Our 5 Picks for The Best Water Bottle Brands (We’ve Tested Them for Years!)
We found the best water bottle brands on the market after years of testing. And the winners are…
There are an overwhelming number of water bottles on the market. After years of testing, we picked the best brands for you.
Here are the top 5 best water bottle brands on the market:
- Yeti Rambler Bottle – Best durability
- Hydroflask Wide Mouth Bottle – Best overall
- Ozark Trail Tumbler – Best for road trips
- Owala FreeSip – Best versatility
- Takeya Water Bottle – Best for young kids
1. The YETI Rambler Bottle is the most heavy-duty bottle that will outlast every water bottle.
Best durability
YETI Rambler Bottle $30+
I’m in year 4 of testing this YETI water bottle, and its quality and durability are unrivaled. This 36-ounce capacity has a $50 price tag. GULP! 😳 However, the market has more affordable options the smaller you go. Plus, depending on your fluid-ounce needs, there’s an option for everyone.
Over the last 4 years, my partner has taken this water bottle to work and has lugged it around on various hiking trips and outdoor adventures.
Despite its high cost, it was worth it since it’s still performing great and only has minor signs of use. 👏🏻
One thing that set the design of the YETI rambler apart is the stainless steel bottom. Every other water bottle brand we tested had a coating completely covering the bottle and no matter how durable, every single one chipped and scratched eventually. Our YETI only has minimal surface scratches and dents that are barely noticeable! I’ve got to give it to YETI because they truly thought of everything from the design to the durability! 👏🏻
Speaking of design, they even changed their standard insulated bottles since I purchased mine to now come with their innovative chugging cap. This cap gives you a splash-free drinking experience and is much easier to sip from, especially when you have your water bottle loaded up with ice.
However, I do still favor their MagDock Cap which has the same spout, but is magnetic too!
Here are some of my favorite things about the YETI Rambler water bottle:
- Easiest cap with a handle to grip and open
- Never leaked or sweat
- Keeps drinks hot or cold for hours
- Dishwasher-safe
- Easy to grip exterior “DuraCoat”
- Stainless bottom (no chipping coating over time)
- Magnetic MagDock Cap option
- Extremely durable
- 5-Year Warranty
Here’s what I don’t like about it:
- Expensive
- Some may need to use two hands to drink from larger sizes
- Larger sizes may not be car cup holder compatible
- Heaviest bottle out of all the ones we tested
Hip Tip: Bookmark our YETI drinkware and YETI sale posts to find out when the best deals are happening year-round.
2. Hydro Flask Wide Mouth Bottle is great for aesthetics and longevity.
Best overall
Hydro Flask Wide Mouth Bottle – $34.95+
There’s no denying that Hydro Flask is one of the most popular water bottle choices for basically anyone. For many consumers, you’re either team Hydro Flask or team YETI and for me, I just love my Hydro that’s been with me everywhere!
Even New York Mag agrees it’s the best choice overall. 🙌🏼
While this bottle is also a top performer, the simple and sleek design is what initially won me over. They’ve recently enhanced the design of some of the sizes to give consumers a sleeker and more modern look. On top of that, they’ve mimicked the genius lids of YETI and also now offer a similar lid to the chugging cap.
I’ve always been partial the the handle on the Hydro Flask as it’s the widest one of all the bottles I’ve tested and the most comfortable to tote around from your car to the gym or even for longer trips around the city. Maintenance is also a breeze since they’re dishwasher-friendly. 🙌🏼
Our Hydro Flasks have slowly accumulated more chips and dents as our family adventures continue, so I’m not sure I’d recommend them over YETI for durability. However, they’ve still performed well at keeping drinks hot or cold regardless. And like any true Hydro Flask lover, you probably appreciate the added character anyway. 😉
Here are some of my favorite things about the Hydro Flask water bottle:
- The sleek design is my favorite out of all the bottles I tested
- Dishwasher-safe
- Softest handle & most comfortable to carry
- Never leaked or sweat
- Keeps water cold all day
- Different lid options
- Various accessories available including protective boots
- Limited Lifetime Warranty
Here’s what I don’t like about it:
- Pricey
- Larger sizes may not fit in some car cup holders
- Less durable than YETI
- Wide mouth design splashes easily
Hip Tip: Bookmark our Hydro Flask bottle deals to know when they go on sale year-round!
3. The Ozark Trail Tumbler is a great alternative to Stanley and boasts better features.
Best for road trips
Ozark Trail Water Bottle – $14.97
Ozark Trail is a tough competitor to Stanley, and it is priced under $20! 😱 Other notable features are that it weighs less, and the silicone straw is safer for your teeth and more enjoyable to drink from.
The Ozark Trail brand is notorious for providing products that look eerily similar to other top brands like YETI and now Stanley. From an aesthetics standpoint, this tumbler is identical to the popular Stanley Tumbler and doesn’t leave you feeling like you sacrificed anything. And I can confidently say all of that, having owned both brands! 👏🏻
This insulated water bottle may be cheap, but there’s nothing cheap about its awesome performance. Many people have asked if it still performs well after being put in the dishwasher, and I continue to be impressed by its stellar performance after washing it in the dishwasher countless times. I left it on my nightstand overnight, and it still had whole ice cubes inside the next morning! Overall, it’s a great (and trendy) option if you’re looking for a budget-friendly tumbler.
Thanks to their design, the Ozark Trail tumblers easily fit in car cup holders, making them great water bottles to bring along for all your errands. Plus, they’re the best on our best water bottle brands list for single-handed drinking, and they certainly come in handy for road trips.
Given the better price point, trendy design, and outstanding performance, this is a better choice than even the most popular Stanley brand.
Here are some of my favorite things about the Ozark Trail Tumbler:
- Very affordable
- Travel-friendly
- You can easily drink with one hand
- Silicone straw (safer for teeth)
- Keeps drinking icy cold or hot
- Looks like a trendy Stanley
- Features pretty matte colors
- Doesn’t chip on the bottom
- Dishwasher-safe (even the straws)
- Leak-proof straw design
- Fits in my car cup holder
- Never leaked or sweat
Here’s what I don’t like about it:
- It’s not a good option to store in backpacks or other travel bags unless the straw is removed.
4. The Owala FreeSip water bottle is gorgeous and one of the most versatile on the market.
Best versatility
Owala FreeSip – $19.99+
Owala is a brand I purchased earlier this year after hearing many Hip sidekicks and readers raving about it. If you’ve seen Owala before, the most obvious thing you’ve likely taken notice of is the gorgeous color combinations you can choose from. Their aesthetics are unmatched! I am simply obsessed with the variations of purple on this combination I picked for my daughter. 😍 (And that’s coming from someone who loves neutrals!) 😉
Another unique feature of the Owala FreeSip water bottles is the unique and innovative push button lid. The lid is designed for either sipping upright through the built-in straw or tilting back to drink like a traditional water bottle.
The piece that locks the lid from leaking also doubles as a handle when not being used. This feature alone makes it a great travel companion. The unique flat sides also make it more manageable for little hands and it also doesn’t limit you by being able to stash it in a traditional-sized cup holder. My second grader has had no issues using this water bottle on her own, but I would say younger kiddos may struggle to lock it properly which could result in leaking.
Typically, I veer away from straw lids because they tend to be more hassle than they’re worth, but Owala has nailed it on functionality and practicality. The straw easily detaches for easy cleaning and it’s dishwasher-friendly. Plus, the lid itself has a seamless design, so there are no silicone seals or tight spaces that I have to worry about mold growing.
Here are some of my favorite things about the Owala FreeSip water bottle:
- Locking lid
- Dual-function lid (sipping or chugging abilities)
- Easy to keep clean
- Flat sides for easy gripping
- The lid is seamless to unscrew and put back on
- Kid-friendly design
- The locking handle is easy to carry
- Affordable
- Easy to drink out of with one hand
- Never leaked or sweat
- Fits easily in car cup holders
- Overall extremely versatile
- Dishwasher safe
Here’s what I don’t like about it:
- May not be suitable for younger kiddos who may have trouble locking the lid properly.
5. The Takeya Water Bottle has proven to be the best kid-friendly water bottle on the market.
Best for young kids
Takeya Water Bottle – $19.79+
The screw-top is by far the easiest one to open and close out of all the best water bottle brands we tested. I’ve heard teachers prefer kids to bring straw-lid water bottles to school (which Takeya also makes), but after trying the kid’s Hydro Flask straw-lid bottles and experiencing backpack leaks, the screw-top lids by Tayeka proved to be a better choice for us.
There’s zero fussing with the Takeya lid to get it back on with a great seal, and it’s simple enough to open and close. My daughter could do it when she was in Kindergarten. Now, both of my middle school boys have replaced their Hydro Flasks, and this one is much easier for them to handle. Even better, it’s easier to clean than straw lids, too! 🙌🏼
Not only is this water bottle a favorite in our home, but it was also voted the most versatile water bottle on the market by Healthline and The New York Times! 🤩
The ergonomic handle is another huge bonus about the Takeya water bottle and it has proven to be very durable over the last three years. As an adult, I can comfortably fit two fingers in the handle to carry it around, it can easily clip to any keychain or carabiner, and it makes it easy to pull it out of a backpack side pocket. It also folds down making it easier to store in your cabinet.
Most Takeya stainless steel water bottles come with a silicone sleeve bottom, which protects them from dents and scratches. It’s also a great feature if your kiddo plans to take this best water bottle brand to school because it will be less disruptive to the class, and it has a better chance of staying put and not sliding around on a desk. Just keep in mind, that they’ll slide in and out of side pockets on bookmarks much easier without it.
In the last four years of owning one of our Takeyas, I recently purchased 2 more for my boys and have been incredibly impressed with the minimal dents and scratches it has to show after daily use! 🤯
Here are some of my favorite things about the Takeya water bottle:
- Silicone boot comes standard (also comes off easily for cleaning)
- The rounded stainless steel bottom makes dents less likely to happen without a silicone boot
- The lid is easy to unscrew and put back on
- Kid-friendly design
- The adjustable handle is easy to carry and store in cabinets
- Affordable
- Easy to drink out of with one hand
- Never leaked or sweat
- Fits easily in car cup holders
- Dishwasher safe
Here’s what I don’t like about it:
- Doesn’t perform as well as YETI when keeping drinks cold in warm weather, but overall it still performs well.
BONUS TIP: If you’re buying a handwash-only bottle or prefer to handwash your bottles buy this innovative brush and nothing else.
I did a lot of research on bottle brushes, and when I came across the Swell S’ip Cleaning Brush I knew my search for the perfect brush was over. They’ve since ditched the blue color and replaced it with a wood grain, and I love it even more. I secretly wish ours would go missing so I can replace it with the newer edition. 😆
It’s long enough to reach into any bottle for easy cleaning, and I love the stainless handle, so you can be assured that it will be durable enough to last a long time. (I’ve had mine for over four years now!) Most importantly, even the newest wood color is designed to stand on its own, making it a more sanitary and cleaner choice. 🙌🏻
Check out these genius kitchen organization ideas.
I have mentioned this before. The Thermaflasks that Costco has on special from time to time are made by Takeya. They are great quality. We had a “bumper” that kept falling off and they sent a new one. Costco sometimes has two tops in the special pack. The black 40oz. was in a black car for 7 hours in 90 degrees and there was still ice in there!
Thanks for sharing this again with the Hip community, acgold. Good to know about the Costco version! 🤗 So awesome to hear your review about the ice remaining in the cup after several hours in a hot car! 🙌
I love, love, love those Costco ThermoFlasks — I had no idea that they were made by Takeya though. Cool to know! I use the huge 40 oz. “tankards” for road trips and wilderness adventures. I use the smaller 24 oz. ones with flip-straws daily for packing in my lunch or in my car to sip running errands because they are so easy for one-handed drinking with small female hands. I’ve dropped them on the concrete and asphalt and they keep on keeping on. They don’t stain when I add chlorophyll drops. They’re such a great deal when Costco puts the 2-packs on “coupon” — they’re on coupon now, and the 2-pack of 24-oz comes out to about $9/bottle–half the price of the Takeya.
I am super disappointed in Stanley. Painted finish scratched after a minor incident and Stanley said that it is not coverex
I am super disappointed in Stanley’s cups. had a very minor incident where the finish scratched. I contacted stanley and they said that is not covered duet o normal wear and tear. Purchasing a Stanley cup is a huge investment when the paint scratches so easily.
Aww, that’s such a bummer, LauraK. Sorry to hear about the scratches on your Stanley. Thanks for letting us know how that brand has held up for you.
I really like the owala, but the spring popped out of the lid on one of ours. Unfortunately there’s no generic lid replacements and it was too much trouble to try to buy the lid through their website. I’ve held onto it in hopes a cheap lid that works ends up on Amazon, lol. The other one is holding up well.
Thanks for popping into the comments to share about which brand you prefer most, Melissa. 🥰 Hoping a deal comes along for a replacement lid soon for you! 🤞
I had the same thing happen and contacted Owala and they replaced it for me for free. I had to sent them the receipt, but I ordered on Amazon, so that was easy to pullup. Just a heads up in case you wanna try contacting them.
So awesome, Amy! 🙌 Good to know they were helpful with a replacement – and for free! 💞
Can you possibly due an updated review of cold tumblers that have handles? There seems to have been a few new brands to enter the ring in the past year.
Thanks so much for your suggestion, Krissy. I’ll be sure to pass this along to the team to consider for future reviews. 🥰
I switch back and forth between my owala and my meoky cup depending on what I am doing.
With the owala, I actually prefer the twist lid on my owala to the freesip style lid. I have both styles. My bottle came with the twist lid, but I bought the freesip lid because I thought it was cuter. The freesip lid is more common, but pro tip is to search for the twist style. It’s easier to drink from and the carrying loop is a little nicer.
Thanks a bunch for taking the time to share what style of tumbler you enjoy using and why, Emily. The twist lid sounds super practical so it doesn’t pop-up, which I’ve definitely had happen on other cups. 💕
I love my Hydro Flask 32oz. I take it everywhere. I love that it never spills. I have dropped it many times and I only have 1 dent. The finish they use for the paint is durable and I have no scratches. I was gifted a Stanley for Xmas and I gave it to my daughter. It is not spill proof and it is clunky. Not my favorite.
Happy to hear you’ve been enjoying your Hydro Flash, Laurie. 😊 Good to know it seems to be spill-proof and durable!
I have never used one in my life and no I don’t buy bottled water. I use cups and glasses. Never had a problem with them. Even my coffee cup fits in my cup holder.
I have family members that are the same way, Patricia. 💕 Thanks for letting us know what works best for you! 🤗
I got the hydroflask new handle bottle (the stanley look alike) and as usual hydroflask is amazing. Would highly recommend!
Thanks for the awesome recommendation, Cristine! 💓
I love the owala freesip. They also have it in kid size as well and my 8 year old loves his! Our spring also went out on the lid, but I was able to get a free replacement through their website. We haven’t had any issues since!
Thanks for sharing which tumbler you love, melly! Awesome that they make it in a kid size too! 🙌 Glad to hear that you were able to get a free replacement for the spring! 💞
I’ll stick to my Walmart Built cups. The dishwasher (yeah yeah, I know) hasn’t been kind to most of them, but they still function just fine ans are a fraction of the cost of the more expensive ones, especially the Stanley. And it doesn’t leak. 🤪
Two things — 1, I’m not paying for a name just to keep up with other people. Next year it’ll be a new trend. And 2, if you need to spend extra money on an expensive cup that promises to keep your water cold for 24+ hours, you’ve got bigger fish to fry because that means you aren’t drinkin’ enough in a day. 🤷🏻♀️ Half your body weight in ounces a day, friends!
I like my Simple Modern 40oz cup I got from a sale you posted a few weeks ago. I have the Ozark Trail 40oz, and it keeps cold really well but the lid tends to stick now. The Simple Modern has a quarter turn insulated lid and makes closing and opening much easier.
Several team members love the Simple Modern tumblers too, Cali! Sorry to hear about the lid sticking on your Ozark Trail. Good to know that the lid on the Simple Modern is much easier to open and close! 💖
My fav is Simple Modern. They’ve held up the best for me and fit well in my car’s beverage holders. Easy to clean and no leaks.
Happy to hear how well the Simple Modern tumbler has worked for you, Christy! Thanks a bunch for sharing your experience with this one! 🩷
I love my HydroFlask water bottle so much that I bought every family member one for Christmas this year. 🙂
Glad to hear the HydroFlask has been a hit with your family, katie! 🎉❤️
I love my SLM Amazon Stanley dupe. Fits in my cup holders, keep water cold and rarely leaks.
Awesome! Thanks for sharing the one you’re loving, Heather! 🙌❤️
I love love love Owala Freesip! I didn’t know the stainless ones are dishwasher safe! Thanks!
You’re welcome!
We love Yeti cups in our household. They last forever and still look brand new years later. They are definitely worth the investment.
Thanks for letting us know what your family’s preferred brand is, Lisa! ❤️ Good to know how well they’ve been holding up throughout the years!