Are Owala Water Bottles Worth the Hype?(5 minute read time) Today let's look at a relative newcomer to the market, Owala. With 42,000 reviews averaging 4.7 stars on Amazon, it's clear there are a ton of people who love this bottle, and in fact it's been the most common brand I've seen in comments on our videos when people suggest which bottles I should check out next. So today let's take a deeper look at Owalas to see what's good, what's bad, and whether the hype is deserved. What's Next:
Video Review of Owala BottlesWe also cover this in a YouTube video if you'd prefer to watch the recap! Owala FreeSip Bottle SizesAs an Amazon Associate, we earn a small commission if you purchase after clicking a link. It doesn't cost you anything extra, and it really helps. Thank you! What Is Good About Owala Bottles?What is Owala's FreeSip Lid? First, let's look at the good side of Owala bottles. The most common feature you'll hear people talk about is the combination straw and chug lid, which is trademarked as their FreeSip lid and made Time Magazine's list of 200 of the best inventions for 2023. The ability to sip when you want a little water and chug when you want more is the main differentiator compared to other bottles that typically make you pick one or the other. Ergonomics It's ergonomically designed around your mouth's shape, which doesn't sound important and is something you probably never would have thought about before trying it, but once you use Owala, it's hard to look at traditional straw bottles with those pivot-style rectangular spouts the same. Easy Sipping But the best part of this combination lid is the chug opening, but not for the reason you would expect. Most straw lids have a rotating spout that has a little plastic pin that goes into a little vent seal, so when you rotate open the spout, the vent opens to allow you to more easily take sips from the straw. The following two pictures are of Hydro Flask's Flex Straw and original straw lids. Both are similiar to most straw lids on the market because they have the plastic pin that goes into a small vent seal. The problem is that these types of lids still have a very small air vent, so the airflow is constricted and doesn't equalize as easily when you take a sip, making it a little more difficult and sometimes cause wheezing or popping noises. The chug opening in Owala's design acts as a wide open vent, which makes it ridiculously easy to take a sip of water. This is the main reason why I found myself exclusively using the straw side because it's so easy to drink from, and I'd be willing to bet that 90% of people do the same thing. Easy Cleaning and Prevents Dirt on the Drinking Surface The straw is easier to clean completely in all of its nooks and crannies, which is something that straw lids with rotating spouts are notoriously bad about. With traditional lids like in the next picture, you have to pop off the rotating spout to be able to clean the seal underneath, so many people don't do this often and some nasty buildup can occur. One notable exception is Hydro Flask's Flex Sip lid which as a silicone insert that essentially replaces that seal and makes it easier to clean. But there are still areas of that lid that are not possible to clean unless you pop off the spout. And notably, removing the spout can deform the connections a little over time, leading to a loose fit. With Owala, the straw is fixed, so there isn't a rotating spout with a pivot point to clean around. This makes it much easier to clean everything. The silicone seal under the lid cover is also removable to make it even easier to clean. The lid cover goes over the entire spout area and is spring-loaded to open when you push this button, which means you won't have to touch the surface that your mouth will go on to open it up. Leak-Free The vent seal with pivot-style straw lids is a common leak point, but Owala avoids that issue. From my experience, this straw lid has been less likely to leak compared to traditional straw lids. Reasonable Price The standard price is very reasonable, and you can buy a 32 ounce bottle for $34. This contrasts with YETI or Hydro Flask who regularly charge $40 to $50 for a similar volume bottle. Lead-Free More recently, Owala got another popularity bump compared to Stanley because their bottles are completely lead free, which is something Stanley and most bottles on the market can't say because of a lead-based solder that seals the vacuum. Practically-speaking the lead isn't a danger unless your bottle is damaged enough to expose the area between the two stainless steel layers, but some people rest easier knowning there isn't lead anywhere so it's worth mentioning. Insulation (Sort-Of) The bottle also comes with triple-layer insulation, which includes both a vacuum seal to prevent conduction heat transfer and a copper layer to prevent radiation heat transfer. But while this is a benefit over non-insulated bottles, this reason alone isn't enough to consider Owala over other brands with vacuum seals, regardless of whether they are triple-layered or not. I did our standard 4 hour hot water test twice, and the results showed that Owala actually underperformed compared to similar bottles, even if they didn't have triple layer insulation. What's Bad about Owala Bottles?But like I say all the time on this blog, there is no perfect product for every person and every situation. Owala is no exception, and there are some negatives to be aware of. Handle For one, the hard plastic, two-finger handle is not great. For such an ergonomically-focused spout, the handle was really a disappointment for me because it really doesn't feel good when you're holding it. And the way I use and transport my bottle, the fact that the handle is also a lock for the lid cover is more annoying than useful, though I can see how that would be a benefit for people who would throw the bottle into a purse or a bag. Harder to Close The lid can also take a decent amount of force to get it to close compared to some other types of lids, but is some ways that's good because it's necessary for a good watertight seal. This is certainly not a big deal, but it was noticeable. Exposed Plastic under the Lid There is also exposed plastic under the lid and in the straw, so your water will come into contact with plastic. It's worth noting that these plastics are BPA free and allegedly safe by today's standards, but given the history of plastics and how sometimes new issues come up after years of research, I don't fault anyone for wanting to avoid plastic altogether. Dirt Magnet One other very nit-picky issue is that I found the grippy, textured area around the flip cover to be a dirt magnet, so while you should always stay on top of cleaning the inside of your bottle regularly regardless of which one you own, you might find yourself scrubbing this part of your Owala more frequently too. Colors (Sort Of) And lastly, this may be an unpopular opinion, but for me, I can't stand most of the color combinations. To me, it looks like they blindfolded someone and told them to throw darts at a board with different colors. It's like walking into a Home Depot, they ask what paint color you want, and you say "yes." That may be a little harsh and many people love the combos. That's perfectly OK! But most of the colors are a little too funky for my taste. Then again, I'm fully aware that I've never been accused of being a stylish trend-setter, and I'm willing to concede that the colors are a big draw for many people. Summary: Are Owala Bottles Worth It?Overall, Owala really does have a solid product offering. The FreeSip lid is one of those things that makes you wonder why it wasn't invented before, and the benefits far outweight the negatives in my opinion. So if you're in the market for a straw lid, consider giving Owala a try. There's a good chance you won't want to go back to traditional straw lids every again.
