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Where is the best price?
Amazon – £14.60
Ebay – £22.76
OnBuy – £29.35
This is a straightforward, smart-looking, reliable choice with a bit of understated flair.
Key features:
- Size: 500ml or 740 ml
- Colour/Style: Silver, Black, Wood-grain
These stainless-steel vacuum-insulated water bottles by POP Design are a great place to start. More at home in a yoga studio or at the office than on a hike or mounted on a bicycle, these bottles are nonetheless pretty durable, with threaded, stainless steel caps and double-wall construction.
The vacuum between the two walls acts as an insulator, helping to keep cold contents cold for up to 24 hours, and hot contents hot for up to 12 hours.
The bottles don’t collect condensation when carrying cold fluids (in other words, they don’t ‘sweat’), and the metal construction means they can put up with some accidental abuse.
The coating is designed to ensure a reliable grip, even when hands are a little sweaty, but they don’t suit gym use, or hiking.
There is no carry strap of lanyard, so they would need to sit in a pocket or be carried in the palm of the hand – neither of which is ideal for moving around a lot while exercising.
Some instances of faulty lids have also been reported, allowing leaks when the bottle is laid on its side. With no way to clip it into or hang it in an upright position, this danger is only increased.
The coating is supposed to be scratch-resistant, but the most common criticism of these finishes is that they get scratched easily.
This is true of across the colour range. If that happens in everyday office use, rougher conditions are going to inflict significant and permanent damage to the finish.
Each bottle is BPA free, and the stainless-steel interiors will not change the taste, or take on flavours, from contents.
Each bottle carries a 2-year warranty, and if you ever lose the cap a replacement will be sent to you quickly, free of charge (some terms and conditions apply).
Available in two sizes and three colours, this is a straightforward, smart-looking, reliable choice with a bit of understated flair.
It looks at home in a variety of settings, but the functionality is best suited to the office or yoga studio.
What we like
- The quality of bottle construction
- The style
- The warranty
What we don’t
- The screw top isn’t convenient
- The cap can get lost
- Coating tends to get scratched
Where is the best price?
Amazon – £11.99
This is a sporty-looking, reliable choice that feels great in the hand.
Key features:
- Size: various sizes, from 1.5l to 350ml
- Colour/Style: grey-black, red, purple, blue
The “uberBottle” by 720°DGREE, is designed for the user on the go.
Pop it into the holder on your bike, over a nearby hook at the gym, or loop the strap over your wrist for easy access and a hands-free option when needed.
The lid guard pops open with a simple click, exposing the drink channel, and then easily snaps back into place to protect the top from dirt or contamination.
This is great for use in the outdoors, as it keeps dirt and other contamination from making contact with the drinking spout.
The body is made of BPA-free Tritan copolyester, so it feels velvety to the touch and doesn’t change the taste of contents. Though reusable, it is also 100% recyclable, so if it is catastrophically damaged in a tent-peg installation accident, it still won’t add to the landfill.
The lid includes a filter to keep fruit or ice from coming through when you drink, and an air intake hole to ensure easier drinking. With so many components to it though, losing them during cleaning becomes a possibility.
It can be machine washed, but the manufacturer recommends hand washing for longer usable life of the product. The company also offers a 60-day money-back guarantee if you aren’t happy with the bottle or components.
What we like
- The feel of the material
- The wide choice of sizes
- The 60-day warranty
What we don’t
- Too many parts in the cap
- The cap parts can get lost
Where is the best price?
Amazon – £12.59
Looks good, works well, and comes in a wide range of colours.
Key features:
- Size: 1l, 500ml, or 350 ml
- Colour/Style: available in a wide range of colours
The Super Sparrow Sports Water Bottle is a BPA-free Tritan copolyester bottle, also with a 1-click lid guard to protect the drinking surface from contamination when camping or hiking.
It comes with a carry strap and is easy to grip, so it works well in the gym or when walking.
