This Stanley cup phenomenon is wild, y’all. Who would’ve thought that in 21st century America the most coveted possession would be… a water cup. A $35-$45+ water cup. This all must be a large-scale human behavioral research project, and we’re the lab mice, right? It has to be. A quick recap: a 40 oz. tumbler made by the 111-year-old brand Stanley has been touted so much on social media, particularly TikTok, that it’s whipped up a buying frenzy. The mania was further stoked by a limited edition run of the Stanley Quencher model, made in collaboration with Starbucks and sold exclusively at Target in two colors. The cups come in a plethora of colors and styles online from Stanley’s own site, but people HAD TO HAVE those two colors only available at Target. So with kids asking Santa for these cups for Christmas, and adults jumping counters to snag them off the shelves, the question must be asked: are Stanley cups really worth the price tag?
The Quencher H2.0 FlowState model is most popular: The 40 fl. oz stainless steel, vacuum-sealed tumbler retails for $45. It features a no-spill lid and tapered base to fit into cup holders. One of the main draws for why consumers love their trusty cups is that they’re made to keep drinks cold for hours. Per the website, the Quencher in particular can keep beverages hot for up to 7 hours, cold for 11 hours and iced for a whopping two days.
The infamous car fire video: Late last year, a TikTok user went viral for detailing how her Stanley tumbler incredibly stayed intact during a car fire. Danielle, who goes by the username @danimarieIttering on TikTok, shared a video showing her vehicle’s mostly-charred interior from the blaze. In the cupholder sat her orange Stanley cup, which was seemingly untouched, minus some ash and debris that had fallen on top of it. Even more remarkably, the cup “still had ice” inside — and Danielle shook it to prove it. The video drew attention from the brand’s global president Terence Reilly, who offered to send her some new cups — and a new car.
The perfect Galentine’s gift? The products became Target’s hottest commodity after the food and beverage container brand released two Target-exclusive Quencher H2.0 FlowState Tumblers. The tumblers come in Cosmo Pink and Target Red and are a part of the brand’s ‘Galentine’s Collection.’ “Made to gift, a card label is included while a tiny heart adorns the Stanley logo. With a pop of pink and the perfect shade of red, let’s celebrate your gal pal by spreading the love,” a description of the tumblers on Target’s website reads. Although the holiday is over a month away, the double-wall vacuum-insulated tumblers priced at $45 have sold out online and across Target stores nationwide after their initial Dec. 31 drop.
‘All for a Stanley?’: One video of the initial drop shared on TikTok by a customer in El Paso, Texas, showed a crowd of people running towards the tumbler at the store’s center. The social media user added the caption, “Getting trampled for a Target Stanley Valentine’s Cup.” The comment section contained mixed reactions, with one individual writing, “I love Stanley, but I will not do this for a cup.” Another person commented, “All for a Stanley?” Another video on TikTok filmed at a Target in Goodyear, Arizona, explained that tumblers sold out in less than four minutes. The video showed people of all ages rushing to grab one from the store’s display stand. One TikTok user commented, “Stanley definitely knows what they are doing. Everyone and their mom wants one. IDK I still can’t wrap my head around paying that much for a cup.” According to Delish, the tumblers are already up on resale sites like eBay, listed at prices up to $240.
True story: I was walking the aisles of my mother’s local Target last week, before I clued in to the Stanley cup craze. I looked at the cup and thought, “Eesh, what a boring, box-like water bottle.” Granted, I was judging solely on looks, not knowing anything about its function. I didn’t even pick it up to see the brand, I was so underwhelmed. Now I’m trying to wrack my brain to remember the precise shade of pink, wondering if it was the Valentine’s Day special Cosmo Pink. Did I unknowingly walk past a resale profit of $200?!! Sounds like me.
By all accounts, the Stanley Quencher appears to be a cup that is excellent at keeping your beverage at the desired temperature, hot or cold, for extended periods of time. But like I said on Tuesday, I’m getting that performance from my (fabulously-hued) Bubba for nearly half the price. No one will ever persuade me to spend $45 on a water tumbler. I’m also the kind of girl who finds the excessive hoopla a turn off rather than a reason to buy in. And finally, I could accept a water bottle as a Galentine’s gift if it were personalized in some way that was meaningful to the friendship. But my overall take is, gosh that’s a sad gift for the holiday of love.
Photos via Instagram/Stanley 1913
Honestly unless it has my name carved into into in gold I’m not paying that much for a cup.
