Ever since sustainability has become important in the water bottle industry, almost every year a new water bottle becomes popular, supposedly being better than the prior one. This year, Stanley water bottles became very popular because they are stylish and they fit in cup holders. But they are not really better than the previous bottles, they are just different, making people want to get something new, which goes against the point of getting an environmentally friendly water bottle. Some of the water bottles that have been popular throughout the past decade are of course single-use plastic bottles, Nalgene, SWell and sip, Hydro Flask and now Stanley.
Single-use plastic bottles not only are bad for the environment but the process of bottling them also puts around 2.5 million tons of carbon dioxide into the air every year. These bottles are subtly killing our planet one plastic bottle at a time. Nalgene bottles are not nearly as bad as single-use plastic bottles. However, they are still lacking in cooling technology. They are reusable, affordable, leakproof and extremely durable. Although they are made out of plastic, since they are multi-use, it is a little better for the environment. The only downside to these bottles is that they do not keep water cold for very long.
The next popular bottles are SWell and the Target version, sip. These bottles are made from stainless steel; therefore, they keep your drink colder for longer. Not only do they come in many different entertaining patterns and colors but they fit in most cup holders. These are not ideal because they are difficult to clean out, they do not hold very much water and are awkward to drink from. Nevertheless, they are way better for the environment and are not made of plastic. The next bottle that was popular is Hydro Flasks; these stainless steel bottles are almost perfect. There are only a couple of issues: they do not fit in cup holders, dent easily, have plastic lids and straws and are pricier. Overall, they are great and they keep your drink ice cold all day, hold a lot of water and are a little easier to clean than SWell.
Finally, the most popular bottle currently is the Stanley tumbler. This cup holds a lot of water, fits in cup holders, keeps your drink cold, is made of stainless steel and comes in adorable colors. Sadly, their lids, straws and handles are still made of plastic and it is not leakproof, so water spills anytime it is knocked over. Stanley cups are also pretty pricey for a tumbler that spills.
Although all of these different water bottles have their pros and cons, there has yet to be a perfect water bottle, and every time a new one gets popular and the old ones get tossed, it is bad for the environment. Therefore, the perfect water bottle should be made soon to finally put an end to this strange tradition of water bottles.