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What are the Best Bottles for Infusing?If you're like me, you get bored drinking regular, plain water all day. I used to be addicted to sodas, so switching from extremely sugary drinks to water was a big shift. The thing that helped me the most was adding my own flavors. Now, technically sodas are flavored water with carbonation and you can also add flavor with enhancers like Mio, but for the purposes of this video I'm calling flavored water anything that gets its taste from more natural sources like fresh fruit, loose-leaf tea, or coffee grounds. And at the end, I'll also give my take on two bottle brands that have more recently taken social media by storm, Cirkul and air up. (spoiler alert, it might not be positive) Video Review: Which Bottles are Best for Infusing?We also cover this in a YouTube video if you'd prefer to watch the recap! Links to Products: As an Amazon Associate, we earn a small commission if you purchase after clicking a link. It doesn't cost you anything extra, and it really helps. Thank you! Adding Fruit Directly into Your Bottle (No Infuser)First, I have to mention the most obvious way to flavor your water, and that's simply by adding fruit like lemons, cucumber, mint, or a whole range of other flavors directly into your bottle! This works well enough, but the problem is that you ideally would have some way to strain it so it's not a good option with most bottles. The good news is that more and more bottles are coming to market with built-in stainless steel strainers at the lid. For stainless steel, EcoVessel is one brand that's been around awhile, and for glass, Mayu is a brand I've mentioned a few times on this channel. Just add your fruit, snap the strainer into place, and you're good to go. It's also worth noting that these strainers double as ice-blockers, which can be a life-saver when driving in particular.
Bottles with Built-In InfusersSome brands take the built-in strainer a step further by having a larger strainer that screws into the smaller one, which makes it a better option for tea or coffee. It's also a good option if you want your fruit to be contained instead of free-floating. Notably, none of the "major" brands that I'm aware of currently have bottles with built-in infusers, including Stanley, YETI, and Hydro Flask. We would not be surprised if they come out with options within a few years, but for now you'll have to go with lesser-known brands or add-on accessories (see further down the page). The first brand I tried with a larger infuser was Steepware, but honestly I'm not too much of a fan of this bottle. It did the worst by far on an insulation test, and the handle isn't anything to write home about. A much better all-around option is a new brand I came across called Vesmoon. Now to be clear, there do appear to be other similar bottles with the same size strainer coming to market, but this is the one I've tested in person and I'm a pretty big fan. Unfortunately, Vesmoon was not available for purchase as of 6/2/2024. This is sometimes a problem with brands that are smaller and newer because the water bottle market is incredibly competitive But there are other options on the market today, and these ones by Hemli and Akvati look to be comparable.
Stanley Bottle with a Fruit InfuserNow I'm not a huge fan of Stanleys, but I recognize many people love them. Unfortunately, Stanley does not have a fruit infuser bottle option at this time, though a good alternative is from a brand called Fimibuke. It's essentially a Stanley knockoff with a large built-in infuser for one third the price, and while I can't say much about the company or brand itself, the design and functionality look pretty solid.
Best Bottle Infusers for Fruit InfusingLlet's say you're in the market for an add-on infuser because you don't want to buy an entire new bottle. Well, there are a few options you can look at. Let's start with ones for fruit, which generally have larger openings that work well for fruit but not for loose leaf tea or coffee grounds.
Best Bottle Infusers for Tea and Coffee InfusingNow each of the add-on infusers I mentioned is made with either plastic or silicone, so let's look at some stainless steel ones, which can be used for fruit but are also better for tea and coffee because they have a finer mesh strainer.
Bottles with Flavor Pods (Cirkul and Air Up)And finally, let's take a look at the two elephants in the room that have taken social media by storm recently, Cirkul and air up. They each have flavor pods, but they work very differently.
Which Bottles Avoid Plastic Completely?Today we're exploring the question, which bottles completely avoid plastic contact with your water? You might think going with a stainless steel bottle like a Hydro Flask, YETI, or Stanley would be fine, but the vast majority of bottles still have exposed plastic under the lid. So what can you do? The good news is that there are an increasing number of brands with options that completely avoid plastic on the inside. Water Bottle Options Covered Next that Avoid Plastic Contact with Water: #1: Hydro Flask's Stainless Steel Flex Cap #2: Healthy Human #3: Klean Kanteen #4: EcoVessel #5: Glass Options (Mayu and Sunkey) Video Review: Which Bottles Avoid Plastic?We also cover this in a YouTube video if you'd prefer to watch the recap! Links to Products: As an Amazon Associate, we earn a small commission if you purchase after clicking a link. It doesn't cost you anything extra, and it really helps. Thank you! Which Lid Styles Avoid Plastic?As a general rule-of-thumb, you're typically going to have to use the type of lid that you have to screw all the way on and off to take a sip ("Standard" type shown below). Each brand has a different name for it, but you'll normally need to avoid straw, spout, and sip style lids. They have more moving parts and connections that make it more difficult to make a lid that's completely stainless steel on the bottom. Option #1 - Hydro Flask's Stainless Steel Flex Cap ("Flex Steel")
Option #2: Healthy Human
Option #3: Klean Kanteen
Option #4: EcoVessel
Option #5: Glass Bottles by Mayu and SunkeyThat's it for what I've seen from stainless steel bottles, but what about glass? Lifefactory is one of the biggest names in glass bottles, but as far as I can tell all of their lids have exposed plastic. So you'll have to look at some other brands like Mayu or Sunkey. These names don't carry the same weight as one like Hydro Flask, but I woudn't be surprised if a glass bottle brand takes over the social media landscape in the next few years in the same way that Hydro Flask, YETI, and now Stanley have over the last decade. It just seems like more and more people are looking to avoid stainless steel too, especially after all the recent media attention about lead.
Do Dents Affect Your Bottle's Insulation?Today we're exploring the question, will a dent affect your bottles insulation? Unless you have Spiderman-like reflexes, inevitably you will drop your bottle. Plastic bottles like Nalgenes will be fine, but dual-wall stainless steel bottles are a different story. Steel is a very strong and durable material for water bottle construction, but one major downside is that it is prone to denting. Many of these water bottles are not exactly cheap, costing as much as $50 for larger bottles from brands like YETI and Hydro Flask. So if you've invested in a brand you love, you want to know that your insulation still works, right? The truth is that dents CAN affect your bottle's insulation, but it's not as simple of a question to answer as it may seem at first. The location and size of the dent play a role, so there are more things to consdier than you might expect. So today we're exporing the question, "which dents affect your bottle's insulation?" Coming Next:
Video Review: Do Dents Affect Your Bottle's Insulation?I recently posted two videos about this test. One that's a 3-minute recap of the most important details, and another that's a full-length 18-minute video showing more of the testing footage and general information about these types of bottles. They each cover similar info as this post, so check those out if you'd prefer to watch the recap!
How Do Dual-Wall Insulated Bottles Work?Heat transfer through three primary methods:
Dual wall bottles work so well because they have a vacuum between the two stainless steel layers. Of the three heat transfer methods, only radiation is able to work through a vacuum. So when you have an intact vacuum, you're able to limit heat transfer in (or out) of your bottle. Another type of bottle you will see more and more commonly is what's normally referred to as a "triple-layer" bottle. These types of bottles have the same general construction as dual-wall bottles, but they add a copper coating to the outside of the inner stainless steel layer. The idea is that copper is better at limiting radiation heat transfer than steel, so this further improves the insulation properties of your bottle. To show you, I cut into a Hydro Flask (dual-wall) and a RevoMax (triple-layer with the copper coating). Fun fact, in the video you can actually hear the air rushing in to replace the vacuum when I cut through the Hydro Flask! Do Triple-Layer Bottles Work Better Than Dual-Wall Bottles?
