We bought and tested 15 top water bottles through side-by-side assessments to evaluate taste, insulation, and closure functionality. Our evaluation combined lab-style measurements with how well each bottle design fits into our everyday lives, whether filled with water, electrolytes, tea, or coffee.
The Hydro Flask Wide Mouth with Straw is the best option for most people due to its excellent closure, ergonomic design, and top insulation test scores. “I just love this bottle”, said our reviewer, “It is easy to carry, the insulation is superb, and it seamlessly integrated into my daily routine from commute to the gym.” insulated coffee cup
The Iron Flask Insulated, won our Best Buy award. While slightly behind in insulation and material quality, is lighter and sells for a list price nearly half the cost. As we wrote in our review, “it's sleek, attractive, and easy to use.” It is a great option at a compelling price.
While most people will be satisfied with either of these two options, please read below to discover our recommendations for glass bottles (for superior taste and reduced plastic usage), the top filter bottle, and collapsible bottles.
See our more detailed assessment of filter bottles in the backpacking water filter review.
Our main issue with the Hydro Flask is the fairly low volume capacity. If you drink a lot of water, this 24 oz model may be limited, which can become problematic on longer hikes or days out on the lake. You might want to consider stepping up to the larger 32 oz version, although it doesn't fit as easily in a car cup holder. However, they also make a 32 oz Travel bottle with a narrower bottom that will fit most car cup holders.
Another drawback is that the straw is plastic. When we filled the bottle with hot water, we could taste a slight hint of plastic, so it lost a couple of points in our taste test. Our testers noted, "If taste (or just avoiding plastics) is your top priority, I would go with a glass bottle like the Purifyou Premium Glass." We observed no plastic taste with cold beverages or water. We loved toting it around town and even on day outings, but you'll probably select something more voluminous and lighter for backcountry travel. If insulation and taste are a higher priority for you, the Klean Kanteen TKWide Recycled Insulated scored higher in those two metrics and just a point behind the Hydro Flask overall. It has the option of a metal straw, which helps in the taste department. If you are looking for the best value, consider the Iron Flask Insulated, which scores only a few points behind the Hydro Flask, is lighter, and half the cost.
Read more: Hydro Flask Wide Mouth with Straw review
One downside of the Iron Flask is the plastic straw. We noticed we could slightly taste the plastic when our water got warm. Our reviewer said, “The flavor may not turn many people off. I love a perfect sip of water, and I found it stood out.” The straw attaches to the cap via a silicon receptacle, which we also found to be a potential weak point for wear. Unless you want the color to fade, you must hand wash this bottle due to the finish. This bottle was one of the lightest weight insulated models we tested, but the thinner materials also resulted in the lowest insulation in that category. This water bottle is terrific and performs well in the daily grind or at the gym. However, we reached for one of the more durable and less flashy bottles for longer treks in the bush, where this bottle could take a beating. If insulation is a higher priority for you, the Owala FreeSip Insulated performed better in this metric and only cost a few dollars more. Our reviewer noted, “It kept my water plenty cold, but people in hot climates would benefit from a little extra insulation.”
Read more: Iron Flask Insulated review
The biggest disadvantage is the small mouth, which makes cleaning more challenging. Therefore, we recommend investing in a good bottle brush (Purifyou sells them on their website). Remember that this model is not insulated, so you'll want to keep it out of the sun if you want your water to stay cool. The water inside this vessel reached up to 110 degrees Fahrenheit (at 81F ambient temperature) in our 6-hour sunbaked bottle insulation test. Also, did we mention that it's glass? That means you'll have to be more careful handling it than other, more durable plastic and metal models. Our lead reviewer has a two and five-year-old and noted, “While my kids have not broken the bottle yet, I am always a little nervous when they use it.” The Purifyou is ideal for folks seeking an alternative to plastic and serves as a great indoor water bottle for the office. This water bottle dramatically outscored the Lifefactory Glass Active Cap, the other main glass contender we reviewed.
