Best reusable water bottles

A reusable water bottle will help you cut down on plastic waste and save you money when you're on the go.

We've tested 18 reusable bottles from brands such as Bobble, Dopper, Chilly's and S'well to find the best options whether you're hiking, commuting or heading to the gym.

Five water bottles impressed us enough to be named Best Buys, including some excellent cheap reusable bottles, but others were marked down for annoying lids or leaving water tasting of plastic.

What type of water bottle is right for you?

• Metal water bottles: usually made of stainless steel, these generally keep your drink cooler for longer and stand up well to knocks and scrapes. Look out for double-wall or triple-wall insulation to keep drinks cool and prevent condensation on the outside. They're often more expensive, heavier and bulkier than plastic alternatives, and most need to be washed by hand.
• Plastic water bottles: like metal bottles, these usually won't break if dropped. They tend to be lighter and cheaper than metal bottles, and it's easy to see how much water you have left too. Some plastic bottles can affect the taste of your drink. Picking a bottle with a built-in filter could help, and it's worth looking out for BPA-free plastic.
• Glass water bottles: borosilicate glass bottles have similar benefits to plastic, although they are more breakable and usually pricier. Most have soft silicon sleeves to absorb shocks and make them easier to hold, and the water taste shouldn't be affected.

Other features to consider include sports lids, which will come in handy if you want to take regular sips on the go. Some bottles also have temperature indicators or tracking features to help you keep track of how much you drink.

Best reusable water bottles

We've tested and reviewed 18 popular water bottles, getting a range of people to try them out and rate them for ease of use (including drinking, carrying and cleaning). We also tested how well each bottle kept drinks cool and prevented spills.

Is it worth getting an Air Up bottle? Find out if the latest craze to get you drinking more water is fab or fad. 

Only logged-in Which? members can view our recommendations – and the bottles to avoid – in the table below. If you're not yet a member, try Which?  for access our test scores and reviews.

Aladdin Aveo Spot Print Water Bottle £12 600ml	Build quality	Cleaning	Overall score
	This affordable water bottle is BPA-free and stain, odour and shatter-resistant. It can go on the top shelf of your dishwasher too. Find out if it's one of our top picks: log in or join Which? today.
Aladdin Infuse Water Bottle £12 700ml	Build quality	Cleaning	Overall score
	The Aladdin Infuse uses a removable infusion basket to give your drinks a fruity punch. If you're not convinced, you can easily remove the basket from the bottle and enjoy your drink without it. See how we got on with this reusable water bottle in our full review. For full access, log in or join Which?.
Bellabeat Spring Smart Water Bottle £80 473ml	Build quality	Cleaning	Overall score

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Prices correct as of June 2019

See our round-up of the best reusable coffee cups and travel mugs and best reusable freezer bags.

How we test reusable water bottles

On our mission to find the very best reusable water bottles, we paid close attention to the features that matter the most, rating each bottle on features such as ease of use, ease of cleaning and portability.

We asked a panel of users to try out each bottle and rate them on the following aspects:

• How easy is the bottle to drink out of? Some reusable water bottles have a narrow opening, sharp edges, or use a bite valve, which requires some effort on your part.
• How comfortable is the bottle to hold? Some bottles are unwieldy to handle, particularly if you have smaller hands, and they can be slippy.
• How easy is the bottle to dismantle and hand clean? Reusable water bottles with narrow necks can be tricky to clean, especially if they're not dishwasher-safe. We marked down bottles with dirt traps where grime can gather.

We also tested how well bottles with insulating properties worked to keep your drink cool (or hot) and checked how leakproof each bottle was.

How to clean your reusable water bottle

Once you've picked your reusable water bottle, you'll want to keep it nice and clean. This is how to keep it in good condition:

• Rinse out after each use. An obvious tip, but an important one. If you rinse out your water bottle after each use, you won't have to deal with stains on the inside. Cleaning the bottle regularly also prevents odours.
• Baking soda and vinegar. Pair baking soda with white vinegar to effectively clean the inside of your water bottle. Wait for the reaction to finish, rinse out and repeat if necessary.
• Pay attention to the lock. If your reusable water bottle has a complex lock mechanism to prevent spills, make sure you clean it thoroughly. Dirt can build up around the lid over time in tough-to-reach areas.
• Dry it with the lid off. As most reusable water bottles are leakproof, leaving them to dry with the lid on will likely trap humidity and odours inside. 

If your bottle has a narrow neck, you may find a slim brush is handy for getting into the nooks and crannies. Some manufacturers sell these alongside their bottles.

You can also soak tricky parts such as drinking straws and lids using effervescent water-cleaning or sterilising tablets.

Three things to watch out for with reusable water bottles

• Some can't go in the fridge. It can damage the vacuum seal.
• Plenty can't go in the dishwasher. But washing them regularly is important to prevent germs building up.
• Fizzy drinks can cause the lid to pop when released. So take care when opening.

Cutting down on plastic waste? Read seven ways to recycle better