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The best reusable water bottles for eco-friendly hydration
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Best Overall
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Plenty Of Choice: Chilly's Bottles |
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Check Price |
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Best Stainless Steel
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Designer Pick: Ted Baker Hexagonal Drinks Bottle |
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Check Price |
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Best For Carbonated Water
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Stylish Design: Aarke Drinks Bottle |
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Check Price |
Reusable water bottles are better for the planet AND your wallet.
The average person could save 1,000 bottles from going into landfills over the next 3 years, and may even save over £1,00 by making use of the free refill stations popping up around the UK and in shops.
You likely need yours to be robust, leak-proof and a nice size to fit in your work bag while keeping your water at nice drinking temperature.
We’ve taken over 30 of the best-selling bottles around and narrowed them down into a list which is near-faultless, helping you to stay hydrated and eco-conscious.
One of the best-known brands for reusable bottles, this bottle has all of the pros of a stainless steel pick.
There’s a choice of dozens of designs to make everyone happy, whether you’re after a fun neon finish or something a bit more plain and simple. You can also choose between four sizes, going up to 1.8L for those who need something to see them through the day.
The double-wall vacuum insulation maintains temperatures inside, whether you’re in a heatwave or arctic conditions. This applies to both hot and cold drinks, keeping the former warm for 12 hours and the latter cold for 24 hours.
Stainless steel, it is rust-proof and food-grade, limiting the risk of tainting the flavour of your drink and being easy to clean.
Leakproof lid
No condensation
Huge choice of colours, sizes and prints
Big brand? Tick. Practical? Tick. Looks the part? Tick.
Perhaps not the brand you’d initially run to when trying to buy a reusable water bottle, but this Ted Baker bottle is perfect for any men out there who want to be eco-conscious and practical but not damage their designer credentials.
It has a unique design with a hexagonal lid, which adds a nice twist and also makes it easy to grip for opening. Available in black or navy, it is a good pick if you’re after something which looks professional, but can be taken from A to B.
Easy open lid
Keeps drinks hot or cold
Looks professional
You want glass, but the practicality of glass is not very good in terms of your lifestyle. So, why not opt for a drinks bottle which has the look of glass, but is actually plastic?
This Aarke bottle is ideal for something which looks classy and is seethrough for water visibility, yet still feels practical. The 800ml size is great for an all-day pick, and the stainless steel lid and base mean you can put it on the table and not worry too much about it shattering.
It is also compatible with the Aarke Carbonator II Sparkling Water Maker, so if you fancy a fizzy change, this little add-on will give you something different to plain old tap water.
Perfect for still or fizzy water
Really stylish
Struggle to get your full 2L of water every day? Buying a bottle is a great way to set a target, but it is no good if you can’t see how you’re getting on and then have to down a litre before bed.
So, this bottle will help you set targets throughout the day. Every 50ml is marked so you could aim to complete one of these every hour during your 8-hour desk work slog, but it is also good to know how much you can drink without thinking about it until it becomes a habit.
It’s BPA free, won’t build up with condensation and is also 100% leak-proof, with a handy flip lid which makes access easy.
Colour picks
Easy to drink from
Comes with a lanyard
Want something which is truly long-lasting? Even after hundreds of dishwasher cycles, this bottle promises to retain its looks and practicality.
Yes, we said dishwasher, because it is dishwasher-safe too. It’s shatterproof, and won’t warp or scratch. You can also microwave it without the lid and pop it in the fridge or freezer, just in case these things are necessary.
There’s a finger loop to make it a bit easier to carry, and the flip lid is simple to open. There’s also a nice wide mouth sipper, and it’s relatively leakproof, so would be a good budget pick if you need to take something on a run with you.
Easy flip lid drink spout
Grip shape with finger indents
Finger loop if you need to attach it to a belt
The BPA-free Tritan polymer plastic which this bottle is made from feels and tastes like glass, but gives you the safety and ease of use of plastic.
It is tough enough to stand up to knocks, making it more practical than something like glass, and when it is properly sealed up it is completely leakproof. Stylish, it has been designed to not only be used every single day but also look the part.
The rubber mouthpiece is comfortable to drink from which is good if you have a sensitive mouth and are wary of edges or sharp bits, and it is also removable to fully clean it which will stop mould. This can take more effort than with a smooth mouthpiece, though.
Feels and tastes like glass
Shatter-resistant
Traditional lid - a bit less 'sporty'
We like these bottles because although they are stainless steel, the don’t *look* stainless steel. With designs such as marble, wood teak and Sparkling Champagne, they’re good if you want a style statement.