Read more: Purifyou Premium review
The two main issues with the Brita are its size and lack of versatility. Our lead reviewer said: “The 20 ounces of water goes fast if you're big on hydrating like I am, though this bottle is also available in 32 ounces.” Since it's a filter bottle, we hesitated to put any flavoring into it to avoid contaminating the filter. Another noteworthy consideration is that the charcoal filter in this bottle doesn't remove bacteria, viruses, protozoa, or heavy metals. Instead, it merely reduces chlorine and particulate matter. So, this is a great bottle to use at the gym, work, or any place with municipal (treated) water to remove the chemical taste.
Read more: Brita Stainless Steel Filter Bottle review
What the Nalgene won't do is keep your cold liquids cold or your hot liquids hot for very long. There's absolutely no insulation on these bottles. The container is nearly shatter-proof, but it's not very thick. Neither does it have a fancy straw, rubber gaskets, or a flip-up spout. It's a simple (recycled) plastic container with a simple plastic lid: all container and no frills. However, if you need a versatile, lightweight container to lug around liquid on your next backpacking adventure, consider this bottle (or two for the price!). If you want a better option for ultralight backpacking, it's hard to beat a 1-liter wide-mouth soda or sports drink bottle for the weight and price. But on those hot days when your bottle is basking in the sun, consider bringing an insulated model along for the adventure, like the lightweight Iron Flask Insulated. As a bonus, it includes a built-in straw.
Read more: Nalgene Wide-Mouth review
With the heavier materials, the strength of the Speedfil may also be a weakness if you're counting ounces. Your average rider may not notice, but an avid racer might want to reduce weight. The quality materials also cost more money. Although, as long as this bottle lasts, you may cycle through a few plastic ones. While the push button flip cap is nice for quick hydration, it also produced some leakage in our lid test. This likely isn't an issue when taking turns on the trail, but this wouldn't be our first choice to throw into a daypack, making it less versatile than other leakproof bike-style bottles. That being said, the quality of materials, superior insulation, and ease of use make this our first choice for our two-wheeled adventures. If weight is super important and you want a more traditional bike-style water bottle, check out the CamelBak Podium Dirt.
Read more: Speedfil Speedflask review
We've tested nearly 80 individual bottles since 2015. We constantly monitor the market for new and innovative designs and have seen many trends come and go over the years. First and foremost, these products must be easy to use, and we rated our ergonomics metric on factors like carrying handles, ease of filling and cleaning, and whether they fit in a car cup holder. We also passed these bottles to our friends and family to ensure we got plenty of varied input. Water bottles are as much about personal preference as holding water. We filled them with hot water and let them sit to determine whether or not materials leach to impart undesirable flavor (think of a water bottle left in a hot car). We filled them with blue-dyed water and left them on their sides on clean sheets of paper overnight to look for any signs of leakage. We examined their compositions and moving parts to determine their weak points and strengths. We combined this feedback and field testing with some objective tests to provide extensive information so your next water bottle purchase can be well-informed.
Everyone drinks water, but not everyone takes hydration as seriously as our lead bottle testers, Jon Oleson and Jane Jackson.
Jon is constantly moving between the garden, the crag, the trail, the river, and plane rides here or there. Whether working in the field, at the playground with his kids, or airport hopping, Jon knows that clean H20 is the foundation for all life. Having the right vessel for the right situation is also important. Jon has tested these bottles over months--in the backcountry, hydrating (and sharing a bottle with) sick kids, in the garden, on road trips, and everything in between. These varied situations have allowed Jon to hone in on each bottle's strengths and weaknesses and determine the right one for your needs.
Jane has spent months of her life drinking from and assessing the performance of the most popular bottles on the market. First and foremost, Jane is a rock climber, a hobby that forms the foundation of her life and has led her to cliffs, big walls in Yosemite, and valleys around the world. Most of the testing of these bottles took place at the crag, in boulder fields, on long hikes, or rest days at cafes and coffee shops across the globe. These varying situations have provided excellent opportunities to test the portability, durability, ease of use, and overall performance of the water bottles seen in this review. Because she is constantly traveling, Jane rarely drinks from a traditional drinking glass in a kitchen, making her an expert at hydration on the go.
