If you’re looking to purchase a water bottle for outdoor adventures, an insulated bottle should be high on your list. Insulated bottles are designed to keep cold liquids colder longer (and hot liquids hotter) and are usually higher quality and more durable than their plastic counterparts. Show
Plus, having a reusable water bottle is great for the environment. For this review, we looked at water bottles that have some form of insulation (whether stainless steel construction or otherwise) and a good-sealing cap or lid. And we evaluated each on factors like insulation, shape and volume, durability, and price. All told, we’ve sourced, filled, and drained more than 40 different water bottles since 2021, and pulled together the top 14 in our line-up today. These bottles didn’t get off easy, either. Each vessel underwent our in-house testing regimen, which saw them all examined for timed ice retention, a leak test, as well as a quasi-scientific taste test. Safe to say, these bottles have been vetted, and to choose the best of the best, we ranked each bottle on features, feedback from our testing, and price. For more information about insulated water bottles, check out our ,, and at the end of this article. Otherwise, top off your bottle and scroll through our picks for the best insulated water bottles of 2024. Editor’s Note: We updated this guide on March 14, 2024, to add the uber-popular Stanley Quencher H2.0 Flowstate Tumbler, a driving-ready vessel that lived up to the hype in our testing.
Best Overall Insulated Water Bottle Hydro Flask Wide Mouth Bottle
Best Budget Insulated Water Bottle Igloo Sport Sipper Bottle
Most Durable Insulated Water Bottle YETI Rambler Chug Water Bottle
Best Insulated Can Cooler YETI Rambler Colster
Best Insulated Growler MiiR Growler
Best Water Bottle for Driving Stanley Quencher H2.0 Flowstate Tumbler
Best Insulated Water Bottle for Kids Thermos Funtainer Bottle With Straw
Best of the Rest Owala FreeSip Vacuum Water Bottle
Hydro Flask Insulated Sports Bottle
Stanley IceFlow Flip Straw Water Bottle
Hydro Flask Lightweight Wide Mouth
Klean Kanteen Insulated TKWide With Twist Cap
Purist Mover Bottle
CamelBak MultiBev Water Bottle
Insulated Water Bottle Comparison ChartInsulated Water BottlePriceMaterialInsulation TypeWeightAvailable VolumesHydro Flask Wide Mouth Bottle$50Stainless steelDouble-wall vacuum1 lb., 2 oz. in 40 fl. oz. size20, 24, 32, 40 and 64 fl. oz.Igloo Sport Sipper Bottle $20Stainless steelDouble-wall vacuum14.4 oz. in 20 fl. oz. size20 fl. oz.YETI Rambler Chug Water Bottle$40Stainless steelDouble-wall vacuum1 lb., 3.2 oz. in the 18 fl. oz. size18, 26, 36, 46, 64 fl. oz.YETI Rambler Colster$25Stainless steelDouble-wall vacuum9.6 oz. in 12 fl. oz. size12 fl. oz., 16 fl. oz.MiiR Growler$60Stainless steelDouble-wall vacuum1 lb., 13 oz. in 64 fl. oz. size64 fl. oz.Stanley Quencher H2.0 Flowstate Tumbler $45Stainless steelDouble-wall vacuum1.4 lbs in 40 fl. oz. size14, 20, 30, 40, 64 fl. oz.Thermos Funtainer Bottle With Straw$20Stainless steelDouble-wall vacuum4 oz. in 12 fl. oz. size12, 16 fl. oz.Owala FreeSip Vacuum Water Bottle$33Stainless steelTriple-wall vacuum15.2 oz. in 32 fl. oz. size19, 22, 32, 40 fl. oz.Hydro Flask Insulated Sports Bottle $40Stainless steelDouble-wall vacuum14.1 oz. in 20 fl. oz. size20 fl. oz.Stanley IceFlow Flip Straw Water Bottle$32Stainless steelDouble-wall vacuum16 oz. in 22 fl. oz. size17, 22 fl. oz.Hydro Flask Lightweight Wide Mouth$50Stainless steelDouble-wall vacuum12.6 oz. in 32 fl. oz. size21, 24, 32 fl. oz.Klean Kanteen Insulated TKWide$45Stainless steelDouble-wall vacuum1 lb., 4 oz. in 32 fl. oz. size12, 16, 20, 32, 64 fl. oz.Purist Mover Bottle$50Stainless steel & glassDouble-wall vacuum12.2 oz. in 18 fl. oz. size18, 32 fl. oz.CamelBak MultiBev Water Bottle$50Stainless steelDouble-wall vacuum1 lb., 5 oz. in 16/22 fl. oz. size12/17, 16/22 fl. oz. How We Tested Insulated Water BottlesLong a holdout to the niceties of an insulated bottle, GearJunkie Senior Editor Nick Belcaster finally came around to the wonders of insulated water bottles after being gifted a Hydro Flask. It turns out that having ice-cold water hours after leaving the house is worth it. When you work and play in extreme environments, the benefits of keeping hot water hot and cold water cold start to click. Contributor Katie Griffith originally sought an insulated bottle so she could sip on a liter of hot chocolate during an ice climbing trip. Now she packs her Hydro Flask every day for work as a rock climbing guide in Joshua Tree and savors each gulp of cold water in the desert heat. Many in the GearJunkie offices enjoy bringing an insulated bottle to work, and