Where Is The Worst Place On Your Bottle To Get A Dent?From cutting open these two bottles, I found that the spacing between the two layers is much wider on the bottom compared to the sides. So your bottle can have bigger dents on the bottom and still hold its insulation, which is probably by design because the bottom is the most likely place to get a dent. But if you are unlucky enough to drop your bottle on its side onto a rock or something else that dents it there, then the dent doesn't need to be as deep to create a contact point between the two layers. How Big Does A Dent Need To Be To Affect Your Bottle's Insulation?It's not just the location of the dent, but also the severity that matters. Insulation Failure A: Gradual Decrease Smaller isolated dents can create contact point between the two steel layers. Any contact point like this is going to be a pathway for heat transfer through conduction, so these dents can affect your insulation. But the good news is that your bottle will still have good insulation around the majority of it, so it won't be a complete failure. Insulation Failure B: Complete Loss (Vacuum No Longer Intact) Worst-case, you might get a larger dent that cuts through the outer layer of steel. This allows air to enter the space between the steel layers to replace the vaccum, and then your bottle will be not better at insulating than a single-wall bottle. Insulation TestsNext, I stress tested a RevoMax bottle by dropping it from increasing heights. I did a 4 hour insulation test before the test and after each drop. The bottle took A LOT of damage before the insulation was effected, even including some dents with extreme buckling and folding of the steel. The bottle still had the same insulation after 12", 24", 36", and 48" drops. Eventually the insulation was completely compromised (Failure B mentioned above) after the 60" drop. This occurred when multiple dents with severe buckling overlapped, and that overlapping area is where there was too much repeated strain on the steel to the point that it cut through the outer layer. So the main reason the insulation failed is because the compound dents overlapped. I wouldn't be surprised if the bottle would have held insulation after a single 60" drop. Conclusion: Do Dented Bottles Hold Insulation?In the vast majority of cases, YES! The bottom line is that you probably don't need to worry about your bottle's insulation being compromised by a dent. Most dents, even really severe ones, are not large enough to affect the insulation. Plus, the vast majority of people will replace their bottle before the insulation is affected because large dents can make the bottle sit wobbly, which is pretty annoying. But if you like to hang onto your bottles longer than the average person and you start to get overlapping major dents, that's when you would be more likely to start seeing your insulation get worse or potentially even competely fail. Do Your Own Insulation Test!But if you have any doubts, do an insulation test. Fill your bottle with the hottest water from your sink, measure the temperature, then let it sit for about 4 hours and measure it again. If the temperature dropped less than ~10 degrees F, your insulation is still probably good. More than ~10 degF and you might have a problem. How Do You Protect Your Bottle's Insulation?Other than never dropping your bottle EVER, there plenty of effective, easy options to keep your bottle protected and insulation as-designed. Here are a few to consider:
Good All-Around Sling for Many Bottles
Slings for 32 and 40oz Hydro Flasks
Bottle Boots
What is the Best Water Bottle for Clean Freaks?Let’s face it, reusable water bottles are amazing for many reasons, but they’re also great at hiding bacteria and germs. So today, let's look at some bottles that have features designed specifically to make it easier to keep them clean. In this post, I’m only going to cover dual wall vacuum insulated stainless steel bottles because they're some of the more popular bottle in today's market. LONG STORY SHORT Here's the summary of the bottles. Keep reading for more details about each one!
Water Bottle Cleaning TipsBefore we dive into specific bottles, let's start with some general water bottle cleaning tips and guidelines.
Can You Use your Dishwasher to Clean your Bottle? Many bottle manufacturers state that their bottles and lids are dishwasher safe, which at first makes this seem like a great option. Besides, why go through all the work of using a bottle brush and cleaning tablets when you can let the dishwasher do everything? Different people will have different opinions, but here's ours. For the most part, we do not recommend putting reusable bottles or accessories in dishwashers. These bottles can be expensive, so we think it's better to take a hands-on approach to make sure your bottle is cleaned sufficiently while minimizing the chances that it could get damaged or chipped from knocking into something else while your dishwasher is running. Also, you'll probably want to remove and hand-wash the seals anyways periodically because the dishwasher won't be able to get all around them. And it's not always clear which products are really dishwasher safe. For example, newer Hydro Flasks are dishwasher safe, but older ones are not. For the average user, it can be confusing or difficult to really know, so we generally like to play it safe and recommend handwashing. What are the Easiest Water Bottles to Keep Clean?Let’s move on to some bottles that have features designed specifically to make them easier to keep clean, and at the end I'll give my overall recommendation. Bottles with Internal Threads
Bottles with No Threads
Bottles with Seals with Pull Tabs
Bottles with Removable Bottoms
Bottles with FiltersThere are a ton of filter bottles and accessories to choose from at this point, and while they don't help clean your bottle, they do help clean the water you'll drink so they are worth mentioning. A few include Lifestraw, Simple Modern, and Brita. I'm planning another post later this year where I'll compare different filter options, so I'll have much more info about this subgenre coming soon. Bottles with UV Light
Easiest Straw Lids to Keep Clean
Conclusion: What is the Easiest Bottle to Keep Clean?From an objective standpoint, it's hard to beat the LARQ bottle because UV light is proven to kill bacteria and viruses. Of course that doesn't replace cleaning with a brush and bottle tablets, but it's an extra step to santize your water that the other bottles simply don't have. But for over $100 for the 25oz bottle, it's understandably outside of most people's price point. So for most people, Zulu Ace is probably the best choice. Being able to take off both sides of the bottle makes it so much easier to make sure you're cleaning the bottle thoroughly, so we'll give the nod to this one for anyone who prioritizes cleaning your bottle over everything else. But ultimately, you can make any of these bottles work if you have a good brush kit, use cleaning tablets periodically, and develop a habit of cleaning your bottle often. Now we just need someone to come out with a bottle that has a UV light, seals with pull tabs, easy-to-clean-threads, and a detachable bottom.