We used five different rating metrics to assess each bottle in this review. Although the type of bottle (e.g., filter bottle, insulated bottle, bike bottle, etc.) separated them somewhat into categories, the overall review objectively compares bottles of all different types side-by-side. That said, use your discretion when reading this review. A stainless-steel bottle will be more durable than a glass one, while the most insulated bottle may not be the best fit for your next backcountry adventure. Determine your specific lifestyle needs as you read about each bottle's unique characteristics.
Today, some of the most popular options are stainless steel bottles, including vacuum-insulated and uninsulated. Next, there are the classic plastic bottles, all of which are made from BPA-free plastics. We tested collapsible and glass bottles, as well as bottles offering different filtration methods. Each bottle has its intended use(s) — and we discuss which situations work best for each bottle in the individual gear reviews.
Many like to consider cost alongside performance no matter what your specific needs. We focus on performance when we score products, and we appreciate a good deal as much as anyone else. The price gap of water bottles can be vast; stainless steel and glass bottles will typically cost the most. That said, over the past few years, we have seen a growing selection of affordable bottles made of these materials.
This year, the Iron Flask Insulated takes the prize as our go-to in terms of value, though the Nalgene Wide-Mouth remains a top consideration as well. The Iron Flask is attractive and lightweight, plus its straw-style lid promotes hydration more readily than a standard wide mouth. That said, if you aren't a fan of a straw-style lid, the Nalgene's simple and classic design is a time-tested favorite for a reason. Another decent option in terms of price is the Camelbak Chute Mag Renew, a simple, lightweight plastic bottle with a twist-off spout.
A great value option if you do not want plastic is the Lifefactory Glass Active Cap. This bottle is the most affordable glass option in our lineup and features a pop-up flip cap with a rubber bubble seal. The Brita Stainless Steel Filter Bottle is an award-winning option that is most suitable for professional settings and is the most inexpensive of the filter bottles.
This test was broken into two parts—one objective and one subjective. The first, which was the bulk of the score in this category, was the “leakproof test.” That is, how much the water bottle leaked when left on its side with the lid closed. We filled each water bottle, added a few drops of blue food coloring, closed the lid tight, and left it tipped over on a clean white sheet of paper for a night and a day. With some, it was apparent that they failed after the night was through. Others leaked after the room they were sitting heated up for the day, building up pressure in the bottle. There were also observations in the field. For example, one particular bottle passed the controlled test with flying colors but then leaked its contents into our bag and ruined two headlamps.
The second part of this test was how easy the closure, whether it be lid, straw, or cap, was to use. Could it be operated one-handed, or did it take two hands? Was it quick and easy to flip up the straw and hydrate, or was the process more involved? The highest scores were given to the bottles, allowing the quickest and easiest hydration.
Some bottles were really close on this test. Two of our highest-scoring bottles, the Hydro Flask Wide Mouth with Straw and Iron Flask Insulated, were hard to tell apart in this regard. Both retained all their liquid on the leakproof test, and their flip-up straws were easily operated with one hand. In fact, the Hydro Flask became the kids' favorite because it was so easy to operate, and they liked the color. The Brita Stainless Steel Filter Bottle bottle was also extremely easy to operate one-handed, simply by pushing a button. The Speedflask also has an easy push-button flip cap but was taken down a notch because it did not prove to be leakproof during that portion of the test.
Most bottles contained their contents during the leakproof test, but not all were as quick or easy to operate and thus did not score as highly. The Owala Freesip has a clip over a push button flip cap, which is great for guaranteeing that the flip cap stays closed, and we found it to be a bit cumbersome. The Yeti Rambler, Purifyou Premium, LARQ Bottle PureVis, and Camelbak Podium Dirt all retained their liquids, and all require two hands and an amount of twisting to take off the cap and sip. Despite the extra twisting, all these bottles have specific features and uses, so it's good to note that they won't leak on you.
