The runner up to the issue that has already been addressed by the giant surge in the use of reusable coffee cups is the single use smoothie cup. The rising popularity of the tumbler or 'smoothie cup with straw' is putting a stop to this issue along with single use plastic straws, but they're being used for so much more than smoothies. I see them often at the gym in place of a drink bottle. The larger sized 1.1 litre tumbler with straw and handle, which are known on social media as the Yeti Tumbler or the Stanley Tumbler (these are two brand names we don't stock), are being used in cars as a substitute for an insulated water bottle because their tapered base fits inside car cup holders.

Choosing to carry around a smoothie tumbler whether it's made from a reusable plastic or a premium insulated stainless steel cup, every little bit helps. Every day in Australia, vast numbers of people walk around shopping centres with a smoothie cup with a plastic lid. Most smoothie shops use paper straws now, but we all know that before you get to the end of your smoothie, they go soggy.

Choose an insulated smoothie cup or tumbler

Almost all the tumblers in our store are insulated. If it's made from stainless steel, the chances are it's double wall vacuum insulated. This not only stops the outside of the tumbler from sweating from the cold drink, but it will keep your smoothie colder for longer. Because the width of the lid is wider than the average water bottle and the lids in smoothie tumblers aren't usually insulated, you won't get the same insulation time as you will out of a bottle or a flask, which is why you won't find advertised insulation ratings on the tumblers.

Find the best kids smoothie cup

When choosing a tumbler for kids, here's our top tips.

• Ensure they can hold the smoothie cup in their hands
• Ensure the straw is soft on the end, preferably a silicone straw
• Match the size of the cup to the size of the kid smoothie you order for them
• Choose an insulated tumbler with straw so the drink stays cold for those kids who take a while to finish their drink

Smoothie Cup with Straw - what's the safest option?

We no longer stock smoothie cups that have a stainless steel straw in them. If you have one, we recommend you swap it out for a bpa free plastic straw, a silicone straw, or a silicone topped straw. Why? If you're drinking from a tumbler with a stainless steel straw in it and you're walking and you trip, the stainless steel straw is a serious health hazard. In 2019 in the UK, a disabled woman using a mason jar with a fixed straw to drink from died after tripping with it while drinking. The straw went through her eye socket and the injury was fatal.

Glass Smoothie Tumbler

If you don't need insulation and you're looking for the purest taste, the perfect travel smoothie cup for a breakfast smoothie has to be one made out of glass. Whether it's milk based, nut milk based or juice based, there's no issue for anyone with a sensitivity to the taste of nickel (found in stainless steel), getting any metallic taste in their breakfast. The glass is covered with a protective silicone sleeve in stylish colours and the straws in our glass smoothie cups are a washable, reusable plastic straw, so there's no danger in the stainless steel straw hurting you if you accidentally trip while you're drinking from it.

What are people drinking in their tumblers?

Reusable smoothie cups aren't just for smoothies. Hand it over for your iced coffee, iced tea, your breakfast smoothie, use it for chilled water at the gym, freshly pressed juice, traditional milkshakes, wine, non-carbonated cocktails and protein shakes.

Can you put hot drinks in an insulated tumbler?

If it's a stainless steel insulated smoothie cup, hot drinks are no issue. Any issues that will arise will be for 2 reasons. The first one will be whether the straw can handle the heat. If it's a silicone straw inside the tumbler, it shouldn't be a problem. If it's plastic, the heat could be a problem. The second reason is what kind of seal is on the lid and around the straw. Not all lids are designed for steam to be trapped inside. We recommend checking with the manufacturer of any tumbler if you decide to put hot liquids in it. The best option is to choose a multitasker like the Klean Kanteen TKWide series and use a Cafe Cap when you want a hot drink and the Smoothie Cup lid when you want cold drinks in it.