I work at a hospital and the ice machine is really far away (15 min walk) but the room temp water jug is a two minute walk, so I can chug my water all day and refill and the next day still have ice when I refill again. Arctic and Yeti ice is usually gone, so worth it for me! I just have three I rotate though and the original one was a gift.
See now in a case like this it makes perfect sense. But in MANY cases, not so much.
Hydro flask does that for me. It’s about as pricey as A Stanley though but so worth it. I’ve been checking out Simple Modern though.
I currently have a Simple Modern as my work tumbler. It is fine, but the paint chipped the first day. I had to cover it in stickers. I got a Stanley for Christmas and liked it so much I used Amazon gift cards to get the 40oz for work.
Love my simple modern. I have a 22oz cup that fits in my cup holder. It came with a straw and a hot beverage lid. It’s easy to clean and does a bang up job of keeping ice from melting. Like I stipped putting ice in it because it took too long to melt!
I totally missed the Stanley water cup craze (not being on TikTok helps). I have a 20 year old Stanley thermos from my Hockey Mom days. That thing would keep my coffee hot from when I’d pull out of my garage at 5:30 am until I got to the rink where my kid was playing three states away. I never tried it with cold drinks, but for my coffee, it was perfect. I don’t remember what I paid for it, but at this point it probably works out to less than a penny per use.
OMG…yes. Still have mine too. I traveled with my babies from MD to NC to see family. I’d fill it up with coffee, pick up some Dunkin’ holes and travel 6 hrs to home. Those were the good old days.
Funny thing, my last name is STANLEY and I don’t want one.
I’ll have to check out the Bubba , I’m happy with my Walmart Ozark trail tumbler. I still have ice in there the next day after having it on nightstand all night.
Hot coffee stays hot from morning till afternoon. Only issue is after a year I’m noticing some staining prob from the coffee.
I have an old Teavana tumbler which I use for tea , I drop a dishwasher tablet in it or a Steardent in it that gets rid of the stains , not every wash but every now and then
Make a paste with baking soda and water or vinegar, and rub it in the stain and rinse. I use baking soda for everything.
I have an Ozark as well and I love it! I saw a comparison someone did and it keeps the ice just as cold as any Stanley or Yeti , yet mine was less than half the price. I just don’t care enough about the name to spend more, I guess.
Didn’t someone’s car catch fire, but her Stanley mug survive? I think she posted it to TikTok and the CEO saw it and replaced her car! As a functional object, there’s a reason so many farmers and factory workers liked the brand. I think this is kind of a case of harnessing women’s tastes and social media. That said, they’re also participating in this ridiculous culture of overconsumption. Does anyone need more than two or three of these things?
I have a Miir water bottle that I think goes for $30-35. Every product they sell is tied to a climate change mitigation project. So while they manufacture in china, I think they’re doing an ok job.
The car fire story is in the gray box section of the post.
I have a couple of Yetis – I do outdoor art shows in the summer, they keep ice for a long time, even out in the sun. But I’ve only gotten them on sale, they’re pricey too.
I can’t imagine stampeding a Target for these.
I live in Arizona and having water with you is a must. I invested in a Yeti a few years ago and it is like gold. My water stays cold for days. And yes, you do pay more and it’s worth it. Now just to get a pink Stanley, meh. But a good water container is everything.
I do love my Stanleys as I’ve said on here before, but I’m not paying more than 45/50 for any of them. I like the ones with the flip straw lids bc I can just throw them in my bag and go without any leaking, but I prefer to drink out of the tumblers, so depending on what I’m doing, I may just take my tumbler empty and then fill it up when I get where I’m going.
I mention this because a friend of mine was telling me about a new Brumate tumbler that is coming out in February that has a straw but also has a locked position, so when you flip the lid to lock it doesnt leak. That’s 45 dollars and also comes in pretty colors so I may try one of those. My bday is in February so maybe I’ll ask for it, lol.
Anyway, Stanleys are just the next thing in these kinds of cups. It was hydroflask for a while, and it was Yeti for a while, etc. And now those items still sell well but the craze has died down. I expect the same thing with Stanley in a few months/year and there will be something else everyone is obsessed with.
Thanks for the tip on the Brumate tumbler i looked on the website and they have them for preorder – The Aura is a really pretty color I may buckle and order one.
Annnnndddd…I just bought the BrüMate. I love BrüMate because you can put it in the dishwasher.
I like the Owala freesip. I love that the straw is hidden and I take it with me when I travel.
