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We added a new option, CamelBak Eddy, our favorite car. Finally, the classic Nalgene Widemouth appeared in other good water bottles.
With plastic water bottles (along with plastic bags and plastic straws) occupying the top layer of socially unacceptable disposable accessories, beautiful and practical reusable water bottles feel like a necessity in this modern world obsessed with hydration. Finding the right product that meets your personal taste depends on what you are looking for in the complex colors, shapes and functions.
After more than 120 hours of research (more than 100 bottles have been tested since 2014), we have selected 8 best water bottles in a variety of materials and styles from our most versatile selections, and these water bottles have passed the more well-known The competition, a cheap bottle with a straw, is popular because of its function in any driving scene. Whether you are looking for a bottle that focuses on simple design, or a glass bottle for those who hate plastic, or a plastic bottle for those who hate high prices, each of our favorite water bottles will provide some extras for those who are troubled. Something due to incomplete hydration.
Since we first created this guide in 2014, Wirecutter hive mind has tested more than 100 different bottles in our daily lives for hundreds of hours.
With the increasing popularity of metal water bottles, we want to learn more about the working principle of this double-wall insulation material. So we called NASA, the best thermodynamics expert we can think of. Via email, we spoke with Wesley Johnson, a cryogenic research engineer at NASA's Cleveland Glenn Research Center.
We also interviewed Josselyn Ivanov, an urban planner, who wrote a master's thesis on the decline of public water (ie drinking fountains) for the Department of Urban Studies and Planning at MIT. "In the absence of investment and maintenance in [water dispensers], many people drag their own personalized infrastructure to fill the gap," she told us.
Between three different authors and eight years of testing, we have seen more than 100 iterations of the same object. These things are all doing the same thing, from the hard plastic Nalgene that raged on college campuses in the 2000s to this $5,000 Chanel bottle, which seems to have just been looted from Blackbeard's treasure chest. When you have used a water bottle with a three-digit price tag and a different, cheaper version that performs the same basic function, you will know which one works best.
As the cultural master of modern Aquarius continues to slowly and steadily human takeover, we have found evidence that this may be a good thing. Almost everyone can benefit from having their favorite water bottle.
Carrying reusable water bottles is better for the environment and more cost-effective than buying pre-bottled water. According to a study published in the journal Environmental Research Letters (PDF), the production of bottled water in the United States in 2007 alone required 32 to 54 million barrels of oil. This is approximately 2,000 times the energy cost of producing tap water. Since then, bottled water sales in the United States have grown from 33 billion liters to 52 billion liters in 2017, surpassing soda and soft drinks.
For shoppers, bottled water is also a thousand times more expensive than tap water. In addition, nearly half of all bottled water sold in the United States in 2009 was expensive pre-packaged tap water (PDF), so it is difficult to argue with the value of well-made reusable water bottles.
It is easier to use than a sports cap. The spout on this bottle is easy to drink, and the flip cap keeps it safe and will not touch your face. The wide mouth of the bottle also allows you to easily add ice cubes and supplements.
Color: More than 24 size options: 18, 22, 24, 32, 40, and 64 ounces Available lid: nozzle (included), straw Dishwasher safe: lid, yes; body, no
Get this when: you want a bottle of chameleon, something that can adapt to almost any situation, whether you are sitting at your desk, commuting on the subway, or exercising in the gym.
Why it’s on the list: This double-walled stainless steel water bottle is designed for fitness enthusiasts, but even if you’re not looking for a water bottle for exercise, the lid of Takeya Actives is excellent.
There is a spout with a rotating flap on the top of the plastic. The spout lid is simply amazing. They flow as easily as you drink from an open glass, but if you jog briskly on the sidewalk or exercise on a sweaty treadmill, they won't spill anything.
The spout lid on Takeya is prominent because you can lock it when you open it-which prevents it from touching your face-and it completely covers the drinking surface when closed.
The whole thing twists to reveal a 2¼-inch wide opening so you can make whatever you like in it: add ice, add electrolyte powder, and put in some lemon wedges.
Silicone rubber boots or base are the standard configuration of this bottle, which can prevent it from sliding or making noise on hard surfaces. Takeya also provides a straw cover, which you can purchase separately. We tested the cap of the straw and there is no leakage; if you mainly want to drink this bottle of wine while driving, we recommend that you buy one.
