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How to Remove Stains, Rust, and Rainbowing from Stainless Steel Mugs and Bottles

3/25/2025

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What are the Best Ways to Clean Stains, Rust, and Rainbowing from Stainless Steel Bottles and Mugs
​(10 minute read)

How to Clean Stainless Steel Mugs and Bottles

So, what exactly are the best ways to remove stains and rust from your stainless steel bottle?  And what exactly is that oily-looking rainbow color that you sometimes see, and is it harmful?

It honestly gets really confusing, and everyone seems to have their own trick or solution.  So today, let's talk about and test eight of the most commonly-mentioned options to see which are the best for removing stains, rust, and rainbowing in stainless steel water bottles.

You'll see some that work amazing, and others that don't so much at all.  So let's get started and learn how to make your stainless steel bottle look like new.

Best for Stains and Rainbowing (Not Rust)

Given that this is the most common question, we wanted to highlight this answer first by showing the cheapest, fastest, and easiest ways to remove stains and rainbowing from stainless steel mugs and bottles.

Keep reading below to learn more about our tests, as well as which are the best cleaning options for removing rust.
Cheapest
(harder to use in narrow bottles)
Picture
Step 1:
Pour some baking soda on the stain.

Step 2:
Add hot water and mix it into a paste.

Step 3:
Spread the paste around on on the stain and let it sit for ~10 minutes.

Step 4:

Scrub it around, wipe it off, and rinse.
See on Amazon
Fastest
(harder to use in narrow bottles)
Picture
Step 1:
(for their Soft Cleaner formula)
Read the instructions on the bottle first, because you need to be a little more careful compared to just using baking soda.

Step 2: 
Pour some Bar Keepers Friend onto the stain.

Step 3:
Immediately start scrubbing and wiping it around with a paper towel or rag.

Step 4:
After 30 seconds, wipe it off and rinse.  Don't let it sit for more than 60 seconds.
See on Amazon
Easiest
(easy for any mouth diameter)
Picture
Step 1:
Fill up your bottle with hot water (ideally close to boiling)

Step 2: 
Add one Bottle Bright tablet, and let it sit for 30 minutes.  Note that the bubbles may cause the water and foam to spill over some at first if you filled your bottle to the rim.

Step 3:
After 30 minutes, use a long-neck brush like this one to scrub around inside the bottle, then rinse.
See on Amazon

​Video: How to Remove Stains, Rust, and Rainbowing from Stainless Steel Mugs and Bottles

​​​​​​​​​​​​We also cover this info in a YouTube video if you'd prefer to watch the recap that way.

Amazon Associates Disclosure
​BottlePro is part of the Amazon Associates Program.  There are a few products linked later in this article, and if you make a purchase using one, we earn a small commission at no cost to you.  Big thanks if you use one because it really does help!

Stains vs Rust vs Rainbowing

​First, it helps to know the difference between stains, rust, and rainbowing because knowing what you have can change which type of cleaning agent or method you should use.
Stains
Coffee and Tea Stains (in 16oz Hydro Flask)
Coffee and Tea Stains (in 16oz Hydro Flask)
Stains are most commonly formed if you are a regular coffee or tea drinker.  This is because of tannins, which most people associate with wine, but they also exist in coffee and tea.  They're basically organic compounds you find in things like fruit, bark, and leaves, and fun fact, the name "tannin" comes from how people can use tree bark to tan animal hides when making leather.

​Because tannins are so small, they work their way into the microscopic pores and imperfections in stainless steel, which creates that staining effect.

​Another type is water stains, which is when water droplets dry up and leave behind oils or dissolved minerals like calcium, and it's a lot more common if you live in an area with hard water.

​But notably, none of these stains actually damage your bottle.
​Rust
Rusting
Rusting
Rust on the other hand is corrosive and can leave lasting damage if left unchecked.

Regular carbon steel corrodes because the iron in the steel reacts with water and moisture in air to form iron oxide, also known as rust.  Stainless steel is different because it contains a percentage of chromium, along with a few other metals.  The amount of each type of metal varies based on the type of stainless steel you have, but the important detail is that the chromium in stainless steel forms a protective chromium oxide layer, also known as a passive layer.

​That's what actually prevents rust from forming, and it's why stainless steel stains less.  But it's really thin, typically just a few nanometers thick.
​Rainbowing
Rainbowing in a Corkcicle Mug
Rainbowing in a Corkcicle Mug
Rainbowing is what happens when that chromium oxide passive layer gets a little thicker.  When stainless steel is heated up, that can actually increase the thickness of that oxidized top layer, creating that rainbowing effect.

​Because it's related to heat, that's also why you sometimes hear rainbowing referred to as heat tinting.  Even though it looks a little weird and oily, rainbowing stainless steel bottles are totally safe to use.

What We're Testing

Sometimes it's hard to tell exactly what's a stain, rust, or rainbowing, especially if it's really bad because maybe there's a combination of these issues.  And even though stains and rainbowing aren't inherently unsafe, they make it more difficult to know if a bottle is truly clean.

For those reasons, it can be a good idea to clean bottles regularly so they look like brand new stainless steel.  These are eight of the most commonly-mentioned methods you'll find online.
  • Baking soda
  • Vinegar
  • Salt and lemon juice
  • Bar Keeper's Friend
  • Cleaning tablets (like Bottle Bright)
  • Bleach
  • Abrasive cleaners (like steel wool and Magic Erasers)
  • Cleaning beads

​We're going to test some of these three mugs: a rainbowing Corkcicle mug, a coffee and tea-stained Contigo mug, and a stained and rainbowing Hydro Flask 16oz bottle.

​And I don't have any bottles with enough rust to run multiple tests, but I did accidentally left this camping stovetop outside too long, so that'll give us plenty of surface area to test a few different ways to remove rust.
Corkcicle (Rainbowing)
Corkcicle Mug (Rainbowing)
Corkcicle Mug (Rainbowing)
Contigo (Staining)
Contigo Mug (Staining)
Contigo Mug (Staining)
Hydro Flask (Staining and Rainbowing)
Hydro Flask (Staining and Rainbowing)
Hydro Flask (Staining and Rainbowing)
Camping Stove (Rusting)
Camping Stove (Rusting)
Camping Stove (Rusting)

Test 1 Setup: Corkcicle (Removing Rainbowing)

First on the testing block is the Corkcicle with the heavy rainbowing.

Rather than testing one method after another, I taped off four sections inside the mug so we can hopefully see the differences side-by-side against the exact same types of stain.
Taping Off 4 Sections
Taping Off 4 Sections
Test 1 (Rainbowing): Baking Soda
Sprinkled a bunch on, added warm water to make a paste, let it sit for 10 minutes, then did some light scrubbing and washed it off.
Baking Soda
Baking Soda
Test 1 (Rainbowing): Vinegar
Made a 1:1 solution of 5% distilled white vinegar with warm water and let that also sit for 10 minutes.​
Vinegar
Vinegar
Test 1 (Rainbowing): Lemon Juice and Salt
Made a solution then poured that on, also leaving it for 10 minutes.
Lemon Juice and Salt
Lemon Juice and Salt
Test 1 (Rainbowing): Bar Keeper's Friend
Bar Keeper's Friend recommends using it for no more than 1 minute, so I did more of a wipe-on-wipe-off approach over about 30 seconds.
Bar Keepers Friend
Bar Keepers Friend

Test 1 Results: Corkcicle (Removing Rainbowing)

Baking soda and Bar Keeper's Friend had by far the best results of these four methods when it comes to removing rainbowing.  The baking soda results did not look at good as BKF, but that's probably because I did not make as even of coverage with the baking soda paste.  It looked really good in the middle where I know there was good coverage with the paste.

Both the vinegar/water solution and the lemon juice/salt solution did not appear to remove rainbowing much at all.
Baking Soda and Vinegar Results
Baking Soda and Vinegar Results
Bar Keepers Friend and Lemon Juice and Salt Results
Bar Keepers Friend and Lemon Juice and Salt Results
Test 1 (Rainbowing): Bottle Bright
​Next was Bottle Bright, and for this, I filled the same mug up about halfway with warm water, added a tablet, and let it sit for 10 minutes. (show footage).  You can can how it cleaned some of the mug, but it wasn't as good as I thought it would be.
Bottle Bright Results (Half Full, Warm Water, 10min)
Bottle Bright Results (Half Full, Warm Water, 10min)
I've used these tablets before with amazing results, so I ran the test again like how I normally use them by adding boiling water, letting it sit for 30 minutes, then scrubbing it some with a long brush.  You can see that really did the trick, and now the whole inside of the Corkcicle looks like new.
Bottle Bright Results (Full, Hot Water, 30min)
Bottle Bright Results (Full, Hot Water, 30min)

Test 2 Setup and Results: Contigo (Removing Stains)

After that, I tested the Contigo with heavy coffee and tea stains the exact same way using a mug that's been taped into 4 sections.

Again, baking soda and Bar Keepers Friend were great at removing stains, while vinegar and lemon and salt may have removed some of the stains but not nearly as much.

And Bottle Bright worked the same too.  You can see where I filled it halfway up with warm water and let it sit for 10 minutes, but you can really see the difference when used with boiling water and a 30-minute sit time.
Test 2 (Staining): Baking Soda (top middle)
Sprinkled a bunch on, added warm water to make a paste, let it sit for 10 minutes, then did some light scrubbing and washed it off.
Baking Soda Results
Baking Soda Results
Test 2 (Staining): Vinegar (top middle)
Made a 1:1 solution of 5% distilled white vinegar with warm water and let that also sit for 10 minutes.​
Vinegar Results
Vinegar Results
Test 2 (Staining): Lemon Juice and Salt (top middle)
Made a solution then poured that on, also leaving it for 10 minutes.
Lemon Juice and Salt Results
Lemon Juice and Salt Results
Test 2 (Staining): Bar Keeper's Friend (top middle)
Bar Keeper's Friend recommends using it for no more than 1 minute, so I did more of a wipe-on-wipe-off approach over about 30 seconds.
Bar Keepers Friend Results
Bar Keepers Friend Results
Test 2 (Staining): Bottle Bright (line halfway up)
Mixed 1 tablet with warm water, then soaked for 10 minutes.
Bottle Bright Results (Half Full, Warm Water, 10min)
Bottle Bright Results (Half Full, Warm Water, 10min)
Test 2 (Staining): Bottle Bright (filled to top)
Mixed 1 tablet with hot water, then soaked for 30 minutes and lightly scrubbed with a soft bristle brush.
Bottle Bright Results (Filled to Top, Hot Water, 30min)
Bottle Bright Results (Filled to Top, Hot Water, 30min)

Test 3 Setup and Results: Hydro Flask 16oz (Removing Stains and Rainbowing)

For good measure, I also cleaned a 16 ounce Hydro Flask bottle.  However, since I'm not able to get my hand inside it, I just used Bottle Bright with hot water, soaked for 30 minutes, then scrubbed it lightly with a brush.  The results speak for themselves!
Bottle Bright Results
Bottle Bright Results

Test 4 Setup and Results: Camping Stove (Rust)

​Next was the rust test using that camping stove.  I used all of the same methods and durations again, each time just testing one side of this flat part of the stove.
Rusted Camping Stove
Rusted Camping Stove
For rust, lemon juice and salt did much better and seemed to have the best result.  Bar Keeper's Friend and baking soda both removed some rust, but not as much.  And again, vinegar didn't seem to do much at all, and neither did Bottl Bright this time.  Then I added a Bottle Bright tablet with warm water and let it sit for 10 minutes on the vinegar section because that was the side that still had the most rust.  It didn't do much at all, so I reran the test with boiling water and letting it sit for 30 minutes.  But again, Bottle Bright didn't do much.
Test 4 (Rusting): Baking Soda
Sprinkled a bunch on, added warm water to make a paste, let it sit for 10 minutes, then did some light scrubbing and washed it off.
Baking Soda Before/After
Baking Soda Before/After
Test 4 (Rusting): Vinegar
​Made a 1:1 solution of 5% distilled white vinegar with warm water and let that also sit for 10 minutes.​
Vinegar Before/After
Vinegar Before/After
Test 4 (Rusting): ​Lemon Juice and Salt
Made a solution then poured that on, also leaving it for 10 minutes.
Lemon Juice and Salt Before/After
Lemon Juice and Salt Before/After
Test 4 (Rusting): ​Bar Keepers Friend
Bar Keeper's Friend recommends using it for no more than 1 minute, so I did more of a wipe-on-wipe-off approach over about 30 seconds.
Bar Keepers Friend Before/After
Bar Keepers Friend Before/After
Test 4 (Rusting): ​Bottle Bright
I added a Bottle Bright tablet with hot water and let it sit for 30 minutes on the vinegar section because that was the side that still had the most rust.  It didn't seem to do much.
Bottle Bright Before/After
Bottle Bright Before/After

Conclusion

Here were the best results based on visually comparing the different methods.

If you have a stained or rainbowing bottle with a wide mouth that you can get your hand into like a mug or a Stanley tumbler, you may want to try baking soda or Bar Keeper's Friend for stains first because they work really well and are the fastest.  If you can't fit your hand into the bottle, use Bottle Bright with boiling water for 30 minutes, then use a long brush to scrub it and I can almost guarantee that will work.

For rust, try lemon juice and salt first, followed by Bar Keepers Friend.  If your bottle is rusting on the inside and you can't get your hand in there, you can try using lemon juice and salt with a long brush, but it might be difficult to get as much scrubbing force with a brush as much as you really need so you may want to consider replacing your bottle.
For Stains
Best Options:
  • Baking Soda (cheapest)
  • Bar Keepers Friend (fastest)
  • Bottle Bright (easiest)

Not as Effective:
  • Lemon Juice and Salt​
  • Vinegar
For Rainbowing
Best Options:
  • Baking Soda (cheapest)
  • Bar Keepers Friend (fastest)
  • Bottle Bright (easiest)

Not as Effective:
  • Lemon Juice and Salt
  • Vinegar
For Rust
Best Options:
  • Lemon Juice and Salt
  • Bar Keepers Friend

Not as Effective:
  • Baking Soda
  • Bottle Bright
  • Vinegar
Looking to Buy Some Supplies?
Here are some good options for each of the supplies and cleaning methods mentioned.  Big thanks if you use one of the links to buy...it really does help!

Click on any of the images to see the Amazon listing.
Baking Soda
Baking Soda
Lemon Juice
Lemon Juice
Bar Keepers Friend
Bar Keepers Friend
Salt
Salt
Bottle Bright
Bottle Bright
Retainer Tablets
Retainer Tablets
Picture
Mosolan 3-Brush Kit
I've used this kit for years.  It's not that expensive, and it has a good range of brushes that help with just about any bottle (including a small detailing brush that helps with threads and hard-to-reach spots with many brands).

It's the one accessory we typically recommend everyone has for ANY bottle because it's so helpful.  There are plenty of other brands on the market though, so feel free to shop around.
See on Amazon

What about Bleach, Abrasives, and Cleaning Beads?

Eagle-eyed readers may have noticed I didn't test bleach, abrasives (like steel wool), or cleaning beads.
Can You Use Bleach to Clean Stainless Steel?
Why You Shouldn't Use Bleach on Stainless Steel
Why You Shouldn't Use Bleach on Stainless Steel
There's a reason why I didn't test bleach.  Yes, it will kill any bacteria and remove some stains, but the problem is that bleach is so corrosive that it can damage or remove the chromium oxide layer, which then makes your stainless steel bottle more likely to corrode in the future by rusting.

You'll see a lot of people say they've used bleach for years on stainless steel with no problems, and I'm sure that's true.  If you use a really mild solution and wash it out quickly, then it's probably OK.

