We Tested 13 Wine Tumblers to Find the Best Ones for Keeping Summery Sips Cold

For when you want to bring along some vino (or Diet Coke!) to your next outdoor concert, beach bonfire, grill session, or camping trip, but you don't want to risk handling actual, breakable glassware, there are wine tumblers. A little sporty and outdoorsy, but also a touch refined, these adult sippy cups promise to keep beverages cold or hot, prevent splashes or spills, and stand up to drops (and the elements) with their hearty stainless steel construction.

To find out which insulated wine tumblers lived up to these claims, we tested 13 of them. We evaluated how each tumbler on our list kept wine cold (yes, we added ice, please don’t yell at us), recorded how they stood up to falls and other wear and tear, and, of course, noted which ones were pleasant to hold and drink from. 

The Winners, at a Glance

The Best Wine Tumbler with No Sliding Lid

Stanley Everyday Go Wine Tumbler

$20 at Amazon View on Stanley1913.com $20 at Dick's

Whether you're drinking conventional or natural wine, this no-frills model from Stanley came in first place at keeping wine coldest the longest. It’s easy to hold and use, durable, and falls pretty squarely in the average price range for this lineup.

The Best Wine Tumbler with a Sliding Lid

CamelBak Horizon 12-Ounce Wine Tumbler

$38 at Amazon View on Camelbak.com View on Dick's

If you are trying to prevent splashes—or bugs from getting into your beverages—you might consider this lidded model from CamelBak. It kept wine very cold for four hours, was easy to hold, and resisted dents and scratches. 

The Best, Cheapest Wine Tumbler

Simple Modern Wine Tumbler with Press-In Lid

$14 at Amazon

Despite its super simple construction, this tumbler (with no slider on the lid) kept wine almost as cold as the Stanley model, was easy to use, and stood up to falls with no denting or other damage.

The Tests

• Insulation Test: We placed three of the same bottles of white wine (a Sauvignon Blanc) in the refrigerator overnight. Then, the next day, we poured six ounces of wine and one cube of ice (24 grams each) into each tumbler. We let the tumblers sit with their lids on (if any) and any sliders (if any) covering the openings. Using an instant-read thermometer, we recorded the temperature of the wine every hour for four hours.
• Drinking Test: We then filled each tumbler with two more ice cubes, allowed them to sit for a few minutes, and then drank from each. We noted how comfortable the tumbler was to hold, whether it became cold on the outside, and how pleasant it was to drink from.
• Durability Test: For each tumbler, we removed and replaced the lid 15 times, noting the difficulty of the task. Then, we dropped each from hip height onto a hardwood floor to see if they would dent or scratch. To see if and how much the tumblers with lids leaked, we filled each with six ounces of water, capped them, closed any slides or tabs over the hole, and tilted each on its side over the sink. 
• Cleanup Test: We hand-washed each tumbler and lid, noting how easy they were to clean.

What We Learned

Slider Lids vs. Non-Sliding Lids vs. No Lids

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the tumblers without lids mostly performed poorly at cold retention, *but* the one that came in last (Vinglacé) was fitted with a slider lid, and the one that came third to last (Corkcicle) had a slider lid as well. The top four slots went like this:

1. Stanley (lid, no slider)
2. Simple Modern (lid, no slider)
3. YETI (lid, slider)
4. Brümate (lid, a flip tab with a locking mechanism)

It should also be noted that Brümate was the only model with a screw-on lid. Because of these results, we have to think that while lids helped keep drinks cold, whether or not they had sliders or close tabs wasn’t the only determining factor when it came to cold retention.

What Else Made a Difference in Cold Retention?

Whether they boasted about being “triple” or “double-walled” in their product descriptions also didn’t seem to impact cold retention. In the description for the Simple Modern model, it talks about one feature the others didn’t mention: a copper-coated insulation layer. “The exterior of the inner wall, in the vacuum sealed area,” it reads, “is coated in a thin layer of copper for added insulation.” This could be the secret behind its stellar performance—only losing 7.8°F in four hours and finishing just .3 °F behind our favorite from Stanley. It appears as though YETI, which also performed well at cold retention, shares this feature. 

Another common feature of low-performing models was an interior made of something other than stainless steel, like ceramic or glass. The ceramic-interior tumblers, Hydro Flask and CeramiSteel, came in 9th and 10th, respectively. And Vinglacé, with its removable glass interior, came in last for cold retention.

As far as tumbler shape and cold retention, we found that, in general, models that seemed to have a larger gap between the inner chamber and outer insulation layer performed better. On the other end, Hydro Flask, Ceramisteel, and S’well, all low performers in insulation, seem to have very slim gaps in between the inner and outer layers.

