There is no need for single-use plastic water bottles to exist anymore, especially here in the UK where tap water is drinkable. We all know the damage they cause and how few are recycled. If you don’t already know the facts then check out this statistic from the UN:
Of the seven billion tonnes of plastic waste generated globally so far, less than 10 per cent has been recycled.
UN Environment Programme
Reusable water bottles may cost you more than a plastic bottle of water, but they can be used time and time again, saving you money in the long run and eliminating even more single-use plastics from our oceans and landfills. In fact, my reusable water bottle is one of my most used pieces of kitchen equipment.
No matter whether you are looking to carry plain old tap water, your vegan hot chocolate, a much-needed cup of coffee, an adaptogenic mushroom powder brew, or a refreshing icey drink, there is a reusable water bottle for you here.
How I picked these reusable water bottles
There are many reusable water bottles out there for you to choose from, so find out my inclusion criteria below.
- Personal experience: I have only included reusable water bottles that I have either owned and used myself or those that I have had the opportunity to try out for some time.
- Price: There are a mix of different bottles at different price points and none of them are so cheap that they won’t last!
- Eco-friendliness: All of the bottles that I have included are much more eco-friendly than single-use plastic bottles, and they are also better than reusable plastic bottles.
- Quality: Eco-friendly reusable bottles need to be high quality so you don’t have to replace them in the short-term, therefore I have only included quality products.
- Online reputation: All of the products that I have included are enjoyed and liked by myself, as well as the online community of reviewers.
Is it OK to reuse plastic water bottles?
It is not recommended to reuse plastic water bottles, particularly single-use plastics. After just a few uses the bottle will start to wear away and let off traces of microplastics which can get into your drink.
One particular concern is with Bisphenol A (BPA) which is found in most single-use plastic bottles. This is a synthetic chemical that can damage people’s health and well-being (see scientific source).
Therefore, you will be putting your health at risk by reusing plastic water bottles. And even if you use it a few times before throwing it away, it still poses a major risk to the environment.
Therefore, it is much better in the long term to opt for a reusable water bottle. If you prefer filtered water, there is an option for that too!
Are reusable water bottles worth it?
Undoubtedly, reusable water bottles are worth it, as long as you look after them! They aren’t worth it if you decide to buy cheap versions that break, or if you buy a new one every time you find a design you prefer. They are truly worthwhile when you look after them and use them for some time.
They can help you to save money in the long term because you can fill up your water at home and drink it on the go without the need to buy water whilst you are out.
I also find them a lot more pleasurable to drink from than plastic bottles. If you put cool liquids in a reusable bottle, they’ll stay cooler a lot longer than they would in plastic. And the same goes for hot liquids!
And to top it all off, they can help to drastically reduce the quantity of plastic that gets sent to landfill or that gets dropped into our oceans. Especially since most plastic isn’t actually recycled anyway.
My top picks
- Best overall: Ocean Bottle | Skip to review
- Best insulation: Chilly’s Series 2 Bottle | Skip to review
- Best reusable tumbler: Ocean Bottle Tumbler | Skip to review
- Best plant-based materials: S’wheat Plant-Based Bottle | Skip to review
- Best steel bottle: BLACK + BUM Steel Bottle | Skip to review
- Best filtered bottle: Brita Filtering Water Bottle | Skip to review
- Best large bottle: One Green Bottle 2 Litre | Skip to review
Best overall
Ocean Bottle
- Material: Recycled ocean plastic, 90% recycled stainless steel, BPA-free plastic, and silicone rubber
- Size: 500ml – 1-litre
- Price: From £35
- Perfect for: Hot and cold drinks
Why is this my favourite reusable bottle out of them all? Well, not only does it fit the eco-friendly credentials with it being made from recycled ocean plastic, but it is also really effective at carrying both hot and cold drinks.
To top it all off, they have a nifty double lid that allows you to use it like a flask and like a regular water bottle. Plus, if you like having the option to drink from a straw, then they also have an attachment you can buy to fit your Ocean Bottle.
They have both a 500ml and a 1-litre option, both of which I find really handy! Find out more in my Ocean Bottle review.
Best insulation
Chilly’s Series 2 Bottle
- Material: Stainless steel, polypropylene and silicon
- Size: 350ml, 500ml, and 1-litre
- Price: From £36
- Perfect for: Really hot and really cold drinks
Chilly’s somehow managed to make reusable water bottles sexy. They are all beautifully designed and are a joy to use and drink from! It is hard to resist buying one for every mood and occasion.
