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12 Best Water Bottles of 2023, Tested by Experts

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12 Best Water Bottles of 2023, Tested by Experts

The best water bottle you can purchase is one that is durable, easy to clean and makes increasing your daily water intake easier. Considering that there are thousands of water bottles on the market, let us help you navigate through models with built-in straws, unique features and various colors and patterns to help you select the best for you. After all, the benefits for the environment (and your wallet!) make the purchase worth it.

Whether you want a water bottle to keep you hydrated throughout a long workday, for working out at home or long car rides – our experts found a water bottle perfect for every lifestyle.

In the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, we rely on our decades of testing thousands of beverage-related products. Through our in-Lab and real-life testing, as well as our product experts' extensive research and industry experience, we're able to recommend water bottles that tested well for us in temperature retention, durability, cleanability and so much more.

You can read about how we evaluate water bottles in our Lab — plus everything you need to know to shop for your perfect water bottle — at the end of this guide. Looking for more kitchen gear? Check out our guides to the best coffee thermoses, shaker bottles, water pitcher filters and water filters.

Yeti is a versatile water bottle brand that offers a variety of sizes, shapes and colors. This 26-ounce Rambler is a great everyday option that's comfortable to hold, doesn't sweat and is easy to drink out of, thanks to the perfectly sized cap. Like all of Yeti's Ramblers, this water bottle's lid unscrews smoothly and has an oversized handle that makes it easy to hold. We especially love that the lids are all interchangeable amongst the various Rambler bottles that range in size from 12 ounces to 64 ounces.

Our favorite part about this water bottle is that it's dishwasher safe for easy cleaning. After numerous runs in the dishwasher, our testing supports this — and the colors on three different water bottles are still as bright and vibrant as they were when we began testing last year. (Note: The dishwasher's tough environment can deform the seal on bottles that aren't dishwasher safe and ruin the exterior over time, so always check.) The Rambler's wide mouth also makes it easy to wash by hand — and add ice cubes.

If you prefer a lightweight, plastic water bottle over stainless steel, Yeti just came out with its plastic Yonder line, which comes in five colors, two sizes and is compatible with the chug cap as well. We've been conducting dishwasher testing, and these bottles are holding up well like the Rambler.

Nalgene water bottles are popular for a reason. With close to 12,000 five-star ratings on Amazon, a price tag under $20 and a leak-proof seal, this water bottle is a popular pick with both consumers and GH Institute experts. This 32-ounce wide-mouth bottle is easy to drink from and take along anywhere: It's lightweight with a plastic loop that easily hooks onto any bag. Plus, its screw top makes for a tight seal so you can toss it in without fear of leaking.

This Nalgene water bottle comes from their Sustain line, which means that the Tritan BPA-free bottle is made with material derived from 50% plastic waste. We love the measurement markings on the side that allow you to keep track of how much you’re drinking through the day. It's dishwasher safe, and the colors stay bright even after many washes, though the markings wear off over time.

One GH staffer says this Takeya bottle is her go-to for everything from working out to traveling, thanks to its smart details. "I love that there’s a grippy strip around the lid, which makes it easy to open the top if it’s been tightened too much," she says.

The spout is easy to flip open and wide enough to sip out of mid-workout. It's insulated and doesn't sweat, and its matte finish makes it easy to grasp. Plus, it has a silicone grip on the bottom, which helps the bottle stay in place in a cup holder or on a table. The wide mouth means the bottle is easy to fill and easy to clean — it's even dishwasher safe. Take note that, like most straws, this straw requires additional care when cleaning due to the narrow shape.

This style of water bottle comes in a range of sizes and lid options like the spout lid — there’s even one for kids. And another great option from Takeya for the gym is the Takeya Sport, which won a GH 2023 Fitness Award.

This 20-ounce stainless steel water bottle is a favorite among many GH staffers. We love that it has the ease of a drinking spout and a lid that covers and protects it. The lid screws on and locks so it's great for tossing in a bag without the worry of accidental leaks. When it's time to drink, the pop-top opens with the click of a button.

Its sleek design and variety of colors are a plus, but the real wow is how well it keeps drinks at temperature. It excels at keeping both hot beverages hot and cold beverages cold; plus, it has a small drink spout, which makes it more ideal for hot beverages that you don't want to chug, though it does make water flow a little slower than other bottles on this list.

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Hydro Flask's 21-ounce Trail Series is slim, noticeably lightweight and held drinks at their temperature for hours in our road test. This bottle is not only our top pick for a stainless steel water bottle, but it's also a great choice for taking on the go whether you are hiking, camping or traveling. Its walls are made of thinner stainless steel than competitors and it has a perforated handle, which makes it lighter and easier to carry on long treks.

