Yeti Tumbler cups are great insulating cups that can keep ice for up for 24-hours and keep hot beverages warm for up to 12 hours. But they aren’t perfect and they do have some problems.
Here are 7 problems with Yeti tumbler cups that you should be aware of before you purchase one.
1. They Are Expensive
Yeti tumbler cups aren’t cheap. Below you can see the current prices of their 3 main sizes and as you can see they are going to cost you around $30 a cup:
- Yeti Lowball 10oz cup:
- Yeti Rambler 20oz cup:
- Yeti Rambler 30oz cup:
While these cups are great and work really well they use a pretty basic technology that isn’t patented. This means that other companies can make the same or similar cups for a fraction of the price.
Ozark Trail by Walmart is a popular alternative which works as good, if not better, that Yeti cups but for a fraction of the cost.
- Ozark Trail 10oz cup:
- Ozark Trail 20oz cup:
- Ozark Trail 30oz cup:
RTIC is another brand that is extremely similar to Yeti and there are hundreds of other brands that offer a very similar product for a much cheaper price.
See all stainless steel tumbler options (on Amazon)
2. They Use The Same Technology As Cheaper Alternatives
The technology that makes a Yeti cup work is really interesting and really effective, but it’s also the exact same technology as cheaper alternatives.
The cups are made from stainless steel, which is a poor conductor of heat, and they are double walled. In-between the two walls is a vacuum which doesn’t let much heat pass through it.
Add some copper plating to insulate against radiation heat then top off the cup with a plastic lid (plastic is another great insulator) and there you have a Yeti cup.
This technology was invented back in the 1950’s but was only recently popularised by Yeti. So while Yeti cups are great, other cups are just as good because they use the same technology.
Learn more about how a Yeti Tumbler works.
3. They Are Hard To Fit In a Cup Holder
The Yeti Tumbler cups have a very wide base. This can be good because they are less likely to be knocked over, but it can also mean it’s hard to fit them in the cup holders of your car.
The Yeti 30oz just fit in my cup holder, while the RTIC 30oz was just too big. But the Yeti Lowball has an extremely thick base and has no chance of fitting in my cup holder.
Which is sad because this is my favorite sized cup out of all of them.
See my ultimate tumbler review
4. They Get Dangerous Mould Under The Lid Gasket
This is a design flaw, not just of the Yeti but of most if not all vacuum sealed tumblers.
They have a rubber seal around the lid to help the lid stay on and to make sure that it is watertight. But moisture does tend to get stuck in them and mould can develop quite quickly.
You often can’t see the mould because it is under the rubber seal and the mould is the same color (black) as the rubber seal.
So make sure you clean your Yeti cup properly to ensure you’re not drinking dangerous mould which could make you sick.
5. They Can Lose Their Vacuum Seal and Their Effectiveness
This doesn’t happen extremely often but it can happen. Yeti cups work so well because there is a near vacuum between the outer and inner wall of the cup which heat struggles to get through, making it a great insulator.
But it only takes a minor hole or issue to allow air into that vacuum. Once there is air inside the vacuum the cup will no longer be a great insulator and you’ll notice your ice melting way faster or your drink not staying as hot for long.
It’s also difficult to tell just by looking at your tumbler if it is faulty and has this issue. There are some tests you can do which I wrote about in my article on do Yeti cups stop working?
This issue is covered by the manufacturers warranty and Yeti have a 5-Year warranty period. So if this happens to you make sure to get in contact with Yeti to get a replacement cup sent out to you.
6. The Wine Tumblers Don’t Come With Lids
The Yeti 10oz wine tumblers are more expensive than the Yeti Lowball 10oz but the Lowball comes with a plastic lid while the wine tumblers don’t.
For some people this won’t be a problem because you rarely drink wine with a lid anyway. But for someone like me who is using this when on a picnic with kids, wine glasses can get knocked over super easily so I would love a lid for that.
7. They Can React To Certain Drinks Making Them Taste Funny
Yeti Tumbler cups are made from stainless steel which can react with some organic materials, especially when they are hot, and give the beverages a metallic taste.
So customers have complained that their coffee tastes weird in a Yeti cup and that it does has a metal taste to it, while others have said their coffee tastes fine out of a Yeti cup.
But given the cup can keep beverages hot for up to 12 hours and many people are putting boiling water in these cups it’s understandable that the beverage may react slightly with the stainless steel.
I did look into whether or not Yeti cups cause cancer and it appears they don’t which is great news. But they can potentially add nickel and chromium into your beverage and some people get allergic contact dermatitis from this
None Of These Problems Are Deal Breakers
While Yeti tumbler cups aren’t perfect and do have some problems, I don’t see any of these problems as deal breakers.
I own 2 Yeti cups as well as an RTIC and an Orca cup and I love all of them and have used them all for years and I would happily recommend them.
If you're interested in purchasing a Yeti cup please click one of the pricelinks below.
Yeti Lowball 10oz cup:
Yeti Rambler 20oz cup:
Yeti Rambler 30oz cup:
