Essential tips for buying the right water bottle

 What is your bottle made of?

Reusable water bottles make staying hydrated easy, cut down on disposable plastic use and, with ever-updating colors, shapes and patterns, offer a way to make a fashion or lifestyle statement. The material your bottle is made of will determine its main characteristics: weight, resistance and temperature retention. Most water jugs you'll come across will be one of three different materials, plastic, aluminium or steel. 

• Glass

Glass would be the best if it wouldn’t break. Because glass is made of natural materials, there is no danger of inorganic chemicals leaching into liquids when it’s heated or cooled. It also doesn’t hold flavor — some people complain that water in plastic or metal bottles tastes like chemicals or tin. Glass tends to be heavier than metal or plastic, however. If you worry about breakage, it’s possible to find heat-resistant and shatterproof options. 

• Plastic

Most reusable plastic water bottles are manufactured from plastic polymers such as polypropylene and copolyester, which makes them light and durable. Reusing single-use water bottles, which are often made from No. 1 or PET plastic, isn’t advised because repeated use can break down the material, which could allow bacteria to build up in cracks, and washing in hot water can cause chemical leaching. Many reusable plastic bottles are advertised as free of the chemical bisphenol A (BPA), which was commonly used in plastics until studies linked it to hormonal disruptions in humans. Plastic bottles are the cheapest, and are for the most part very durable. These bottles are not adapted for hot liquids, so you can forget your morning tea. They will also freeze and break at temperatures below 0°C. They are also not suitable for acidic drinks like fruit juices, as they will corrode the surface of the bottle over time and leave particles and an aftertaste. And of course there is the obvious non eco-friendly factor to consider, as not all can be recycled. They are a cheap alternative, good to use in the city or when travelling, but far from ideal.

• Metal

Most metal water bottles are made from stainless steel or aluminum. Metal obviates any concerns we have, rightfully or wrongfully, about plastic. There may be slight transfer of aluminum into the liquid, but there’s probably no greater risk than using stainless steel or aluminum cookware, which is deemed safe.

It’s best to make sure that whatever metal bottle you’re buying isn’t lined with plastic, epoxy or resin, which some manufacturers do to mask a tin-like taste, because of concerns that those materials could contain harmful chemicals.

Aluminium bottles are a step up compared to plastic. Their main advantage is that they are more eco-friendly, very light and fairly durable, even though they are made of a soft metal, and under heavy pressure they will crack and dent more easily than plastic.  Another disadvantage of these bottles is their temperature retention. Because of the conductivity of aluminium, these bottles heat up quickly in the sun and can freeze and break when temperatures are too low. 

Finally, because aluminium is a very reactive material, these bottles are covered on the inside with a protective coating. Over time the coating can be corroded by acidic and carbonated drinks, causing the aluminium, and other chemicals that might be present, to leach into your drink. 

If you just use them with water and keep them shielded from the elements, aluminium bottles are perfect for travelling and hiking. If you have the tendency to be careless though, we would avoid them for more intense activities like wild camping or mountaineering. As far as aluminium bottles are concerned, they are widely considered the best on the market.

Steel bottles are very durable, will take most abuse you can throw at them and you can fill them with whatever you want. The main drawbacks are the increased weight and, like aluminium, the temperature retention, although steel bottles also come in insulated variants. More on that later. Most brands that produce steel bottles make insulated variants. Temperature retention in steel bottles is an issue that only applies to standard models.