30 oz. tumbler, but the tumbler is offered in a wide range of sizes that are just as good, if 30 oz. is too big (or too small) for what you’re looking for. I have a (much more expensive) Yeti, too, and the RTIC fits much better in most cup holders that I’ve come across, including the ones in my Dodge Ram, which I think are pretty standard sized. To put it straight, the value just can’t be beat.
I can’t quite figure out why this sturdy, dependable tumbler is so affordable compared to the competition, but I’m not asking questions. I’ve dropped this guy off the bed of my truck more than I can count, and not only is it still totally usable, but it’s hardly even scratched or dinged up. Finally, there are a lot of great accessory options, too. The only thing this tumbler is lacking is an excessively high price, and you know what? I’m just fine with that. This is the best tumbler I’ve used. Consider me a fan.
The Runner Up Tumbler
- Double-Wall Vacuum Insulation
- Sweat-Free Design
- Durable, Rust-Proof
As much as I’d like to say that it was a runaway victory for the RTIC, there were a few options that provided healthy competition. The second best, for sure, was the Ozark Trail 30 oz. tumbler. Made from stainless steel, this durable tumbler is also very versatile in that in works wonders with both hot and cold temperatures. Ozark is a brand that has a working agreement with Wal-Mart, which seems to allow them to produce very high quality gear for a low price. I liked this a lot, and the price was also way low. This cup is exactly like my Yeti, but clocks in at about 75% of the price.
Third Place Tumbler
- 32 oz Double wall vacuum insulation maximum temperature retention & insulates hands from the cold
- Keeps ice longer holds ice for up to 24 hours
- 18/8 Stainless Steel strong stainless steel construction
Another affordable option, the Magnum Steel meets the top industry standards with:
- 24-hour ice retention
- Double-wall vacuum insulation
- Versatility that delivers high performance for hot and cold liquids.
The thick, steel walls also make it sweat-free, meaning that there will be no condensation, and you’ll never need a coaster. This is an awesome tumbler, too, and if you’re swayed by the slick design, it is not necessarily a worse choice than the two listed above.
Fourth Place?
- Keeps your dinnertime drink cool well past sundown or your coffee nice and hot throughout the morning
- We over-engineered these double-wall insulated tumblers with an 18/8 stainless steel body, which means your drink still keeps its temperature no matter how much of a beating this cup takes
- They're BPA-free (obviously), have a No Sweat Design to make sure your hands stay dry, and are dishwasher-safe
No such list would be complete without mentioning the Yeti, who has been the perennial industry leader in tumblers and coolers. The only problem is that these clones and competitive brands are offering the same features made famous by the Yeti, but for a fraction of the price. There’s no question that these are high quality tumblers, but the value isn’t exactly high, considering
Still the features are impressive:
- 100% Stainless Steel
- Rust-Resistant
- BPA Free Materials
- Sweat-Free
- Double-wall vacuum insulation
- Dishwasher Safe
- Great for hot and cold
- 5 year limited warranty
What about the others?
We worked our way through a lot of clones, knockoffs, and other cheaper alternatives, and clearly none made the list. There were some other major brands we tested, all of them, probably, so if you notice that they are absent from the list, it’s because we didn’t think they were worth mentioning.
For example, the CostCo brand had an admirable design, including a really interesting spout on the biggest model of their tumbler, but the body dented far too easily to make it a contender for a top spot.
So, why is it worth picking one of these quality options instead of another?
Variety
For one, I believe in the merit offering a variety of both color and size. Although each of the mentioned tumblers are available in a range of sizes, only RTIC offers a myriad of colors at this point in time. So, obviously, this puts it above the competition in this regard, which I think is an important one.
Durability
The durability of the tumbler is very important. As this project moved forward, I began to see the necessity of steel being used as the primary material. All of the major contenders for the top spot are made from steel, preferably stainless steel.
When I realized how easily the Costco Model dented, I realized the importance of this feature.(have pictures)
How to clean
Although some tumblers, like the Yeti, mention that they are dishwasher friendly, it is always better to wash them by hand; especially if they are vacuum sealed!
As with everything else, it is always important to wash your tumbler before its first use, too, and then after each subsequent use. Washing is a pretty basic process, just use soap and water, scrub thoroughly, and give it a rinse… You know what to do.
Warranties
I think that the warranty is a major decision maker. Any established brand will offer a return warranty, but very few offer much of a “money back” guarantee. That’s to be expected, so the question becomes: how long is the warranty? Generally, a respectable brand will offer at least 30 days, some will go up to 1-5 years, and others will even offer a lifetime replacement guarantee. We recommend looking into this, so that you have an understanding of the warranty agreement of the various options before purchasing– this could be the dealbreaker, or the clincher.
General Advice
Personally, I think that tumblers are great. I’d like to replace all of my personal drinkware with quality tumblers, as they are so versatile that I never really end up using anything else. Unfortunately, due to the quality of the steel, there isn’t one of these worth owning that doesn’t get cold as hell when you’re drinking your hot coffee outside on a cold day, so purchasing a handle accessory is never a bad idea. They have extra utility too, as I find the handle quite useful for things like morning hikes with the dogs, in which the coffee is a necessary part of the routine. RTIC handles and Yeti handles don’t always interchange, so look into this before purchasing.