Most of us know that single-use bottles are a major contributor to plastic pollution. That's why owning a good quality, reusable water bottle is essential in 2022.
As someone who lives in a hot climate and spends a lot of time outdoors, I know how important it is to stay hydrated. But I absolutely reject any single-use plastic.
So for the last six months, I've made it my mission to research and test reusable water bottles, to discover which ones would truly last a lifetime.
The best eco-friendly water bottles are non-toxic, BPA-free, durable, and leakproof. Sadly, I found that many products on the market don't meet those criteria.
But there are some that do!
Today, I'm going to show you which ones are best, both for you and for the planet.
They Say: If you’re looking for double the healthy hydration, you’re looking for our 32 oz Stein water bottle. And even though it’s twice the size of a standard single-use plastic water bottle, it’s still lightweight and super comfortable to carry, making it ideal for anyone who might need to go a little longer without refilling.
We Say: Healthy Human is a Certified B Corporation, and every water bottle or tumbler you purchase removes 1kg (2.20lbs) of ocean plastic through their Recycle and Recover program.
My favorite Healthy Human water bottle is the 32oz Stein Bottle.
Made from high-quality stainless steel and safe to use in the dishwasher, this bottle has a whole host of benefits, including:
Available in over 20 colors and patterns, you’re sure to find something to suit your style.
Free U.S. shipping is available on all orders over $60, and a 30-day money-back guarantee covers your purchase.
They Say: TempShield™ double wall vacuum insulation eliminates condensation and keeps your beverage cold or hot for hours. Durable 18/8 pro-grade stainless steel construction won’t retain or transfer flavor. Our signature powder coat is easy to grip, sweat-free, and durable – so you can take your Hydro Flask anywhere. We are so convinced that Hydro Flask is the best available that we guarantee every bottle with a limited lifetime warranty against manufacturer defects.
We Say: Hydro Flask appears to be the ‘go-to’ water bottle brand at the moment. My wife takes one everywhere she goes, and so do all her yoga mum friends. After testing it out for myself, I can see why.
There is a range of options in terms of capacity, neck size, straw, and color. There are even lightweight options for hikers who want to keep their backpack weight down.
I went for the USA Limited Edition 21 oz, Standard Mouth, no straw (costing $39.95).
I feel the standard mouth is wide enough and very easy to drink out without spillage. If you’re going to be putting in large ice cubes or fruit you might want to consider one of the wide mouth options.
Hydro Flask reusable water bottles are made from pro-grade 18/8 stainless steel. They’re wrapped in a powder coating that protects the steel and gives extra grip to prevent the bottle from slipping in your hands.
TempShield™ technology helps keep cold drinks cold for 24 hours and hot drinks hot for 12 hours.
Hydro Flask reusable water bottles are BPA-free and contain zero phthalates. They also come with a lifetime warranty, and free shipping is available on orders over $30.
Hydro Flask is one seriously green-focused company. Not surprising, considering that their HQ is nestled amongst the mountains, rivers, and lakes of Bend, Oregon.
Their Parks For All program “supports nonprofit organizations focused on building, maintaining, restoring, and providing better access to parks”. A percentage of every purchase is donated to the program. To date, the Hydro Flask Parks For All program has donated $1.9M and 55,958 bottles to 122 eco-friendly non-profit organizations.
The eco-credentials don’t stop there. If you buy one of the limited edition RefillForGood bottles, you will be helping donate $100,000 toward the Surfrider Foundation. That equates to 7,600 lbs of trash removed from beaches.
So. What’s not to love about Hydro Flask? They make some of the best eco-friendly water bottles in the world at a decent price point while treading as gently on the planet as they possibly can. BRAVO!
There are many health benefits of drinking water. In particular, water helps to:
To keep our body in tip-top shape, we need to drink around two liters of water per day.
A nice simple way to hit this goal is to stick to the 8x8 rule. Get yourself an eight-ounce glass and fill and drink it eight times over the course of the day. This will get you to your two-liter target.
You may need to drink more water in certain circumstances (if you exercise a lot or are pregnant, for example), but the 8x8 rule will work just fine for most of us.
Sticking to the 8x8 rule is easy if you’re at home or in the office all day, but what about the weekends or when you are away from taps?
It’s all too easy these days to buy bottled water. However, the environmental and human health implications are worrying.
I’ve covered this in a previous article (you can read more about why plastic bottles are bad here), but the bottom line is you should be steering clear of bottled water and carrying a reusable bottle instead.
They Say: Great for when you are practicing yoga, relaxing at the beach, or out and about. Copper purifies the water by killing harmful bacteria and prevents the water from going stale. Health benefits of drinking from a copper bottle are known to include boosting brain power, anti-aging, and weight loss.
We Say: I’m developing a bit of a healthy obsession with Australian yoga and beach lifestyle brand, Mikkoa.
I’ve used/recommended them in the past for yoga mats and phone cases, and when I saw they also did copper water bottles, I simply had to get my hands on one.
I love drinking out of copper (hence why I recommended the stunning but expensive Sertodo Recycled Copper Moscow Mules For Four Set in my sustainable dinnerware article), and this water bottle did not disappoint.
It’s one of the best eco-friendly water bottles on the market. Handmade from high-quality copper, which is known for its antibacterial properties, this bottle is excellent for purifying water and keeping it ice cold.
The bottle has a stylish design, making it perfect for taking to the gym, yoga class, or on a hike.
