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?

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.

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.

​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

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.

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.

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.

​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.
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​Downsides are definitely the cost, but also that these bottles are heavier than some comparable ones on the market.

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.

​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.

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.

​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.  

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

​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.

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.

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.

​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.

​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.

​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.

​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.

​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.

​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.

​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.

​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.

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.

​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.

​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.

Easier to clean thoroughly than other straw lids

​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.

​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.

​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.

​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.

​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!

​YETI recently released a new bottle with a straw lid, and it’s their answer to Stanley’s Adventure Quencher bottles that took the internet by storm.  You may have noticed articles like these predicting that the new YETI straw tumbler will go viral.  These kinds of articles come up seemingly every week describing the next big Hydro Flask, YETI, or Stanley product that you should buy. 

​But we’re here to give the counterpoint with three reasons why you shouldn’t buy a Hydro Flask, YETI, or Stanley.

​Here’s the deal.  The people and companies writing these articles are affiliate marketers.  They get paid if you click a link and make a purchase, so it’s in their best interest to promote the most popular and expensive items.

​Always remember that there is no such thing as a perfect product for every person and situation.  Every single product has a drawback or something that can be critiqued.  If the article you’re reading doesn’t list at least one negative to be aware of, then you might want to get a second opinion elsewhere.

​Now obviously there are many other costs that will bring down Hydro Flask’s true net profit, including customer service, marketing, facilities costs, and employee wages.  We’re not going to try to guess what Hydro Flask’s costs are in these categories, but it’s clear to see that a minority of what you pay for with a Hydro Flask bottle is in the bottle itself.  If you think of customer service, marketing, the facilities, and the employees as essentially being the brand, then this little logo basically costs you around $30 per bottle.

Most of the price you pay is for the brand, not the bottle.

And though there are surely some differences between brands, we wouldn't be surprised if YETI and Stanley bottles are in this same ballpark.

Let’s compare these costs with Iron Flask, which is a well-established knockoff brand on Amazon.  They were close on our insulation test, and they’re almost exactly the same size and shape.

​Now some of Hydro Flask’s higher costs are well worth it.  They have great customer service, and they make really good products that last a long time.  But in our opinion, it’s still a lot to fork over for the logo and we’d rather have a greater percentage of the price we spend go into the product, not the company.  YETI’s branding-related costs are possibly even more excessive.  Stanleys aren’t quite as extreme, but you're definitely still paying for the logo.

It's a little counter-intuitive at first because one of the most important reasons why you should get a reusable bottle is for the environment.  Disposable water bottles are terrible, and upgrading to a reusable bottle is one of the best things you can do on an individual level to reduce plastic consumption.

But the reality is that most people only really need one or two bottles to get them through the day.  This why we really don’t like how viral bottles and excessive marketing budgets always push customers to get the next best bottle or color.  It's one thing if you if you want a different type of bottle for specific reason, like a smaller one with a sip lid for coffee.  But do you really need a 6th color of a 40-ounce bottle when you already have 5 similar bottles?

​And that’s it!  You might find it a little weird for our company to tell you to not buy a water bottle given that we’re in the business of making accessories for these bottles.  But like always, we try to give our honest thoughts and recommendations that will actually help.  And we know we railed on affiliate marketers before, but we did include links to the products we talked about.  If you make a purchase after clicking one of the links, then we get a small commission.  It helps our small business out, and we appreciate the support so we can continue making unbiased posts and videos like this one.  Keep BottlePro in mind for accessories for your large bottles, and happy hydrating!

Rambler water bottles are one of YETI’s most popular and profitable product lines, due in no small part to how useful and versatile they are.  YETI has designed six lid styles that are compatible with any wide-mouth Rambler bottle.

To be clear, the lids we’re talking about only fit YETI Rambler water bottles.  We’re not talking about YETI’s tumblers, mugs, or new Yonder plastic bottles.

So the next logical question is, which YETI lid is the best?

Our goal with this post is to give you all the information you need to answer the more important question: which YETI lid is the best for you?

YETI has designed six (6) lids as of today: Standard, Chug, Straw, Hot Shot, Magdock, and Bottle Cup Cap.

​First is the one that started it all, YETI’s Standard Lid.  This was the lid that came out when this water bottle series was initially released, and it’s still the one that comes with most YETI Ramblers bottles today.

​We love the carrying handle.  The rigid design is wide enough to fit three fingers, making it very comfortable and easy to hold.

The simple, no-frills design is very easy to use, and it’s also easy to clean.
This is the best option for anyone who has limited finger strength because the handle is easy to hold, and it lets you get a good amount of leverage to open the cap.

