Best Insulated Water Bottles – Keep It Cold, Hot or Anyway You Want

Best Insulated Water Bottles – Keep It Cold, Hot or Anyway You Want

If you’re a regular hiker or backpacker and you’re still using a disposable plastic water bottle, It’s time to get serious. It’s time to quit buying water from Wal-Mart. So listen up, and get ready to hear about the best-insulated water bottles on the market.

Why would I want an insulated water bottle?

If you’ve found this article, chances are you already know the answer to this question. So go ahead and skip this section if you’d like. But if you need a reason, how about to keep cold things cold and hot things hot?

I hike a lot! In the summers I hike every day for work, and often on weekends and vacations as well. And there’s nothing more disappointing than anticipating a refreshing drink of water to slake your thirst, only to take a swig and find it tepid or worse, hot!

And besides, water just tastes better when its cold!

Here’s another scenario for you. You wake up in your tent on a chilly morning. You make your coffee or hot chocolate or hot Koolaid or whatever. Then you get distracted by other tasks like getting more water, making breakfast, taking your tent down etc. And before you know it, your hot drink is now a cold drink. Good luck trying to warm up now.

Apart from that, water tastes about a hundred times better when you’re drinking it out of a steel water bottle instead of a plastic one. Just trust me, it does!

That’s why you want an insulated water bottle. It’s multi-purpose and good for any situation. I own several and use them all the time! On the trail, in my house, at the airport, at the office, on road trips, always.

So let’s get to it. I will share with you my top 3 picks that I consider to be the best-insulated water bottles out there.

Hydro Flask

Cold: 24 hours

Hot: 12 hours

Recommended Size: 32 oz

Best Place to Buy:

==>Directly from Hydro Flasks website for ease of customization and free shipping on orders over $60<==

Or from Amazon for free shipping if you have Prime, but it’s a little more difficult to find your perfect size/ color combo.


Hydro Flask is number one guys. Why? Because, Hydro flask hits the sweet spot in regard to insulation, leak-stoppage, and durability. I personally recommend the 32 oz. wide mouth bottle.

Fill the bottle up with ice, then add water to fill the cracks and you can be sure there will still be ice in that bottle when the day is done. Hydro Flasks website claims that the bottle can keep your drink cold for up to 24 hours and I can back that claim up from extensive field testing. You can even break through that 24-hour limit if you’re just using the bottle at home or in some other climate controlled area.

It can also keep your hot drinks hot for up to twelve hours. But be warned, if you put something in there that’s just got done boiling, it’s going to stay very hot for quite a while. This can cause burns if you’re not careful. I know this from personal experience. I recommend you let your drink cool off to a manageable temperature before pouring it into the hydro flask. This is true for any insulated water bottle!

There’s almost nothing I hate more than when I purchase a water bottle, stick it in my pack, and later find that it’s leaked all over my stuff! There’s no place for leaky water bottles in this world! Especially because you can find one, like the hydro flask, that won’t leak. I have never had a hydro flask leak on me. However, this is only true for the flex cap. The straw lid is not considered leak-proof.

And finally, the hydro flask is durable. Yes, I have dropped it. I have had it slips out of ripped, mesh pockets on my backpack. And not just on dirt, in parking lots too. The result is that my hydro flask has more than a few scratches, but not a single dent. The steel is sturdy! Some users have reported in their reviews that it dents easily but this is certainly not my experience.

Hydro Flask bottles come in a variety of awesome colors and sizes, are completely BPA free, and have a lifetime warranty.

Downsides? Well, they’re a bit pricey. But it’s well worth it!

Klean Kanteen

Best Insulated Water Bottles

Cold: 90 hours

Hot: 24 hours

Recommended Size: 32 oz

Where to buy:

==>Amazon<==


Klean Kanteen is a very close second. It’s nearly a photo finish. And, in fact, Klean Kanteen would be number one if not for my experience with its leak stoppage abilities. I have the cafe cap which claims to be leak proof. It’s great for ease of drinking, however, I have caught it leaking several times. So I cannot trust it inside of my pack.