There were those bottles that were quick to hydrate but didn't pass the leakproof test, like the aforementioned Speedflask. The Lifefactory Glass Active Cap is super easy to flip and chug, yet almost all the bottle's contents were emptied during the leak test. One of the highest scoring bottles in many other regards—the Klean Kanteen TKWide --is quick to hydrate with a two-handed half twist, but it leaked a decent amount during controlled testing (although none was noticed during field testing). If you're planning on mindlessly tossing your bottle into your pack, you may want to consider one of the more leakproof options mentioned above.
Lastly, we would classify the “backpacking bottles” as having produced a bit of leakage on this test. The Nalgene Wide-Mouth leaked just a bit on the leakproof test, and the gasket-less lid is the classic twist on/off type. The Grayl GeoPress Water Filter and Purifier has two chambers—the bottom one you fill with unfiltered water, which is then pressed into the upper, filtered chamber. The upper chamber has a tight-fitting lid and screw cap with gaskets, which do not leak. We found that the lower chamber does leak, however, and not all the water presses into the upper chamber. This is an inherent design flaw in this otherwise very useful filter press that we were happy to have with us on several occasions despite the added weight.
When you fill your water bottle with cold water on a hot day, you probably want it to stay cold. In this test, we measured the insulative quality of the bottles under the hot California sun during midday. Each bottle was filled with cool water from the tap and then set on the grass in the sun. We measured the water temperature inside the bottles every 30 minutes for 6 hours.
There was quite a disparity between the insulated and the non-insulated bottles. The insulated bottles saw a modest temperature increase, while some non-insulated contenders reached temperatures 40 degrees above the ambient air temperature. We also saw a decent range among the insulated bottles. The quality and thickness of materials, as well as design and construction, seem to make a big difference in insulative quality.
In the insulated bottle category, the Klean Kanteen TKWide, Brita Stainless Steel Filter Bottle, and Owala FreeSip showed to be the most insulative. These were closely followed by the Hydroflask Wide Mouth with Straw,Yeti Rambler, and the Speedfil Speedflask. These bottles would be good options to preserve ice on a hot day.
The Brita Stainless Steel Filter Bottle and Klean Kanteen TKWide were neck and neck for most of the test. Over the six hours, the Brita's water temperature rose just 8.5 degrees F. The Klean Kanteen's rose just 9.4 F. This is quite impressive considering they were both in full sun on an 80-degree F summer day.
If you're in the market for a plastic bottle, then you'll be interested to know that the water inside each of the plastic bottles reached over 100 F during the test, with the exception of the Camelbak Podium Dirt bike bottle (which reached 96.8 F). This highlights the fact that if you're toting plastic, then it's best to keep it out of the sun. At least you can rest assured that companies are considering environmental health and making plastic bottles out of materials that don't leach BPA, BPS, BPF, phthalates, and other known carcinogens into your water.
Note that PFAS, persistent chemicals that bioaccumulate, are becoming a larger concern. Currently, few water bottle companies certify their bottles as “PFAS-Free.” If this is a concern, we recommend using glass and metal bottles over plastic until there is a more rigorous certification process and adoption by more manufacturers.
There was a slight difference between the glass bottles regarding insulative quality. Our top pick for glass bottles, the Purifyou Premium, got up to 110 degrees F! While the Lifefactory Glass Active Cap only reached 95 F. Either one is still hot when you go for a cool sip, but 15 degrees is a noticeable gap. As with plastic bottles, it's best to keep the glass out of the sun if you want your water to stay cool.
If you're in the market for a collapsible bottle, our testing has shown that these styles are some of the worst at insulating under direct sun exposure. The 17 oz Hydrapak Stow reached a sweltering 123 degrees F.
It's essential to stay hydrated, and you're probably more likely to do so if the water you're drinking tastes good. No one likes to go for a warm bottle of water and taste the plastic. Yuck! Chemical leaching. In this test, we filled the bottles with 100-degree water and let them sit to simulate a bottle left in a warm car. We then tasted the water from each bottle to determine which ones did or did not impart taste.