I can’t get behind the Stanley craze. Especially because it was the Mormon mommy influencers that mad it popular.
So true, although I never thought there would be a fad in drinking/food containers! I have several Stanleys and they were bought because they last for ages, seem almost indestructible, and do a mighty fine job of keeping things cold/hot. When I do a trip especially in cold weather and want to take hot food to eat in the car, what I’m looking for is not what colour is it and does it have the fancy logo showing how much I paid for it. I’m looking for how long will it keep my food at the right temperature and can I eat out of it without dropping food all over me. I’m also concerned about will it stain, do the rubber gaskets pick up food aroma, and can you get spare gaskets. And I don’t mind paying a higher price if it’s going to last for years as my Stanleys have.
There is a Ben Affleck movie called “The Accountant” and he hits and kills somebody with his Stanley flask. Just a movie, but a nod to the Stanley strength as it just has a dent and still operates perfectly. Sometimes I feel like I should sit on the sofa with my Stanley flask all lined up and we all watch the movie 🙂
The Starbuck’s pink handle not matching the cup color irks my OCD.
I see knock offs in stores and all I think is what a hassle to lug around. And such a strange thing to flex to have. I’m perfectly happy with my generic water bottles that have a little latch, so they don’t leak.
I have a loved one with debilitating OCD- washes so much that this person appears to be wearing pink gloves, cracks all over the knuckles. Time lost, terrible anxiety, depression, shame, loss of productivity- and the soap purchases, the water bills, the laundry. If you do have true OCD, you have both my apologies and sympathy; if you do not, I would be appreciative of your effort to find a different way to express what sounds more like annoyance.
This isn’t meant to be offensive, but rather educational, and I hope you do not take offense.
People with debilitating OCD would, I’m sure, appreciate it as well. My heart breaks every day I see those hands I described above.
I’m sure it must be very hard for people diagnosed with OCD to hear it so casually referenced by people who are simply, say, detail-oriented or maybe even have obsessive tendencies. I noticed the non-matching pinks as well & would never buy such a cheap-looking item for that very reason. BUT–I do recognize that however my brain works (and it’s very good at those ‘what is wrong with this picture’ type of things), it hasn’t taken over my life to such an extent. I feel for your loved one & people living with OCD.
Yeah I also hate the not matching handle. It looks ugly.
I never understood the hype on this cup. I remember last year there were signs posted all over Target saying that they were limiting Stanley purchases to two cups per customer. Seriously? For a cup that imo is kinda ugly and overpriced? Thanks but no thanks. If I’m planning to go out in the wilderness and I need my ice to last two days then maybe I’ll consider it. Maybe.
Agreed, the more popular the Stanley cup gets, the less I want it (although I never did want it). At work, I have an adorable hello kitty water bottle that my secretary gave me that holds plenty of water and keeps drinks cold for a reasonable amount of time. The rest of the time, I drink water out of a glass *gasps* *faints* *throws up*
“Galentine”?! Another made up “holiday” to “encourage” people to consume more…
It comes from the show Parks & Recreation, and is a really nice idea, but of course other people then capitalized on it and are selling stuff. Mike Schur or whoever wrote that should have trademarked the phrase!
Galentine was around when I was in college, end of the 90s. Nothing new
Galentine was so funny on Parks & Rec. The ladies made a big deal about it and the guys were jealous that they were excluded. I didn’t even realize it was a real thing. Having it on college campuses or even high school, makes sense, where it can become embarrassing or even painful for girls if they get nothing for Valentines day.
I ordered a pink simple modern 40 oz tumbler engraved with my besties name for $40 from Amazon thanks to the last Stanley post! Didn’t even have to leave the house & Galentine’s shopping is over!
I’ve got a ridiculously big 64 oz stainless steel water bottle I also got on Amazon for myself that was $20 & should probably get another one before TikTok discovers it.
I ordered a Simple Modern tumbler after I saw it in the Clevr Blends video with our Duchess. I looked it up on Amazon and checked reviews. I’m very pleased with it and the company, they donate 10% to charity. My handle color doesn’t match, but it’s not supposed too, I got the 80’s color one. 🙂
My still going strong Swell bottle was $27 seven years ago. It doesn’t have the whole straw mechanism the Stanley does. They do seem to be very high quality, but half the appeal is people knowing you can afford a $45 drinking cup. Don’t have an issue with the price as long as people actually keep them for as long as they last. That’s the issue. Buying fancy, long lasting stuff, but treating it as disposable.
