Gear Heads | The Best Glass Water Bottles for Easy Hydration On the Go

With reusable water bottles, the popularity of glass options is skyrocketing. But which one is the most practical to use everyday?
Buy our winning glass water bottle: cooks.io/2Tz01MB
Read the full review of glass water bottles: cooks.io/303R4xt
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[@BornRandy62]

and old time farmers trick was to fill a jar with drinking water and wrap it with canvas . wet the canvas and stash the bottle in the shade . evaporation action kept the water cooler than outside air . the practice also applied to canteens with canvas and other material covers

[@kathleennorton6108]

Interesting!

[@tophers3756]

Similarly, in many arrid climates people still use earthen containers in the shade that use condensation on the outside to keep water cool.

[@josephnardone1250]

What you described is an old trick which I learned in the Boy Scouts, when you had to really be a boy to join, and in the US Army.

[@Wendykenson]

Joseph Nardone thanks boomer

[@andrewchristopher7138]

Why didn't you do the drop test with the bottles filled

[@sarameiwayne2816]

Andrew Christopher, Do you really wanna risk your life cleaning up broken glass and spilled water?

[@johndevanwayne4272]

Did you NOT see all that broken glass?

[@tbac2432]

@@sarameiwayne2816 WHAT? Risking their life cleaning up water and glass? Maybe if they were using their necks or wrists.

[@roz7056]

I wondered the same thing

[@tbac2432]

@@hunniebunnies I agree

[@letsgo4834]

I have been on the hunt for 2y for a good, practical H20 bottle made of glass to replace my plastic ones. I never thought you would do a test on this, but I am so grateful!

[@nataliek6555]

True story: I have the pop-open bottle (however mine normally doesn't give that annoying sound like yours) & I've truly loved it from day one. Important lesson though : never put a carbonated drink in that bottle. I filled my bottle with coke, closed the lid & headed off to work. Forgot the bottle in the car, on my way home 8 hours later while crossing a rail road track, the carbonation POPPED the lid off with so much force, I thought I had been shot! After a quick body glance for blood, it really took a minute to recognize the culprit of the sound. I'm happy to report No long-term issues were caused. 2 blood pressure pills later & an extra therapy session got me back on track in no time. 🤣

[@matthewwaterhouse9925]

I love my Lifefactory bottles. They have done me and my family wonderfully. I have broken a couple though, but only because they landed JUST right. They're weak spot seems to be the seam around the bottom of the bottle. Drop it directly on the seam, and it will shatter. But they're awesome. They have multiple lid styles too if you don't like the default lid that comes with the bottle. They also sell baby bottles and other food storage products.

[@tymmezinni]

Some people take this stuff way too seriously. You two are cute together. I may just be biasd though, because I'd probably do the same thing with the bottle with the pop-open button.

[@hollym5873]

Thanks for the testing. love these videos

[@johnhumphries4632]

Thank you! I’ve been refilling my plastic water bottles and was told that’s not very healthy. Glass bottles will be a nice alternative. Hey Lisa ❤️

[@briezzyh]

yep when I purchased my glass Lifefactory years ago it stuck out to me when people had dropped them and they didn't break. It works great at work, easy to fill with ice cubes and easy to clean.

[@ackman3981]

A lot of that has to do with the wide opening at the top. These "testers" failed to even attempt to get or use different sized bottle brushes to start with.

[@hanywhiskey]

I'm surprised you included the bkr bottle! I'm a huge fan. I love drinking out of them and the carrying loop is the selling point for me. I clean them in the dishwasher and haven't had any issues. filling needs a learning curve, but they are just perfect for that I want from a bottle. I can't stand wide mouth bottles and hate to drink from metal or plastic. I'm happy to see they survived the drop, given its not borosilicate glass.

[@MrsWill-wd3mb]

I love mine from target. It is glass with a full silicone sleeve, has a two part dishwasher safe straw, and a locking lid.

[@Jameson77777]

Omg it’s like they literally read my mind! One of the things I was going to do this weekend was buy a glass water bottle! lol

[@houchi69]

Lifefactory is also made in US, designed in France.

