Is the Simple Modern Tumbler Worth It for Kids?
Worth it, for the backpack-and-cupholder crowd
You unzip your kid's backpack at pickup and brace for it: that cold, wet patch spreading through a folder of worksheets. Or you open the lunch box and the water's gone warm and flat, untouched since breakfast. Either way, you're standing there wondering if a Simple Modern tumbler can actually fix either problem, or if it's just another cute cup that leaks anyway.
Here's the bit worth knowing before you buy: the straw lid only works because of what happens when it's closed, not open. Push the nozzle down and your kid can drink through the straw. Snap it back up and the seal closes off completely, so there's no gap for water to seep out sideways, no matter how the bottle lands in a backpack pocket. That's the whole spill proof trick, it's a closed system unless someone opens it on purpose. The cold-till-lunchtime part is a separate trick: two layers of stainless steel with a vacuum gap between them, so there's no path for outside heat to reach the water inside. A hot car cupholder or a stuffy classroom shelf doesn't matter, because the vacuum gap has nothing to carry that heat through. It's also why this isn't the bottle for hot drinks or soda, the same seal that keeps water in would trap pressure a fizzy drink builds up. Toss the whole thing, lid included, on the top rack when the day's done, and that's one less hand-wash at bedtime.
So you're not really buying a princess-themed cup, you're buying a sealed system, one that only opens when your kid decides it should, and only lets temperature in on your terms, not the backpack's. The spill proofing and the all-day cold are the same trick wearing two hats: keep the outside out.
Worth it if
- your kid tends to toss a bottle in a backpack pocket and forget about it
- you want something dishwasher safe so it's not another hand-wash chore
- you like the Disney Princess design for gifting or getting a reluctant kid excited about their own water bottle
Skip it if
- you need it for hot drinks or anything carbonated
- your kid needs more than 14 ounces to make it through a full day
- your toddler hasn't mastered straw suction yet
Not for hot drinks, carbonated drinks, or kids who need more than 14 ounces to get through a school day.
If your kid tends to shove a water bottle in a backpack pocket and forget about it till pickup, this is a quiet yes, it'll survive that and still be cold. If you need something for hot drinks, soda, or a bigger kid who needs more than 14 ounces to get through a full day, this one's built for smaller hands and shorter stretches, not for everything.
Amazon shoppers rate it 4 out of 5 across 8,398 ratings. That is their number, not ours.
Before you go
Is simple modern worth it?
For a small, spill proof, insulated kids' cup built for backpacks and cupholders, yes; it's less useful if you need bigger capacity or something for hot drinks.
Are Simple Modern tumblers better than Stanley?
Stanley's bottles are bigger and aimed more at teens and adults; this one is sized and weighted for kids' hands and school bags, so it depends who's using it.
Where can I buy Simple Modern tumblers?
Amazon carries the full range of colors, sizes, and character designs, including this Disney Princess version.
By the numbers
earn an unconditional yes at full priceOut of 242 kitchen products we have reviewed. This one is a yes with a condition attached.
Verdict datasetQuestion indexCC BY 4.0
Full spec sheet
| Brand | Simple Modern |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 14 fluid ounces |
| Color | Disney-Princess Rainbows |
| Recommended Uses For Product | Travel, Water |
| Special Feature | Dishwasher Safe, Leakproof, Reusable |
Keep comparing
More kitchen reviews.