I find their bottles have the best insulation of any I have tried. They keep cold drinks cold for hours on end, even in hot countries. I’ve even filled one up with cold water in the morning and drank from it in the evening and the water was still cold. Plus hot drinks can stay pretty hot for a couple of hours too.
I used to find their spouts a little small but this has been changed in their series 2 bottle which has a wider spout and an inbuilt handle. You can get it in the usual 500ml size, a smaller 350ml or a larger 1-litre bottle.
Best reusable tumbler
Ocean Bottle Tumbler
- Material: Recycled ocean plastic, 90% recycled stainless steel, BPA-free plastic, and silicone rubber
- Size: 350ml
- Price: From £27
- Perfect for: Hot drinks
If you are looking for a reusable bottle that is perfect for carrying coffee and tea, then look no further than this tumbler by Ocean Bottle.
It is 350ml which is the perfect size for most hot drinks. Use it to take away your favourite oat milk flat white from you local coffee shop, or make your own hot drink at home. It fits in most cup holders in cars (and cinema seats), plus it is easy to carry.
It will keep your hot drink hot for at least 4 hours, if you can leave it that long!
Best plant-based materials
S’wheat Plant-Based Bottle
- Material: Wheat straw and bamboo fibre
- Size: 550ml
- Price: £25
- Perfect for: Hot and cold drinks
This bottle is a little different from the rest because it is made from sustainably grown and sourced wheat straw. This does give the bottle a bit more of a natural look that I really like.
It comes in four colours: oat, blue, black and green. All of the colours look great, but my personal favourite has to be the oat colour since it suits the natural look really well!
The lid has a really nifty drinking hole that helps to gradually siphon out your drink without making a huge mess. The lid also opens up at full width which makes it really easy to pour drinks directly into the main flask area.
Click on the buy link below to get 5% off your purchase:
Best steel bottle
BLACK + BUM Steel Bottle
- Material: Stainless steel, eco-friendly polypropylene, BPA-free silicone and natural cork
- Size: 600ml
- Price: £14.99
- Perfect for: Room temperature drinks
Whilst this steel bottle gives off real camping vibes, I think it works perfectly for everyday life. Especially when you consider its 600ml capacity. I often find that 500ml, the size of most other bottles, is not enough, but I also don’t want to carry around a 1-litre bottle with me. So this works perfectly!
It is also one of the most affordable bottles that you can buy from this list. This is probably because they have made a much simpler design for this bottle that isn’t insulated but can carry more liquid inside whilst staying compact.
The spout is big enough to fit ice cubes or charcoal filters (they even sell their own charcoal filters) meaning you can keep your drink cooler for longer if you want!
Best filtered bottle
Brita Filtering Water Bottle
- Material: Stainless steel, polypropylene and silicon
- Size: 590ml
- Price: £35.84
- Perfect for: Cold drinks
If you struggle to drink tap water because of the taste or if the tap water in your area is a bit rubbish, then you will be interested in the inbuilt filtering system in this Brita water bottle. The carbon filter helps to improve the taste of the water and remove chemicals.
It is also pretty good at keeping water cold for quite a few hours, but you wouldn’t want to put hot drinks in here with the filter. It also comes with a straw instead of a spout which makes it great for sipping on to go, or during sports activites.
Annoyingly the replacement water filters are a bit pricey and do have a plastic component attached to them. If you don’t mind a water filter floating around in your bottle then you can opt for any water bottle here with an eco-friendly carbon filter.
Best large bottle
One Green Bottle 2-litre
- Material: Stainless steel and recycled ocean plastic
- Size: 2-litre
- Price: £22-£30
- Perfect for: Hot and cold drinks
If you are searching for an eco-friendly gym keg bottle or canteen then you are in luck! This One Green Bottle comes with a huge 2-litre capacity and a really handy holding strap to carry it about.
It is made to last, so you won’t be getting through hundreds of huge plastic water bottles anymore. It also manages to keep large quantities of liquid both cold and hot for hours. So if you enjoy drinking vats of coffee, then this doubles up as a great flask too.
Their caps are made using recycled ocean plastic and they reclaim 25 single-use bottles from the ocean with every purchase.
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