It comes in two different colors and in 21- and 24-ounce sizes. If you are looking for a larger water bottle, the brand offers it in the Hydro Flask Wide Mouth Trail bottles, which come in 32- and 40-ounce sizes. Keep in mind that Hydro Flask recommends that you hand wash all of its water bottles.

And if you have a few old Hydro Flask water bottles lying around your house, Hydro Flask just launched a recycling program. Through Hydro Flask Trade-in, you can recycle your old bottles and get credits for new bottles like this 21-ounce Trail Series.

This water bottle is one of our favorites, particularly for its covered rubber spout that won't hurt teeth when sipping on the go. Its lid also screws off relatively easily if you prefer to drink out of a wide mouth. At 32 ounces, this KleanKanteen water bottle is large but holdable with a sturdy carrying handle that's durable enough to clip to a backpack.

Its insulated design keeps contents cold for up to 47 hours or hot for up to 14 hours, according to the manufacturer. (If you opt to use this, or any, water bottle for hot beverages, choose a lid with a smaller drinking spout to prevent potential burns. KleanKanteen sells an assortment of compatible lids, including this cafe cap for hot beverages.) Its wide mouth allows for easy filling and cleaning. Plus, it’s dishwasher safe, which is not as common for insulated water bottles.

From a sustainability standpoint, we also love that Klean Kanteen will be using certified 90% post-consumer recycled steel for 95% of their products by the end of 2023.

You may have seen the Stanley cup all over social media, and we've found that we are fans of it as well. This large cup-shaped water bottle holds a lot of water — 40 ounces — and the straw makes it easy to drink from. We think it's a great pick for long car rides or for sitting at your desk, ensuring that you stay hydrated throughout the day. The sturdy handle is comfortable to hold: It's large enough to fit your hand inside, but not so big that it moves around in your hand. The slim bottle design that tapers at the bottom makes it easy to grasp when you're not using the handle, and the lid goes on and off easily so you can refill quickly.

Stanley claims that it will keep water cold for 11 hours, iced for two days and hot for seven hours, and we certainly noticed how cold it kept our water in testing. Note that if you are looking for a leak-proof water bottle, this wouldn't be your best pic, as it will leak if turned upside.

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For just over $20, it’s hard to beat the value of the CamelBak eddy+. It's made of durable, dishwasher-safe plastic and comes in a variety of colors from lavender to sky blue. This water bottle holds 25 ounces and is the perfect size to tote around all day with its easy-to-carry two-finger loop handle — it even fits in most car and bicycle cup holders.

The bite valve straw makes it easy to sip from on the go and prevents spills and splashes (though we don't recommend tossing it into a bag, as it's not leak-proof). CamelBak stands behind its products so much so that it offers a lifetime warranty.

If you're looking for a glass bottle, this W&P Porter bottle stands out. Its wide mouth makes it feel comparable to drinking out of a cup, but it has a lid so you can take it on the go. It holds 16 ounces of liquid, small enough to fit into most bags. We've even tested this out with transporting cold brew coffee: There were no spills, and we appreciated that the flavor of coffee didn't linger after washing, which can happen with other water bottle materials.

The silicone wrap feels smooth and soft in the hand and helps prevent condensation from building up. (Heads up that the bottom can sometimes form a suction on surfaces that makes it feel like it’s stuck to the table.) A more narrowed-mouth glass bottle is available, too, but we recommend the wide-mouth because it is easy to add ice to and is easier to clean by hand.

While we haven't tested this water bottle from Brita, Brita water bottles have performed well in the past. This 26-ounce bottle filters out chlorine, which can affect the odor and taste of your water. Brita says that its water bottle filter (located in the straw) should be replaced after 40 gallons or approximately every two months for best-tasting water. The slim plastic bottle fits into most bicycle cup holders which makes it a perfect pick for those who like to ride; plus, the cap flips open with the touch of a button.

The water bottle is made out of lightweight BPA-free plastic and is dishwasher safe. If you don't want plastic, Brita makes a stainless-steel version. Take note that this water bottle is not suitable for filtering water from outdoor bodies of water like rivers or streams.

FreeSip Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle comes in a variety of different colorways, whether you prefer this brightly colored water bottle or a neutral version. It also comes in 24-, 32- and 40-ounce capacities. There's even a 16-ounce kids' line. Owala claims that the double-wall insulated water bottle keeps water cold for up to 24 hours.

What makes this bottle especially versatile is how there are two ways to drink from it: Use the "Freesip" spout that is designed for sipping upright through the built-in straw, or tilt the water bottle back to drink from the spout opening. We like that the locking push-button lid ensures that the water bottle doesn't leak. Even better, you can remove the mouthpiece for easy cleaning and filling. The plastic mouthpiece is dishwasher safe, but it's recommended that you hand wash the rest of the bottle to preserve the vibrant powder coat finish. The strap that keeps the mouthpiece closed also doubles as a handle for carrying.

