Stanley Cups: an Unhealthy Obsession, Literally.
By Trần Thy Vân 7.1
If overconsumption was a sport in the Olympics, what object do you think would be the gold medalist? For me, it’d be the famous $45 Stanley Cup. It’s a 40-ounce insulated bottle, released by the F&B container brand Stanley in 1913. It first gained popularity in 2019, when Ashlee LeSuer, The Buy Guide’s cofounder, found them at Bed Bath & Beyond and decided to promote them on her website. From then on, they went viral—thanks to their branding of pastel colors, trendy crossovers, and collaborations with other brands. Despite their aesthetic branding, the controversies surrounding Stanley strike concern from people all over the internet.
Photograph by Octavio Jones, For USA TODAY: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/shopping/2024/01/13/stanley-cup-obsession-explained/72176008007/
1. The brawl for the limited Stanley x Wicked collection:
On October 13th, 2024, Stanley released their exclusive Wicked Quencher Tumblers as part of the merchandise for the movie. Only 3 days later, a video uploaded by Inside Edition on TikTok showed people lining up hours before Target opens and even fighting inside of the store for those cups.
Colleen Thomas, Misouri, who went with her mom, 8-year-old daughter, and niece to the store that day, said: “There was cursing; there was like shoving; people were grabbing things out of the cart, and I was like, what is happening?”
Not only Colleen, but other people in line had a similar experience. Grant, a self-proclaimed Target lover, shared: “Some girl was trying to snatch them out of people’s hands and everyone was yelling. Everyone was just running around, going crazy.”
2. Lead problems:
8 months before Target announced the Stanley x Wicked crossover, NBC Chicago reported that Stanley Tumbler Quenchers were facing a potential class action lawsuit. A month ago, in January 2024, videos of people testing Stanleys for lead at home took the internet by storm. Lead exposure can cause high blood pressure, along with reproductive, brain, heart, and kidney issues in adults.
The company’s spokesperson confirmed that the lead problem was true, but it was only used in pellets underneath the insulator. Unless the stainless steel barrier comes off, consumers won’t be exposed to the lead content. However, lawsuits filed against the company in Washington, Nevada, and California alleged that lead exposure is still possible if the vacuum seal breaks—and that the company was misleading consumers by not warning them about it.
3. Burn hazards:
In December 2024, Stanley was hit with another class action lawsuit after 2.6 million of their travel mugs were returned because of a potential burn risk. According to the CPSC, as a consequence of their bottles exploding into their bodies, 38 people suffered burns, and 11 were hospitalized worldwide. Following suit, on the 12th of December, the CPSC confirmed that these explosions were caused by errors during the manufacturing process, in which the lid threads shrunk when exposed to high temperatures.
To conclude, Stanley Cups aren’t just “ordinary water bottles"—they're sugarcoated health hazards. What started out as a camping appliance brand marketed towards men became an obsession among women and teenage girls, sparking fights at Target, safety concerns, and multiple lawsuits from different states—all thanks to The Buy Guide. As long as the Stanley rage reigns supreme, so will the controversies surrounding consumer behavior and health. What about you—would you pay $45 to risk your health when drinking water?