Which Lids Prevented Leaks, Spills, and Splashes?

There were only two models that fully avoided any leakage: Brūmate and Vinglacé. Brūmate had a screw-on lid that also had a rubber gasket for a tighter seal. That model also had a (fairly complicated) tab mechanism that flipped down and then locked its slider into place. This made opening it somewhat like solving a puzzle box, but it gave us confidence that one could pack it up in a picnic basket and not worry about soaking the brie. 

Vinglacé had a simple slider with rubber gaskets that covered its lid's opening and spouted no leaks whatsoever. (We have less confidence that this one would remain leak-free over long periods, as it’s not screw-on.) Swig Life shared a similar style lid closure and, for the most, part resisted leakage, but did dribble just a bit when tilted over the sink. 

As for the rest of the wine tumblers, the other lids that had sliders leaked. And lidded models with no slider, well, those are really only meant to prevent splashes from getting out, and bugs and heat from getting in. 

The Criteria: What We Look for in a Wine Tumbler

Our favorite wine tumblers have a few things in common. We preferred models with lids, as opposed to ones without, for their leak-, spill-, and splash prevention—as well as cold retention and a barrier against bugs. As far as which lid style is better, it depends on what you’re doing. If you’re enjoying your iced coffee in the backyard, there might not be a need for a lid with a slider. However, if you’re on the go, a slider can help prevent splashes and huge spills (although you can read above which ones were actually, totally leak-proof). Importantly, the lids and their respective closures (if any) had to be easy to open and close smoothly. 

We preferred models that were stainless steel inside and out—no ceramic or glass interiors. No difference in taste was detected, but the ceramic or glass models had poor cold retention. We also liked models that had silicone bases to help with stability and prevent scratches and dents.

Our Favorite Wine Tumblers

The Best Wine Tumbler

Stanley Everyday Go Wine Tumbler

$20 at Amazon View on Stanley1913.com $20 at Dick's

What we liked: Right off the bat, this tumbler plunged our wine to the coldest temperature after one hour (32.9°F) and kept it the coldest over four hours landing at 41.1°F. At no time other than hour two did any model best Stanley at cold-retention: YETI by only .9°F.  

The Stanley's slimmer profile made it the most comfortable to hold and we liked its angled (versus rounded) bowl, which was easier to grip. Unlike other models, the lid sits completely in the tumbler with a little tab sticking up and over the rim, which makes it very easy to remove. 

We were impressed by this tumbler's resistance to dents and scratches, too. After dropping it from hip height we noted no visible damage. Its silicone base also helps with durability—as well as helping it stay put on the countertop. 

What we didn’t like: While the lid is by far the simplest out of the lineup (it’s just one solid piece of Tritan plastic with some rubber gaskets) it is slightly finicky to press back into the tumbler once it’s out. And, also, the lid leaks when tilted 90 degrees—not just out of the mouth opening, but also out of the sides. To us, this isn’t a huge deal because lids like this are meant to just prevent splashes or to stop a small spill from becoming a big spill.

Key Specs

• Materials: Stainless steel; plastic
• Capacity: 10 ounces
• Weight: 7.8 ounces
• Care instructions: Dishwasher-safe 

The Best Wine Tumbler with a Sliding Lid

CamelBak Horizon 12-Ounce Wine Tumbler

$38 at Amazon View on Camelbak.com View on Dick's

What we liked: While this model didn’t beat the other slider-lid model in the cold retention test (YETI) they were neck and neck at 40.2°F in hour three. CamelBak’s other features, though, helped it grab the top spot in this category. 

The lid is easy to remove and replace, and the slider is different from any other wine tumbler we tested. It has three positions: open, half-open, and closed. This meant the drinker could control the flow of wine.

A slimmer body and angled bowl make it more comfortable and stable to hold, as you can support and lift from the bottom side without your hand sliding up and down. As with Stanley, this model stood up to drops from hip height—receiving only barely visible dents. We also appreciated the silicone base for added stability and protection. 

What we didn’t like: While we love the functionality of the “tri-mode” slider lid, it isn’t the most elegant to look at or the smoothest to use. And like almost every other slider lid, this one leaked when we tilted it over the sink. Bottom line: most slider lids aren’t meant to prevent splashes and big spills—and you should keep your wine tumblers upright to avoid major leakage.

Key Specs

• Materials: Silicone; stainless steel
• Capacity: 12 ounces
• Weight: 6.5 ounces
• Care instructions: Dishwasher-safe
• Features: “Tri-Mode” slider lid for flow control 

The Best, Cheapest Wine Tumbler

Simple Modern Wine Tumbler with Press-In Lid

$14 at Amazon

What we liked: We were impressed by this very good, very affordable tumbler. With almost no bells and whistles, a slim construction, and a slider-less lid, it managed to come in second place overall in our cold-retention test (just .3°F warmer than the Stanley model).

