Some people like hot coffee, some like iced coffee, but nobody likes cool coffee!
Quick Summary of the IBEX Tumbler Mug
- Available in multiple colors such as silver, brilliant white, purple lilac, and sangria red
- Great for both hot and cold beverages
- Includes BPA free wide mouth lid
- Holds up to 30 ounces of your preferred beverage
When you get a hot drink, there is a certain time period where it is at the perfect drinking temperature. Unfortunately, in many standard cups, this window of time is short. If you are driving to work, chances are it’ll be too cold by the time you get there. Cold drinks are also prone to losing their temperature, leaving you with room-temperature water or flat soda. If you try to maintain its temperature with ice, you’re looking at a watered-down drink. The only way to keep drinks the way they should be is by maintaining their temperature from the time of pouring. To do that, you need to limit the airflow.
If you’re looking to bring coffee to work that will stay hot all day, or need a long-term cold drink for your kid’s baseball game, you’re in luck. The IBEX Stainless Steel Tumbler can do that and more!
Quick Overview
If you’re sick of your hot drinks being cold or your cold drinks being warm, consider upgrading your bottle, cup, or mug to the IBEX tumbler. This tumbler works to insulate your drink, either hot or cold, from the outside. This prevents air from getting in or out, and stops the transfer of heat to or from the liquid.
Specifics
- Holds up to 30 ounces of liquid (about 2 medium Dunkin’ Donuts coffees or 2 bottles of water) in a stainless-steel interior
- Has an outer layer that is also stainless steel, but comes in a variety of color options so you can customize yours and avoid mix-ups with the family
- Claims to be able to keep ice cold for 72 hours, or drinks warm for 24 hours due to a 2-layer wall of vacuum insulation that keeps the heat (or lack of heat) inside
- Can be used for camping, hiking, your morning commute, or at your kid’s baseball game.
- Includes a plastic drinking lid that is BPA-free, and can fit a straw (though no straw is included)
- At the cost of a week’s worth of Starbucks or 2 weeks of Dunkin’ Donuts coffee, this model is affordable enough to save you money from drinks you otherwise would have to dump out. It could pay for itself within a few weeks!
How it Works
The enemy of temperature control is heat transfer. When your hot drink sits out, the steam and heat rises from it and mixes with the room or environment around you. This removes heat from your drink through convection, and can also heat your drink if it is colder than your environment. It also loses or gains heat through conduction when the heat transfers by touching the walls of the mug or the table it rests on. If the mug is warmer or colder than the drink, the heat enters or leaves the mug and changes your drink’s temperature. This is why people heat their tea in mugs in the microwave, or drink beer from nearly frozen mugs!
Everyone has spilled their coffee while in a rush. Sure, not everyone spills the whole thing on your pants like in a sitcom, but car spills are still inconvenient! Where a tumbler excels against standard cups or mugs is in the ability to keep your liquids where they belong; in the cup. With a tumbler that seals the lid, you can throw your drink in your bag without worrying about spillage. They will also often fit in the cupholder of your car, protected from spilling from bumps or stops.
If you stop and get coffee in a foam cup, or regularly use plastic and paper cups, you’re wasting a lot of materials. The cups you buy need to be produced, and that leads to more garbage. Using a reusable tumbler will help to save the trees. It will also save you money because making drinks at home is almost always cheaper than getting them while out, and you won’t have to throw away your drink when it gets too warm or cold.
What’s Great
The IBEX stainless steel tumbler is about as feature-rich as a tumbler could be. There’s not much extra that a tumbler can do, but the IBEX tumbler does the basics well. Thanks to the double-layered insulation of stainless steel and the sealed BPA free lid, the tumbler helps to manage the temperature of your drinks by keeping heat in (or out). The vacuum between the layers also limits conduction, allowing you to keep your hands from getting cold or warm based on the liquid inside. The perks don’t stop there, though.
First, the product has style. Unlike many other models, it comes in a variety of colors of stainless steel for the exterior. Silver, white, black orange, gold, and more are available to add a personal touch to yours, and lets you get one for each member of your family without any mistaking which belongs to whom.
Next, the tumbler is built to last. It is made with food-grade stainless steel, and IBEX claims the stainless steel they use makes their tumbler the strongest on the market. Being made of 18/8 extra-thick stainless steel, it’s easy to see why they would say that.
Finally, the tumbler is convenient and cost-effective, and can help you to cut down on unnecessary spending. Throwing out cold drinks when they get warm or warm drinks when they get cold is a waste. Buying a cup of coffee every day can get expensive quickly as well. By maintaining your drinks, you can save money that you would otherwise pour down the drain. Also, with the 30 ounce capacity on the tumbler, you can store multiple cups of coffee and keep them hot. You won’t have to worry about running out of coffee before you’ve woken up or need to stop to buy a new drink.
What Needs Work
The primary concern with the IBEX Stainless Steel Tumbler appears to be their advertising. The product is advertised to keep ice frozen for 72 hours, and drinks warm for 24 hours. However, this is only true in absolutely ideal conditions. When someone has to drink from the tumbler, they expose the drink to convection because the lid is open. Frequently sipping it can lead to a ton of heat escaping or entering, and the drink can get warm or cold much more quickly than they may lead you to believe.
Another negative about this tumbler is its price. It sits at the top of the price range for tumblers, and customers have reported that they prefer other models that are cheaper. Many believe that they are paying for the design options and 72-hour cold and 24-hour hot promises, and the promises fall flat making it not worth the extra money.
Finally, the model does not come with a handle, and customers have complained about the stainless steel outside layer being hard to grip at times. The slippery material can slip through your hand if wet, making it a good idea to consider getting a separate handle.
IBEX vs RTIC 191 Tumbler
If you’re looking for an alternative to the IBEX tumbler, you could consider a competitor in the RTIC (191) tumbler. This tumbler is also 30 ounces, made with the same stainless steel, and available in a variety of colors. It will keep your drink hot or cold, but it feels a little less well built in some users opinions.
However, it also does not come with a handle and customers complain about the lid. The lid opens up as a latch rather than a slide, causing it to hit them in the face when they drink. It is also not compatible with many standard 30-ounce tumbler handles due to a wider design at the top, so you are stuck drinking by hand.
IBEX vs BEAST Tumbler
Another alternative to the IBEX tumbler is the BEAST tumbler. This 30oz tumbler is made of stainless steel, comes in a variety of steel colors, and has a splash proof lid to keep your drink safe. It falls into the same price range as the IBEX, but it comes with a ton of extras. The BEAST tumbler has a lifetime warranty, comes with a cleaning brush for easy cleaning, and 2 straws that fit in the lid easily. This model has over 3400 reviews on Amazon, and a good rating, making it a wildly popular choice.
Customers have reported that this tumbler has problems with the lid that the IBEX tumbler does not. The lid’s opening mechanism can be difficult to clean effectively, causing leftover drinks to sometimes get stuck and dry there. Customers also complain about the lid being too loose, leading to leaks and spills when just driving along. This appears to be a manufacturing error that only appears in some models, however, as many customers claim the lid fits great as well.
How Much Does it Cost?
The Final Word
Overall, if you do any kind of traveling or like your drinks either hot or cold, you can benefit from a tumbler. They let you keep drinks for much longer than standard cups, and save you from wasting money and paper from disposable cups.
Regardless of which option you choose, any investment made in a tumbler is probably a good one. It’ll pay itself off after a few weeks of coffee.