Are Stanley Mugs Safe?So it's official, Stanley bottles contain lead. But what does that really mean? Here's the cliff-notes summary:
But if the base of your bottle becomes damaged, then you may want to consider switching it out for a new one. Three of the most popular alternative brands that already use a lead-free plug are (click for links to their statements about lead):
As an Amazon Associate, we earn a small commission if you make a purchase through one of the links. Thank you for your support! If that's all the info you were looking for, then I hope this helped, thanks for stopping by, and we hope to see you later! But if you'd like to learn a little more about the backstory and ramificiations, then stay tuned because I'll dive into a little more detail and give my thoughts on what's coming next. Video ReviewWe also cover this in a YouTube video if you'd prefer to watch the recap! What Happened to Stanley?This all started when recent viral videos on Tiktok showed lead tests coming back positive in their Stanley bottles. Eventually, the company had to respond and issued a statement saying essentially that
Stanley's Statement about LeadStanley's full statement (as of 2/7/2024) is currently shown at this link and is copied below for easy reference:
"At Stanley, one of the key features of our products is our vacuum insulation technology, which provides consumers with drinkware that keeps beverages at the ideal temperature. Our manufacturing process currently employs the use of an industry standard pellet to seal the vacuum insulation at the base of our products; the sealing material includes some lead. Once sealed, this area is covered with a durable stainless steel layer, making it inaccessible to consumers. Rest assured that no lead is present on the surface of any Stanley product that comes into contact with the consumer nor the contents of the product. In the rare occurrence the base cap of a product comes off due to ordinary use and exposes this seal, it is eligible for our Lifetime Warranty, available here: https://www.stanley1913.com/pages/contact-warranty
Stanley assures that its products meet all US regulatory requirements including Prop65. Stanley tests for and validates compliance on all products through FDA accredited 3rd party labs that verify our products follow strict guidelines including but not limited to BPA/BPS, PFOS, and phthalate regulatory requirements." Where is the lead in Stanley bottles?As mentioned, the specific use is in a lead-based solder that seals off the vacuum insulation. It's located at the base of the bottle in the middle. Lead Safe Mama, LLC. has an amazingly detailed breakdown and investigation into all kinds of different bottles, and these are some of her images showing what they look like in other bottles with similar construction. If you're looking for more information about lead free bottles and containers, or just more information about lead safety in general, I'd highly recommend visiting Lead Safe Mama, LLC's website. She's been covering this information for years and has a pretty comprehensive review of most major bottle brands. Lead Safe Mama, LLC Links: Stanley's "Nalgene" Moment - Lead & BPAsTo summarize, lead doesn't contact the inside of the bottle, and it's covered up on the outside so you can't come in contact with it. So for most people and most situations, this is not a safety concern. And Stanley's statement also correctly noted that this is an industry standard because most dual wall vacuum insulated bottles you find on the market today use this same type of lead-based seal. But the problem for Stanley is that most people won't listen to the finer details or justifications. Instead, they just see the headlines saying "Stanley bottles contain lead." This gets shared and creates shockwaves online.
But the damage had already been done, and fallout from the BPA revolution paved the way for alternative brands like Klean Kanteen and Hydro Flask to take significant market share away from Nalgene. What will Stanley do about Lead?Now Stanley is in a similar situation with lead, and they will almost certainly update their manufacturing process to remove lead from the equation. The good news for Stanley is that this is already being done. As mentioned, companies like Hydro Flask, Klean Kanteen, and Owala already use a lead-free method to seal in the vacuum, so it shouldn't be difficult for Stanley to adopt similar procedures. The problem for Stanley is whether they can do this quickly, transparently, and fairly enough for their loyal customers in a way that won't leave them feeling alientated. If they can pull this off, then they could maintain their position as social media's favorite bottle brand. If not, you can bet that other brands will fill the public's new requirement to know their bottles are 100% lead-free. Will Stanley Let you Exchange Bottles for Lead-Free Ones?Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if Stanley offers some kind of bottle swap promotion where customers can trade in their older bottles for a new lead-free version. Yes, this would be extremely costly, but this kind of move would show their loyal followers that the company stands by them and their products. Time will tell if they do something like this, but you can almost guarantee that most major brands will switch to lead-free plugs as soon as possible and update their packaging to make sure people know about it. In the end, this is a welcome change. The further we can keep lead from our food and beverages, the better, and this market shift will make many people feel a lot more comfortable with their water bottles that they use every day.
8 Bottles that Change HydrationToday’s water bottle market is crowded and complex, and manufacturers are always looking for innovative ways to stand out. Many times, these features are just gimmicks, but some bottles really do improve what water bottles are capable of. At BottlePro, we’ve reviewed and seen a lot of these market changes, and we’re going to share with you 8 of our favorite innovators. The first ones start with some simpler quality-of-life improvements, and towards the end of the video we’ll show some of the more high-tech options on the market. We’ll also branch out a bit and show a couple of coffee mugs that you might want to take a look at. Video ReviewWe also cover this in a YouTube video if you'd prefer to watch the recap! As an Amazon Associate, we earn a small commission if you make a purchase through one of the links. Thank you for your support! The Big Picture
Bonus: Coffee MugsThe DetailsFJbottle (Convenience)
EcoVessel (Multi-Use)
Owala (Combo Lid)
RevoMax (Threadless Lid)
GRAYL Geopress (Filter)
Boundless (Titanium)
Hidrate Spark (Hydration Tracking)
LARQ (UV Sanitizing)Ember (Temperature Control)
Momnt Mugs (Ergonomic, No-Slip Grip)
Top 3 Questions to Ask before Buying a Water Bottle for your Child As a parent, you have a lot to think about when it comes to your child. In this post, we we'll talk through three important questions to consider before buying a bottle for your little one. And we’re glad you’re here. BottlePro is all about health through hydration, and teaching your child to use a reusable water bottle will have many benefits in the long run. Proper hydration habits are tied to better health, and avoiding single-use bottles will help your child’s future wallet as well as the environment that he or she is inheriting. So without further ado, let's get started! Question #1 - Is Your Water Bottle Safe?Moving on to question number one, is it safe? As with anything with your child, the first question you should ask is, will this be safe for my child to use every day. Normally the concern with bottles is about leaching, or whether chemicals or toxins seep from your bottle into your drink. Aside from that, there are physical hazards, which is particularly true with glass because it can break into sharp pieces.
The Safest Water Bottle Materials for ChildrenThe safest bottle materials that we recommend using for children are:
STAINLESS STEELAre Stainless Steel Bottles Safe for Kids? In many ways, stainless steel bottles are the best option for children. They’re widely shown to be safe, are easy to clean, and don’t have an inner liner like aluminum bottles. There are plenty of reputable brands with many different style to choose from, so you have plenty of options to pick what’s right for you and your child. And unlike glass, they won’t shatter and potentially create a physical hazard if your child drops the bottle. Stainless steel bottles typically come in one of four alloys or grades: 304, 316, 18/8 and 18/10. Any of these grades should be fine with normal use, but if you’re really looking for the best grade, consider buying a bottle made with 316 steel because it’s more corrosion resistant. Should You Avoid Stainless Steel Bottles for Kids? For the most part stainless steel bottles are a pretty proven and safe option, but there's one thing to keep in mind with many of them. Make sure you look at the lid construction. Many bottles that are made with stainless steel bodies still have exposed plastic under the lid that can come in contact with the water, so if your goal is to completely avoid plastic contact, keep this in mind. I’ll give some links in the description to bottles that I’m aware of that completely prevent plastic from contacting your water, and if anyone else knows of other options, please leave a comment below to let us and other viewers know. The Best Stainless Steel Bottles for Kids There is a lot of competition in the stainless steel water bottle market, so there are plenty of options to choose from. These are some of our favorites!