​But in my opinion, I'm not sure why you'd want to risk that with a stainless steel bottle when there are other effective stain and rust-removal options like we've just seen that are less likely to cause damage.
Can You Use Steel Wool or Magic Erasers to Clean Stainless Steel?
Why You Shouldn't Use Steel Wool on Stainless Steel
Why You Shouldn't Use Steel Wool on Stainless Steel
It also may not be a good idea to use abrasive things like steel wool.  These can scuff up the surface of the stainless steel, adding more of those microscropic imperfections that make it more likely to stain or corrode again in the future.  It's safer to use something non-abrasive like a brush or sponge with the right cleaning agent.

Magic Erasers are made of melamine (type of plastic) and are essentially a much finer abrasive.  For that reason, we typically still recommend using non-abrasive cleaning methods first, like Bottle Bright with a soft bristle brush.  But if that doesn't work, then Magic Erasers could be worth a try.  Because the melamine is softer than steel and it's much finer, Magic Erasers are much safer to use on stainless steel when you need some extra abrasive force.  However, be careful when using them around painted and powder coated surfaces because it's possibly they could lead to cosmetic damage. 
Do Cleaning Beads Work on Stainless Steel?
Do Cleaning Beads Work?
Do Cleaning Beads Work?
I've seen these mentioned quite a few times, and they're basically just small stainless steel balls.  They're designed so you can drop them through a narrow neck then shake them around, and the impact from the beads helps remove some of the stains.  I'm not 100% sure, but maybe they just jar some of those tannins loose, and apparently they can work OK and I can see how this would be helpful with something like a rounded wine decanter with a really narrow neck.

But they may not be the best solution for stainless steel bottles.  Even though the beads are small, it's probably hard to get them to clean all the corners effectively, like along the bottom rim of  your bottle.

Also, it sounds like you're meant to use them along with some kind of cleaning solution anyways, so why not just use Bottle Bright and a cleaning brush?

​
If you have an extremely narrow neck bottle like a classic S'well, then maybe these cleaning beads could help.  But other than that, I'm not sure they're any better than just using a brush, which you should have for your weekly cleaning anyways.

​If any of you guys have used cleaning beads, I'd be really curious to hear what you think in the comments.
Cleaning Guide
Cleaning Guide
And Remember...
Regardless of which bottle you get, always clean it regularly.  Here's our latest guide on the best practices and cleaning schedules for stainless steel bottles so you can keep your bottle in great (and safe) condition.
See Our Cleaning Guide
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What is PFAS, and Which Filters and Bottles Remove It?

3/6/2025

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What is PFAS, and Which Filters and Bottles Remove It?
What is PFAS, and Which Filters and Bottles Remove It?

What are PFAS Chemicals, aka "Forever Chemicals?"

Chances are you've heard the term "PFAS chemicals" or "forever chemicals" within the last few years, but maybe you're wondering what they are.

This article will get you up to speed by covering the most common PFAS-related topics and questions, including:
  • What are PFAS chemicals?
  • Are PFAS harmful?​
  • What does PFAS stand for?
  • Where does PFAS come from?
  • Why are PFAS chemicals called "forever chemicals?"
  • What are the current PFAS thresholds and regulations?
  • How does PFAS get into the water supply?
  • Which regions of the US have the worst PFAS contamination?
  • Are PFAS microplastics?

And importantly, what can you do about it?
  • Can PFAS be filtered out of water?
  • Which filters remove PFAS?
  • Which bottles remove PFAS?



What is PFAS?

What are PFAS Chemicals?
​The term "PFAS" stands for polyfluoroalkyl substances.  It doesn't refer to any single chemical, but rather it refers to a group of thousands of similar ones.  Some of the more common and problematic variations you'll see are PFOS, PFOA, and GenX.

Their unique chemical properties give them noticeable benefits with certain products and applications, particularly with non-stick and stain-free consumer goods.  Because they are inexpensive and have beneficial properties, PFAS chemicals have been used in manufacturing and industry since the 1940s and 50s in all kinds of things, and The most common ones you'll likely hear about are:
  • non-stick packaging and cookware
  • wrappers and take-out containers from some restaurants
  • stain-free clothing and carpets
  • factories and industrial sites where products containing PFAS chemicals were manufactured
  • firefighting foam that was commonly used at facilities like military bases

Some of these like non-stick cookware and stain-free clothing are easier to avoid, and you're starting to see more products labeled as PFAS-free like the ones shown on PFAS Central's website.  This seems to be leading up to a similar cultural and consumer shift like with what happened in the water bottle industry in the late 2000s with BPAs, which is why nearly every bottle on the market today says they're BPA-free.

And while you may think the products in your home are a more immediate threat, that's not necessarily true.  The areas around or downstream from factories and facilities where PFAS was used often have higher contamination levels in the water supply, which has led to multiple high-profile settlements.  Contamination is very region-specific, so your location plays a big role on whether you likely have increased levels of PFAS in your water supply (which we'll cover in more detail in an upcoming section).

If you're curious to learn more, here is a link to find more information about active PFAS court cases and settlements, including the one with 3M which requires the company to pay at least $10.5 billion in damages.
Link to PFAS Cases and Settlements

​What are the Current PFAS Regulatory Limits and Thresholds?

What are PFAS Thresholds and Regulatory Limits?
Perhap the most mindblowing and disturbing thing about PFAS isn't what it is, where it's from, or how it affects you.  Rather, it's how such incredibly small amounts of it can impact your health.  It's is almost impossible to comprehend, but we're going to use the sun to help us out.
EPA Regulations for Copper, Lead, and PFAS
​Regulatory agencies limit concentrations of harmful contaminants in your drinking water.  Three common ones you'll see are copper, lead, and more recently PFAS.  The US EPA limits copper at 1.3 parts-per-million ("ppm").  What this means is that if the copper concentration exceeds that limit, sometimes known as an "action level," then the utility provider or the company or person causing the contamination has to take corrective actions as well as notify the public of any potential health concerns.

But 1.3 ppm is hard to visualize, so what does that look like?  For comparison, let's use the sun as a reference.  The sun is on average 93 million miles away, and if you calculate it out, 1.3 millionth of the way to the sun is 121 miles.  That's almost halfway to the orbit of the International Space Station, so it's pretty far.
Copper contamination threshold (1.3 ppm) compared to the distance to the Sun
Copper contamination threshold (1.3 ppm) compared to the distance to the Sun
Lead is even more dangerous, so it has a action level of 150 parts-per-billion ("ppb").  If you calculate THAT out, 150 billionths of the way to the sun is roughly 14 miles up, which is about twice as high as most commercial airplanes.  
Lead contamination threshold (150 ppb) compared to the distance to the Sun
Lead contamination threshold (150 ppb) compared to the distance to the Sun
But some PFAS chemicals have an action level of 4 parts-per-trillion ("ppt").
(link to EPA presentation with info about limits on pg 10)

To go 4 trillionth of the way to the sun, you don't need a rocket or a plane.  You just need a short ladder because when you calculate it out, 4 trillionths of the way to the sun is about 2 feet.
PFAS contamination threshold (4 ppt) compared to the distance to the Sun
PFAS contamination threshold (4 ppt) compared to the distance to the Sun
This is an incomprehensibly small amount, which leads to the question, how does something that small even affect your health?

Are PFAS Chemicals Harmful?

Are PFAS Chemicals Harmful?
While it may be difficult to believe, those kinds of small concentrations of PFAS chemicals have been linked to a wide range of health issues, including:
  • decreased fertility
  • developmental delays in children
  • increased risk of some cancers
  • interference with your body's natural hormones
  • reduced immune system effectiveness
  • higher cholesterol

Disclaimer: I do not claim to be an expert on PFAS, and I am relying on published data from reputable sources.  One such source I used is the US EPA, and you can find their PFAS guidelines here.

Now to be clear, this is a developing set of knowledge on a topic that need more research.  Our understanding of what PFAS does to the human body and which concentrations are truly harmful are going to continue evolving based on the evidence, just like all good science.

But there have already been enough peer-reviewed scientific studies from reputable sources that show clear enough negative health impacts to support proposing or enacting some pretty major regulations.

And judging by Google trends and reading headlines about it and multi-billion dollar settlements with major contamination offenders, you're seeing a rise in PFAS awareness with the public which is sure to lead to more changes from brands and manufacturers.
Google Trends search volume for
Google Trends search volume for "pfas" from 2020-2025
Are PFAS and Forever Chemicals the Same?
Maybe you've also heard the term "forever chemicals" in recent news, but that's just another name for PFAS.  It's catchier and is better at the reader's attention, so the term is used very frequently in news headlines.  The nickname was coined for two main reasons:
  1. PFAS chemicals have bonds between carbon and fluorine atoms, which are some of the strongest bonds found in natural.  This makes PFAS chemicals very stable, long-lasting, and resistant to degradation.
  2. PFAS has a cumulative affect.  Because it does not break down easily, the chemicals can stay in your body or the environment for very long time periods, and further exposure continues to increase PFAS levels in your body.
​
So don't be confused: PFAS and "forever chemicals" are the same thing.  One is simply the technical name, and the other is more of a marketing term.

How does PFAS get into your Water?

How does PFAS Get in your Water?
Though it is regulated now, PFAS is in many common products that are still used to this day.  However, in many ways the bigger problem for many people relates to groundwater and the public water supply.

Factories, manufacturing plants, and government facilities that used PFAS either in products manufacturing or things like firefighting foam exposed the environment to PFAS contamination for decades.  Over time, this increased the PFAS concentrations in the soil and groundwater in the immediate area, as well as locations and communities downstream.

Because PFAS chemicals are is so small, many common treatment methods used by public water utilities do not remove it.  And because the threshold like the EPA's 4 ppt limit are so low, it does not take much exposure for a public water utility to technically be over the regulated limit.

Are PFAS and Microplastics the Same?

Are PFAS and Microplastics the Same?
Many people have started hearing the terms "PFAS" and "microplastics" recently, and their Google Trends search volumes have risen around roughly the same time period.  As its name suggest, microplastics are small bits of plastic found the water, and increasingly in different parts of the human body.

Both are health concerns that are very widespread in the environment and water systems, making them difficult to avoid.  Also, both can relate to the same types of products, making it even more confusing.
Google Trends search volume for
Google Trends search volume for "pfas" and "microplastics" from 2020-2025
However, it's important to know that PFAS and microplastics are not the same thing.  PFAS is a particular family of chemicals, and microplastics are simply broken down pieces of plastic.  Some plastic products and parts have PFAS chemicals, so when they break down over time, this process can release both PFAS and microplastics into the environment.  However, they are technically different things.

Some filters can remove both microplastics and PFAS, so it helps to check the manufacturer's product info to see exactly what they are claim to remove before you buy a system.  We've listed a few systems later in this article that remove both.

Which Regions of the US have the Worst PFAS?

Where is the Worst PFAS in the US?
​So should you be worried?  Well, to a large degree that depends on where you live.

The Environmental Working Group has this interactive map that lets you look at sampling data at different points throughout the US.  Darker blue circles are good, lighter blue are bad, purple are military sites which often times have the highest concentrations, and orange are other types of sites like manufacturing plants.

I've included a screenshot of the map below so you can see the overview, but I encourage you to check out EWG's website and interact with the map to zoom in and see sampling data near you.
PFAS contamination map of the US (Environmental Working Group)
PFAS contamination map of the US (Environmental Working Group)
See Interactive Map
​Some areas that are closer to major contamination sources often find higher PFAS concentrations, though it's not a given.  Wilmington, NC is frequently included in lists of cities with the worst PFAS contamination issues, but the actual source of much of that contamination was roughly 70 miles away at a chemical plant near Fayettville owned at the time by DuPont and more recently their spinoff Chemours.

Even if chemicals aren't directly dumped into the river, they can still get into the groundwater, which can then seeps into rivers over time, which then affect downstream communities like Wilmington.  This is what led to the nearly $1.2 billion dollar settlement in 2023 between Chemours, DuPont, and Corteva and downstream water suppliers.
Wilmington, NC and the source of contamination (DuPont / Chemours plant near Fayettville, NC)
Wilmington, NC and the source of contamination (DuPont / Chemours plant near Fayettville, NC)
Long-story-short, if you want to avoid PFAS and have some flexibility on where you live, getting closer to the headwaters at higher elevations is probably a safer bet.

Can You Remove PFAS, and Which Home Filter Systems Work Best?

Can you Remove PFAS, and Which Home Filter Systems Work?
Of course, most of us can't move to Aspen, so what can we do?

Consumer Notice.org has this really helpful summary of PFAS, and it includes ways you can limit your exposure, mostly focusing on which products to avoid.  When it comes to your drinking water, that's a little trickier but thankfully there are a few options.

Disclaimer: A single PFAS test costs hundreds of dollars because it requires highly senstive and technical tests.  I run a small YouTube channel and blog, so I don't have the money to pay for tests like that yet.  But after researching this and reaching out to companies, here's what I've found.

Not all filters will remove PFAS, so you need to be careful.  ​The below recommendations are based largely on this the Duke University article referenced above and these test results from the Environmental Working Group.
Amazon Associates Disclosure
​BottlePro is part of the Amazon Associates Program.  If you make a purchase using a link, we earn a small commission at no cost to you.  It really helps, so thank you very much if you use one!
Reverse Osmosis Filters: Proven to Work
APEC 5-Stage Under-Sink Reverse Osmosis
APEC 5-Stage Under-Sink Reverse Osmosis
APEC Under-Sink System
​I have this 5-stage system by APEC, and it's worked well so far.  They're certainly not cheap, but they're not a huge investment either if you're just getting an under-the-sink system for drinking water and cooking.

It takes a bit of effort and technical ability to install, so if you're not comfortable with doing that then add in the cost of a plumber.  But once it's set up, you just change some of the filters on a schedule.  Some are every 6-12 months, and others are every few years.

​If you have the budget, space, and technical ability to set this up, this kind of filter system is probably your best option.
See on Amazon
2-Stage Filters: Likely to Work
Aquasana 2-Stage Under-Sink Filter
Aquasana 2-Stage Under-Sink Filter
Aquasana
Two-stage filters are also good, and they are less expensive and bulky compared to APEC's 5-stage system.  That makes them a better fit as a budget or limited space option.  I'm assuming Duke's test referred to filter systems like this one by Aquasana.

It's worth noting that the article also mentions how they didn't test too many of these types of systems, so they didn't seem as certain about it.  But according to Aquasana's listing on Amazon, it does specifically mention that the filter works to remove PFAS.
See on Amazon
Countertop System: Proven to Work
Travel Berkey Filter
Travel Berkey Filter
Travel Berkey
 The Environmental Working Group which made that map from before also has a few filters they've tested that reduced PFAS completely or close to that.

They list this system by Travel Berkey as a good high-end option​ that removed 100% of PFAS in their tests.
See on Amazon
Pitcher Systems: Proven to Work
The Environmental Working Group also tested a number of pitchers, which can be a better option for traveling or events.  These two had at least 98% PFAS removal in their testing, and they're some of the lowest-cost ways to start removing PFAS from your drinking water.
Picture
Zerowater
Lower initial cost
See on Amazon
Picture
Epic Water
Longer filter life
See on Amazon

Which Bottles Filter Out and Remove PFAS?

Which Bottles Remove PFAS?
Now on this website I mostly talk about water bottles, and they have a place in this discussion too.  Even if you have an under-sink reverse osmosis system, but that doesn't help you out when you're on the road, especially if you're flying somewhere and you can't take any water with you.

