North Texas

Let Wayne Buy It: Insulated Mugs

We're hard-working people in North Texas and can't let the hot summer sun slow us down. Hydration keeps us going, and we all have our own ways of keeping those liquids cool.

A popular method is by using those silver insulated mugs you can fill with ice and come back hours later and still find ice.

We know they work, but differ greatly in price.

YETI mugs retail for $29.99. RTIC is a little cheaper at $12.99, and Ozark Trail is only $8.74.

We want to be clear: our test was not scientific in any way.

We put the same amount of water and ice in each cup and dropped a thermometer in each.

We then recorded the temperatures and came back 15 minutes later, and again an hour later to see the cups each holding their own. Each one had about the same amount of water, and there was a significant amount of ice in all three cups.

Throughout the day we'd peek in, and after six hours we recorded our final numbers.

All three cups have kept the water at about 36 degrees.

No cup differed more than 0.8 degrees. We're calling it a draw, considering the thermometers were off a few tenths of a point to begin with.

In the end there was no sign of the ice in the RTIC but a tiny bit in the YETI and the Ozark Trail.

Factor in the price difference, and Ozark Trail may be the way to go.

We reached out to each manufacturer for a comment. Ozark Trail, which is made by Walmart, and Austin-based YETI, had no comment. Houston-based RTIC said it has a newer version tumbler than what we used. They said the newer version out-performs the other guys. They also pointed out their new cup comes in different colors.

So, keep it all in mind as you price-shop for one of these insulated mugs.

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