we tapped into this collective knowledge to assemble our list of bottles. We then put them through the wringer and pulled together the best of the best insulated bottles you see here. We started our foray into the world of insulated water bottles in 2021 with a slate of 14 bottles, aiming to cut through the noise and distill down a huge market into a handful of the best insulated water bottles available. In order to test our slate of insulated bottles, we subjected them to common-place use, such as on hot day hikes, bike commuting, or airline travel. We paid close attention to how long each bottle held onto chilled water as well as important issues such as leaking or denting. In 2023, we expanded our horizons when Nick looked afar for the best bottles for more special circumstances, and tested models to include the best options for insulated growlers, can coolers, and self-cleaning water bottles. At the end of 2023, we tweaked our choices again, pivoting some of our award winners to newly updated standard bearers, and added significantly to our Buyer’s Guide to really dig deep into subjects such as volume, materials, and styles. Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose an Insulated Water BottleIt’s worth noting that this article specifically covers the best insulated water bottles. We also have a separate gear guide for the best thermoses, for when the temps dip and a hot drink is needed. You may also want to read up on the best backpacking water filters. Style of Insulated BottleInsulated bottles come in many shapes and sizes. Some closely resemble other plastic sports bottles with spill-proof, screw-top lids. The best overall bottle, Hydro Flask’s Wide Mouth, falls into this category. These are often the most versatile option and may replace your Nalgene when weight isn’t a big factor. Beyond the standard water bottle, this list also includes tumblers, can coolers, and growlers. A tumbler more closely resembles a cup with a lid than a water bottle. The Stanley Quencher H2.0 Flowstate Tumbler is great for all-day hydration, but the lid is not spill-proof. You can’t pack it in a backpack like other water bottles. Other styles are even more specialized, like the MiiR Growler. This insulated container is designed specifically for storing carbonated beverages like beer or kombucha. The lid functions to seal in carbonation and freshness; you wouldn’t need this for your daily beverages. The YETI Rambler Colster is also not designed for direct drinking; this insulated can cooler slides around your bubbly water or beer to keep it chilled. VolumePick a water bottle with enough volume for all your activities. If you really love one particular insulated bottle, consider getting two sizes — one for daily use and one with more volume for longer trips or travel. (Also consider if the bottle you’ve chosen will work with a or in your pack pocket if you know you’ll be taking it with you on the trail.) If you spend a lot of time driving, note that after a certain volume, fitting into most cup holders isn’t going to happen. Most bottles we tested are available in volumes from around 12 to 64 ounces. A 12 or 16-ounce bottle is ideal for morning coffee or tea, while you’ll likely want a 24- or 32-ounce bottle to stay hydrated. For all-day, outdoor activities, bringing at least two liters of water is typically recommended, which would translate to about 64 ounces of capacity. We find that two 32-ounce bottles fit easier in a backpack than one 64-ounce vessel. Make sure the bottle you choose lists how long it keeps water (or other liquids) cold. The standard is 24 hours, but we’ve noticed in many of these bottles the contents will stay colder for longer. You’ll want to know how good the insulation is, especially if you live in a hotter climate. MaterialsWhat are the interior and exterior materials? Most insulated bottles use some form of stainless steel double-wall insulation, but not all, like the triple-wall build of the Owala FreeSip. Also, look at the exterior material: Is there a powder coating? Does it reduce condensation? Is there a rubber grip or protective design on the base? Once you find a bottle you think will work for you, pick out a fun color while you’re at it! Colors are mainly just a preference but can also help identify your bottle in a crowd. Temperature RetentionOne of the most important aspects of an insulated bottle, temperature retention is how well it keeps the hot things hot and the cold things cold. The majority of insulated bottles will use some type of vacuum insulation to achieve this. Heat energy needs mass to travel through, so by removing the air in between the two layers of