So for traveling professionals and road warriors, having a bottle that can help filter out PFAS can be appealing.  Here are a few options that may be worth considering.
Two Bottles that May Help Some, but not as Certain
Brita Filter Bottle
Brita Filter Bottle
Brita's Insulated Bottle
Brita is one of the most well-known water filter companies, and they have this bottle with a built-in straw filter.  It uses activated carbon, so it potentially does help with PFAS according to the Duke University article.

​However, even if it does help some, it's unlikely to be as effective as other systems like reverse osmosis or some bottles you'll see next.

I reached out to Brita, but as of today I have not heard back.  I'll update this post when I do.
See on Amazon
Simple Modern Filter Bottle
Simple Modern Filter Bottle
Simple Modern's Insulated Bottle
This bottle is essentially the same as Brita, but in a more stylish design 

I reached out to Simple Modern to ask if the bottle has been tested to remove PFAS.  They responded within a day of my message and mentioned how the filter removes chlorine and particulates up to about 15 to 30 microns in size, but they "don't have any other information...regarding PFAS or microplastics."

So it was helpful and quick response in some ways, but ultimately inconclusive for PFAS.  Though based on the Duke University article, it's possible this may remove some PFAS.
See on Amazon
Two Bottles that are Proven to Remove PFAS
GRAYL's GeoPress Filter Bottle
GRAYL's GeoPress Filter Bottle
GRAYL's GeoPress
GRAYL has this press-style filter where you push down like a French-press and it forces water through a filter cartridge.

From their website FAQ section, it uses activated carbon like Brita and Simple Modern, but it also included non-woven ceramic fibers that have a high electropositive charge.

GRAYL responded within a day of my inquiry and provided the cover letter from a test.  I can't see the details like how much PFAS was filtered, but it says their UltraPress bottle passed the test for two of the most common PFAS chemicals.

​(UltraPress and GeoPress use the same type of filter)
See on Amazon
Vitaloop's Filter Pump Bottle
Vitaloop's Filter Pump Bottle
Vitaloop
Last but not least is this bottle by Vitaloop.  This bottle has a built-in filter pump, so it's a little easier to use than straw filters that can be restrictive and GRAYL's design that you have to press down on.

​They sent me a testing report that shows an almost full reduction in the two most common PFAS chemicals (PFOA and PFOS).

This bottle would certainly be easier to use discretely compared to GRAYL, which requires pushing it against the ground.
See on Amazon
Some of these are more conclusively good at removing PFAS, others are easier to use, and some are a lot more affordable.  It's a developing mix of products, but I'm just glad there are some viable options on the market today and there will almost certainly be more coming soon.  If you made it this far, consider using one of the links if you're going to buy one of these products anyways. It doesn't cost you any extra, and I may earn a commission that really helps out. 

Hope this information helps.  Thanks again, and happy hydrating!

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What is the Best Water Bottle? (our Biggest Comparison Yet!)

9/30/2024

1 Comment

 
What is the Best Water Bottle?
What is the Best Water Bottle?

What is the Best Bottle?

If you're wondering what is the best water bottle on the market today, you're not alone.  The water bottle market is incredibly saturated (pun intended), so there's a lot to consider.  Well, I've collected 31 bottles over the years for this business, so today I'm going to reveal my full collection to help you find the best bottle for your situation.

What's Next?

  • Video review
  • Good accessories to have regardless of which bottle you go with
  • Part One: Giving my recommendations for the best (and worst) bottles for different uses, like value, hiking, and overall.
  • Part Two: Rapid-fire review of each bottle, including the main pros and cons.

Video Review: What is the Best Water Bottle? (31 Tested!)

​​​​​​​We also cover this in a YouTube video if you'd prefer to watch the recap!​

Good Accessories for Most Large Bottles

Whether you go with Owala, Hydro Flask, YETI, Stanley, or anything else, these are our three most popular recommended accessories for any large reusable bottle.
Brush Kit
Brush Kit
Bottle Brush Kit
There are a lot of brush kits on Amazon at this point, so feel free to shop around.  This is the one I have, and it has a range of brush sizes that work with any bottle.
See Brush Kit
Cleaning Tablets
Cleaning Tablets
Bottle Bright Tablets
I've tested these, and they work really well when cleaning out coffee and tea stains.  I also recommend using them roughly once per week during your deep cleaning routine.
See Cleaning Tablets
BottlePro Max Adapter
BottlePro Max Adapter
BottlePro Cup Holder Adapter
Bottles that are 24 ounces or less can fit in the majority of cup holders.  Bottles that are larger than that typically need an adapter, like our BottlePro Max.

A key difference is if you purchase a tumbler-style bottle, like a Stanley Quencher.  Tumblers are known for having tapered sides that are better able to fit in more cup holders.
See BottlePro Max

Part One: Recommended Bottles by Use

Different bottles are better for different situations, so here let's take a look at various uses to see which bottle is the best option.

Scroll down to Part Two to read more about any particular brand or bottle.
Best Bottle for Everyday, All-Around Use
These are the two bottles I find myself going back to most regularly when I'm not deliberately testing a different one.  They each have a great combination of features that make them amazing choices for everyday use.
Owala FreeSip Lid and Removable Seal
Owala FreeSip Lid and Removable Seal
Owala FreeSip
  • Dual straw/chug lid
  • Easy sipping for a straw lid (less air constriction)
  • Ergonomic (actually feels weirdly better)
  • Cover keeps the mouthpiece clean
See Owala
FJbottle 32oz
FJbottle 32oz
FJbottle
  • Has both a rigid handle and a built-in carrying strap
  • Magnetics keep the spout cap out of your face when sipping
  • Silicone grip pad on base
  • Comes with a brush to help you get started (though you'll probably want to upgrade to a different kit)
See FJbottle
Best Bottle for Value
Ozark Trail 32oz
Ozark Trail 32oz
Ozark Trail
  • Least-expensive stainless steel insulated bottle
  • Good handle
  • No-slip base
See Ozark Trail
Iron Flask Lids
Iron Flask Lids
Iron Flask
  • 3 lids included
See Iron Flask
ThermoFlask 2-Pack
ThermoFlask 2-Pack
ThermoFlask
  • One of the few brands that regularly offers 2-packs
  • 2 bottles and 4 lids included
See ThermoFlask
Nalgene 32oz Wide Mouth
Nalgene 32oz Wide Mouth
Nalgene
  • One of the least-expensive bottles
  • Extremely durable and won't dent
See Nalgene
Best Bottle for Hiking
Nalgene 32oz Wide Mouth
Nalgene 32oz Wide Mouth
Nalgene
  • Extremely lightweight
  • Durable and dent-resistant
  • Best if used with a carrying pouch or stashed in a bag because the lid tether isn't much of a handle
See Nalgene
Hydro Flask Trail Series
Hydro Flask Trail Series
Hydro Flask Trail Series
  • Lightest vacuum insulated bottle
  • Good handle
See Trail Series
FJbottle 32oz
FJbottle 32oz
FJbottle
  • Having both a rigid handle and a carrying strap makes it easier to bring with you on long hikes
  • Silicone grip pad on base
  • (If you'd like to add flavor and love the carrying strap, see Vesmoon in Part Two below)
See FJbottle
GRAYL Filter Bottle
GRAYL Filter Bottle
GRAYL Filter Bottle
  • This is a good option if you're going on a very long hike or backpacking trip and want to refill from a stream or other questionable water source
  • I tested this bottle, and it was one of the best options to filter out visible particulates
See GRAYL
Best Bottle for Sports
Takeya Actives
Takeya Actives
Takeya (Actives Series)
  • Good handle
  • Attached spout cover
  • Recommended: This lid style has a built-in ice blocker
See Takeya Actives
Owala FreeSip Lid and Removable Seal
Owala FreeSip Lid and Removable Seal
Owala FreeSip
  • Dual straw/chug lid, so you can sip or chug depending on how much water you need
  • Easy sipping for a straw lid (less air constriction)
  • Ergonomic (actually feels weirdly better)
  • Cover keeps the mouthpiece clean
See Owala FreeSip
Best Bottle for Driving
Hydro Flask 16oz Flex Sip
Hydro Flask 16oz Flex Sip
Hydro Flask Flex Sip
  • Sip-style lids are the best for coffee or tea during a commute, and this is one my favorites
  • Good handle
  • Easy to know when the lid is opened or closed
See Hydro Flask
Owala FreeSip Lid and Removable Seal
Owala FreeSip Lid and Removable Seal
Owala FreeSip
  • Straw lids are great for driving because it's easier to keep your eyes on the road
  • Owala's FreeSip is one of my favorite straw lid options
  • You will likely need a cup holder adapter like this one with 32oz or 40oz sizes
See Owala
Stanley Quencher Handle
Stanley Quencher Handle
Stanley Quencher
  • Straw lid
  • Tapered base fits in more cup holders
  • Side-mounted handle makes it easy to grab
See Stanley
Best Bottle for Road Trips
Any of the bottles listed under "Best Bottle for Driving" are good options here, but I'd also consider having a 2nd larger bottle on hand for refills.
Hydro Flask Growler
Hydro Flask Growler
Hydro Flask Growler
  • The large 64oz size makes it a good option for refilling a smaller bottle that you keep in your cup holder
  • However, this bottle is too large to be used as a stand-alone bottle for most people and most situations, especially when driving
  • YETI and other brands also have comparable "growler" sized bottles, so feel free to check those out
See Hydro Flask Growler
Best Bottle for Home or Office
Stanley Quencher Handle
Stanley Quencher Handle
Stanley Quencher
  • The big side-mounted handle makes it easy to grab when you're just walking from one room to another
  • The always-open straw makes it really easy to quickly take a sip (though be careful of it getting too dirty)
See Stanley
Brita Bottle Filter
Brita Bottle Filter
Brita Filter Bottle
  • I haven't tested many filter bottles yet, but of the ones I have, this is by far the easiest to use as an every-day bottle
  • It's a good option for extra assurance that you're drinking as clean of water as possible
See Brita
Best Bottle for Clumsy People
YETI Rambler Lid
YETI Rambler Lid
YETI Rambler
  • Extremely durable
  • Good handle
See YETI Rambler
Nalgene 32oz Wide Mouth
Nalgene 32oz Wide Mouth
Nalgene
  • Extremely lightweight
  • Durable and dent-resistant
  • If you somehow break it (not likely), this is an inexpensive bottle to replace
See Nalgene
Best Bottle for Iced Water
Owala FreeSip Lid and Removable Seal
Owala FreeSip Lid and Removable Seal
Owala FreeSip
  • In general, straw lids are good options if you love sipping ice-cold water from your bottle without having to worry about any ice coming out
  • Owala is one of my favorite straw lid options right now
See Owala FreeSip
EcoVessel Strainer
EcoVessel Strainer
EcoVessel
  • One of EcoVessel's key features is a built-in strainer that serves as an ice blocker
  • Vesmoon is another option with a strainer, or you can look at Takeya's ice strainer lid
See EcoVessel
Best Bottle for Fruit Infusing
Vesmoon Infusers
Vesmoon Infusers
Vesmoon
  • This has the largest built-in strainer of any bottle I've tested
  • Good option to avoid plastic infusers
See Vesmoon
Picture
FlavorFuze Pod
  • This is our design, and we sized it to fit in nearly any wide-mouth bottle
  • Each comes with two lids.  One is sized to fit snugly in Hydro Flask wide mouths and act as a splash guard.  The other has a larger handle and is meant for drop-in infusing
See FlavorFuze Pod
Best Bottle for Tea Infusing
Steepware Infusers
Steepware Infusers
Steepware
  • This bottle does do a good job at what it was designed for, which is brewing tea
  • The bottle is the right size, and the infusers are also a good size to keep your loose-leaf tea contained while giving it more surface area to diffuse into your water
See Steepware
Best Bottle for Limiting Plastic Contact
Healthy Human Lid
Healthy Human Lid
Healthy Human (Stein or Curve)
  • Healthy Human is a great option to avoid plastic because their standard lids have stainless steel underneath, making sure your water touches as little plastic as possible
See Healthy Human
Picture
EcoVessel
  • EcoVessel is unique in that it's the only chug-style lid I've seen that avoids plastic contact under the lid
  • Both parts of the lid have either silicone or stainless steel contact points with your water, but not plastic
See EcoVessel
Best Bottle for Easy Cleaning
Zulu Ace
Zulu Ace
Zulu Ace
  • One of only a few bottles I'm aware of that has a removable bottom so you can clean it from both sides
See Zulu Ace
Owala FreeSip
Owala FreeSip
Owala FreeSip
  • Easiest straw lid to clean all surfaces where water touches the lid
  • Does not have a rotating spout, which is common in most other straw lids and is the most difficult part to clean
  • Easily-removable seal
See Owala FreeSip
Stanley Quencher
Stanley Quencher
Stanley Quencher
  • Largest opening on top, making it easier to clean without needing a bottle brush kit
See Stanley
Best Bottle for Sanitizing Water
Brita Bottle Filter
Brita Bottle Filter
Brita Filter Bottle
  • I haven't tested many filter bottles yet, but of the ones I have, this is by far the easiest to use as an every-day bottle​
See Brita
LARQ UV Bottle
LARQ UV Bottle
LARQ UV Bottle
  • Easy to use, but expensive
  • Requires charging
  • The UV kills bacteria and viruses, but it's not a filter bottle so it won't remove particulates
See LARQ
GRAYL Filter Bottle
GRAYL Filter Bottle
GRAYL Filter Bottle
  • Not convenient for an everyday bottle
  • Good for filtering particulates, ideally when hiking or backpacking
See GRAYL
Best Straw Lid
Owala FreeSip Lid and Removable Seal
Owala FreeSip Lid and Removable Seal
Owala FreeSip
  • Dual straw/chug lid
  • Easy sipping for a straw lid (less air constriction)
  • Ergonomic (actually feels weirdly better)
  • Cover keeps the mouthpiece clean
See Owala FreeSip
Hydro Flask 32oz Flex Straw
Hydro Flask 32oz Flex Straw
Hydro Flask Flex Straw
  • Removable insert that lets you clean around the spout more easily
  • Good brand with other interchangeable lids
  • Good handle
See Hydro Flask
Best Chug Lid
Takeya Actives
Takeya Actives
Takeya (Actives Series)
  • Good handle
  • Attached spout cover
  • Actives series comes with an insulated lid
See Takeya Actives
FJbottle 32oz
FJbottle 32oz
FJbottle
  • Magnet keeps the spout cap out of your face
  • Has a rigid handle and a carrying strap
See FJbottle
Best Sip Lid
Hydro Flask 16oz Flex Sip
Hydro Flask 16oz Flex Sip
Hydro Flask Flex Sip
  • Good handle
  • Easy to know when the lid is opened or closed
  • Easy to disassemble (though it does take a few steps and has more parts than some other brands)
See Hydro Flask 16oz Flex Sip
Many people prefer YETI's Hotshot because it has fewer pieces and you can drink from any side, which are both good points.  But it's not my personal favorite because it does not have a handle and is more difficult to open and close because of how the piece you twist is recessed below the rim of the lid.  With Hydro Flask's design, you can grab the outside of the lid and twist it which is just easier, and this is one of those small differences that you probably wouldn't notice unless you tried both side-by-side.

Part Two: Rapid-Fire Review of All 31 Bottles

Most are vacuum insulated stainless steel around 32 ounces in size, but there are some different types of bottles and sizes mixed in.

​They're in no particular order.
1 of 31: Owala FreeSip
Owala FreeSip Lid
Owala FreeSip Lid
Owala FreeSip Lid and Removable Seal
Owala FreeSip Lid and Removable Seal
Let's start with the most popular brands by looking at a bottle that's quite possibly overtaking Stanley as the most trendy option on the market today, Owala.

