Stainless Steel Water Bottle: Smackdown
Note: See the bottom of this post about a Giveaway we’re having where you can win a stainless steel water bottle.
We’ve written so much about stainless steel water bottles — including about a Healthy Water Bottle, Klean Kanteen Stainless Steel Water Bottle, and CamelBak Stainless Steel Better Bottle — that we’ve decided to wrap it up once and for all.
How are we going to wrap it up?
With a Stainless Steel Water Bottle Smackdown.
Here are the contenders:
- Klean Kanteen - You can read our full Klean Kanteen Stainless Steel Water Bottle Review here.
- CamelBak - You can read our CamelBak Stainless Steel Better Bottle Review here.
- New Wave Enviro - Another popular brand of water bottles.
- Thinksport - One of the first insulated stainless steel water bottles on the market.
- Sigg - Disqualified! Contrary to popular belief it’s made from Aluminum.
Round by Round Winners
Insulation: Want your drink to stay cool and not drip condensation? Thinksport and CamelBak both come insulated.
BPA Free: All of our contenders passed tied this round as they are all BPA free water bottles.
Tops/Cap Options: Do you want to hook your stainless steel bottle to carabiner some days and other days want a sport cap? Klean Kanteen offers 6 different types of tops.
Ease of Drinking: Don’t like tipping your bottle upside down and risking water dribbling all over you? Then check out CamelBak . Their Bite Valve and straw system makes drinking easy.
Looks: Want a good looking water bottle? CamelBak has some fun designs, but I think Thinksport wins overall for a sleek, yet professional, yet fun look.
Variety of Sizes: Depending on your activity you may want a large 40 ounce bottle or a small 12 ounce water bottle or perhaps somewhere in between. Camelbak and Thinksport have two sizes, while New Wave Enviro and Klean Kanteen both come in four sizes.
Bike Water Bottle Holder Friendly: If you bike a lot you definitely want a stainless steel water bottle that fits in your bike’s water bottle holder. Which ones do? With the exception of the 40 ounce bottle, all of Klean Kanteen’s bottles fit in a bike water bottle holder, making them the most reliable.
Sippy Cup Option: If you have kids, a stainless steel sippy cup is handy. Who carries them? Klean Kanteen
Price: We checked out prices at Amazon.com for the size closest to 25 or 27 ounces in a silver color. Here’s what they were: Klean Kanteen $16.35, CamelBak $21.99, Thinksport $24.00, and New Wave Enviro $10.69.
Best Stainless Steel Water Bottle?
So who won the Stainless Steel Water Bottle Smackdown? It depends on what you’re looking for. All four contenders offer something unique. Here are links to buy a stainless steel water bottle on Amazon:
For Klean Kanteen, click here. For New Wave Enviro, click here. For Camelback, click here. For Thinksport, click here.
Win a CamelBak Stainless Steel Better Bottle
CamelBak graciously sent us a .75 liter Stainless Steel Better Bottle to giveaway to one of our readers.
Just leave a comment below by June 28th to be entered to win. US Residents only please. To spice it up, tell us what you look for in a water bottle.
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I’m in the market for a new water bottle and this is what I look for:
(1) easy to clean
(2) insulation
(3) no condensation
I’m not very green right now and use the Styrofoam cup that they provide at work– so this means with my new water bottle, I’d throw it into my big purse, potentially next to my notebook, sweater, wallet, etc. and I don’t want them to get all wet!
I’m not big on the sport tops for water bottles because I feel like I can’t ever clean it very well.
I haven’t yet decided on one but thanks for the information!!
I like it if it doesn’t spill all over me when I take a sip- and I like when it keeps the water cold!
I look for a water bottle that is easy to clean, easy to open to drink out of, easy to carry, and hold enough water to be useful. Also I like one that is attractive. Having to give up the “7’s” for health really broke my heart as there went my Starbucks 1 liter orange plastic water bottle! It was a hard parting.
While traveling around the world, I carried my water bottle with me daily, dangling from my mini-messenger bag. It was easy because it was small volume (.5) so it weighed little, which also kept it from bouncing too much as I walked.