It’s also the most lightweight YETI cap at only 2.9 ounces.

There are a few main drawbacks.  First, the lid is completely separate from the bottle, so it’s pretty easy to misplace or drop the lid, causing it to get dirty.  It’s not like a Takeya, which has a connected spout cap.

Second relates to YETI’s Over-The-Nose technology, which in non-marketing terms just means they made the mouth opening about 1/2” wider than competitors like Hydro Flask.  Because the opening is so wide, it’s notoriously easy to splash water in your face, especially if you’re in the middle of an activity like driving.  And if you have ice in your bottle, all we can say is good luck.

So while we love the simplicity of the standard cap and how easy it is to use, it’s definitely the base design for a reason since it does not offer many benefits or uses compared to other lids.

YETI’s Chug Cap is probably the most common replacement lid that people choose to use, and for good reason.  It consists of two parts that we’ll call the base and the spout cap.

The most important and obvious benefit is how lid solves the glaring problem with the Standard Lid by making it much easier to take drinks of water without splashing water all over your face.

The handle is the same great design as the Standard Lid and is very comfortable and easy to hold.

Some drawbacks are that the spout cap comes completely off and is easy to misplace or drop.

At 6.5 ounces, this is the 2nd heaviest YETI lid.

There are more parts compared to the Standard Lid, so there is also  more to clean, including an extra set of threads.
This is not as good of an option as the Standard Lid for people with limited gripping strength, mainly because the base is more difficult to get on-and-off.

Our previous video discussed a common problem we see in reviews about the chug cap, specifically that the threads can strip fairly easily.  If you want to use a chug cap, we recommend watching that video to help minimize this potential problem.
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While it may seem like we brought up a lot of drawbacks, the YETI Chug Cap is by no means a bad lid.  It’s a solid improvement over the Standard Lid in many ways, and it’s our favorite lid for drinking regular water from YETI Ramblers that are 26 ounces or larger.

The next cap we’re reviewing is YETI’s Straw Lid.
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Like with most straw lids, it’s very easy to take sips of water, and there’s no chance of splashing water in your face provided that you keep the bottle upright.

The previous two caps require two hands to unscrew the lid while holding the bottle, but you can take one-handed sips with the Straw Lid.  This makes it a great option for when you’re on the road.

The handle is the same comfortable, three-finger style as the Standard and Chug Lids.  The only difference is that the handle is angled to the side some so you don’t hit your forehead when taking a drink, but we wouldn’t count this as a problem.

In our opinion, this is the best option if you’re planning to use ice or add flavorings like fruit to your bottle.  You’ll keep everything out of your face, and the small straw opening is unlikely to plug up unless you have really small bits of ice or fruit.

If you’d like to flavor your water, consider using our FlavorFuze Straw infuser.  We designed it for Hydro Flasks initially, but it also fits great on YETI’s Straw Lids.

Most of the drawbacks are similar to what you’d find with any straw lid.  The straw grazes the bottom of the bottle, and you’ll need to remove the entire lid if you want to drink 100% of the water.

Also, they’re harder to clean than the previous lids.  Make sure you have a straw cleaner, and even if you’re cleaning the straw regularly, it’s a good idea to replace the whole straw every once and awhile.

In conclusion, this is a good straw lid that can help make your life a little easier.  We like this lid the most for hiking because it’s fairly lightweight compared to the other lids and prevents spills.  We also like using this lid when we want to add ice or flavorings.  In some ways YETI’s Straw Lid feels a little basic when compared to competitors like Hydro Flask and Klean Kanteen who have made innovations that make them easier to clean or use less plastic.  But basic isn’t necessarily bad, and this is certainly still a good lid.

Next is YETI’s Hot Shot Lid, which is their sip-style.  It’s intended to be used with smaller bottles for coffee and tea.
It does a good job of limiting how much of your drink comes out at once, which is good when drinking something hot like coffee.
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One cool feature is that you can take a sip from any side of the bottle, which is different than what you find with many competing sip lids that force you to line up your mouth with the opening.  In this way, the Hot Shot is a very good option for drinking coffee while driving because you don’t have to worry about lining up your mouth with the bottle opening.

And YETI’s Hot Shot has fewer parts compared to some competitors like Hydro Flask’s Flex Sip.  This makes it easier to clean and less likely to misplace or drop a piece.

It’s a fairly lightweight option at only 4.7 ounces, though this is technically the 4th heaviest YETI lid.

One obvious drawback is that the lid does not have the carrying handle that’s incorporated into the previous lids.  We know the Hot Shot is intended to be used with smaller bottles that are easier to carrying in general, but having a handle always helps.

