Most people searching for an Owala coffee mug aren’t actually deciding whether to buy Owala. They’re trying to figure out which Owala to buy.
After using all four coffee mugs Owala currently sells, we think the answer is pretty simple. For most people, buy the 12-ounce SmoothSip Slider.
It’s the sweet spot between portability, leak resistance, and price, and it’s big enough to hold the amount of coffee most people drink.
Why We Like Owala Coffee Mugs
So I am definitely the kind of person who falls for trending water bottles or coffee mugs. That started way back when I was a camp counselor and carried a Nalgene everywhere. I even took it with me to China, where I made friends simply because we were both devoted Nalgene people (Hi Stacy!!).
Then I moved upmarket a bit. Hydro Flask had its moment, then Klean Kanteen, and honestly I’ve been happy with all of them. To my credit, I wasn’t big on the Stanley hype (ha). But when Owala showed up on my radar, I couldn’t resist seeing what all the fuss was about.
Naturally, my first purchase was one of their water bottles. (Choosing a color combination felt oddly high stakes. Like picking a horoscope. I spent way too long deciding. And I still arm chair psycho-analyze everyone I pass who has one based on their color choice, lol).
So when I realized Owala also made coffee mugs, I ran—okay, opened Amazon—and added one to our collection. This first one I bought was the original 10-ounce SmoothSip. I liked the size quite a bit, but it wasn’t leak resistant, and I found myself wishing it held heat better. When Owala introduced the SmoothSip Slider with its locking lid, it looked like exactly the upgrade I wanted.
Quick Comparison of Owala Coffee Mugs
| Mug | Price | Buy if… |
|---|---|---|
| SmoothSip Slider 12 oz | $25 | Best overall |
| SmoothSip Slider 20 oz | $30 | You drink a lot of coffee |
| Ceramic Slider 20 oz | $30 | You hate metallic taste |
| Original SmoothSip | $20 | Only if it’s heavily discounted |
How We Tested Owala Coffee Mugs
We bought these Owala coffee mugs with our own money and used them the same way we’d use any travel mug at home.
No matter which Owala mug you opt for, here’s what I think makes them great:
- Good insulation
- Comfortable mouth feel
- Super fun colors
- Fits cupholders
- Dishwasher safe
- Leak-proof/resistant (with the Slider cap)
Since the products are roughly the same across those categories, we paid attention to a few other features to determine our favorite:
- Leak resistance
- Heat retention
- Portability/size
For heat retention, we filled each mug with freshly brewed coffee and measured the temperature immediately after pouring and again one hour later.
In our real-world testing, we found that all three Slider mugs performed almost identically. Our findings show that the three Slider mugs all lost the same amount of heat, while the original SmoothSip (without the leak-proof cap) trailed behind.
| Mug | Start | 1 hour | Drop |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 oz Slider | 186° | 116° | -70° |
| Original 10 oz | 183° | 104° | -79° |
| 20 oz Slider | 172° | 102° | -70° |
| Ceramic 20 oz | 180° | 111° | -69° |
Without further ado, let’s look closer at the mug we recommend to friends, family, and… um, internet strangers (that’s you!), alike.
Our Pick: Owala SmoothSip Slider (12 oz)
$24.99
Owala SmoothSip Slider Insulated Stainless Steel Coffee Tumbler
- Big enough for a generous pour but compact enough to fit comfortably in your hand
- Leak-resistant Slider lid won't damage other items in your bag, like electronics
- Colorful and fun to use!
Low-Key Coffee Snobs is funded by affiliate commissions which we (often) make when you buy products we link.
At this stage of my life, I really only care about three things in a travel coffee mug. First is portability. I don’t want to lug around a giant tumbler unless I’m headed out for the day, so size matters.
Second, heat retention. I don’t need my coffee to stay lava hot for eight hours, but I do want it to still be pleasantly warm an hour later if I get distracted (which, with two little kiddos, is almost guaranteed).
And third—maybe most importantly—joy. 🤩 Does the mug make me happy every time I grab it? Owala’s color combinations definitely do. They’re fun and give me a tiny dopamine hit every morning.
Why I love it
- Leak resistant
- Perfect size for a “normal sized” cup of coffee (We know bigger usually sounds better. But unless you’re routinely carrying 20 ounces of coffee around, the smaller mug is simply nicer to use, IMHO)
- Fits the cupholders in both our Odyssey Touring and Nissan Murano
- Easy one-handed lid (one-handed is clutch)
- Less bulky than the 20 oz
- AeroPress can fit on top and be brewed directly into the mug
- Costs just $25
Should You Buy the Ceramic-Lined Owala Coffee Tumbler?
If you’ve ever noticed a metallic taste from stainless mugs, spend the extra $5 to snag the ceramic-lined version of the mug. If you haven’t noticed any taste differential, you can just save your money. (Note that the you can also get a ceramic-lined Owala coffee tumbler 12 ounce size).
There’s also an Owala coffee mug with a handle. Normally I am all about this feature (that’s why the Klean Kanteen TKWide is my go-to travel mug), but I find the placement of it on the Owala mug (to the side rather than across the top) frankly, annoying. It makes it harder to fit in a cupholder and is awkward to carry when my hands are full rather than net-helpful.
What About the 20 oz SmoothSip Slider?
Twenty ounces of hot coffee sounds awesome until you actually carry a tumbler of this size around. Unless you’re sharing that single thermal coffee mug with your boo, I find it is much too big — and honestly just too much coffee (!).
If you’re someone who drinks coffee all day at work, it may be a good fit. Otherwise we’d buy the smaller one.
Is the Original SmoothSip Worth Buying?
I’d skip adding the original SmoothSip to your coffee mug collection simply because it isn’t leak resistant. At this stage of life, I don’t always have the mental bandwidth to carry a mug around while also making sure it stays perfectly upright. It was a perfectly OK option back when I had an Owala brand crush and the leak-proof Slider mugs didn’t exist.
But now that they do, this one will mostly live in the back of our cabinet until the kids are a little older… or I become a much more coordinated person.
Are Owala Coffee Mugs Dishwasher Safe?
Yes. Owala says its coffee mugs are dishwasher safe, though we still only place them on our top rack.
If you regularly use your Owala to drink coffee, it’s also worth taking the Slider lid apart every week or two for a deeper clean, since coffee oils can build up underneath the silicone seal and around the sliding mechanism.
It takes about a minute once you’ve done it once:
1. Remove the lid
Unscrew the lid from the tumbler and set the cup aside.
2. Open the slider
Slide the drinking tab all the way into the open position.
3. Pop the slider off
This part feels wrong the first time because it takes more pressure than you’d expect. Grip the slider and pull upward until it pops free. Owala even includes the words “Use force!” in the instructions, which made me laugh because it’s exactly what you have to do. It pops off much more easily after you’ve done it once or twice.
4. Flip the lid over
Turn the lid upside down and make sure the silicone seal is pushed completely upward.
5. Rotate the seal
Twist the silicone seal about 90 degrees so it lines up with the opening.
6. Remove the silicone seal
Pull the seal out of the lid. Now you can wash each piece individually.
Wash and reassemble
Wash the lid, slider, seal, and tumbler with warm, soapy water, or place them in the dishwasher. Once everything is dry, reinstall the seal, snap the slider back into place, and make sure it moves freely before your next cup of coffee.
Final Thoughts
After using all four Owala coffee tumblers, we’d buy the 12-ounce SmoothSip Slider again without hesitation. Big enough for most coffee drinks, genuinely leak resistant, comfortable to drink from, and reasonably priced.
And… SO CUTE!!!
