 Why are Staney's Flowstate Spring Reviews so Bad? What is Stanley's New Flowstate Spring Bottle?Stanley recently released their Flowstate Spring bottle, which is their long-awaited answer to Owala's ridiculously popular FreeSip. There's just one problem. People seem to hate it. The Amazon reviews aren't too bad, but if you look on Stanley's website, the confirmed reviews are at a surprising 3.5 out of 5 stars, which is super low for a company like Stanley with a devoted following. So what's happened? To find out, I read through every single negative review, tallied up the reasons why people rated it so low, and I also bought one to test out myself. So let's see how this bottle is designed, how it compares to Owala, then take a look at all the negative reviews to see what everyone is saying. What's Next?
Video ReviewIf videos are more your thing, check out my Youtube video that covers most of the same information. Amazon Disclaimer Some links are provided below to products mentioned in this post. If you find this information helpful, I hope you'll consider using a link to buy. I'm part of the Amazon Associates program, and if you click a link then purchase, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It's the main way I can continue to provide detailed, unbiased reviews. Thank you! Links to ProductsBottles Compared Either way you go, remember to clean your bottle regularly! I've been using these for a few years. How is Flowstate Spring Stanley's Answer to Owala Freesip Sway?Stanley released the Flowstate Spring back in April, and I'm pretty certain this was designed to directly compete with Owala for four main reasons. Let's compare it against Owala Sway, which is my pick for the top all-around bottle right now with several improvements compared to Owala's original viral bottle.  Fixed Spout and Spring Lid Similarity #1: Fixed Spout and Spring Lid Number one, it has a fixed spout that's covered by a spring-loaded lid. This is a good change because it keeps the drinking surface clean throughout the day. Compare that to Stanley's other main bottles, Quencher with a loose, exposed straw and IceFlow with a traditional flip-up spout where you have to touch the drinking surface to lift the spout. The other benefit of a fixed spout is that it's easier to clean all surfaces. Most straw bottles with flip-up spouts are notorious for hiding germs around a seal in that pivot point, and even though a bottle like Stanley's newer IceFlow 2.0 has a removable spout, it's still can be difficult to pop it out. Straw bottles with fixed spouts like Owala and Flowstate avoid this problem altogether by avoiding a pivot point and a hidden seal.  Ergonomic Spout Similarity #2: Ergonomic Spout Number two, the spout is ergonomic. One of Owala's main features is the FreeSip spout, which in addition to being a dual straw and chug design, is also shaped around your mouth. It seems like a minor thing, but it's actually surprisingly nice when you try it. That started a trend where more brands used ergonomic spouts, including Simple Modern with their Mesa Loop and now Stanley with Flowstate Spring.  Removable Spout Seal Similarity #3: Spout Seal Number three, the spout seal fits up in the spring loaded lid and is easy to remove for cleaning, which is something Owalas also do really well.  External Lid Threads Similarity #4: External Lid Threads And number four, the lid has external threads, and this makes cleaning the rim seal really easy. That's something Owala thankfully changed from their original when they released Sway, and I'm glad to see external lid threads on Stanley's new bottle too. How is Flowstate Spring Different than Owala Freesip Sway?Those are the main similarities, so now let's look at the four main differences.  Carrying Strap Difference #1: Strap vs Handle Number one, Stanley opted for a carrying strap instead of a handle. Depending on your preference this could be good or bad. I don't think it's a huge issue with this smaller 20oz size, but I'm concerned if they keep the same look and expand to 32 or 40 ounces without a rigid handle, and I typically like having a carrying strap, personally I'd prefer having it as a second option kind of like how Fjbottle has both a strap and a rigid handle.  Inverse Taper Difference #2: Inverse Taper Number two, it's tapered, but not in the way most bottles are because it actually gets wider at the bottom. This could be an issue with some cupholders, but again, it'll be a bigger issue if they release larger bottles with that same inverse taper in the future.  Silicone Grip Ring on Base Difference #3: Grip Pad Number three, they added a silicone grip ring around the base, which helps prevent scratches and minor dents. Honestly, this is a good change that I wish more bottles like Owala Sway had, so no complaints here.  No Built-In Lock Difference #4: No Lock Flowstate Spring doesn't have a lock. Now, that's not as huge of a deal as you might think. With Owala's, you can push the button straight in to open the spout cover. But with Flowstate, you have to press at a bit of a downward angle. This makes it less likely to accidentally open, but having a lock is still always better in my opinion, especially for anyone who might carry this in a bag or purse. One negative side effect of this is because the button is a bit stiff and you have to press at a downward angle, the button is more difficult to press to open the lid compared to Owala. What's Good about Stanley's Flowstate SpringOverall, I think Stanley had a lot of good ideas and intentions.  What's Good about Stanley's Flowstate Spring? The best two things in my opinion compared to other Stanley bottles are that Flowstate Spring:
If those are your two main criteria, this could be a good option. What's Bad about Stanley's Flowstate SpringHowever, there are some significant drawbacks that I came across during testing that you should know about before buying.  Bad Whistling Noise Small Air Vent Number one, the air vent is small, and this does two things.