If you’re traveling long-term like I did, it would be worth investing in a new water bottle. What works for you at home may not work on the road.
I run daily, bike often, and am a full time design student. I’ve been looking for an insulated stainless steel water bottle that is just as useful on the road as on a desk. Plus the condensation from single walled bottles always tends to find its way onto a sketch, which is definitely bad for business. Your reviews have helped me narrow down my choices. Thanks a lot.
We provide stainless steel water bottle , same as Klean kanteen ,Earthlust ,New Wave Enviro .But our price is cheaper as 1.5USD/PC .As our know , all that well known brands of stainless steel water bottle are MADE IN CHINA , we are a factory in China .We directly provide the products for you .
I am definitely in the market for a new water bottle, especially for travel! Have been using the same old BPA-laden Nalgene for just about ever, ack. These are slick and beautiful and would be great on the road or at home.
Right now I’m looking for a water bottle that won’t break. So far I’ve managed to destroy countless Nalgenes, and one Sigg.
I’m looking to get the best possible all purpose water bottle. Something equally good for hiking, road trips or sitting on the night stand.
Durable. Saw my sister’s dinged up Sigg…ugly
No spill. Would prefer to walk around without spill marks on me.
Wide mouth Easy to clean - Don’t want any scummy stuff buildup.
I also noticed on this site a link for eco canteen. Now that you had a smackdown, how does eco canteen compare. The “as seen on TV” makes me skeptical.
Thanks for the info!
I need a new water bottle! I have been using an old, dare I say, polycarbonate bottle, that leaks in my work bag when it is not standing erect and it also has small microfractures developing in the plastic. So, with all the talk of toxin leaching from plastics into the liquid, I thought I would research the many stainless steel options out there. And there are many!! I still can’t choose. Anyway, below is what I would like in a water bottle.
1) Leak proof, leakproof, leakproof!
2) A wide mouth for addition of ice cubes but not so wide that when I drink out of it, its easy to spill on clothing.
3) Ability to fit in a cup holder, AND also hold a decent volume of water so I don’t have to refill it often
4) Insulation - It would be nice to keep cold things cold for an extended period of time.
2) Insulation
we provide various kinds of ss bottles with low price
I’d love to win the water bottle!
I have an insulated stainless dual cap bottle that I love. I got it from Flylady.net - it keeps the water nice and cold and no condensation forms (even on a 90 degree day sitting in the car for 8 hours). Because it has the dual cap, it has a wide mouth opening so it’s real easy to clean too.
Thanks for the concise and helpful summary of these bottles. You did a good job of pointing out their strengths and flaws. I typically like CamelBak–especially their straw design, which is available on their stainless steel bottles. However, you failed to include a very good, high quality competitor: Thermos. They have double-walled construction, offer several sizes, and some come with silicone grips and sipper tops. Amazon sells them at competitive prices and they get great reviews. So even though they didn’t make it in your “Smackdown,” just like Rocky, given a chance they might have scored a knockout!
I look for a water bottle that I can sip out of without having to screw off the top, easy to clean, leak proof, no condensation, keeps liquid cool, and is durable.
I’ve researched several brands of stainless steel water bottles and found one that really stands out from the rest. Ecousable’s Ech2o Stainless Steel Filtered water bottle. The filter removes 99.99% of pollutants in water, including giarda for up to 100 gallons. Not only will you reduce the waste of plastic bottles you can get clean drinking water from just about anywhere, including taps, lakes, streams and ponds. Great for the outdoors type. If you’re a traveler these bottles will go though security. Just take the bottle through security empty and refill it from a tap once you’re through.
If you’re in the market for a stainless steel bottle, you should check these out, a very impressive product.
They are availible from my website:<a href=”www.ecogreenmonster.com” title=”www.ecogreenmonster.com”
thanks for all the useful info.
I’m looking for a bottle that is
1) leak proof
2) very portable - easy for the kids to carry - not too big and heavy
3) keeps the water cold
I’m looking for my first stainless steel water bottle. I found my way to this article, which has been quite helpful. I’m looking for a loop top water bottle. I’d like it if the cap were somehow fastened to the bottle as well, but that seems to be harder to find. Mainly, I’m in search of a good water bottle for adventure trips (canoeing, hiking, etc.) where I can clip it onto a pack and also am less likely to lose the lid!
