I tested Stanley Cup dupes including Primark and Home Bargains
STANLEY cup travel mugs have taken social media by storm and led to a wave of dupes hitting the market.
I tested several versions from big box stores to see how they compare to the original.
Stanley tumblers were first launched in 2016 and were marketed primarily towards the more outdoorsy among us.
But since the brand exploded on social media, it has become a household name and everyone wants to get their hands on one.
It's the Stanley Quencher H2.0 Flowstate Tumbler that went viral, but be warned if you want to join in on the fun, it's going to cost you.
The Stanley tumbler costs € 44.99 and is therefore a considerable investment.
So it's no wonder that other retailers have quickly jumped on the bandwagon and launched cheaper versions.
I put some of the Stanley Cup dupes to the test to see how they compare to the original.
Stanley Flowstate Quencher H2.0 Tumbler – £44.99
8
Before trying out the other dupes, I put the original Stanley to the test to see what all the fuss was about.
When it arrived my first thought was that there was no way I would be able to carry this around with me, it's just too cumbersome.
However, when I started testing the cup, I quickly realized that it is much more than just a fashion accessory for social media.
The Stanley tumbler costs £44.99, has a 1.2 liter capacity and is available in a range of colours.
It's made from 90% recycled stainless steel and claims to keep drinks hot for seven hours, cold for eleven hours and frozen for 48 hours.
To test one of the most powerful claims, I filled mine with water and ice at 8 p.m. and when I woke up the next day, it was still freezing.
I took it to work and although I felt a little ridiculous standing at the train station, the fact that I still had ice cold water when I got to the office made it more bearable.
By the time it took me to drink a cup full it was 2pm and the water was still ice cold.
I have no doubt that if I had left it on for the full 48 hours this would still have been the case.
Normally I'm not one to follow trends on social media, and generally I think most things are over-hyped, but not in this case.
The Stanley Quencher is a quality product and that is how it looks and feels, I am completely sold.
It's also worth noting that it comes with a lifetime warranty, so if something goes wrong, Stanley will repair or replace it for you.
In addition, the Stanley Quencher is 100% dishwasher safe.
The range – £7.99
8
The Nitro 1.2L Tumbler from The Range is available in different colours.
If you order through the website it is not guaranteed which style you will receive, so please keep that in mind before purchasing.
Like most tumblers I tested, it has a double-walled vacuum and is made of stainless steel.
It also has a three-way swivel opening so you can drink through the straw opening or the traditional opening and also cover both completely to prevent leakage.
In my opinion, for the price, this is one of the best dupes out there.
It kept my drink not only cool, but really cold for more than a few hours.
It feels sturdy and strong and has a “no-hassle” feel.
If you like the look and size of a Stanley and also want something functional, then you can't go wrong with this one from The Range.
Primark – £8
8
The Primark travel mug is much smaller than the others I tested, as it only holds 590ml of liquid.
It comes with a stainless steel straw and is available in blue, gray and pink.
This looks more like a standard travel mug than something I would turn to if I wanted a “dupe” of the original Stanley.
It kept my drink cold enough, but I found the straw a bit harder to drink from than the others.
This straw sits right at the bottom of the cup and there is no grip to hold it a little higher so the liquid can flow more easily.
So when I wanted to drink from it, I ended up holding the straw in place instead of just being able to sip.
However, this is the ideal option if you want to take something smaller and lighter with you.
Single cup – £30
8
The Sole Cup is available on Amazon and is the closest thing to a true “dupe” of the original Stanley for £15 less.
It has the heavy look and feel of the original and also has the option (as with all) to use a straw or drink straight from the cup.
In terms of appearance this was also my favorite, I had the cream one and it has a nice matte finish and felt very stylish.
I made a large pot of coffee and put it in my SoleCup for the workday.
It gave me three cups of coffee that I drank all morning and were the perfect temperature.
The SoleCup also kept my water cold. While nothing beats the Stanley for being “icy cold,” this cup kept my drink pleasantly chilled.
A great stylish option if you have the money to spend a little more but don't really want to spend a lot of money on a Stanley.
USA Pro – £13
8
The USA Pro travel mug is available from Sports Direct and costs £13 each or £20 for two.
Unfortunately when my cup arrived the straw was cracked and unusable so I had to replace it with a straw from another cup.
It was easy to see why this could be a problem as the straw is made of harder plastic than the other plastic straws and I suspect it is more prone to wear and tear and cracking.
That said, the cup had a nice weight and feel.
The USA Pro cup reportedly keeps hot drinks hot and cold drinks cool for 24 hours and has a capacity of 1200 ml.
I found that this cup did not perform as well as the others when it came to keeping my drink cold for an extended period of time.
If I were to pick out the positives, it's a good price and holds a lot of liquid, so if you just want the look of the Stanley and get some hydration on the go, this is a reasonable option.
Home Bargains – £4.99
8
The Hydrate 40oz tumbler from Home Bargains is exceptionally good value for money and I was amazed at how well it kept my drink chilled.
When I tested the cups, I mainly focused on the length of time my drink would stay cold as opposed to hot drinks.
Personally, I'm never going to drink a coffee as big as one of these cups, but keeping the water chilled longer may encourage me to drink more.
This cup is very similar to The Range's Nitro cup, only it's £3 cheaper.
I found that by filling this one evening and leaving it until morning my water was still very chilled.
If you want to get in on the Stanley craze but don't want to spend too much money, this is a great option.
TK Maxx – £16.99
8
I loved the Hydra tumbler from TK Maxx and the quality makes it an absolute steal.
If you like a bit of sparkle in your life then this one is for you as it has a beautiful gold shiny finish.
The handle of the cup fits comfortably in the hand and ensures that the item feels well balanced.
The larger cups get heavy when filled with liquid and I thought the handle on this cup balanced it well.
It has a metal straw, but the end is covered in rubber that you drink from, so it feels much nicer than drinking straight from metal.
As with the other cups, you can drink as you would from a normal coffee travel mug, or you can seal it and use the straw.
While this cup didn't keep my drink as ice cold as the Stanley overnight, it still kept it very cold compared to some of the other cups tested.