However, the other caps offered may have far superior leak containment capabilities. So I recommend you steer clear of the cafe cap.

Klean Kanteen’s insulation capabilities are phenomenal! I have had ice in my 20 oz. water bottle after 3 days sitting on my desk! The website quotes the 20 oz. bottle as being able to keep things cold for 48 hours. I have had this personally surpassed by a full day!

The 32 oz. is said to keep your drink cold for 90 hours! Pretty amazing. Granted you will likely drink all the water in your bottle before then, but it’s nice to know that Klean Kanteen won’t let you down when you’re looking for a refreshing sip. It can also keep things hot for up to 24 hours! So don’t forget the burn warning from above!

Klean Kanteen’s bottles are compatible with a number of caps you can choose from and is also backed by a lifetime warranty! Klean Kanteen’s finish makes the bottle strong, chip resistant and also more scratch-proof than the hydro flask. It is also a few dollars cheaper and you can get it shipped free from Amazon.

Thermoflask

Cold: 24 hours

Hot: 12 hours

Best Place to Buy:

==>Costco<==

==>Amazon<==


Thermoflask is my secret budget offering to you. It is significantly cheaper than either the Hydro Flask or Klean Kanteen. You can purchase a 2-pack at Costco for less than the price of a single Hydro Flask or Klean Kanteen. And it fulfills my number one requirement for a water bottle. You guessed it, the Thermoflask doesn’t leak!

What’s more, the Thermoflask keeps things cold until the day is done. Its insulating capabilities are as good as the Hydro Flasks!

But, being that it is cheaper, the Thermoflask does have a few downsides.

The first downside is that you have to purchase it in a two pack, which may actually be an upside to you if you wanted two of them anyway, and the only sizes offered are 24 oz or 40 oz. Which are above and below my ideal size recommendation. You can find the best price for these water bottles at Costco or Costco.com, where the two pack of the Thermoflask is cheaper than a single hydro flask or Klean Kanteen. *Pro-tip* you don’t need a Costco card to purchase things on Costco.com but they will charge you a small extra non-members fee.

But they are not always available. At the time of this article only the 24 oz size is showing up on Costco search. But you can find the 40 oz size on Amazon. It’s more expensive than Costco (but you still get two for about the same price as a single hydro flask) so if you want to save some money keep checking back to see if they show up there again.

The final downside is that the Thermoflask dents quite easily. Mine fell out of my truck on my very first day using it and immediately dented. Since then, It’s gotten a few more dents. But the good thing is that the dents have had no influence on the working capabilities of the water bottle. They are purely aesthetic blemishes. I’ve been quite happy with my Thermoflask!

A few things to be aware of

To reiterate, hot things will stay very hot in any of these bottles. Please be careful about filling them with extremely hot liquids. It is very easy to fill it, wait a while, and forget that it won’t cool the same as in regular circumstances. If you do this and take a sip you can quite easily burn your mouth, drop your water bottle and burn your skin if it spills. It’s better to let things cool to a drinkable temperature before putting it into your insulated bottle.

On another note, it is not recommended to wash any double-wall insulated bottle in the dishwasher. Hand wash only, please!

I hope this article was useful to you in deciding which bottle to purchase!

Have you used any of these insulated water bottles already? If so, leave a comment with your own experience below!

Feel free to ask any questions you may have as well!

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17 thoughts on “Best Insulated Water Bottles – Keep It Cold, Hot or Anyway You Want

  1. I am that person that carries my own bottle water around. It is earth friendly, economically better (I have a very good water filter system at home), available for me right away wherever I go, and also better for your health. The BPA in the plastic is the worst for our bodies. I work in the movie industries, you have no idea on how much garbage I see in a day! The Thermoflask is such a good deal! Comes in 2 is just pefect for me and my husband, the top is perfect since I am so tired of the leaking problems that I get from my Starbucks thermo. Thanks for the list!

