The Difference Between Owala And Stanley Tumblers

If you're taking a beverage with you on the go, it's pretty likely these days that you will put it in some sort of reusable, insulated vessel. Whether you're out for a hike, hitting the gym, or simply heading to work, having a temperature-controlled drinking container is sensical; not only does it keep your drinks cold or hot for extended periods of time, but it is also environmentally friendly because it helps eliminate waste created by plastic or glass bottles, tin cans, or styrofoam cups. 

With vessels such as the Stanley tumbler skyrocketing in popularity over the last few years, these trendy bottles have become more than just something to drink from — they have morphed into a fashion statement and a symbol of economic status. Alongside Stanley, popular brands include Yeti, Hydro Flask, and, more recently, Owala. So how do these brands measure up to each other? We've taken a look at the actual difference between Stanley and Yeti tumblers, but how does Owala's version of the tumbler compare to the social-media-dominating Stanley tumbler?

Owala is a hydration brand that was created by the makers of Blender Bottle in 2020. It has a variety of insulated products, such as the FreeSip, which is a water bottle with both a straw and a spout that comes in three sizes. Named one of Time Magazine's best inventions of 2023, the FreeSip Twist comes in two smaller sizes and has a twist-off cap. Owala sells 24-ounce and 40-ounce tumblers that come with the two-in-one lids that allow you to sip from a straw or chug from the spout. These designs are made of stainless steel, claim to be leakproof, and come in many multiple color choices, plus limited-time, special-edition colors.

Owala's social media marketing strategy — getting influencers to promote its products — led to the brand garnering hype in 2023.  Celebrities such as Lance Bass and Samantha Irby have advocated for the brand, and Hilary Duff has been seen with different versions of the FreeSip. Thanks to this online coverage, Owala is a star on the rise.

The Stanley brand was founded in 1913 when William Stanley Jr. invented the all-steel vacuum bottle. Since then, the company has created an array of products including coolers, cookware, and a variety of stainless steel, insulated water bottles, tumblers, and mugs in many sizes and color choices. The brand has also capitalized on the water-bottle-as-fashion-statement trend with its multitude of Stanley cup accessories.

Before Owala, Stanley's tumbler, the Quencher, began trending on social media in 2020 thanks in large part to "WaterTok." Because of the product's popularity (largely with women), the company's annual sales in 2023 were around $750 million compared to only about $70 million in 2019. In December of 2023, Stanley collaborated with Starbucks to release special-edition Galentine's Day products at Target.

The high demand for these red and pink drinking vessels caused a craze that had consumers standing in lines outside of stores before they opened and had products flying off the shelves and selling out in minutes. People even spent hundreds of dollars on these holiday products on resale sites. If you hadn't heard of the Stanley tumbler before, you certainly had by early 2024 thanks to this fad.

In the middle of the summer heat, it's a plus to have a drinking vessel that keeps your beverage cold for hours on end. And in the chill of the winter, you definitely want your hot coffee or hot cocoa to stay that way. In fact, you can keep more than just beverages at temperature with these insulated cup hacks you never knew you needed, such as using a Stanley or Owala tumbler to keep ice cream or popsicles frozen for the kids or as a thermos to store hot food items.

While the Owala website doesn't say anything specific about how long its tumblers can keep beverages cold or hot, it does note that its FreeSip water bottle keeps water cold for up to 24 hours. This product has triple-layer insulation, while the tumbler has only double-wall insulation, so it can be assumed that the tumbler won't keep beverages cold for as long as the FreeSip bottle.

Owala's SmoothSip mug is said to keep beverages hot for six hours, but again, there's nothing listed about the tumblers specifically. Stanley's version of the tumbler, called the Quencher, keeps beverages at temperature for different amounts of time depending on the size. The temperature preservation can range from 7-11 hours for keeping beverages cold, from 20 hours to three days for drinks with ice, and from four to seven hours for hot beverages.

Massive tumblers have become all the rage. In January, 2024, following the hype of the Stanley Quencher's internet takeover, "Saturday Night Live" did a skit poking fun at the size of the brand's cups, finishing the sketch by showing a human-sized tumbler. While Stanley's Quenchers aren't actually that large, they do come in a variety of sizes. 14, 20, 30, 40, and 64-ounce tumblers are available to purchase; the smallest is 8.8 inches tall, 3.07 inches wide, and weighs .58 pounds. The largest size, the 64-ounce, stands at 12.44 inches tall, 4.84 inches wide, and weighs 1.8 pounds. The smaller two sizes do not have handles, while the three larger sizes do.

Owala's tumblers, on the other hand, come in only two sizes. The 24-ounce is 9.1 inches tall and 2.81 inches wide, while the 40-ounce is 10.37 inches tall and 2.92 inches wide. The Owala website does not list product weights, although Target's estimated shipping weights are 0.8 and 1.25 pounds, respectively. Just like Stanley, the smaller tumbler doesn't have a handle, but the larger one does.

As these tumblers have become more of a fashion statement than just something to drink from, Owala and Stanley have both developed a variety of colorways and special-edition collections to help customers accessorize. One infatuated Alabama teen even owns 37 Stanley Quenchers to match every outfit. Owala's tumblers come in a variety of standard colors. The tumblers can be monochromatic multicolored, such as the Lemonade Luau, which features a peach body and a magenta handle and lid. The company also offers "color drops," which are limited-edition designs, like an all-red Honeycrisp tumbler or "pumpkin spice" in shades of brown for autumn.

Stanley offers a myriad of color choices, too, although the majority of its standard options are monochromatic. It has annual, seasonal, and limited edition Quenchers, such as the Polar Swirl, with a white and gray marbled design, and the Lunar New Year, which is red with a dragon whose scales look like Chinese flower blossoms. Stanley also collaborated with women's lifestyle brand, LoveShackFancy, to create a special collection featuring drinkware with blue, purple, and pink floral designs. In addition, Stanley allows customers to customize their drinking vessels with engraved text, monograms, photos, and graphics.

If you're someone who enjoys funky color combinations and doesn't need too large of a cup, Owala might just be the brand for you. On its website, the 24-ounce tumbler runs for $27.99 for standard colors and $32.99 for special-edition color drops. The standard-colored 40-ounce is $37.99, with the color drop versions running for $43.99. Owala products in standard colors are also available at stores such as Target, Walmart, Whole Foods Market, and on Amazon.

If you're somebody who enjoys the "clean girl aesthetic" or has a need for a giant container, the Quenchers on Stanley's website range from $20-$60 for standard colors, and the special collection tumblers are available in 20 or 40 ounces for $45 and $60, respectively. Standard-colored Stanley products can also be purchased at Dick's Sporting Goods, Meijer, Target, and on Amazon.