SILICONEAre Silicone Bottles Safe for Kids? For silicone, most research shows that it is very safe and a great alternative to plastic. It is BPA-free, extremely durable, lightweight, and flexible. Just make sure it says food-safe or food-grade. Pretty much every bottle with silicone will list this on the packaging, but it doesn’t hurt to check. And if you’re buying from a lesser-known brand, you could also reach out to the manufacturer for more testing info if you’d like to learn more. Pura is a brand we haven’t tested yet, but looking at their website, they are leaning heavily into silicone-based options and are a good one to check out. Should You Avoid Silicone Bottles for Kids? In my opinion, the biggest potential downside to silicone is what we don’t know. While research has mostly shown it to be safe, compared to some other materials like glass, silicone is still relatively new and it’s always possible that new research could bring up potential concerns. I wouldn’t blame you if you want to avoid silicone bottles for this reason, but keep in mind that most water bottles use some silicone, either in the seals, straw, or spout. It’s very hard to completely avoid silicone in water bottles nowadays. The Best Silicone Bottles for Kids The 100% silicone bottle market is relatively new, so there aren't nearly as many options to choose from compared to stainless steel. Many do not have great reviews, so we're waiting for this sub-genre to develop more. Still, here are a few worth considering for children of varying ages.
GLASSAre Glass Bottles Safe for Kids? Glass gives the cleanest drinking experience, and many people feel safest using glass because it’s a material that’s been in use for a long time and has a more natural feel to it. Many people prefer glass because they find that it doesn’t have an aftertaste that you might have with plastic, silicone, or stainless steel. And even though materials like BPA-free plastic and silicone are tested to be safe, glass is made with fewer additives and chemicals so many people feel safer that it helps avoid leaching of potentially harmful chemicals. Should You Avoid Glass Bottles for Kids? Now all that sounds great, but there is a big drawback. Glass is usually the heaviest bottle and can be extra bulky, so it may be more difficult for your child to manage than alternatives like plastic or stainless steel. And obviously, glass can also break and create a physical hazard with sharp edges. If you want to get a glass bottle for your child, make sure it has a protective sleeve and is made of borosilicate glass because it’ll less likely to shatter and is more temperature and shock resistant. You may want to avoid mason jars because most of them are not made of borosilicate glass. The Best Glass Bottles for Kids These are some of our favorite glass bottle options for kids within a few age ranges.
SPONSORFJbottle Real quick, I’d like to take a few moments to thank FJbottle for sponsoring this video. One thing they do well is clearly label what type of stainless steel is used in their bottles, and they have a mix of 304 and 316. With other brands, sometimes it can take more digging around online to know which grade it is, and higher-grade 316 stainless steel bottles can sometimes be hard to find. They sent us these bottles to help us have some content for this video, and we appreciate the different designs they’ve come up with. There are spout lids, straw lids with silicone tips, and quite a few different designs for whatever your kid is interested in. Each bottle comes with a cleaning brush and a straw cleaner if it’s a straw lid, so it’s easier to keep your bottle clean right from the start without having to buy a cleaning kit, though you eventually may want a more robust bottle cleaning brush. This one is a kid-size of the 34-ounce bottle that I used a lot over the last few months and honestly became one of my favorite bottles. It has a magnetic lid, a carrying strap on the side that I ended up using a lot more than I thought I would, and an anti-slip base that helps prevent a few dents and spills. Please note that they do have plastic under the lids, but the fact that they have 316 stainless steel options and silicone straw options tells me that they are very aware of material safety. We’re very thankful for their support, so we hope you’ll visit www.fjbottle.com to learn more! Question #2 - Which Bottles are Easiest for Children to Use?The next question you’ll want to ask yourself is whether the bottle will be easy for your child to use. What Size Water Bottle is Best for Children Pick a size that’s a good fit for your child depending on his or her age and ability. I’d recommend sticking to 16-ounces at most for younger kids because larger bottles like 20-ounce and especially 32 and 40-ounce would be too much to handle. Bottles can be pretty big and bulky, so look for features that make a bottle easier to carry like a carrying strap, pouch, or large handle. Are Straw or Spout Bottles Better for Children? To make it less likely to have spills, there are a few things to keep an eye out for. Straw lids are easier for many children to drink from, but they're also more prone to leaking, especially if you store a bottle on its side like in a backpack. So depending on your child's age, you may one one more than the other. Double-check the reviews since there’s almost always someone who will mention if it leaks easily. Question #3 - Will Your Child Like It?The third question you should ask is, will my child even want to use this bottle? Now for sure, buying a bottle that’s easy to use important to encourage regular use, but kids are all about style and sporting something that’s fits their interests. This is where having different styles really comes in handy. Is your kid into trains? Unicorns? Pink? Blue? Brands like FJbottle and Klean Kanteen have designs with different graphics and themes, while brands like Hydro Flask and YETI only have color variations. You know your kid better than anyone else, so get them a bottle that strikes a chord with what they’re interested in. That will help encourage them to keep their bottle with them and build on healthy hydration habits.
