The 9 Best Insulated Water Bottles For Everyday Use

Plastic water bottles have served us well, but now there’s no excuse to avoid getting one with vacuum insulation. They’re superior in every way, keeping your preferred drink warm or cold for several hours. And they’re eco-friendly, keeping plastic waste out of landfills. An insulated water bottle creates a buffer between your beverage and the external temperature, while the double-wall construction precludes condensation on the exterior. 

Modern adventurers, athletes, entrepreneurs, and everyone in between know that investing in a high-quality water bottle is one of the most logical purchases you can make. However, not all water bottles are created equally. Grabbing a vacuum-insulated canister will provide you with more benefits than its plastic counterpart. Take a look at the market and you’ll see a wave of insulated bottles all claiming to be superior to the rest. Luckily, we’ve done the hard work for you by sifting through all the options to create a guide to the best vacuum-insulated water bottles available.

Size: The size of your water bottle will largely depend on your personal preference. The larger the capacity, the heavier the bottle will be. So if you’re commuting or going to the gym, you won’t want something that weighs more than it needs to. However, this will also determine how often you’ll need to fill up, so if you’re not in a place where you can fill up regularly, you might want to opt for something with more capacity. Likewise, keep in mind factors such as the bottle’s footprint, especially if it will take up space on your desk or be required to fit inside a cup holder.

Cap/Lid: Your activity of choice will determine the type of lid you’ll want on your bottle. For working out, you’ll want a narrow spout, which prevents you from taking in too much at once, which can lead to cramping. Likewise, if a spill were to happen, there’s a smaller exit point for the liquid to come out of. If you’re driving in a car, you might want a built-in straw to minimize spilling even further and make it easier to open up one-handed. If you’re traveling long distances and looking for a bottle to throw into your bag and preclude leaking altogether, you might want a basic open-mouth drinking spout with a solid twist cap.

Materials: The materials of your vacuum-insulated water bottle will almost always be stainless steel, which significantly improves and maximizes temperature retention. However, you’ll want to keep an eye out for 18/8 medical-grade stainless steel, which will obviate any metallic taste being imparted to your beverage.

Finish: While it may seem like more of a case of aesthetics, the finishing coat on your water bottle can help improve your grip in certain situations. Something like powder coating will make sure it doesn’t slip out of your sweaty hands in the gym or during rainy commutes.

Hydro Flask Wide-Mouth

Best Overall: Synonymous with the modern-day water bottle for a reason, Hydro Flask helped change the game when it comes to rethinking how we stay hydrated. Built on a simple design, yet one that’s remarkably thoughtful, the Wide-Mouth model continues to evolve over the years, featuring the proprietary Flex Cap system which utilizes an innovative honeycomb construction to keep the lid insulated up top. You can also swap out a sip cap for a straw cap depending on what your activity is. Likewise, these bottles are easy to carry with the durable, flexible strap.

Klean Kanteen Insulated Mug 2.0

Best Budget: Klean Kanteen claims its flasks can keep drinks cold for up to 100 hours. Why it would take you more than four days to drink 16oz of liquid is beyond us, but now you have the option. Born in 2004 in Northern California, the brand was among the first to offer an alternative to disposable plastic bottles, and the rest is history. Still updating its flagship bottle, Klean Kanteen offers its Insulated Mug 2.0 for just around $25, which is nearly half the price of the top-shelf options, yet with similar construction and performance.

Sigg Hot & Cold 1.0L

Best Upgrade: Whether you prefer its clean, futuristic design or its detachable bottom that converts into a cup for drinking, Sigg’s Hot & Cold goes above and beyond the basic needs of a hydration flask and is sleek enough to impress your coworkers who stop by your desk throughout the day. With 24 hours of coldness retention and 18 hours of heat retention, the bottle is leakproof and lightweight at just 1.55lbs, making it a great option for traveling as well. Equipped with a loop on the lid, it can also be attached via carabiner to your bag.

YETI Rambler 36oz

Best for Travel: When you’re covering a lot of ground in one day, or one week, you’ll want a travel companion that can handle anything that’s thrown at it. YETI is one of the leading drinkware brands for a reason, and the 36-ounce version of its flagship Rambler is a fantastic choice if you need something with a little extra volume that you can stuff into your backpack without worrying about it leaking. Likewise, the kitchen-grade stainless steel construction can take a heavy beating for years to come. With several interchangeable lid options, the Rambler is still 100% leakproof.

Takeya Actives Insulated Water Bottle

Best for Working Out: For the most intense workouts, you’ll want something that can deliver hydration without over-hydrating you. Takeya’s highly-popular stainless steel flask is the perfect option for hitting the gym or pounding the pavement. If you’re prone to sweaty palms, the powder coating makes your grip a lot firmer and the removable silicone base lets you put it down quickly without disrupting other gym-goers with clanks. Equipped with a carrying handle for hooking onto your backpack, the 24-ounce version keeps drinks cold for 24 hours.

MiiR Insulated Water Bottle

Best for the Outdoors: One of the best bottles you can find, period, the narrow-mouth flask from MiiR is a great option for day hikes and camping trips, especially when you’re apt to misplace it. Constructed with 18/8 stainless steel, the 23oz bottle is slim enough for camp chair cupholders, although the open-mouth top won’t fit larger ice cubes. The carabiner-friendly top loop can latch onto your bag or belt, while the hardshell powder coating bolsters your grip in wetter conditions.

HidrateSpark PRO

Best Smart Bottle: Billing itself as the “smartest water bottle ever created,” the HidrateSpark PRO is a solid vacuum-sealed stainless steel flask first and foremost. What sets it apart, however, is its ability to monitor your hydration needs. Available in 32- and 21-ounce versions with either straw or chug lid options, this nifty gadget pairs with your phone via Bluetooth so you can create your custom profile. It then tracks your intake and has a glowing light at its base which alerts you when it’s time to drink more. There’s also a feature that lets you track down your HidrateSpark if it goes missing.

Purist Founder 32oz Water Bottle

Best Glass Bottle: At first glance, you’d think we were mistaken that this flask is made of glass. But lo, the Purist Founder vacuum-insulated is actually one of the few glass options that has all the benefits of double-wall surgical-grade stainless steel insulation without any risk of that metallic taste. The durable steel keeps your beverage cold while the glass makes it easy to clean. Sporting a glass finish on the inside, it’s still capable of keeping drinks cold for up to 25 hours, while the wide-mouth opening makes this 32-ounce flask a breeze to fill and add ice.

RTIC Travel Mug

Best for Hot Drinks: While it’s important to have a flask for the most important beverage of them all, you might be seeking something tailored more to tea and coffee drinkers — or simply those who prefer to consume their water on the warmer side. With either 16- or 20-ounce versions, the Travel Mug from RTIC is available in nearly 20 color options and comes at a wallet-friendly price point. Building on the brand’s expertise on flasks and coolers with 18/8 stainless steel construction, the bottle features a grippy base to prevent it from toppling over and an air-tight lid with a wider flip-top spout for drinking hot beverages easier.

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