An insulated filtered water bottle or tumbler is a great way to boost your daily water consumption. They’re a great way to carry cold water with you wherever you go.
The tap water in your community, however, may not taste so great. Cities, towns, and municipalities add things like chlorine to water to keep it clean and safe to drink, as well as improve dental health (in the case of adding fluoride).
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How It Works
Bottle filters trap various things in water, including chlorine, fluoride, and even some dissolved minerals and heavy metals.
Water filters are often filled with stuff like charcoal to filter out the things listed above. This is why manufacturers often say to rinse the water bottle filter before its first use (clear out the charcoal dust). The insulated filtered water bottles we reviewed use this filtration process to reduce the levels of chlorine and other compounds in drinking water.
Use Less Plastic!
Whether we like it or not, plastic is a part of our everyday lives. Plastic is an extremely versatile material, and it’s easy to recycle (depending on the type of plastic). Unfortunately, we humans have a knack for wasting plastic by using it in single-use disposable forms.
The United States alone throws out 35 million disposable water bottles a year, and only a paltry 25% of plastics in the country get recycled. The rest ends up in landfills taking at least 1000 years to decompose. That’s nuts!
Using reusable containers like insulated filtered water bottles to keep our drinks in reduces the number of disposable plastic bottles that get sent to landfills and recycling depots every year.
What to Consider When Choosing an Insulated Filtered Water Bottle
The bottles and tumblers we reviewed tend to be in small and mid-range sizes, able to hold 2 cups of liquid on average.
Pick a water bottle that best suits your drinking patterns. Think about the bottle’s intended use, as well. If you intend to use your insulated bottle for more than just cold water, make sure you do a little research first, so you’re not left disappointed after purchase.
Some bottles are intended for water exclusively or at least challenging to clean non-water beverages out afterward.
While reading our reviews, as well as checking out other filtering water bottles on the market, keep in mind that filters need replacing over time. The bottles we reviewed all come with at least one filter, but you’ll have to purchase more filters later on, either online or in a retail store. Some filters last longer than others. If you aren’t keen on spending more money on filters after your initial purchase, an insulated filtered water bottle might not be the right product for you.
A Note on Cleaning
None of the products we reviewed are dishwasher safe, lids included. Washing by hand keeps the integrity of the vacuum seal and ensures the lids won’t leak when closed/screwed tight. Handwashing will keep your insulated filtered water bottle or tumbler in good condition for longer than it would if you shoved it in the dishwasher.
Our Insulated Filtered Water Bottle Lineup
Premium Stainless Steel Filtering Water Bottle with Filter by Brita
Brita is known for its filtering water products. This insulated water bottle, which keeps water cold for up to 24 hours, is no exception.
A replaceable charcoal filter sits inside the bottle’s inner straw. Filtration reduces the levels of chlorine and other compounds in tap water, giving you a better-tasting drink.
The inner straw, along with the flip-button straw lid, makes drinking water convenient. This bottle might make it easier for you to hydrate throughout the day.
Pros
- Flip-lid with straw for single-handed drinking.
- Carrying loop on lid makes this bottle easy to take on the go.
- Fits nicely into standard-sized cupholders.
- Available in several attractive colors to best suit your preferences.
Cons
- Not intended for hot drinks; cool water only.
- Only comes with one filter. If used often, the filter needs to be replaced every 2 months.
- Holds over just 2 cups of water. A larger water bottle may be more suitable for your lifestyle.
pH Active Filtered Alkaline Water Bottle by Invigorated Water
Invigorated Water’s insulated water bottle, like Brita’s, uses a replaceable filter. However, the filter that comes with this bottle does a little more than Brita’s.
Invigorated Water’s filter not only reduces chlorine and fluoride in your water, but it also alkalinizes it. People claim alkalized water and/or following an alkaline diet will help you lose weight, clear your skin, and even prevent cancer. However, there’s not much scientific evidence backing up such health benefits.
Buy this bottle because it makes your tap water taste better, not because Invigorated Water claims alkalinized/ionized water is better for you.
Pros
- Comes in 3 different sizes so you can pick the best one for you.
- Filters can also be used in other containers.
- Comes with two lids: a bamboo-steel pop-lid, and a straw lid (comes with optional inner straw).
Cons
- The filter needs to be replaced every 2435oz (72L) of water. If you drink 64oz (2L) of water a day from this bottle, you’ll have to replace the filter monthly. This filter doesn’t last as long as Brita’s.
- Alkalized water doesn’t really have any scientific proof that it’s good or bad for you.
