Six of my favorite reusable water bottles

If you’re like me, you drink a lot of water. Three pregnancies (one miscarriage), two nursing relationships, and two half marathon training cycles have resulted in me drinking about a gallon of water a day. I’m always carrying around a reusable water bottle. I’ve gone through many. Some are filtered and some aren’t. Some have straws and some don’t. I like different bottles for different reasons. All of these bottles can be found on Amazon. I’ve compared and contrasted a few of my favorite water bottles below. 

Bobble: (large size) 
filtered: yes FILTERS
straw: no
size: 32 oz. kids is 13 oz. Smaller bottle is 18.5 oz. (with carrying cap). There’s also a 22 oz sports bottle.
cleaning: easy enough. Dishwasher safe. 
carrying: Kind of bulky. Fits in my water bottle carrier though so I have a better hand grip. 
where I take it/use it: Around the house. I have one next to my bed. I have one next to the couch. I have one at my craft table. I tend to not work out with it because it’s harder to use while running or lifting since there’s no straw. 

why I like it: Smaller middle “waist” makes it easy to hold and drink from. You can squeeze it slightly to help assist the water flow. The smaller one is perfect for kids. Variety of colors for the filters. Holds lots of water so it’s great for the office. Easy to change filters. Tastes great. BPA free. I’ve dropped it several times and it’s still fine. 
where it can improve: does not fit into cup holders or treadmills or bikes. The smaller ones do. It’s hard to open the filter if it’s closed. I always manage to lose the cap. (there are some models where the cap is attached). Hard to find in stores. I bought a cheap silicone bracelet to put around my son’s because he’s dropped his a few times. The bracelet gives it more grip. I had to throw one of my bottles away because the middle cracked (could be from overuse). 
the tl;dr: This is my bottle of choice for leaving around the house due to the large 34 ounce size. It was the first reusable bottle I bought several years ago. I hate travelling with them and refuse to work out with them. They’re affordable and durable and I love that I can change filter colors every time I use it. My son uses the smaller kid sized one in his bedroom. It does leak if the cap isn’t pushed back in and sometimes it’s hard to open it back up again. It’s a great bottle for around the house or the office or school. I had one bottle crack open after 4 years of heavy use, so it has held up very well. 

Brita: (soft sided) 
filtered: yes FILTERS
straw: no
size: 20 oz. kids size is 13 oz. 

We've even gotten some for the boys.

Cocoa Puff's:

Froot Loop's:

Butterflies:

cleaning: dishwasher safe. Easy Peasy. 
carrying: easy to carry. there’s a loop that fits a finger perfectly or a carabiner clip. They also fit most water bottle holders. Kids size is perfect for a day trip and good for small hands. Fits great in a backpack. Fits in cup holders and bikes and treadmills. 
where I take it/use it: short races. In the car. On the go. At the store. Any time I’m out. 

why I like it: It’s squeezable and so easy to transport. You can fill it with any potable water and it filters it. FIlters are easy to replace and inexpensive. BPA free. Doesn’t leak, but make sure it’s all the way screwed in. Easy to change the filters. Tastes great. 
where it can improve: I can’t think of anything! There’s no attached cap for the spout though and there’s not a huge selection of colors. 
1 filter is good for 300 standard 16.9 bottles. (40 gallons)
the tl;dr: This is the bottle I travel with and sometimes work out with. It’s comfortable to hold and it fits in cup holders. It’s just fine for a day trip or running errands. It fits great in a bag or on a clip. My son has the kids sized one and he loves it. We have one packed in his backpack and we both use them on walks and on day trips. I love that I can fill it with any potable water and know I’m getting clean, filtered, great tasting water. It’s extremely affordable. I think this one is my favorite. 

