The Stanley Tumbler: The Beloved Water Bottle and Why You Need One

Source: bon appetit.com

“Miss, is that your new blue Stanley?” My student asked me last month. “No, Little Sarah. My substitute left it last week, and I thought she might come back for it,” I responded. Sarah softly asks,  “If no one comes back for it, can I have it?”  I hesitated, “Really? You want someone’s old water bottle?” “Yes,” she quickly assured me, “I’ll wash it.”  

I had seen the large, cumbersome Stanley Cups everywhere, but until that moment, I had never really paid them much attention.  I had been more of a Nalgene person myself, having raised two Boy Scouts, so I was curious. What made this young student so eager to have one?  I had priced them once before, but I was not willing to pay the $45 price tag. At this moment, I had to stop and do some research. What makes a Stanley so special? 

First of all, they are popular; everyone has one.  I mean everyone from the teenagers in the halls to the soccer moms in the carpool.  The young women do not just have one, they have two or three.  The Stanleys they are carrying match the outfit they are wearing like a purse. They have Stanleys for their home and Stanleys for school.  The Stanleys are available in many fashionable candy colors with new limited drops occurring frequently.   In addition to vibrant colors and limited-edition drops, local businesses are partnering with Stanley.  For example, for tomorrow only, Feb. 21, 2025, if you go to the Tongue In Cheek ice cream store in Plano, Texas, for just $10, you can fill your Stanley with ice cream.  So, how exactly does a 100 year old brand get discovered by teenage girls and soccer moms? 

According to RetailDive in, “The Rise of the Stanley Tumbler” in 1913 William Stanley Jr., invented a thermos with a vacuum-sealed bottle that was wildly popular especially among people who worked and played outdoors. This thermos stayed popular for over 100 years. In 2016, the company had introduced a concept called the Quencher to appeal to campers and outdoor enthusiasts. It was a large, 40 ounce insulated cup with a handle. The sales were lackluster, and the company considered dropping the product. 

Ashlee LeSueur, who works with an organization called The Buy Guide, an online blog for purchasing decisions, discovered the Quencher. In 2017, she promoted the new Stanley product on Instagram touting its ability to keep drinks warm or cold and fit in cup holders. It also had a handle and was dishwasher safe: A perfect find for busy moms.  Since the brand was bringing in cool colors, the influencer moms started noticing and promoting the brand on TikTok.  

The fun colors, cup holder accessibility, comfortable handle, and durability made it an instant hit. Eventually Stanley partnered with The Buy Guide and continued promoting their product with groups that already favored their product. According to the Wall Street Journal article, How the Stanley Became the Internet’s Favorite Water Bottle, in 2020 Stanley sold $70 million, and after the Quencher craze, it sold 750 million. Interestingly, Stanley’s popularity on TikTok only continued to grow. 

In a viral TikTok story, user @daniellemariellettering’s car caught on fire with her Stanley in the cupholder.  The Stanley not only lived unscathed through the fire, but it still had ice. This reel got millions of views. 

The TikTok viral feeds of Stanleys have even sparked partnering with popular celebrities like Olivia Rodrigo who discussed her limited edition purple Stanley in a Rolling Stone article, Spill Your Guts, Not Your Drink. After all, hydration is “good 4 u.” With the trend on health nowadays, students are bringing their own water in their fashionable Stanley cup. 

According to the Stanley website  the tumbler keeps drinks cold for 11 hours and hot for 7 hours.  The Stanley Quencher is the most popular brand, and the 30 oz. and 40 oz. are the most popular sizes. The cups are now available with special colors, customization, and limited edition drops. In fact, I just missed the Valentine’s Day drop of the Sweethearts Tumbler or the Ruby Red Hearts Tumbler.

Social media marketing, cool colors, and durability, I don’t expect this trend to die down anytime soon. The hashtag #Stanley has three billion views. After all, some of their tumblers have been around for 100 years. 

So, sure little Sarah, take the Stanley cup.  And you know what, maybe your daughter will enjoy the blue color too.