Cup, tumbler, glass, mug. We use the words loosely, but they don't mean the same thing, and the difference matters when you're choosing something for your desk, your bar or your next branded giveaway.
The short answer
A cup is any open-top drinking vessel, usually plastic, paper, glass or ceramic, meant for everyday use. A tumbler today usually means a lidded, insulated cup, often stainless steel, built to keep drinks hot or cold on the go. Behind a bar, tumbler also means a flat-bottomed glass with no stem or handle.
A cup is the most basic drink container there is: an open top, a base and something to hold. Cups come in every material and size, from paper coffee cups to plastic stadium cups to ceramic teacups. Most have no lid and no insulation, which makes them inexpensive and perfect for home, restaurants and events.
The word has two meanings. In bars and restaurants, a tumbler is a sturdy glass with a flat bottom and no stem or handle, like a rocks glass or a highball. The name is often traced to early drinking glasses with rounded bottoms that tipped, or tumbled, if you set them down.
Most people today, though, mean a travel tumbler: a lidded, usually stainless steel cup with double walls and a vacuum between them. That insulation keeps coffee hot and iced drinks cold for hours. Here's how insulated tumblers work.
| Cup | Tumbler (travel) | |
|---|---|---|
| Top | Open, sometimes with a disposable lid | Lidded, often with a slider or straw |
| Materials | Plastic, paper, glass or ceramic | Usually stainless steel |
| Temperature | No insulation | Double-wall vacuum insulation keeps drinks hot or cold for hours |
| Sizes | Everything from shot size to stadium cups | Usually about 12 to 40 oz |
| Where it shines | At home, in restaurants and at events | Commutes, desks and outdoor days |
| Price | Inexpensive | More of an investment |
A cup is for the moment. A tumbler is for the whole day.
Cups win when you're serving a crowd. Events, festivals, stadiums, bars and restaurants need something affordable that works for any drink and doesn't have to travel. Reusable plastic cups are also a smart branded giveaway, since people take them home and keep using them.
Shop the 16 oz laserable plastic cup →
Tumblers win for daily carry. If your drink needs to stay hot through a morning of meetings or cold through an afternoon at the ballfield, insulation is the whole point. They also make great gifts, because a good tumbler gets used every single day.
Weighing a tumbler against a flask? See thermos vs. tumbler.
Is a tumbler a cup?
Yes, technically. A tumbler is a type of cup, usually with a lid and insulation.
What is a tumbler cup?
Usually an insulated, lidded travel cup, often stainless steel with a straw or sip lid.
Why is it called a tumbler?
The name is often traced to early drinking glasses with rounded bottoms that tipped, or tumbled, when set down.
What's the difference between a tumbler and a mug?
A mug has a handle and usually no lid, and it's made for hot drinks at home. A tumbler has a lid and no handle, and it travels.
Cups for the event, tumblers for the gift
Tell us the event, the quantity and your logo. We'll help you choose between laser-engraved tumblers and laserable plastic cups.