Hydro Flask 16 oz All Around Tumbler Review

The Hydro Flask 16 oz All Around Tumbler is a compact insulated cup for coffee, tea, soda or water. It gets a lot right, from its cup-holder-friendly shape to a lid that opens with one hand, and its single real flaw is that the number in its name overstates how much drink it holds in practice.

Specifications

Materials are stainless steel, BPA-free plastic and silicone, and it is made in China with a manufacturer warranty.

Rated capacity is 16oz. It weighs 8.8 oz (249.5 g) and measures 3.35 in x 5.75 in (8.5 x 14.6 cm). Materials are stainless steel, BPA-free plastic and silicone, and it is made in China with a manufacturer warranty.

Design and materials

The body uses the same 18/8 pro-grade stainless steel found across much of the Hydro Flask range, so it looks and feels like a typical bottle from the brand. A smooth, soft powder-coat finish was offered in 15 colors when reviewed, though the lineup rotates at least every season; the Rain blue version used for testing has already disappeared from the brand's site, so buyers who like a shade should not wait. The front carries the brand's logo and name printed in white. The stainless rim is gently rounded and pleasant to sip from directly if the lid is left off.

Lid

The plastic lid presses into the opening and has a sliding closure on top that works one-handed, handy while driving, and silicone gaskets stop coffee from sloshing into a cup holder during a commute. Drinking from it is comfortable, although the edge of the lid can occasionally be felt against the lips. It did not leak in use, but it sometimes appeared not to be fully seated because a small gap seemed to remain. It is not a leakproof design.

The capacity catch

The tumbler technically holds 16 ounces, but only when filled right to the rim, so full that the first sip has to be taken before lifting it off the counter. Once the press-in lid is in place, roughly 3 ounces of space is lost, whether the drink is a 16-ounce soda or the rest of a coffee pot. Not everyone will mind, but anyone wanting maximum volume should treat it as a 12-ounce cup or choose the 20 oz model, which accommodates a true 16 ounces. Had it simply been labeled 12 oz with the same dimensions, there would be almost nothing to criticize.

Cleaning

It can be hand washed or put through the dishwasher. Neither the lid nor the cup held on to flavors or odors when switching between coffee and water, and there are few separate parts to disassemble.

Portability

At 8.8 ounces it is light for its rated size, though less impressive given its true usable volume. The base tapers so it slips without fuss into cup holders and backpack bottle pockets, while the top opens out into the wider mouth typical of a tumbler, and it remains comfortable in the hand. It worked without trouble in several vehicles, both for drivers and passengers, and in the side pockets of various daypacks. For travelers who want something small and light and do not need it to be leakproof, it is a reasonable choice. Over time it showed no scratches or signs of wear, stayed comfortable to drink from and felt extremely light, with a lid that feels very soft, although it does seem small for a 16-ounce vessel.

Compared with alternatives

The Corkcicle Classic Tumbler is also nominally a 16-ounce cup with a press-in lid, but it leaves headroom for the lid while still holding 16 ounces, and its silicone base is quieter and grippier on a table. Its clear lid, however, stained quickly from coffee, which is not a problem on the Hydro Flask. Each maintains hot or cold temperatures for hours, and both have an easy-to-grip shape that fits most bottle pockets and cup holders.

Hydro Flask's own 16 oz Coffee Tumbler with Flex Sip Lid adds a handle and a leakproof lid that suit travel, but its lid comes apart into four pieces, making cleanup more of a chore. It stays uniformly wide along its height and is slightly less pleasant to hold, a difference mostly noticeable when handling the two back to back. Because its lid screws on, it holds 16 ounces with room to carry it without spilling. This model and the Corkcicle each leave an inch or more of headspace, which the All Around Tumbler lacks.

Verdict

As a lightweight, comfortable tumbler for hot or cold beverages that opens one-handed and keeps beverages at temperature for a long time, the All Around Tumbler is a great option for anyone who does not need a full 16 ounces. Pouring from a 12-ounce can rather than a 16-ounce bottle avoids the issue entirely, and Hydro Flask also sells a press-in lid that includes a built-in straw. Strengths are its cup-holder fit, one-handed operation and lasting temperature retention; drawbacks are the reduced usable capacity, a lid edge that can be felt while drinking and the dents Hydro Flask bottles can pick up when dropped.