We all use them: Single-use plastic bottles are readily available and inexpensive to buy, so it's easy to see why so many people drink water from them all the time. In fact, the entire world goes through about 1.2 million plastic bottles a minute, with only less than 9% of them finding their way into recycling bins after use. That's not to mention how Americans alone use half a billion plastic drinking straws every single day, and the world uses 500 billion plastic cups every year.
The end result of all this inexpensive convenience is a floating island of plastic in the Pacific Ocean that's estimated to be three times the size of France. Clearly, drinking bottled water is a nasty habit that has to stop, so why not break the cycle and get a reusable water bottle instead? Some bottles can also be used for other drinks like iced coffee, saving even more plastic — in the form of cups, lids, and straws — while you're at it. (Just about every bottle can, actually, it's just a matter of how often you want to have to wash any straws that your bottle might come with.)
Not only are reusable water bottles better for the environment, they're also cheaper in the long run than continuously buying bottled water again and again. After all, water out of the tap is free.
Most bottling companies simply tap into the municipal water supply, triple-filter it, bottle it, and then sell it to you. It's like paying for clean and fresh drinking water twice over. In addition, municipal water is sometimes safer to drink than bottled water because government agencies regulate the water more closely and more often than some private bottling companies do.
And while cost and environmental impact are two majors reasons to invest in a reusable water bottle, that doesn't even include the many added perks that certain water bottles come with, which tend to be how you should decide between bottles; do you prefer your water hot (for the debatable health benefits or otherwise)?
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Get a vacuum-sealed water bottle to keep that H2O comfortingly warm throughout the day. Need ice water to cool down after a run? Make sure you opt for an insulated option that will prolong the ice in your bottle. If you want to use the same bottle for water and sweeter drinks alike, you may prefer one without a straw that's easier to clean without a wire straw-cleaning brush. Avid hikers might prefer collapsible or lightweight options that won't add as much weight to or take up as much space in their backpacks. Athletes in general should probably steer clear of glass bottles, pretty as they might be — the aftermath of an accident just isn't worth it.
With all these considerations in mind, we've rounded up a few of our favorites to suit every (water) drinker. Do yourself and the environment a favor, and get a reusable water bottle. The Earth will thank you and so will your wallet. Here are the best 11 reusable water bottles you can buy today:
