We Tried the Underrated Stanley Aerolight Coffee Tumbler [2024]

Since 1913, the Stanley brand has been at the forefront of the water bottle revolution. Whereas other brands offer ho-hum wine tumblers and camp cups, Stanley has all but perfected the vacuum-insulated travel tumbler. Whether you’re on the trail and need a rugged hydration station or plan on taking your water with you on the metro, gearheads know that Stanley coffee tumblers are the way to go.

The Stanley Quencher is ubiquitously known as the “internet’s favorite tumbler.” While we still love our beloved 40-ounce behemoth bottle, our Product Testing Team found that the best coffee tumbler for travel is actually a total dark horse. Enter: the Stanley Aerolight coffee tumbler. This highly underrated tumbler considers everything the discerning commuter needs. Here’s what you need to know about the travel-friendly Stanley coffee tumbler.

What Is the Stanley Aerolight Coffee Tumbler?

The Stanley Aerolight coffee tumbler is made for travel. It’s slim and compact, with a fold-down flip lid that seals tightly with an audible snap. It comes in 16- and 20-ounce sizes. It’s also just as pretty as its more popular cousin. Each size comes in an array of gorgeous hues, including grey, black, cream, fog, blue, navy, light pink and glimmer shades.

Made from 18/8 stainless steel and BPA-free materials, this small but mighty bottle offers Stanley’s famous double-wall vacuum insulation. While it works well for hot drinks like your favorite flavored coffees, it also keeps the chill inside if you’re more of an iced coffee concentrate drinker.

Stanley Aerolight Transit Bottle Tumbler

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Stanley Aerolight Transit Bottle

The Stanley Aerolight Transit Bottle is our favorite option for commuters, thanks to its slim build and leakproof lid.

How We Tested the Stanley Aerolight Coffee Tumbler

Stanley Aerolight Coffee Tumbler Taste of Home

Our expert Product Testing Team took their search for the best coffee tumblers seriously. They tried 20 tumblers from popular brands and more niche—albeit well-reviewed—shops. Product Tester (and caffeine fiend) Sheri Kaz created rigid standards and subjected each travel coffee mug to the same 11 tests to see which performed the best overall. Over 730 data points and 50 hours later, we secured data in the following testing categories:

Temperature Retention
Drinking Experience
Ergonomics/Handling
Leakproof Capabilities
Durability
Specs
Cleaning
Lead Detection

The results informed pieces like our Hydro Flask vs. Yeti comparison and this Stanley Aerolight coffee tumbler review.

Testing Team Evaluation

The Stanley Aerolight is incredibly slim, with a 2.8-inch bottom diameter. Using Stanley’s proprietary featherweight technology, the 20-ounce size weighs in at a modest 0.65 pounds. That makes it very easy to haul around by hand or toss in a small bag or backpack. It also easily slides into most standard cupholders—no cupholder expander required.

Temperature Retention

Hydroflask Temperature Retention Taste of Home

Unlike the slightly disappointing Yeti Rambler, the Stanley Aerolight coffee tumbler meets our expectations for such a recognized brand. In particular, its thermal retention properties are incredibly impressive.

We filled the tumbler with 140-degree Fahrenheit water (i.e., the typical hottest serving/drinking temperature of hot coffee), then measured the temperature after four hours in a refrigerator to see how much it fell. The Stanley Aerolight beat out the 20 other competitors, measuring in at a still steamy 115.7 degrees Fahrenheit.

For the next test, our team filled the Stanley Aerolight tumbler halfway with ice and added 60-degree Fahrenheit water (the typical temperature of cold tap water), then set the tumbler in the sun. The Stanley again impressed our testers, crawling down to 34.7 degrees Fahrenheit after four hours and holding that temperature steady, even after six hours. It’s one of the only tumblers that retained ice for the entire experiment.

Experience and Handling

Sheri, our tester, loves the slim design of this travel tumbler. The exterior has a slight texture—almost like a hammered finish— making it easy to grip without dropping. The lid screws on, then flips open for drinking. The flip mechanism isn’t finicky and glides smoothly while still remaining strong and durable. An audible “snap” occurs upon opening and closing the mechanism, which makes it easy to tell when the lid is tightly shut.

Our favorite aspect of the tumbler is that it’s completely leakproof when closed, meaning that it’s perfect for popping in a purse or bag while out and about. That said, the flip-up spout is narrow, and the mechanism boasts a 90-degree angle instead of the curved design found on some other tumblers. This means the hinge hits your top lip while you’re drinking. It isn’t the most comfortable design we tested, but we prefer this drinking experience to a tumbler with a leaky lid.

Cleaning and Durability

In terms of durability, the Stanley lives up to its rugged roots. After a hip-height drop on concrete, the exterior and lid had a few scratches, but it wasn’t broken. That’s pretty impressive! You can take this one on the trail without worrying about a drop.

The tumbler is dishwasher safe and relatively easy to clean. However, the lid has a lot of little crevices that could collect gunk, potentially making thorough cleaning tricky. Additionally, the slim design makes it hard to fit in a larger hand during hand washing. However, the use of Bottle Bright tablets makes this process easier.

Pros

Completely leakproof
Retains temperature
Space-saving design
Lifetime warranty
Good grip

Cons

Pricey, but worth it

Final Verdict

The Stanley Aerolight coffee tumbler is our top pick for travelers and hikers. Not only does it offer a slim design that’s easy to carry along for miles, but it also boasts a totally leakproof lid. When you get tired of holding it, just throw it in a purse or backpack. It doesn’t take up too much room or drip coffee all over your precious cargo. While it doesn’t have a fleet of accessories like the coveted Stanley Quencher, it’s ideal for those who choose substance over style.

“The slim design of this tumbler will fit easily in a backpack, and the temperature retention is great for hikers or anyone who needs to keep their beverages hot or cold for extended periods,” says Sheri. Whether you plan on taking it on the trail or tucking it into a cupholder during your morning commute, trust that this trendy tumbler won’t turn your coffee lukewarm on the go.

Why You Should Trust Us

The Product Testing Team has a combined decade of experience testing and evaluating products, especially from popular brands like Yeti. We use fair and honest testing practices under controlled conditions for each test. Our team has thoroughly evaluated everything from food processors to ceramic cookware in our dedicated Testing Lab. We also put every product through a thorough testing process that ensures accurate, quality results.

FAQs

Why are Stanley cups so popular?

Whether it’s the classic Legendary bottle or the internet’s favorite Stanley Quencher, Stanley cups have been around for more than 100 years. The brand’s trusted legacy and lifetime warranty make these products excellent picks for those seeking peace of mind regarding longevity.

Do Stanley cups have lead?

One area where Stanley recently received some criticism is the vacuum sealing process for their insulated cups. While Stanley doesn’t manufacture cups with detectable lead on the outside (which we confirmed with our own swab tests), they each contain a small lead ball within the bottom of the cup as part of the sealing process. According to the brand, the lead inside the Stanley coffee tumbler will not cause any harm.

While most tumbler brands use lead in their sealing process, there are alternative brands that don’t contain any lead. One of those is the Hydro Flask All Around Tumbler, which may sway some in the Hydro Flask vs. Stanley debate. That said, according to our tests, the Hydro Flask tumbler doesn’t insulate as well as the Stanley.

Are Stanley cups dishwasher safe?

We ran the Stanley Aerolight coffee tumbler in the dishwasher three times. According to our tests, the Stanley cup is entirely dishwasher safe. Hooray for easy cleanup!

Where To Buy the Stanley Aerolight Coffee Tumbler

Snag the Stanley Aerolight coffee tumbler on the Stanley website for around $35. You can also find it at most outdoor gear retailers, including Amazon, Public Lands and Target. While it’s a bit pricey for a coffee tumbler, you can’t put a price on the peace of mind this leakproof option brings to the table.