These bottles come in a variety of colors and sizes, and the 22-ounce Takeya Actives we chose is the latest capacity in the series. After testing more than 100 bottles, we really believe that this is the size of Goldilocks: not too big and not too small. It is compatible with both cup holders and backpack pockets. It will slide into the tiny space left by the side of the handbag like the last piece of the puzzle.
We tested this bottle without leaks in all sizes, so if you want a 32-ounce bottle, Takeya Actives is one of the few designs that adjust the bottle proportions appropriately to fit the new capacity: it gets both wide and high , So it remains stable when you put it down (although this does mean that it is too wide to fit into a standard cup holder).
The lid is listed as BPA-free on Takeya's website and can be washed in the dishwasher (top rack), but it is recommended to wash the body by hand. Takeya provides a limited lifetime warranty (but you need a receipt).
Defects but not spoilers: We found that few people dislike this design. This is a bottle that we think everyone will be very satisfied with.
Hydro Flask is an insulated cylinder that is comfortable to drink, easy to carry, and completely leak-proof in our tests.
*At the time of publication, the price was $33.
Color options: 18 or more size options: 18, 21, and 24 ounces Available lid: elastic cap (included), sports cap Dishwasher safety: none
Get this when: You want to bring water. This is a simple bottle, perfect for those who believe in doing one thing and doing it well.
Advantages: The Hydro Flask standard mouth is a particularly reliable water bottle. It is an insulated double-walled stainless steel bottle with external powder coating (permanent, lightweight coating) and a plastic bottle cap.
Unlike aluminum bottles, it will not dent so easily. Unlike glass bottles, it does not have the problem of bottom cracking. Unlike plastic bottles, it will not deteriorate quickly during use.
You can use it with two different caps: elastic cap (included) and sports cap. We tested two caps and none of them leaked, but we prefer elastic caps to sports caps. Sports caps are not very good at solving human error-the plastic is very hard, it is difficult to close with the mouth, and it is easy to leave them ajar. If the bottle is placed on its side, occasionally water will leak through the intake valve.
If you choose to drink directly from the bottle, the Hydro Flask has a narrow tapered metal rim, which mimics the rim of a glass better than any other option, including Klean Kanteen's round lips and thick industrial lip Snowman Walker. The standard mouth opening is 1¾ inches wide-it is wide enough to hold ice cubes, but not so wide that if you drink water while walking, it will splash on your nose.
We think 21 ounces is a suitable capacity. This bottle is large enough to keep the refill to a minimum, but not as bulky as 24 ounces. The 24 oz Hydro Flask is tall and narrow, easy to tip over, and feels large. The cap does not contain BPA, and Hydro Flask provides a limited lifetime warranty on the bottle.
Defects without breaking the deal: Complaints about Hydro Flask are rare. However, silicone boots are the standard configuration of Takeya, and for this Hydro Flask model, the boots are an add-on and usually sell for about $10.
Some people may not like that part of the drinking surface is exposed; the cap is screwed into the bottle instead of being screwed above and around the mouth of the bottle. We like this design because sipping from the threaded drinking surface is not pleasant, but if the exposed drinking surface bothers you, our other options-including Takeya Actives, Purifyou Premium, Simple Modern Wave and plastic thermos bottles- The lid can completely cover the drinking surface.
The bottle with straw allows you to drink water without tilting your head back. This is the easiest way to drink water while allowing you to focus on the road.
*At the time of publication, the price was $13.
Color options: 11 size options: 20, 25, and 32 ounces Available caps: straw cap (included), chute Mag, portable lid Dishwasher safe: yes
Get this information when you want something that is easy to sip while driving, or something that helps you drink water throughout the day (our non-scientific findings lead us to believe that a straw can make it easier for you to sip).
Why it's great: This bottle has an integrated straw on the cap and a plastic bite valve to keep it sealed, as anyone who owns a CamelBak water bag will be familiar with. Just bite and open the straw, then release to seal it. The leak-free lid makes it an ideal driving companion-it fits in the cup holder and is easy to sip while you are looking at the road. If you want to transfer it to a bag, the bite valve will fold down into the lid to prevent it from coming into contact with the world too much.