The lid is less convenient to use when cycling though, so the added protection comes at a cost. This item is best washed by hand, rather than in a machine.
The bottle is impact resistant, and wears well. The lid includes an air intake hole for easy drinking (though tipping it up like you’re in a sports drink commercial will cause liquid to come out of the air hole, usually into the drinker’s nose).
The manufacturer offers 30-day money back guarantee and a 12-month warranty.
The bottles look pretty good, come in a wide range of colours to suit your taste, and they hold up well to regular use.
What we like
- Good warranty
- Durable
- Great colours
What we don’t
- Wheels could be sturdier
Where is the best price?
Amazon – £12.99-20.99
This is a high-quality, modern water bottle with sophisticated style.
Key features:
- Size: 750ml, 500ml, or 350ml
- Colour/Style: A wide variety of metallic colours
These stainless steel, vacuum-insulated water bottles by Lalafancy, feature double-wall construction and a spill-proof cap. They are BPA-free, and won’t take on or change the flavours of the contents they store.
They do not include a lanyard or strap on the bottle itself, but each one does come with a sleeve that can be hung on a hook at the gym, or on a limb at the campsite.
Still, the design screams ‘urban’ rather than ‘outdoorsy,’ and the durability is better suited to the office, the yoga studio, or the gym, than to anywhere that it might get bumped along during a hike, or sit on a rock in the wind.
The bottles keep liquids hot for up to ten hours, and keep liquids cold for up to twenty. The shell is impact-resistant so it may dent, but won’t shatter.
The stainless and plastic cap creates a vacuum when tightened, to better maintain the temperature of the contents, and to prevent leakage. Be sure to leave a little room at the top though, or spillage will occur when the seal is broken for opening.
The powder-coated exterior is available in twenty five metallic colours, and shows nicely against the brushed-chrome finish of the cap and base.
If you want to make a statement of style at the gym or your next yoga class, this bottle fits the bill. Modern and minimalist, with just a hint of tech, it is an excellent choice for the urban warrior.
Each bottle comes with a cleaning brush, and a sleeve.
What we like
- The style
- That it comes with a sleeve and a cleaning brush
What we don’t
- The screw top occasionally has seal failures
- The cap can get lost
Where is the best price?
Amazon – £14.08
This is a straightforward, smart-looking, reliable choice with a bit of understated flair.
Key features:
- Size: 1l, 750ml, 500ml, or 300ml.
- Colour/Style: 37 prints and colours to choose from; stainless caps.
The Wave water bottle, by Simple Modern, features a vacuum-insulated, double-wall construction in BPO-free stainless steel with a copper coating on the inner wall of the vacuum chamber.
Though it has the style and simplicity of bottles aimed at office use, the patterns give it a playful edge, making it seem at home in the gym, at a developed camping site, or in a caravan.
The bottle won’t sweat, keeps contents hot or cold, and will not take on or change the taste of its contents during use. The lid is stainless steel and plastic, and uses a vacuum seal to prevent leaks and maintain temperature for longer.
Be careful not to over-tighten, and to leave a little room at the top to prevent spillage when the vacuum is released upon opening.
Though the bottle itself is a good size for popping it into the bottle-holder on a bike, the lid makes it ill-suited to cycling.
It should be hand washed only, but care is easy and it does not show fingerprints during use, even if your hands are sweaty.
The wide variety of colours and prints ensure that customers can order a bottle that matches individual style. There is a 90-day warranty on manufacturer defects.
What we like
- The quality
- The style choice
- The copper coating for better temperature stability
What we don’t
- The screw top isn’t convenient
- The cap can get lost
Where is the best price?
Amazon – £8.59
This is a sporty bottle, designed for function and motivation, more than style.
Key features:
- Size: 900ml
- Colour/Style: Clear with coloured cap (pink, black, green, purple, blue)
The Sheefly Motivational Water Bottle is made of BPA-free Triton plastic. It’s shatter-proof, scratch resistant, and easy to clean. It’s designed for gym use, but could function well for other light or indoor sport situations as well.
