The Stanley Adventure Quencher is Good, but So Are Our Picks

Updated October 5, 2022

Some three months after we published this piece, Stanley released a new Adventure Quencher, the Quencher H2.0 FlowState Tumbler, which improves upon many of the issues we called out about the original.…

Some three months after we published this piece, Stanley released a new Adventure Quencher, the Quencher H2.0 FlowState Tumbler, which improves upon many of the issues we called out about the original. Its redesigned lid comes with a silicone seal at the straw base and full-cover closure to prevent spills like the ones we experienced. Stanley also released a handled version of the 30 oz. Quencher for folks (like us) who found the 40 oz. size to be too much tumbler, but loved its handle.

Elissa Sanci

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Scroll through TikTok or Instagram long enough, and you’re likely to come across one of the internet's latest obsessions: the mega-popular, mega-sized Stanley Adventure Quencher Travel Tumbler. It's a drinking vessel so social-media-famous, it has its own TikTok hashtag, #StanleyTumbler, that's amassed more than 14.5 million views on the platform so far.

Our verdict after testing it? The Adventure Quencher is good! But it's also overhyped and, depending on how you plan to use the tumbler, it might not be a worthwhile purchase.

My colleagues and I tend to approach trendy items with substantial skepticism. But sometimes the ads (or, in my case, the algorithm) get the better of our curiosity. This 40-ounce insulated tumbler didn't seem that different from the Yeti and Hydro Flask bottles and cups already cluttering my cabinets (save for the large handle). Yet after a few videos, I became convinced that an improved, better-hydrated version of myself awaited if I could just get my hands on the Adventure Quencher.

The only way I was able to do that was to request a review unit from Stanley, the outdoor gear retailer who makes and sells the tumbler, because it was sold out everywhere I looked. Stanley restocks the tumbler every few months in limited batches (and folks join waitlists that send out email or text alerts so they know when it happens), but it sells out within minutes. On the resale site Poshmark, the elusive Stanley tumbler has been listed as high as $125; one person wanted the Adventure Quencher so badly they bought it secondhand off of Ebay for $94.

One woman at the gym commented that she’d been trying to get one for months, while another saluted me with her cream-colored Adventure Quencher. I felt like the most popular girl at school.

"When I tried to buy some [tumblers] from the last drop, mine sold out of my cart before I could check out," said Krystle Perkins, a DIY content creator who goes by @perkinsonparkway on social media. "If you don't know exactly what you want and you don't check out super quick, it's gone." (Still, Perkins has managed to amass multiple Adventure Quenchers in a rainbow of pastel colorways, as have plenty of her fellow content creators.)

Now that I’ve tried it out myself, I don't love the enormous tumbler as much as the social media posts assured me I would. Don't get me wrong—I like many aspects of it, including how in the loop I feel when I use it in public, and it lives up to its marketing claims by keeping beverages cold for hours and ice frozen for days. In the end, though, the Adventure Quencher turned out to be way too much tumbler to use practically in my everyday life, and if I don't find myself reaching for the cup (which costs about $40) constantly, the price doesn't feel justified.

There are also a handful of things Wirecutter's tumbler picks do better. Here's the breakdown.

There's plenty to like about the double-walled, insulated Adventure Quencher. But the fans I spoke to (along with the never-ending stream of TikToks I watched for research) all point to five qualities in particular that make the Adventure Quencher stand out.

I also really appreciate the sheer amount of liquid this thing can hold—I can fill it up in the morning and sip throughout the day without running to the fridge for constant refills. If you spend the majority of your day at a desk or in a car, the Adventure Quencher makes staying hydrated easy.

But most notable was how the aesthetically pleasing, cream-colored tumbler made me feel: sort of embarrassed (more on that below) but also extremely on the pulse—I was part of the exclusive Stanley club. One woman at the gym commented that she’d been trying to get one for months, while another saluted me with her cream-colored Adventure Quencher. I felt like the most popular girl at school.