Owala's FreeSip is good because it has an ergonomic combination straw and spout lid that's honestly pretty nice to use.  It's also a reasonably priced bottle.

Cons with Owalas are the handle and at least for me, the colors (though some people love the funky combinations).

​I recently made a dedicated post about this brand, so check out this link if you'd like to learn more.
See Owala FreeSip
2 of 31: Stanley Quencher
Stanley Quencher Handle
Stanley Quencher Handle
Stanley Quencher Lid
Stanley Quencher Lid
Stanley's Quencher tumbler has been atop the social media mountain for a few years.

Stanley's Quencher is good because it has a large handle that's easy to hold because it's side-mounted.  It also has a tapered base that lets it fit cup holders.

Cons with Stanley Quenchers are that the lid is not leak-proof.  Also, the large handle makes an already-bulky bottle even bulkier
See Stanley Quencher
3 of 31: YETI Rambler
YETI Rambler Lid
YETI Rambler Lid
YETI Rambler Spout
YETI Rambler Spout
YETI's Rambler series is incredibly popular and includes a wide range of different products, but I'm just referring to their bottles like these.

YETI Rambler pros are the durability and the wide handle with their chug and straw lids.

Cons with YETI Ramblers are the high cost and the handles or lack thereof with their other lids.

I recently made a dedicated video about this brand, so check out this link if you'd like to learn more.
See YETI Rambler
4 of 31: Cirkul
Cirkul Flavor Pod
Cirkul Flavor Pod
Cirkul Flavor Dial
Cirkul Flavor Dial
Cirkul took social media by storm a few years ago, and it's known for having flavor pods with a dial so you can control how much flavor you get.  While an interesting concept, I really don't like this bottle.

Cirkul bottles are good if you'd like to easily add flavor to your drink, but that's about it.

Cons with Cirkul bottles are:
  • that the flavor pods are disposable so they add a lot of waste while also costing you a lot more money in the long run
  • the handle is also truly awful
  • the bottle finish scratched easily
  • the straw lid makes weird noises and takes a lot of sucking compared to Owala's design
  • and there are legitimate questions and concerns about about how artificial sweeteners affect your health and you're essentially drinking non-carbonated diet soda.

If you'd like to add flavors to your water bottle, a more natural option is our FlavorFuze Pod drop-in infuser.
See Cirkul
5 of 31: Hydro Flask 32oz Flex Straw
Hydro Flask 32oz Flex Straw
Hydro Flask 32oz Flex Straw
Hydro Flask 32oz Flex Straw
Hydro Flask 32oz Flex Straw
Next is Hydro Flask, and our company really got started by making accessories for these so I have a few of their bottles.  Hydro Flask's 32oz wide mouth style bottle was the social media darling a few years before Stanley, and even though they've dropped off the radar some, they're still great bottles.

Pros about Hydro Flasks are the lids, which all have great handles (other than the original straw lid).  They also have a wide range of color options.

​Cons are the high price, though they do seem to be on sale pretty often nowadays to compete more with Stanley and Owala.
See Hydro Flask 32oz Flex Straw
6 of 31: Hydro Flask 16oz Flex Sip
Hydro Flask 16oz Flex Sip
Hydro Flask 16oz Flex Sip
Hydro Flask 16oz Flex Sip
Hydro Flask 16oz Flex Sip
Hydro Flask Flex Sips are great bottles for coffee and tea.

Pros about the lid are the wide handle and that it's easy to take apart for cleaning.

Cons are the high price and that taking the lid apart takes quite a few steps (though it's not particularly difficult).
See Hydro Flask 16oz Flex Sip
7 of 31: Hydro Flask 24oz Flex Straw
Hydro Flask Narrow 21oz
Hydro Flask Narrow 21oz
Hydro Flask Narrow Flex Straw
Hydro Flask Narrow Flex Straw
I typically don't like narrow or standard mouth bottles as much as wide mouths because they're more difficult to clean, have smaller lids and handles, and aren't as easy to add things like ice or flavorings.

​But a positive of bottles with narrower mouths like this are that they typically have better insulation than their wide mouth counterparts.
See Hydro Flask Narrow 24oz
8 of 31: Hydro Flask 32oz Trail Series
Hydro Flask Trail Series
Hydro Flask Trail Series
Hydro Flask Trail Series
Hydro Flask Trail Series
Another good variation to know about is their Trail Series.  This style is lighter and actually tested a little better in an insulation test I did recently compared to their original wide mouth.

​Cons of this series is that they don't have many color options, though they do all share a cool metallic look that is different from the market-standard powder coating with most bottles.
See Hydro Flask Trail Series
9 of 31: Hydro Flask 64oz Growler
Hydro Flask Growler
Hydro Flask Growler
Hydro Flask Growler
Hydro Flask Growler
Hydro Flask's 64oz Growler is a good one to have for situations like long road trips when you can use the growler to refill a smaller bottle that's better to use when driving.  But for most people, growlers are too big to be the main bottle they drink water from and are better used for refills.

​It's also worth noting that I have Hydro Flask's standard style growler, not their beer growler, which is another 64oz bottle with a different lid that's specifically designed to handle carbonation.
See Hydro Flask Growler
10 of 31: S'well 25oz
S'well 25oz Narrow Mouth
S'well 25oz Narrow Mouth
S'well 25oz Narrow Mouth
S'well 25oz Narrow Mouth
S'well is one of the original trendy brands, and for good reason.

S'well is good for its sleek look, which is more aesthetic than most other brands.  The narrow mouth one I have also had one of the best insulation test results of any bottle from my collection.

A con is that it's too narrow to easily get ice into it so there's a bit of a tradeoff, and this makes it more difficult to clean too.  The bottle also doesn't have a handle so it's not as easy to carry with you, and they're pretty pricey.
See S'well
11 of 31: Klean Kanteen Classic 40oz
Klean Kanteen Classic 40oz
Klean Kanteen Classic 40oz
Klean Kanteen Classic 40oz
Klean Kanteen Classic 40oz
​Klean Kanteen is another premium brand, and I have two of their bottles.

The good things about Klean Kanteen's non-insulated bottles like this 40-ounce single-wall are that they're lightweight, reasonably priced, and have stainless steel under the lid.

The bad side is that it's not insulated and the handle is truly awful, though their updated loop style lid is much better.  The lid shown in these pictures is an older style.
See Klean Kanteen Classic
12 of 31: Klean Kanteen TKWide 32oz
Klean Kanteen TKWide 32oz
Klean Kanteen TKWide 32oz
Bump-Style Threads
Bump-Style Threads
I also have their 32-ounce TKWide, which is their insulated series.

These bottles have pretty good lid options, and the bump-style threads are easier to clean compared to traditional threads.

Some downsides with TKWides are that some people find the thin metal handle uncomfortable, and they are very bulky, especially because of the bump cap which is essentially a bumper on the bottom that's intended to save your insulation if you drop your bottle.

The problem I have with that is that is that I found in a recent test that most dents don't affect insulation anyways and if the dent is bad enough to affect insulation then your bottle is probably too wobbly and ready to be replaced anyways, so that extra cap on the bottom just seems to add more to the bulk of this already bulky bottle.
See Klean Kanteen TKWide
13 of 31: Takeya 32oz
Takeya Actives
Takeya Actives
Takeya Actives
Takeya Actives
Now we're getting into some mid-range brands that are still great options but may not have the prestige of a brand like YETI or Stanley.  First is Takeya.

Pros are the reasonable cost and the great chug lid, which has a connected spout cap and a wide handle design.

I honestly don't have many negatives to say about this brand, but some people do prefer a rigid handle like YETI's over Takeya's hinged design.

​If you get a Takeya, go with their Actives series listing because it'll come with their insulated lid and a protective bottle boot.
See Takeya Actives
14 of 31: Nalgene 32oz
Nalgene 32oz Wide Mouth
Nalgene 32oz Wide Mouth
Nalgene 32oz Wide Mouth
Nalgene 32oz Wide Mouth
Nalgene is the only plastic bottle in this video, and yes, I realize it's not stainless steel, but I'm grandfathering this bottle in because it's a cult classic with a place in history as the first popular reusable bottle for outdoors and hiking.

Good things about Nalgenes are that the plastic construction is really lightweight and inexpensive

Bad things are they don't have a great handle and are not insulated.
See Nalgene
15 of 31: Healthy Human 32oz Stein
Healthy Human 32oz Stein
Healthy Human 32oz Stein
Healthy Human Lid
Healthy Human Lid
If you avoid Nalgene because of the plastic, then a good alternative to consider is Healthy Human.  I have two of their bottles, a 32-ounce classic design and a 21-ounce from their Curve series.

Both have stainless steel under the lid so you can avoid plastic contact with your water.  They also come with a lid that has a wide handle and a light-duty carabiner so you can clip it to a bag

The Curve series is more ergonomic for some people.

​One downside is the lack of a sip style lid for coffee in their bottles, though they do have tumblers and cups that are a better fit for that.
See Healthy Human Stein
16 of 31: Healthy Human 21oz Curve
Healthy Human Curve
Healthy Human Curve
Healthy Human Curve
Healthy Human Curve
The Curve series is more ergonomic for some people, and it has some other color combinations and gradients.

Other than that, it's very similar to the Stein and use the same style lid.

See Healthy Human Curve
17 of 31: Camelbak Chute Mag 32oz
Camelbak Chute Mag 32oz
Camelbak Chute Mag 32oz
Camelbak Chute Mag 32oz
Camelbak Chute Mag 32oz
Next is Camelbak's Chute Mag.  Camelbak is one of the brands that's been around the hydration world for a long time, so their bottles are very common and well-known.

Good things are that the lid has a magnet in the spout cap that helps keep it out the way when you're taking sips.  They're also some of the least-expensive insulated options out there.

Bad things are that I'm personally not a huge fan of the offset handle, but some people prefer that style.  The magnets are cool, but I'm not a huge fan of the all-plastic hinge design because it is tricker to link up the cap with the spout compared to bottles with fixed hinges like Takeya and FJbottle.

Overall, this is a pretty middle-of-the-road bottle in my opinion that does a lot well but doesn't excel at anything in particular in my opinion.
See Camelbak
18 of 31: ThermoFlask 32oz
ThermoFlask 32oz
ThermoFlask 32oz
ThermoFlask 2-Pack
ThermoFlask 2-Pack
ThermoFlask is another solid mid-range brand that doesn't have much that really differentiates it in either a good or a bad way.

But one good thing that you don't see with many other brands is that ThermoFlask regularly offers two-pack options for additional savings, so if you're already thinking about buying two bottles then it's a good option.

​Fun fact, this brand is owned by Takeya, so they have a lot of similarities.
See ThermoFlask 2-Pack
19 of 31: Iron Flask 40oz
Iron Flask 40oz
Iron Flask 40oz
Iron Flask Lids
Iron Flask Lids
​Next is Iron Flask, and you can probably guess what this brand is going for.

They have done a good job establishing their footing on Amazon as a lower priced alternative to Hydro Flask.  Pros are the value, as you'll get three lids included for a reasonable price.

​The downside is that the lids feel cheap compared to what you get from Hydro Flask itself.
See Iron Flask
20 of 31: Ozark Trail 32oz
Ozark Trail 32oz
Ozark Trail 32oz
Ozark Trail Lid
Ozark Trail Lid
Ozark Trail is Walmart's bottle brand, and as much as I hate to admit it, this is a pretty solid bottle.

Pros are that it has a grippy base and a good lid that has a connected spout cap and wide handle.  And surprisingly, Ozark Trail has also consistently had the best insulation tests out of all the wide mouth bottles that I have compared it against.

Cons are that you can't buy it on Amazon, so if you're looking to use Prime shipping then you're out of luck.  The handle is also just a touch small for comfortably fitting three larger fingers like mine.
See Ozark Trail
21 of 31: FJbottle 32oz
FJbottle 32oz
FJbottle 32oz
FJbottle Strap
FJbottle Strap
FJbottle is a brand most people haven't heard of, but if you saw my comparison video last year then you know I really like their bottle.

What I love about FJbottle is that it has both a fingerhold handle and a built-in carrying strap, which is something most bottles don't have.  The strap is something I didn't expect to like as much as I did, and it makes it a lot easier to carry your bottle when your hands are full with other things.  It's also reasonably priced, has a no-slip base, and has a magnetic spout cap that I honestly prefer over Camelbak's design.

A downside is that the spout opening is a little too small, but for the most part I'm easily able to overlook that inconvenience because of everything else this bottle has going for it.
See FJbottle
22 of 31: EcoVessel 32oz
EcoVessel 32oz
EcoVessel 32oz
EcoVessel Strainer
EcoVessel Strainer
EcoVessel is another reasonably priced bottle for what you get.

Pros are that it comes with a bottle boot and has stainless steel under the lid to avoid plastic contact with your water.  It also has a built-in strainer that can be used for tea or blocking ice.

Unfortunately, the strainer is too small to hold fruit, and the bottle doesn't have a true handle, though you can use the cap tether.
See EcoVessel
23 of 31: Steepware 22oz
Steepware 22oz
Steepware 22oz
Steepware Infusers
Steepware Infusers
Steepware is one of the first bottles I am aware of that had a built-in strainer, and it also has a larger section here that screws into the strainer.  This makes it a better option than EcoVessel for loose leaf tea or even some smaller fruits.

Other than that, I don't really like Steepware though.  It was an outlier on the bad side on an insulation test, and the lid isn't that great.
See Steepware
24 of 31: Vesmoon 32oz
Vesmoon 32oz
Vesmoon 32oz
Vesmoon Infusers
Vesmoon Infusers
Vesmoon is a new brand that has the best built-in infuser in my opinion.  It's a larger infuser than Steepware's, and the chug lid is a really good design that includes a carrying strap.

​The downside is that it's a smaller brand, but if that's not a problem for you and you're looking for a good infuser bottle then this is one of the best options I've seen.
See Vesmoon
25 of 31: RevoMax
RevoMax
RevoMax
RevoMax Threadless Lid
RevoMax Threadless Lid
RevoMax has a really unique feature in that it's the only bottle in this video that is completely threadless.  You pull on this part here to lock the lid into place, and to unlock it you pinch the side buttons and press this button on top. 

The main pros and cons are really opposite sides of the same coin.  The lid is easy to open with one hand, but because this lid is separate it makes it difficult to use this bottle when driving unless you put the lid down somewhere.

And the lack of threads makes it easier to clean in some ways, but the lid itself is trickier to disassemble than other lids when you need to do a deep clean.

​It's a narrow mouth bottle, and it tested really well on an insulation test I did last year taking the top spot in essentially a tie with my narrow mouth S'well.
See RevoMax
26 of 31: Zulu Ace
Zulu Ace
Zulu Ace
Zulu Ace Removable Bottom
Zulu Ace Removable Bottom
​Zulu Ace is a great bottle to consider if you're a clean freak because you can open the bottle from both sides.  This is a good option if you don't want a tumbler like a Stanley Quencher, but you also don't want to deal with a bottle brush kit.

The downside is that there are more threads where it could potentially leak if a seal is misaligned, and it doesn't have a built-in handle.
See Zulu Ace
27 of 31: Stanley Classic Thermos
Stanley Thermos
Stanley Thermos
Stanley Thermos
Stanley Thermos
Stanley's Thermos is certainly not a new design, but I'm including it in this part of my review because it's so much different from all the other bottles I've mentioned.

