Whirley XL 64-ounce Tumbler with handle and straw.
I’ll Take an Extra Extra Large
The larger drinks are rarer, which drives the price up. Plus, if you love Dunkin’ iced coffee, you always want more. Like eating popcorn at a movie theater, you just run out too fast. One popular insulated tumbler holds 64 ounces (see photo above). I can attest that this will keep your drink cold all day at the beach. It even includes a straw with enough girth to satisfy the most hardened iced coffee aficionado. This mug is all about maximum volume intake. Available in blue, green, white, and a gray print on a clear bottle (for better level viewing), Dunkies can have their choice.
The Bigger, the Better
Dunkin’ has been increasing sizes over the years, which began with The Big One, which was 10 ounces of coffee in the vintage ceramic mugs. A plastic one emerged that included a plastic mount, so you could stick it to your dashboard. That was a great invention at the time, safety issues of having a hurling hot mug of coffee in your face if you stop short, notwithstanding. The Big One was outpaced by The Giant One at 16 ounces. The Giant One stands out not only due to the sheer size but also because it was insulated plastic and could take cold or hot drinks. In the 1980s, this was revolutionary. Now 16 ounces is closer to a medium coffee since Dunkies need their caffeine, and coffee has a large profit margin.
The Big One travel mug.
Hold On!
Thanks to that genius who invented cup holders in cars, the travel tumbler was born. He should have gotten the Nobel prize for that. When Chrysler put them in their minivans in the 1990s, it spurred more merchandising. That decade brought black and white tumblers with the new flashy logo. The larger sizes followed in the 2000s to the delight of all. While the volume coffee drinkers want 32-ounce cups, designing them to be insulated and fit into a holder has proven difficult. As a result, most Dunkin’ tumblers are 24 ounces or smaller. That just means another stop at Dunkin’ later in the day, which honestly no one is complaining about.
Sports Teams
Dunkin’ is a company that started in Quincy, Massachusetts, and has a large following in New England. Some cities have stores across the street from each other. In Boston, you can’t swing an empty coffee cup without smacking into one. Over the years, Dunkin’ made many tumblers representing the Red Sox and the New England Patriots. Some of the Red Sox are the most sought after, with one currently listed for $70. There are even fewer New England Patriots tumblers. There is an aluminum one with the Patriots and Dunkin’s logos listed for over $50. True New England fans just hold on to the ones they bought new, especially the commemorative World Series or popular player cups.
Red Sox 22-ounce tumbler.
Too Cold to Handle
Tumblers with a handle and 24 ounces and larger seem to be rarer. Insulated tumblers are quite popular, keeping iced beverages colder longer (not that ice melting was a risk for some of the speed drinkers). In addition, they prevent condensation for those laptop workers. Dunkin’ doesn’t seem to add a handle very often. The tumblers sans handle are much easier to store in a cupboard or display. They also have a more sleek and modern design for a much cleaner look. Even the ones with a handle will still fit in your car’s cup holder. Dunkin’ knows where you drink it.
Current Offerings
Most recently, the 16-ounce acrylic Pride tumbler, stainless 28-ounce DNKN, and color-changing tumblers are all the rage. The Pride and stainless DNKN are listed at twice the price online compared to in-store. The color-changing stainless steel tumblers are available in white but cannot even be found on eBay. The 35-ounce cold-activated bottle-shaped tumbler turns from white to hot pink or from white to orange. These are currently the most sought-after, though Pride and DNKN are the first and second runners-up.
Pride 16-ounce tumbler with reuseable straws.
Dunkin’ Has You Covered
No matter what type of tumbler you want, Dunkin’ has made it. From the early days Big One dashboard mug to the XL Whirley 64-ounce or sleek new, more modern tumblers, you can find the vessel that works for you. With a handle or without, plastic or stainless, with your favorite New England sports team, vintage or new, there are a plethora of tumblers from which to choose. My personal favorite has to be the 64-ounce or the 28-ounce stainless DNKN because I’m all about more iced coffee or iced tea. If I could find a 35-ounce cold-activated orange or pink, I’d be happy to have those too. What do you consider to be the perfect tumbler? Or what is your favorite that you already have? Leave a description of your masterpiece in the comments below. My ideal tumbler would be a stainless 34-ounce Patriots 6X with a handle. Are you listening, Dunkin’?
L.A. Rankin lives in South Florida. She is a freelance writer, avid walker, reader, and trivia savant. On any given day, she can be found at her local Dunkin’ Donuts.
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