In addition, if you have a daily hydration goal, using a straw can easily and unconsciously consume the 20, 30, or 40 ounces of daily intake you may have. If this sounds like you, Eddy has a size of 32 ounces and is easy to fill up at once, put it next to your laptop, and reach your goal for the day.
If you want to keep the water cold, you can unscrew the cap of the straw to expose a wide mouth that is easy to add ice. However, this is a plastic bottle, so adding ice may cause sweating. If you want to avoid this, the insulated version should prevent moisture from collecting on the outside of the bottle.
You can replace the caps on this bottle with two other bottles made by CamelBak: Carry Cap and Chute Mag. These are the spout caps we have tested and liked because it is easy to drink, similar to our first choice.
Eddy is an updated model. Through this redesign, CamelBak solves the report of the bite valve leaking or not working properly. The one we tested worked well. In our test, neither the lid nor the valve leaked. This bottle does not contain BPA, and all parts, including bottle caps, lids and straws, can be cleaned in the dishwasher. CamelBak provides a lifetime guarantee against manufacturing and material defects, if they are defective, it will replace them.
Flaws but not a spoiler: You have to bite this straw and hold it while drinking water to make the water flow, which may not be attractive to some people. But in general we did not find it troublesome, we quickly forgot about it.
If you want a conical bottle that looks great, this is an affordable and colorful choice.
Color options: 58 or more size options: 9, 17, 25, and 34 ounces Available lid: screw cap (included) Dishwasher available: no specifications
Get this if: you like the color, you like the elegant curve of the cone-shaped bottle, which fits your hand. The biggest attraction of this bottle and the S'well bottle it imitates is that it looks interesting and is comfortable to hold.
Why it's great: In our selection, this is one of only two real "bottles" that are characterized by a narrow tapered opening. This design may be limited-only thin ice is suitable-but the 17-ounce Simple Modern Wave is simple and pleasant to drink. (Otherwise why is this the preferred design for disposable plastic bottles?) Wave's shape is more fashionable than other options, with dozens of colors, patterns and textures.
It is made of double-walled stainless steel. In our tests, its performance is the same as the more well-known and almost identical S'well, with no leakage and excellent temperature retention. In fact, this bottle of wine performed best in our temperature test many years ago, dropping only 4 degrees in 6 hours.
Drinking hot tea with this bottle may be particularly good, an example of shape matching function, because the delicate lines of the bottle (and its excellent insulating ability) seem to complement the subtle aroma of the steeped leaves.
Wave has only one cap option: a stainless steel screw cap lined with plastic, but on the company's website, the bottle is listed as BPA-free. We recommend buying the 17 ounce size. Usually, 17 ounces feels a bit small in terms of capacity, but in this case, we prefer it. When the capacity of Erlenmeyer flasks is increased to 25 ounces, they feel large and heavy.
Flaws but not a spoiler: This type of bottle has an obvious narrow bottleneck, so you can't put normal-sized ice in it, and if you throw in a lemon wedges, you may never take it out again.
In customer reviews, we also noticed that some owners mentioned that their bottles were scratched. We ordered a new one to see if the design or coating has changed, but we did not have any scratches on it. If we notice that it has suffered a lot of wear and tear, we will update this guide. Simple Modern only provides a 90-day warranty for manufacturer defects, which is particularly short compared to many other companies.
This is the only glass bottle we have found that has no plastic in contact with water. It is also housed in a protective silicone sleeve. However, it cannot keep your water cool for a long time.
May be out of stock
Color options: Five size options: 12, 22, and 32 ounces Available lid: Stainless steel lined lid (included) Dishwasher safe: Yes
Get this when you particularly don't want to drink plastic or metal, or you just like the weight and presence of glass bottles. (In addition, drinking by glass is also very enjoyable.)
Why it's great: Our favorite glass bottle is the 22-ounce Purifyou Premium. Some of its features make it more functional than most designs, including its glass type, and a particularly useful lid, which is also lined with stainless steel.
We recognize that some people just don't want plastic to touch their stuff. One of the main reasons this bottle is superior to all other glass bottles is that we found it to be the only bottle cap with a metal lining instead of some form of plastic.
