Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Like many people I was looking to purchase a 30 oz Yeti tumbler, however there is a massive shortage (and has been for months). This has had the effect of driving the price of a tumbler up to double what they used to cost (or more). It is a completely absurd amount for people to pay for a technology that my grandfather used to enjoy. Like you, I found the Polar Drifter version here and I ordered three of them. The price is still more than even the Yeti used to cost, so it is not reasonable - but it is a LOT less than the Yeti so I took a chance. Here is how they compare in detail. THE LID: As you will see from the photos attached, the lid is absolutely identical to the Yeti. The size, shape, and even the drinking slit and the air hole are all the same. Furthermore, they use the identical gasket around the edge for spill proofing. The lids are also, as you would expect, interchangeable. You can use either lid, on either tumbler. The one thing that appears a tad different is the color of the clear lid material. I don't know if this is because my Yeti lid is months old and has changed, or if there is actually a difference in the composition of the plastic used. My guess is the former, not the latter as I'm sure all of the plastics are safe in terms of toxicity. But neither has any markings other than the branding. THE TUMBLERS: The shape of the tumblers is absolutely identical. The material composition also appears to be identical, although my photo had uneven lighting so the Yeti appears darker. But trust me, they look the same side by side - as in they are indistinguishable. Even the brushed finish is identical on the two brands. There is a visible seam on the inside of the Polar unit which is not present in the Yeti. Considering that both of these are made of the same stainless steel, and both would be welded with the same filler material, there is no fear of the seam rusting or anything like that. A weld by definition takes two pieces of metal and turns them into one. The seam in this case must be air tight in order to keep the liquid inside the cup and that means its going to maintain the vacuum between the inner and outer walls. Speaking of walls, this is one major difference. I took calipers to the two units after noticing that one visually appeared to be a little thicker. And sure enough, the Yeti walls clock in about 15% thicker in my unscientific but best effort handheld measurements. My assumption is that this additional thickness accommodates additional space between the walls, but I do not know if a little more space would make a difference when there is an actual vacuum between the walls. The bottom line is, at this time I don't think its worth paying extra for the Yeti. Double the price for a little more vacuum space and no weld seam isn't a good value. However, the price of this unit doesn't actually make it a good deal either. Its just a good value as compared to the Yeti. You can easily find other vacuum containers for FAR less money - or just go find your grandpa's old coffee container that he used to take to work. It'll get the job done just fine... Hope that helped everyone else! If so, do me a favor and vote it up so I'll know. Cheers! - John P.