Are Stanley Tumblers Worth It? An Honest Review & An Affordable Alternative

If you’ve somehow missed the Stanley hype, the brand sells an insulated 40-ounce tumbler that can keep your drinks hot or cold for hours. They sell out regularly and start at $40, although people resell them for much more. Are Stanley tumblers worth it? Like everything else in life, I suppose it depends on who you ask. I was mostly interested in comparing it to the REDUCE 40 oz Tumbler, which I bought after searching for a Stanley tumbler alternative. Even though I love my REDUCE cup, you can never have enough water jugs. I’ve been bombarded with Stanley cup content from fellow influencers and real-life friends, and I decided I was curious enough to try it out myself. After using the REDUCE cup for several months and the Stanley tumbler for a few weeks, I have some thoughts.

Are Stanley Tumblers Worth It?

Before I tackle the rest of the review, let’s talk about cost. The REDUCE cup was $32.09 after tax from Amazon. In contrast, the Stanley 40 oz. Quencher H2.0 FlowState Tumbler was $60.94 with tax and shipping. (The more expensive soft matte cup was the only one that wasn’t sold out when I went to buy — otherwise, I would’ve spent closer to $50.) Point blank, there aren’t enough variations between the cups to account for such a price difference. If you’re searching for an affordable tumbler, you could also consider the Simple Modern 40oz tumbler. I haven’t used it, but it came highly recommended when I asked for suggestions on Instagram.

Now that we’ve established that the cheaper alternatives are worth a look, let’s dive into my actual thoughts on the Stanley tumbler. If you’re still curious about whether the Stanley cup is as revolutionary as influencers make it seem, keep reading.

Size

REDUCE 40 oz Tumbler with Handle and Straw: 4.5 x 4.5 x 9.5 inches, 1.25 pounds

Stanley Quencher H2.0 FlowState Tumbler 40oz: 5.82 x 5.82 x 12.3 inches, 1.5 pounds

As you can see, the Stanley is significantly taller and slightly heavier than the Reduce cup. Both fit in my car’s cupholder, although the Stanley is easier to get in there. I’ve read complaints that the Stanley is heavy, but I don’t know that there’s an elegant way to carry around 40 ounces of water. I’m able to carry it even when my hands are full, which is a must because I’m always running around.

Design

I’m a sucker for great marketing, and that’s one of the reasons I kept going back to the Stanley cup. Let’s face it: she’s cuter than REDUCE! I love the color and think that the slimmer design is nice. I also get way more compliments on my Stanley than I did REDUCE. (It’s a bit obnoxious to admit that I let other people’s compliments influence whether I like a water cup, but I’m only human.) People are drawn to Stanley for the same reason that I bought a lululemon belt bag. The branding is pretty good!

Longevity

Let’s cut to the chase. My Stanley cup started to chip after two weeks. At this point, I’d only been hand washing it, so it’s not even like I could blame the dishwasher. The REDUCE cup I have has also seen better days — the lid is slightly chipped from me dropping it on tile, and the color is chipped in certain spots. I also have only washed it in the dishwasher. (For what it’s worth, Vagner has the same cup and it still looks brand new, so this is probably a “me” thing.) For a $60 cup, though, I’m disappointed that the Stanley is already showing signs of wear.

Function

The Stanley leaks anytime it’s on its side. Maybe its user error, maybe I got a dud — all I know is that I spent more money on the newer version of the tumbler because it was supposed to be more leakproof, but I’ve been disappointed. Between my clumsiness and a toddler hellbent on making a mess, I need a spill-proof cup. The REDUCE cup is significantly better at this. In both cases, the handle makes it much easier to lug around.

There isn’t too much more for me to say. A cup is a cup, and they both have made it easier for me to drink more water. As I said in the beginning, responses to “are Stanley tumblers worth it?” will vary. I have some followers who have told me they hated the cup and others who love it so much they’ve bought several of them.