It includes markings on the side, meant to motivate the owner into drinking more regularly and refilling when done.
A more experienced athlete will not need these, or perhaps tolerate them, but for the individual who is developing healthy habits along with a new workout regimen, they can be motivational and helpful.
It has a plastic arch on the cap and a loop just underneath it, for easy carrying or clipping to a lanyard or hook. Its wide mouth suits loading it with ice or fruit and makes for easy cleaning.
The drinking channel is opened by pivoting the drinking feature using the thumb. Once finished, it is pivoted back into place, securing the seal over the head of the straw. It could be used on a bike, but is not ideal for it.
The pressure required to use the straw is adjustable to make drinking easy, and to avoid excess sounds from the seal. The straw is removable.
What we like
- The quality
- The dependable cap and drinking feature
- The loops for carrying
What we don’t
- No cover for the mouth piece
- Looks cheaper
Where is the best price?
The best volume ad weight, but at the cost of extra effort.
Key features:
- Size: 500ml
- Colour/Style: Ten colours, strap matches canister.
This leak proof, slim water bottle by Ion8, is made of BPA-free Triton plastic.
The body has a no-slip surface for easy gripping even when hands are sweaty or conditions are wet.
The cap system is a bit of a nuisance when cycling, but the carrying strap adds extra security and ease when walking or running with the bottle in hand, and can be used to hang it nearby when at the gym.
The lid cover pops open with one hand but is leak-proof when locked in place. The opening is free-flow, so there is no need to suck the water out when drinking.
There have been some problems associated with losing the small rubber piece that prevents leakage. Once it’s gone the bottle will leak badly unless upright. If you’re not overly rough or careless with it, it will last well and do the job well.
Unlike many plastic cups, this one can withstand contents with temperatures as low as -10°C to as high as 96°C, which makes it useful for cold-weather camping, skiing, or other extreme-condition activities – cool down or heat up to suit the environment, and don’t worry about the bottle being able to handle it.
It adds no plastic taste to contents and is easy to clean by hand or in the dishwasher.
What we like
- The quality
- The style
- The drinking system
What we don’t
- The strap isn’t removable
- The air intake can leak if tipped too far
Where is the best price?
Sainsbury’s – £6.00
Amazon – £8.99
This is a straightforward, smart-looking, reliable choice with a bit of understated flair.
Key features:
- Size: 650ml
- Colour/Style: Black, Turquoise, or Berry
The Polar Gear water bottle seems to be everything that a polar explorer would be looking for in equipment: simple and functional.
The lid screws on and has a flip-top drinking spout and removable straw. It doesn’t suit bike use, but is great for hanging on a hook at the gym for easy access.
A handy loop extension makes it easier to carry or attach to a clip or lanyard, and also protects the spout from direct contact with other objects – though there is no cover to protect from contamination or dirt.
In some cases, the seals on the lid are faulty or shift out of place, and need to be fixed to prevent leaking. The loop is also quite brittle, with a tendency to crack and break if roughly handled, so it isn’t well-suited to the rougher demands of hiking and some camping.
Made of Triton copolyester, this bottle is BPA-free and does not take on or change the taste of its contents.
What we like
- The simple design
- The flip top
What we don’t
- Some issues with quality control
- The straw seal shifts out of place
Where is the best price?
Amazon – £6.65
Sundried – £9.50
This is a well-designed, affordable bottle that looks even better in person than in the picture.
Key features:
- Size: 750ml
- Colour/Style: Clear, red cap interior
This BPA-free Tritan copolyester water bottle, by Sundried, has a sleek, techie design that suits the gym or the office.
It doesn’t have a strap or loop for hanging, but is the most reliable bottle for holding liquids without leakage – even when tipped on its side or inverted.
This bottle is made to feel like glass, but is durable against shattering. The drinking area is silicone, and produces a smooth, easy flow. Best of all, it is dishwasher safe.