the bottle, the liquid inside is able to retain its temperature for longer. We’ve found that most bottles are able to keep hot liquids hot for around 12 hours and cold liquids cold for about 24. An insulated water bottle is basically a thermos with different design features. Most thermoses are also built with vacuum insulation, but they typically come with a lid designed for pouring hot liquid and a cap that doubles as a small cup for sipping tea or coffee. Lids on thermoses can also be more effective at keeping liquids hot or cold. The lids on insulated water bottles focus on hydration, with straws like the Stanley Quencher H2.0 Flowstate Tumbler or open tops like the Hydro Flask Wide Mouth. Don’t get us wrong; the insulated bottles we tested are still great at temperature retention. We filled the Stanley Quencher halfway with half-inch ice cubes and no water. After 24 hours in a 65-70 degree room, we found some water, but most of the ice cubes had shrunk only 50%. TasteMetal bottles can sometimes impart a metallic taste to water, often after being left for a long period of time. Bottles like the Purist Mover implement a silicon dioxide coating on the interior of the bottom to create a glass-like barrier. This can greatly reduce the metal taste that is imparted to water. Keeping insulated bottles clean is also important to limit any off-tastes. Pay attention to how easy the bottle might be to clean. Look at the threads on the lid as well as how easy it is to remove any gaskets for cleaning. Many bottles are marked as dishwasher safe on the top rack but not all. A quick tip for cleaning your insulated bottle: Mix two to three tablespoons of baking soda and warm water and shake inside your bottle. Let sit for a few hours and then rinse out with water. Lids & HandlesA bad lid can ruin an insulated bottle. Manufacturers understand consumers have many uses for their bottles and produce a number of different lids to fit them. The most basic will be a simple screw cap, but there are also lids that incorporate straws, flip closures, and even magnets. Lids will also have a good bit to do with the mouth style of the bottle. Narrow-mouth bottles can make sipping directly from the bottle nice and easy but will limit your ability to put ice into the bottle. Wide-mouth bottles can accept things like water filters with ease, but without a steady hand, they can lead to some spillage. Some lids are designed to be leak-proof when closed, and some are not. YETI’s 26-ounce Rambler Bottle, for example, features a secure lid that doesn’t allow spillage when screwed on correctly. The Stanley Quencher is not leak-proof and doesn’t claim to be; what it sacrifices in spillage it makes up for in ease of sipping with the reusable straw. The rotating cover helps reduce leaking but doesn’t prevent it. Our tester performed a leak test on the Quencher by adding food coloring to water inside the bottle, screwing it shut, turning it on its side, and timing both types of covers for ten seconds. The Quencher was nearly full during the test. With the rotating cover closed, a small blue puddle formed on a paper towel within a short time. With the straw still in place, a big puddle spilled over a paper towel almost immediately. At their most basic, insulated bottles are sleek cylinders, which aren’t the most stable. Having a lid that you can clip a carabiner to can ensure it won’t make an escape. Others will sport a layer of silicone to improve grip or a contoured shape that fits your hand. We found the Stanley IceFlow Flip Straw Water Bottle to be one of the nicest to handle. PriceLastly, think hard about your budget. These bottles are an investment but totally worth it, especially if (like us) you spend lots of time outside. And before buying, always check to see if your favorite bottle is on sale. You can find insulated bottles that won’t break the bank in the $15-25 range like the Igloo Sport Sipper. Some of our favorites lie in the $30-50 range, including the Hydro Flask Wide Mouth or the YETI Rambler Vacuum Bottle. Though a little spendier, both of these come in larger volumes and feature a coating that improves durability. The most specialized bottles come with the highest price tag, including the MiiR Growler, Hydro Flask Lightweight Wide Mouth, and Purist Mover Bottle. All sports technologies that go above and beyond daily hydration needs like holding in carbonation, adding a taste-free liner, or being made from uber-thin materials to cut down weight. FAQOn this list, we have selected the Hydro Flask Wide Mouth 40-ounce bottle as the best overall insulated water bottle. This option provides a useful blend of quality insulation