These 12 Filtered Water Bottles Are Perfect for Traveling or Hiking

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We updated this article in May 2023 to add more information about each featured product, based on extensive research done by our team.

Everyone loves a good reusable water bottle, but access to safe water isn’t always a given. You may find yourself traveling to a country with different filtering standards, outdoors without access to clean water, or you simply may want to give your tap an extra filter to nix minerals. And not every reusable water bottle is made the same. That’s where the best filtered water bottles come into play—vessels have a water filter and purifier built in. Some are even made specifically for travel, hiking, and those moments when you aren’t so sure your available drinking water is safe.

Meet the expert: Zeeshan Afzal, M.D., Welzo medical officer; Meredith Fontana, outdoor guide and educator.

Not only are reusable water bottles great for the environment (worldwide we produce about 300 million metric tons of plastic waste every year), but it’s an economical choice for your wallet. Most filtered water bottles come in under $100 and give you months of clean, purified water in a very short period of time. Plus, many people find having an easy-to-fill water bottle available at all times helps them drink more water.

When choosing your perfect filtered water bottle, be sure to consider what you’ll be using the bottle for. When it comes to outdoor activities, you may want a more lightweight material that has a filtering mechanism that can remove bacteria and viruses that wouldn’t necessarily be in tap water. If you’re planning to bring the bottle around your office, an insulated water bottle to keep your beverage cool or hot and a simple filtration system may be more ideal. Ready to get drinking? Here, the top-rated filtered water bottle for clean water anywhere, anytime.

Our top picks

Ahead, explore the best filtered water bottles available for easy on-the-go hydration.

GeoPress Filtered Water Bottle

With one quick press, the GRAYL GeoPress removes viruses, bacteria, and protozoa while filtering particles, chemicals, and heavy metals for perfectly crisp and clean water. It’s designed for travel and is perfect for adventuring anywhere without a straw, pump, batteries, or other unnecessary bells and whistles.

SP140 Personal Water Bottle Filter

When using a Sawyer water bottle, the brand says you can be confident that your water will be 99.99% free of all bacteria (including salmonella, cholera, and E.coli) as well as all protozoa (like giardia and cryptosporidium), and 100% of all microplastics. The cap will fit standard wide-mouth bottles, which means you can still use the filter while drinking from other bottles. Each bottle comes with two replaceable straws, and inline filter, and a backwash syringe.

ONE Premium Stainless Steel Filtering Water Bottle,

Pop the lid open and fill straight from the tap with this filtered water bottle certified to reduce over 20 tap water contaminants, including lead, antibiotics, and pesticides. The bottle filters as you sip and is double-wall-vacuum insulated with kitchen-grade stainless steel.

Filtered Water Bottle

Using the popular Brita filter right in the bottle, you’ll improve the taste and odor of your drinking water and reduce chlorine and other chemicals from the tap. The filter fits right into the straw that easily sips from the BPA-free plastic bottle with a leak-proof lid.

Go Water Filter Bottle

Filtering for bacteria, parasites, chemicals, and microplastics, this lightweight bottle uses a membrane microfilter and carbon filter to give you clean water. It’s also lightweight, durable, and BPA-free so you can feel good about each sip you take.

Classic Water Bottle

This BPA-free reusable bottle is soft, lightweight, and comes with a replaceable carbon filter for sustainable, clean water. Each filter removes chlorine and other impurities to provide you with 300 single-serve water bottles of drinkable water. Plus, they’re dishwasher safe and require very little maintenance to keep clean.

Purified Water Bottle

The interior filter of this water bottle contains a medical-grade hollow fiber UF membrane, coconut shell activated carbon, antimicrobial beads, and medical-grade PP cotton to remove odor, chlorine, some heavy metals, and 99.99% of all bacteria and protozoan parasites. It’s essential for anyone who expects to be traveling without access to clean water. Bonus: the bottle comes with a survival compass built right into the lid.

Bottle PureVis

This self-cleaning water bottle also purifies the water as you sip. Using UV light in the cap, the LARQ bottle removes harmful odor-causing bacteria with the touch of a button. Simply fill, cover, tap, and you’re ready to drink in just 60 seconds. It’s also vacuum-sealed, double insulated, and BPA-free.

Escape Glass Water Bottle with Filter

This BPA-free glass water bottle includes a silicone sleeve to protect it and a coconut carbon fiber block filter to remove particles and chemicals in your drinking water. It’s also dishwasher safe and includes an easy-to-clean silicone mouthpiece.

Hydrapak Flux

This lightweight silicone option by HydraPak says it removes bacteria and protozoa while keeping your travel pack from getting weighed down thanks to its unique design. The flexible bladder can be stashed in a backpack or pocket when not in use. Filters up to 1,500 liters of water at a little under a liter a minute.