This bottle has great insulation, but you wouldn't want to use it as a main water bottle.  It's best used in situations like outdoor events to store and distribute hot coffee or tea while you drink from other cups.
See Stanley Thermos
28 of 31: Otiem Copper
Otiem Copper Bottle
Otiem Copper Bottle
Otiem Copper Bottle
Otiem Copper Bottle
Copper has been used for thousands of years as a drinking container and vessel, but it's good to know what you're getting into before you buy one.

Most brands heavily market health benefits associated with using copper bottles, though I personally have not seen trusted sources or scientific research that definitively backs this up (at least not to the degree that the benefits are marketed).

They also take a lot more regular maintenance compared to stainless steel and plastic bottles because the copper tarnishes over time.

But there's no doubt that they look really cool!
See Otiem
29 of 31: Brita Filter Bottle
Brita Bottle
Brita Bottle
Brita Bottle Filter
Brita Bottle Filter
Brita's bottle stays true to their roots by focusing on filtration because the bottle has a built-in filter.  This is a great option if you're traveling and are not sure about the water quality.  If you're familiar with LifeStraw, just think of this bottle like having a built-in accessory like that.

I'm not a fan of the handle though, and the bottle itself isn't as aesthetically pleasing as many others on this list.
See Brita
30 of 31: GRAYL Filter Bottle
GRAYL Filter Bottle
GRAYL Filter Bottle
GRAYL Filter Bottle
GRAYL Filter Bottle
GRAYL is a different take on the filter bottle.  Instead of sucking water through a filter straw, you use this bottle like a French press.

It looks really cool and rugged and helps clean water when you're camping or hiking and need to get water from a stream.

But this isn't a convenient bottle for every-day use because it's a lot of effort to go through if you already have good water and the handle isn't much to write home about.  And these bottles are crazy expensive, with this version costing $100 and their titanium version costing $200.
See GRAYL
31 of 31: LARQ UV Bottle
LARQ UV Bottle
LARQ UV Bottle
LARQ UV Bottle
LARQ UV Bottle
And last we have LARQ, which is the most high-tech bottle I own.  You may have seen them on Shark Tank, and this bottle's main calling card is the built-in UV light that sanitizes your water.

The pros are that UV light is proven to make water safer to drink by killing bacteria, and it's a cool concept that you can show off.

The cons are the high cost, having to recharge the battery, and they only have a narrow mouth design.
See LARQ
1 Comment

What are the Best Bottles for Infusing (Fruit, Tea, and Coffee)

6/2/2024

0 Comments

 
What are the Best Bottles and Accessories for Infusing Water with Fruit, Tea, and Coffee?
What are the Best Bottles and Accessories for Infusing Water with Fruit, Tea, and Coffee?

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.
EcoVessel (Steel Bottle with Strainer)
EcoVessel (Stainless Steel)
EcoVessel (Stainless Steel)
  • $28 for the 32oz (as of 6/2/2024, on sale)
  • Small strainer included - snaps into neck of bottle
  • All stainless-steel interior
  • 20, 24, and 32oz size options
  • Reasonable prices for a stainless steel insulated bottle
  • Triple-layer insulation
  • Spout lid to prevent spills
  • Includes a bottle boot
See EcoVessel
Sunkey (Glass Bottle with Strainer)
Sunkey (Glass)
Sunkey (Glass)
  • $19 (as of 6/2/2024)
  • Small strainer included - snaps into neck of bottle
  • All stainless-steel interior
  • Carrying sleeve included (for easier handling and protection)
  • Not insulated
See Sunkey

Bottles with Built-In Infusers

Some 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.
Hemli
Hemli Bottle with Infuser
Hemli Bottle with Infuser
See Hemli ($28)
Akvati
Akvati Bottle with Infuser
Akvati Bottle with Infuser
See Akvati ($40)

Stanley Bottle with a Fruit Infuser

Now 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.
Fimibuke Fruit Infuser Bottle
Fimibuke Fruit Infuser Bottle
Fimibuke 
  • Side-handle
  • Straw lid
  • Built-in fruit infuser (not good for tea or coffee grounds)
See Fimibuke

Best Bottle Infusers for Fruit Infusing

Llet'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.
FlavorFuze Pod Fruit Infuser
FlavorFuze Pod Fruit Infuser
FlavorFuze Pod Fruit Infuser
FlavorFuze Pod Fruit Infuser
FlavorFuze Pod
This was our first infuser, and it's personally still my favorite.  Originally I just sold it with a splash guard style lid for wide mouth Hydro Flasks, but then I added a second lid with a handle on top that makes it a great option for drop-in infusing in any wide mouth bottle.  Honestly, I like the new lid more because it makes it more universally useful.  I sized it as large as possible to still fit in bottles like 20 ounce Hydro Flasks, but that also means it can have a tough time giving you enough flavor in really large bottles like 64oz growlers.  But in general, it's a good all-around option for most wide mouth bottles, and I'm really proud of how this product turned out.​
  • 2 lids
    • Drop-in style with a large handle on top that fits most wide-mouth bottles.
    • Splash-guard style that fits snugly in wide-mouth Hydro Flasks
  • Sized to fit the most fruit in a drop-in infuser in bottles like 20oz Hydro Flasks.
  • Can be too small to flavor very large bottles like 64oz growlers.
See FlavorFuze Pod
FlavorFuze Straw
FlavorFuze Straw
Side Channel for Straw
Side Channel for Straw
FlavorFuze Straw
If you have a Hydro Flask or Iron Flask with a straw lid, you can try our FlavorFuze Straw version that snaps onto the straw.  It's even easier to use, it just doesn't work with as many bottles like Stanleys or Owalas because those have thicker straws.

It doesn't have as good of reviews as FlavorFuze Pod, but some of those are from people trying to use it with different bottles.  So just make sure you have the intended bottle so it'll work correctly.  If you do, you may find this is even easier and faster to use than FlavorFuze Pod for your situation.
  • Snaps onto Hydro Flask straws and similar brands (like Iron Flask).
  • Does not fit straws from some other brands like Stanley or Owala.
See FlavorFuze Straw
Prodyne Ice Mold Fruit Infuser
Prodyne Ice Mold Fruit Infuser
Prodyne Ice Molds for Fruit Infusing
​This one takes more advance planning, but it's pretty cool, literally and figuratively.  Just add fruit and water to the mold and let it freeze overnight.  Then in the morning, pop the fruit-cicle into your bottle.
See Prodyne

Best Bottle Infusers for Tea and Coffee Infusing

​Now 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.
FlavorFuze Steel Infuser
FlavorFuze Steel Infuser
FlavorFuze Steel
Our FlavorFuze Steel is sized for wide mouth Hydro Flasks, and it comes with two sizes.  It's ideally used when you're getting ready for your day and have time to leave your bottle on the counter while it's brewing because it can be difficult to add the lid on top of our infuser.  But brewing tea doesn't take that long so it's usually still a great option.

Like with most of our infusers, we designed them primarily around Hydro Flasks, so it likely won't fit other bottles with different diameter openings.
See FlavorFuze Steel
RumbleGo Portable Coffee Infuser
RumbleGo Portable Coffee Infuser
RumbleGo Portable Infuser
RumbleGo is a drop-in style stainless steel infuser that's sized for wide mouth bottles like Hydro Flasks.  It's designed primarily for coffee, but you could use it for tea (or fruit) as well.
See RumbleGo
FinalPress Infuser
FinalPress Infuser
FinalPress Portable Coffee and Tea Infuser
FinalPress is a portable french press you could use with any wide mouth bottle, but keep in mind it's not a drop-in style infuser so it's not good to use when actively driving or moving.  But if you have time in the morning at your hotel room, campsite, or wherever you are, this is a good option to consider.
See FinalPress

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.
Cirkul's Flavor Pod
Cirkul's Flavor Pod
Cirkul's Flavor Dial
Cirkul's Flavor Dial
Cirkul's Handle
Cirkul's Handle
Cirkul
Cirkul's pod screws into the cap, and there's a packet of flavor that is slowly released with your water.  Just know that with Cirkul, you're essentially drinking fruit-flavored diet soda without carbonation.

Good
  • Control how much flavor your bottle releases
  • Easy to change out flavor pods

Bad
  • High cost over time
  • More waste because the pods are disposable
  • The flavor tasted fine enough, but it didn't last as long as I would have expected
  • Lid and bottle look and feel cheap in my opinion
  • One of the worst handles I've ever used on a bottle
  • Contains sucralose
  • Harder to drink from than most straw lids, and it makes weird bubbling noises before and after you take a sip
  • The outside of the bottle I purchased feels plasticy even though it's a steel bottle, and it scratched very easily

I personally don't prefer to use Cirkul, but if you'd like to give it a try, here's a link to check out.
See Cirkul
air up
air up
air up Knockoff on Amazon
air up Knockoff on Amazon
air up
To be up front, I haven't tried air up in person yet, so I'm willing to give it a try eventually before completely discounting this one.  I certainly like the idea of using scents to trick your brain into tasting flavors instead of relying on sugar substitutes, but I've also read a bunch of reviews commenting about how the flavors taste weird and the straw doesn't work well because it causes you to suck in more air for the scents to work as intended.

Good
  • Uses scent instead of added flavors from potentially harmful additives like sugar or replacements like sucralose

Bad
  • High cost over time
  • Aesthetics (my opinion)
  • Reviews I've read say it's harder to drink from than most straw lids because you have to suck air and water through the flavor pod for it to work.
  • There's apparently not an option to drink from the lid normally without flavors to avoid the more difficult drinking.
​I didn't actually see a real listing on Amazon for air up.  Instead, there are some listings from other companies who are being sneaky by calling their bottles names like Air Water Up Bottle to trick Amazon's search results while still technically being legal.
See air up's Website
See air up Amazon Knockoff

Buying a water bottle?
​Keep us in mind!
​See our Amazon store for helpful accessories, like fruit infusers, cup holder adapters, and carrying slings.
See Our Store
See BottlePro's Amazon Store
See BottlePro's Amazon Store
0 Comments

What are the Easiest Water Bottles to Clean?

3/10/2024

0 Comments

 
Easiest Water Bottles to Keep Clean
Best Water Bottles for Cleaning

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!
  • Klean Kanteen's TKWides (easier threads to clean)
  • YETI Rambler (internal threads on bottle)
  • RevoMax (no threads)
  • Takeya (pull tabs on seals)
  • EcoVessel (pull tabs on seals)
  • SmartKap (3rd party lid for YETIs that has a pull tab on the seal for the spout cap)



Video Review of the Best Water Bottles for Cleaning

​​​We also cover this in a YouTube video if you'd prefer to watch the recap!​

Water Bottle Cleaning Tips

Before we dive into specific bottles, let's start with some general water bottle cleaning tips and guidelines.
  1. ​Clean your bottle regularly.  All the features in the world won't help you keep your bottle clean if you don't actually put in the work.  It's also not a bad idea to invest in a Kuppy, which is a silicone accessory that is a drying rack for your bottle.  Cheers to those folks for coming up with such a simple, useful product.
  2. It helps to have a bottle brush kit and some Bottle Bright tablets.  Brushes help clean the entire inside of your bottle more thoroughly, and the Bottle Bright tablets you may have seen on Shark Tank really do work well and are great to use for a deep clean every few weeks.
  3. Avoid using bleach.  Yes, bleach would absolutely kill any bacteria in your bottle, but bleach can also damage certain bottles and make them more susceptible to corrosion.  Just stick with warm soapy water, your bottle brush kit, and Bottle Bright tablets.
  4. Avoid straw lids. While convenient to use, straw lids are notorious for being harder to clean, especially at the pivot point around the spout.
  5. Take the mouth diameter into account when deciding what to buy.  A tumbler-style bottle like a Stanley has a much wider opening on top will be much easier to clean compared to a narrow mouth bottle.

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

Klean Kanteen's TKWide Chug
Klean Kanteen's TKWide Chug
TK Closure Internal Threads
TK Closure Internal Threads
Klean Kanteen's TKWide Series​
Most bottles have threads on the exterior of the bottle and the interior of the lid.  One problem this can create is on the lid, especially with bottles like Hydro Flasks.  These bottles have extra insulation under the lid, and while that's great to keep your drink cool or hot, it makes it much more difficult to fully clean this area because it's such a tight space.

However, some bottles reverse the threads.  Two examples includes Klean Kanteen's TKWides and YETI Ramblers.

The benefit to internal threads on the bottle and external threads on the lid is that it's much easier to clean the threads on the lid in particular.  It's also easier to take the seals on and off.

Klean Kanteen's TKWide bottles have one extra feature that places them above YETI Ramblers, and that's the different thread pattern. Instead of continuous spiraling metal or plastic threads on the outside of the bottle, they use a modified thread pattern called their TK Closure internal threads that consist of small metal bumps inside the rim.  Klean Kanteen says they improve thermal performance, but they also make it easier to clean because they don't have as many nooks and crannies as traditional threads.
See on TKWide

Bottles with No Threads

RevoMax (Threadless Lid)
RevoMax (Threadless Lid)
Picture
RevoMax
You could also skip threads altogether with RevoMax because their bottle has a completely threadless design.  The lid is easy to lock and unlock with one hand, and it still feel really secure even without the threads.  The lid still needs to be cleaned regularly, but it can be disassembled fairly easily.

​One downside is that they currently only have a narrow mouth bottle, so keep that in mind.
See RevoMax

Bottles with Seals with Pull Tabs

Pull Tab on Takeya's Lid
Pull Tab on Takeya's Lid
Pull Tab on Takeya's Spout Cap
Pull Tab on Takeya's Spout Cap
Takeya and EcoVessel
Seals are often overlooked but are good to include in your deep cleaning every few weeks.  One design feature that I wish more bottle manufacturers would incorporate is to add tabs to the seals in the lid.  It’s such a simple change that makes removing the seals for cleaning so much easier, and it amazes me that more bottles don’t include this feature.

A few that I’m aware of are Takeya and EcoVessel.
Takeya
Takeya
See Takeya
EcoVessel
EcoVessel
See EcoVessel
Picture
SmartKap (3rd Party Lid for YETIs)
And for YETIs, this aftermarket lid that's modeled after Takeya's amazing lids has a seal for the spout cap that also has a little pull tab.
See SmartKap

Bottles with Removable Bottoms

Zulu Ace Bottle
Zulu Ace Bottle
Zulu Ace Removable Base
Zulu Ace Removable Base
Zulu Ace
Now we've talked about the threads and seals near the lid, but what about the inside of the bottle itself?  Some bottles have removable bottoms, which is helpful so you can clean the inside from both sides.

One bottle I know of with this feature is Zulu Ace.

​​The main downside of the Zulu bottle is that there's a seal that's difficult to remove from the base cap, but if you get a brush kit that includes one of the smaller detailing brushes and use cleaning tablets, you can usually keep this pretty area pretty clean.
See Zulu Ace

Bottles with Filters

​There 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

Picture
Picture
LARQ UV Sanitizing Bottle
​LARQ is a brand with a more high-tech solution to clean the inside of your bottle using a lid with a built-in UV light. Press the button to activate the UV light, then wait a few seconds for it to sanitize your water and the inside of your bottle.
See LARQ

Easiest Straw Lids to Keep Clean

Hydro Flask Flex Straw
Hydro Flask Flex Straw
Hydro Flask Flex Straw
​I mentioned before that we don’t recommend using straw lids if you’re concerned about cleaning, but if you’re set on getting one, then Hydro Flask's Flex Straw is a good option.