- This bottle filters like the Brita bottle, but it costs more.
pH Insulated Stainless Steel Alkaline Water Bottle by Surun
This insulated water bottle is similar to Invigorated Water’s. The filter in this bottle, like the others, reduces chlorine levels, improving the taste and smell of tap water. It also alkalinizes water, which Surun claims have multiple health benefits. As said above, however, these claims are probably bogus.
Purchase this bottle because it filters chlorine and makes water taste better, not because the manufacturer claims alkalization could make you healthier.
This spill-proof bottle won’t leak water or your beverage of choice, so it’s great for taking to school, work, or on vacation. Take your favorite hot and cold beverages wherever you go!
Pros
- Keeps water hot for 12 hours and cold for 24.
- Filter lasts for a long time. Needs to be replaced every 6763oz (200L).
- Suitable for drinks other than water. Great for carrying tea, coffee, and even beer.
Cons
- Alkaline/ionized water has not been scientifically proven to make you healthier. If you want to lead a healthier lifestyle and/or lose weight, please talk to a medical professional!
- As with all of these insulated bottles and thermoses we reviewed, you really must handwash this product. A narrower mouth may make it difficult to clean inside the bottle.
The Love Bamboo Tea Thermos with Infuser and Strainer by Sacred Lotus Love
This product is a little different than the previous ones we’ve reviewed. For starters, this is more of a tumbler.
This bamboo and stainless steel tumbler uses a double-walled vacuum seal to keep drinks hot for 12 hours and cold for 24, just like the insulated water bottles listed above.
Sacred Lotus Love’s tumbler isn’t a filtering product either. The strainer and infuser are meant to hold tea leaves, fruit, and herbs to make tea or infuse water, not filter out stuff like chlorine.
If you don’t mind the taste of your tap water and want something for more than just cold water, this beautiful, plastic-free tumbler may be a good choice for you.
Pros
- Suitable for both hot and cold drinks. Take tea, hot chocolate, infused or plain water, coffee, and more to class, the office, the hockey rink, or on road trips.
- 17oz (511ml) may not be enough cold water for some, but it’s a perfect size for hot drinks like tea and coffee.
- This tumbler’s stainless steel and bamboo design is unique and plastic-free, making it an excellent gift for older teens and adults. In fact, the tumbler is packed like a present, including a poem and gift card in the box.
Cons
- Doesn’t filter out chlorine and other dissolved particles in water like the other products we’ve reviewed.
- Bamboo may warp if soaked in water for too long, making this tumbler a bit of a hassle to clean.
- Replacement parts are not available for separate purchase.
Universal Water Filter Bottle Adapter Kit by LifeStraw
This product is neither a bottle nor a tumbler. This is a universal filter that can fit into many different brand-name water bottles, including bottles made by Hydroflask, Camelbak, Klean Kanteen, and Nalgene.
Besides the filter, this kit comes with two different mouthpieces and a spill-proof lid for greater water bottle compatibility. This replaceable filter is incredible. It can remove 99.99% of waterborne bacteria and protozoan parasites for up to 128000oz (3785L) of water.
That makes this filter kit suitable for camping, hiking, preparing emergency kits, and traveling to places where the tap water may not be safe to drink as-is.
Pros
- Compatible with many popular water bottle brands.
- Best suited for travel, outdoor recreation, and emergency kits.
- LifeStraw will ensure a child in a developing nation will have access to clean drinking water for one school year with the purchase of this product.
Cons
- Due to being a large, 2-stage filter, drinking from a bottle using this filter may require a bit of work (sucking the water through the filter and mouthpiece takes some work).
- Not intended for casual, everyday use.
Our Recommendations
Overall, we like Surun’s water bottle the most out of all the products we reviewed. Surun’s filter lasts the longest out of the regular filtering bottles we reviewed, able to process 6763oz (200L) before requiring replacement.
LifeStraw’s filter lasts even longer. Still, their product isn’t meant for everyday use like the other filters we reviewed. The LifeStraw filter is more suited for emergency kits or when clean water isn’t available. Surun’s insulated filtering water bottle is great for both hot and cold drinks, unlike Brita’s bottle.
Even though Surun’s claims of water alkalization are a little questionable, the bottle itself is useable for just about whatever you want to use it for.
If you’re just looking for just a water bottle, Brita’s insulated bottle is also a great choice. This product does cost a little more than the Surun bottle, but the good thing about Brita products is they are readily available online and in physical stores. You’re likely to find Brita filters compatible with this bottle at a big-box store near you. This makes the Brita bottle a better choice for people who don’t typically shop online or prefer buying things in person.
Whatever insulated filtered bottle you choose, we hope it’ll keep you hydrated with great-tasting drinks wherever you go!