[@Paelorian]

I'd like to see the drop test with filled bottles, which are heavier and more vulnerable to breaking. I don't imagine it being much messier than the unfilled tests. You just need the right environment. An empty kiddie pool with floor tiles, a thick pizza stone, or a baking steel at the bottom, covered with a garbage bag lining? Over the years I went from plastic Nalgene to epoxy-lined aluminum Sig to stainless steel Kleen Kanteen and then glass Soma. The Soma was very pretty, but after a year of light use it cracked this spring. At least the rubber cover held the class together. I bought a stainless steel insulated Hydro Flask which has been excellent in the heat of summer. But I do miss the crisp, neutral flavor of water from glass. I've been eyeing a Lifefactory, and this confirms that I'm looking at the right brand of bottle. I foresee a purchase this fall, when I have less desire to keep my water cold. Thanks, ladies. And I enjoyed the sounds that cap made upon opening as much as you did.

[@LifeRNhungrynursetravels]

This is great! I want a minimalist water bottle and have been eyeing my old love: the BKR water bottle. The qualm with it before (around 6 years ago), was that it was difficult to clean. I may give it another try, but the Life Factory bottle looks like a great competitor!

[@Ryan-yi6su]

Great video 👍 I do have a comment tho You did mention that bottles of a specific weight were likely to break. Most of the time you're gonna have fluid in that bottle bottle increasing the weight of all bottles therefore can you please retest with water.?

[@julesreyes1329]

I love my Lifefactory bottle! It's amazing!!

[@aneta5196]

I don’t get this test. I had a glass bottle incased in silicone from those TJ Max stores and it shattered when it fell of my desk once, but then bought the Contigo bottle you have here in light blue and when it fell off the top bunk a few times, it stayed whole. I can still use it today!

[@seanjohny5994]

When she said which bottle reigns Supreme I thought Zoku for sure. After all supreme sent me here

[@nicolasalonso952]

LOL

[@HyperSensitive88]

The lifefactory handle cap works really well for people with arthritis. Easy for kids too.

[@annek1226]

Lisa is back! The Ello gives you a water bottle and an adult play toy all in one!

[@samuelwilliams8560]

I really hate it when men jump into the comments section of these ATK videos and turn every topic into something about sex. 😡 Oh, wait!!! 😂

[@Mark-zu6oz]

Lifefactory is the best. I have dropped mine when it was full and it didn't break on the pavement. They also sell a flip lid so you don't have to remove the whole lid to drink.

[@rebeccanater]

I use an old choyo wine bottle as a water bottle. It has straight sides and a wide mouth. And the lid is a screw on with a lidded spout. And it comes in 2 sizes a normal tall 375ml size i use for water, and a half size i use for sweet tea. 10/10 recommend

[@IdlewildCo]

I think something that should have also been considered was how LITTLE pvc/poly/plastic materials were used on the bottle. If you’re replacing your plastic water bottle with a glass bottle wrapped in plastic...you’re ending up with more un-recyleable plastic than you started with!

[@renexsteez]

The point is to reduce disposable plastic water bottles

[@cindyfinlayson4197]

@@renexsteez no it's not, it's disgusting to replace plastic bottles with more plastic bottles.

[@renexsteez]

@@cindyfinlayson4197 have to pick the lesser of two evils sometimes

[@kathleennorton6108]

I love glass!

[@kalijasin]

Thanks Ladies 😊

[@jawsch]

Really surprised I didn't see Kor water bottles in this test. I love those things.

[@arturocostantino623]

I like the the purple one

[@semco72057]

My choice for a drinking bottle would be the one with the yellow plastic around it to protect it. I have some metal drinking containers, but primarily use a plastic which comes with juice in them and use it for drinking water out of and when it gets too old I just replace it with another one and put the old one in the trash. In either case I know how to get my money's worth out of the bottles, both plastic and glass before throwing them away.

[@YellowToomNook]

Glad to see my water bottle held up to be the best! Nice.

[@falllingraindrops1543]

What bottle is it?

[@civilizeddiva]

I own the 22 ounce, screw off top, Liffactory glass water bottle: I sip from plastic reusable straw instead of drinking from the rim of the bottle. The bottle is easy to wash, but I do see black gunk accumulating underneath the sheath. I just scrub those areas on top of the sheath as best I can. Removing the sheath looks cumbersome. Now, here is the good part: running to work, I dropped the bottle from my hand onto the street. The result? Only one small dent in the plastic. Barely noticable. I also own three of the baby bottles [9 ounces], that I keep around the house. Really only use one - I carry the 9 ounce bottle now for my commute and keep the 22 ounce bottle on my desk at work. The other two 9 ounce bottles are back ups.

[@kiltedcripple]

Personally, I'm a stainless steel guy, but this was interesting.