Watch my YouTube video to hear the whistling. (at 4:07)  Spout Cover Opens Inconsistently Inconsistent Opening Number two, the spout cover doesn't seem to open consistently. This is a problem I've also experienced with Owala's original FreeSip, and their newer Sway opens a lot better. However, Stanley's Flowstate seems to be particularly bad. That's mainly because the cover is too heavy compared to the strength of the spring. You can see that by how slowly it opens compared to an Owala. Maybe this is something that will loosen up over time, but either way it's not a great first impression when you press the button but the cover doesn't reliably open. You can see this a lot more clearly in the YouTube video.  Inverse Taper Makes it Less Cupholder-Friendly Inverse Taper Number three, I'm not sure how much I like the inverse taper. Yes, it makes the bottle look unique compared to a lot of other options on the market. It's also more stable because it's not as top-heavy or likely to tip over as something like Owala Sway. However, being cupholder friendly was one of the main reasons why Stanley's Quencher became so popular in the first place, and while this 20oz should still fit in most cupholders, it would fit in more if it was tapered the other way around, and I'm concerned for potential larger sizes in the future. That taper also makes it so someone with decent sized hands like me can't clean this with just a sponge, and you'll need a bottle brush for this relatively small bottle. Why are Stanley's Flowstate Spring Reviews so Bad?I was also curious what other people where saying, so I read through all the reviews on Stanley's website that weren't 5 stars, tallied up the reasons why, and came up with this table.  Flowstate Spring Reviews Analysis (1-4 Star Reviews from Stanley's Website) Bad Ergonomics (1 Review) Just one person said they didn't like the ergonomics of the spout, which is fine, that's just a preference. Though I will agree it doesn't feel as good to sip from as Owala. Grippy Base (1 Review) Another person doesn't like the grippy base. Agree to disagree there. Small Strap (1 Review) And one person wished the strap was big enough to fit around their wrist, which is a valid point. Not Durable (2 Reviews) Two people complained about it not being durable, but don't worry about those because they were mainly just complaining about dents and you'll get that with almost any steel bottle. Lid Pin Coming Loose (2 Reviews) Two people mentioned the pin that keeps the spring lid and strap in place was coming out, and that is a real concern that I hope doesn't become a widespread issue. Small Size (5 Reviews) Five people didn't like the size, but hopefully more sizes will come out. Sticky and Unreliable Lid (5 Reviews) Another five though the lid felt sticky or unreliable when opening. Honestly, I thought this one would get more votes. Leaks (5 Reviews) And five people said their bottle leaked, though I personally didn't have that issue so I'm not sure what's going on there. Lid Not Closing (6 Reviews) Six people said the lid didn't close securely. It is a bit stiff when closing it, but I personally haven't had that issue yet. Bad Insulation (11 Reviews) Eleven people called out the insulation. Now I haven't tested this yet since I'm planning a big test with a bunch of bottles for the 2026 update of my huge comparision video, but seeing 11 people mention this here doesn't look good. Button is Hard to Press (13 Reviews) Thirteen people said the button is hard to press, and while it's not functionally broken, that is a legitimate quality-of-life complaint. Straw Falling Out (15 Reviews) Fifteen people mentioned that that the straw kept falling out, which is interesting because I didn't have that issue with quite a bit of testing but I suppose it may get worse over time, especially if you're removing and reinserting the straw for cleaning. But the fact that so many people mentioned this is not good because that's a big problem. This is where a threaded straw like with Simple Modern or Brumate can come in handy. Whistling Sound (16 Reviews) And the biggest complaint with 16 mentions is also my biggest issue with this bottle, and that's the whistling sound. This bottle honestly is one of the worst offenders of any bottle I've tested when it comes to that constricted air vent creating a wheezing sound, and it's loud enough to be embarrassing at work or in public, which isn't great. Should You Buy Stanley's Flowstate Spring?Overall, in my opinion Stanley's Flowstate Spring has some good intentions but too many drawbacks, so at least for now, Owala Sway still keeps its place as my pick for the top all-around everyday bottle. So if you're in the market for a new bottle, Owala Sway is probably a better choice that Stanley's Flowstate Spring. Here are links to either one, along with some helpful accessories for just about any big bottle. If this article helped, I hope you'll consider using a link to buy because I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Bottles Compared Either way you go, remember to clean your bottle regularly! I've been using these for a few years. Hope this helps, and happy hydrating!
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