  2. Great write-up and amazing product review,water bottles are a must have for every hiker and backpacker.

    I totally agree that water taste better when it is cold however the nation that water tastes 100 times better when it is served from a steel water bottle instead of a plastic one is hilarious .

    Still water bottles are nice and  trendy and makes you want to drink more water.My pick from this review would be the thermo flask, i like the combo

    1. Hi Zuchii, thanks for reading. I’m curious, do you think water tastes better from a plastic bottle? I definitely don’t enjoy plastic taste. All three of these water bottles leave your water tasting natural without any taste added by the container.

  3. Great info.  I have tossed a lot of coffee mugs and water bottles that claimed they would keep my beverage hot or cold but didn’t live up to that claim.

    After reading your post, I’m debating between getting a Hydro Flask or a Thermoflask, the Klean Kanteen didn’t make the cut due to the chance of leakage.  I like making my own tea and coffee on cold mornings and cold shakes on summer mornings on my way to work.  I think either one of these bottles will save me money on my morning coffee and tea.

    Thanks again for sharing.

  4. Hi there, let me say I like your site specially the banner with two feet it’s awesome!

    Very well written article, I thought i’m reading a story not a article comparing the water bottles.

    I personally don’t hike but as a coffee lover, have my insulated Thermos cup and never leave a house without it. Its great, keeps my coffee hot for about 6-7 hours, so I know exactly what you are talking about. And if you are on a trip those bottles are must have. Thanks for a great article and I love your writing style.

    Best Wishes

    David G. 

  5. Thank you for this post, I find it really helpful as I am looking to buy my mom a new insulated water bottle. My mom goes to her farm everyday as early as 5 AM and at 10 AM she takes a short break to rest while having her favorite coffee or juice. Only to find out that her coffee has turned lukewarm or her juice not cold enough.

    I am considering Thermoflask which costs $27.99 for 2, one for my mom and I can keep the other one for myself. You said that the size comes in 24 or 40 oz, did you mean the price of $27.99 is for two 24 oz bottles and the 40 oz is more expensive?

    1. Yes. If you can find it on Costco.com the 40 oz is about the same price as the 24 oz ($27.99). That’s where I got mine. But at the time I was writing this article it was not available there. I did find the 40 oz on amazon for about $40. It is still the two pack, so significantly cheaper than the Hydro Flask or Klean Kanteen. You can click the buttons on the article to be taken directly to the products! I hope that helped.

  6. Hi and thanks for the share about these water flasks. I have done a little hiking in my time, not too far but still i appreciate what your saying about the benefits of the water bottle being properly insulated. I think in order to enjoy outdoor activity or hiking then being prepared is a key thing to do. So you don’t have to have anything spoil the experience. Thanks, Kenny 

  7. What a great review and guidance for those who want an insulated flask. 

    I love the thermolineo insulated flasks for their durability. One secret I have learnt over the years when purchasing insulated flasks is to open and put them over your ears, if it gives a windy sound that shows it will definitely retain hotness or coldness for long. 

    Insulated flasks are a great tool for holding water either hot or cold.

  8. Hi Mariah these water bottles sound like they could be very useful even if you are not a hiker.  I love drinking water also and at one time use to buy water in plastic bottles.  After watching how harmful these bottles are to the environment I started just using an everyday glass.  As you can expect it did not stay cold for very long.

    It might be a good idea to also carry a cup with you that way if your content is too hot you can pour it into the cup to let it cool.  Something like the old thermoses had in days gone by.

    Is there some particular reason why you recommend the 32 oz size?

    These insulated water bottles would be great for just about anybody that drinks water on a regular basis.  Not only would our water be nice and cold and refreshing we would also be helping out our environment.

    1. Hi Maureen!

      The reason I recommend the 32 oz size is primarily to encourage hikers to carry enough water with them. I have too often seen people underestimate hikes and embark with much less water than they should have. But for those who just want cool water around the house or office, any size is fine!

      That’s a great tip about the cup!