A good round-up. One of the things I’m looking for is an insultated one that is small enough in diameter to fit in most water bottle pouches, but still has a reasonable amount of liquid in it.
Thank you for this article. I went from using plastic water bottles to an aluminum thinking that was safer. I have now heard a lot of concerns about the aluminum bottles as well and wanted to check into stainless steel ones. Your sight really helped and I have some ideas of what I want now.
Great Article! I’ve been looking for a good Stainless-Steel bottle, ’cause I heard aluminum was no good, and plastic is a no-brainer.
There are a few other different bottles out there though, one I found that really looked cool is called WeDrink. For each bottle sold they make a donation large enough to give one child in Africa clean water for 10 years. Kinda like toms shoes.
Anyone else heard of WeDrink or tried out their bottles?
I agree the keeping the bottle cold WAS hard until I found these….
NEO TOTE Insulated Water Bottle Holder
Watch out for the aluminum bottles. I’ve heard that mold tends to grow in them easily.
The best reusable bottles I’ve found are these stainless steel bottles that come standard with a stainless steel cap.
The same site also offers glass water bottles, which are also non-toxic and eco-friendly.
@ Paul - Thanks for your thoughts about Thermos. You’re right - they are a great contender for stainless steel water bottles.
@ Misty - Aluminum bottles are not necessarily bad — it is just that they are likely lined with BPA containing products.
Buy a stainless steel water bottle and help out a non-profit at the same time! The Think Outside the Bottle campaign challenges corporate control of water by encouraging people to drink tap water over bottled water. Their website is http://www.ThinkOutsideTheBottle.org and their site to buy bottles is http://www.ThinkOutsideTheBottle.NET. They are quality bottles– I own one myself.
Tired of lugging in the heavy, ackward 24 packs of bottled water into the house. Unfortunately, I’ve created a monster in my 13 year old daughter and that’s all she’ll drink (and its easy to throw in the soccer bag before practice.)
But the wasted half drinken bottles of water left all over the house, not to mention all the environmental waste we’re creating is finally getting to me. Looking for bottles that won’t leave puddles on coffee tables, can be easily filled with ice, can be properly cleaned, and are “cool” enough to entice a 13 year old to use regularly.
Looking for a Made in the USA stainless steel water bottle… any out there?
@ Debbie - Unfortunately, I have yet to find any American made stainless steel water bottles. Sorry. Does anyone else know of any?
@ Sharon - I would definitely buy an insulated bottle like the Camelbak or Thinksport insulated. They don’t sweat like other bottles and thus won’t leave rings on your table.
Thanks for the info. Been sucking on plastic for a long time and would like to stop. The comparison info helped but still looking for best product. Would like insulation, no sweating, and easy wide mouth opening on bottle. Lots of ice. Appreciate the info you shared and will make decision soon.
Síocháin–Rocky
Thanks for this helpful article. I want to stop with the “sweating” plastic bottles and all your info will definitely help me out.
camelbaks are beast!!
I live in the Phoenix area and work at an elementary school. It was 116 yesterday and every student needs to bring a water bottle. The sweating in the backpack is a huge problem and we need that clip - sounds like you are steering us towards Camelbak. I will check them out.
Kim
I just bought a couple H@Ozone stainless steel water bottles at Costco ($19.91). But when I got them home there was a slip inside saying NOT to use them for hot water or acid drinks. Not sure why you wouldn’t want to put hot water in stainless steel - it made me a bit nervous -anyone know why hot water and stainless steel would not be good?”
Karen
I found another s/s bottle that I love, Pura Stainless. The Pura bottle includes a stainless steel cap so there is no plastic in my bottle! They come in fun colors too! I sent the company a note about how much I love my bottle and they sent me a coupon code that doesn’t expire! Here is the code that is good for 20% off: VQZZC0
@ Sharon
Wow, really? You’re being pushed around by a 13 year old? I’m a single father and the day my 15, 12, or 8 year olds tell me what they will and won’t drink better be the day they’re packing a suitcase to move into their own place. This is why we’re becoming a nation of whiners. One of the good things about being a parent is that YOU get to make the rules. You should try being one sometime.