The simple use of the finger ring on the bottle cap is surprising because it makes the repetitive work of opening the cap and then closing the cap easier compared to a standard round cap.
We also like the small mouth on this bottle. Using a wide-mouth glass bottle, such as Lifefactory, feels a lot like drinking water from a jar. The disadvantage is that Purifyou is too narrow to hold ice cubes, but the glass bottle cannot keep warm or cold in any way, so we don't think this is a problem.
Purifyou is made of borosilicate glass, which also makes it unique. Borosilicate glass can resist thermal shock. This means that if you take the bottle out of the hot dishwasher and fill it with cold or room temperature water, it will be more shatter-resistant than a bottle made of ordinary soda lime glass.
We tested and liked the size of the 22 oz bottle. Its base fits larger cup holders (3¼ inches wide). The central body is a bit wide, unlike some other cones, although we have no problem holding it. Purifyou provides warranty coverage for all manufacturing defects. If you register online, you will provide "3-month free product insurance".
Defects but not spoilers: glass bottles are restrictive. They are good at transporting room temperature water, nothing more, because their insulators are poor. Glass bottles are not as durable as other options, although they are heavier.
In addition, if you are looking for an environmentally friendly option, please note that the silicone sleeve and cap on this bottle are not recyclable because the cap is made by fusing two materials. If you are concerned about environmental issues, the best way is to buy the bottle you know you use most often and use it.
With a leak-proof push-button flip cap, this cheap and lightweight bottle will please anyone.
*At the time of publication, the price was $16.
Available colors: Two available sizes: 24 ounces Available lid: Flip lid (included) Dishwasher safe: Yes
Get the following conditions: You value light and portability, and you like the value for money-two very good qualities in a water bottle. Unlike most other bottles we recommend, this bottle can also be washed in the dishwasher.
Reason for making the list: Since we first published this guide in 2014, the ultra-affordable 24 oz thermos has been the first choice, and it still exists. This is a plastic bottle with a plastic flip cap and spout. It has passed years of leak testing, and the lid has a lock, so it can stay closed in your bag.
Another important feature of this bottle is that although it is 24 ounces-we found this capacity to be bulky in a metal bottle-the thermos has the right proportions, is ergonomic and easy to carry.
It weighs only 6.6 ounces. The textured contour design is also easy to hold, and its wide mouth allows you to easily put ice cubes in. After re-closing the lid, the spout is ready for drinking. This design is a successful combination and is the same as the similar insulating pick Takeya. Thermos are made of Eastman Tritan BPA-free plastic.
Flaws but not deal breakers: After almost 6 years of continuous use of a 24-ounce thermos, we don't have much criticism to throw. Perhaps the only requirement we can make of Thermos is for the company to sell this type of bottle in several different sizes.
There is also a ring on the lid, you can turn it to track your water intake, but in practice we found that we hardly use it. Nonetheless, it didn't hurt anything there.
This squeeze bottle is leak-proof, light enough to fit on a plane you carry, and cheap enough, if the TSA forces you to give it up, the loss will not break your heart.
Color options: seven size options: 21 and 24 ounces available lid: squeeze lid dishwasher safe: yes
Get this if: You want a travel bottle. This bottle was invented for bicycle cages, but ordinary squeeze bottles are useful for many things, especially airport travel. I personally own (and use) two types of water bottles, and this is one of them.
Why it's great: Basic, light, cheap, bicycle squeeze bottle is a good travel companion, we especially like CamelBak Podium. It has a twist lock to provide additional assurance that it will close tightly when you throw it in the bag-in addition, it can be washed in the dishwasher.
For years, we have been looking for a reliable foldable travel bottle, but we have been disappointed many times: HydraPak failed, Hydaway tasted like plastic, Vapur and Platypus collapsed (in a bad way), Nomader Not packaged down very small. In our experience, the implicit way to carry an entire thing correctly-clipped to a backpack or belt loop-is always to let them swing freely. We have recommended all these bottles in the past, but we always hope for a better way.