The Adventure Quencher is too cumbersome to be your everyday companion if you’re constantly on the go. It's heavy—nearly 1.5 pounds empty and almost 4 pounds filled—which makes it hard to carry around casually. Plenty of TikTokers bring their Stanley tumblers along on their "hot girl walks," but when I tried, I regretted taking it with me. My weak wrists didn't stand a chance. (This could very well be a me-problem—Locknar, who uses the Adventure Quencher every day, goes on frequent excursions through New York City's Central Park with her tumbler.)

When full, the tumbler is also fairly top heavy, so it's pretty easy to knock down if you’re not careful. And because the lid isn't leakproof, water rushes around the straw and out of the mouthpiece alarmingly fast. I’ve sent my Adventure Quencher toppling a few times, leaving behind puddles on my desk, the gym floor, and cushioned chairs at my local coffee shop. Locknar, whose main complaint about the Adventure Quencher is the leaky lid, has found a workaround: the Quick Cup Fix Stopper, a plastic insert that slows spills. I wasn't able to test the stopper myself, but Locknar said this add-on (which costs about $13 for a two-pack) eliminated the problem. But you really shouldn't have to make another purchase for an aftermarket fix after sinking about $40 into the tumbler itself.

Because of the Adventure Quencher's size and leaky tendencies, train and bike commuters may also find it inconvenient. Even if you were to buy the Quick Cup Fix Stopper, it wouldn't completely eliminate spills—so tossing the tumbler in a bag isn't an option and neither is slotting it into the side pockets of a backpack, as the handle prevents the tumbler from fitting.

The Adventure Quencher is just over 12 inches in height, including the straw—that's longer than my forearm—and when I carried it in public, I felt a little embarrassed to be toting around something so big. It made me feel conspicuous at times, especially when I brought it into stores while running errands. Supervising editor Joshua Lyon, who managed to snag himself an Adventure Quencher during a recent restock, loves the tumbler, but he also feels a little self-conscious drinking out of it during Zoom calls. "It is taller than my head," he says.

In terms of performance, the Adventure Quencher (video) isn't really that different from the Wirecutter-approved picks in our tumbler guide. Just like the Stanley tumbler, the Hydro Flask, Klean Kanteen, and Yeti Rambler tumblers all excel at ice retention, can be outfitted with straws, and fit comfortably into cupholders. They’re all dishwasher safe too, though Hydro Flask noted that hot water might discolor the powder coat.

The 40-ounce Adventure Quencher is double the size of the tumblers we recommend. In some situations, this is a perk, but in others, it becomes a nuisance. If you’ve got your sights set on the Adventure Quencher specifically because of its capacity but can't seem to get your hands on it, Yeti and Hydro Flask both sell larger versions of the tumblers we recommend (though neither tumbler holds quite as much liquid as the Adventure Quencher). Stanley also sells the Adventure Quencher Travel Tumbler 30 oz, which comes in a few of the same colors as its larger counterpart.

If it's the handle that keeps the Adventure Quencher in your thoughts, Yeti offers both a 20-ounce and 30-ounce insulated, handled mug that can accommodate a straw. And if you already have a tumbler you love but wish it had a handle, you can buy an attachable one. We tested the Tumbler Tamer dual-ring handle and the Grip-It single-ring handle, and while they weren't the most aesthetically pleasing options, they worked well in transforming 30-ounce tumblers into handled mugs. (Note that a dual-ring handle won't be compatible with your car cupholders.)

The Stanley Adventure Quencher is a great tumbler—just keep in mind that it's not the only great tumbler out there. But it's also true that the items we choose to spend money on and use every day should spark joy, so even if the Adventure Quencher isn't for me, that doesn't mean it can't be for you. (As long as you can get your hands on it, that is!)

"I need to be happy, and this makes me happy," said Perkins, who uses two tumblers simultaneously most days (one for water, another for Diet Coke). Locknar felt similarly: "Yes, it's a cup, but it's more than that—it's one of those little simple pleasures, a product that just makes me happy."

This article was edited by Rose Maura Lorre and Annemarie Conte.

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