Our main reviewer is really sensitive to plastic taste and smell, so we were able to hone in on not just the differentiation but also the elements that contributed to the difference. The highest scorers in this category were the bottles that had no plastic touching the water. These were generally metal containers without plastic straws and the glass bottles. The Klean Kanteen TKWide was the only container with a straw that did not impart a plastic taste because its straw is also stainless steel. The top-scoring metal bottles with plastic straws, like the Hydro Flask Wide Mouth with Straw and the Iron Flask Insulated, only imparted the slightest plastic taste—perhaps not enough for most people to notice, especially if you're drinking cold water from them.
The glass bottles and metal vessels without straws all scored very highly, with a clean, chemical-free taste. Any one of these bottles—the Purifyou Premium, Speedfil Speedflask, Lifefactory Active Cap, LARQ PureVis, or the Yeti Rambler—is a good choice if your only focus is clean-tasting water.
As far as the filter bottles go, we were a bit surprised by the results. The big hunk of plastic, the Grayl GeoPress, actually produced a fairly clean-tasting mouthful of water. The durable, food-grade plastic in this bottle really stood up to heat. The Brita Stainless Steel Filter Bottle, which is our top choice for filter bottle, scored the lowest on this test. The straw seems to be made of a cheaper type of plastic, and the filter does not do enough to remove that particular chemical taste (although we did find this bottle to be effective at removing chlorine from municipal sources). If you're going to purchase the Brita, we recommend doing your best not to leave it in the hot car if you want your water to taste good.
The plastic bottles scored the lowest on this test, most of them imparting some degree of chemical taste. An outlier was the classic Nalgene Wide Mouth, which imparts surprisingly little taste to a bottle of hot water and is also surprisingly resistant to flavors. This may be due to the recycled Tritan Renew copolyester from which it's made. We found that the bottles made from silicone, polypropylene, and polyurethane imparted the most chemical flavor. If you absolutely need a collapsible bottle, all we can say is don't leave it in the sun.
In this test, we evaluated the qualities of each bottle to determine the contenders who were the most efficient and easy to use. Elements that contributed to higher scores were carrying loops/straps/handles, flip or straw caps, and designs that allowed for easier grip or carry. The top-scoring bottles in this category combine all these elements into a bottle that makes it all around easy to stay hydrated.
The champions of this test were bottles that were easy to carry, allowing for quick hydration, and even fit in our cup holders. The Iron Flask Insulated stood out, with an easy-to-grip carry handle with a carabiner clip and a flip-up straw. Our Editors' Choice, the Hydro Flask Wide Mouth with Straw, is also a sleek flip straw bottle with a comfortable carry loop that makes it easy to tote around.
The Speedfil Speedflask earned a high score here due to its slender waist and push button flip cap with a finger carry handle that clips down to stay out of the way when not in use. It's super easy to grip it, flip it, and chug as much as you need. The Brita Stainless Steel Filter Bottle also has a push button flip cap with a satisfyingly squishy silicone bite straw, a soft and comfortable two-finger carry loop, and will fit in your cup holder. Our top glass bottle, the Purifyou Premium, has a relatively slim design (although it doesn't fit in most cup holders) and a silicone sleeve that makes it easy to grab. The large-threaded cap whirls smoothly on and off and has a super comfortable finger carry loop.
The low scorers in this category had elements that made them more difficult to carry, grip, or use. The Grayl GeoPress, although superior at filtering, is big and clunky and requires a lot of body weight to press the filter. The Nalgene Wide Mouth is likewise more difficult to grip, and although the lid has a plastic loop that attaches it to the bottle, it's hard, edgy, and sharp and not comfortable to carry over time. The LARQ PureVis is a slick powder-coated bottle with a small twist-off lid and no clips or carrying features. The Yeti Rambler has a nice carry handle on the lid but is big and bulky. If you're looking for something super simple to lug around town, then you'll want to avoid these bottles.