The bicycle squeeze bottle is now our sincere recommendation for airport travel. In addition to being light and relatively compact, if TSA accepts it, you only need to lose a few dollars instead of your investment in expensive insulated bottles. You can also use our recommended Thermos Hydration Bottle, but if you don't want to fuss over the lid or flip lock on Thermos, this CamelBak bottle has fewer moving parts. Our other suggestion is to buy a plastic bottle at the airport and use it on the next journey.
There are two types of Podium to choose from: Original and Podium Chill. The inner lining is made of reflective material to help keep the water cold. We have not found any difference with this lining. In our tests, the liquid in the insulated squeeze bottle heats up by 17 degrees in six hours, which is the same as the liquid in a glass or unlined plastic bottle. For this reason, we will not bother with the lined version, but recommend the original version.
Flaws but not a spoiler: The lid on this bottle is not covered, so if you don't like the idea of the bottle swimming around in a bag and the drinking surface is exposed, you might prefer a thermos.
In addition, the squeeze valve of this bottle does not push in and push out like other models; on the contrary, the mouthpiece is static, and when you apply pressure to the bottle, the plastic piece inside releases water. Therefore, if you use this bottle for cycling and there is a lot of dust and dirt during your ride, some may get stuck in the mouthpiece.
If you just want to put a particularly stylish bottle in your cabinet, Purist Mover is a good choice because its interior prevents flavor transfer.
Color options: five size options: 10 (manufacturer), 18 (Mover) and 32 (founder) ounces. Available lids: Element (twist lid), Union (pot lid), Scope (cafe lid), dishwasher safe :no
Get this when you have noticed that the smell or taste in the water bottle will not disappear, you want a bottle that looks like a design object, or you want a water bottle that can hold hot and cold drinks. Purist's bottles have a (non-breakable) glass interior to prevent taste transfer, so there should be no taste problems like stainless steel or plastic.
Why it's great: The 18-ounce Purist Mover is a beverage bottle designed to fit within its life span. With a special lining that prevents the transfer of flavors, the exterior design is suitable for the beauty of the Tesla dashboard, and the newly expanded bottle cap series, this is a delicate bottle that can do all of this, and it is worth its high price.
The iconic feature of Purist is the glass-lined interior, which prevents taste and odor transfer. Unlike traditional glass vacuum linings, Purist is unbreakable (and so small that you can hardly notice it) because it is applied as a thin spray coating. You can get the benefits of glass bottles minus weight or potential breakage, as well as the ability to keep the beverage hot or cold.
According to our experience, it works. We have been testing this bottle for two years, and there is an episode where we put it in the car seat for the next month, with kombucha in it. Someone finally got the courage to open it and clean it up. The next day a bottle of water tasted like water, nothing else. Editor Tim Barribeau, sickly loathes the taste of coffee, he found that even if the cold extract concentrate was placed in the bottle for a weekend, as long as the bottle was cleaned briefly, the water came out and it tasted very good. Fresh. Some tastes and smells linger in the flip cap, but disappear after a good scrub.
Recently, Purist has increased the number of caps used with its water bottles. There are a simple screw cap Element, a flip-top spout lid called Union, and a forthcoming cafe lid specially designed for hot drinks called Scope. The latter two have major advantages over the original Element because the bottle mouth is on the thicker side. Based on the information provided in this article, we recommend that you purchase the Union version with spout lid.
Although the 18-ounce bottle feels small, Mover can hold more than advertised. The combined nozzle cover is hollow, higher than the top of the bottle, in contrast to the flat element that slopes downward. This means you can use Union to fill the bottle-we did it, and we found that it can hold up to 21 ounces.
Purist enjoys a lifetime warranty and will "replace any product found to be defective within the normal and appropriate range of use."
Flaws but not a spoiler: If you only use a screw-on cap, this bottle is awkward, so if you plan to invest in it, we recommend that you use a spout cap or a Scope cap (Purist's version) coffee cap).
Due to the tight seal, the Union nozzle cover is difficult to open. It does not come with instructions, but we found that pinching the sides of the spout makes it easy to pop the lid out.
We have been working in this area for eight years, and as always, we first read trusted editorial resources, in this case, such as Gear Patrol, GearLab, and Outdoor. Every year, we listen to the opinions of Wirecutter readers-we have taken in many good suggestions from the reviews of previous versions of this guide.
