So, what types of water bottles are actually the safest to use?  In the world of big water bottles, brands are always looking for ways to differentiate and stand out.  This includes using different types of materials like copper, stainless steel, and even titanium.  Some are safer than others, so let's take a look at eight of the most common water bottle materials to learn about historical issues and what the current science says.

If you're new to the channel/blog, welcome!

​At the bottom is copper.  This material has a very long history, particularly related to Ayurveda and in regions and countries like India.

​Next is plastic, which is the most commonly used material in water bottles worldwide.  Some of the biggest brands include Nalgene, Camelbak's Eddy bottles, and YETI's Yonder series.  However, plastic has a spotty safety record primarily due to leaching.

Back in the early 2000s, bisphenol-A chemicals, also known as BPAs, were all in the news.  These are commonly used in many plastics including popular water bottles at the time.  But studies found negative effects primarily related to hormone disruption after longer term cumulative use.  That's why every bottle on the market today is BPA-free, and bottles have shifted to alternative formulations.

However there are a growing number of studies like this one that indicate potential issues with BPA replacements like BPS and BPF, and other chemicals like phthalates come with their own concerns.

It's worth noting that "plastics" is a HUGE category, and most studies today show that many plastic types that are classified as food-safe are OK for regular use in contact with food and water.

​But given the poor history and current uncertainty around many of the chemicals used in its construction, there is a growing number of people who are choosing to avoid plastic as much possible by picking bottles that limit plastic contact with their drink or mouth.  That's enough for me to rank plastics a little lower.​

Next up we have aluminum, and probably the biggest name within this category is Sigg, the big bottle manufacturer based in Switzerland.  I ranked aluminum fairly low for a reason you might not expect because in reality, it's effectively more like a plastic bottle.

Aluminum naturally reacts with air to create a protective oxide layer on the outside.  However, it doesn't really take much to disrupt that oxide layer, either through physical damage, or with a salty or basic solution.  You can increase the thickness of this protective layer through a process called anodizing, but that usually just applies to the outside of the bottle, leaving the inside susceptible to corrosion from the liquid inside.

That's why every aluminum can and bottle I'm aware of on the market has a plastic lining on the inside, and I recently did an experiment to show you that lining that you can see in this video.

A similar lining is also included on the inside of paper cups and aluminum cans.

​Next is silicone.  These bottles aren't quite as popular as other ones like plastic or stainless steel, but you can still find a decent number of options like this one, particularly in niches like hiking because they're lightweight, durable, and packable.

Most studies and references I've seen point to the fact that food-grade silicone is safe for regular use.  It has a lot of similarities to plastic, but plastic is petroleum-based compared to silicone which is silica-based.  Silica is what you find in something like quartz sand and is also used to make glass, and it has fewer chemicals and toxicity concerns like you find with petroleum product used to make plastic.

But it's still a very synthesized material that's being studied more and more, so many people are understandably worried that studies might come out later showing health impacts much like what happened with BPAs and plastic.

Silicone is also fairly notorious for holding onto odors longer than other materials, though that isn't necessarily an indication that the bottle is unsafe.

​Next is ceramic.  To clarify, we're not looking at traditional ceramics like you'd find with coffee mugs because those aren't really used that often for water.  But you certainly could, and there are some places where you can buy something like a tumbler with traditional ceramic construction, though sometimes you might need to get it from a local ceramicist.  The main thing to check on there is if the glaze and ceramics are free of lead and cadmium, and if you're good on those then you should be safe.

Instead, our main focus is instead with ceramic linings.

​Next up is titanium, which is non-reactive and safe in most applications and that's why you even see it used in things like medical and dental implants where material safety is really important.  Also, titanium is more resistant to corrosion than aluminum, so you don't need a plastic coating.

That all translates to titanium looking like a safe option for a water bottle material based on the information I found in articles like this (which mentions there are potentially some issues, but it's very rare).

Though it's worth noting that because it's still a relatively new material for use in water bottles, there aren't that many scientific studies yet compared to other materials like plastic.