Mikkoa will plant a tree on your behalf when you purchase this water bottle. I feel this helps offset the environmental impact of shipping from Australia to the U.S.
They Say: Our simple, beautiful water bottles have kept us hydrated for more than 15 years. Today we make a water bottle for every use, including small 12oz bottles for kids and quick trips, up to large insulated 64oz bottles that will keep ice for up to 145 hours. Durable stainless steel water bottles, like our lightweight single-wall Classic bottles to our double-wall vacuum insulated bottles, keep you drinking water all day long. We offer a variety of sport, chug and straw cap options for your fitness, work outs, running and active sports lifestyle.
We Say: Klean Kanteen knows a thing or two about stainless steel water bottles. They should do; they’ve been making them for over 15 years!
The entry-level option (Classic 27 oz) has a great price point and even comes with a powder coat finish for extra durability. However, I’ve noticed that the insulating ability of this model does struggle in high temperatures.
If ice water on the go is crucial to you, consider upgrading to an insulated model. The Insulated Classic will keep hot drinks hot for 20 hours and cold drinks cold for 50 hours.
Klean Kanteen is a certified B Corp, and they give back a portion of sales through the ‘1% for the Planet’ scheme. They’re also a Carbon Neutral certified business.
In 2017, Klean Kanteen installed 216 high-efficiency solar panels at their corporate headquarters. The system now supplies 100% of the building’s electricity, all thanks to the plentiful California sunshine.
They Say: Our glass bottles are BPA, BPS, PVC, Lead and Cadmium free. They won’t leach chemicals similar to plastic, won’t grow bacteria in its scratches, or rust like metal. Medical grade borosilicate glass (think pyrex) expands and contract very little in extreme temps - preventing cracking in extreme hot or cold. Origin gives 2% of revenue to non-profit water well drilling in rural Ghana to address the most persistent needs of those living in extreme poverty. Your purchase helps save lives through clean water.
We Say: Origin glass water bottles are fantastic to drink from. I went for the 22oz, lime green, Square Cut Out Silicone Sleeve option.
The bottle is great to look at, and the silicone sleeve offers good protection. On more than one occasion, it has fallen from my gym bag onto the locker room floor and survived unscathed.
The insulation properties of this bottle are not great. That’s the trade-off with a glass option.
There are plenty of other options available (wide neck, narrow neck, kids, fruit infuser, etc.) and also a range of different colors. The leak-proof bamboo lid is a nice option as well (looks great and is eco-friendly).
I particularly like Origin’s commitment to donate 2% of revenue to help with the water crisis in rural Ghana.
A lovely range of eco-friendly water bottles that are helping do some outstanding work over in Ghana. Win-Win!
They Say: Removes 99.999999% of bacteria (including E.coli, Salmonella), 99.999% of parasites (including Giardia and Cryptosporidium), 99.999% of microplastics, silt, sand, and cloudiness. Reduces chlorine, organic chemical matter, and bad odors for improved taste. Durable and BPA Free, independently lab tested to meet drinking water protocols established by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and NSF International/ANSI. Your purchase has impact: one purchase, one child, one year of safe water.
We Say: I filter my water whenever possible for both taste and health reasons. Sometimes, it’s not possible to have access to filtered water to top up your bottle when out and about.
The Lifestraw Go Water Filter Bottle solves this problem by filtering the water for you every time you top it up.
Many companies are offering this option nowadays, but I went with Lifestraw because of their commitment to providing a full year of clean drinking water to a child in the developing world for every bottle sold.
The bottle is made from BPA-free plastic, and while not as durable as glass or stainless steel, I still feel it will last a very long time.
When choosing a reusable water bottle, you need to consider two key areas, the bottle itself and the company behind it.
There are three main types of material used to make eco-friendly water bottles:
How your water bottle is produced is just as important as what materials it’s made from.
Where possible, you should try to buy from companies that support sustainable business practices and treat their workforce ethically.
Personally, I also like to dig a little deeper to find out about things such as carbon emissions, using recyclable packaging, planting trees, renewable energy, community enterprises, charitable donations, etc.
BPA-free stainless steel is the most eco-friendly material for reusable water bottles. It's durable, safe, can last a lifetime, and is recyclable if needed.
Glass is another good option, although it is less durable and can break more easily.
In terms of the quality of water inside your bottle, glass is the healthiest, followed by stainless steel, then plastic.
The most important thing is to always choose a water bottle that’s BPA-free.
Metal bottles are better than plastic bottles for several reasons:
Yes, reusable bottles are always better for the environment than single-use plastic water bottles, which are most certainly not environmentally friendly.
Plastic waste is a huge global issue, and plastic bottles are a major contributor to this. Reusable bottles, like the ones listed in this article, are much kinder to the planet.
Yes, Hydro Flask bottles are plastic-free and just about as eco-friendly as you can get! That's why we recommend them so highly.
Staying hydrated on the go is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle, but it should not be done at the expense of nature.
Investing in a good quality, BPA-free, eco-friendly water bottle is a sustainable solution that will serve you and the planet for many years to come.
I prefer a stainless steel water bottle as I like ice-cold water. I do, however, see the benefit of glass and even plastic. It’s all down to personal choice.
Whatever choice you make, PLEASE ditch the single-use bottled water and carry an eco-friendly water bottle everywhere you go. Your great-grandchildren will thank you!