The Best Water Bottles to Stave off Your Chronic Dehydration
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The Best Water Bottles to Stave off Your Chronic Dehydration
We updated this article in June 2022 to ensure all picks tested and vetted by the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Culinary Innovation Lab were available, in stock and correctly priced.
Investing in a reusable water bottle that you can refill throughout the day is a simple way to increase your daily water intake. Carrying a water bottle around with you makes you more likely to stay hydrated. Plus, the benefits for the environment (and your wallet!) make the purchase worth it. Whether you want a water bottle to keep your water cold throughout a long workday, for working out or for long car rides – there's a water bottle for your lifestyle.
In the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Culinary Innovation Lab, we test an assortment of beverage-related products from travel coffee mugs to electric tea kettles. When we test water bottles, we assess features like temperature retention, durability and cleanability.
Here are the best water bottles to buy in 2022, according to a combination of in-Lab and real-life testing:
Hearst Owned - 2/13
Rambler 26 oz. Bottle with Chug Cap
YETI
amazon.com
$40.00
Yeti is a versatile water bottle brand that offers a variety of sizes, shapes and colors. This 26-ounce Rambler is a great everyday option that's comfortable to hold, doesn't sweat and is easy to drink out of thanks to the perfectly sized cap. Like all of Yeti's Ramblers, this water bottle's lid has an oversized handle that makes it easy to hold and unscrews smoothly. The lids are all interchangeable amongst the various Rambler bottles that range in size from 12 ounces to 64 ounces. Nicole Papantoniou, Director of the Good Housekeeping Kitchen Appliances and Culinary Innovation Lab, loves this feature.
Papantoniou's favorite part about this water bottle is that it's dishwasher safe, which isn't common when it comes to insulated water bottles. (The dishwasher's tough environment can deform the seal on bottles that aren't dishwasher safe and ruin the exterior over time.) After numerous runs in the dishwasher, our testing supports this — the colors on three different water bottles are still as bright and vibrant as they were when we began testing last year. The Rambler's wide mouth also makes it easy to wash by hand (or add ice cubes to!).
YETI - 3/13
eddy+ Water Bottle
CamelBak
amazon.com
$13.72
For around $15, it’s hard to beat the value of the CamelBak eddy+. Made of durable, dishwasher-safe plastic that comes in a variety of colors from lavender to sky blue. This water bottle holds 25 ounces and is the perfect size to tote around all day with its easy-to-carry two-finger loop handle — it even fits in most car and bicycle cup holders. The bite valve straw makes it easy to sip from on the go and prevents spills and splashes (though we don't recommend tossing it into a bag, as it's not leak-proof). CamelBak stands behind their products so much so that they offer a lifetime warranty.
Camelbak - 4/13
Lightweight Trail Series Water Bottle
Hydro Flask
amazon.com
$39.95
Hydro Flask's 21-ounce Trail Series bottle is not only our top pick for a stainless steel water bottle, but it's also a great choice for taking on the go whether you are hiking or camping. It's slim, noticeably lightweight and kept drinks at the same temperature for hours in our road test. Its walls are made of thinner stainless steel than competitors, which makes it lighter and easier to carry on long treks. It comes in three different colors, and in a 24- and 32-ounce size.
Hydro Flask - 5/13
Actives Insulated Water Bottle
Takeya
amazon.com
$34.99
One of our editors says this Takeya bottle is her go-to for everything from working out to traveling, thanks to its smart details. The spout is easy to flip open and wide enough to sip out of mid-workout. It's insulated and doesn't sweat, and its matte finish makes it easy to grasp. Plus, it has a silicone grip on the bottom, which helps the bottle stay in place in a cup holder or on a table. "My favorite is that there’s a grippy strip around the lid, which makes it easy to open the top if it’s been tightened too much," says our editor. The wide mouth makes it easy to fill and easy to clean, though it's not dishwasher safe. This style of water bottle comes in a range of sizes and lid options — there’s even one for kids.
Takeya - 6/13
Insulated TKWide Water Bottle
KleanKanteen
kleankanteen.com
$44.95
This ultra-portable water bottle is one of Papantoniou's favorites, particularly for its covered rubber spout that won't hurt teeth when sipping on the go. Its lid also screws off relatively easy if you prefer to drink out of a wide mouth. At 32 ounces, this KleanKanteen water bottle is large but holdable with a sturdy carrying handle that's durable enough to clip to a hiking backpack. Its insulated design keeps contents cold or up to 47 hours or hot for up to 14 hours, according to the manufacturer. (If you opt to use this, or any, water bottle for hot beverages choose a lid with a smaller drinking spout to prevent potential burns. KleanKanteen sells an assortment of compatible lids, including this cafe cup for hot beverages.) Its wide mouth allows for easy filling and cleaning. Plus, it’s dishwasher-safe, which is not common for most insulated water bottles.