​Next is stainless steel, which is what you find with most of the viral and popular water bottles today like YETI Ramblers, Stanley Quenchers, and Owalas.  Stainless steel is very safe and widely used in food preparation and other food contact uses, which makes it a great choice for water bottles.

​It comes in several different grades that can be confusing, and you'll often see terms like 304 or 316, along with 18/8 or 18/10 thrown around.  These terms reference the chemical composition, for example 18/8 has 18% chromium and 8% nickel.  Some grades are technically safer or more resistant to corrosion than others, so if you want the highest quality steel possible go with a bottle made with 316 or 18/10.  But honestly, any of these stainless steel classifications should be safe for use as a water bottle.

​Here's a link to an article that goes into even more detail if you'd like to learn more about the different grades of steel.

And last but not least is glass.  This is widely regarded as being possibly the purest and safest choice in terms of leaching because it avoids metals, chemicals, and other questionable additives like you find with something like plastic.

Now you might have noticed I didn't rank anything in the top tier, and that's intentional.

Most bottles use a combination of materials, like glass bottles having plastic lids and just about every bottle using silicone seals.  So in reality, almost every bottle you buy can realistically come with some risk, or at the very least some components that might be worth keeping an eye on in case science and studies come out with new information.

​That's not intended to scare you because most of the bottles on the market are probably perfectly safe assuming you use and maintain them properly.  And either way drinking water more regularly and improving your hydration is still one of the best things you can do for your health.

While picking the right water bottle is an important choice, unfortunately there are other contaminants like microplastics and PFAS that existing almost everywhere in the environment, including many people's water supplies.

If you haven't heard of PFAS yet, here's my deep dive into that topic.  Long-story-short, they are chemicals that last a very long time (aka "forever chemicals") and have been linked to health issues to the point that several major lawsuits have been awarded against key offenders, including this one for over $10 BILLION with 3M.

Very few bottles have filters capable of removing something as small as PFAS, but GRAYL's GeoPress is one that has tests to back it up.

And for microplastics, there is a lot of evidence that these particles exist in A LOT of places already.  But given that the majority of bottles contain plastic lids and threads, there are a growing number of people actively looking for bottles that reduce plastic use and contact with their drink or mouth.

And finally, the biggest health risk overall in my opinion isn't the material type or contaminants like PFAS or microplastics.  Instead, the biggest risk is not cleaning your bottle regularly.  Bottles are notorious for hiding germs, mold, and bacteria, so getting on a regular cleaning schedule is really important.

​Check out this post for my recommended best practices and please get in that habit regardless of which bottle you get, including these two accessories I've used for years.

Hope this helps, and happy hydrating!

I've looked at A LOT of bottles over the years with this business, and Owala's Sway tumbler gets my vote for the best all-around bottle on the market today for everyday use.

And no, I'm not talking about which bottle is most viral or has the best superficial color drops. I'm talking about actual design choices that make the bottle more functional and easy to use.

So let's dive right in and find out why this bottle is so good.

The question "what is the best water bottle" seems simple, but in reality it's surprisingly complex.  Different bottles are better for different uses, preferences, and lifestyles.

To find the best all-around bottle for everyday use, first I looked at a wide range of criteria, including:

• Leak-free
• Good insulation
• Durable
• Easy to clean
• Good handle
• Less cumbersome
• Affordable
• Car-friendly
• Popular

Each bottle earned a ranking for each criteria after extensive testing, and the total score helped narrow down the top water bottles on the market.

I also converted this info into the Best Bottle Calculator that you can use to rank your priorities and get your own list of recommended bottles.  It's completely free and requires no sign-up, so check it out!

This article gives you a focused overview of the top bottles from the most well-known brands today, including these popular options:

• Owala Sway (their newer tumbler)
• Owala FreeSip (their flagship bottle)
• YETI Rambler with a chug lid
• Stanley Quencher
• Stanley IceFlow 2.0
• Hydro Flask Flex Straw

Here's the big picture:

But let's be honest, you're here for the differences and why Owala's Sway is so good, so let's start with the FreeSip spout.

