Psychologists will tell you that things can’t make you happy. That happiness comes from our life experiences and our relationships with others.
Sure. Sure. OK. To a point. But something tells me that these same psychologists have never taken a sip from a Yeti Rambler 10 oz Lowball in stainless steel. Because that, to me, is pure joy. It is my favorite cup that I’ve ever used, capable of keeping drinks super cold for hours—even without ice.
The insulated design is made from double-walled steel insulation. That means a small pocket of air is trapped in between the outer and inner surfaces, so that heat cannot transfer easily in or out of the cup itself. As a result, when I pour a Spindrift grapefruit into the rambler, it literally tastes colder than it does right out of the refrigerator from the can. That’s not hyperbole. I’m absolutely serious. This cup either breaks the laws of physics or hacks your perception of temperature. Or both. What I know for sure: This very specific cup in the Yeti line is better than all the other cups in the Yeti line.
Lest you think I’m unqualified for this assertion, know that I’ve tried a lot of drinking vessels in my time! I’ve sipped wine with the Maximilian Riedel himself, OK? I’ve gulped from vacuum-walled Bodums and battery-powered Embers. I’ve spent too many hours debating what I should drink from to optimize the sipping experience. And frankly, I never thought Yeti would be the solution.
I’ve always thought of the Yeti brand, with its astronomically expensive insulated coolers, as a Supreme for old suburbanites. With the right sticker, a $400 plastic cooler to keep $6 light beer on ice became a status symbol for middle America, like a Costco Gold Card for cookouts. And for this exact reason, I was a bit resistant to try a Yeti Rambler 10 oz Lowball in stainless steel.
But for whatever reason (translation: most definitely the Amazon algorithm wearing me down), I did. And now, every evening as I take my spot on the couch and spend an hour flipping through Hulu/Netflix/Amazon queues, I actually look forward to drinking out of this cup. After months of looking on in a mixture of jealousy and annoyance as I went on and on about the freakin’ cup, I bought one for my wife, too. I thought maybe it was a stupid present that would be too big for her hands—until she started to go on and on about the freakin’ cup with me! Marriages don’t sustain themselves, people! You need shared interests.
“But what about all those generic brands I see on Amazon?” you’re thinking. “Aren’t they just as good as the Yeti Rambler 10 oz Lowball in stainless steel?” Look, I’ve tried a couple. They’re not much, if any cheaper than Yeti, nor are they in the same league in terms of build quality. Because the insulation alone isn’t why I adore this cup.
The rim has just the right curvature to be soft on your lips. The steel body is easily grippable and never gets wet with condensation. And you can even toss it into the dishwasher if you like. My only caveat, if you are planning to splurge the $15 on a Yeti Rambler 10 oz Lowball, is that you resist the various colorful options because, one, they’re uglier, and two, they have a powdery coating that’s not as nice to touch.
Stick to the three pure metal finishes—stainless steel and copper…or graphite, if you must.
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