@ Karen - I suspect they don’t want you to burn yourself. I’d imagine that putting hot liquid in an uninsulated metal container could be dangerous. I routinely drink hot coffee and tea from my stainless steel bottle that I purchase at Ambrosia Water Filters for about $17 - http://www.ambrosiawaterfilters.com/aqua-canteen-stainless-steel-bottles.html
Discountmugs.com has the best slection of BPA free aluminum & stainless steel water bottles. They are factory direct.
They even offer free shipping.
Here is the link
http://www.discountmugs.com/nc/category/sports-bottles/
James
The FOF Bottle Company is proud to offer our FOF bottles as a clean reusable alternative to the single use plastic bottles. FOF (pronounced how it’s spelled) is an acronym for “For Our Future … For Our Family … For Our Friends.”
All FOF bottles are made of high-quality, food grade #304 (18/8) stainless steel. It’s that simple; they’re completely BPA-free, won’t leach any scary chemicals or toxins and don’t require any type of special inside lining like some other bottles. All caps are made of food grade polypropylene which also are completely BPA-free and independently FDA certified (not too many companies go to that extreme).
All FOF bottles come in single-wall 550 ml or 750 ml capacity in either a brushed stainless or bright (mirror-like) polished finished. They are 100% recyclable, dishwasher friendly, eco-friendly and, quite simply, one of the classiest designs on the market today.
We also have a line of smaller junior bottles. They’re 500 ml with the same shape as our other bottles to make it easy to hold for small hands. They come with either our hook cap, sports cap or brand new sippy cup adaptor and are finished in either blue or pink!
All bottles are designed with a large bottleneck opening for 2 reasons:
• to accommodate large ice cubes or smoothies, and
• for easy cleaning to prevent any type of bacteria build-up.
Small-mouth bottleneck designs can’t give you either of these.
FOF bottles are indeed an essential ingredient “For Our Future … For Our Family … For Our Friends”. Please visit us on-line at http://fofbottles.com to learn more or e-mail for more details.
Thanks
I am looking for a bottle to sell in the schools and the community. We are raising money for pumps and wells in Sierra Leone, the country the UN has dubbed the “least livable”. My concern is the the bottle is as good as if not better than what the kids can get at EMS or Walmart. It should have a wide mouth to accommodate ice, a ring top to hook onto backbacks and be green green green. Our project is about teaching African’s skills to make their lives better and all about teaching our community to see that we are all one on this little ball of dirt and water.
I have been drinking out of a plastic water bottle that I keep refilling with water from the faucet and I am looking for something that is healthier since cancer runs in the family. The water in the plastic bottle tastes funny if you don’t drink it right away or if it’s left in the refrigerator for more than a day. Camelbak seems like the way to go since it’s insulated.
I have another name brand stainless water bottle and I love it except for when it sets with a liquid in it it seems to build pressure and when I open the valve it sprays all over.
So I want one with a bite valve, with some kind of hook and I want it insulated, I live in AZ and It’s 100+ degrees out and I like my drink to be cold not warm.
Hi Patricia. I see you’re looking for a bottle to sell for a fundraiser. We have an excellent fundraising program and I believe our bottles have everything that you may be looking for:
- wide mouth to accomodate ice cubes (and cleaning).
- hook caps for attaching to backpacks.
- made of high quality food grade (#304) stainless steel — much better material than what you typically find at EMS or Walmart.
Have a look at our website at http://www.fofbottles.com and feel free to contact us at fundraising@fofbottles.com for further fundraising information.
Have a great day!
I currently am using camel bak plastic water bottles and thinking about buying a stainless steel one. The only problem I have with the current one I have is that over time the straw thing stop working well and I can’t get much water out of it. My question is, does this do the same thing with the new ones?
@K VanderMeyden - I have had one of my Camelbaks for about a year and a half and haven’t had this happen. Have you take off the very top (disassembled it from the straw) and soaked it in a vinegar water solution? Perhaps there is build-up in the straw?
