Water bottles

21 Oct 2022

Back in 2016, we began searching for stainless steel water bottles and came upon Pura Stainless Steel. We loved how they could grow with our child and we could use them for years. In 2018, we purchased bottles with sports mouths for ourselves as well. It was challenging to drink from them on a road trip so we then purchased straws. Here’s what we liked about them:

• Various ways to use them and it grows as our family grows

• Easy to clean and only few parts to clean

• 100% stainless steel with no coating

Fast forward to 2021. After 5 years of using their various products, there were things we wish were different. The water bottles are not leak proof. If they tip, there’s a good flow of water that comes from them. When we had the bottle sippy caps, they often leaked, so I purchased an insulated bottle carrier to hang it from the stroller handle. They also don’t have rubber bottoms to any of them, so if they're accidentally dropped, they become easily dented and warped. None of our bottles stand up right for that reason. Here are things we have not liked about them:

• Customer service is awful

• Products are now made in China (for those who check)

• Caps are not sealed well, so they will leak if tipped

• There is no rubber bottom to prevent denting. The ones that are available are only for one size

As our family has grown, we haven’t wanted to spend time cleaning up accidental spills everywhere. We went on a search for a water bottle with the following criteria:

• Easy to take apart and clean

• Stainless steel

• Not made in China

• Does not leak

• Straw

Many are stainless steel. Majority are made in China. Not many are easy to take apart and clean. Those crevices of flip top straws are not easy to clean, and with toddlers drinking from them while eating, it’s important to us that it can be cleaned.

The only water bottle we found that fit all the criteria was the Zojirushi Straw Type SD-CS50-AD that’s made in Thailand. Unfortunately, there are some drawbacks:

• Holding 0.52L of water, it’s on the smaller end for our family that likes to be well hydrated and spends lots of time outdoors.

• It’s stainless steel but coated on the inside where water is stored, which is such a bummer.

• The straw and various parts of it are made of polypropylene.

• The straw is narrow, so if you’re used to guzzling water or using a large straw, you need to keep in mind you’ll be taking more sips.

Some positive things about it are:

• It keeps drinks cold for up to 6 hours.

• It does not leak. There’s a lock for the lid so if the bottle accidentally tips, it’s completely leak proof. Even if you accidentally had the cap open and it falls over, the rate of water coming out is very slow.

• The straw is created so that you can drink water that’s on the very bottom of the bottle so you get every drop that’s in the bottle.

My cousin had suggested capping the bottom of the Pura Stainless with a rubber bottom from another company. That solves the problem so it doesn’t dent when accidentally dropped, but the leaking still remains. For now, we’re still on the search for a better water bottle.

Water bottles

21 Oct 2022

Back in 2016, we began searching for stainless steel water bottles and came upon Pura Stainless Steel. We loved how they could grow with our child and we could use them for years. In 2018, we purchased bottles with sports mouths for ourselves as well. It was challenging to drink from them on a road trip so we then purchased straws. Here’s what we liked about them:

• Various ways to use them and it grows as our family grows

• Easy to clean and only few parts to clean

• 100% stainless steel with no coating

Fast forward to 2021. After 5 years of using their various products, there were things we wish were different. The water bottles are not leak proof. If they tip, there’s a good flow of water that comes from them. When we had the bottle sippy caps, they often leaked, so I purchased an insulated bottle carrier to hang it from the stroller handle. They also don’t have rubber bottoms to any of them, so if they're accidentally dropped, they become easily dented and warped. None of our bottles stand up right for that reason. Here are things we have not liked about them:

• Customer service is awful

• Products are now made in China (for those who check)

• Caps are not sealed well, so they will leak if tipped

• There is no rubber bottom to prevent denting. The ones that are available are only for one size

As our family has grown, we haven’t wanted to spend time cleaning up accidental spills everywhere. We went on a search for a water bottle with the following criteria:

• Easy to take apart and clean

• Stainless steel

• Not made in China

• Does not leak

• Straw

Many are stainless steel. Majority are made in China. Not many are easy to take apart and clean. Those crevices of flip top straws are not easy to clean, and with toddlers drinking from them while eating, it’s important to us that it can be cleaned.

The only water bottle we found that fit all the criteria was the Zojirushi Straw Type SD-CS50-AD that’s made in Thailand. Unfortunately, there are some drawbacks:

• Holding 0.52L of water, it’s on the smaller end for our family that likes to be well hydrated and spends lots of time outdoors.

• It’s stainless steel but coated on the inside where water is stored, which is such a bummer.

• The straw and various parts of it are made of polypropylene.

• The straw is narrow, so if you’re used to guzzling water or using a large straw, you need to keep in mind you’ll be taking more sips.

Some positive things about it are:

• It keeps drinks cold for up to 6 hours.

• It does not leak. There’s a lock for the lid so if the bottle accidentally tips, it’s completely leak proof. Even if you accidentally had the cap open and it falls over, the rate of water coming out is very slow.

• The straw is created so that you can drink water that’s on the very bottom of the bottle so you get every drop that’s in the bottle.

My cousin had suggested capping the bottom of the Pura Stainless with a rubber bottom from another company. That solves the problem so it doesn’t dent when accidentally dropped, but the leaking still remains. For now, we’re still on the search for a better water bottle.