There are so many water bottles in the world, and it is helpful to outline what we have not considered and why. When we find that bottles have complaints about manufacturing quality, usability, or leaks, we will remove them from the list of possible test candidates. We also eliminated bottles produced by companies with weak supply chains or no online operations outside of the Amazon listing. In any category, if we recommend a product, we want to make sure that you don’t have problems finding the product you want to buy. If the product is defective, you should be able to contact the manufacturer so that the company can correct it.
We no longer consider bottles made of aluminum because it dents too easily, and where possible, we avoid using painted bottles because the coating is easily scratched-but in some categories, such as cones Shape design, painted exterior is the norm. We also keep the uncoated stainless steel bottle; if you put an uncoated metal bottle in the sun, its outside will become too hot to hold.
A small number of bottles, such as Klean Kanteen Wide Mouth, can easily be used as water bottles, but due to the provided caps (travel cup caps) or available sizes (smaller sizes only), they are more suitable for hot drinks. Just Klean Kanteen In terms of these two things are true, so we think it is a travel cup. If this is what you are looking for, we have a guide on hot drink travel mugs.
In the most recent round of testing in 2021, we tried three new or redesigned bottles and conducted multiple tests to evaluate them. The following are the tests we regularly conduct:
We do leak testing. With so many bottles, we can't see recommending a bottle that leaks in any way. We fill each bottle with water dyed with food coloring, place it on its side on a paper towel for 24 hours, and pay attention to any leaks.
The leak test also considers how the cap is secured to the bottle. We believe that good design is a human-oriented design. You should be able to absently screw the top back and trust that the bottle is closed properly.
Over time, we have discovered that rigid sports bottle caps, such as those you can get for Klean Kanteen or HydroFlask bottles, are not the best at preventing leaks because they are prone to user error. This kind of bottle cap is very suitable for squeezable sports bottles, but the sports bottle caps on double-walled cylinders are harder and easy to open accidentally; it is also difficult to tell at a glance whether the valve is completely closed.
We do temperature test. In the past five years, we have conducted temperature tests to see which bottle's contents have remained the coldest for the longest time. Here are the results for 2017:
In this test in 2017, we filled each bottle with 47 degrees Fahrenheit water and then measured the temperature every hour for 10 hours. What we have seen in years of testing is that the performance of each insulated bottle is several degrees different from the competition. Brands like to claim that a bottle can stay hot or cold for a long time, but you can buy any thermos bottle you want—they work basically the same.
Sometimes manufacturers make bottles with copper linings in an attempt to keep the contents hotter or colder. It can work, as Wesley Johnson, a cryogenic research engineer at NASA's Cleveland Glenn Research Center, explained, "For spacecraft, we often use similar insulation technology." Johnson told us that copper is used in insulation (although It is usually an excellent conductor) based on the fact that heat is transferred in three forms: solid conduction, gas convection and radiation. The double-walled bottle has stopped solid conduction, and the vacuum insulated bottle has stopped gas convection. "This will only leave radiant heat transfer between the walls," Johnson said. Copper can prevent the last heat loss method.
But it only works in a specific set of circumstances. According to Johnson, "The main benefit of copper is that when it is polished, it is more able to reflect radiant heat transfer." Therefore, "the copper lining needs to be polished, installed in a vacuum, and to limit the amount of metal oxidation before being vacuumed. Way."
You can buy any thermos bottle you want-they are all the same.
We have tested bottles with and without copper lining, and so far we have not found any advantages of using copper. According to its public relations, Yeti Rambler is "made of copper plate to prevent ultraviolet rays", but neither Klean Kanteen nor Hydro Flask's design contains any copper, and the insulation between all bottles is still within a few degrees.
We consider the proportion of the bottle. Eight years later, we are convinced that bottles of 20 to 22 ounces are the perfect size. Although the 17-ounce bottle is very portable, the contents are quickly consumed. The 24 ounce bottle is almost too tall and thin. They are easily knocked over, and they will not stand upright in the cup holder because they are top-heavy. They began to take on the appearance of a blunt weapon: the 25-ounce S'well could double as a small baseball bat.