KleanKanteen - 7/13
12 oz. Kids Wide Mouth Water Bottle
Hydro Flask
amazon.com
$29.95
Hydro Flask not only makes great water bottles for adults, but also offers easy-to-use water bottles for children and toddlers. The Hydro Flask 12-ounce Kids Wide Mouth water bottle is easy for little fingers to grasp thanks to its narrow width and silicone sleeve, which also makes the bottle slip-proof. Its short spout easily flips open and functions as a straw, perfect for new water drinkers. It comes in a variety of colors and there's an area on the bottom of the bottle where you can write your child's name. The wide mouth makes the bottle easy to clean and allows for you to fit ice cubes inside. Keep in mind that if the straw lid is left open and not secured close, there is a chance the water bottle could leak.
Hydro Flask - 8/13
Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle
S'well
amazon.com
$29.95
According to S'well, this triple-layered, vacuum-insulated construction keeps beverages cold for 36 hours and hot for 18 and resists any condensation from forming on the exterior of the bottles. Bottles are available in 9-, 17- and 25-ounce sizes, and the brand often releases new colors and designs — everything from rose agate to lilac posy. In our Lab tests, they kept drinks super cold and didn't leak or spill. We also like how slim these bottles are, meaning they can fit into most backpacks, side pockets and car cup holders. Keep in mind, however, that you'll have to invest in a good bottle brush for this water bottle as it is not dishwasher-safe and has a narrow mouth.
S'well - 9/13
Vacuum Insulated Mug
Zojirushi
amazon.com
$27.99
This 20-ounce stainless steel water bottle is a favorite among many GH editors. We love that it has the drinking ease of a spout and a lid that covers it and protects the drinking spout from germs and the rest. Its sleek design and variety of colors is a plus, but the real wow is how well it keeps drinks at temperature for days. It excels at keeping both hot beverages hot and cold beverages cold; plus, it has a small drink spout, which makes it more ideal for hot beverages. The lid screws on and locks so it's great for tossing in a bag without the worry of accidental leaks. When it's time to drink, the pop-top opens with the click of a button.
RELATED: My Family Fights Over Who Gets to Use This Travel Water Bottle
Zojirushi - 10/13
Hard-Sided Filtering Water Bottle
Brita
amazon.com
$19.99
Great to keep in your gym bag or bring on a trip, Brita’s 26-ounce bottle quickly filters chlorine, which can affect the odor and taste of your water. Brita says that its water bottle filter (located in the straw) should be replaced after 40 gallons or approximately every two months to best-tasting water. The slim plastic bottle fits into most bicycle cup holders which makes it a perfect pick for those who like to ride; plus, the cap flips open with the touch of a button. The water bottle is made out of lightweight BPA-free plastic and is dishwasher-safe. If you prefer a stainless-steel water bottle, Brita makes that version, too.
Brita - 11/13
Porter Glass Wide Mouth Bottle
W&P
amazon.com
$19.99
If you're looking for a glass bottle, this W&P Porter bottle stands out. Its wide mouth makes it feel comparable to drinking out of a cup, but it has a lid so you can take it on the go. It holds 16 ounces of liquid, small enough to fit into most bags. The silicone wrap feels smooth and soft in the hand and helps prevent condensation from building up. (Heads up that the bottom can sometimes form a suction on surfaces which makes it feel like it’s stuck to the table.) A more narrowed-mouth glass bottle is available, too, but Papantoniou prefers the wide-mouth that you can easily add ice to and is easier to clean by hand.
W&P - 12/13
Sustain Tritan Water Bottle
Nalgene
amazon.com
$15.25
Nalgene water bottles are legendary for a reason. With over 3,700 five-star ratings on Amazon, this water bottle is a popular pick for both consumers and the GH Institute. This 32-ounce wide-mouth bottle is easy to drink out of and tote along anywhere – it's lightweight with a plastic loop that easily hooks onto any bag; plus, its screw top makes for a tight seal so you can toss it in without fear of leaking.
Papantoniou loves the measurement markings on the side that allow you to keep track of how much you’re drinking through the day. It's dishwasher-safe and the colors stay bright even after many washes though the markings wear off over time.
Nalgene - 13/13
Best Half-Gallon Water Bottle
HydroJug
amazon.com
$19.99
This massive water bottle holds a half-gallon of water to help you reach your hydration goals. "It seems over the top, but it's not," says Papantoniou. "It’s a great way to get a ton of water in: fill it up and use it as a reminder to drink. It's plastic, lightweight, dishwasher-safe and comes in a lot of colors, and the carrying case makes it easy to bring to the gym, on hikes or anywhere."
If plastic water bottles aren’t your thing, HydroJug also offers a new stainless-steel version.
HydroJug