But the biggest drawback that some people will find with the Hot Shot lid is that it’s more difficult to use, even compared to some other sip-style lids we’ve tested.  The rim around the top is great to drink from, but it doesn’t give you much room to get your fingers against the opening mechanism.  People with limited finger strength or arthritis will most likely have issues using the Hot Shot lid.

This especially applies to cleaning the lid.  To separate the two pieces, you have to twist even harder counterclockwise until you hear two clicks, and then the middle piece comes out.

To sum it up, this lid is a good option to use with YETI’s 12 or 18 ounce Ramblers when you want to sip on your coffee on the way to or at work, and we really like how you can sip from any angle.  But other than that, this lid is just not as easy to use as some other sip-style lids that we’ve tested.  And definitely don’t get this cap if you have limited hand strength.

Next is the Magdock lid.  This is the lid we have been most excited to get our hands on because it seemed like an improved version of the Chug Cap, and we were not disappointed.

The spout is the same size as the Chug Cap, meaning you can get a good amount of water when you need it while also preventing spills.

The spout cap is textured for better grip, and it adds to the feel of a premium product.

But the most obvious improvement is incorporated into the name.  The spout cap has a built-in magnet that allows it to securely connect to another magnet in the base, and let’s be honest, who doesn’t love magnets?  This makes it much easier to prevent accidentally dropping your spout cap, which was one of the main drawbacks with the Chug Cap.

One other cool feature that we hadn’t seen before is that the o-ring that seals the connection between the spout cap and the base is much easier to remove than with most seals we find in other bottles and caps.  It even has a little built-in little handle that lets you pull it out very easily, and this makes cleaning your bottle much simpler.

At 4.6 ounces, this is the 3rd lightest YETI option.

The most glaring drawback is a biggie.  The Magdock Lid doesn’t have a built-in handle.  If you have smaller hands, then gripping YETI Ramblers that are 26 ounces and larger can be a challenge and not having a handle on the lid is a clear drawback.

But other than that, there’s not much we don’t like about the Magdock cap.
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In conclusion, we really did like this lid.  This is our favorite lid hydrating while at work or hanging around the house because it’s easier to keep the spout cap nearby and clean.  It improves on most of the drawbacks with the Chug Lid, it’s easier to clean than the Straw Lid, and it’s easier to open and close than the Hot Shot Lid.  But the fact that it doesn’t have a handle is a major drawback for larger bottles, especially for people with smaller hands.  Consider getting a carrying pouch for your bottle, which then solves the problem of not having a handle.

The last lid option that we’re reviewing has the most focused purpose.  The Bottle Cup Cap essentially turns your YETI Rambler into a Stanley Classic Thermos.  There are three pieces, the base, the spout cap, and the cup.  Just unscrew the spout cap a little, and then you can pour your drink into the detachable cup.

The cap looks amazing.  The stainless-steel cup has a heft and feel to it that definitely feels premium. 

We haven’t officially tested this yet, but we wouldn’t be surprised if this cap has the best insulation properties compared to other YETI lids.

Because the insulation is probably so good, this is a great option if you’re sitting in the stands watching a sporting event on a chilly day, sitting around the firepit, or relaxing at a campsite.

But there are some key drawbacks to consider.  First off, the lid is huge and bulky.  At 12.7 ounces, it’s almost twice as heavy as the next heaviest cap.

In addition, this cap doesn’t have a handle to help manage all that extra weight and bulk.

And with a price tag of $30 today, it’s also the most expensive lid option by far.  As of today, you can actually spend $5 less and get a 34-ounce Stanley Classic Thermos that serves the same purpose and has a handle built into the bottle.
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Overall, while this is a really cool add-on for very specific scenarios, we think the Bottle Cup Cap is too situational and expensive for most people except the most die-hard YETI fans and collectors.

To bring it all together, here is our summary for each lid, including recommended best-uses.

The Standard Lid is a decent lid in general, particularly for hiking, but we think there are better options for most situations.

The Chug Lid has some good improvements over the Standard Lid and is our recommended option to use when you’re actively participating in a sporting event.  It’s a little heavier, so it’s not as good for longer walks or hikes.

The Straw Lid is our recommended option for hiking or when you want to add ice or flavorings to your bottle.

The Hot Shot Lid is ideally used to drink coffee with smaller Ramblers, but it’s not a good option if you have limited hand strength or if you want to drink from a larger bottle.

The Magdock lid is our favorite all-around lid for every-day hydration, especially when pairing it with a carrying pouch so not having a handle isn’t as big of an issue.