This massive water bottle holds a half gallon of water to help you reach your hydration goals. It may seem over the top, but it’s a great way to keep a ton of water on hand without refilling often — and it can be a great reminder to drink up.

It's lightweight plastic, dishwasher safe and comes in a lot of colors, and the carrying sleeve makes it easy to bring to the gym or on hikes. However, keep in mind that it won't fit in cup holders or your backpack due to its size. GH analyst Jodhaira Rodriguez is a huge fan of her HydroJug: "My favorite things about it are that it doesn’t leak if I tip it over, and it has a wide mouth so I can reach into it easily to clean." We just recommend that the flip-top mouthpiece is securely fastened in case the water bottle is knocked over by accident.

If plastic water bottles aren’t your thing, HydroJug also offers stainless-steel and glass versions.

In the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, we evaluate each water bottle for ease of use, performance and durability. We've tested countless water bottles over the years. In our latest round, we tested 25 water bottles side-by-side to evaluate performance and ease of use.

When we evaluate performance, we test how well they retain temperature and whether they are leak-proof. To test this, we knock over each water bottle and let it sit on its side for 30 minutes, then check to see if any water seeps through. We also shake each water bottle at full capacity to see if any water escapes.

For durability testing we use our drop tester machine, dropping water bottles three times from a height of five feet and note any damage that occurs.

To evaluate ease of use, we consider how each bottle opens and closes. Using either a dishwasher or dish soap and a brush, we test how easy it is to clean each water bottle.

In addition to Lab tests, we send water bottles to consumers to get their opinions on how the water bottles fare in the real world. These collaborative findings helped influence our list of top water bottles, which include top-tested water bottles and ones that have permanent spots in our analysts' water bottle collections.

✔️ Material: There are three main materials used to make reusable water bottles: plastic, glass and stainless steel. Plastic water bottles are usually lightweight and durable, but they can sometimes absorb the flavor of tea or coffee. If cleaned properly, glass water bottles won’t impart any flavor into your water, but they can be delicate or heavy. Stainless steel is a lightweight alternative and is often used for insulated bottles that are great for keeping hot beverages hot and cold beverages cold; they're often not dishwasher-safe.

✔️ Size: Water bottles can be as small as 12 ounces, which is perfect for a child or for fitting into a small bag. They can also be as large as a gallon, which is convenient for a picnic with friends or long car rides. A common everyday size for a water bottle is around 24 to 36 ounces, small enough to fit in a backpack, but large enough that you don’t need to refill often. The larger the water bottle, the wider it likely is, which is something to keep in mind when it comes to cup holders.

✔️ Drinking spout: There is a drinking spout for everyone. There are water bottles with large mouths (more prone to spilling if you're not careful) or small mouths like sipping spouts (less water flow, but less chance of spilling and often good for hot beverages). Chug caps are great if you prefer to drink quickly without making a mess, and a bottle with a straw is helpful when you’re on the go or working out as well as for kids.

✔️ Cleanability: Water bottles need to be washed regularly to eliminate bacteria. If you are not a fan of using a bottle brush to clean a water bottle, ensure that it’s dishwasher-safe before purchasing. In the case that a water bottle needs to be hand washed, look for one with a wide mouth and fewer parts.

Eva Bleyer has tested a variety of kitchen gear, including gas ranges, microwaves, kitchen scales and blenders. She also holds a B.S. in Food Studies, Nutrition and Public Health from New York University, where she studied sustainability practices. Eva has tested many of these water bottle picks at home and on the go.

Nicole Papantoniou oversees the Good Housekeeping Institute's kitchen gear testing. She has been testing kitchen gear professionally for nearly 10 years, and she is constantly trying new water bottles in both the Lab and in her daily live. She keeps them on hand for years to ensure they’re really put through their paces. Her favorites are lightweight and dishwasher safe, but she uses an assortment to find new ones she can’t put down.

Eva (she/her) is a reviews analyst in the Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, where she tests kitchen gear, home appliances and culinary innovations. She graduated from NYU with a bachelor of science in food studies, nutrition and public health and is a trained chef through the Natural Gourmet Institute. Eva has more than 10 years of experience in the food industry, working as a food stylist, personal chef and marketing manager.

Nicole (she/her) is the director of the Good Housekeeping Institute's Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, where she has overseen content and testing related to kitchen and cooking appliances, tools and gear since 2019. She’s an experienced product tester and recipe creator, trained in classic culinary arts and culinary nutrition. She has worked in test kitchens for small kitchen appliance brands and national magazines, including Family Circle and Ladies’ Home Journal.

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12 Best Water Bottles of 2023, Tested by Experts

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