We like bottles with the right proportions, and we have to believe that the designer has also noticed the awkwardness of the 24 ounce size, because our two top products for 2020 have been redesigned with a new capacity-Hydro Flask Wide Mouth is now 20 ounces ( It used to be 18 ounces, which was a bit small), the Takeya Actives series added a 22 ounce bottle (slightly smaller than the 24 ounce version).
Similarly, a 32-ounce bottle is most useful when it is wide and squatted rather than tall. When we make recommendations for greater capacity, such design issues are an important part of our consideration.
We consider the drinking experience. Consider your lips: what kind of experience is it if you drink water directly from a bottle? If you want to drink while walking, how does it feel? If you drink it in the car, how does it feel? Recently, due to reader comments, we have been tracking whether the bottle cap completely covers the drinking surface or whether it is exposed. Some people worry about getting bacteria on the bottle mouth by touching their hands or sweaty sportswear.
We are currently testing seven new competitors and redesigned bottles, including Stanley Quik Flip Go Bottle, Contigo Jackson Bottle, The Coldest Water Bottle, Klean Kanteen Insulated Wide, Corksicle Canteen Classic, Pogo Plastic Water Bottle and Coleman Autoseal Free Flow Stainless Steel Bottle .
Consider the Nalgene jar, which is cheap, indestructible and lightweight. It has more than 45,000 reviews on Amazon and a near-perfect star rating: 4.9 points (out of 5). For the most loved product, this must be some kind of site-wide record. We totally agree: Excluding it from our choices has been a focus of in-depth discussions over the past decade.
But we still do not include it because it is a bit annoying in daily life. You can’t drink it while walking, the attached hat will splash on your face, and it’s not suitable for cup holders or backpack pockets. In the wild, it is the ultimate weapon. Back here, in the urban jungle, this is just a clumsy behavior. So, all in all, we like this bottle, but it is specifically for camping, which is beyond the scope of what we tested in this guide.
Consider the Nomader 22-ounce collapsible bottle, which is our travel choice for 2018. It has withstood the test of time, while other travel bottles have leaked. If you must have a travel bottle, this one is the easiest to fill and drink. Our biggest concern is that the bottle will not roll down particularly small, so you can decide whether the space saved is worth it.
After redesigning the lid of the CamelBak chute — the result was the addition of a magnet to keep the lid open and away from obstacles when you drink — we couldn’t find any negatives for this bottle. Takeya Actives hardly stands out from the competition because it has a silicone base and is often discounted. However, this cover is compatible with our new recommendation CamelBak Eddy.
Yeti Rambler is a reliable bottle-it keeps our drinks cool for a long time without leaking. But the opening at the top is not thinner at all, which makes the bottle more like a thermos, more suitable for use with a spoon, such as for soup. The extra caps that we have tested over the years have not alleviated the clumsy feeling of drinking with this bottle. Nevertheless, the beauty and weight of this bottle resonated with some people, so if you like it, please note that it performed well in all our tests.
S'well is insulated from the best of them and is waterproof in all our tests. It's just an expensive bottle-its price is usually more than twice that of our almost identical choice, and the S'well bottle is more expensive in every capacity than any other bottle we've seen.
Neither Simple Modern Ascent nor Simple Modern Summit bottles outperformed their more well-known counterparts like Wave. When we closed it, the plastic cap on the Ascent creaked on the metal of the bottle, and when we put it aside overnight, the Summit would leak through the threads.
In the past few years, Klean Kanteen Classic has been one of our choices, and we also tested the Insulated Classic. Both of them are very similar to Hydro Flask, but in last year's test, both bottles had a small amount of leaks.
Several other bottles leaked in our tests and were therefore disqualified, including the 21-ounce Healthy Human Stein and the (now discontinued) MSR Alpine stainless steel bottle.
Other products performed poorly in our insulation tests, including 25 oz 50/50 vacuum insulated stainless steel, Laken Thermo Classic (which rose by 20.1 degrees in our test), and Contigo Autoseal Chill.
The lids that we found to be annoying to use or clean include the Contigo Autospout Ashland Chill, EcoVessel Boulder (which often sticks to other items in our bag), and Thermos vacuum insulated stainless steel water bags.
The classic Stanley vacuum cleaner has an excellent retro aesthetic, but it weighs more than a pound empty.