You've just read about a lot of great features and design choices with Owala Sway, but as always, there's no perfect bottle for every person and situation.  Even really good bottles like Sway have some drawbacks, or at least ways they could be improved.

One is to include a built-in grip pad, which is something you find with bottles like Simple Modern's Mesa Loop.

Another would be to improve the insulation, though that may be a little more challenging given that the larger top opening with this tumbler-style bottle makes it tend to have worse insulation compared to narrow mouth designs.  In reality, the vacuum insulation is still good enough for most people most days.

Last, the long-term durability may become an issue, particularly against drops or rough use.  That's because Owala's FreeSip lid design involves some small parts like springs, which are more likely to become damaged compared to a robust lid like YETI's Rambler.  But in my opinion, Sway's improved functionality is well worth it for most people with average daily use.

Hope this helps, and happy hydrating!

​So it's official, Stanley bottles contain lead.  But what does that really mean?

Here's the cliff-notes summary:

• A lead-based solder is used in the bottom of Stanley bottles to seal in the vacuum insulation.
• Realistically this isn't a health risk in most cases.
• If your bottle is in good condition then you probably don't need to worry.

But if the base of your bottle becomes damaged, then you may want to consider switching it out for a new one.

​Three of the most popular alternative brands that already use a lead-free plug are (click for links to their statements about lead):

• Hydro Flask
• Klean Kanteen
• Owala

​As an Amazon Associate, we earn a small commission if you make a purchase through one of the links.  Thank you for your support!

If that's all the info you were looking for, then I hope this helped, thanks for stopping by, and we hope to see you later!

​But if you'd like to learn a little more about the backstory and ramificiations, then stay tuned because I'll dive into a little more detail and give my thoughts on what's coming next.

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

This all started when recent viral videos on Tiktok showed lead tests coming back positive in their Stanley bottles.  Eventually, the company had to respond and issued a statement saying essentially that

• lead is used in the manufacturing process, but
  
• that customers won't come in contact with it on the inside or outside as long as their bottle is in good condition.
  
• If the bottle does become damaged, you can file a warranty claim.

If you're looking for more information about lead free bottles and containers, or just more information about lead safety in general, I'd highly recommend visiting Lead Safe Mama, LLC's website.  She's been covering this information for years and has a pretty comprehensive review of most major bottle brands.

Lead Safe Mama, LLC Links:

​To summarize, lead doesn't contact the inside of the bottle, and it's covered up on the outside so you can't come in contact with it.  So for most people and most situations, this is not a safety concern.  And Stanley's statement also correctly noted that this is an industry standard because most dual wall vacuum insulated bottles you find on the market today use this same type of lead-based seal.

​But the problem for Stanley is that most people won't listen to the finer details or justifications.  Instead, they just see the headlines saying "Stanley bottles contain lead."  This gets shared and creates shockwaves online.

​Now Stanley is in a similar situation with lead, and they will almost certainly update their manufacturing process to remove lead from the equation.

The good news for Stanley is that this is already being done.  As mentioned, companies like Hydro Flask, Klean Kanteen, and Owala already use a lead-free method to seal in the vacuum, so it shouldn't be difficult for Stanley to adopt similar procedures.

​The problem for Stanley is whether they can do this quickly, transparently, and fairly enough for their loyal customers in a way that won't leave them feeling alientated.  If they can pull this off, then they could maintain their position as social media's favorite bottle brand.  If not, you can bet that other brands will fill the public's new requirement to know their bottles are 100% lead-free.

Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if Stanley offers some kind of bottle swap promotion where customers can trade in their older bottles for a new lead-free version.  Yes, this would be extremely costly, but this kind of move would show their loyal followers that the company stands by them and their products.

Time will tell if they do something like this, but you can almost guarantee that most major brands will switch to lead-free plugs as soon as possible and update their packaging to make sure people know about it.

​In the end, this is a welcome change.  The further we can keep lead from our food and beverages, the better, and this market shift will make many people feel a lot more comfortable with their water bottles that they use every day.