If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed by the sheer volume of stainless steel water bottles on the market, I am happy to help. There are a couple different factors to consider to make sure you’re getting a sturdy, safe stainless steel bottle that fits your life.
First of all, not all stainless steel is created (or do I mean smelted?) equal. The two grades that are considered safe for preparing and storing food and beverages are 18/8 (301) and 18/10 (304). Check around the bottom of the bottle, or in the product information if you’re shopping online. If it doesn’t say, ask! Grades of stainless steel that aren’t approved for use with food corrode more easily, some even contain some lead.
The gauge of the steel is also an important part of the quality of the stainless water bottle, though this information is often not on the bottle itself. If you’re holding one in your hands, though, you can subjectively judge whether it feels substantial, or even estimate the thickness of the walls of the bottle. Klean Kanteen stainless water bottle walls are 0.5 mm wide, which ends up being a good compromise between being durable and weighing too much. If you’re shopping online, compare the empty weight of a comparably sized stainless steel water bottle with a Klean Kanteen to get an idea of whether it’s made from good quality, thick stainless steel.
As with any kind of product that enjoys a surge in popularity, there are some manufacturers that operate more scrupulously, and some that are just cashing in. Some cut corners on design, making bottles that are hard to clean and easy to dent. Some cut corners on materials, choosing flimsy metal, cheap paints, or plastics of questionable safety. Some cut corners on the follow-up, not testing their bottles for contaminants and toxins that may have found their way into the manufacturing process.
The brands that I will stand behind and talk about here have been intensively prodded and questioned (some might even say interrogated!) about their bottles every step of the way. This isn’t to say that these are the only brands that are making safe stainless steel water bottles, and if there’s a bottle out there that we’ve neglected to mention, it is absolutely your right as a consumer to ask these tough questions about their production process, materials, and their follow-up.
So without further ado, let’s take a look at the stainless water bottles from the companies who have already been put through that ringer:
CamelBak has been in the hydration business for a good long while, so it’s only logical that they would stay at the forefront by making a line of stainless steel water bottles out of their popular Better Bottle design. The most distinctive feature of CamelBak stainless steel water bottles is the bite valve and straw, which is great for folks accustomed to sports-style water bottles that let you grab and sip without messing around with a lid. This prevents a lot of spills and leaks. CamelBak also has great stainless steel water bottles for kids that tuck away well in backpacks and lunchboxes, in a bunch of cool designs.
WaterBox stainless steel water bottles are the most eye-catching of all of the bottles that I’ve seen in terms of unique styling and amazing artistic designs. They don’t sacrifice a bit of function to look this good, though, they’re made from great materials. The design includes a wide mouth, making them easy to drink from and clean. The Original Art series are some of the most unique reusable bottles I’ve seen around, I myself am very attached to my Blackletter WaterBox steel bottle. Oh, and the solid colored ones. are pretty cool too. All the superficial stuff aside, WaterBox bottles have proven to be just as safe and high-quality as they are fancy on the outside.
Klean Kanteen is pretty much the standard by which all other stainless steel water bottles may be judged. When it comes to being conscientious about all phases of production and their impact on the environment, this is a great manufacturer. They also can’t be beat with the amazing range of stainless steel water bottles that they offer. They make the Classic bottle in enough different colors that I would be shocked if your favorite color had been somehow overlooked, they make insulated stainless steel bottles for hot drinks or soup, and they make wide mouth bottles that are compatible with camping water filters. If you look around this blog, you might notice that Klean Kanteen is a favorite, but rest assured, it’s because they earned it. I certainly have not gotten any free vacations to exotic locations for saying nice things about them.
As with most things worth owning, you often get what you pay for with reusable stainless steel water bottles. If the price seems too good to be true, it probably is, and some shortcut has probably been taken at some point. The best advice I can give is this: Don’t reward companies that are just trying to cash in on a fad. Support companies that are trying to make something useful and beneficial that’ll last a lifetime.