We provide same Klean Kanteen stainless steel bottle,but much cheaper price ,only 1.5USD/PC .
I’d say that you’ve failed to “wrap it up once and for all”. I mean, how about ease of cleaning? Can my hand fit inside any of these bottles or do they all have narrow necks?
@DMike - Excellent Point! I honestly hadn’t thought about cleaning. If you have a dishwasher, all SS water bottles clean well in the dishwasher. We don’t. So I typically just use a skinny scrub brush.
I would say that the Camelbak is much more difficult to clean because of the straw and drinking apparatus, but it has a wider neck. The Klean Kanteen style doesn’t have the straw so there are fewer pieces to clean.
Hi Elizabeth. So it appears that all bottles are NOT created equal. There’s been an unfortunate incident that’s happened to one of the leading aluminum bottle companies. Since our bottles are pure stainless steel, we’ve been asked to comment on the incident a number of times.
When these aluminum bottles first came out, there were questions about what exactly is in the liners of aluminum bottles. With stainless steel like FOF Bottles, there is no need for the liner, so no worries about the presence of BPA.
Attached is just 1 article or google SIGG bpa:
Oh, DMike, our FOF Bottles all have a wide bottleneck specifically designed for easy cleaning as well as access for icecubes.
Thanks.
I was looking at the Sigg site and the regular water containers are aluminum but the thermo bottles are stainless steel. Some in the price range of the Camelbak and the Thinksport. Could these have been in the comparison?
I’m interested that so many people want the insulated bottles. These are double walled stainless steel so they are really heavy when filled with water. I’ve never had a problem with condensation on uninsulated bottles but maybe that’s because I use the water right out of the tap, I don’t put it in the fridge?
If you are interested in having cold water with no condensation, have a look at http://www.quiverblog.com. we have an insulated sleeve which will keep your choice of drink cold for a lot, lot longer, using NASA aerogel. Holding 7 guinness world records, aerogel is the best insulator on the planet and is also used to catch comet dust. Really it’s true. Come and have a look
Great reviews!
I like a water bottle that:
Fits in a cup holder
Has a loop top
Is cheap
Is durable
Is nice looking
Is easy to drink out of
Has a wider mouth
Is toxin free
It is also great if it is FREE, thanks Camelback for the opportunity.
Just a quick update from FOF Bottles. We’re so excited to introduce a couple of new additions to our family – our pink and deep blue FOF Junior Bottles !
Made from everything you’ve come to expect from our high-quality FOF Bottles — 18/8 stainless steel, BPA free, no linings, wide bottleneck, classy design, reasonably priced — and now in a smaller 500 ml bottle for little hands!
All BPA-free caps are interchangeable; including our new Advent sippy spout adaptor cap. Please visit us on-line at http://www.fofbottles.com
Thanks!
I was just wondering, since all of these containers have plastic lids, do those lids leech BPA into the water? Plus, I’ve heard that insulated bottles also carry trace amounts of BPA in the lining. In fact, SIGG just got busted for that very thing. And, isn’t the plastic that makes up the straw on the Camelback plastic? Just wondering. I’ve found a product that houses pure spring water in 100% compost-able bottles made 100% from plants. They don’t leech anything into your water, the water itself has won accolades for taste, and you can put it in with your banana peels when you’re done with it and it will biodegrade. I don’t think it’s available to the public until next month, but I think it sounds promising. The company is called Naturally Iowa.
I have carried a water bottle with me wherever I go for a couple of years. I’m on the go quite a bit, and need a durable, environmentally friendly water bottle. I would love to have one of these!
I’ve been looking for some good ss bottles. I just looked at the project earth bottle; it looks like a nice bottle, but like so many others out there it looks identical to a Klean Kanteen (except for the cap — but that looks identical to another brand also). The price is expensive too.
This has been interesting and helpful. I am seriously considering SS bottles for my family. I like everything I have read so far about them. I was going to go in on a group buy for Kleen Kanteen bottles, but couldn’t get some of my questions answered by the group leader and decided it wasn’t the way to go. So, now I am looking into this more. I definitely will go w/stainless. However, I would also like to support US biz if possible……do you know if ANY stanless bottles are made in the US!?!?! It seems to be impossible to find. Thanks!