[@vl5097]

same tbh but the stainless steel bottle I have makes an awful noise when opening and closing. its the worst in quiet places like lectures or the library where all you hear is my screeching bottle being opened.

[@maxfactor4209]

I use stainless steel thermos.. it taste metallic but I m fine with it

[@ackman3981]

@@vl5097 You get what you pay for. If you buy one based solely on the low price, then chances are you are going to get a badly made one that just might impart a flavor to what is inside. Do some research and look at different brands. Not all metal bottles impart a taste to it as people claim. Most probably would fail a taste test if given water from a metal bottle and did not know it was from one. But it is the "in" thing to claim it does.

[@TiMalice2009]

I use a wide mouth mason jar with a plastic screw lid. Easy to clean.

[@AnimeReference]

Flexible plastic pop top bottles are the best. They don't break, are easy to open / close, you can squeeze them which makes drinking far easier than inflexible bottles since you don't need to leave an air gap, and they spill the slowest meaning they do the least damage to you electronics when you knock one over while sitting at your desk.

[@lisagooding1184]

I freeze plastic water bottles that are 1/2 full. Then top them off with cold water when ready to drink...keeps water ice cold. Is it safe to freeze glass water bottles the same way?

[@rebaseymour1810]

Your winner water bottle link says unavailable, please link another one.

[@Avacarho]

Thanks, ATK. I've always been hesitant about getting a glass water bottle. What about testing to see which bottle kept water cold, especially in a hot car? Also, as someone else already commented on, where's the drop testing with the water bottles filled?

[@ackman3981]

They never do a complete test of anything. They leave out things like insulation, if the top breaks can you get a replacement, can you replace the sleeve? Just how many people drop a water bottle horizontal? I doubt many do. Most are going to fall vertically or at a slight angle to that. You can always tell which one of any review is their "favorite" without even watching past 1/2 way.

[@annabjorn8728]

That's one huge bottle brush :D

[@jase_allen]

I'm surprised how narrow some of the bottle openings are. You'd think the designers would take in account the desire to add ice to the bottle. Most of these bottles didn't look like I'd be able to easily fill from the break room ice maker.

[@lissagriffin5689]

Great video. Are the silicon sleeves removable?

[@Mark-zu6oz]

The life factory sleeves can be removed. They can be pulled off when wet.

[@JMillinsBXL]

I didn't know Americans struggled putting caps on bottles. Learn something new everyday.

[@kathleennorton6108]

It depends on how you drop it. If you drop it very parallel to the ground it seems it would be less likely to break.

[@RachelDee]

Exactly. My Lifefactory bottles kept breaking if it slipped out of my hand the opening hit the ground at an angle.

[@alexbrown9351]

Since the determinative factor for breaking appears to be the weight, it would have been nice to have done the drop test with the bottles filled with water. Perhaps some of the lighter bottles would have broken when filled with over a pound of water.

[@alexbrown9351]

Supplemental: The description of the winner on the ATK website says "[I]t survived three indoor drops despite its 2½-pound (filled) weight" so perhaps they also did filled drop tests.

[@SiggiflyCoffee]

Did you maybe come up with any idea why you might want to have a glass bottle that has a plastic casing which therefore feels like a plastic bottle but just weighs more because of the glass, other than just being more protective of the glass part?

[@Joseph1NJ]

Because you want to drink from glass that's free of possible plastic chemical contaminates that leach into your water over time. The ironic thing that most people will fill it with contaminated water to begin with.

[@alexbrown9351]

I suspect it's protection (as you noted) from falls and scratching, decoration, and to provide better grip, particularly if the person's hands are sweaty.

[@utoooooot5000]

Could u guys test food thermos thanks

[@gingerguttner4346]

I would also have deducted points for bottles that couldn't easily get ice inside.

[@tonym1012]

I favor the one you didn't test. A wide mouth mason jar.

[@tonym1012]

@Jordan Depends on what's in the jug.

[@sepps61]

I think the test to drop the bottles should have been full of liquid. I don't carry empty bottles. I bet most of the lighter bottles will break when full pf water. And a test about " how cold does liquid keep" would be nice. I want my water to be cold and with ice. And I wanted the contents to stay cold! 🌷🌷🌷.

[@annegreenwood3624]

lv my lifefactory bottle

[@lucretius8050]

Did it leave deeper groves at level 7?

[@anniecrowbar9358]

How about metal water containers.

