Why we’re all obsessed with water bottles – and the 12 best you can buy
My internet search history reads like I have an irrational fear of becoming dehydrated: ‘What is the best reusable water bottle’, ‘What is the TikTok reusable water bottle called’ and ‘new Stanley bottle’ are among the questions I’ve recently asked Google.
Because water bottles (the reusable kind obvs, not the plastic variety) have become the hottest accessory for A-listers, supermodels, wellbeing gurus – and us normals – to carry, in the same way as you would once swing a statement handbag on your arm.
From Adele sipping from her Stanley in the final episode of Carpool Karaoke to the Beckhams being papped carrying their personalised Yeti cups aboard their luxury yacht, water bottles are big business. A $8.3 billion business in fact, when last valued in 2022. Stanley cups are the must-have accessory for tweens and teens and now the demand for Stanley accessories – think cute straw toppers, snack bowls that fit round the rim of the cup and clip on bags to store your lip balm and hand sanitiser in (really) – mean the reusable water bottle eco-system continues to expand.
Personally, I am a woman bridging two water bottle teams. At home, I carry my – I’m embarrassed to type – faux 1.2l Stanley Quencher around with me, as though a second can’t go by without my needing to drink icy cool water. One of the USPs for most of these water bottles – aside from the volume they can hold – is that the vacuum technology keeps liquids cold and sometimes hot (not all are designed for both temperatures) for hours, even days.
But when I’m out and about I am the proud owner of the latest water bottle to join the gang, the Cupple which arguably has the best design and multi-tasking properties of all the bottles (scroll down to find out more). So, whether you’re in a firm water bottle camp or you’re open to switching allegiance, these are the hottest and coolest (see what I did there?) bottles to know about.
Where has the reusable water bottle obsession come from?
TikTok has played a huge part. Some people say it goes back to 2017 when a cool US online gift guide called The Buy Guide recommended and started selling the Stanley Quencher cup and sales started creeping up. As soon as celebs were snapped with them and the most followed TikTokkers started declaring their allegiance to the brand they favoured, everyone else wanted to be part of the cool gang.
Ironically, nearly all the water bottle brands that are now being touted as cool have been around for a long time. Stanley has been creating insulated cups since 1913, Yeti has been around since 2006. Nearly all of them have their roots in outdoor pursuits, camping and hardcore hiking when people genuinely need hardy containers to keep liquids either as cool or hot as possible.
However, with the current trend has meant more aesthetically pleasing shades, and more frequent colour updates, so that consumers can keep adding to theirs collection. Case in point: last year Stanley released a limited edition Valentine’s Day cup with Starbucks that was sold exclusively in Target stores in the US. People were camping outside to get their hands on it and there are videos of crowds stampeding through the stores to grab them. Blimey.
And because they have become such a status symbol, people want to be seen with their water bottles and cart them around everywhere with them. This has led to the phrase ’emotional support water bottle’ (yes, really), used when people take them to the first day of a new job or when watching tense sports games. The hashtag with the same name has had over 337 million views on TikTok, with singer Niall Horan joining in and saying the one thing that has always been there for him is his water bottle (he favours the Hydro Flash 18oz Standard Mouth with Flex Cap, £35, btw).
Now the market is so saturated, it’s quite difficult to know which one is the best to choose. So, I’ve done the hard work for you and pulled together an edit of the water bottles everyone is talking about. Happy hydrating!
12 of the best reusable water bottles
The hands-free one:
If carrying your water bottle is just too much for you to deal with, Stanley has solved all your problems with their latest design (which slightly resembles an old-school safari water flask) as it comes with an adjustable crossbody strap. It also has a built-in straw that pops up when you open the lid and an ergonomic grip around the base to make it easy to hold. It can hold 680mls but only cold liquids.
Who should buy it?
Anyone who loves to have their water bottle on them at all times but has had one too many spillages in their bag or prefers not to have a bag at all. But, of course, as Stanley has become synonymous with the cool kids, having this you’re letting everyone know that you are on top of the water bottle trends. And that is important.
