The 5 Best Water Bottles Of 2024

Alicia Betz/Insider

Hydro Flask Wide Mouth Bottle

Hydro Flask Standard Mouth Bottle

• Material: Stainless steel
• Sizes: 18, 32, 40, and 64 ounces (wide), 18, 21, and 24 ounces (standard)

Pros: Various lid, size, and color options; easy to carry and clean; durable

Cons: Sustained some damage in drop tests

Hydro Flask is a great choice if you hate gulping warm water in the summer. It also offers some much-appreciated versatility, with a wide opening that fits three lids depending on your needs: a flip lid with a loop, a flex cap with an even larger loop (included), and a straw lid for more convenient sipping. We tested the Wide and Standard Mouth bottles, which are the easiest to clean.

The bottles come in a number of fun colors and have a carry loop so you can grab them one-handed. Depending on the size of your bottle, it may or may not fit in a standard car cupholder. Our 32-ounce wide bottle did not fit, while the 24-ounce standard bottle did.

In our drop test, this bottle got some dents and scratches but not enough to ruin the integrity of the bottle. It also performed well in our temperature retention test, increasing 6 degrees over 10 hours.

Another top performer is the Takeya Actives Water Bottle. It performed very well in our temperature test, and I like the protective bumper on the bottom that dulls the "thunk" of putting a stainless steel bottle down on the table. However, it got pretty bent up in our drop test.

Alicia Betz/Insider

• Material: Stainless steel
• Sizes: 14, 18, 22, 32, 40, 64, or 84 ounces

Pros: Durable, inexpensive, a plethora of sizes and patterns available, retains temperature well

Cons: None 

The Simple Modern Summit Water Bottle has been my go-to for years because it's durable and inexpensive. Even though this bottle is much cheaper than other stainless steel options in similar sizes, our testing did not reveal a major difference in quality. 

We tested the 32-ounce bottle, which does not fit in a car cupholder. The Summit is compatible with three different cap options: a straw lid, a chug lid, and a handle lid. I've used all three options, and while none leak, the chug lid and handle lid are easier to clean than the straw lid. 

Like other stainless steel bottles, the Summit retained cold water temperature very well. Over 10 hours, the water in the bottle rose 4 degrees. The bottle performed as well as any other stainless steel bottle in our drop test, sustaining only one minor dent.

Alicia Betz/Insider

• Material: Plastic
• Sizes: 20, 25, 32, and 50 ounces

Pros: Inexpensive, easy to clean, well-designed drinking spout

Cons: Average temperature retention 

While it may not keep water quite as cold as a stainless steel bottle, plastic bottles are budget-friendly and convenient. The CamelBak Chute Mag bottle is a solid option at a decent price, and it's available in a variety of colors. Magnets keep the top in place so it doesn't flop around while you're drinking. The lid also has a convenient carry loop. 

The bottle has a large screw cap to open for cleaning or adding ice cubes. For drinking, there is a smaller opening that also screws shut. It lets the right amount of water through; water won't splash on your face as can happen with wide-mouth bottles. 

In our temperature test, water reached room temperature after six hours, which was on par with the other plastic bottles we evaluated. We tested the 25-ounce bottle, which fit in a standard car cupholder. The CamelBak Chute Mag had one of the best performances during our drop test. It didn't leak and came away with just a few scratches.

The Nalgene Sustain Tritan was our second pick for the best plastic bottle. However, the narrow opening makes this bottle a bit harder to clean than our top pick.

Alicia Betz/Insider

• Material: Stainless steel
  
• Sizes: 20 and 32 ounces

Pros: Every size fits in a cupholder, durable, retains temperature extremely well 

Cons: Carry loop temporarily popped off in drop test 

Available in eight colors and two different sizes, the Klean Kanteen Classic Water Bottle passed all of our tests with flying colors. It fits in car cupholders and has a convenient swivel-carrying loop. The chip-resistant powder coat gives it a nice matte finish. There are also a lot of options when it comes to caps; the Klean Kanteen Classic is compatible with six different caps, all of which feature a carry handle. 

The bottle was one of our overall top performers in the temperature test; the water only rose 3 degrees over 10 hours. During our drop test, the carry loop popped off, but we were able to put it back on easily. Otherwise, the bottle fared very well with just a couple of scratches and no dents. Many of the other stainless steel bottles we tested sustained dents during the drop test.

The S'well Stainless Steel Water Bottle was a close second to our top stainless steel bottle. It got a bit more dented up in our drop test when compared to our top pick, and it's more expensive than a similarly sized Klean Kanteen bottle. 

Alicia Betz/Insider

• Material: Glass
• Sizes: 12, 16, and 22 ounces

Pros: Survived drop test, easy to clean, fits in car cupholders, keeps water fresh without an aftertaste 

Cons: Silicone sleeve ripped, doesn't retain temperature well 

If you hate that metallic or plastic taste you get with other water bottles, you'll appreciate the Lifefactory Glass Water Bottle. It keeps water fresh and untainted, even after a full day sitting in the bottle. You don't get the aftertaste that metal or plastic sometimes impart.

A substantial silicone sleeve protects the Lifefactory bottle from drops, though it's still less durable than stainless steel or shatter-resistant plastic. Unlike the other glass bottle we tested, the one from Lifefactory survived our drop test. 

The sleeve also provides a grippier surface for holding the bottle, which is great since glass "sweats" more than other materials. The sleeve on our bottle did begin to rip after only a couple of uses, but the rip has not gotten any larger after a couple of months. 

We tested the 22-ounce bottle, and it fits in a car cupholder. In the temperature test, the glass bottles performed similarly to plastic. Water in the Lifefactory Glass Water Bottle reached room temperature after six hours. 

