Your Guide to Water Bottle Brands

Finding the perfect water bottle is a very difficult task. If you are like me, your cabinet is filled with different kinds of water bottles and water bottle brands. That is because I, like many people, am very particular about how water tastes, having cold water, and the perfect water bottle.

There are many things to consider in the perfect water bottle: eco-friendliness, size, insulation, price, weight, durability, and sometimes even color. Most of these top water bottle brands make many different models. So if you can narrow down your water bottle brand, you can usually find your perfect water bottle.

Below I will go through the features of the most popular water bottle brands and recommend my favorites, but again, remember I am particular and there are other choices from these water bottle brands.

Yeti is probably the trendiest and most expensive water bottle brand out there. But for good reason. It is designed with outdoorsy people in mind- they often show hunters and fisherman in their advertisement to show the bottle’s ruggedness. Yeti makes high-quality, double-wall vacuum insulated water bottles that keep your water cold and your coffee hot. They are scratch resistant due to a DuraCoat and sweat-resistant. They are also dishwasher safe, which is hard to find in quality water bottles. However, they do not offer the lifetime warranty that many other brands offer. They have many different sizes and colors: 18 oz, 26 oz, 36 oz, 64 oz, and rambler just to name a few.

My favorite is the 30 oz Tumbler with the Magslider lid. It fits in my cup holder, can be used for hot or cold liquids, and uses magnets to keep the lid closed. It is about $35 and worth every penny.

Hydro Flask is very similarly designed to the Yeti. The main differences are that Hydro Flask is usually less expensive, but it does not keep liquids hot and/or cold as long (read more here). With that being said, it is designed to keep hot liquids hot for 12 hours and cold liquids cold for 24 hours, which may be enough if you are using it for an everyday bottle.  Also, you cannot put Hydro Flask in the dishwasher- hand wash only! It has the powder coat for slip-free grip. The company has a lifetime warranty.

It also comes in different sizes and colors: 18 oz and 32 oz, 40 oz in wide-mouth and 21 oz in standard mouth- just to name a few. Hydro Flask also makes kids’ water bottles. Check out our article about kids’ water bottles.

My favorite is the 24 oz sports bottle because it keeps my water cold, fits in my cup holder and you can buy different lids if you prefer a flex or sports cap.

Another very popular water bottle brand is S’well. Like all the other companies listed, S’well bottles are BPA free. They use the same 18/8 stainless steel as the above mentioned water bottle brands. It keeps your drinks cold for 24 hours and hot for 12. S’well is a supporter of UNICEF, American forests, and (Red). They have a slim, sleek look and fit in your cup holder. S’well offers a one-year warranty only. They also have a lot of sizes and fun colors and designs: 25 oz, 17 oz. They also offer kids bottles and was one of our winners in our best water bottles for school article.

My favorite is the smaller 17 oz below because it fits in my bag and cup holder. And I love this fun color! 

Contigo has many different options of water bottles: the autospout, autoseal, kids water bottles, screw caps, plastic in all different sizes. They are also one of the most reasonably priced water bottle brands on the market. The Thermalock vacuum insulation keeps your drinks cold for up to 28 hours. Even though Contigo is a more reasonably priced bottle (around $15-$20), it still has a lifetime guarantee (although limited).

The autoseal 24 oz bottle is my favorite because it has a loop for carrying, is completely spill-proof because you have to push a button to drink. It is also toddler-proof because there is a cap that closes over the closed hole- genius! It fits in my cup holder and the lid is dishwasher-safe. However, it is pretty heavy when full.

Nalgene is a stead-fast water bottle brand, which is why the call themselves “The Original Water Bottle.” It is a durable brand, best known for its BPA-free, plastic, 32 oz wide mouthed bottles. However, they now have a few stainless steel options. They have a variety of kids’ bottles. They are the most cost-effective bottle out there. However, they are not dishwasher safe. My favorite is the Nalgene On the Fly because it is light-weight and fits in my cup holder. It also costs about $10!

Klean Kanteen is another very popular brand. They have the classic non-insulated bottle that is lightweight. Their double-wall insulated bottles keep liquids cold for 50 hours and hot for 20 (the 64 oz size keeps cold for 100 hrs)! They are made of the 18/8 stainless steel. They have the KLEAN coat that keeps the bottles from scratching and chipping; they use a tool called GreenScreen to ensure these materials are safe for not just humans, but also the environment. They are known for their commitment to the environment. All their bottles are backed by a lifetime warranty. They have many different variations and colors like the wide-mouthed coffee mug, tumbler, and pint glasses just to name a few. My favorite is the double-walled 20 oz bottle below. It keeps my water cold for way longer than I need it, fits great in my bag and cup holder. However, it cannot go in the dishwasher and is a bit heavy when full.

I have just gone through the top water bottle brands on the market. You really cannot go wrong with any of these water bottle brands. It depends on what size, shape, and material you want. I have given my favorite for each brand, but they all have many different options.

Let me know your favorite in the comments!

You may also enjoy reading the Best Water Bottle for School and the Best Personal Blender for Smoothies.