I’ve never had a problem drinking out of a water bottle or glass, the whole fancy lid & straw thing just befuddles me.
So I’m fine with a glass if I’m at home or at a restaurant, etc. But when i’m out and about I like to have a lid so nothing spills (and not one that I have to take off completely to drink) and then I prefer a straw to just drinking out of an opening on the lid (can’t think of the word, lol.)
Ahaha I can explain the straw thing! People with a range of head and neck issues, grip issues, and/or other mobility issues, often rely on straws so that they aren’t having to bend painfully to sip at a drink (I am never, ever without a straw, to the point that I will bring a straw to a fancy event). But there is another group of people who can’t look down to sip a drink, and that’s drivers!! They can grab the big handle and sip out of the cup without ever once taking their eyes off the road. Using a straw also means you’re less likely to accidentally dump hot or cold liquid down the front of your shirt.
I thought this post was about hockey…go Jets.
I love the colors of the Stanley cups, but honestly, I don’t want to lug a 40 oz cup around all day. I’m more of a 20-24 oz cup kind of gal.
I like that it fits in a cup holder. So often, when you get above like 20oz, the cup no longer is built to fit. It’s nice to have 40oz that I can take in the car.
I bought a knock-off Stanley cup. 40oz with the handle. And I love it. I thought about buying the Stanley but when I saw the knock-offs for half the price I chose that. I got one from a good seller on Amazon. I like it… I’m the type of person who needs their water bottles in order to get my water intake.
I wouldn’t pay $40 for a fashionable 40oz cup. I have paid that much for my kids 64oz soccer water jugs and those last a few seasons.
Since I ran right off to buy a Simple Modern one after the post with Meghan, I feel that I cannot judge anyone about fancy cups!
I like it very much and ice stays ice for a long time, including overnight.
I got my sister the simply modern one for Christmas in the same color that Meghan used. Immediately my sister said she really liked the color. It’s actually not my vibe but I knew it would be for my sister. Once I knew she liked it, I told her I got it because I saw Meghan with it. My family is very aware of my Meghan stanning. So now my sister’s husband hands it her and always says here you go, Meghan😂. It was cheaper than the Stanley too, under $30.
I was tempted to get the same colour but then saw the mint one and it was love at first sight and it only cost 26 bucks
Same LOL
And guess who will buy some Clevr Blends next time she shops at Target? ME!
I can’t pass judgement on anyone lol
No! But the thermos is!
I live with a contractor/outdoorsy dude — and the big-old-worker-guy thermos is the best. And they honor the lifetime guarantee — he sent one in after like 25 years of use and they replaced it.
But whatevs … if it keeps a good company afloat, do what you’ve got to do girls… collect em’all!
I’m amazed at how people convince themselves that spending $45.00 is a good investment for a CUP – I bought an amazing double walled, insulated (ice lasted days) cup at a thrift store for $3.99. It was box sealed, never opened. I’m not going to mention siren brand deftly molded into it. Side note, It is not 40 oz, because almost no one is going to carry that around on a regular basis – and surprise – it can be refilled quite easily. Parents who buy their children these to fit in will soon find those 40 ounce cups gathering dust under the bed or in the back of the closet, They’re too big for every day usage like every other fad purchase, quickly lose their luster. Teach your children to save money for music, art, travel, adventures or books!
Same. I mean, people have a right to spend their money on whatever they want but man, is this so unrelatable to me lol.
Look, I love mine. But I have one and don’t plan to buy another. I like that it fits an entire sodastream liter of sparkling water plus ice and the fizz lasts. It was expensive, so the idea of collecting them doesn’t make sense to me. I understand the idea of consumerism being negative, but I also believe we should just let people like stuff. That being said, if it was men collecting them, this wouldn’t be a national topic, but because it is women and girls it’s seen as negative, vapid and consumerist.
IDK if it’s just because I haven’t seen her in a while but Laura Prepon looks SO different to me…can’t put my finger on what’s changed besides the lips…
I am someone who needs their drinks ICE COLD to be able to drink water. I bought an Iron Flask for less than $20, and it keeps ice it in for over 24 hours.
I don’t get spending $45.
I have the 1.5L thermos and I love it. I drink Mate most days and it keeps my water on point. I once drove 14 hours straight and the next day the water was still hot. I wouldn’t storm into Target for it, though!
Tons of completely identical knock-offs on Chinese eBay if it’s really about the insulated cup.