The 22 oz Lifefactory Classic Flip is a selection of 2017, the best wide-mouth glass bottle on the market. There are only a few precautions. First, it's a bit awkward to drink with a big mouth-it's not a deal breaker, but the experience feels a lot like drinking water from a jar. Secondly, although the bottle has other caps to choose from, we tested the flip cap in 2018 and it leaked. Third, the standard lid is waterproof but made of plastic, which is a concern for many people who seek glass bottles. If you find that none of these are a problem, then Lifefactory may be for you.
We almost tested the Bkr bottle in 2020, but when we became familiar with its lip gloss cap and pointed pink silicone sleeve during the research process, we were reminded that this bottle is its own animal.
In the drop test, the Safe-Shell layer of the Ello Pure water bottle was scratched and the Glasstic was severely worn.
The silicone sleeve on the 22-ounce Takeya Classic Twist Cap is soft, thin and feels cheap, while the 20-ounce Ello Syndicate has a lid problem and reports of mold buildup.
The Hydaway bottle is our foldable travel choice for 2018, and it turns out to be polarized: we have received feedback from people who like it and feedback from others who hate it. This is the fate of all foldable devices we have tried. A 50/50 love-hate relationship does not seem to be enough to prove that this bottle of wine is a reliable recommendation for most travelers.
Our 2017 travel choice Platypus Meta often has a small hole formed in the bottom, which makes it unusable for carrying water. Our 2016 choice, the platypus soft bottle, is waterproof but soft, just like all collapsible bags.
Before that, we chose a 1-liter Vapur Eclipse; however, Tim Stevens of CNET brought us to a design flaw in the lid that caused a leak when a lateral twist was applied (video ). We were able to replicate this problem independently using a brand new bottle. Therefore, we no longer have the confidence to recommend it. In our torsion and torque tests, Vapur Element and Nalgene Wide Mouth Cantene also leaked from the seams.
The re-emergence of Gatorade squeeze bottles prompted us to test them in 2020. When we put it aside overnight, it had some small leaks through the threads. We can see that the logo will be scratched off very quickly. Its simplicity is pleasant, but we think it will become rubbish within a year.
The Contigo Autospout Addison (now discontinued) has a button cover, but it cannot be locked closed. Since the button cover cannot be locked, other items in the gym bag or shoulder bag are at risk of getting wet.
Nalgene On The Fly has a locking flip but no spring release device, so when we press the button, the lid will not pop out. Same as KOR Delta.
If you don't have a 24-ounce thermos, Embrava would be a good choice, but it has a huge logo and a smooth body that will become smooth when wet.
If you drink anything other than water, garbage will accumulate in your bottle over time, so you need to clean it occasionally. The best way is to use a bottle brush and some baking soda and vinegar.
The OXO baby bottle cleaning kit has a thin straw brush and a circular detail cleaning brush, you only need to use them to keep the water bottle squeaky clean.
*At the time of publication, the price was $10.
After several hours of research, we found that the best bottle cleaning kit is the OXO Good Grips water bottle cleaning kit. This dishwasher safety kit provides a large bottle brush, a thin straw brush and a ring detail cleaning brush, all of which are placed on a convenient ring so you don’t lose any parts. We bought a few sets to confirm their quality and they are as good as we thought.
Wesley Johnson, Cryogenic Research Engineer, NASA Cleveland Glenn Research Center, email interview, August 22, 2018
Jocelyn Ivanov, Drinking fountains: the past and future of free public water in the United States, September 29, 2015
PH Gleick, HS Cooley, Energy Impact of Bottled Water (PDF), Environmental Research Letters, February 19, 2009
Bottled tap water in our city (PDF), Food and Water Watch, August 1, 2010
Exposure to BPA does not pose a health risk to consumers, European Food Safety Authority, January 21, 2015
Jon Hamilton, Beyond the BPA: The battle of the courts reveals a shift in the plastic safety debate, NPR, February 16, 2015
Johanna R. Rochester, Ashley L. Bolden, Bisphenol S and F: A systematic review and comparison of hormonal activity of alternatives to Bisphenol A, Environmental Health Perspective, July 1, 2015
Jenna Bilbrey, BPA-free plastic containers can be equally dangerous, Scientific American, August 11, 2014
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