Most importantly, they’re sturdy and will likely stand up much longer than a standard plastic or glass cup. All of the versions we tested are of the stainless steel, insulated variety.
We found a few of the top brands in the industry to run through the ringer, and over a long weekend managed to go through a great round of test to see which is the best pint for your pleasure.
The Contenders
MiiR's claim to fame is that they support clean water initiatives with every item sold, so we added them to the comparison about 2 weeks after the initial tests.
RTIC is a Texas-based company known for great cups at lower prices. They also offer extensive customization options.
BISON Coolers builds amazing products right in the USA, and their products are generally very well reviewed
EPIC Coolers also build roto-molded coolers like many others. They're Florida based and also offer extensive customization.
Stanley was one of the original vacuum sealed brands, and is also the least expensive in most cases.
YETI has been a top name in high-end coolers for years, and recently won the Living Overland 64 Oz Growler Showdown.
Test 1: Cold Liquid
For Cold Liquid, we started with 51 water from our fridge. 7 hours later we measured the temp on all the tumblers….
7 Hour Cold Liquid Test
Test 2: Hot Liquid
For the Hot Liquid test, we started with 10oz of water at 172, not quite boiling, but certainly hot enough for coffee. We measured each cup after 1, 2, 4, and 6 hours, recordings are below.
6 Hour Hot Liquid Test
**At 2:45 into the test, the Stanley dropped to 105 and was below 100 at the 4 hour mark.
24 Hour Ice test
The final test took a full 24 hours to complete. We filled each container 1/4 full of ice and measured the final temperature a day later. Here are the results:
24 Hours of ICE
Look & Feel
All of the tumblers are built very well and feel good in the hand. My overall favorite due to its slightly larger grip is the BISON, it feels stout and sturdy. The MiiR and BISON are also black powder coated, although many color options are available from most manufacturers. There really is no clear winner in the look & feel category, it comes down to personal preference since they’re all very similar.
Overall Conclusions
While I don’t think anyone reading this will be able to tell if something is 2 warmer or colder after a couple of hours, according to the numbers, RTIC is clearly the best option. It held heat the longest, stayed cold the longest, and is a good value as it’s the least expensive that completed all the tests.
If you prefer items manufactured in the United States, BISON is the only option and may be worth the additional cost.
Which do I use every day? I use the MiiR two or three days per week, mostly to keep my tea chilled during the day. My daily driver is definitely the RTIC, in TCT Magazine trim =)
All Photos