I’ve Spent Years Testing the Best Insulated Water Bottles—Here Are My Favorites

My Top Pick

Yeti Rambler Water Bottle

$30 at Amazon View on Yeti.com $30 at REI

My first real introduction to this brand actually didn’t come until around 2019, when I borrowed my dad’s prized Yeti cooler for a camping trip in Oregon. I was so impressed with the temperature retention and sturdiness that I decided to give the Yeti Rambler water bottle, which had come out a few years prior and was already accumulating a loyal fan base, a try. It was the most durable water bottle I’d ever used. And since my favorite reusable water bottle perk is that it allows me to cut down on waste, investing in one that would last a long time made a lot of sense. 

Since then, that same Yeti water bottle has come out of multiple hikes, road trips, and accidental drops completely unscathed. Best of all, it still keeps my drinks just as cold as it did on day one. I’ve managed to turn the rest of my family members (who have jobs that require them to be outdoors frequently) into Yeti devotees throughout the years.

While the Yeti straw lid is popular, I love the chug cap since it closes tightly and is easy to drink from. This brand is also a big favorite around the office because it travels so well and won’t leak during commutes. Although it is a bit heavy relative to its size, that’s the price you pay for added strength.

Apart from the 18-ounce capacity, the Rambler also comes in 26, 36, 46, and 64 ounces. Historically, the brand featured a smaller range of colors, mostly neutral shades like black, white, gray, and navy, but they’ve since expanded their colors with limited edition offerings. They also make a wide selection of equally durable drinkware, like insulated wine tumblers and can koozies.

The Details: Stainless steel; double-wall vacuum insulation; 18 ounces; 1.2 pounds; 10.2 x 3 inches; dishwasher safe

Best Budget

Contigo AutoSeal Chill 2.0 Water Bottle, 24-Ounce

$24 at Amazon View on Coleman.com $29 at Kohls.com

As much as I love my Rambler, I understand that $30 may not be in the budget for everyone. Despite the lower price tag, this Contigo Cortland Chill boasts temperature retention capabilities that rival even the most expensive stainless steel bottles. A coworker told me that hers has been known to keep water under 50 degrees Fahrenheit for nearly 30 hours. The lid features a sliding lock that covers the sipping port to prevent spills, and the slim profile helps make it easy to hold and portable.

I’m a big fan of the fact that you can get such an excellent insulated water bottle for around $20. This 24-ounce bottle has a push-button lid that pops open for easy drinking—another big win in my opinion—and a carrying handle that can stand up or lay flat.  

The Details: Stainless steel; double wall vacuum insulated; 24 ounces; 0.88 pounds; 10.7 x 3.2 inches; hand wash only

Best Lightweight

S'well 17-Ounce Stainless Steel Water Bottle

$35 at Amazon Orig. $34 $30 at Target $35 at Walmart

I recently took my S’well water bottle on a work trip across the country, and it checked all the boxes. Its slim design was comfortable to hold and fit easily in any cupholder I encountered, and it was lightweight enough to not drag my travel bag down while running through the airport to catch my flight. There’s a simple stainless steel cap that’s perfect for use in an airplane (sometimes straw caps or flip-up lids can make a mess from the pressure), and the insulation is super effective. The S’well bottles are also protected with a copper wall layer that helps eliminate condensation on the exterior, so they won't sweat on your hands or in your bag.

Larger water bottles are great for staying hydrated when you know you won’t have access to refills, but sometimes I like to supplement with a smaller bottle that won’t weigh me down. Most of the time, I’m working from home or at an office during the day, and getting up to walk to the kitchen and refill my water bottle is a good excuse to stretch my legs. The only downside is that some models are hand wash only and have a narrow opening, so you’ll have to use a bottle brush to get a good clean.

The Details: Stainless steel; triple-layered vacuum insulated; 17 ounces; 0.7 pounds; 2.8 x 10.3 inches; hand wash only

Most Versatile

Hydro Flask Wide Mouth Water Bottle

$45 at Amazon $45 at Nordstrom $45 at Nordstrom

I’ve tried several models of Hydro Flask bottles and would recommend them all. The brand helped pave the way for many other popular water bottle brands, and the quality still holds up. The 32-ounce wide-mouth bottle is a classic, featuring a flexible straw lid and carrying loop, and a body made from 18/8 pro-grade stainless steel.