Because they’re vacuum insulated, they can keep beverages cold for 24 hours or hot for 12. The 18/8 stainless steel is strong and safe for all drinks, and the lid is nice and easy to open and tighten.
You have to hand wash it, but grab a bottle brush and it cleans really well.
Great options to pick from
Keeps water cool for ages
Great if you’re off camping (or need something which makes it look like you’re a real outdoors person). This bottle is even camp boiling proof, so if you need to heat some water when you’re away from home, you can do it in this bottle.
It is a stainless steel bottle with a bamboo lid and comes unpainted so if it does end up getting scratched or dented, it won’t ruin the look. The wide opening neck makes it hygienic as there are no fiddly parts to clean, and you can see inside the bottle.
You can also add infused fruit or ice cubes to the bottle through the neck. Available in three sizes, opt for the small one if you need something easy to carry or the large for a long trip away from resources.
Campfire proof
Large opening for adding ice cubes and fruit
Reusable water bottles are beneficial. But there is no denying that when you’re heading home, it can be annoying carrying an empty bottle back with you.
So, this collapsible bottle will come in handy when you’ve consumed all of the water. Unlike a lot of the other collapsible bottles out there, it holds its shape once it is popped up again, and won’t become fragile.
They roll up easily and is a strong enough material to stand on its own even without water. A wide-mouth design is simple to drink from and will allow easier cleaning, and it will accept temperatures between -40 to 100°C.
A few people have commented about the taste of plastic tainting the drinks, but a soak overnight with green tea will solve this problem.
Choice of colours
Can clip on to your belt/bag
Cheap, large capacity, sports top for easy drinking and with handy measurements in case you’re using hydration powders or even just simple old dilute fruit juice.
There is a good chance this will tick at least one of your boxes, whether you’re after something on a budget or large. The soft rubber nozzle is comfortable to drink out of, and the ergonomic shape is simple to grip.
It’s BPA free and the lockable valve will ensure that it won’t leak all over your work bag. It is a budget pick but you can get better quality for not much more money.
Large size
Lockable valve
You have a choice of three main materials here – plastic, metal or glass.
The former is a material which people can be trying to avoid. However, if in a reusable piece of equipment, they are usually more substantial and can be used for years. They are also shatter- and dent-proof, and lightweight. When at the end of their life, the plastic can be recycled.
Look out for BPA-free plastic, and also something which is easy to wash as plastic can pick up flavours and affect the taste of the drink.
Metal bottles are usually stainless steel. They’re good for keeping drinks cooler for longer and can withstand knocks, but they are heavier and bulkier usually. You will generally pay a bit more for them than plastic variations.
Glass is best for cleaning, and won’t impact the flavour of your drink. They are easy to look after but obviously aren’t the best if you’re on the go or active because of the shatter risk. Some are reinforced to protect against shattering as much as possible, however.
How much water should you be drinking every day? Well, it depends on a lot of factors, but they say that for men it is an average of 3.7L per day.
You’d struggle to find a bottle which is quite so large yet comfortable to carry with you every day, so most reusable, transportable water bottles are around the 500-800ml mark.
How large you go depends on how much you need to drink throughout the day when away from home, and how big your bottle can be. You may want something small at 250ml which is simple to carry in your work bag, or a large bottle you don’t have to keep refilling.
Either way, there are plenty of choices out there, and some bottles are even available in various sizes.
Bottles need to be easy to clean so they don’t attract mould and dirt.
The materials which bottles are made out of should all be easy to keep clean, but also look for things like a wide neck and opening for easier internal cleaning. Many are handwash only, but if this doesn’t fit with your lifestyle you can opt to buy one which is dishwasher safe.
A bottle brush or sponge may come in handy, as will a bottle where the lid can be taken apart and fully cleaned.
You may want to pay attention to the lid. Some bottles will have sports lids which are good if you are on-the-go or active, as they can be drunk from easily.
If you’re concerned about the bottle leaking in a bag, look for something leak-proof and secure. If the style is a concern, a screw-top lid will likely look the nicest.
Always aim to drink a certain amount every day? Opt for a large bottle with a content indicator which will tell you how much water is left to go at a glance.
Aside from keeping all of those single-use bottles out of the landfill (because we can’t always guarantee they are actually recycled), a reusable water bottle will allow you to make use of free water fountains and taps which are popping up around the UK. This will save you money in the long run.
A reusable water bottle takes less oil to produce, too, and you can make use of materials such as metal which can keep drinks cooler for longer.
“But why can’t I reuse my single-use bottle?” you ask. Well, over time, they can leak chemicals and bacteria can start to form, so you should always wash bottles in between every use.
