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There are so many stainless steel water bottles on the market; it can be tough to pick one! Despite there being so much choice, some names stand out amongst the crowd.
Hydro Flask and Yeti are companies well-known for their high-quality products, such as their water bottles. They’re also expensive, so picking the right bottle for you is important.
Points of Interest
Staying Hydrated!
Getting enough fluids, whether it’s through drinking water or eating water-rich foods, is essential for keeping the body going. Water helps the body regulate its temperature, cushion joints, collect and excrete waste products (carbon dioxide, feces, urine, etc.), and much more. Without water, you wouldn’t be able to exist!
Although there’s water in a variety of beverages, plain water is the best way to get enough fluids. Water is zero-calorie and free of caffeine and sugar. Too many sugar-sweetened drinks contribute to various health problems, including weight gain, tooth decay, and even increasing your risk of developing type 2 diabetes or heart disease. Getting into the habit of drinking water more often than sweetened beverages like soft drinks and juice will help your body do exactly what it needs to do to keep you chugging along.
Insulated water bottles, such as the ones made by HydroFlask and Yeti, may help you drink more plain water throughout the day. These bottles keep drinks cold (or hot, on those chilly days) and within reach wherever you go, making them a great way to stay hydrated!
Durability
Everyone drops, spills, or breaks stuff from time to time: it’s a fact of life. High-quality stainless steel water bottles from manufacturers like HydroFlask and Yeti have your back! Both these bottles are made with 18/8 food-grade stainless steel. Metal of this quality won’t rust, corrode, or puncture easily. This stainless steel, along with the bottle’s scratch-resistant paint, will keep your HydroFlask or Yeti bottle in tip-top working condition. Of course, a small dent or two might happen after a severe drop or fall, but both these insulated steel bottles are built to last.
BPA-Free
BPA (bisphenol A) is a material used to make some types of plastics. BPA is found in a variety of places, including plastic water bottles, CDs, and even in water pipes or used as a coating for canned food products. Many people are concerned about the use of BPA concerning our health, especially since BPA may mimic estrogen, a female sex hormone, as well as being an endocrine disturber.
Though many scientific and governmental institutions today consider BPA as generally safe, public conversations around it have made manufacturers take notice, which is why many products on store shelves brandish BPA-free labels. Water bottles are no exception.
Both HydroFlask and Yeti’s water bottles and lids are BPA-free, as are many other insulated water bottles on the market.
Hydro Flask or Yeti – Let’s Compare
Size
The HydroFlask and Yeti bottles we reviewed are relatively similar in size. HydroFlask’s bottles are available in 32 and 40-ounce sizes (946 and 1183 milliliters), while Yeti’s is only available in a 36-ounce size (1065 milliliters). These all hold about 4 cups of water, give or take a few tablespoons. Unfortunately, none of these bottles fit into average-sized cupholders.
If you’re looking for a water bottle that fits into a car, stroller, or treadmill’s cupholder, a different sized bottle may be a better choice for you. HydroFlask and Yeti, as well as other manufacturers, sell water bottles that fit into cupholders nicely.
Temperature
Both Hydro Flask and Yeti’s insulated water bottles are suitable for cold and hot drinks besides water. HydroFlask says their bottle will keep drinks cold for up to 24 hours and hot for 12. Yeti doesn’t mention specific hours for how long your drink will stay at the right temperature, but they claim that its temperature will be ‘just right’ until you take the last swig. Either way, both these bottles will keep your drinks hot or cold all day long (and then some!).
However, HydroFlask’s bottle comes with a bit of fine print: the lid included with purchase shouldn’t be used with hot drinks for multiple reasons (as explained in the section below). If you want to use your HydroFlask bottle for hot tea or coffee, you’ll have to purchase their Wide Mouth Hydro Flip Lid or Wide Mouth Flex Cap separately. Both HydroFlask and Yeti’s products are expensive, even amongst other insulated water bottles, so having to purchase another lid after buying an expensive item mightn’t sound appealing to you.
Lids
Both of the water bottles we’ve reviewed and compared to each other include one lid with purchase. HydroFlask’s bottle comes with a straw lid, while Yeti’s consists of a twist-on lid. Some people prefer straw lids over twist-on lids because they’re convenient and make drinking out of water bottles easy. Unfortunately, HydroFlask’s straw lid isn’t leakproof: the bottle may spill if it’s not upright in your bag. Besides, drinking hot liquids out of a straw can be dangerous, as it’s easier to burn yourself. If you want to use HydroFlask’s bottle for more than cold water, we recommend you purchase a more appropriate lid separately.