What sets this bottle apart is the reliability of the silicone seal. The cap twists off – often with a squeak that is, unfortunately, the cost of the reliable seal – and then twists on again to keep the contents locked into the chanber.
This bottle best suits the office (but mind the squeak), the gym, or the yoga studio (again, that squeak), but is not suitable for cyclists or most outdoor activity enthusiasts.
What we like
- It doesn’t leak
- Looks even better in person than in the picture
- The price
What we don’t
- The screw top isn’t convenient
- The seal squeaks when being opened or closed
Where is the best price?
This is an inexpensive but functional bottle. The style is a bit unsophisticated, but it does the job it’s meant to do, and does it well.
Key features:
- Size: 460ml
- Colour/Style: Variety of colours
The Twist ‘n’ Sip, by Sistema, is a very low-cost, BPA-free water bottle, and comes in at a mere £2.50.
It isn’t designed with a particular sport or activity in mind, so there are no loops or straps to help keep it handy or out of the way.
It functions very much like a regular, disposable bottle, except that it can be reused.
The body is concave and has ridges to help you grip it easily. The lid is a simple screw-on design, with a drinking spout that opens and closes with a simple twist of the section below it. There is nothing to protect the spout from dirt and contamination.
The lid doesn’t leak, the bottle can be dropped without damage in most cases, and as there are no fancy finishes, it looks much the same a month after purchase as it does when new.
It’s not a fashion statement, and you won’t have friends at yoga ask you where you found it – but your bag will be dry and your body hydrated. Isn’t that the point of it in the first place?
It won’t last as long as more expensive bottles, but at £2.50 a bottle, we wouldn’t expect it to.
Using a reusable will reduce the number of plastic bottles in the landfills, and this is no exception – even if you throw one of these ones in the recycling bin every few weeks or months.
What we like
- The quality
- It doesn’t leak
- The price
What we don’t
- The lid needs to be disassembled for cleaning (easy, but inconvenient)
- The style is a bit juvenile
Let’s look at some of the key features that are important to consider when choosing a reusable water bottle.
Reliability (No Leakage)
This one is obvious: there’s no point in carrying something that’s going to dribble water into your bag, or onto your clothing. The body of most bottles is fine, but the problems occur in one of two areas.
The first is the seal around the base of the cap. This must be tight enough to create a reliable seal, reliable enough not to come loose, and must not have little ridges of cavities that hold water left over from washing or filling that will later dribble out.
The second is the drinking device. Some use suction to allow you to break the seal to drink, and then clamp shut. Others pop up, or out, to open a drinking channel.
Some have a lid that slides over the top, crimping a flexible straw. Other are simple screw-top lids with no special drinking device. Which one is right for you depends on how you use it, and on your personal preference.
Durability
Some water bottles will shatter if dropped on a hard surface. Others lose their beauty as designs wear off during regular use. Others fail at the drinking feature, and still others warp or change shape in the dishwasher.
Durability makes the difference between a bottle lasting a few days, to one lasting months or more. When we consider the cost spread over the days of use, some of the more expensive products start to show a lot more value overall.
Features
Do you need a quick-access drink feature? Do you need a strap or carrying device? Does it need to work with hot liquids as well as cold?
All of these are questions that affect which product best serves your use of it.
Style
We all know the feeling of owning something that’s perfectly functional, but we never use or wear it because the style doesn’t suit us.
What you carry in your hands is as much a part of your look as anything else – just consider the impact of the right handbag or watch. Water bottles are no different, so we’ll consider the style and design of these bottles too.
We’ll have you looking smart, and feeling great.
author's profile
Charlotte Johnston
Charlotte walks anywhere and everywhere she can. Although she hasn’t ticked off as many official routes as she’d like, she has walked her way around large parts of Latin America, Southeast Asia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.
Favourite routes include the Inca Trail, Acatenango in Guatemala, Mount Batur in Bali, the UK’s Three Peaks and all parts of the stunning Lake District.
Bucket list routes:
