Not buying bottled water is probably the easiest (and cost effective) choice anyone can make. I actually think it is quite humorous we pay for water. When I was growing up bottled water wasn't even a "thing".
I have no problem drinking tap water, we live in the United States near a major city and have city water, I feel confident I can drink it without dropping dead or getting some weird bacterial disease. My husband is more fussy and does not like the taste of tap water, so he prefers filtered tap water.
That being said, what are the best bottle options? We own 3 bottles between the 2 of us, and we have 2 bottles for our son. We each have our own preference, so here I will tell you about each (and let you decide for yourself which water bottle you want!)
The first point for me was that the bottle must be dishwasher safe. This eliminated all aluminum options (such as the popular "Sigg" brand). My most used bottle is my Klean Kanteen. I just have the basic 18 oz stainless steel model with a screw off cap.
There she is. It is dishwasher safe and does the job fine. We have 2 12 oz bottles for our son (which started out with a sippy top and now just have the screw off). He takes them to school for snack/lunch as we do not purchase juice pouches any longer.
My husband, on the other hand, feels that the stainless steel water bottles have a metallic taste (I don't notice this, maybe I am not as sensitive?) So he has 2 other bottles. One is the Life Factory Glass bottle in a silicon sleeve:
My husband's favorite bottle is his stainless steel Clearly Filtered water bottle that has a filter right in it.
The biggest drawback to this one in my opinion is that the filter has to be replaced every 6 months. The high point? It is good for camping when you don't know if your drinking water is safe.
Buying a reusable water bottle is one of the easiest investments into a low waste lifestyle. And you really do not need more than one per person.
Katie
Happy New Blog, Katie! I wrote about this topic myself about a year ago because as the chair of our school's green team, I am often asked by parents which thermoses won't leak (since our school discourages juice boxes). Here is the link to it in case you're interested: http://www.joyfullygreen.com/2012/07/road-testing-thermoses-and-reusable-water-bottles.html. We are still using the Staxx water bottles for our children because they are easiest for them at their age, plus they love to "smack" them shut! But I am always happy to get extra recommendations for what works for others, so thanks for this post!
ReplyDeleteP.S. I just saw that you added my blog to your Blogroll--thank you so much, Katie!!
ReplyDeleteNo problem! I really enjoy your blog! It is nice to read about fellow Northeasterners too!
DeleteFirst, your blog is great! Look forward to reading about your waste free challenges & experiences.
ReplyDeleteI've owned Life Factory bottles. They're made in USA which is great and I liked the flip top lids. But they all eventually broke & left me with huge pangs of guilt about what to do with the silicone sleeve. And gosh were they're expensive.
Kleen Kantene is great-no plastic whatsoever with their new bamboo lids. I really really want to own one. However, they are made in China. Bummer.
I now use a Liberty Bottles. It's aluminum but made in USA and the company is really green. Since my bottle is always near me or in my hand I don't have time to wait for it to come out of the dishwasher. I just wash it out by hand every once in a while. Their caps are plastic though (there's always something). If only they had a bamboo cap like kleen kantenes they'd be perfect.
:) Cheers!
Thanks for your input! i haven't tried liberty bottles, I will have to check them out next time I am in the amrket for a new bottle. We have had the Life Factory one for a while, so far it has proven itself. My biggest issue with it is at it is heavy.
DeleteKatie