Water Bottle

The vacuum-insulated water bottle from GOFILTR alkalizes and ionizes water for up to three months (or 750 refills) at an estimated cost of $0.4 per refill. The bottle is designed to be leakproof and scratch-resistant and the filter can be used with a variety of other wide-mouth bottles.

BeFree 1.0L Microfilter

This collapsible flask-type bottle can be rolled up for easy storage when not in use. Each filter can clean up to 1,000 liters of water at a rate of up to 2 L per minute. The 0.1-micron pore removes bacteria and sediment from the water.

How to choose a filtered water bottle

When it comes to shopping for a filtered water bottle, Meredith Fontana, outdoor guide and educator, says you should be choosing a bottle that will remove the heavy metals, bacteria, viruses, and other toxins and pathogens that may possibly exist in the water you plan on filtering. “This means the filter you need often depends on where you live and the water source,” she says. “For example, if you are hiking and filling up your water from a natural source (like a lake or river), you will likely need to look for a filter that is classified as a purifier so that it will remove harmful bacteria and protozoa.”

However, if you are filling your bottle with tap water in an area that has higher levels of lead or pesticides, Fontana says you’ll want to be on the lookout for a filter for those specific properties. To ensure you’re using a filter capable of eliminating heavy metals or chemicals, she says it’s important to only use ones manufactured by a company that has lab tests to prove that the filter is effective at removing those toxins. “It is best to use a filter that has been independently certified and tested to prove that it performs the way the manufacturer promises it does,” she adds

There are some other things to keep in mind as well. Dr. Zeeshan Afzal, MD, Welzo Medical Officer says you’ll want to keep an eye on these additional factors when deciding which filtered water bottle is right for you:

Type of filter: This can range from basic activated carbon filters that remove chlorine and improve taste, to more advanced filters capable of removing heavy metals, bacteria, and viruses. Filter lifespan: Check how many liters the filter is supposed to clean before it needs replacing. This varies from model to model.

Bottle material: The bottle should be made of BPA-free plastic, stainless steel, or glass. Avoid bottles that contain harmful chemicals.

Ease of use: The bottle should be easy to drink from, fill, and clean. The design of the mouthpiece and the overall ergonomics matter.

Capacity: Choose a size that suits your hydration needs and lifestyle. Remember, larger bottles will be heavier when full. Cost and availability of replacement filters: Factor in the ongoing cost of replacement filters and check their availability in your area.

Is filtered water better for you?

The benefits of filtered water depend on the quality of your source water, according to Dr. Zeeshan. “In the USA and UK, tap water is safe to drink but may contain substances like chlorine or traces of heavy metals that can affect the taste and potentially your health in the long term,” he says, adding that filtered water can remove these and improve both the taste and safety of the drinking water. However, if you live in (or are visiting) an area with contaminated water or where clean water isn’t readily available, filtered water “can be essential.”

Can filtered water bottles remove heavy metals?

While many filtered water bottles say they can remove heavy metals, Fontana says not every bottle makes good on its promise. “Only trust this claim if the manufacturer can back this up with published test results from a third-party independent tester,” she says.

“Basic filters often use activated carbon which can remove some heavy metals but not all,” adds Dr. Zeeshan. “For the comprehensive removal of heavy metals such as lead, mercury, and arsenic, you would need a bottle with a filter designed specifically for this purpose,” he says. “This might involve technology such as ion exchange, reverse osmosis, or distillation. Always check the bottle's specifications to see what it can and can't filter out."

Why should I use a filtered water bottle?

Not only can filtered water bottles reduce possible exposure to toxic substances, Dr. Zeeshan says that “a filtered water bottle can reduce the risk of consuming harmful contaminants found in tap or outdoor water sources, including bacteria, viruses, heavy metals, and pesticides,” but he says there are other benefits that go beyond health and safety:

• Improves taste: It removes elements such as chlorine that can affect the taste of tap water.

• Cost-effective: It’s cheaper in the long run compared to buying bottled water.

• Eco-friendly: Using a reusable filtered water bottle helps reduce plastic waste caused by single-use water bottles.

• Convenience: It’s ideal for travel, especially when you're unsure of the water quality.

How do I clean my filtered water bottle?

The best way to clean your bottle is to follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Most often, that will involve removing the filter and rinsing it with warm, soapy water, according to Fontana. “You should also replace the filter after a certain amount of water has been filtered through the bottle, which will vary according to the manufacturer’s guidelines,” she says.

How we chose the best filtered water bottles

We spoke with Zeeshan Afzal, M.D., Welzo medical officer; Meredith Fontana, outdoor guide and educator; and conducted our own research and sifted through hundreds of online reviews to find the best filtered water bottles available.

Why trust us

For more than 70 years, Prevention has been a leading provider of trustworthy health information, empowering readers with practical strategies to improve their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Our editors interview medical experts to help guide our health-focused product selections. Prevention also examines hundreds of reviews—and often conducts personal testing done by our staff—to help you make informed decisions.

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