Update March 9, 2024: For more info about lead and Stanley bottles, see our more recent post here. What is the Safest Water Bottle Material?A common question that many people ask when buying a reusable water bottle is, will this bottle be safe to drink from every day? It's important to know that your bottles are safe for you and your family to use, so in this video, we are going to take a closer look at seven types of water bottle materials:
Our goal is to give you a better understanding of the available options on the market today so you can make the best decision for your situation. We'll review which ones are generally considered to be the safest, and which ones you may want to avoid. (Rankings are at the end) Don't Forget to Clean your Bottle RegularlyBefore we even talk about any water bottle materials, we need to talk about cleaning. Any bottle that isn’t cleaned regularly will eventually become unsafe to drink from due to bacteria buildup. In an ideal world, you should wash your bottle after every single use, but that’s not practical for a lot of people and situations. At the very least though, you should try wash your bottle thoroughly at least every 2-3 days if you use it each day . Using a brush kit like this one is really helpful to clean larger water bottles, especially narrow mouths. It’s also a good idea to give your bottle a deep clean every few weeks with a cleaning tablet, and I found that Bottle Bright’s tablets worked great to get stains out of my coffee bottle. We also recommend that you do not use bleach with your bottle. With some bottles, like 304 stainless steel, bleach can corrode the metal and cause damage. Just clean your bottle regularly with warm, soapy water and use a bottle cleaning tablet every week or two for a deeper clean and you’ll be good. Bottle Cleaning Products We Use Regularly LeachingThe main concern that usually comes up when talking about water bottle materials and health is leaching, which is when chemicals or toxins from the bottle seep into the drink. It’s the same process that created a widespread fear tomatoes in the 1700s when many people thought they were poisonous, as explained in more detail in this article by Reader's Digest. Of course the tomatoes themselves weren’t toxic, but the acid from the fruit would leach lead from the pewter plates and utensils, causing lead poisoning. More recently, BPAs have received most of the headlines, which leads us into our first material, plastic. Are Plastic Bottles Safe?Plastic is the most commonly used material today for water bottles for several reasons, including how it’s inexpensive, easily manufactured, and extremely durable. When it comes to concerns with reusable plastic bottles, you’ve no doubt heard about bisphenol A compounds, more commonly known as BPAs. These are widely used in industrial and consumer goods, but they have also been associated with adverse health effects in many studies. One of the primary concerns is that BPA can mimic the effects of estrogen on your body, which can lead to hormone imbalance, but there are other potential health concerns as well. To be clear, the risk is not completely known. Researching any kind of low-dose, long term exposure like with BPAs is difficult, and there is some uncertainty on how of a risk BPAs actually pose for most people. With over 17,000 scientific papers on PubMed as of 2023, there is understandably a mix of results. And in fact, many studies indicate that most BPA exposure is so small that it is not a significant risk for the majority of people. However, there is enough evidence and uncertainty that’s led to most public health agencies taking steps to reduce BPA use, especially in products intended to be used with infants. For example, in 2012, the EPA officially amended its regulations to no longer allow BPA use in baby bottles and sippy cups. Nalgene's History with BPAs
Are Plastic Water Bottles Safe Today? Given all these changes and public knowledge about BPAs today, you’d be hard-pressed to find a reusable plastic bottle on the market that isn’t BPA-free, but it doesn’t hurt to check. Just look on the product listing or on the packaging for the phrase “BPA-free.” And if you have an older plastic bottle that you’re not sure about, you might want to consider buying a replacement. In general, it’s a good idea to stick to Tritan bottles if you’re going with plastic. This type of material is really light, so it’s for hiking when you want to minimize how much weight you’re carrying. Nalgene and CamelBak have some tried-and-true bottles to choose from, and YETI recently released their Yonder series plastic bottle. Tritan Plastic Water Bottles We Use Are Stainless Steel Bottles Safe?The most popular alternative on the market today is stainless steel. This is easily the best option if you’re looking for an insulated bottle to keep your drink hot or cold since there are so many dual-wall vacuum insulated options available. Steel vs Stainless Steel Steel and stainless steel are not the same thing. Stainless steel has additives like chromium and nickel that help the alloy resist corrosion and rust better than regular carbon steel. But don’t be concerned if you see something online or talk to someone who references "steel" bottles because that’s just shorthand for stainless steel. If anyone reading this knows of a bottle that is made from non-stainless steel, also known as carbon steel, let me know because that’d be news to me and I’m guessing it’d involve some kind of wacky health claim that you probably shouldn’t trust. Grades of Stainless Steel in Water Bottles (304 vs 316 vs 18-8 vs 18-10) To go a step further down the steel rabbit hole, not all stainless steels are the same. The most common types you’ll see associated with water bottles are 304, 316, 18-8, and 18-10. I won’t get into the details here about these different grades, and honestly it can get a little confusing because there is some overlap between the classifications. You’ll most commonly see 304 or 18-8 listed in the product descriptions for stainless steel water bottles. Technically, 316 is better than 304 and 18-10 is better than 18-8 and, so if you’re really looking for the best-of-the-best, go with one of the higher grades. For example, 316 steel is more resistant to corrosion in salty environments, making it a better steel for marine construction projects that will be in and around salt water. But when it comes to water bottles for average consumers, it doesn’t make a practical difference which grade you go with. Any of these four stainless steel alloys are recognized as food-safe. Stainless Steel Bottles We Use Which Stainless Steel Bottles Avoid Plastic Under the Lid? Many people who want to avoid plastic contacting their water buy a stainless steel bottle and assume they are good, but the reality is that most water bottles still have exposed plastic under the lid that can come in contact with your drink. Don’t forget to check under the lid if you’re looking to have completely free plastic drinking. To my knowledge, all of YETI’s lids have plastic on the bottom. Hydro Flask’s standard lids have plastic on the bottom, but they sell a replacement lid with stainless steel. Klean Kanteen’s TKWide insulated bottles have plastic on the bottom of the lids, but I’ve included a link in the description to two of their bottle options that have stainless steel under the lid. Stainless Steel Bottles that Do Not Have Plastic Under the Lid Are Glass Bottles Safe?Glass is another good option to avoid plastic. It’s certainly been around longer than plastic or stainless steel, and it has more of a natural feel to it. Many people find that it doesn’t leave any kind of residual taste with some beverages that they experience with stainless steel or plastic. When it comes to a clean, natural material to drink from, it doesn’t get much better than using glass. Why You May Not Want to Use a Glass Bottle Safety with water bottles isn’t just related to what you ingest, and with glass, there is always a concern that it could break and create sharp edges. This is especially a concern for children. Glass is already pretty heavy and bulky, and it’s not hard to imagine a scenario where a child is running with a water bottle in his or her hand and trips. The natural reaction is to put your hands out in front to break your fall, and it could lead to some nasty cuts if the bottle breaks in your kid’s hands. It's worth noting that most glass bottles on the market are made with a specific type of glass called borosilicate. You may not have heard of this specific term before, but odds are that you’ve used this type of glass at some point. Pyrex is one of the most well-known borosilicate glass brands. This type of glass is more resistant to temperature changes and shock, so it’s less likely to crack or chip. In addition, many glass bottle brands manufacturers also sell their glass bottles with a protective silicone sleeve. So yes, this type of bottle is still more susceptible to breaking in a way that could be dangerous compared to plastic or stainless steel, but the combination of borosilicate glass and the silicone sleeve helps prevent this from happening in most situations. Popular Glass Water Bottles