It has a removable silicone insert that makes it easier to clean more areas under the spout.
See Flex Straw
Hydro Flask Compatible Lid with Dust Cover (No-Touch Spout)
Hydro Flask Compatible Lid with Dust Cover (No-Touch Spout)
Straw Lids with Dust Cover / Hinge
​Other good options are any after-market lids that have this extra hinge on the spout which lets you pull the spout up without touching the area where your mouth goes.  Or get a straw lid that has a spring to open a cover with the press of a button.  There are a ton of options for these.
See Lid

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.

Buying a water bottle?
Keep us in mind!

​See our Amazon store for helpful accessories, like fruit infusers, cup holder adapters, and carrying slings.
See Our Store
See BottlePro's Amazon Store
See BottlePro's Amazon Store
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8 Innovative Water Bottles (and 2 Mugs) We Love not named YETI or Hydro Flask

12/16/2023

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8 Bottles that Change Hydration

Today’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 Review

We 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

FJbottle
FJbottle (CONVENIENCE)
Innovations:
  • ​Magnetic lid
  • Handle & strap
  • No-slip base
See FJbottle
EcoVessel
EcoVessel (MULTI-USE)
Innovations:
  • Tea-strainer
  • Triple-layer insulation
  • Bottle boot included
  • Plastic-free inside
See EcoVessel
Owala
Owala (COMBO LID)
Innovations:
  • Combination straw & spout lid
  • Easiest straw to sip from
  • Ergonomic
See Owala
RevoMax
RevoMax (THREADLESS)
Innovations:
  • No threads to clean
  • One-handed opening/closing
  • GREAT insulation
See RevoMax
Geopress
Geopress (FILTER)
Innovations:
  • French press-style filter
  • Rugged design
See GeoPress
Boundless
Boundless (TITANIUM)
Innovations:
  • Extremely durable & lightweight
  • No plastic
See Boundless
Hidrate Spark
Hidrate Spark Pro (HYDRATION TRACKING)
Innovations:
  • Bluetooth connection
  • Tracks your hydration intake vs goals
  • Lights up for hydration reminders
See Hidrate Spark
LARQ
​

LARQ (UV SANITIZING)
Innovations:
  • UV light built into the lid
  • Sanitizes your bottle in seconds.
See LARQ

Bonus: Coffee Mugs

Ember
Ember (TEMPERATURE CONTROL)
Innovations:
  • Maintains your drink's temperature
  • Connects to your phone
See Ember
Momnt Mugs
Momnt Mugs (ERGONOMIC, NO-SLIP GRIP)
Innovations:
  • Never slips
  • More comfortable
See Momnt

The Details

FJbottle (Convenience)

FJbottle
First is a brand you probably haven’t heard of called FJbottle.  If convenience and ease-of-use is your priority, then this is a good bottle for you.

The spout cap is magnetic, so it stays out of your face when you’re taking a drink.

The base has a no-slip grip to help prevent unwanted spills and damage.

​And in addition to the rigid handle, they also include a carrying strap.

​None of these changes are revolutionary on their own, and you’ll find features like these with other bottles or accessories that you can purchase separately.  But we really appreciate how FJbottle incorporated so many of these simple quality-of-life improvements into a single, affordable bottle.
See FJbottle

EcoVessel (Multi-Use)

EcoVessel
Next is EcoVessel.  This is one of our favorite all-around bottles because of its value and wide-ranging functionality.

One of the best improvements in this bottle is the built-in strainer which can either function as a tea infuser or an ice stopper.

The inside of the bottle does not contain plastic, so this is a great option if your main goal is to limit plastic contact with your water.  The vast majority of other bottles still let water come in contact with plastic somewhere, usually under the lid

EcoVessel’s triple-layer insulation didn’t hold temperatures as well as some other triple-layer bottles in a recent test we did, but it still tested better than most dual-wall bottles.

It also comes with a bottle boot to help prevent damage on the base.  Overall, this bottle is packed with features and is very affordable.

You'll be hard-pressed to find another brand that has so many different improvements and wide-ranging functionality packed into a single bottle at such an affordable price.
See EcoVessel

Owala (Combo Lid)

Owala
Next is Owala.  This is one of the trendier bottles on this list, and for good reason.

The main thing this bottle has going for it is the dual-function lid, which offers both straw and spout-style drinking.

In addition, this is the best bottle we've seen when it comes to ergonomics.  The lid is designed around your mouth’s shape, and while this may not seem like a big deal at first, you’ll probably change your mind the first time you take a sip

If you’re looking for the easiest straw to drink from, we highly recommend Owala.
See Owala

RevoMax (Threadless Lid)

RevoMax
Now let’s look at RevoMax.  What makes this bottle different is how you attach the lid.

This is the only bottle we’ve seen that doesn’t have any threads.  Instead, the lid is secured by pulling up on part of the handle until it clicks.  And to unlock, you press down the button in the middle and then pinch the pins on the side.

It’s truly one-handed operation, which can really be helpful when driving.

​This bottle also insulates extremely well because it's a narrow mouth, insulated lid, and the triple-layer bottle design.  In fact, it was tied at the top of our insulation test with S'well.

Some people may like the threadless lid while others may not, but there's no questioning the fact that it's a very innovative approach to everyday hydration.
See RevoMax

GRAYL Geopress (Filter)

Geopress
Next is GRAYL’s GeoPress.  This is a great option for those of you who like to travel off the beaten path.

This bottle has a built-in filter that you use like a French press.  Use this to clean your water when you’re out hiking or camping and need to refill from a stream.

The rugged design looks great and seems like it should hold up well compared to some other filtered bottles and accessories we’ve seen. 

One thing to note is that we’re relying on the marketing material that says this filter works really well, but we can’t confirm how well the filter actually works.  It's something we're looking to test soon, so stay tuned.  But regardless, we're sure the filter in GRAYL's Geopress is better than nothing if you're out-and-about and need to refill in the wild.
See GeoPress

Boundless (Titanium)

Boundless
Now let’s get into some of the higher-tech options, starting with Boundless.  Technology doesn’t always mean electronics, and in this case, I’m counting a modern material like titanium as high-tech.

Boundless has a titanium bottle that offers a wide range of benefits over traditional stainless steel and plastic bottles.

They’re extremely durable and lightweight, making them great bottles for hikes.

They’re a pretty good option for camping too because you can boil water in the bottle to purify it.

The Boundless bottle comes with a carrying pouch to help make hiking even easier.

​Overall, we’re pretty excited to see how the industry innovates with new titanium options, and we wouldn’t be surprised if you start seeing options like this a lot more frequently.
See Boundless

Hidrate Spark (Hydration Tracking)

Hidrate Spark
Now let’s start incorporating electronics into your bottle by looking at Hidrate Spark.

This is a great bottle if you want to get serious about achieving your hydration goals and changing your habits for the better.

It has Bluetooth that connects to your phone or smart watch.

The app helps you keep track of your hydration goals and water intake.  For some people, this ability to measure and visualize your goals and progress are what makes staying on track possible.

The LED lights on the base even light up when it’s time to take another drink.

​Some people might find the bright lights too distracting, but for others this might be the motivation they need to help achieve a healthier lifestyle.
See Hidrate Spark

LARQ (UV Sanitizing)

LARQ
​

And last but not least is LARQ.  They have a few designs to choose from, including one that has a filter similar to GRAYL’s GeoPress.

But the really innovative bottle they have has a UV light built into the lid to sanitize your water.  Just press the button, wait a bit, then your water should be much safer to drink.

Now like I said with GRAYL’s bottle, we’re relying on the manufacturer’s claims about how well the bottle helps sanitize your drink, but given that UV light is widely known to kill bacteria in water, we expect it should work pretty well.

We think this would also be a great bottle to test in future videos and posts, so stay tuned!
See LARQ

Ember (Temperature Control)

Ember
One mug that you may have heard of is Ember.

This popular high-end mug is temperature-controlled, so you can connect it to your phone then set the temperature you want your drink to stay at.

​If you’re one of those people who likes to sip your coffee or tea for awhile, this could be the mug for you. 
See Ember

Momnt Mugs (Ergonomic, No-Slip Grip)

Momnt Mugs
Another mug that’s much newer is Momnt, and this mug really takes ergonomics seriously.

They looked at how your hand is naturally shaped and built the handle around that, which leads to a much more comfortable grip.

The way that your fingers interact with the handle gives you a grip that never slips in your hands.

I have it on good authority that this brand is easy to work with and has more mug colors, styles, and sizes in the works, so be sure to keep an eye on them!
See Momnt

​Buying a water bottle?
​Keep us in mind!

​See our Amazon store for helpful accessories, like fruit infusers, cup holder adapters, and carrying slings.
See our Store
BottlePro's Amazon Store
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What is the Best Type of Water Bottle For Kids?

10/13/2023

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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.
I recently posted an entire other video where I did a deep dive into this topic to find out what are the safest water bottle materials.  That video is over 20 minutes long, so I’ll give you the cliff-notes version here.

​Here's a link to the post if you'd like to learn more.
Link to Post
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The Safest Water Bottle Materials for Children

The safest bottle materials that we recommend using for children are:
  • stainless steel
  • silicone
  • glass

STAINLESS STEEL

Are 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!
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FJbottle, 14oz
Why it's good:
  • Carrying handle
  • Graphics  themes for bottles
  • No-slip base
  • Comes with a brush
See on fjbottle.com
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Pura, 18oz
Why it's good:
  • 100% plastic-free, including the lid.
  • Silicone grip sleeve
See on Amazon
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Hydro Flask Kids, 12oz
Why it's good:
  • Big-name brand
  • Many color options
  • Straw lid can be easier to drink from
  • Bottle boot prevents slipping
See on Amazon
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YETI Rambler Jr, 12oz
Why it's good:
  • Big-name brand
  • Many color options
  • Wide handle
  • Straw lid can be easier to drink from
See on Amazon

SILICONE

Are 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.
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Pura, my-my bottles
Why it's good:
  • 100% food-grade silicone
  • Straw for small children
​*Some buyers comment that they leak a lot.
See on Amazon
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Makersland
Why it's good:
  • Collapsible and lightweight
  • Colorful design
​*Please note that this bottle is not 100% plastic-free (in the lid)
See on Amazon
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Cascade Kids, 6oz
Why it's good:
  • 100% food-grade silicone
  • 2-pack
  • Straw
See on Amazon

GLASS

Are 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.
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Lifefactory with Nipple, 9oz
Why it's good:
  • Silicone protective sleeve
  • Many colors
​*Contains plastic in the lid
See on Amazon
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Lifefactory with Spout, 12oz
Why it's good:
  • Silicone protective sleeve
  • Many colors
  • Wide handle
*Contains plastic in the lid
See on Amazon
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Takeya with Straw, 22oz
Why it's good:
  • Good for older kids (larger)
  • 2-finger handle
  • Straw lid for easier sipping
*Contains plastic in the lid
See on Amazon

SPONSOR

FJbottle
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!
Visit FJbottle.com

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.
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FJbottle, 13oz
Many themes to choose from
See on fjbottle.com
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Klean Kanteen Kids, 12oz
Many themes to choose from
See on Amazon
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Hydro Flask Kids, 12oz
Many colors to choose from
See on Amazon
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YETI Rambler Jr, 12oz
​Many colors to choose from
See on Amazon

Buying a water bottle?  Keep us in mind!

See our Amazon store for helpful accessories, like fruit infusers, cup holder adapters, and carrying slings.
See our Store
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What is the Safest Water Bottle Material? (7 Materials Ranked)

10/5/2023

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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:
  • plastic
  • stainless steel
  • glass
  • aluminum
  • copper
  • silicone
  • titanium

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 Regularly

Before 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
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Bottle Brush Kit
See on Amazon
Bottle Bright Tablets
Bottle Bright Tablets
See on Amazon

Leaching

​The 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?

Are Plastic Bottles Safe to Drink From?
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
Nalgene 32oz
Nalgene 32oz
​When talking about BPAs in water bottles, the most well-known example is Nalgene.  After pressure continued to build from Nalgene’s customers and retailers, they changed their formulation in 2008 to phase BPA out of all of their plastics.

Since then, all plastic bottle brands that I’m aware of have followed suit, with most popular brands switching to safer plastics like Tritan.  
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
Nalgene
Nalgene
See on Amazon
Camelbak Eddy
CamelBak Eddy
See on Amazon
YETI Yonder
YETI Yonder
See on Amazon

Are Stainless Steel Bottles Safe?

Are Stainless Steel Bottles Safe to Drink From?
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
Hydro Flask
Hydro Flask
See on Amazon
YETI Rambler
YETI Rambler
See on Amazon
Klean Kanteen TKWide
Klean Kanteen TKWide
See on Amazon
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
Hydro Flask's Add-On SS Lid
Hydro Flask's Add-On SS Lid
See on Amazon
Klean Kanteen Non-Insulated Loop Cap
Klean Kanteen Non-Insulated Loop Cap
See on Amazon
Klean Kanteen Reflect
Klean Kanteen Reflect

Are Glass Bottles Safe?

Are Glass Bottles Safe to Drink From?
​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
Lifefactory (plastic on bottom of lid)
Lifefactory (plastic on bottom of lid)
See on Amazon
​When it comes to glass bottles, Lifefactory is a big brand to know, but all the lids we’ve seen are made of plastic.  To be clear they’re made with polypropylene, which is generally regarded as a very safe, FDA-approved food-safe plastic.
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.
Sunkey (Stainless Under Lid)
Sunkey (Stainless Under Lid)
See on Amazon
Mayu (Stainless Under Lid)
Mayu (Stainless Under Lid)
See on Amazon
Anotion (Silicone Under Lid)
Anotion (Silicone Under Lid)
See on Amazon

Are Aluminum Bottles Safe?

Are Aluminum Bottles Safe to Drink From?
​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
Sigg
Sigg
See on Amazon
One of the most well-known brands that makes reusable aluminum bottles is Sigg.  According to their website, their bottles are OK to use with carbonated drinks like sodas.  This must be OK because they have a liner to protect the aluminum from acidic drinks, similar to disposable cans.

“The inner coating used in our production is widely used in various food containers and complies with strict EU/USA regulations.”

It’s worth noting that Sigg uses a liner that’s BPA-free, though we don’t know for sure what it’s composition is.  Also, I am not certain, but I wonder if the aluminum could be compromised if the liner is scratched on the inside somehow.  I just don’t know enough about the composition and durability of the liner to be certain, but it’s something I’m hoping to dive into with a future video.

So in general, aluminum bottles from respected companies like Sigg are certainly safe options to drink from, but it's not as clear-cut as some other options like stainless-steel or glass in my opinion.

Are Copper Bottles Safe?

Are Copper Bottles Safe to Drink From?
​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.
Milton Copper Bottle
Milton Copper Bottle
See on Amazon
Otiem Copper Bottle
Otiem Copper Bottle
See on Amazon

Are Silicone Bottles Safe?

Are Silicone Bottles Safe to Drink From?
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.
E-Senior
E-Senior
See on Amazon
Special Made
Special Made
See on Amazon

Are Titanium Bottles Safe?

Are Titanium Bottles Safe to Drink From?
​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
Silverant
Silverant
See on Amazon
Boundless
Boundless
See on Amazon
Vargo
Vargo
See on Amazon

Which Water Bottle Materials are the Safest?

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

Check out our Amazon store for fun and helpful accessories, like fruit infusers, cup holder adapters, and carrying slings.
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What is the Best Water Bottle, and Which One Should You Get? (The Ultimate Guide)

7/7/2023

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What is the Best Water Bottle, and Which One Should You Get?

What is the Best Water Bottle?

It’s 2023, and there are literally hundreds if not thousands of water bottle brands to choose from that initially can appear very similar.  With such a saturated market you might be wondering, what is the best water bottle today?  But really, that’s an impossible question to answer since different bottles are better for different situations.