@ Stacy - Unfortunately there are no SS bottles that are currently made in the US. Apparently companies have looked into it and the prices are exorbitantly high.
I have been looking for a ss water bottle. I have also been looking for a thermos for my warm drinks as well. I’d rather not carry around 2. From what I have seen, thru this website, the thinksport is the only one that can be used for both.Any one else out there find one for both hot and cold beverages?
Laken, Earthlust, Klean Kanteen.. As for a thermos, the Laken Stainless Steel Thermo INOX Vacuum bottle is great!
Great review of bottles. I found one that wasn’t listed, is done by a smaller company, and I think really raises awareness about the dangers of non-reusable bottles.
You can find them at Stainless Steel Bottles - Poison Bottle Company.
Not only are they affordable (on sale right now) - but they raise awareness by having a poison logo on the side. I have had mine for just over 2 weeks now and people ask me about it all the time. So…if you want a great bottle (easy to fit ice into, fits in cup holder), and you want to raise awareness - give them a try.
I found this bottle, “made in the USA” - I know NOTHING about it, have not purchased one… anyone have any info?
http://www.reallynatural.com/archives/product-review/first_made_in_the_usa_filtered.php
NOT made in USA… I take it all back… only their filters are made in usa…
I’d really like a ss bottle that fits in a cupholder & has a sport top that doesn’t leak or make noise.
From reviews, I think I’d really like the Camelbak but can’t tell if it would fit in a cupholder or not . . . probaby too wide. Kleen Kanteen does but their sport cap doesn’t seem as good as Camelbak’s Bite Valve.
Great list of water bottles. I’m having a hard time finding the perfect bottle at the moment.
I used to be a stainless steel bottle user, but I am now using the plastic variety. I went to an outdoor event once that had security checks, and I was refused admission because of my stainless steel bottle. Maybe they thought it was a fuel cannister, or they wanted to see the liquid, or they thought it could be used as a weapon.
I prefer clear plastic with a small top. I have found my last two bottle leak when flying, so having a good seal is a consideration as well.
Sigg also has a stainless steel line called steelworks thats manufactured in asia.
Hi there. My apologies for my post above — guess I was leaning on the keyboard! (haha). I’d like to answer some questions that have come up here:
1) Those who have asked about stainless steel bottles with plastic caps leaching BPA through the caps: make sure the caps (like ours) are made of Polypropylene #5. This material does NOT contain BPA and will not leach any scary chemicals. Stainless steel caps actually have a tendency to leak water into the cap itself and stay there. This is a bad thing!
2) Noisy Sport Tops. Many do make a “squeaking” sound. This often comes from the breather valve on some of the designs. Some of those also leak. I’d suggest you look for a sports cap without the “ball valve”. No squeaking!
3) Type of stainless steel. Some bottles are promoted as “stainless steel”; yet there are definitely differences in ss. The high-end bottles (like our own FOF Bottles and their KK’s) are made from 18/8 (a.k.a. #304) material. This means it consists of 18% chromium and 8% nickel. Chromium is for the durability (the hardness) and the nickel is for the corrosion resistance. Cheap ss water bottles (that typically do not promote “18/8 material”) may be made of 18/0 material; it’s a stainless steel, but is subject to rusting (yuck!). Find out what they’re made of first.
4) Design and shape. Once you’ve established a good, high-quality 18/8 ss bottle with a #5 cap, look for a design and shape that you like. Many out there are very similar - if not identical. We’ve designed our FOF Bottles a little different. It comes down to your own personal preference.
5) “Made in China”. Well, let’s talk about it. The challenge we face in North America is, as you know, the cost. We could indeed produce an excellent bottle here in North America, but the cost would be so extreme that it would be difficult for people to purchase the bottle for up to 3 or 4 times as much (imagine us listing our FOF Bottles for $40 each!). If we did - and others did as well - it would probably mean that people would continue to use single use plastic bottles and continue to throw plastic into the landfills at a rate of almost 1 million bottles per day (where they sit for almost 700 years).
