Five Great Alternatives to the Stanley Cups
Just like past holidays, this year everyone wants a Stanley mug . It’s fine, except for a few problems: these bad boys are quite expensive for insulated travel cups; many people who want one already have one (or five); and 2.6 million Stanley mugs were recently recalled due to a potential burn hazard. Whether you’re gifting the cup to someone else or adding to your own fashion collection, it might be time to look elsewhere.
Ovala FreeSip
First up, my favorite tumbler of all time: the Owala FreeSip . I have green and pink, but I regularly see great color combinations in my travels. These fashionable buggers are everywhere, and I can’t just attribute this belief to some weird Baader-Meinhof phenomenon , since they were everywhere before I even laid my hands on one of them a few months ago. Besides the fact that it comes in all sorts of cool color combinations, it’s just a great travel cup. It has a push-open lid, which eliminates the possibility of accidental opening or spilling of liquid. Once opened, you have the option to drink through the spout or use the attached straw. The plastic loop around the lid also doubles as a carrying hook, which is what I’ve noticed with a lot of people in the wild: people just attach them directly to their bags. This makes them a mile more comfortable than the Stanley Quencher.
Owala also makes a more direct competitor to the Stanley Quencher in the form of an insulated tumbler , which retails for $30.39 and has a 40-ounce capacity.
West Loop Contigo
I also like the Contigo West Loop . Contigo made a water bottle that I had back in college (because I could buy it with a Barnes & Noble employee discount). Contigo has stood the test of time by creating mugs and bottles that feel great in your hand, keep drinks at the desired temperature, are easy to drink from, and aren’t outrageously expensive.
HydroFlask travel cup
Next up is a glass from HydroFlask , which is also very popular. Personally, I only recently learned that HydroFlask is a brand name in itself; A few years ago, my friends and I accidentally committed genericicide by mistakenly calling any glass we carried with us a “hydrofall.” As it turns out, this is a good sign because, just like when people use the word “Kleenex” to mean “cloth napkin,” it implies reliability and dominance of the brand. Reviews of actual HydroFlasks often hover around the 4.7-star mark and are based on thousands of ratings, so the general population agrees that this bottle keeps drinks at the temperature you like and is easy to carry.
Brumath Era
The Brümate Era glass is completely closed. It’s not necessarily cheaper than a Stanley, but you save money and time by not destroying the inside of your bag from an unexpected spill. Brumate Era even completely seals the straw . Yes, you can purchase small straw covers for Stanley, but they are more decorative than effective. This is not the case here. This is the only glass that is truly spill proof.
Yeti Rambler
The 10-ounce Yeti Rambler is only $20. This is a Yeti, so you know the insulation is top notch; Plus, the lid is leak-proof and the spout opening is equipped with a magnet, so you can be sure that liquid won’t spill on you. Thanks to its size, you also know it will fit in your cup holder, which is very important and something that Stanley Quenchers have historically failed at.