This was the tallest model we tested at five inches tall, but it’s also one of the slimmest, which made holding it comfortable. The slider-less lid pops on and off with little effort, and the medium-sized mouthpiece makes for a pleasant drinking experience, ensuring a steady, nice flow of wine.

What we didn’t like: Well, it’s not dishwasher-safe and the opening is more narrow than other tumblers, which made cleanup tougher. We also wish that, like our other favorite models, this one had a silicone base to help with stability.

Key Specs:

• Materials: Stainless steel; plastic
• Capacity: 12 ounces
• Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Care instructions: Body is hand-wash only; lid is dishwasher-safe
• Features: The exterior of the inner wall is coated in a thin layer of copper for added insulation

The Competition 

• Swig Life 12-oz Insulated Wine Tumbler with Lid: This is a good tumbler. Its silicone bottom is designed to be popped off and replaced and while we liked some of the features of the CamelBak more, we think this is still a great slider-lid tumbler.
• YETI Rambler 10-oz Wine Tumbler: This was the model that kept liquid ice-cold the longest, rising from 33.6 to just 33.9°F from hour one to hour two in our cold retention test. But we found that, even for big hands, its wide, rounded exterior made it the hardest tumbler to hold. The slider, which is uniquely powered by magnets, puts up a good fight at preventing leaks, just barely dribbling, but the tumbler dented easily and didn’t have the silicone base we like on other models.
• BrüMate Uncork’d XL Wine Tumbler: At 14 ounces, this tumbler had the largest capacity in our lineup. It was also one of the two models that prevented any leakage whatsoever, thanks to its (admittedly clunky) screw-on lid and (admittedly complicated) flip tab that locked in place. However, it was difficult to hold, and its lid made it more trouble than it was worth to clean and use.
• Ello Clink Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Tumbler: A very standard tumbler that performed average in the cold-retention test, but with one feature that separates it from the rest: a silicone base that comes one-third of the way up its sides. This made it easy to hold and durable when dropped. However, we worry that the silicone could attract hard-to-remove stains.
• Hydro Flask 10-oz Insulated Wine Tumbler: This was one of the two models with a ceramic interior, but we couldn’t tell a difference in taste. While we loved its small size, it didn’t perform well in our cold retention test and we didn’t like that the opaque black lid didn’t allow you to see how much liquid was left. It also dented easily when dropped from hip height. 
• Corkcicle Insulated Wine Tumbler with Lid: While we liked this model’s flat sides, it performed third to last in cold retention. Plus, its lid sports a flimsy slider and spurts out wine way too fast. 
• SUNWILL Insulated Wine Tumbler: Performing middling in our cold retention test, this model’s lid produced an uneven flow.
• CeramiSteel Ceramic Wine Tumbler: This tumbler was both lidless and had a ceramic interior, making it unique. The ceramic coating didn’t affect the taste, and despite having no lid, it beat out two models *with* lids in the cold retention test, coming in 10th place. 
• S’well Stainless Steel Wine Tumbler: The smallest tumbler in our lineup, and one of two without a lid, this was nice to drink from and the easiest to hold—but performed second to last in our cold-retention test. 
• Vinglacé Stainless Steel Stemless Wine Glass: Coming dead last in our cold retention test (by 3°F!) this big, bulky model has a removable glass chamber (that only holds 10 ounces).

FAQs

Can a wine tumbler be used for coffee?

While wine tumblers can hold more than just wine, we don't recommend it. "I tested wine tumblers when I worked for America's Test Kitchen and found that the heat retention of wine tumblers wasn't as good as, say, a thermos (most kept coffee above 130°F for about an hour)," says commerce editor Grace Kelly. "I also found that the coffee flavor tended to permeate the cup, making sips of wine taste slightly like stale coffee (ick!). Plus, if the tumblers sported slider lids, the steam buildup from the hot coffee often caused them to spurt when you opened them. Overall, I'd recommend using wine tumblers for cold drinks, and saving the hot stuff for a thermos."

How many ounces is a wine tumbler?

Most wine tumblers range from around 9 to 12 ounces—with some models holding up to 14 ounces. 

Does the Yeti wine tumbler come with a lid?

The Yeti wine tumbler does come with their proprietary Mag-Slider lid. According to reviews on their site from over two years ago, it appears they were initially not sold with lids.

Why We're the Experts

• Eric King is a recipe developer and photographer.
• For this review, Eric tested 13 wine tumblers.
• He evaluated their cold retention and durability, as well as how nice they were to sip from.