And the Bottle Cup Cap is a good option when you’re lounging game-side or around the fire and want to sip at a warm drink, but other than that it’s not very practical.

Regardless of which cap you get, consider getting a cup holder adapter for your YETI Rambler to keep it securely by your side when you’re on the road.  We just came out with our new-and-improved BottlePro Max adapter that fits all YETI Ramblers.

And that’s it!  We hope this post has helped you decide which lid or lids you should get.  Keep BottlePro in mind for accessories for your large bottles.

At BottlePro, we’ve mostly focused on Hydro Flasks over the years.  But one of our New Year’s resolutions is to give some other brands more love, and at the top of that list is YETI.
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YETI is possibly the most popular premium bottle brand on the market today, and for good reason.  Their products cost a relative fortune, but that’s because they are over-engineered and designed to last for many years.

​Given that YETI is a premium brand, all these negative reviews seemed odd so we decided to order a chug cap to test it out and see if we could recreate this issue.

We ordered a YETI Chug Cap in December, 2022 from YETI’s storefront on Amazon.  Interestingly, the storefront showed this product as unavailable when we went back in early January when we were making this video, but we assume the listing will be back up and running soon.  It might be wishful thinking on our part, but maybe they’re updating the design to fix the issue we’re about to talk about.

The next step was to try to recreate the issue.  We tightened the lid as much as we could by hand, but this did not seem to do anything to the threads.

Next came the real cross-threading test.  We tried screwing the lid on-and-off at different angles.  This includes pulling up and pushing down on the lid so we got the full range of taking the lid on and off.  This is when we started to see some wear-and-tear that looks consistent with the other reviewers.
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In particular, we started seeing some evidence of cross-threading where the black plastic threads started to get flattened out on one side.

​The problem with cross-threading and thread wear in general is that the issue accelerates once it starts.  So even though we were clearly stress-testing the lid by exerting quite a bit of force at different angles, the fact that we were able to create this amount of wear-and-tear over a few minutes is concerning.  We can absolutely see how the lid could wear down quickly like so many reviews have mentioned.

There are likely two main culprits to this problem.

Reason #1
The first is that the clear plastic on the base threads seems to be significantly harder than the black plastic on the spout cap threads.  And because the clear threads have fairly sharp angles on the cross-section profile, these threads can cut into the softer black plastic relatively easily.

Reason #2
Because of the thread design, the lid can start threading on at a pretty good range of angles.  This makes it easier to start closing the lid, which can make it a little easier to use the bottle.  But a side-effect is that this can cause the threads to not line up as intended, leading to more thread wear.

​Either one of these problems by themselves probably wouldn’t be much of an issue, but the fact that they both are happening together is leading to increased thread wear.

As far as YETI’s stance goes, their response to one reviewer was “what you are experiencing isn’t something that happens often but can be caused by cross-threading and/or over-tightening your Chug Cap. Over time this will strip the threads.”

If the button link doesn't work, go to https://www.yeti.com/warranty-information.html.  Then under “READY TO GET STARTED?”, click the link for “WARRANTY CLAIM FORM”.

​If you’re deciding which bottle to buy and don’t want to run across this issue, one obvious solution is to choose a different bottle brand.  There are plenty of water bottles on the market today, and some bottles like Takeyas usually come with a chug cap included.  One thing we love about Takeyas is that the spout cap is attached to the cap base, so there’s no chance of losing or dropping the spout cap.  ThermoFlask also has a similar cap style.

Links to each bottle's listing on Amazon are included.

If you’re a YETI fanatic, you know that going with a different brand isn’t an option.  In that case, consider using a different lid since none of the other lids seem to have the same type of threading issue.

Currently YETI has six (6!) lid designs that fit their Rambler series bottles.  We'll be testing all of them in an upcoming video, so stay tuned!

Even though it may seem like we've been trashing on YETI's Chug Cap design, we actually really like it.  If you want to stick with the YETI Chug Cap, just be mindful of how you use it.  Make sure you have the spout cap aligned properly and perpendicularly to the base as much as possible before you start threading it on.

​To be extra safe, just give the spout cap an easy spin without adding extra force.  The cap threads on really nicely and easily when it’s aligned properly, and then you can just snug it up a little more to make sure the seal is leak-proof.

Whatever you do, don’t pull out the gun show.  You shouldn’t have to use much force or effort to get a good seal, so if it feels like you’re straining to get the cap on, then odds are it’s not aligned properly.

We hope that YETI will take a closer look at their Chug Cap soon and redesign to help prevent this issue from happening, either by fine-tuning how the threads interact, changing the plastic composition, or maybe even overhauling the design.