Whether water is your honest-to-goodness beverage of choice or chugging down H2O feels like a chore, there’s no getting around the fact that we all need to drink quite a bit of it every day. Staying hydrated is key for functioning well, staying energized, and supporting long-term health—and the best water bottles can make it easier to stay refreshed and hydrated throughout the day. (Why? If you love your water bottle, you’ll take it with you everywhere you go!)
Maybe you’re looking for a hiking water bottle or a running-friendly water bottle, or one that fits in your bike’s bottle cage. Perhaps you’re in the car often and need an option that fits your cup holder, or you need one for your kiddo that won’t spill everywhere no matter how much they throw it around. Sure, you could buy plastic bottled water in bulk, but those costs add up—not to mention, it’s terribly wasteful.
Why do that to yourself when there are so many gorgeous receptacles that make drinking water a joy? Bottles that chill your beverages for hours (or keep hot drinks actually hot)? That won’t slip out of your hands, or soak your belongings? That are easy to hold during runs, collapse totally flat for travel, and come with straws for sipping? That can be thrown in the dishwasher? The choices are endless.
If you don’t have a water bottle that you love, we’ve got you. Below is a breakdown of some of the best water bottles to help you reach your hydration goals.
Our top picks
- Best Overall: Hydro Flask Wide Mouth with Straw Lid (32 oz.)
- Best Leak-Proof: Owala FreeSip Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle
- Best Wide-Mouth: Yeti Rambler Vacuum Bottle
- Best With Straw: Klean Kanteen TKWide Insulated Water Bottle with Twist Cap (20 ounces)
- Best for the Car: Stanley Quencher Flowstate H2O Flowstate 30 oz.
- Best Glass: Purifyou Premium Glass Water Bottle
- Best Plastic: Camelbak Chute Mag Water Bottle
- Best Self-Cleaning: Larq Bottle PureVis 2
- Best for Camping: Nalgene Sustain Wide-Mouth Water Bottle (32 oz.)
- Best for Cycling: Lululemon Purist Cycling Water Bottle 26 oz.
What to consider when shopping for a reusable water bottle
There are so many water bottles available. To pick the best option for your needs and lifestyle, here’s some criteria to keep in mind while you’re shopping:
Material
The water bottles we feature are made from stainless steel, BPA-free plastic, glass, and silicone. Stainless steel tends to be more insulating but also heavier; plastic is often lighter weight and more affordable but not insulating; glass can be heavy but is less likely to transfer any taste to your water; and silicone is durable and malleable (think: collapsible), but it may have an initial rubber taste and smell. Think about your priorities in a bottle to help you decide which material might be best for you.
Insulation
Many water bottles—typically those made from stainless steel—are insulating, which helps to keep your drink temperature controlled. Depending on the level of insulation and the tumbler’s vacuum-seal status, it might be able to keep your water cold for more than two days. Strong insulation also means you won’t feel the drink’s temperature when you hold the bottle from the outside (so no burning your hand from holding a hot bottle or tempting full-body chills with icy water).
Maintenance
Some bottles are dishwasher safe; some have parts that are top-shelf dishwasher safe, with other parts hand-wash-only; some are fully hand-wash-only. It’s important to keep your container clean, so ask yourself if you’re willing to follow the care instructions.
Cost
The options on our list of best water bottles range from below $20 to above $100—and we stand by every single one of them. Prices often reflect features like insulation, smart technology, multiple lids, size, and material.
Size
A big bottle means you’ll need to refill it less often—not that getting up and stretching your legs as you head over to your sink is a bad thing. Size can also factor into how much space your bottle will require on your desk or in your backpack, how heavy it’ll be when filled up, and whether or not it’ll fit into a cup holder.
Cap style
Are you a straw-sipper, a wide-mouth-chugger, or a spout-tilter? With some multi-function bottles (or bottles that come with multiple lid options) you don’t have to choose, but knowing your preference is a good way to narrow down your ideal hydration companion.
How we picked the best water bottles
We sourced our winners for the best water bottles by scouring thousands of reviews and consulting editors and fitness experts on their hands-down favorites. These top picks are from retailers like Amazon, Target, Lululemon, Walmart, REI, and more.
Best Overall: Hydro Flask Wide Mouth with Straw Lid (32 oz.)
