You've seen them just about everywhere. Whether they're in the hand of the totally ripped guy at the gym or on the shelves of your favorite health food stores, there's a reason you can't stop seeing shaker bottles.

Shaker bottle, shaker cup, protein shaker, blender bottle, handheld mixer—they go by many names, but typically, they’re all the same at their core.

No, we’re not trying to hype up a cup. These seemingly simple reusable cups are more useful than just your standard bottle.

Shaker bottles are different because of that little sphere that sits inside.

If you've ever made a protein shake (if you're here, you probably have), you know the struggle of mixing powder and liquid. Just shaking it in a plain cup with a lid doesn't cut it. Swirling it around with a spoon—forget it. You'll be there for a while and still have those annoying little clumps floating at the top.

That little metal sphere is specifically designed for protein powders. The spiral cutouts cut down bulky powders to create a seriously smooth texture that you might expect to get from a blender.

You still might be asking, “What so special about a shaker bottle?”

Well, even though they are seemingly ordinary, without one, your experience with powder shakes can be completely different—especially when one of those powder drinks is a meal for your day.

Suffering through a protein drink isn’t fun for anyone. As makers of one of the most successful meal replacement shakes, we don’t want to hear that you’re having mediocre experiences with our products. And, as a drinker, I don’t think we have to give you a reason why you don’t want to have a mediocre experience.

When you nail how to use a shaker bottle, what to put inside, and how to actually stack the ingredients, your whole attitude towards powdered drinks can change. From bland to something you actually look forward to—imagine that.

Without further ado, let’s dive right in.

How to properly pack a shaker bottle.

Okay, so first, let’s start off by saying that all shaker bottles are not made the same. But, for the sake of education, we’re going to assume that most are very similar. The only real major difference is the size. Shaker bottles typically come in three sizes 20oz, 28oz, and 32oz.

At Soylent, we only offer one size shaker bottle—20oz.

Why?

Because you truly do not need anything more than that to get all of the protein you need. Plus, we wanted to make something fool-proof for our powder meal replacement shakes.

We know that most of our Soylenteers use Soylent Powder on the go. So, we created our own shaker bottle that has fill lines printed on the bottle, so you know the exact right amount of Soylent powder and water to use for the perfect 400 calorie meal or 200 calorie snack.

But, when you start adding in other ingredients, it can get a little confusing.

Here’s a quick guide you can follow to ensure that your shaker bottle is stacked to perfection when you're adding more ingredients to the mix.

1. Ice

2. Water

3. Extra ingredients

(Think chia seeds, dried fruits, hemp seeds, cacao nibs, coconut flakes, etc)

4. Soylent or protein powder

5. Water

6. Ice

If you don’t have any extra ingredients, don’t stress. Just remove that step and follow the rest as usual.

This ‘perfect stack’ allows for all of the ingredients to blend together seamlessly with the blender ball inside.

Pro tip: If you’re looking for something a little creamier, try subbing water for other good-for-you liquids. Coconut water, green juice, non-dairy milk, and kefir are great alternatives that will help keep your protein shake lifestyle interesting.

How to clean your shaker bottle—the right way.

This might be the most important tip we can give you. Cleaning your shaker bottle the right way is crucial for your health and the lifespan of your cup.

If you’re like most, you’re probably using protein powder or meal replacement shakes on the go. So, cleaning it right away can sometimes be impossible.

And, you’re well aware of what happens when you leave it unwashed for too long.

It’s...gross. Plain and simple.

What you don’t realize is that this is creating the perfect environment for bacteria to grow. You’re ruining all of your efforts to fill your body with good fuel.

Leaving your shaker bottle dirty is inevitable. So, here’s how to fix it.

Soak it in soapy boiling water.

Duh. This is so obvious.

But, not everyone knows that you should start this basic, so it has to be mentioned.

Letting build up sit in your cup until it adheres itself to the walls like super glue happens to us all.

So, when it does, boil some water, add some soap, and let it sit inside the cup for a while. If you can let the entire cup sit in boiling soapy water, that’s even better.

This will loosen everything up to make washing really easy. And, it can start to eliminate some of the germs that have been locked inside for who knows how long.

The shaker ball is probably one of the hardest things to clean. So, let that soak in the water, too. It will help melt away caked-on ingredients. Plus, it makes it easier to get all of the twists and turns of the ball clean.

When the water is no longer boiling, wash both the cup and the ball with a sponge and soap to really get it completely clean.

Don’t forget about the lid.

Please do not forget about the lid. Letting your lid sit on the sidelines while you clean everything else ruins all of your efforts.

The lid can hold on to just as much bacteria as the cup and shaker ball. So please, do not forget to soak the lid, too.

Plus, it helps clean out the straw area and keep the snap closure working at it’s best, too.

Use vinegar for extra cleaning power.

If you really let your shaker bottle get bad, add some vinegar into the mix. White vinegar is a great natural disinfectant. Plus, it can help attack any nasty odors that have been created while your bottle was neglected.

Let your lid, bottle, and blender ball soak in some vinegar first and then some soapy boiling water before you start scrubbing. Your shaker bottle will be as good as new once you’re done.

How Soylenteers use their shaker bottle.

Did you know that Soylent powder is now only $1.50 per serving? This year, we’re really cracking down on our goal to make nutrition accessible to all. With this price drop, we’re one step closer.

Soylenteers have been using our powder since day one. And, with the shaker bottle, they’re able to keep their love for meal replacement shakes interesting day after day.

Replaces pesky pickle jars.

“Love the blender bottle. Mixes the powder a little more thoroughly than the pickle jar I used to use. I still have my pitcher from my original subscription and like it as well, but I am usually mixing individual meals instead of a pitcher full.” - Will

Get’s right to business.

“It gets the job done. It also comes with the little scoop for the powder which I'm down for.” - Noble

One and done solution for when hunger hits.

“So much better than the pitcher system. I just pour the powder into the cup to the desired calorie line and mix with water. It sits in the fridge until it's nice and cold and voila, a meal is ready whenever I get the stomach rumbles.” - Chris

No leaks detected.

“I bought this bottle for Soylent powder, but I'm using it more now for my other powder drinks. It's a solidly constructed bottle. The parts are fairly easy to clean. The cap really snaps when you open it or close it. This makes it a bit hard to open, but I like how firm the seal is.” - Ross

Get your own perfectly sized, leak-proof, and fool-proof shaker bottle now.

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