The History of Stanley Quencher Tumblers

Prolific inventor William Stanley wanted to find a way to keep his coffee hot while working. In 1913, he applied some of what he’d learned while developing the first practical transformer (one of his many inventions) and created an all-steel, double-walled vacuum bottle. He started selling the tumblers under his family name, Stanley. The tumblers became popular among blue-collar workers and outdoorsy types, but in 2019, the Stanley’s 40-ounce insulated tumblers (now called Stanley Quenchers) became a bona fide viral trend. After the founders of The Buy Guide, an Instagram account and shopping site, gifted a Stanley Quencher to social media personality Emily Maynard Johnson, she posted about it on Instagram. After seeing the positive review, a Stanley executive offered The Buy Guide the opportunity to purchase thousands of Quenchers directly from Stanley to sell on their site. The Buy Guide wrote a post about it and set up a shopping site for the Stanley Quenchers, which sold out in just 5 days. In 2020, Terence Reilly moved from a successful stint at Crocs to serve as the president of Stanley and implemented a series of partnerships that solidified the Stanley Quencher as a must-have item available in a wide variety of colors and patterns. The Stanley Quencher’s viral popularity only grew and, in some cases, this led to pandemonium in stores when exclusive colorways went on sale. Critics of the product have mentioned that the cup’s viral status as a must-have accessory has encouraged rampant consumerism, with some fans collecting many versions of the tumblers. The desirability of Stanley Quenchers reached a fever pitch in 2023. Today, Stanley Quenchers remain popular and are considered one of the trendiest reusable tumblers on the market.