If you like the Yeti Rambler, but not the twist-on lid, different lid styles are available for purchase.
Washing Up
The most significant difference between HydroFlask and Yeti’s bottle is the way you can clean them. Handwashing an insulated bottle is the norm; most manufacturers recommend it because the bottle is stainless steel, and handwashing keeps the integrity of the vacuum seal intact. However, Yeti’s Rambler bottle is dishwasher safe, which is nearly unheard of in the insulated steel water bottle world. HydroFlask’s bottle is not suitable for dishwashers.
Even though Yeti’s Rambler bottle is safe for the dishwasher, we still recommend you wash it by hand like HydroFlask’s most of the time. Dishwasher-friendliness is convenient after long, tiring days outside or at work, but handwashing may help your insulated bottle last longer.
Colour Availability
Both HydroFlask and Yeti’s insulated bottles are available in several colors. However, we find the HydroFlask colors a little disappointing. There’s no plain stainless steel option, nor is there even a red. Yeti’s bottle is available a wide variety of “nature-inspired” colors, suiting the company’s outdoorsy persona. A plain stainless steel bottle is available as well if Reef Blue or Peak Purple isn’t your thing.
Of course, all this talk of color doesn’t affect the functionality of the product. Don’t pick an insulated water bottle just because you like the color; make sure you read the rest of our bottle review first!
Reviews – Hydro Flask or Yeti?
HydroFlask’s Wide Mouth Water Bottle with Straw Cap
to its double-walled vacuum seal, this bottle can keep drinks cold for 24 hours and hot for 12. A double wall also prevents condensation from forming on the outside. Combining this feature with the outside wall’s powder coating gives this bottle a dry, easy-to-grip design.
This bottle includes HydroFlask’s Wide Mouth Straw Lid (as well as an inner straw). The Wide Mouth Straw Lid can be used for any of HydroFlask’s Wide Mouth bottles, but be warned: the straw lid is not leakproof, nor is it suitable for use with hot drinks. Make sure you keep this bottle upright in your bag to prevent spillage.
Pros
- It comes in two different sizes.
- Powdered coating and no-sweat design give the bottle a comfortable grip.
- The straw lid has a carrying ring, meaning you can clip this bottle onto your bag with a carabiner.
Cons
- The straw lid that comes with this product is not leakproof and shouldn’t be used with hot beverages. Leakproof and hot drink-appropriate lids are sold separately.
- Colour choice is lackluster in comparison to Yeti’s bottles.
- Must be washed by hand.
Yeti’s Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Rambler Bottle with Cap
Rambler bottle doesn’t say precisely how long it’ll keep liquids cold or hot, but they guarantee their insulated bottle will keep your beverage at the right temperature until you finish it.
Included with purchase is a leakproof twist lid. A twist-on lid may not suit some, but those folks might change their minds when they see the lid’s 3-finger holding handle.
As the cherry on top, Yeti’s Rambler Bottle is dishwasher safe, a rarity amongst insulated water bottles.
Pros
- Dishwasher safe, but you can wash this bottle by hand if you’d prefer.
- Available in colors such as River Green, Canyon Red, and Seafoam (our personal favorite is Sand).
- Leakproof lid includes a 3-finger carrying ring.
- Yeti products are known for their durability, and this this bottle is no exception. The Rambler bottle can handle whatever life throws at it.
Cons
- Brands trusted for their quality products can attract scammers. Counterfeit Rambler bottles are not unheard of. Please be cautious when purchasing such products online.
- Includes a twist-on lid. Many people prefer straw lids because they’re easier to drink from.
- Be careful when pouring drinks out of this bottle to prevent drips.
Our Pick
After comparing these two bottles, Yeti’s Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Rambler Bottle comes out on top. Yeti’s bottle has it all: beautiful color choices, great for hot and cold drinks, a leakproof lid with carrying handle, and a reputation for withstanding life’s tumbles and rough patches.
Its lid has to be twisted on, but we think that’s a suitable compromise for having a 3-finger handle and being leakproof (unlike HydroFlask’s straw lid). Being able to shove it in the dishwasher is a great bonus too.
Overall, the Yeti Rambler is a sturdy, resilient bottle that can be used for more than just water, making it more of an excellent investment. We think it’s worth the money, and we hope you think so too!