The Best Insulated Water Bottles
Insulated water bottles are amazing. They can keep hot drinks hot, cold drinks cold, and hydration within reach. But thanks to their popularity, the market is flooded with different options, designs, and prices. To whittle down the sea of different bottles, we've compiled a list of our top picks. Read on for our in-depth reviews of the best insulated water bottles.
What to Look For
We take our hydration seriously, so we set some pretty high standards in our search. We used the following questions to guide us: Is it durable? Does the insulated design maintain drink temperatures for a long time? Does the cap have a straw or clip? Is it easy to clean? Is the price fair for the quality? With these in mind, we
Hydro Flask Standard Mouth Bottle with Flex Cap
The gold standard
In the world of insulated bottles, Hydro Flasks are basically the pioneers of quality design. They’re easy to clean, extremely durable, surprisingly lightweight, and keep beverages hot, cold, and any temperature in between for a long time. In fact, we’ve even cracked open a bottle of coffee after a whole workday and were shocked to discover it was still hot and delicious. But even if you use your Hydro Flask for just water, it’s still a great all-around vessel for all your hydration needs.
Pros:
- Can keep ice water chilled for a full 24 hours
- Available in a wide range of stylish colors
- Excellent cap screws on and off easily
- Totally leakproof
Cons:
- They’re a bit more expensive than most options, though they’re also of generally higher quality
- Considered “hand-wash only,” though we’ve washed them in gentle dishwasher cycles without a problem
Iron Flask Sports Water Bottle
Sip in style
With a stainless steel construction, a leak-proof lid, a 40-ounce capacity, and a fashionable style, this water bottle’s low price may surprise you. But our favorite part is the awesome straw, which pops up from the lid for easy access to hydration. This also makes it one of the best for sports. Better yet, if you get tired of the straw lid, this option also comes with two additional lids. One is a stainless-steel screwtop, and the other has a flip lid for taking quick sips.
Pros:
- Great value for the price
- Includes three types of lids
- Doesn’t leave a metallic taste
- Ice cubes can stay unmelted for a full workday
- The straw tube reaches the bottom so you can get every last sip
Cons:
- The straw has to be cleaned fairly regularly, though this is easy and expected
Hydro Flask Wide Mouth Straw Lid
Bigger gulps
We’ve already gushed about Hydro Flasks before, but this one caters to those that like to take big gulps. It has a wide mouth and a straw, so you can choose how to drink your drink in the heat of the moment. We especially enjoy how easy it is to unscrew the lid, which is surprising since it’s so watertight. Indeed, the leak-proof design doesn’t demand that you screw it on with all your strength to avoid drips. And because this is Hydro Flask, it has all the other great features, too, like excellent insulation, durability, and value for the price.
Pros:
- Dishwasher safe
- Available in jumbo sizes, too
- The lid has a loop for adding a clip and carrying with just a finger
- Durable and lightweight, so it’s great for outdoor activities and fitness
Cons:
- Dents and scratches are almost impossible to fix
Stanley Classic Trigger Action Travel Mug
Keep the heat
We enjoy our coffee hot, which is why this insulated bottle from Stanley is so useful. It can keep hot drinks hot all day long, and it’s also great for iced coffees and other chilled beverages, too. It’s another fantastic overall option, though we elected it best for coffee due to the shape of the lid, which has a sippy hole similar in shape to disposable coffee cup lids.
Pros:
- Fits most cupholders
- The well-placed trigger keeps the lid closed until you need to take a drink
- Both the lid and bottle are dishwasher safe
- Relatively inexpensive
Cons:
- If you want to swap out your coffee for water, you have to wash the lid thoroughly to remove all hints of coffee flavor
Hydro Flask Kids Wide Mouth Straw Lid Bottle
The superior sippy cup
With this Hydro Flask, you can give your kid’s sippy cup a major upgrade. It sports a colorful flip-up straw that’s perfectly sized for a kid’s parched mouths, and the lid ring is easy to grip and hold for little hands. We also appreciate the rubbery “boot” on the bottom half of the bottle, which protects surfaces from heavy-handed youngsters.
Pros:
- Available in many fun color options
- Kid-sized, so you don’t have to carry it around yourself
- Great for keeping milk warm and water chilled on hikes
Cons:
- Smaller size often requires more frequent refills
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an insulated water bottle?
Insulated water bottles are vessels with double walls so that they can maintain the temperature of the contents for long periods of time. This simple design is enough to keep hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold for hours at a time. Of course, your drink will eventually warm or cool to the temperature of the environment, but not after a longer time than single-walled bottles.
How do you clean a water bottle straw?
Some options can be placed right in the dishwasher, though some are intended for hand-washing only. In the latter case, you can run warm water through the straw with some dish soap. Once it’s soaped up, you can use a pipe cleaner to remove the gunk. Many, if not most, options come with perfectly-sized pipe cleaners for this exact purpose.
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