The one all the cool kids want:
Available in three sizes – 20oz, 32oz and 40oz – and a plethora of colour options, the original USP with this bottle was that it has two ways of drinking from it – you can sip through the straw (which is built into the mouthpiece and you can sip it without having to angle it) or tilt it back and gulp from the larger wide-mouth opening, however things move on and now this is one of the reusable water bottles that teens and tweens are going crazy for. And you know that when that happens, everyone else follows. In response, the brand has hugely expanded its colour offering as well as launching limited-edition hues, initial personalisation, and you can even customise the bottle with a selection of emoji-like symbols and patterns. It’s triple insulated to keep drinks cold for up to 24 hours, made from stainless steel and comes in 13 colours.
Who should buy it?
Originally, because of the protective lid that keeps the spout safe from unwanted germs, Owala’s were very popular with healthcare workers. However, now, thanks to the teen-endorsed cool factor, everyone is going to want to drink from one, but only if you like cold drinks, as this style can’t be used with hot beverages.
The one to wear with your gym gear:
Lululemon Back To Life Sport Bottle, £38
Whether Lululemon leggings are your go-to athleisure-wear brand or not, this is a great water bottle. Available in one size (24oz) and 8 colours, this double-insulated bottle keeps cold drinks cold for hours. Trust me, I’ve stolen it from my daughter, and it is currently my reusable water bottle of choice for keeping on my desk all day. My water is as cold and fresh at 6pm as it is at 9am. It has a powdered coating on the outside, which makes it easy to grip, even with sweaty hands, should you take it to the gym with you.
Who should buy it?
A great option for gym bunnies or if you’re looking for a sizeable bottle to carry around with you that you know will keep your cold drink cold all day. It has a handy ring-pull handle and is completely leakproof, so if you need to chuck it in your handbag or gym bag, you can be safe in the knowledge that your belongings aren’t going to get drenched.
The purifying one:
Uvio UV Self Purifying Water Bottle, £90
With more and more questions being asked of the cleanliness of the water we drink, it is unsurprising that there is a demand for a water bottle that comes with a built-in filtering system. And Uvio is fulfilling that need. To use, fill the bottle with water (it holds 480ml) and then press the purifying setting – a UV light built into the lid shines through the water to get rid of any harmful microorganisms.
Who should buy it?
If you prefer your water filtered at all times then this is a no-brainer. The only downsides are that it’s not completely spill-proof and only the straw is dishwasher safe.
The one you can put your phone on:
Ringo Water Bottle and Magnetic Booster Ring, £39.95
If this double-insulated water bottle illustrates how water bottles have (nearly) garnered the same status as our phones – it has been designed so you can attach one to the other. If you have an iPhone 12 or older, the phone will automatically magnetically attach to the ring. If you have an older phone or an Android, you will need to buy a separate magnetic phone attachment.
Then you are free to use the bottle however you like. It balances equally well whether full or empty and it will keep drinks cold for 24 hours and drinks hot for 12 hours. The bottle is dishwasher safe but it is recommended to wash the lid by hand.
Who should buy it?
As well as using this as a water bottle, it essentially doubles as a tripod. So if you like to film your gym workouts, or watch something on your phone while you’re on the treadmill – this is a great option. It is also quite handy on planes as a way of securing your phone at a more convenient height to watch a film.
Buy NowThe one for coffee lovers:
This is a very cleverly designed water bottle. With just a few twists and lifts of various parts, a built-in coffee cup reveals itself (scroll down for a video). This means if you’re out and about and fancy a spontaneous coffee, you have a reusable coffee cup on you at all times. The 525ml bottle part is made from stainless steel and is designed for cold drinks only. The 340ml coffee cup – which is hidden under the outer sleeve of the bottle and has a sip-through lid which you take out from the base – is also made from stainless steel but has a double insulated layer to keep hot drinks hot. It comes in seven shades and Cupple recommends you wash it by hand with warm soapy water.
Who should buy it?