Contigo: 
filtered: no
straw: no
size:16 oz. 
cleaning: dishwasher safe. Have to scrub the mouthpiece though. 
carrying: easy enough. It’s more of a cup than a water bottle. 
where I take it/use it: around the kids. Occasionally in the car. 

why I like it: doesn’t leak. It’s gotten thrown around and the liquid doesn’t spill. It’s great for driving. 
where it can improve: harder to clean and mine got mold after putting a coffee/dairy beverage in it and not washing it immediately. Use for hot or cold beverages
the tl;dr: More of a cup than a reusable bottle, this is what I recommend for using around kids or mischievous cats who knock things over (you know who you are, cats….). It’s easy to travel with, but it’s not filtered so you have to make sure you find filtered water if you travel with it. I only work out with it if I want flavored water. I’d like for Froot Loop to use it since he always spills open cups, but he hasn’t been able to figure it out. 

Refresh2go: 
filtered: yes. FILTER
straw: yes
size: 34 oz. 1 L 12 oz kids version, 24/22 oz sports version
cleaning: dishwasher safe. Straw is annoying to clean
carrying: place for a carabiner clip. 
where I take it/use it: I rotate it out with a Bobble. It usually ends up in the bathroom since the cap flips down. 

why I like it: I like the markings on the bottle that show how much is in the bottle. I like the “flip and sip” design that keeps the nozzle cleaner and the water tasting fresher. BPA free. The filter is at the bottom of the straw. I like that it’s both filtered and has a straw since those are easier to work out with. Held up to a few drops. 
where it can improve: harder to suck water out of. Filter does not come with it. Does not fit into most cup holders. 
the tl;dr: This is a newer bottle for me and I don’t like it as much as the other brands. It was less expensive, but the filters are kind of bulky and I don’t like the taste of the water quite as much. The bottle is easy enough to use and I love that it’s both filtered and has a straw. I would use this for working out and races if the water tasted better and it was easier to hold. For now, I have one in the bathroom cabinet and I use it when I sit in the bathroom during the kids baths. 

Camelbak: 
filtered: no
straw: yes
size: .75 liter kids: .4 liter 

cleaning: dishwasher safe. straw is annoying to wash and the bite valve is too.
carrying: my water bottle of choice for races. Put in a bottle holder for easier grip. Has a place for a carabiner clip or can easily hold it with a finger. 
where I take it/use it: Races/workouts/places I know there’s filtered water.

why I like it: The bite valve is super easy to use on the go. Fast flow. Bite valve refills. Lots of nice colors. Good size. .75 liters gets through a hard workout. Can drink other liquids or use electrolyte tablets since it’s not filtered. BPA/BPS free. My son can use it easily. The bite valve flips down so it doesnt leak and also stays cleaner.
where it can improve: does not always fit into car cup holders or treadmill cup holders. Can grow mold in the bite valve area. It doesn’t fit very well into bikes either. 
the tl;dr: I have used this one for my half marathons because I know they have filtered water along the course to refill it if needed. Also, I can drop electrolyte tablets into it since it’s not filtered. I love the bite valve. It’s the easiest of all the water bottles to drink from since you don’t have to tilt it to drink. I do use this to work out with if I know I won’t need a refill. This is my non filtered water bottle of choice and I highly recommend it as a workout bottle even though it doesn’t fit as well into cup holders. I do not travel with this bottle. 

Infuser: 
filtered: no
straw: no
size: 24 oz. 
cleaning: Very easy. 
carrying: travels more like a cup than a water bottle. Cap twists on. few leaks. 
where I take it/use it: at home when I want flavored water. 
why I like it: It’s inexpensive. I like that you can naturally flavor water with it. it fits into cup holders. I like the twist top. BPA free. I like the infuser is removeable if you’re just using it as a regular water bottle. I can also use it for tea, which is GREAT!
where it can improve: It has leaked a little. It’s not easy to drink out of unless you’re absolutely still. 
the tl;dr: I included this in the comparison just for fun. It doesn’t really compare to the others and it’s probably not fair to compare it apples to apples. It’s a nice water bottle to have though, especially if you love fruity water or drink a lot of tea. I don’t travel or work out with it, but I enjoy using it around the house when I want something other than plain old water to drink.