Amazon
Pros
- You can personalize it with an engraving and customized color
- Double-walled vacuum insulation keeps drinks cold for up to 24 hours
- Lid and handle use plastic that’s BPA-free
Cons
- Doesn’t fit a cup holder
- May leak water through the straw top
Made of stainless steel with a powder-coat finish that keeps it from slipping out of your hands, the Hydroflask keeps drinks cold for 24 hours or hot for 12. The lid and handle are made without bisphenol-A (BPA), a chemical often found in plastic materials that’s linked to negative health outcomes. And while this bottle comes with a flex-straw lid, it’s compatible with other options that are sold separately, letting you customize it to your needs—and with dozens of colors from which to choose, you can also pick the hue that suits your vibe. It’s large enough to keep you hydrated throughout the day, and its wide opening makes it easy for you to infuse ice and other goodies in your water. It also fits most backcountry water filters, allowing you to refill with tap water on the go.
“I love my Hydro Flask because it's sturdy, beautiful, and helps me stay well hydrated,” Ky Russell, a certified Pilates instructor and yoga instructor, tells SELF. “It keeps my cold drinks or hot drinks at the right temperature for hours, which helps me to stay hydrated while I teach.”
Product specs
Material: Stainless steel, BPA-free plastic | Lids available: Comes with flex-straw wide-mouth cap; compatible with other options sold separately | Colors: 27 | Dishwasher safe: Yes
Runner Up: Owala FreeSip Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle (24 oz.)
Target
Pros
- Lid gives multiple options for sipping
- A ton of color options
- Vacuum-sealed lid doesn’t leak
Cons
- Narrow straw opening is tricky to clean without a special tool
- Dents easily when dropped
- Doesn’t fit in a cup holder
The Owala FreeSip water bottle is a SELF editor favorite. This insulated stainless steel water bottle with a BPA-free plastic lid comes in various sizes and delightful colors. Its patented FreeSip spout is designed to be used in two different ways: for drinking upright, through the built-in straw, or tilting back to swig from the spout. Its push-to-open leak-proof spring lid won’t spill in your bag thanks to the bottle’s carry-loop handle that doubles as a lock when pushed down. (Think of it as a deadbolt for your water bottle.) And its double-wall vacuum insulation keeps drinks cold for up to 24 hours.
“I am obsessed with my Owala Free Sip water bottle,” says Kaitlin Bitting, an instructor at Barre3. “It keeps cold beverages chilled seemingly forever—my water is still chilled when I wake up in the morning after leaving it out overnight.”
Product specs
Material: Stainless steel; BPA-free plastic | Lids available: 1 | Colors: 20 | Dishwasher safe: Lid, yes; hand-wash the bottle
Best Wide-Mouth: Yeti Rambler Vacuum Bottle (26 oz.)
Dick's Sporting Goods
Pros
- Has a multi-functional lid
- Stands by durability claims with a 5-year warranty
Cons
- Doesn’t fit into a cup holder
- Ice may melt
The Yeti Rambler is a durable workhorse: It’s made of kitchen-grade stainless steel that’s rust- and puncture-resistant, and it has a five-year warranty—so you can feel confident it’ll hold up even if you give your worst (or a new one’s on Yeti). The chug cap lid is dual-functional; twist off the top handle to expose a small spout for controlled sips. Or screw off the cap fully to take big gulps through the wide mouth opening. But if you’d rather have a different lid, you can add on a straw cap or magnetic bottle cap (for an additional $13).
“I love it because it holds enough water and keeps your water ice-cold for over 24 hours,” says Julia Denison, a running coach and registered dietitian. “I also love the straw cap because the ease of use helps me drink more water throughout the day. It’s a versatile bottle you can carry along all day.”
Product specs
Material: Stainless steel | Lids available: 3 (sold separately) | Colors: 16 | Dishwasher safe: Yes
Best With Straw: Klean Kanteen TKWide Insulated Water Bottle with Twist Cap (20 oz.)
Amazon
Pros
- Fits in cup holders
- Comes with the option to personalize your bottle with text or art (for an added fee)
- Features a lifetime warranty
Cons
- The Twist Cap isn’t meant for hot or carbonated drinks
- Leak-proof lid
A common drawback of straw-lid bottles is that water has a sneaky way of dripping out around the opening. Not a problem with the stainless steel Klean Kanteen TKWide Bottle. When its Twist Cap is closed, the silicone straw tip (which connects to a stainless steel straw inside the bottle) stays locked inside, protecting you from splashes and it from getting dirty. Once you rotate the lid open, out emerges the straw, like a hydrating jack-in-the-box.