Glass Bottles that Do Not Have Plastic Under the Lid If your main goal is to avoid plastic contact completely, then any plastic lid is still obviously a problem. Thankfully there are some other brands like Sunkey, Mayu, and Anotion that have stainless steel or silicone under their lids. Are Aluminum Bottles Safe?Aluminum is another common bottle material. It’s lighter and less expensive than stainless steel, but it’s not as durable and won’t insulate your drink as well as a dual-wall stainless-steel bottle would. You'll find aluminum is used in most single-use cans, like for soda and beer. The Liner Inside in Aluminum Cans One thing to be aware of is that aluminum reacts more with acidic liquids compared to other materials like stainless steel. For this reason, aluminum soda cans are made with a plastic liner, and that plastic liner often contains BPAs. Check out the short (51 second) video by Chemteacherphil that we've linked below because it does a really good job of showing this liner. Popular Aluminum Bottles
Are Copper Bottles Safe?Copper is a newer option that you can find on the market today, like this one from the brand Milton that was released in 2020. From what we’ve read, copper is a double-edged sword. On the good side, they look really cool, and there is some evidence that the copper can kill bacteria and microbes in water. Some brands list additional health claims, including how copper is “known for its anti-oxidant, brain-stimulator and immunity booster properties.” However, as far as I can tell, this is dubious at best and is not backed up by trusted sources. In fact, too much copper intake can lead to symptoms like nausea, dizziness, and abdominal pain. Why You Shouldn't Buy a Copper Water Bottle Take this paper Q&A sheet from the Washington State Department of Health. It discusses the negative effects of ingesting water that’s been in contact with copper for too long, mostly involving old copper pipes. They recommend running water in copper pipes for a minute before using it, and whenever possible, use cold water only because hot water dissolves more copper. To be fair, this paper is referring primarily to old copper pipes that are used in construction, and I wouldn't be surprised if the high-grade copper that is allegedly used in many water bottles today is safer, especially because it's easier for you to clean and maintain it. However, there are other similar options like stainless steel that are generally accepted to be safer, so in my opinion, why take the risk? When Is a Copper Bottle a Good Option? If you do not have access to clean drinking water, then a copper bottle may be a good option for you. This is only because the antibacterial properties may provide enough of a benefit to overcome the negative effects of ingesting copper. But if you have access to clean drinking water, then we generally recommend against using a copper bottle. Copper Bottles on Amazon If you're set on buying a copper bottle, here are a couple popular options on Amazon. Are Silicone Bottles Safe?Silicone is a material that’s become more and more popular with food-safe products. It’s been used for a long time as a component, like with o-rings and gaskets to keep bottles water-tight, and now we’re even seeing some all-silicone options come out. They have some unique benefits given that they’re typically collapsible and lightweight, making them fantastic options for traveling and hiking. Yes, there are some plastic options like Platypus like this, but for those who want something that’s collapsible without the plastic, silicone is really the only good alternative. Does the Silicone Pinch Test Work? Quick note about silicone. There are silicone types that are not food-safe, and it’s typically when fillers used do not have the same food-safe properties. You might also read about a “pinch test” to verify if the silicone is safe. The thought is that if you pinch silicone and it turns white, this indicates it has fillers that can be unsafe. However, this is not necessarily true, and the pinch test is more of a myth from what I have read. There are food-safe silicone products that turn white when pinched but that are still perfectly safe. When buying a silicone product, make sure it says it’s FDA-approved, food-grade, or food-safe silicone, and if you have any questions, reach out to the manufacturer. Does Silicone Contain BPAs, and is Silicone Safer than Plastic? No, silicone does not contain BPAs. This article does a great job at explaining more of the details and information about silicone and how it's different and generally considered to be safer than plastic. And the Canadian government writes that there are no known health hazards. In the most basic terms, silicone uses silica, aka sand, which is the same primary component as glass. This avoids some of the more problematic polymers and compounds found in plastics. Having said that, silicone is obviously very synthetic and is relatively new-to-market compared to an alternative like glass. For that reason, I wouldn't fault you if you chose to avoid an all-silicone bottle for now until more research is completed. Silicone Bottles on Amazon There aren’t too many all-silicone bottles on the market yet, but two of the more popular ones now that are worth taking a look at are E-Senior and Special Made. Are Titanium Bottles Safe?The last bottle material we’ll cover in this video is titanium. At first glance, this looks like one of the best options available. It’s extremely durable, more lightweight than stainless steel, and is corrosion-resistant. Because it is better than stainless steel in nearly every way including being almost 50% lighter, titanium is a fantastic option for hiking. Why Shouldn't you Buy a Titanium Bottle? But for all of that functionality, you can expect to pay a much higher price. The cheapest titanium bottle option we found is $80, and other options easily get up over triple digits. In short, titanium bottles appear to be one of, if not the, best material options available for water bottles, but they have a price point that reflects the premium nature of this material. One other downside worth mentioning is that there does not appear to be a dual-wall vacuum insulated option like you’ll find with so many stainless steel bottles. Some brands like Boundless try to spin this as a positive because you can put your bottle directly on a stove to boil water for cooking or to purify it, and for sure this is a benefit when camping or hiking long distances. But for most people, they just want a bottle that can hold ice for 4-8 hours, and I’m not sure a titanium bottle is a good option for that unless you get a thermal sleeve. Titanium Bottles On Amazon that We'd Love to Test Which Water Bottle Materials are the Safest?Yo sum things up, I like to think of safety with different water bottle materials in three tiers. Tier 3 - Avoid Copper At the bottom of the list is copper. It’s probably not a good idea to drink regularly from a container like this. You’ll pay quite a bit of money, and it doesn’t look like science backs up the health claims. Tier 2 - Probably OK, but there are some concerns Plastics (Tritan and Polypropylene) Aluminum Each of these materials are safe according to many studies and the manufacturers, but there are a few details that caused me to rank them a little lower, mainly because there are still some concerns about plastics in general and because aluminum bottles all seem to have an interior lining. Tier 1 - Safest Stainless Steel Silicone* Titanium Glass** And finally, the safest materials to use are stainless steel, silicone, titanium, and glass. From what I’ve read, these bottles all have consistent safety testing results, and you should feel safe and confident using any of them. *Silicone is newer and more closely related to plastic, so I wouldn't fault you if you wanted to avoid this type of bottle until more research is done. I almost ranked it in Tier 2 for that reason. **Glass would be at an even higher level if it weren’t for concerns with breakage and cutting yourself. But if you’re really looking for the cleanest, most natural drinking option, glass is probably the best material to go with. Buying a Large Bottle? Keep Us in Mind
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How Triple-Wall Bottles Work, and are They Worth the Hype? (Insulation Test vs Dual-Walls)8/24/2023 Do Triple-Wall Bottles Really Have Better Insulation than Dual-Wall Bottles?You’ve probably heard about dual-wall insulated bottles, but what about triple-wall? If two walls are good, then three are better, right? Let’s find out. Dual-wall stainless-steel bottles have been around for a long time, and brands like Hydro Flask and YETI really launched them into mainstream use within the last decade. Each bottle has two walls of stainless steel with a vacuum in between, and the lack of air reduces how much heat can transfer in or out. We tested quite a few of these bottles for a video earlier this year, and that turned into one of our best-performing posts. Triple wall bottles are not as widespread, but there are a few brands out there marketing this type of design, including S’well, RevoMax, EcoVessel, and Owala. We didn’t discuss this type of bottle as we would have liked in our previous insulation test video, so we thought now would be a good time to revisit it, this time with a focus on seeing if the triple-wall design is worth the marketing hype. Content Overview: Here's what we'll cover in case you'd like to skip ahead to a certain point.
Our Video Review
Our YouTube video covers the same information in this post, so click the link if you'd rather see the video. Otherwise, keep reading the full post below!
Before we get started, there are a few details to point out.