and heavy-duty construction. We also like that it fits easily in most cup holders. Still, the best-insulated water bottle is the one that meets your needs. If you are looking for a bottle with smaller volume, you may want to go with the 26-ounce YETI Rambler or 32-ounce Owala FreeSip. All of the bottles on this list will do a great job at keeping your hot liquids hot and your cold liquids cold for impressively long periods. That said, the YETI Rambler Chug Water Bottle performs exceptionally well when filled with hot contents. It’s a lightweight bottle that keeps liquids piping hot and is thoroughly leakproof. It is important to regularly clean reusable water bottles to prevent the growth of bacteria. Many insulated water bottles are dishwasher safe, and others can be easily cleaned with dish soap and hot water. On this list, many of the bottles are made from easy-to-clean materials such as stainless steel and linings such as glass or copper. After cleaning, it is a good idea to take the cap off of your bottle and let it fully air dry. Generally, it is safe to fill insulated water bottles with contents other than water. For coffee and tea, an insulated water bottle can allow you to enjoy a hot drink all through the morning. However, it is especially important that you clean your bottle thoroughly after filling it with anything other than water. Because of the different shapes of insulated bottles, some are easier to clean than others. For food like hot soup or oatmeal, you’re going to be better off with a food-specific thermos. These are similar to insulated water bottles, but their short and stout shape makes them easier to use and clean. A good thermos can keep hot food at a safe temperature for hours — an excellent counterpart to an insulated bottle! Yes, many insulated water bottles are dishwasher-safe. Always double-check the manufacturer’s directions before washing your bottle. If your bottle is not dishwasher-safe, it can be cleaned with hot water, a little dish soap, and a thorough rinsing. Always check to see what the manufacturer suggests. Many insulated water bottles can be washed in the dishwasher, which is an effective way to thoroughly remove any bacteria that may be present. If washing by hand, scrub the inside and outside of the bottle with hot water and dish soap. Be sure to fully clean out the threads on both the cap and bottle. After cleaning, let all parts fully air dry. Thanks to hardy stainless steel or ceramic construction, a good insulated water bottle should last many years — or potentially decades for the careful owner. We’ve all seen those old green Stanley bottles that are three decades old and still going strong. The biggest threat to insulated water bottles is puncturing. If the double or triple-walled insulation of your bottle is punctured, it will lose its ability to insulate. To prevent this, avoid dropping your bottle onto jagged or hard surfaces. Plastic insulated water bottles are less prone to dents and punctures, but they are generally not as rugged overall. If an insulated bottle becomes punctured, it will lose its vacuum and be replaced by air molecules. Since there is now matter in between the inner and outer bottles, heat transfer occurs much quicker. To test if your bottle still has its vacuum sealing: Carefully fill the bottle with boiling water and wait five minutes. Then feel for any hot spots, which would indicate loss of insulation. The Best Thermoses of 2024If you want your favorite liquids to stay hot all day, check out our roundup of the best thermoses of 2024. Get ready to warm up with a hot drink. Which plastic grade is best for water bottle?1. PP water bottle (Polypropylene) PP is food-grade plastic, BPA-free, and FDA/LFGB tested. High impact resistance, temperature resistance up to 100°C, dishwasher and microwave oven safe. Why are plastic water bottles so expensive?Bottled water manufacturers must purchase the water, buy the plastic water bottles, and pay employees to get the water in those bottles. Then companies incur even more costs to transport those heavy plastic bottles filled with water to a store near you. Is stainless steel or plastic better for water bottle?Yes, stainless steel stays cleaner than reusable plastic bottles. Because plastic bottles are challenging to clean, they can easily become a breeding ground for bacteria. Water bottles made from 18/8 food grade stainless steel also precents bacteria from growing on the surfaces. What's the safest plastic for a water bottle?
1: This is a Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) plastic. This means that this is safe and healthy to be used as a drinking water bottle. |
