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Stainless steel insulated water bottles are great at keeping water or your beverage of choice cold for hours on end. The toughest part is choosing which bottle to buy. The market is saturated with insulated water bottles; Hydro Flask makes one such bottle.
Hydro Flask’s water bottles are known for their fantastic quality. They’re also known for their wallet-burning price.
The Hydro Flask Wide Mouth Water Bottle
Hydro Flask’s water bottle, available 18oz, 32oz, and 40oz sizes (532ml, 946ml, 1180ml), can keep your beverage of choice cold for 24 hours or hot for up to 12. Not only does the water bottle have vacuum-sealed double walls for insulation, but its lid insulates too, using Hydro Flask’s Honeycomb InsulationTM technology.
This stainless steel bottle and its plastic lids are bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalate-free, giving you peace of mind concerning your health.
This water bottle is available in multiple colors to suit your tastes. Regardless of what color you choose (the lemon’s my favorite), the bottle’s powder-coating keeps it condensation-free and easy to grip.
The purchase of this bottle includes Hydro Flask’s Wide Mouth Flex Cap, but the bottle is also compatible with Hydro Flask’s Flip Lid and Wide Mouth Straw Lid, making the bottle flexible to your preferences.
Additionally, Hydro Flask water bottles come with a lifetime warranty, further showing the manufacturer’s pride in product quality.
The Difference Between Hydro Flask and Its Alternatives
The main difference between Hydro Flask’s water bottle and the alternatives we reviewed is the price. Hydro Flask water bottles are high-quality products, and they have a price tag to match. Hydro Flask’s water bottle may be double or even triple the price of one of the alternatives, depending on the bottle size.
Even if the Hydro Flask water bottle fits into your budget, you might not want to spend that much money on it. Finding a cheaper, high-quality insulated water bottle is doable. Keep in mind that insulated stainless steel water bottles are, in general, more expensive than your typical non-insulating plastic or metal one. The alternative water bottles we reviewed cost more than lunch-for-two at your town’s family diner, but they’re still significantly cheaper than Hydro Flask’s product.
Similarities Between Hydro Flask and the Alternatives
The alternative water bottles we reviewed have more in common with the expensive Hydro Flask bottle than not. All four of the alternatives we reviewed use vacuum-sealed double walls to keep water cold for at least 24 hours. Only one bottle, however, can keep liquids hot for up to 12 hours like Hydro Flask’s bottle. The other three are not meant to handle hot drinks.
A Note on Cleaning
When choosing the water bottle best suited to your needs, keep the ability to clean your insulated water bottle in mind. Only one water bottle we reviewed is dishwasher safe. The rest, including the Hydro Flask, is meant to be hand-washed only. Even if the water bottle is dishwasher safe, we recommend you wash all stainless steel insulated water bottles by hand. Gentle hand-washing ensures the bottle stays in good condition, seals properly, and will keep your drinks cold for many years to come.
If you’re worried about keeping the water bottle free from residue, stick to filling up the bottle with water only. If you’re looking for a dishwasher safe water bottle, a stainless steel insulated bottle may not be the right choice for you.
Still here? Awesome! Our reviews of the Hydro Flask alternatives are just ahead!
Hydro Flask Alternative Reviews
Stainless Steel Filtering Water Bottle with Filter by Brita
Brita’s water bottle does precisely what Brita products are known to do: filter water to make it taste better, especially in areas where tap water is heavily chlorinated.
This vacuum-sealed double-walled water bottle uses a push button that can be opened single-handedly, fits in most car cupholders, and even has a carrying ring for convenience.
An inner straw holds the filter in place. One filter can replace up to 300 16.9oz (500ml) single-use plastic water bottles, making it a great way to reduce your plastic footprint.
This dishwasher friendly bottle is intended for use with cold water, and it can keep it cold for up to 24 hours.
Pros
- Conveniently sized to fit in a standard sized cupholder.
- The filter reduces the odor and taste of chlorine.
- Keeps water cold all day long.
- Dishwasher friendly and easy to clean.
Cons
- Filter must be replaced, which means additional purchases for you later on.