"Triple-Wall" vs "Triple-Layer"Many people assume triple-wall means three walls of stainless-steel, but that’s not correct. If you look closely at the marketing and listings, you’ll notice that it probably says “triple-layer” instead of “triple-wall.” It’s a small but significant distinction because they don’t really have three walls. They have the same dual wall construction with a vacuum in between, and the third layer refers to a copper coating on one of the stainless-steel walls. From S'well's website: “Thanks to our Therma-S'well® Technology and triple-layered insulation, which includes a copper layer, S'well products are able to keep any liquid hot or cold for long stretches, while maintaining a condensation-free exterior.” You might be wondering how this would help. Copper is known for being a good electrical conductor, but it also has a high thermal conductivity. This means that heat is transferred very easily through it, so why would a copper layer help bottle insulation? How Triple-Wall Bottles Limit Radiation Heat Transfer
The key difference with radiation compared to either conduction or convection is that radiation does not need matter to transfer heat, which allows for radiation heat loss through the vacuum in dual wall bottles. Emissivity: How Different Materials Allow Radiation Heat Transfer at Different RatesEmissivity is a material property that indicates how efficiently heat is transferred by radiation. A material with a lower emissivity value will transfer less radiant heat compared to a material with a higher value. Copper has an emissivity of 0.05, so while the copper coating won’t do much to prevent heat conduction, it will help prevent heat radiation. For reference, stainless-steel has a higher emissivity of 0.59, so the steel won’t prevent radiation heat loss as efficiently by itself. So that’s the science behind the triple-layer and how it theoretically is better, but how does this translate into actual results and is it significant enough of a difference for you to consider when buying a bottle? Let’s find out! Insulation Test A (Using a Uniform Styrofoam Cap)We looked at 14 total bottles. 11 bottles are dual-wall, and 3 have triple-layer insulation with the copper coating. Dual-Wall:
We were originally going to boil water to recreate steeping tea or brewing coffee, but it would have taken quite a few batches and taken a lot longer. So instead, we filled up each bottle with the hottest water from our sink. As mentioned before, different lids have different insulating properties. Because our main goal was to compare the triple-layer vs dual-wall insulation, we wanted to keep the different lid styles from impacting the results as much as possible. We purchased a sheet of Styrofoam insulation, cut it into a bunch of smaller pieces, and pressed them onto the rim of the bottles. This created an impression in the Styrofoam pieces that helped limit the potential for gaps and temperature loss. We poked a hole through each piece of foam with our thermometer, and we used a few other smaller pieces of insulation to cover up the holes when we weren’t taking measurements. Test A ResultsWe measured the temperature every hour for the next four hours, again around hour 8, and one more time around hour 20. With each measurement, we inserted the thermometer through the hole in the Styrofoam cap until the temperature equalized. This chart and graph show the percentage temperature change at different times during our test, which lasted 19 hours and 31 minutes. Temperature drops ranged between 17.2% on the low end to 27.0% on the high end. Looking closer at the data, there are a few interesting results to note. Two of the triple-layer bottles, RevoMax and S’well, had the best results. The third triple-layer bottle, EcoVessel, didn’t fare as well, but it was still in the top five. The best dual-wall bottle really surprised us. Ozark Trail, the Walmart brand bottle that we bought for $11, had an 18.5% temperature loss. Compare that to 20.9% for a $50 YETI Rambler and 24.2% for a $45 Hydro Flask. The worst bottle by a wide margin is Steepware, which is a bit ironic given that it’s primarily made for brewing tea. That being said, it’s probably not a major concern because most people will drink the tea within a few hours before it goes stale. So based on the results, it does appear that the copper layer may have an impact and helps insulation. However, depending on which brands you’re comparing, the difference between triple layer and dual wall insulation might not be as great as you would have thought. When you average the percent temperature loss for dual wall vs triple layer bottles, you get 22.7% and 18.3% respectively. A 5% difference over 20 hours is significant, but it’s not really game-changing in our opinion. However, there’s another big variable that makes this conclusion a bit uncertain. We can’t afford to buy every type of bottle, and it just so happens with our bottle collection that the two best performing bottles were also our only two narrow mouth bottles. Because most heat is lost through the lid and mouth opening, narrow mouth bottles should have an advantage over wide mouth ones. We’d like to do another test in the future that focuses on wide-mouth vs narrow-mouth insulation once we have more narrow mouth bottles to compare. Insulation Test B (Using the Manufacturer's Lid)But let’s face it, you’re not going to be walking around with one of these bottles with a Styrofoam cap. We did the test first because we wanted to isolate the effect that the copper layer has on the insulation, but the more practical test that you can use compares the bottles when using the lids that they come with. So we ran a 2nd version of the test using the bottle lids. For each measurement, we swapped the bottle lid with the Styrofoam piece from the previous test. Then we pushed the thermometer through the Styrofoam, and this prevented excessive temperature loss for the 15-20 seconds that we needed for each measurement. Once we had the reading, we put the normal cap back on. Test B ResultsThis test lasted for 19 hours and 17 minutes, and we made the same type of chart and table to show the results. Right away, there are some interesting data points and details to unpack. The relative rankings were mostly the same as with Test A, but there was a much wider range of results with a 13.5% temperature drop on the low end to 30.1% on the high end. That’s an increase in the range of results from 9.8% with Test A to 16.6% with Test B. The same two brands performed the best (RevoMax and S'well), but they widened their lead significantly. However, keep in mind that these are the only two narrow-mouth bottles in our test. Ozark Trail had a great showing again, and this was the best dual-wall bottle in both tests. Unfortunately for Steepware, this bottle was even more of an outlier on the wrong side of the average compared to Test A. Does the Bottle Manufacturer's Lid Help Insulation?While the relative rankings were similar for both tests, you may have noticed the rankings did change in some cases. For example, Hydro Flask’s Trail Series jumped from the 2nd worst with Test A to the middle of the pack with Test B. Since the only change between the two tests was that we switched from the standardized foam pieces to each brand’s lid, any changes in the rankings means that some brands have designed lids with better insulation than others. Standardizing the Results Tests A and B had slightly different total durations, so to better illustrate how the results for each bottle changed between the tests, we needed to standardize the results. We calculated the temperature drop per minute over the duration of both tests, then we multiplied that by 1200 to simulate a 20-hour test. Then we compared Test A vs Test B for each brand, and this graph shows how each brand changed. Bottles that fall on the left side had better results with their brand’s lids instead of the Styrofoam cap, and bottles on the right did better with the Styrofoam. S’well, RevoMax, and both Hydro Flasks were the only bottles that improved with Test B. When you look at the lids with each of these bottles, you can see that they seem to have more built-in insulation, like with S'well and RevoMax. Most of the other bottle lids like Steepware and Takeya don’t have built-in insulation and just have single layer plastic construction in the cap, so it’s understandable that they didn’t fare as well. Conclusions: Are Triple-Wall Bottles Worth the Hype?So when we take a step back and look at the results as a whole, we have a few main takeaways.
Based on these results, we have a few more video ideas that we may work on in the near future. Once we have more narrow-mouth bottles in our collection, we want to compare those against wide-mouth bottles. We also think it would be interesting to focus on premium brands vs budget brands, because let’s face it, we’re probably not the only ones that were surprised that Ozark Trail outperformed YETI. And finally, we only ran one instance of each test, and for more reliable comparisons and data, we ideally would repeat the test more times and average the results. Buying a Large Bottle? Keep Us in Mind!
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