Metal bottles

Neither the Simple Modern Ascent nor the Simple Modern Summit bottle outperforms more well-known counterparts the way the Wave does. The plastic lid on the Ascent squealed against the metal of the bottle when we closed it, and the Summit leaked through the threads when we left it on its side overnight.

We did not test the Klean Kanteen Wide Mouth because it comes with a café cap. That café cap is meant for hot beverages, making this model more suitable for our travel mug guide. In contrast, the Hydro Flask has an available straw cap, making it a more versatile option for cold hydration, the main focus of this guide.

In past years, the Klean Kanteen Classic has been one of our picks, and we’ve tested the Insulated Classic as well. They’re both very similar to a Hydro Flask, but in last year’s testing both bottles had small leaks.

Several bottles leaked in our testing and were thus disqualified, including the 21-ounce Healthy Human Stein and the MSR Alpine Stainless Steel Bottle.

Others performed poorly in our insulation tests, including the 25-ounce Fifty/Fifty Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel, the Laken Thermo Classic (it rose by 20.1 degrees during our test), and the Contigo Autoseal Chill.

The few we found with lids that were annoying to use or clean include the Contigo Autospout Ashland Chill, the EcoVessel Boulder (it constantly caught on other items in our bag), and the Thermos Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Hydration Bottle.

The Stanley Classic Vacuum has a great vintage aesthetic but weighs over a pound empty.

The makers of The Coldest Water seem to be positioning it as a large-capacity jug, and as of this writing we could find it only in a 32-ounce or 64-ounce capacity. Finding the 32-ounce version in reliable quantities was difficult, so we chose not to consider it. We want to test things you will actually be able to get.

Glass bottles

We almost tested the Bkr bottle this year, but when we got reacquainted with its lip-gloss lids and spiky pink silicone sleeves during research, we were reminded that this bottle is its own animal.

The Ello Pure water bottle got a gash in its Safe-Shell layer in drop testing, and the Glasstic suffered from extensive scuffing.

The silicone sleeve on the 22-ounce Takeya Classic Twist Cap was floppy, thin, and cheap-feeling, and the 20-ounce Ello Syndicate had a cap problem, with reports of mold building up.

Collapsible bottles

The Hydaway bottle was our collapsible travel pick in 2019, and it proved polarizing: We received feedback from people who loved it and feedback from others who hated it. Such is the fate of all collapsibles we’ve tried. A 50/50 love-hate relationship didn’t seem like enough evidence that this bottle was a reliable recommendation for most travelers.

Our 2017 travel pick, the Platypus Meta, tends to develop a small hole in its bottom, which renders it useless for carrying water. Our 2016 pick, the Platypus SoftBottle, is watertight but floppy, as all collapsible bag-bottles are.

Before that, we picked the 1-liter Vapur Eclipse; however, CNET’s Tim Stevens brought to our attention a design flaw in the cap that causes it to leak when lateral torsion is applied (video). We were able to replicate the issue independently using a brand-new bottle. As such, we no longer feel confident recommending it. Both the Vapur Element and the Nalgene Wide Mouth Cantene also leaked from their seams during our twist-and-torque test.

Plastic bottles

The trendy reemergence of the Gatorade squeeze bottle prompted us put it to the test. It had some small leakage through the threads when we left it on its side overnight. And we can tell the logo will get scratched up quickly. It’s pleasing in its outright simplicity, but we think it will become trash within a year.

The Contigo Autospout Addison comes with a push-button lid but no way to lock it closed—a problem shared by the company’s Jackson bottle. The inability to lock a push-button lid puts everything else riding with the bottle in a gym bag or shoulder bag at risk of getting soaked.

The Nalgene On The Fly comes with a locking flip-top lid but no spring release, so the lid wouldn’t pop open when we pushed the button. Same with the KOR Delta.

The Embrava would be a good choice if the 24-ounce Thermos were not available, but it has a huge logo and a smooth body that becomes slick when wet.

The CamelBak Eddy has a valve assembly that can be difficult to keep clear of gross stuff.

We received a number of requests to test the OXO Good Grips Water Bottle. The biggest selling point, in addition to its wide mouth, is that the bottle allows you to unscrew it into two halves for easy cleaning. It’s a great idea, but a disaster in practice: Misthreading the two halves is extremely easy, making for a potential mess every time you fill the bottle.