Car cup-holders are irrelevant to me, so the shape just looks ugly and unstable. But as an icewater freak I absolutely love my insulated Hydroflask with a flip-up nozzle, so I can put it on the bedside table and not worry about knocking it over or spilling. May or may not be genuine, because eBay. Searched for both single and double layer stainless steel bottles, and use single-layer for getting water really chilled in fridge or freezer, then decant to insulated.
My main awareness of the Stanley Cup phenomenon has been through what’s showing up in my YouTube recommendations, and videos about the related WaterTok phenomenon came first. WaterTok people mixing concoctions in Stanley cups preceded pure Stanley videos by a couple of months.
Knock offs can be dangerous for your health. No one can guarantee their materials’ safety and certifications. Water oxidises metal and, if not safe, can be corrosive and dangerous to ingest.
There are hundreds of alternative brands with certified materials, no need to buy knock offs.
I hadn’t paid much attention. I work in education and trends come and go. However, I was gifted a 30 oz in the color fog (blue gray) and it keeps my Diet Coke at the perfect temperature. It keeps it from going flat! So, I’m a believer and may get another 30 oz maybe in light pink.
I have a 40oz Reduce cup from Target, and the amount of people who think it’s a Stanley is honestly shocking to me. Then again, I bought it because my sister had one and I thought it was a Stanley, so maybe I shouldn’t be too surprised at that. Anyway, it does the same thing, for literally half the price. I just cannot bring myself to spend $45-50 on a water cup.
If it’s a human behavior research project, then it’s been going on for a very long while. During Tulip Mania in 17th century Holland people were paying the price of a house for a single tulip bulb.
Yep. It’s rather entertaining to see what the new trend is. So unpredictable. A thermos. Who would have thunk it?
I’m a constant water drinker and I love my Hydroflasks. I have the big 64 oz. and two wide mouth 32 oz. ones with the flip top straw caps and they’re perfect.
For drinks that I make with ice, I have 3 24 oz. TAL brand double walled tumblers with a screw on lid and straw that I got from Wal Mart for $13. I’ve had them for years and they are awesome. I bring them everywhere, and I’ve even brought them to all-inclusive resorts so they could make my drinks in those instead of giving me the tiny plastic cups. They’re also great for camping. They keep ice well into the next day, don’t scratch or chip, only dribble the slightest bit if you knock them over, and are comfortable to hold. There’s plenty of good options out there that aren’t $45 and work just as well as the Stanley cups.
This is the most basic-B fad of all time.
Yup. Nailed it.
This Stanley cup is the latest in a long line of popular fad must have items.
Cabbage Patch Dolls, Tickle Me Elmo, Wii, Wii Fit, whatever.
$25 maybe bc Stanley does make good lunch box thermos, in the past.
But, nope not interested.
I amazed this craze has lasted through 2 holiday season cycles. While my initial response to the question was heck no, they are comparable in price to Yeti, Hydroflask, etc. for the amount of liquid they hold. I have 3 Stanley, 2 Yeti, several Corksickle (I get a discount on all as we sell at my part time job) the brand Costco carries (Thermoflask?). I’m least impressed with Yeti, but they all keep things cold for comparable timeframes.
IMO the best thing about the Stanley is it fits in a cup holder, followed by the handle. But you can’t toss it in a bag, have to carry upright (it is NOT leakproof) and is awkward to carry around if out and about. I know you can get big cup holders to accommodate larger bottles so they fit in the normal cup holder but in my car they are awkward and if you have a passenger they can’t use a cup holder. Such things to worry about!
We have kids in sports so we have various cups, such as yetis, hydroflask, and Stanley. I like that the Stanley fits in a standard cup holder in a vehicle. I also put mine in the dishwasher and they seem to hold up well, except the matte black one. For me personally I want something leak proof, but for someone like my husband who loves coffee on his morning commute they work well.
I saw people on Twitter suggesting that the number of Stanley cups someone owns is inversely proportionate to how walkable their part of town is, and this makes a lot of sense to me! If I’m not scooting around in an SUV all day, no, I do not need a dedicated insulated cup that fits in my cupholder, lol. But I appreciate that a lot of people commute all day in hot cars, and they like to cronch on “good ice.” I don’t drive and I don’t like ice, so this fad isn’t for me, but I do get it.
I tend to drink iced beverages at home from a glass bkr cup, which I think has a similar appeal as the Stanley cup: It isn’t as rugged or portable, but it’s insulated, it’s easy to grip, and it looks kind of summery and glowy. I like the matching straws, too.