THERMOS ICON SERIES Stainless Steel Cold Tumbler
My daily coffee tumbler. The slide lock seals well enough that a tip-over doesn't dump everywhere, and the heat retention is almost too good.
The THERMOS ICON SERIES Stainless Steel Cold Tumbler is worth buying if you want one tumbler for daily coffee. Rated 6 hours hot and 22 hours cold, it keeps coffee hot enough that I take the lid off to cool it down. The slide lock seals better than most mugs. Buy it.
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How this review was made: written from my own video review of this product. Every opinion here is my own, from using it myself.
Quick Verdict
I have to take the lid off in the morning so my coffee cools down. That’s the headline. Go back to it an hour later with the lid on and it’s gonna still be scalding, and the slide lock keeps liquid in there if it tips.
Buy if you:
- drink coffee on a commute and want it hot two hours later
- toss a tumbler in a bag and need the lid to hold
- want something that fits a car cup holder without wobbling
- like customizing with vinyl stickers for a gift
Skip if you:
- want a lid you can throw sideways in a backpack. I don’t trust it implicitly, and I’m not shaking it around
- like your coffee drinkable right away, because this holds heat longer than I want
- need a straw in the box. It’s straw compatible but no straw is included
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| Capacity | 24 oz (18 oz also available) |
|---|---|
| Cold retention | Up to 22 hours |
| Hot retention | Up to 6 hours |
| Material | 18/8 stainless steel, vacuum insulated |
| Lid | Slide lock, straw compatible when open (straw not included) |
| Care | Wide mouth, dishwasher safe, hand wash recommended |
I Have to Take the Lid Off to Cool My Coffee Down
That’s my actual morning routine with the THERMOS ICON SERIES Stainless Steel Cold Tumbler. I pour the coffee, then I leave the top off for a while because otherwise it’s too hot to drink. I don’t like my coffee scalding. If you leave the top on and go back to it an hour later, it’s gonna still be scalding.
So when people ask whether it keeps things warm for extended periods of time, that’s my answer. Rated 6 hours hot. In practice I never get anywhere near the limit of it, because I finish the coffee long before the tumbler gives up.
The Slide Lock Is Good, Not Bulletproof
It’s much better sealed than a lot of those other coffee mugs that don’t really have a seal, but I don’t trust it implicitly. There’s liquid in mine right now and I’m not going to shake it around a lot to prove a point. Tip it over on a desk and it’s not gonna spill everywhere. Carry it upside down in a gym bag and I wouldn’t bet on it.
As long as you keep these things upright, you’re fine. That’s the rule. The slide lock also doubles as the straw opening for cold drinks, though the straw isn’t in the box, which catches people off guard.
What the Money Buys You
18/8 stainless steel, vacuum insulation, and a brand that’s been doing this since 1904. The 18/8 stainless shell and the lid gasket are both built to outlast the cheaper double-wall tumblers that start leaking around the hinge after a few months of daily use. If you’re buying this once and not again, the price-per-use math works in its favor fast.
One thing I’d flag: the price on this one moves around a lot. It’s sitting at its usual three-month level right now, but it’s been considerably cheaper at points. Worth a look at the current price on Amazon rather than assuming what it costs.
People Buy It for Cold. I Bought It for Coffee.
The name says cold tumbler and the headline spec is 22 hours cold, which is a ton of time. That’s what sells it. But I don’t really use this for cold. It’s my go-to tumbler for coffee every single day, and the stainless steel does both jobs with the same vacuum wall. Don’t let the “cold” in the name steer you away if you’re a hot drink person.
Cleaning It and Dressing It Up
Wide mouth opening, so my hand and a sponge both fit. It’s dishwasher safe but hand washing is what Thermos recommends, and that’s what I do, mostly because I’d rather not take chances with a lid gasket I need to keep sealing.
The outside has that nice feel when you’re carrying it, which also means vinyl sticks to it well. I cut some stickers out on my Cricut with my wife and I’s anniversary on it and gave it to her as a little anniversary gift. If you’re doing the same, hand wash only, no question.
Where It Sits Against the Rest of the Shelf
Thermos has been making vacuum flasks since 1904, and the sales data suggests buyers still trust that history: the tumbler is sitting at #5,216 in Kitchen & Dining right now against a 90-day average of #6,693, trending upward, with more than 200 sold in the past month. That’s not a fluke spike, it’s a steady mover.
I went with the gray, which photographs well for the sticker project I mentioned, but there are enough color options that picking one is the actual decision you’ll spend time on. Size is simpler: the 18 oz if your commute is short, the 24 oz if you’re not back at a coffee maker until noon, and the 24 fits a standard car cup holder, which isn’t guaranteed at that capacity.
Who This Is For
Coffee drinkers with a commute, and anyone who’s tired of replacing lids. If you fill it in the kitchen and drink it at a desk two hours later, this is the tumbler. If you want a sealed bottle you can toss sideways into a bag, this isn’t that, and I’d rather tell you now than have you find out on your car seat.
Pros
- Keeps coffee hot past the point I want it hot, even an hour later
- Slide lock seals far better than typical open-top coffee mugs
- Fits a car cup holder and feels good in the hand
- 18/8 stainless, wide mouth, easy to clean, built to last
- Two sizes and a range of colors, and the finish takes vinyl stickers well
Cons
- I don’t trust the seal implicitly. Upright is fine, sideways in a bag I wouldn’t risk
- Heat retention is so strong you’ll be waiting on your coffee in the morning
- Straw compatible, but no straw included
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put the lid in the dishwasher?
It’s dishwasher safe, but Thermos recommends hand washing and that’s what I do. Lid gaskets are the first thing to go on any tumbler, and heat cycles in a dishwasher don’t help. Takes thirty seconds at the sink anyway.
What size straw fits the slide lock?
Any standard reusable tumbler straw should fit through the slide lock opening, but you’ll need to supply your own since one isn’t included. The straw opening only works for cold drinks with the lock slid open.
Will the outside sweat and leave rings on furniture?
No. Vacuum insulation means the outer wall stays near room temperature regardless of what’s inside, so there’s no condensation to drip. There’s also a non-slip soft touch base on the bottom that keeps it from sliding on a desk.
Does it work for soup or anything thicker than a drink?
I wouldn’t. This is a tumbler with a sip lid, not a food jar, and the narrow drink opening makes eating out of it awkward. Thermos makes dedicated food jars with wide mouths and spoons if that’s the job.
Get it now
THERMOS ICON SERIES Stainless Steel Cold Tumbler
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