You’ve heard it before: water is life. OK, so not everyone needs to drink eight glasses of water a day — that’s a fast track to spending the entire day in the bathroom — but keeping hydrated throughout the day has many benefits.
It keeps your body flushed of waste, helps regulate your temperature, and keeps your body and joints well lubricated. But it’s good to be both practical and environmentally-minded. Single-use plastic water bottles are a major problem. The world’s population goes through about one million plastic bottles per minute. Even more alarming is the fact that less than 9% of these bottles find their way into a recycling bin after use. It’s estimated that about half a trillion plastic bottles are sold around the world.
That’s why a good reusable insulated water bottle is an excellent alternative to plastic water bottles. Here’s some need to know information.
How do insulated bottles work?
Insulated bottles — also called vacuum insulated bottles — are made with two (or even more) stainless steel walls, with a vacuum in between. This creates thermal insulation, which protects your drink against the external temperature. In other words, hot drinks stay hot and cold drinks stay cold.
How long do insulated bottles maintain a liquid’s temperature?
This varies from bottle to bottle, but the best bottles promise to keep hot drinks hot for 12 hours and cold drinks cold for 24 hours — but you can find bottles that claim to hold colder temperatures for even longer than this.
Are insulated bottles dishwasher safe?
Generally, no. There are two reasons for this: because the dishwasher can erode the bottle’s powder coating, which gives the bottle its grip. Also, because the force of the dishwasher might damage the vacuum seal. A few top brands have started making insulated bottles that can go in the dishwasher, but most recommend hand wash only. It’s one of the few downsides to insulated water bottles.
What does BPA free mean?
This is something you’ll see a lot when researching bottles. One-time use plastic bottles can contain a chemical known as Bisphenol A (BPA) that can be harmful to your health. Research shows that BPA can contaminate food and drink, though research also says that low levels of BPA are safe. Still, to ensure your food and drink containers are non-toxic, choose items that do not use Bisphenol A.
Is bottled water better than tap water?
Not necessarily. Many bottling companies use the mains water supply, then triple filter it, bottle it, and then sell it. Tap water is sometimes safer to drink than bottled water because government agencies regulate the water closer and more often than some private bottling companies do. If you’re worried about the quality of tap water, simply invest in a filter to get rid of any harmful elements, such as metals and bacteria.
What is the best insulated bottle?
You’ll have to decide that, because it’s all about what suits you and your lifestyle. But consider a few points before making a decision, because not all insulated water bottles are created equal.
Do you need something lightweight for sports or physical activities, such as hiking or camping? Or something robust that can handle being tossed about in a bag? Do you need a bottle that will save space in your already crammed luggage? Do you want a bottle with a selection of nozzles and caps? How long do you need your water to stay cold?
But don’t worry, we did the research, scoured the internet, and browsed reviews to find all the best insulated water bottles. We think you’ll want to drink to these top picks.
These are the best insulated water bottles for 2022.
