The Best Water Bottles

Best Lightweight

Nalgene Wide-Mouth Ultralite Bottle $8

Unlike the classic Nalgene, the Ultralite is made from lightweight HDPE plastic and clocks in at a mere 3.75 ounces when empty, compared with the standard 6.25 ounces. With its 32-ounce volume, the bottle “holds a lot of water, which is helpful for those of us obsessed with drinking eight glasses a day,” says cookbook author Jessie Sheehan, but it remains light even when filled to the brim. Restaurant owner Emily Fiffer, who refills hers multiple times daily, says the water never tastes plasticky, the lid doesn’t leak, and “it literally just can’t break” no matter how many times you drop it. Best Large

BuildLife Motivational Water Bottle $24

When content creator Dan Pelosi was looking to drink more water, he got this gallon-size motivational bottle, which comes with goofy-but-persuasive personaltrainer-style phrases down the side that encourage you to drink to the next line. Pelosi also notes the bottle’s secure, leakproof design: The spout, he says, closes with a satisfying click. “I could turn it sideways and do dumbbell curls, and it would be fine,” he says. “No spilling.”

Best for Kids

Yeti Rambler Jr. Kids Bottle $25

Author and illustrator Erin Gleeson says that while her three kids have been especially hard on water bottles in the past, none of them has been able to noticeably scratch these from Yeti. The thick, stainless-steel container is particularly drop resistant, and the cap has a handle for little ones to grip (and, at 12 ounces, the bottle is more manageable than a typical adult-size model). Plus, Gleeson says, the metal interior keeps the bottles “not grimy” and both the lid and bottle are dishwasher safe. Best for Running Nathan QuickSqueeze Insulated Handheld $32

To stay hydrated on runs longer than a 5K, ultramarathoner and chef Philip Speer turns to this ingeniously designed handheld bottle. The doublewall insulation helps keep water cool, and its attached strap secures comfortably around your hand, so all the wearer has to do while running is

“bite down and squeeze,” Speer says. That strap includes a zippered pocket for keys and credit cards and an elastic pocket for a smartphone.

Best Value

ThermoFlask Travel Mug Two-Pack With FlipLock Lid $30

For less than the price of most individual Hydro Flasks, ThermoFlask sells this set of two bottles with the same double-wall insulating technology, which means you can keep one at work and one in the car. Recipe developer Lukas Volger loves that the FlipLock lid can be opened and closed with one hand, which makes it easy to hydrate while exercising and driving. Plus, he says, “it doesn’t have tons of tiny crevices in the cap that make it impossible to properly clean.”

Best Glass

Sursip Glass Water Bottle $17

Madison Powers, co-founder of LA Hike Club, tries to drink only from glass bottles; she doesn’t have to worry

about BPAs and the unsustainability of plastic, and glass, unlike a hyperinsulating metal model, allows liquid to settle at room temperature, which is better for conserving energy when you’re exercising. While some glass vessels fog up over time, Powers says that after more than a year of use, her Sursip still looks new—even after regular runs through the dishwasher. Though glass can be fragile, the Sursip comes with a protective silicone jacket that has helped the bottle survive many tumbles on the trail, she says.

Best for Biking

Specialized The Purist $15

According to bike-studio owner Ronnie Garcia, the lightweight Purist is widely regarded by bike retailers as the default bottle for cycling (walk into any bicycle store, he says, and you’ll likely find customized versions for sale). While cheaper plastic bottles may start to deform or leach out an unpleasant taste, the Purist is made from BPAfree plastic that retains its shape no matter how much it is squeezed. The plastic also has a proprietary anti-mold coating that makes the water taste “like you’re drinking right out of a glass,” in the words of bike manufacturer Ryan Zagata.

Best Vacuum Insulated

Zojirushi Stainless-Steel Mug From $50

Cookbook author Carla Lalli Music had been using her Zojirushis for

hot beverages for nearly a decade when one day she decided to fill one with ice water to bring to the beach. “It was literally anchored in the sand, in full sunlight, for a whole day,” she says. “At the end, there were still cubes inside.” While there are plenty of other vacuum-insulated bottles out there (like the Hydro Flask), Music says none can rival Zojirushi’s safetylocked flip-open lid. “The Zoji never spills,” she says. “It has the most bustproof cap in the biz.”