Overall, the bottle is easy to clean. While the company notes that removing the silicone sleeve is not necessary, it is hard to remove if the need arises. They recommend removing the sleeve with warm soapy water when needed. 

You have a few lid options with Lifefactory water bottles: an active flip cap, a pivot straw cap, a classic cap, and a press-and-go cap. Additionally, water flows very nicely out of the flip cap opening. 

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We tested over 15 water bottles in total. While they didn't all make the final cut, many were very close seconds to our top picks. 

What else we recommend and why

CamelBak Podium: This inexpensive bottle is a good basic water bottle. However, opening and closing the spout isn't intuitive, and the bottle is difficult to clean. This was my three-year-old's favorite water bottle, and it doesn't leak when she forgets to close it (which is almost always). 

Nalgene Sustain Tritan Water Bottle: 

Hydaway Collapsible Bottle: If you need a travel bottle and don't have much room, this one is great to throw in your bag. However, it's not one we'd pick for everyday use. 

Yeti Rambler: Yeti is known for selling high-quality bottles that keep water very cold. We didn't love this particular design because the drinking spout often unscrews along with the cap. It's also much heavier than similarly performing bottles. 

Purist Mover: This bottle has a very sleek and minimalistic design. However, it's expensive for a small bottle, it's difficult to clean, and it doesn't have a carrying handle.

Zojirushi Stainless Steel Bottle: This bottle is more of a hot and cold thermos than a traditional water bottle. As such, it does keep water very cold, but there are multiple steps required to get to your water. 

What we don't recommend and why

Purifyou Premium: This water bottle performed similarly to our top glass pick until it shattered in our drop test.

Thermos Guardian: Thermos bottles do an excellent job of keeping water cold. However, we found this particular bottle difficult to clean, and it contains gaskets that may be more prone to getting moldy. 

Alicia Betz/Insider

To compare bottles and gauge performance, we put each through a set of standardized tests. We also factored in pricing and availability when choosing the best bottles. 

For information on water bottle materials and features, we spoke with two experts: Rolf Halden, PhD, professor and director of the Biodesign Center for Environmental Health Engineering at Arizona State University, and Mike Kreis, an REI Co-op sales specialist. 

Temperature-retention test: To test cold water retention, we filled each mug with cold tap water. We took the temperature of the water every hour for 10 hours. If the water reached room temperature before 10 hours was up, we stopped testing, as it was no longer retaining cold temperature.

Leak test: We filled each bottle with water and turned it upside down and shook it for a total of 30 seconds. We left the bottle lying on its side for ten minutes to look for leaks. We performed this test once at the beginning of our testing period and again at the end to ensure each bottle stayed leak-proof even after repeated use and after our drop test.

Drop test: Holding the bottle from 6 feet, we dropped each onto hard pavement. We noted any dents, scratches, leaks, or other damage. 

Ease-of-use test: We wanted to test how easy each water bottle was to drink from while on the go. We noted how easy each water bottle was to operate with one hand as well as how well the liquid flowed out of each. We also noted whether or not they fit in standard car cupholders. 

Cleaning test: Many bottles have gaskets or straws that can harbor mold if not properly cleaned. If lids were too complicated, difficult to disassemble or reassemble, or began to show signs of mold even after thorough cleaning, the water bottle lost points. Halden recommended picking a bottle with a wide mouth to aid in cleaning.

What's the best material for a water bottle? 

"For most intents and purposes, a metal bottle is a preferred choice," Halden told Insider. "[It's best] to choose a bottle made from a material compatible with the planned use and does not leach unwanted chemicals."

If you can afford a slightly more expensive bottle and don't need the most lightweight option, consider stainless steel instead of plastic. "Plastic bottles, while convenient and cheap, pose an elevated risk of chemicals and microplastics ending up in the drinking fluid," Halden said.

"Glass is great for eliminating the risk of leaching of chemicals from the container into the drinking water, but glass bottles easily break, and most are not compatible with freezing," Halden said. 

What size water bottle should I buy? 

Most bottles 32 ounces and above do not fit in cupholders, while most smaller bottles fit in standard cupholders.  When choosing a water bottle for yourself, remember to think about how you'll use it. Do you need the bottle to last you the whole day, or will you have refill opportunities? A bottle that is too large will be cumbersome.

What is the best way to clean a water bottle? 

"For metal bottles, pouring boiling water into the bottle, letting it sit, and then scrubbing the walls will remove any debris and kill bacteria that may be stuck to the inside walls," said Halden. "For plastic bottles, use of a detergent, gentle scrubbing, and lower temperature are better strategies, as excessive heat can degrade the plastic, compromise its structural integrity, and lead to the release of plastic monomers."

If you check the bottom of your water bottle, it should give information about whether it's dishwasher safe.

What does BPA-free mean?

BPA-free refers to any water bottle that does not contain the compound Bisphenol A (i.e. BPA). BPA exposure is believed to have negative health effects including the compromised development of the brain and prostate gland, obesity, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), and endometrial hyperplasia (among several other concerns.

How do I know if a water bottle is BPA-free? 

Only a chemical analysis can prove that a bottle is BPA-free.

"The label 'BPA free' is not necessarily informative because manufacturers have replaced regular BPA with modified BPA, such as fluorinated BPA, which may raise even greater health concerns than BPA itself," Halden said. 

How often should I wash my water bottle? 

It's recommended that you wash your bottles daily.

"Soaking it overnight with compatible dish detergents will keep all microbiological risks at bay and also helps to remove dried residue from shakes and other 'chunky' drinks," Halden said.

Les Shu/Insider

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