The better question to ask is, which water bottle is best for you based on how you plan to use it?

Content Overview:

Heads up, this is a pretty long post with a lot of information.  Here's what we'll cover in case you'd like to skip ahead to a certain point.
  • Link to our video review (covers the same info as this article)
  • Part 1: Questions you should ask yourself before your start searching for a bottle
  • Part 2: Review of popular and notable water bottles and brands
  • Part 3: Our recommendations for best water bottles by category (hiking, commutes, tea, value...)

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!

First, a few things to note.
  1. We’re reviewing a fairly arbitrary selection of 13 brands and 15 bottles.  It’s a decent number of options, but there are way more out there that could be compared.  We can only do so much in one video, and this is meant to be a good starting point.
  2. We’re primarily focusing more on the more established brands.  And we are exploring a few non-mainstream brands, but for the most part, we’ll stick to the big dogs.
  3. We also mostly stick to insulated stainless steel bottles with wide mouth openings, with a few notable exceptions.  Dual-wall vacuum insulated bottles are very popular in today’s market, and we generally like wide mouth bottles more than narrow mouth ones.  See our other video for more about why.
  4. Two of the bottles we’ll talk about have triple-layer insulation.  Many people think this means three layers of stainless-steel, but it actually refers to a layer of copper.  We won’t go into much detail about that distinction in this video, but we have another video in the works that focuses entirely on insulation where we’ll test them to see if these triple-layer bottles really hold up.
  5. And lastly, our recommendations are mostly based on our own opinions.  Let us know in the comments if you agree or disagree, and especially if you have any other thoughts or considerations that could help other buyers hone in the best bottle for them.

Part 1: What Questions to Ask Yourself before Looking at Bottles

What Type of Water Bottle Do You Need?

Before you even look at any bottles, ask yourself these questions.
  1. WHERE: Where will you primarily use it?  Around the house or at work?  On your commute so you need something that’s easy to use in the car?  On hikes?  There will always be some crossover use, but think about how you’ll use your bottle most of the time.
  2. WHAT: What will you be drinking?  Water bottles don’t need to just be used for plain water.  Many people use them for tea, coffee, fruit infusing, or adding ice, and some bottles are better for these than others.
  3. BRANDING: How important is branding to you?  This is directly related to cost, since most of the prominent brands like Hydro Flask and YETI come with higher price points than brands like Nalgene and Iron Flask.
  4. LID: What type of lid do you prefer?  Most lids fall into four basic categories: standard, straw, spout, and sip.  Standard lids that you screw on and off completely are a good starting option that comes with most bottles, but they don’t offer many additional advantages.  Straw lids are the easiest to drink from but are typically harder to clean.  Spout lids are pretty good all-around options and are generally an improvement over standard lids.  And sip lids are best when used for coffee, tea, or other hot drinks.
  5. VOLUME: And finally, think about how much volume you will need.  According to the University of Missouri, a good rule of thumb is to take your weight in pounds, divide it in half, and the result is how many ounces of water you should drink per day.  Use this to calculate how many ounces you should drink per hour, and then consider how easily you can refill your bottle.  When taking all of these factors into account, you should be able to get a good idea of which volume water bottle makes sense for you.
And if your main use will be hiking or some other physical activity, there are some other factors to consider, like heat and elevation gain.  Check out our video where we do a deeper dive into this topic.

Part 2: Reviewing Popular and Notable Bottles and Brands

Popular and Notable Water Bottles and Brands

​Now let’s look at some of the more popular bottles and brands.  We'll cover:
  • Nalgene
  • Klean Kanteen Classic
  • Klean Kanteen TKWide
  • Hydro Flask
  • Hydro Flask Trail Series
  • YETI Rambler
  • Takeya
  • Iron Flask
  • ThermoFlask
  • Stanley
  • Camelbak
  • S'well
  • FJbottle
  • Steepware
  • EcoVessel

Nalgene

Nalgene Water Bottle Review
Nalgenes are lightweight, inexpensive, dishwasher safe, and they come in many color options.  And while all of the bottles in this review are pretty durable overall since most are made of stainless-steel, Nalgenes are also much more dent resistant because of the plastic construction compared to stainless-steel bottles which can dent more easily.  Nalgene is also the only bottle brand we looked at that is made in the USA.

​​Some drawbacks are that they only come in plastic, they don’t have a built-in handle if you don’t count the tether for the lid, they don’t have an insulated version, and there aren’t many options to choose from for lids.  It doesn’t feel like the brand has innovated like others have, which has left Nalgene struggling behind other bottles in many aspects. But they still make a great, dependable bottle at an affordable price point, which makes it a good option for many people.
See Nalgene Listing

Klean Kanteen Classic (Non-Insulated)

Klean Kanteen Classic Review
Klean Kanteen has a mix of insulated and non-insulated bottles.  Non-insulated Klean Kanteens are lighter than dual-wall bottles, and they have a simple design that is very easy to clean. They’re also notable for how the standard cap has steel on the bottom, so your water never touches plastic. Most other stainless-steel bottles on the market, including Klean Kanteen’s own TKWide Series, have plastic under the lid.

​Some drawbacks are that we don’t like the standard loop caps very much, and they aren’t insulated.
See Klean Kanteen Classic Listing

Klean Kanteen TKWide Insulated

Klean Kanteen TKWide Review
Klean Kanteen recently came out with their TKWide insulated bottles.  They have a range of well-engineered lid options that feel unique compared to other brands.  The rigid handle feels very sturdy, and one unique benefit is the Impact Base Cap on the bottom.  This is a hollow cap that absorbs an impact if you drop your bottle, which lessens the chance that a dent could affect the vacuum insulation.  This is one of the easier bottles to clean because the threads on the bottle are made of small bumps in the stainless-steel instead of traditional thread grooves.

​Some downsides are the overall bulk, both in terms of weight and size for a 32-ounce bottle.  We also wish the spout cap was a little easier to keep out of the way.  You have to snap it onto the metal handle, which isn’t as easy as some other bottles like Takeya, Camelbak, and FJbottle.  There aren’t too many color options for Klean Kanteens, so keep that in mind if you’re looking for your own style.
See Klean Kanteen TKWide Listing

YETI Rambler

YETI Rambler Review
​YETI is in the top-tier for brand prestige, and therefore cost.  They are notoriously expensive, but their products are generally very high-quality, which has led to a devoted following of fans and supporters.  There are six lid options for their Rambler series wide mouth bottles, so you can pick what’s best for you.
​
​
Downsides are definitely the cost, but also that these bottles are heavier than some comparable ones on the market.
See YETI Rambler Listing

Hydro Flask

Hydro Flask Review
Hydro Flask is the brand that really catapulted dual-wall insulation into the mainstream, and they’re also a top-tier brand on par with YETI.  Their bottles come in a wide range of colors, and they have a good range of well-engineered caps and accessories to choose from, though some are better than others.  We love the Flex Straw, but we’re not huge fans of the Flex Chug.

​You can expect to pay a premium for any Hydro Flask, but the customer service is very good and the company stands behind their products.
See Hydro Flask Listing

Hydro Flask Trail Series

Hydro Flask Trail Series Review
​Another Hydro Flask bottle that’s good to know about is their Trail Series lineup.  These bottles have the same great insulation, branding, and look, but Hydro Flask really focused on reducing the weight of the bottle so it’s easier to hike and get around with.  This makes it one of the best insulated bottles for hiking compared to really heavy options like Klean Kanteen’s TKWide and YETI’s Rambler.
See Trail Series Listing

Takeya

Takeya Review
Takeya is a good mid-range alternative to Hydro Flask, and their Takeya Actives bottles in particular are a great all-around option.  The spout lid is a really good design with a wide handle, a spout cap that locks out of the way for when you need to take a drink, and a nice textured grip.  It also comes with a matching bottle boot to protect your bottle from dents and scratches.

​There aren’t many downsides and this is a jack-of-all-trades kind of bottle, but some people do prefer rigid handles instead of the hinged Takeya design.
See Takeya Listing

Iron Flask

Iron Flask Review
​Iron Flask is an Amazon-focused knock-off of Hydro Flask, but they’re notable for a few reasons.  They come with three cap options, so that helps you figure out which style you like without having to buy more lids.  Iron Flask is definitely a good brand to consider if you’re looking for unique color options, including gradients.

One downside is that the caps are good, basic options, but they do feel more standard and less engineered than Hydro Flask’s lids.  
See Iron Flask Listing

ThermoFlask

ThermoFlask Review
ThermoFlask is a bottle brand that we’ve always thought was a ripoff of Takeya, but while editing this video we found out that’s because ThermoFlask is a brand registered by Takeya.  So if you notice a lot of similarities between the two, that’s why.  But one difference we’ve noticed is that ThermoFlask seems to have more 2-pack options available on Amazon, which means you can get an even better value.

One downside is that there don’t seem to be as many color options.
See ThermoFlask Listing

Stanley Quencher

Stanley Quencher Review
Stanley has been around a long time, but in recent years it has had a major resurgence thanks to their Quencher Series insulated tumblers.  The main difference between this bottle and every other bottle on this list is the built-in handle on the side.  Most of the other bottles have handles on the lid, but Stanley’s side-mounted handle, while not our personal favorite, is a big hit with many people.  It’s also more tapered at the bottom like a classic tumbler-style, so it fits in more cup holders without needing an adapter.

​The biggest downside is the overall bulky design.  Yes, this is easier to manage because of the handle and the tapered base, but it’s still a very bulky bottle. 
See Stanley Listing

Camelbak Chute Mag

Camelbak Chute Mag Review
Camelbak is a well-known brand that really made a name for themselves with hydration bladder packs for biking and on longer hikes, but they have also released some solid bottle options as well.  They are more reasonably priced than the other well-known brands like Hydro Flask and YETI, and the Chute Mag bottles in particular are very popular because of the magnets that lock the spout cap back when you go to take a sip.

​We’re not huge fans of the hinge design though, as it doesn’t flip open as smoothly as other spout caps like Takeya and FJbottle.
See Camelbak Listing

S'well

S'well Review
Many bottles on this list can be difficult to distinguish at first glance, like Hydro Flasks, Iron Flasks, Takeyas, and ThermoFlasks.  On the other end of the spectrum, you have S'well, which is another high-end brand on par with Hydro Flask and YETI.  The aesthetic design and sleek look are the main selling points, and they’ve also come out with many narrow mouth lids, including a filter cap that’s unique to this list.  They are also the first brand we’ve talked about that has triple-wall insulation.

​However, they are pretty expensive, and there aren’t many lid options for their wide-mouth Traveler series bottles.
See S'well Listing

FJbottle

FJbottle Review
The next brand is FJbottle.  Quick disclosure, they reached out to us and sent us a bottle to test.  We told them we would only cover the bottle if we liked it, but after using it for a few weeks, we can honestly say that we like this bottle way more than we thought we would.  It’s right up there with Takeya for our favorite spout-style lid.

Like Camelbak’s Chute Mag, it uses magnets to keep the spout cap out of the way when you’re taking a drink, but the hinge design is much better and is easier to open, especially if you’re just using one hand like when you’re driving.  The spout cap also takes the least amount of turning to unlock compared to any of the other spout lids, which is also helpful when driving.  There’s a silicone grip pad on the bottom that keeps your bottle from sliding around and protects against some scratches, though not on the outside edges.  There’s also a strap on the side, and we’ve ended up using this strap all the time.  They also include a brush with each bottle to help with cleaning right out of the gate.

​One downside is that the spout cap doesn’t flip out of the way as much as Takeya’s version, but you can either tilt your head more or angle the bottle to get around this issue.  Also, the rigid handle on top is a little small, but in our opinion the strap on the side more than makes up for this.

​Overall, we honestly do like this design, and it might become our go-to bottle for a while.
See FJbottle Listing

Steepware Everest

Steepware Review
​Steepware’s Everest tumbler was made primarily for one thing, and that’s brewing tea.  And they really do have a good product for this purpose.  There’s a built-in tea strainer that you can use for loose-leaf tea, or you can use it as an ice strainer if you’re looking for a cooler drink.  The strainer is pretty big too, so there’s quite a bit of surface area for your loose-leaf tea to steep.  You could always take out the strainer and use it like a regular bottle, but the larger strainer is really the feature that sets this bottle apart.
See Steepware Listing

EcoVessel Boulder

EcoVessel Review
The last brand we’re discussing is EcoVessel.  Their Boulder series bottles might have the most features and accessories packed into one bottle that we’ve seen yet.  It has a strainer for ice and fruit, comes with a silicone bottle boot to protect the base of the bottle, and has triple-layer insulation.

​Some drawbacks are that the strainer is smaller compared to Steepware’s version, so it’s not as good for loose leaf tea, especially in larger 32-ounce bottles.  We’re also not a huge fans of lid tethers that double as handles in general, but that’s more of our personal preference and at least EcoVessel has a wider tether compared to Nalgene.  It’s hard to put our finger on it, but the construction feels cheaper in a way compared to some other bottles we’ve reviewed.  But with so many extra features and a reasonable price, this bottle has a lot going for it.
See EcoVessel Listing

Part 3: Our Recommendations and Favorite Bottles

Our Recommendations for Best Water Bottles

Now let’s move on to our recommendations by category.  We’ll give you a few of our favorites, and we encourage you to check out each one to decide which is the best fit for you.

Best Water Bottle for Hiking

Best Bottle for Hiking
​For hiking, we like Nalgenes because they are lightweight, but we highly recommend getting a carrying pouch like this one because the lid tether isn’t much of a handle.  For insulated bottles, FJbottle is a great choice because it has both a rigid handle and a strap, and the lid is the spout style that we prefer when hiking.  Hydro Flask's Trail Series bottles are also worth a look because they are the lightest insulated design.
Nalgene
Lightweight and durable
See Nalgene Listing
Nalgene Carrying Pouch
Recommend a pouch for bottles without good handles
See Nalgene Pouch Listing
Hydro Flask Trail Series
Lightweight and insulated
See Trail Series Listing
FJbottle
Carrying strap and good lid
See FJbottle Listing

Best Water Bottle for Sporting Events

Best Bottle for Sports
​When it comes to sporting events, there are some different considerations compared to hiking.  You don’t have to worry as much about the weight of the bottle, and you don’t have to carry it around for long distances.  Because of these reasons, it really opens the door on the number of bottles that we recommend, and we really think you should just get a bottle with a spout cap.  This cap style lets you get a good amount of water quickly without it all splashing in your face.  Our favorite spout cap bottles are Takeya and FJbottle, and keep in mind that ThermoFlask has a 2-pack option with a lid that’s nearly identical to Takeya’s.


Hydro Flask and YETI have pretty good spout cap design options that many people love, but they’re not our favorites for varying reasons.  Honorable mention in this category goes to EcoVessel’s Boulder series bottles because they have spout caps and you can use the strainer for ice.
Takeya Actives
Good spout lid
See Takeya Listing
ThermoFlask
Good spout lid
See ThermoFlask Listing
FJbottle
Good spout lid
See FJbottle Listing

Best Water Bottle for Road Trips

Best Bottle for Road Trips
​For road trips and driving in general, we like straw lids because you don’t need to tilt your head back and potentially take your eyes off the road.  Stanley’s Quencher is a good choice because it has a large volume but still has a better chance of fitting in your car’s cup holder.  We also like Hydro Flask’s Flex Straw more than most other straw lids because it’s easier to clean thoroughly without popping off the spout.  We don’t recommend using standard lids when driving because it’s so easy to splash water all over your face.