For this metric, we delve into the quality of the material of each water bottle. How well are the bottles constructed? Will they hold up to use and abuse? How likely are they to break? While we didn't intentionally try to break the bottles on this test, we did put them to good use. We noted the points of wear and the places where they were likely to wear out. Objectively, scores were determined by the construction and quality of the materials.
In terms of caps, there are several factors that determine quality. Is it made of hard plastic or soft plastic? Are there rubber gaskets to seal the contents? Do the moving parts have weak joints or points? The highest scoring bottles, like the Iron Flask Insulated, Hydro Flask Wide Mouth with Straw, and the Klean Kanteen TKWide, all had hard plastic lids with rubber gaskets that produced a tight seal. Some bottles went a step further, like the Purifyou Premium glass bottle, with its rubber gasket and metal plug to ensure that your water doesn't touch plastic.
Vessel quality was determined by the type and thickness of the material. Glass is preferred for purity of contents, but metal is preferred for durability. Plastic received a lower score overall due to its tendency to leach chemicals. Double-walled metal containers all scored well. Bottles like the Klean Kanteen, Hydro Flask Wide Mouth, and Owala Freesip were made of thick stainless steel and will take some abuse before they show any wear. Other stainless steel bottles, like the Iron Flask Insulated, received a slightly lower score due to thinner material construction resulting in slightly less durability.
Lastly, we considered any feature that added to longevity or durability and, conversely, docked points for any feature that would wear more quickly. For example, the Klean Kanteen TKWide got points for being the only straw-type bottle with a stainless steel straw. The Speedfil Speedflask lost some points because the flip cap's mechanism is a rubber band, which is definitely a weak point on an otherwise well-constructed and durable bottle. Likewise, we noticed a crease on the plastic cap of the Camelbak Chute Mag which is a weak point and likely to wear over time.
Here are four essential factors to consider when buying your next water bottle.
Water bottles that provide insulation can help keep liquids cool or warm for longer periods. If you are away from refill stations or outdoors in the heat for extended periods, an insulated bottle can be highly beneficial. Additionally, since insulated bottles typically use double-walled construction, they are less likely to condense and create moisture build-up on the outside. However, insulated bottles tend to be heavier and bulkier, which means they're not ideal for trips where you're trying to decrease weight, and they may be harder to carry around in a backpack or purse.
Choosing an appropriate bottle size can feel more challenging than it should be. After all, hydration is essential to our daily routine, but a too big bottle can sometimes be inconvenient and take up a lot of space. Too small, and you may end up thirsty. When choosing a size, identifying what type of activities you partake in and your hydration goals should be the first thought. Many people have more than one water bottle for use on different occasions.
Different closures offer different drinking characteristics and various levels of leak protection. Screw-on caps are often less likely to leak and provide peace of mind in your bag or stowed away. One downside is that it can be more annoying to access your drink while doing activities such as exercising or driving. A flip-top style cap will provide easier access in those situations but is more prone to leakage if not positioned upright. Choosing your closure style based on your intended use during activities and identifying how often your bottle will be stored in different orientations.
Water bottles come in metal, plastic, glass, and even silicone. Stainless steel is the most durable, but it is heavier than plastic. Plastic is great for packability and weight savings during hikes or adventures but can affect water taste and potential punctures, and even BPA-free plastics can still leach potentially harmful chemicals into your water. A glass bottle will preserve taste better and make cleaning a breeze, but it is also prone to breaking and has obvious weight disadvantages. Prioritizing preferences such as taste, plastic avoidance, durability, and cleaning are great starting points for narrowing down your next bottle's material choices.
We've run the gamut with our water bottle testing over the years. In such a simple category, we've found a surprisingly large performance gap. Unfortunately, there is not one bottle that serves all the purposes. However, we can help steer you toward the ideal model for your specific needs. Models for long hikes, bike rides, or climbing trips will differ from the bottles used at work or taken to the gym. We hope this review helps you find the one(s) that best suits your hydration needs wherever you go.
How can we improve GearLab? Got feedback? Let us know!
thermal mug Material on GearLab is copyrighted. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. All trademarks property of their respective owners Privacy | Cookies | Terms