The 10 Best One Gallon Insulated Jugs
Special Honors
MegaChef 5L Airpot Often used in hotels and corporate settings, this is a professional-grade option that's designed for serving a large number of people. The lever-activated dispenser was built to withstand the high temperatures of hot coffee and tea, but will work perfectly fine with cold drinks as well. The lid uses safety latches to keep it securely fastened, so you should be able to rest easy knowing that hot drinks won't spill if it's bumped. megachef.com
Editor's Notes
November 02, 2020:
There were fairly minimal updates made to this list, as it seems the market hasn't seen many drastic changes. We did remove a few items that were technically not insulated jugs, but rather insulated pouches for water jugs. Those have been replaced with a few new items that better suit the category.
It can be easy to see all insulated jugs as quite similar, but there are definitely features that set some apart from others. If it's going to be used to provide drinks for a lot of people, a side spout is a nice feature to look out for. Options like the Stanley Rugged and NFL Tailgate Keg are solid choices, though you could also pick something like the Topia LTD Gigantic, which has a side handle that makes it easy to pour. And if portability and insulation are ancillary to your needs, take a look at our list of water dispensers and see if these are along the lines of what you're looking for.
In terms of insulation, the most effective means of keeping beverages hot or cold is generally vacuum insulation. This means there are two separate layers of material, often both stainless steel, with a an empty space between the inner and outer layer. The Ultra Fyt Stainless Steel, Rtic One Gallon, and Yeti Rambler Jug all feature this type of design, and would be solid choices for those whose primary concern is minimizing heat transfer.
If you want something just for personal use, perhaps while hiking, working outdoors, or playing sports, we'd recommend a jug with a decent handle and a traditional top spout. The Coldest Jug has a flip-out straw in the lid, and the flexible handle on the Hydro Flask Oasis is designed to feel comfortable to carry, so both of these would be good for on-the-go use. Keep in mind, when full, all of these bottles will be quite heavy, so if you don't need such a high capacity, you may want to take a look at smaller water bottles to see if there's something there that suits your needs.
October 25, 2018:
Explored the top names in water bottles, including Yeti, Hydro Flask, and Stanley, ultimately selecting these brands' 1-gallon options for their strong insulating abilities. Also added several budget options, including those from Coleman and Rubbermaid, that would function well in rough environments.