Spout or sip caps are OK if you’re not into straw lids, but we recommend getting one that’s easier to use one-handed.  For example, FJbottle and Takeya’s spout lids are a lot easier to open one-handed than Camelbak’s design, and the spout caps are attached so you can’t accidentally drop it like you could with YETI or Hydro Flask.
Hydro Flask Flex Straw
See Hydro Flask Listing
Stanley Quencher
See Stanley Listing
Bottle doesn't fit in your cup holder?
Picture
If you want a bottle that doesn’t fit in your car’s cup holder, like a large Hydro Flask in most cases, consider buying our BottlePro Max cup holder adapter, which fits any of the bottles on this list.  ​
See BottlePro Max Listing

Best Water Bottle for Commutes

Best Bottle for Commutes
​For shorter commutes to and from work, we’d wager you’re probably drinking coffee or tea.  Any sip-style lid is pretty good for this, but we really like Hydro Flask’s Flex Sip Lid in particular because, like with their straw lid, their sip lid is easy to disassemble for cleaning.  YETI’s Hot Shot Lid is another good option too because you can take a sip from any angle.  And you’re probably OK with a smaller bottle like a 16 or 20 ounce, which means you’re less likely to need a cup holder adapter.
Hydro Flask 20oz with Sip Lid
Easy to disassemble for cleaning
See Hydro Flask Sip Lid Listing
YETI 18oz Hot Shot Lid
Can sip from any side
See YETI Hot Shot Listing

Best Bottle for the House or Office

Best Bottle for Around the House or Office
​For general use around the house or office, it’s really up to you.  Any of these bottles can be a good option since you probably can refill it easily, and the lid style doesn’t need to factor as much in your decision compared to other situations like driving.  The Stanley Quencher is a good one to consider though because of the big handle.
Stanley Quencher
See Stanley Listing

Best Water Bottle for Tea

Best Bottle for Tea
​The best bottle for loose-leaf tea or coffee infusing is without a doubt Steepware’s design, with EcoVessel coming in second because the strainer is much smaller and is really better for blocking ice or fruit instead of brewing tea or coffee.  For wide mouth Hydro Flasks and similar bottles like Iron Flasks and ThermoFlasks, you can also look at our FlavorFuze Steel infusers.  They come with a small and large size infuser, and they are specifically designed to fit wide mouth Hydro Flasks.
Steepware Everest
Biggest built-in strainer
See Steepware Listing
Picture
Has strainer, but smaller size
See EcoVessel Listing
FlavorFuze Steel
Sized for wide mouth Hydro Flasks
See FlavorFuze Steel Listing

Best Water Bottle for Ice

Best Bottle for Ice
​For ice, EcoVessel is a good option because of the built-in strainer.  Other spout lids can have ice cubes sneak out once they melt down some.  Straw lids are also a good option, and as mentioned before, we really like Hydro Flask’s Flex Straw.  If you have a Hydro Flask with a standard Flex Lid, you can also use our SplashPro splash guard.  We designed it specifically for Hydro Flask lids so it fits around the insulation.
Picture
Built-in strainer
See EcoVessel Listing
Hydro Flask Flex Straw
Straw lids are good for ice
See Hydro Flask Listing
SplashPro Splash Guard
Sized for wide mouth Hydro Flasks
See SplashPro Listing

Best Water Bottle for Fruit Infusing

Best Bottle for Fruit Infusing
​For fruit infusing, you can also go with Steepware or EcoVessel and add the fruit so it’s loose behind the strainer.  Alternatively, try our FlavorFuze Pod fruit infuser.  Just add your fruit into it, pop on the lid, then drop it into any wide mouth bottle.  Our FlavorFuze Straw infuser is a really good option too for Hydro Flask straw lids.  Just slide and snap it onto the straw.
Steepware Everest
Built-in strainer
See Steepware Listing
Picture
Built-in strainer
See EcoVessel Listing
FlavorFuze Pod Fruit Infuser
Drop-in lid fits in any wide mouth
See FlavorFuze Pod Listing
FlavorFuze Straw Infuser
Snaps on Hydro Flask straw lids
See FlavorFuze Straw Listing

Best Water Bottle for Limiting Plastic Contacting Water

Best Bottle for Limiting Water Contacting Plastic
We also wanted to highlight which bottles do the best job limiting how much plastic touches your water.  Nalgenes are the only all-plastic bottles in our video, but most of the other bottles also have exposed plastic under the lid that can touch your water.  The only bottles that have all-stainless-steel interiors, including under the lid, are Klean Kanteen’s non-insulated classic bottle and EcoVessel’s Boulder series.
Klean Kanteen Classic
Stainless-steel under the lid (classic, non-insulated only)
See Klean Kanteen Classic Listing
Picture
Stainless-steel under the lid
See EcoVessel Listing

Best Spout (Chug) Lid

Best Spout Lid
​For spout lids, we love Takeya and FJbottle.  They’re a little different from each other, but they both do several things well.  The spout cap is easy to open, stays attached so you can’t drop it, and locks into the open position easier than some other designs.  They are also easier to carry around because of Takeya’s good handle and FJbottle’s strap. 

ThermoFlask has a spout cap that is essentially the same as Takeya, and you can get them in 2-packs for a better deal.

Klean Kanteen's TKWide has a few novel features as well.  The threads on the bottle are rounded metal bumps that are much easier to clean thoroughly than traditional threads, and impact base cap can absorb dents that may otherwise have affected the dual wall insulation.
Takeya Actives
Wide handle, connected spout cap
See Takeya Listing
FJbottle
Handle and strap, connected spout cap
See FJbottle Listing
ThermoFlask
2-packs for better value
See ThermoFlask Listing
Klean Kanteen TKWide Chug Cap
Easy-to-clean threads and impact base cap
See TKWide Listing

Best Straw Lid

Best Straw Lid
​For straw lids, we really like Hydro Flask’s Flex Straw because it’s the easiest straw lid to clean more thoroughly without having to pop off the spout.
Hydro Flask Flex Straw
Easier to clean thoroughly than other straw lids
See Hydro Flask Listing

Best Sip (Cafe/Commuter) Lid

Best Sip Lid
​For sip lids, we also like Hydro Flask’s version, the Flex Sip, because it’s easy to disassemble for cleaning.  YETI’s Hot Shot is a good one to consider too because you can sip from any angle.
Hydro Flask 20oz with Sip Lid
Easy to disassemble for cleaning
See Hydro Flask Sip Lid Listing
YETI 18oz Hot Shot Lid
Can sip from any side
See YETI Hot Shot Listing

Best Value Water Bottle

Best Value Bottle
​The best value bottles in our opinion are Nalgene, Iron Flask, ThermoFlask, and FJbottle because they’re more affordable but they are still great at what they do.
Nalgene
Lowest cost bottle in this article, and most durable
See Nalgene Listing
Iron Flask
Includes three lid styles
See Iron Flask Listing
ThermoFlask
2-packs available
See ThermoFlask Listing
FJbottle
Inexpensive, and many features other bottles don't have (carrying strap, good spout cap, no-slip base)
See FJbottle Listing

Best Looking Water Bottle

Best Looking Bottle
​The best aesthetic design goes to S’well, and brands like Iron Flask and Hydro Flask are great options too with so many color choices.
S'well Bottle
Sleek design and prints
See S'well Listing
Iron Flask
Many colors, including gradients
See Iron Flask Listing
Hydro Flask Flex Straw
Many colors
See Hydro Flask Listing

Best Water Bottle Brand

Best Bottle Brand
​The best brands in terms of brand power in today’s market are YETI and Hydro Flask, with an honorable mention to Stanley and S’well because of their unique designs really being core to their brand.
YETI Rambler Bottle
See YETI Listing
Hydro Flask Flex Straw
See Hydro Flask Listing

Best All-Around Bottle

Best All-Around Bottle
​We thought about giving our recommendation for best all-around bottle, but we decided against it because of the countless variations for each person, like budget, preferences, lifestyle, and plenty of other factors.  For us, we will probably use the FJbottle because it impressed us so much, but we encourage you to make your own decision.  If you’ve made it to this point in the video, you’ve already heard more than you ever thought you ever needed to know about water bottles so hopefully you have a better idea of which bottle will work best for you.

​And that’s it!  Hopefully this helps you figure out which bottle works best for you.  Again, we'd love it if you could use our links to purchase since we get a small referral fee, but either way we hope this information helps you on your path towards better hydration habits.  Thanks again!

Buying a Large Bottle?  Keep Us in Mind!

Check out our Amazon store for fun and helpful accessories, like fruit infusers, cup holder adapters, and carrying slings.
BottlePro's Amazon Store
BottlePro's Amazon Store
0 Comments

Before you Buy a Hydro Flask Straw Lid (Important Detail to Know about Cleaning It)

5/4/2023

0 Comments

 
Before You Buy a Hydro Flask Straw Lid - Important Detail to Know about Cleaning It

Content Overview:
  1. Intro - Update to our Previous Cleaning Videos
  2. Link to our Video Review
  3. Some Backstory - Removing the Flex Straw Spout
  4. Comments Received - Issues with the Spouts Wearing Out
  5. What this Means, and What You Should Know about Cleaning your Straw Lid
  6. So What Can You Do?
  7. Summary and Link to our Store (Thank You!)

Products Mentioned in this Post:
  • Hydro Flask Straw Lid (Original)
  • Hydro Flask Straw Lid (Flex)
  • Bottle Brush Kit with Detailing Brush
  • Bottle Bright Cleaning Tablets
  • BottlePro's Amazon Store​


Update to our Previous Videos about Cleaning Hydro Flask Flex Straw and Original Straw Lids

There’s something you should be aware of before you buy a Hydro Flask straw lid, and it’s related to how you clean it.  Back in February and March, we made two videos (links in the pictures below) showing how you can remove the spout from both of Hydro Flask’s straw lids, and this video reviews an important consideration that we’ve learned from comments received in those previous posts.
Previous Video - How to Remove the Spout from a Flex Straw Lid
Previous Video - How to Remove the Spout from a Flex Straw Lid
Previous Video - How to Deep Clean your Hydro Flask Flex and Original Straw Lids
Previous Video - How to Deep Clean your Hydro Flask Flex and Original Straw Lids

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!

Some Backstory - Removing the Flex Straw Spout

There are quite a few videos out there about the original straw lid that show how to remove the spout, and in many of those videos, you can see a horrible amount of mold and residue built up because most people don’t clean under the spout regularly.  We didn’t see any videos yet about how to remove spout from the newer Flex Straw lid, and we thought it would be important to know how to do it to make sure those lids can be deep cleaned too.  The problem we ran into at first is that we found it much more difficult to remove the spout from the Flex Straw lid.  We couldn’t figure it out initially, and we were afraid of breaking our lid.

​We reached out to Hydro Flask to make sure it was intended to be popped off like with the original lid.
Our Question to Hydro Flask
Our Email to Hydro Flask
Our Email to Hydro Flask
Part of Hydro Flask's Response
Part of Hydro Flask's Response
Part of Hydro Flask's Response
​After reading Hydro Flask’s response, we tried harder to pop off the spout, including pushing it at different angles compared to the original straw lid.  Eventually we got the spout off, and we noticed why we had such a hard time.  The way the spout attaches to the lid, including how the grooves and the pivot points line up, is different compared to the original straw lid.
Differences in Flex and Original Straw Lid Spout Connections
Differences in Flex and Original Straw Lid Spout Connections
In order to pop off the spout, it helps to push against it at a different angle (45 degrees from closed) which isn’t very intuitive at first.  Once we realized this difference, we made two videos to help share what we had learned with other Hydro Flask users so they can get a truly deep clean with their straw lids.

Comments Received - Issues with the Spouts Wearing Out

Over the couple of months since we posted those videos, several users left comments saying that popping the spout off wore down the plastic connections, and that caused their spouts to be looser than they were originally.
Comment Received
Comment Received
Comment Received
Comment Received
After reading these comments, we wanted to post a followup video to our one about cleaning Hydro Flask straws lids and give our thoughts.

What this Means, and What You Should Know about Cleaning your Straw Lid

​First of all, we want to acknowledge that it is possible to have the plastic wear out where the spout connects to the lid.  The way the spout attaches with either lid means that the small bumps that act as pivot points for the spout have the potential to flatten out some when the spout is detached then reattached.  This can then cause the spout to have a looser fit.
​But even when considering the potential wear-and-tear, we still think it’s a good idea to pop off the spout with either straw lid to get a truly deep clean.  There can be a lot of mold buildup under the spout if you don’t stay on top of it.  But the main point we want to drive home is that this type of deep cleaning comes with some risk of additional wear-and-tear.
In some ways you might mean that you need to think of your straw lid as an accessory that needs to be replaced periodically, which is unfortunate because it costs extra money and is inconvenient.  But we’re not really sure of another way to give these lids a deep clean since there are always spaces under the spout that aren’t possible to reach unless you take the spout off.

So What Can You Do?

There are a few things that can help.
#1: Get a Flex Straw instead of the Original Straw
Hydro Flask Flex vs Original Straw Lid
Hydro Flask Flex vs Original Straw Lid
​One is knowing that the Flex Straw is easier to clean more thoroughly without popping off the spout.  You can take out the red silicone insert, which lets you clean a lot more of the surface area under the spout without popping it off.

The Original Straw doesn’t have this silicone insert, so the only way to clean the areas under the spout is by popping it off.​
Bottle Brush Kit with Detailing Brush
Bottle Brush Kit with Detailing Brush
Use a brush kit with a smaller detailing brush like this one or use a toothbrush to clean what you can reach under the spout as much as possible.​
So if you’re trying to decide between the two straw lid options and deep cleaning everywhere including under the spout is a priority for you, go with the Flex Straw.  ​

#2: Use Cleaning Tablets
Bottle Bright Cleaning Tablets
Bottle Bright Cleaning Tablets
​Second, you can also try using cleaning tablets like Bottle Bright instead of popping off the spout.  This was actually part of what Hydro Flask recommended in the 2nd part of their response to us.

It probably won’t get quite as deep of a clean compared to popping off the spout, but it certainly won’t hurt.
Do Bottle Cleaning Tablets Actually Work?
Do Bottle Cleaning Tablets Actually Work?
We also highly recommend using tablets like these every once and awhile anyways based on how well they worked for us when we tested them on coffee and tea stains.

​Click here to see our previous post where we tested these tablets out.

#3: Use a Different Lid
One other obvious solution is to avoid the straw lids altogether.  Hydro Flask has several other good lid options, and there are 3rd party ones as well.  See our previous posts where we compare Hydro Flask's lid options!
Which Hydro Flask Lid is the Best?
In this post, we explore the four lids that were available in the summer of 2022.
Our Review of Hydro Flask's Flex Chug
In this post, reviewed the newer Flex Chug lid that came out in late 2022!

Summary

​So in summary, we acknowledge that popping off the spout with either Hydro Flask straw lid can lead to the spout fitting more loosely, but we still highly recommend doing it every once and awhile to fully clean your lid and prevent mold buildup.  Just pop off the spout once every few months or whatever you’re comfortable with based on how often you use your straw lid, but not every time you clean your lid.   This will help extend the life of your lid and prevent the plastic connections between the spout and the lid from wearing out prematurely.
​And that’s it!  Hopefully this information helps you decide what cleaning schedule you’re comfortable with and which lid you want.  If you find a better way to deep clean your straw lids, please let us know in the comments below so we can share it with other users.  Keep BottlePro in mind for accessories for your large bottles, and happy hydrating!

Buying a bottle?  Keep us in mind

Check out our Amazon store for fun and helpful accessories, like fruit infusers, cup holder adapters, and carrying slings.
BottlePro's Amazon Store
BottlePro's Amazon Store
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