To go along with my tea obsession, I have 3 tumblers. I had been rotating between them and noticing a few differences here and there. I decided to test them out officially, paying attention to heat retention, aesthetic appeal, and practicality, which are the most important characteristics of a tumbler for me. This way, I can share my thoughts with you and also know which tumbler to use for different needs.

First up is a Contigo tumbler, which I bought from Peet's Coffee at my school with meal points. It was the only tumbler I knew for all of Freshman and Sophomore years. After putting it to the test, I can see why! It is the perfect size to slide into the cup holder in my back pack and I won't have fears of it falling over. It is a sleek metal tumbler with a button that you press to open the hole for sipping so that, assuming you have screwed the cap on tightly, you can turn it upside down and nothing will spill out. To brew the tea I leave the cap off, put in the tea bag or mesh ball, pour hot water over, and wait until it steeps. Then I leave the cap off for an additional 10-15 minutes so that it cools down to a good temperature. It stayed at the resulting temperature for about an hour and remained warm enough for my tastes for another hour and a half, totaling to 2.5 hours of drinkability.
Next is a tumbler that my friend bought for me from Vera Bradley. This is by far the most adorable tumbler I own. Whenever I use it I feel like the coolest kid on the block. This is an all plastic tumbler. Like the Contigo one, it fits perfectly into my back pack cup holder. However, the lid is not as secure as the Contigo. The cover over the sipping hole is a plastic flap that you can push up to open. It stays closed because of a groove in the lid that a jutting out piece on the flap clings to. This type of closure is not secure and spilled a moderate amount when I threw it into my bag. Another flaw is that the cushion on the bottom of the cup is not centered perfectly. Also, the hot water creates condensation between the label portion of the tumbler and the outer plastic. I brew tea in this the same way that I do with the Contigo. I found the heat staying power to be the same. Overall, I use this tumbler when I want to have a cute tea accessory, not so much for its practicality. I do love it all the same, though.

Finally is a tumbler from Teavana. This is a tea connoisseur's tumbler. Not only is it sleek, metal, and has a sophisticated yet modern mosaic pattern, it also has a steeping mechanism built in.You can put your loose-leaf tea (or tea bag) into the steeper, twist it onto the tumbler, and twist the cap on. The size of the steeper is perfect for tea leaves to expand and develop flavor. The design is so well thought out and executed. There is absolutely no chance of spilling with this one. And the best part--it keeps heat for incredibly long. I pour hot water in the tumbler, put the leaves in the steeper and twist the steeper into the tumbler. I let the leaves steep and let it sit with the cap off for 15 minutes. I then pour the cold water until it is at the perfect sipping temperature, and it will stay that hot for hours. 2 hours later and it is still the same temperature (I haven't tested it longer than that because by then the tea is all gone). The only downfall is that I am afraid to put it into the cup holder in my back pack because it is heavy and tall so that I fear it falling out.

I hope this review helps you in your quest for the perfect tumbler.

TTT <3