My only qualms with the Hydro Flask bottles I’ve used in the past are that the colors tend to chip or scratch easily, and they are generally less durable than Yeti. Don’t get me wrong, they can take a tumble, but they’re more likely to scuff or dent, which can affect their vacuum insulation properties. However, Hydro Flask comes in first place in the versatility category. The brand offers the widest selection of different colors, sizes, and lids—including the Flex Chug Cap, Sport Cap, Flex Straw Cap, and Flex Sip Lid, which are all interchangeable with the Wide Mouth model. 

The Details: Stainless steel; double-wall vacuum insulation; 32 ounces; 1.05 pounds; 10.35 x 3.8 inches; dishwasher safe

Best Tumbler

Stanley Adventure Quencher H2.0 Flowstate Tumbler

$62 at Amazon Orig. $42 $36 at Walmart View on Nordstrom

You’ve probably seen this Stanley Tumbler before—either on social media or out in the real world. At over 12 inches tall, it may seem a little intimidating at first, but you’ll learn to love it once you realize how easy it is to stay hydrated. You can fill it once in the morning and keep it next to your work-from-home computer all day without having to go back for refills. However, if you don’t want to commit to the 64 or 40-ounce size yet, the tumbler also comes in 14, 20, and 30-ounce sizes. 

Something that a lot of large water bottle designs get wrong is the base. Stanley’s tumbler design has a narrow base that fits comfortably in a cup holder, so you don’t have to worry about it spilling over while on the go. I love the range of colors that it comes in, ranging from darker shades to pastels; they even have limited edition and holiday colors. The body is constructed using 90% recycled BPA-free stainless steel, so you can feel good about the sustainability elements. 

The Details: Stainless steel, double-wall vacuum insulation; 40 ounces; 1.4 pounds; 12.3 x 5.8 inches; dishwasher safe

Best Straw Lid

Klean Kanteen TKWide with Twist Cap

$45 at Amazon View on Kleankanteen.com

Klean Kanteen was selling BPA-free stainless steel water bottles back in 2004, arguably before they went mainstream. I had one of the older, less flashy models in college and used it for everything from workouts at the campus gym to study sessions in the library. This TKWide is one of the only water bottles I’ve found with a stainless steel interior straw (most are plastic), which means it will last a lot longer and provide a cleaner taste. The insulation technology is also pretty impressive—drinks will stay cold for up to 75 hours—but keep in mind that the twisting straw cap can’t accommodate hot beverages. 

The family- and employee-owned company earns extra points for being a Climate Neutral Certified Brand (they operate on a combination of carbon-neutral practices and carbon offsetting) and investing 1% of sales toward environmental nonprofits. Today, 95% of their products are made using 90% post-consumer recycled material. 

The Details: Stainless steel; double-wall vacuum insulation; 32 ounces; 1.14 pounds; 10.36 x 3.65 inches; hand wash only

Best Design

Owala Steel Water Bottle

$51 at Amazon $28 at Target $55 at Walmart

A fan-favorite insulated water bottle that rivals even the most popular brands, the Owala FreeSip features a push-button lid to flip it open. It comes in three different sizes and plenty of color options, plus the thoughtful design and budget-conscious price make it a great choice for everyday use.

I love the colorful aesthetic and the different methods of sipping it offers. When I asked around, another coworker praised this bottle for staying completely leak-free thanks to the sturdy and effective flip-top lid. There’s a straw sip function, which means you don’t have to tilt the bottle to take a sip, as well as a free sip spout for taking larger swigs. With any push-button lid, there’s always the risk of it accidentally bumping into something and opening in your bag, but this bottle at least has an extra layer of protection with a handle that folds down and locks into place in front of the button. 

The Details: Stainless steel; double-wall insulation; 24 ounces; 0.85 pounds; 10.68 x 3.12 inches; hand wash only

Best for Kids

CamelBak Eddy+ Kids Water Bottle

$25 at Amazon View on Camelbak.com

A lot of my friends with kids swear by CamelBak water bottles. There are a plethora of designs available, and the illustrations are actually really cute—from images of sleepy sloths and flowers to aliens and flying saucers. I’ve also owned adult-sized CamelBaks in the past and can attest to their quality. 

There’s a leak-proof lid (a must for kids), a soft silicone straw that’s spill-proof when open, and a handle that’s easy to clip onto a stroller or hold onto with little hands. All parts are dishwasher-safe and easy to clean (another must). It's also compact enough to fit comfortably in a lunch box. While the plastic version is certainly popular, this stainless steel design provides added durability in case of unexpected (or more likely, expected) drops. 

The Details: Stainless steel; vacuum insulated; 12 ounces; 0.56 pounds; 6.5 x 2.91 inches; dishwasher safe