From Now On, I Will Only Buy Yeti Tumblers

I am obsessed with finding the best of something (this trait is the foundation of this entire website). Once I find what I believe to be the best, I will evangelize to anyone about it (again, look at the site you’re reading). One thing I have tried approximately 50 of, in the hunt for The Best, is water bottles. I prefer to drink cold water, the colder the better, and I need a container with serious insulation. My mom is also an iced drink fiend, and she is the one who first used a Yeti to keep her ice icy and her drinks frosty. Now the whole family is a bunch of Yeti acolytes, singing the praises of a pricy cup and cooler company to anyone who will give us half a chance. Allow me to share with you my favorite Yeti products, explain why they’re not really that expensive, share some of my favorite accessories, and hopefully convince you to get one or ten of these perfect containers.

I own three different varieties of Yeti drinkware: The 20oz Rambler, the 30oz Rambler, and the 26oz Rambler Chug Bottle. Yes, I need them all. I probably need more. Back when I used to leave the house in the morning, I’d make tea in the 20oz Rambler (I’ve raved about it already here). It kept my tea hot for an eternity, which was particularly nice when I was leaving the house while it was still pitch dark outside, and also biting cold and foggy. I have two of these, because I used them every morning and because the red one was on sale. (Occasionally certain colors will go on sale, if you know what you like, and aren’t super picky about colors, this is a great time to buy.)

Then I realized that I could keep water ice cold for a long time if I used a Yeti (before I used one of these water bottles, which have zero insulation, but are still good!), so I got the 30oz and added a straw lid for $10. I’ve also gotten some handles to use with the 20 and 30 oz Ramblers, but I went with a third party brand (instead the one Yeti sells) because I wanted a handle that was at the top and the bottom. I was getting the handle so that when my hands were feeling more arthritic than usual I wasn’t at risk for dropping my cup, so I wanted a handle that I could sort of loop around my hand while I held the cup. My mom has the Yeti brand handle - and doesn’t have hand joint/strength issues, and says it’s good!

My latest addition is the 26oz Chug Water Bottle. When I’m on my bike, I have been filling up my 30oz rambler with ice water and setting it on the windowsill next to me while i work out. It worked out fine, but I am planning on upgrading my bike (more on that… later) to one that has a water bottle holder on the actual bike frame, and I wanted to get a Yeti that was an actual bottle. I went to REI and initially was going to get the 18oz bottle, which seemed like a classic exercise water bottle size. Then I realized that the tumblers I drank my morning tea in were 20oz, and I would consider those too small for workout hydration. They also had 36oz, which just seemed preposterously large, so I settled on the 26oz, figuring I’d see how I liked it and I could always return it. It is now my favorite workout AND around the house drink container. The lid is two pieces, the actual chug part and the cap to keep it from spilling, and I tend to just leave the cap off all the time, since I’m not going anywhere. I love that the cap is plastic, as I hate the way water tastes when you drink it from a stainless steel spout (this is true for all the Yetis, BTW). The chug cap is the perfect size for drinking huge gulps of water without ending up with water all down your face, and it’s not too big but not too small. I like it so much I’m planning on getting another one, once it’s on sale.

If you’re used to buying cheap travel mugs at Target or wherever, a Yeti is going to seem exorbitantly expensive. I definitely thought they were ridiculously priced before I actually owned one. But here’s my case for splurging: These are things you are going to buy once. They’re made to last virtually forever. They’re not going to wear out, the seal that keeps them insulated isn’t going to fail, they’re not going to get a big dent in them when you drop them, or forget they’re on the roof of your car as you pull out of the driveway. All the pieces can go in the dishwasher safely. Once you get a Yeti, you’ve got it. Forever. If you’re a person who uses a lot of water bottles or travel mugs, I guarantee you have spent $40 on various mugs, looking for the perfect one or replacing one that died on you. What if you just spent that money once and were done with the hunt for good? That’s what you can get with Yeti. Just ask my entire family, who have become the unintentional Yeti sales team.