- Inner straw forces you to drink from the bottle upright to keep water from dribbling.
- May be uncomfortable for some to drink from.
Summit Water Bottle with Straw Lid by Simple Modern
Like all the water bottles we reviewed, Simple Modern’s stainless steel water bottle uses vacuum-sealed double-wall technology to keep your water or favorite drink cold.
The Simple Modern bottle comes with a straw flip lid, as well as an inner straw to make drinking without lifting the bottle possible.
When closed, the lid won’t spill, making this the perfect bottle for whenever you’re on the go.
Simple Modern also makes other lid styles for their wide-mouth bottles, so that you can buy another lid or two to best suit your lifestyle.
Pros
- Available in a variety of colors and patterns.
- Straw lid is spill-proof when closed.
- The bottle’s wide mouth makes it easy to insert ice cubes and clean up.
- Simple Modern donates 10% of its profits to charity, including sales from this water bottle.
Cons
- Straw lid not intended for hot drinks; cold liquids only.
- Inner straw may need a diagonal cut at the bottom to make drinking easier.
Stainless Steel Insulated Water Bottle by Healthy Human
This pretty water bottle can keep your favorite beverages cold for 24 hours and hot for 12 hours, just like the Hydro Flask bottle.
The lid, compatible with other Healthy Human water bottles, has a carrying handle.
This bottle won’t sweat nor leak, and the powdered coating makes it more resistant to scratches, bumps, and everyday wear and tear.
Clip the included carabiner to the handle to attach the bottle to your lunch bag or backpack, so you have to worry less about losing it!
Besides the carabiner, the purchase of this water bottle includes a guidebook, sticker, and woven bag.
Pros
- Appropriate for both hot and cold drinks.
- There are plenty of beautiful colors and patterns available to best suit your tastes.
- Lid is compatible with other Healthy Human water bottles.
- Purchase includes not only the bottle and lid, but also a carabiner, woven bag, guidebook, and sticker.
Cons
- Uses a screw-top lid, requiring two hands to open.
- Hand-washing required.
Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle by The Coldest Water
If you want to keep water ice-cold for a very long time, then this bottle is for you. This water bottle will keep liquids cold for at least 36 hours, meaning it truly lives up to the manufacturer’s namesake.
Its rubber grip on the bottom and carrying handle made it easy to take on the go. Not only does this water bottle fit in most cupholders, but it floats, making it an excellent choice for both aquatic land-based adventures.
This water bottle would be an excellent choice for people who spend lots of time outdoors, hiking, swimming, running, and cycling, but it makes a great water bottle for your office job too!
Pros
- Available in a variety of colors and designs.
- Out of all the insulated water bottles we reviewed, this bottle keeps water and other beverages cold for the longest time.
- Wide mouth allows you to insert ice cubes.
Cons
- Uses a screw top that requires two hands to open, but a flip-top is available for separate purchase.
- Only available in one size.
- Hand-washing is recommended.
- Not intended for hot drinks.
Our Favourite Alternative
Out of all the Hydro Flask alternatives we reviewed, we like Healthy Human’s insulated water bottle the most. Healthy Human’s water bottle will keep liquids cold for up to 24 hours and hot for up to 12 hours, giving it a versatility that most of the products we reviewed don’t have.
This bottle is available in a variety of colors and sizes, meaning you can pick the right sized water bottle for you in your favorite design. Its carrying handle cap is shaped for a 3-finger hold. Alternatively, the carabiner included with purchase can clip the cap handle to backpacks, diaper bags, lunch boxes, and more to make it your perfect travel bottle.
This Healthy Human water bottle includes a screw cap. Many people like straw lids for the ability to drink out of them without needing to use two hands to unscrew the cap. If you would prefer a straw lid, Healthy Human sells ones compatible with the bottle we reviewed. If you would rather not purchase another lid, the Brita and Simply Modern bottles we reviewed are sold with a straw cap so that those bottles may be better choices for you.
Overall, all the Hydro Flask alternatives we reviewed are great insulated water bottles. However, we hope Healthy Human’s insulated water bottle will be an excellent choice for you!