Since our top FOF Bottle goal is to try and change peoples culture towards using plastic bottles, we need to make it economical. Trying to balance that with keeping the business “at home” means, for us, that EVERYTHING else is done from here — our design team, the printing company we use, the shipping company, the website, etc. is all from Canada or the U.S. Only the bottle itself is carefully and responsibly manufactured at our facilities overseas.
In doing all of this, we can offer our exceptional FOF Bottle product at some of the lowest prices that you’ll find anywhere.
I hope this helps you out. If anyone has any further questions or comments, please feel free to contact me directly.
Sincerely,
Grant
The FOF Bottle Company
Making the world a little brighter … 1 bottle at a time.
Wow! Great information here. I think the FOF Company left off 1 item — the difference between aluminum and stainless steel. I, personally, would stay away from aluminum (SIGG, Laken, etc.) as they all have plastic liners. SIGG and Laken liners have (or had) BPA in it — and they lied to everyone about it. This makes me wonder about all of the other aluminum ones as well.
I’m also staying away from any Klean Kanteen copy; there’s so many that look just like KK — but there’s only one original.
I’m going with either FOF Bottles or Klean Kanteen as they seem to be the leaders out there and are North American owned and operated.
I Would love to order for some items to italy.
Here are stainless steel water bottles made in the USA!
http://www.blueq.com/water-bottles/
The only thing that sucks is the lack of a loop in the lid for a key ring or hook. Maybe enough emails to them will knock some sense into them!
I don’t think these things are actually made in the USA; their website says (under “about us”): “…if you ever had any questions about our factory standards overseas, environmentally responsible manufacturing,…..”. So it doesn’t sound like “factory standards overseas” equals made in the USA ??!
They also seem really expensive for a small bottle; wow!…
I have a question for Grant @ FOF. What controls do you have in place to ensure that the maufacturer(s) of your product use quality, food grade, stainless steel. I have purchased several cast iron skillets and other metal cooking untensils that were made in China. I had the products tested and found that over 70% were contaminated with lead or other harmful substances. Overall China does not have a good track record when it comes to product safety.
Here’s a new feature that has come onto the market since this review was done…a stainless steel lid to match the stainless steel bottle. I was so glad to find this because I never liked the fact that all the other bottles have plastic lids, which tend to start flaking off into the water the more I used them. Both the bottle and the lid are made from 304 stainless steel, so your water will never touch plastic!
http://www.aquasana.com/product_detail.php?product_id=67
Hi Rob. FOF Bottles have always shared similar concerns you, our customers, have expressed about manufacturing the bottles in China.
We currently perform regular product testing through third-party, accredited laboratories to meet regulatory requirements and our own high standards for product safety. During this process, not only is the stainless tested to ensure it is constructed of high quality food-grade stainless steel, but the caps are also tested to ensure no BPA.
Sincerely,
Grant
The FOF Bottle Company
Making the world a little brighter … 1 bottle at a time.
Grant,
Grant,
I, for one, would pay $40 or even twice that for a quality, reusable, SS bottle that should last years and years and is made in North America. I don’t know how many others feel this way also, but I try not to fund a Communist country with terrible human rights, labor and pollution laws - all of which allow the low manufacturing costs.
I also would much rather pay the extra money to purchase an American made bottle. I guess you are not worried though as the 10%+ of our population that is unemployed would not be able to afford the imported bottles as well.
Well, I have a family of 4 and I definitely would not (and cannot) pay $200 for 4 bottles — considering that my son would probably lose his and we’d need to replace it! Who could actually afford a bottle that cost $40-$50?!
I understand the whole “don’t buy from China” thing, but the reality is that 50% of the items in stores come from there.
I think there are lots of people who realize that plastic bottles are bad and want to buy ss bottles but can’t afford to pay tons of money. Purchasing them from a reputable North American based company like K.Kanteen or FOF, is the next best thing in my opinion.
Should take a look at the Green Bottle. ( http://www.greenbottleonline.com ) As a Michigan resident, it was a nice surprise for me to learn that they are a Michigan based company. They do a fair amount of charity programs too.
Check out Eco Vessel. They make stainless steel water bottles that have built in filters, which can filter out about 99.99% of contaminants.
http://www.ecovessel.com