If you love hot and cold drinks equally but don’t want to carry around two bulky reusable cups then this solves all your issues as the genius design means you have both available to you at all times. And once you’ve had your preferred drink of choice you can simply slot it back round the water bottle and you’re back to living your best streamlined life again. This is like the Transformers of water bottles.
The cult one:
Stanley Quencher H2.0 Flowstate Tumbler, £45
Oh, this is the big boy and can fit in 1.2l of your preferred liquid. It comes with a straw or spout attachment and is hot and cold vacuum-insulated. It’s made from 90 per cent recycled stainless steel and the tapered bottom means it will fit into car cup holders. It is dishwasher safe although very easy to clean in the sink. And there are at least 20+ colours to choose from, with more being released all the time
Who should buy it?
This is the reusable water bottle brand that’s all over TikTok. So, if you want to be one of the cool kids then you have found your water bottle tribe. It is one of the largest water bottles so if you’re trying to up your hydration levels and like your drink to be cold all day long then it really does do what it says on the tin. Stanley also has the largest colour range so if you’re trying to coordinate to a particular hue, then this is the brand for you.
The other cult one:
With a slightly smaller volume capacity – this one fits 738ml – but still perfectly roomy for your hydrating liquid of choice, this style of Yeti (there are lots) comes with a handy handle making it far easier to transport than the Quencher from Stanley. It also has a built-in flip straw so no chances of spillage here either. The slim design means it also fits in car cup holders and it is 100 per cent puncture proof and rust-resistant. This style has a double vacuum but only works for cold drinks. It is dishwasher safe and comes in 23 colours.
Who should buy it?
If emulating the Beckhams is important to you, then a Yeti is for you. This style only works for cold drinks, by the way.
The eco one:
Made from 90 per cent recycled stainless steel and ocean-bound collected plastic, this is a bottle with a purpose. Each bottle contains a smart chip allowing the owner to register the bottle to the app and further fund the collection of ocean-bound plastic (for free) each time a refill is registered. It can hold 500ml and comes with a straw or spout drinking mechanism and hot or cold vacuum thermos insulation. The compact size and easy carry loop make it ideal for taking out and about with you and the lid can also be used as a mug with the carry strap doubling up as a handle. It is dishwasher safe and available in six colours.
Who should buy it?
If you are buying a reusable water bottle more for the environmental reasons behind it than the hype around it then this is the bottle for you. Ocean Bottle commits to collecting the equivalent of 1000 plastic bottles with every ocean bottle sold and since launching in 2019, they have prevented 9.8 million kilograms of ocean-bound plastic from reaching the ocean.
The sexy one:
Available in three sizes, this is the larger 1l size. The bottle itself is glass with a protective outer silicone sleeve which is only suitable for cold drinks. It is BPA-free, dishwasher safe (you have to take the sleeve off obvs) and comes with a screwtop lid. It is available in 11 colours and you can buy stickers to personalise your bottle
Who should buy it?
Very much a bottle for those who want to make a fashion statement. The brand itself is founded by two best friends who wanted to make drinking water a more enjoyable experience, hence the pretty aesthetic.
The A-lister favourite:
Suitable for hot or cold drinks this can hold 511ml (but there are other sizes to choose from). It is scratch-proof, leak-proof, dishwasher safe and comes in four colours.
Who should buy it?
Well, if you’re a One Direction fan and want the same emotional support bottle as Niall Horan, this is for you. It’s also a great option for anyone who’s not that fussed about a huge range of colours to choose from and just wants a durable, hard-working bottle that’s not going to spill everywhere.
The customisable one:
Frank Green Ceramic Reusable Bottle, from £39.99
This Australian-made bottle is hot and cold vacuum insulated and the bottle design is fully customisable when you buy. The biggest flaw when the bottle launched was that it was too wide to fit in car cup holders. However, the brand has now released a cup holder adaptor so you can take it on drives with you.
Who should buy it?
If you want a bottle that is unique to you, then this is your brand as you can custom design the whole thing. You start by choosing the type of lid: push button, flip straw or regular straw. Then you choose the colours of the bottom half and the top half separately from 19 options. Finally, you can have the bottle monogrammed and adorned with the emojis of your choice.
