Before I leave the house and head out to the job sites, I typically make a cup of coffee for the ride. Now that there is snow on the ground and freezing temperatures in the air, I want to make sure that my cup of joe is going to stay hot. I have both Hydro Flask Tumblers and Yeti Ramblers floating around the kitchen but often wonder which brand performs better. So I headed out to the garage for an un-scientific showdown.
Yeti advertises the 20 oz Rambler as made from stainless steel with double-wall vacuum insulation. Additionally, the Yeti includes a MagSlider lid that covers the opening of the Rambler. However, this 1/8″ clear lid lacks any additional insulation. Knowing that 70% of heat loss in a home is via the ceiling/roof, I wonder if this will adversely affect the results. Finally, the DuraCoat finish on the Rambler is available in 6 colors plus stainless steel. And all are dishwasher safe which is a major plus in my opinion.
20 oz. Yeti Rambler Specs courtesy of yeti.com
- 18/8 STAINLESS STEEL – Made with kitchen-grade stainless steel, so they’re puncture- and rust-resistant
- DOUBLE-WALL VACUUM INSULATION – Keeps cold drinks cold and hot drinks hot until the last sip
- DISHWASHER SAFE – Because no one needs more work to do
- Available in 7 colors
- OUTSIDE DIMENSIONS – 6 7/8” × 3 1/2”
- EMPTY WEIGHT – 12.7 OZ
- MSRP – $29.99
Hydro Flask utilizes a durable 18/8 pro-grade stainless steel construction and TempShield™ double wall insulation. Included with the 22 oz Tumbler is a press-in lid featuring Honeycomb insulation. I busted out the calipers and measured the insulated lid at .516″. Much thicker than the Yeti lid but lacking anything to cover the mouth of the Tumbler. Creating a potential for heat loss. Also of note are the colored finishes Hydro Flask uses on the Tumblers. At the time of writing, Hydro Flask offers 8 colors plus stainless steel. However, the colored versions must me hand washed. I found out the hard way after my Tumbler made a pass through the dishwasher.
22 0z. Hydro Flask Specs courtesy of hydroflask.com
- Narrow design is easy to hold and fits into most cup holders
- TempShield™ insulation keeps cold drinks cold for up to 24 hours and hot drinks hot for up to 6 hours
- Insulated press-in lid features Honeycomb insulation™ for additional temperature control and easy transport
- Durable 18/8 Pro-Grade Stainless Steel construction
- BPA-Free and Phthalate-Free
- Lifetime Warranty
- MSRP $29.95
The test was conducted with 2 room temperature cups. 20 oz. of boiling water was added to each cup and lids placed on. Temperature readings were taken at 10 minute intervals over a period of 60 minutes. This test was as scientific as I care to conduct. Mainly because it was nothing more than a curiosity conducted on a slow weekend.
Yeti Rambler 20 oz. vs. Hydro Flask Tumbler 22 oz.
- Initial Temp 200F 200F
- 10 min. 195F 190F
- 20 min. 190F 188F
- 30 min. 185F 180F
- 40 min. 182F 180F
- 50 min. 180F 175F
- 60 min. 177F 170F
- Total Loss -23F -30F
Conclusion: With a total loss of 23 degrees over a period of 60 minutes, the Yeti Rambler was just able to edge out the Hydro Flask Tumbler. Hydro Flask, despite offering an insulated lid, lost 30 degrees over the same period of time. Possibly because the heat was constantly escaping through the open mouth on the lid. Either way, we’re splitting hairs here. Both products performed admirably as expected from two of the heavy hitters in this segment. For me, I will continue to use both products. The Hydro Flask Tumbler has a slightly narrower profile that fits in my Volkswagens cup holder better than the Yeti. But my Tundra handles either with ease. So you really can’t go wrong with either product. And both make a great Christmas gift.