[@Dr.calories]

Amazing food Guys I wish you make a reviews for the best meat grinder. I am looking for a very nice meat grinder to bay for my new kitchen I do grinding a lot almost 3 time a week . Please guys can u help me ?

[@Gintsumi]

I like LifeFactory but my first one did break after falling from the counter onto linoleum flooring. I had wanted to at least save the silicone case because it was so cute (frost to teal ombre coolness, got it on sale) but the glass had made to much of a mess to salvage it. I have 2 of their bottles left and I'm very careful with them. I wouldn't buy them in the future because the price + shipping is not worth the risk.

[@wendybowman5871]

I disagree about the bkr bottle. The handle is awesome. And the whole thing is dishwasher safe if you feel like it. And they make 2 others options, full liter and 250 ml.

[@arielley1718]

Same! I can loop my finger through it and open it one handed. Yay for dishwasher safe bottles! Plus if you find a more flexible bottle brush, even from the dollar store you can still scrub the inside

[@droolalot5795]

I have two 64 oz tal metal for $17 each... I put lots of ice and have cold water ALL day long

[@GewanMadoo]

My experience with Contigo bottles is that they are not too sturdy. They brake quite easily.

[@TheCleric42]

Exactly what did you say that had to b bleeped?

[@lady_miia9345]

"Shit" I mean ....you could hear it they bleeped it after she already said it

[@RovingPunster]

1:46 Ok, DownDog yoga pose (... FLOOP ...) 😂

[@ackman3981]

And what if they not see a break or a crack in the glass but it has one. Just how long until a person might swallow one? I would rather have a metal bottle than a glass one.

[@bonbuggy]

Bkr gir! Love it.

[@hanywhiskey]

aw I had to scroll down so much to find a fellow bkr girl! hi there

[@jbw53191]

I've been using the same disposable plastic bottle for the past eight years. Mine is the winner!

[@hanywhiskey]

unhealthy :(

[@tophers3756]

$30 and $38 for a water bottle??? Jeez, some people have more money then sense. Personally, if a bottle isn't insulated then it's worth about $0. Especially in summer here in St. Louis.

[@peterharper9703]

If “you” can’t really clean the bottle good; you can’t really reuse it. I’ll be checking out your winner!

[@StormySky48]

So the silicone covered glass bottles doesn't make a difference when compared to others like it. It's all dependent on the type of glass. Tempered being best.

[@saulgoodman2018]

I reuse a 32 ounce Gatorade bottle, or something similar. And replace it once a month with a new bottle.

[@meehoww]

I wish I had though of practicality and durability before buying my bkr bottle.

[@hanywhiskey]

oh have you broken your bkr?

[@meehoww]

rice opener no but the plastic ring on the inside of the cap fell out, the bottle is stout and not the best for carrying around in a bag or backpack, the twist cap is not convenient when trying to drink on the go, and the small opening makes it harder to wash. I had to buy a smaller scrubber.

[@eisirm]

2:30 It changes when it's wet! When it's wet it's even louder!!! 😜😆

[@maxfactor4209]

Those with silicone protective shield (your winner ).. those are garbage.. dirt's goes in-between the glass and sleeve and it is pain in the butt to clean it up.

[@RovingPunster]

The winner looks nice, but without a thermal sleeve to keep things cold (or hot), it's a non starter.

[@bobby_greene]

Warm water IS poisonous.

[@RovingPunster]

@@bobby_greene I take it you're not a fan of coffee, tea, or soup then ?

[@bobby_greene]

@@RovingPunster iced tea, cold brew coffee, and gazpacho for me.

[@RovingPunster]

@@bobby_greene I'd never put gazpacho in a travel mug ... thats something best drunk ala minute (right after blending it), before it can start separating and/or oxidizing.

[@bobby_greene]

@@RovingPunster it would still be poisonous from the heat of blending

[@Yutter89]

I'd completely knock it for breaking especially if you're too be carrying it around....

[@elizabethshaw734]

I have a great water bottle but it is metal. I wouldn't trade it for anything almost! :-)

[@ishtar0077]

I like glass water bottles better. I don't like steel ones to me the water has taste on those unlike glass.

[@Gerbera726]

Can you do reviews on sustainable items?

[@ackman3981]

They are surprised that a wider opening would be "easier" to fill compared to the one with the small opening? There are different sizes of bottle brushes. Not even need to see 1/2 of this to know which one they will recommend.

[@lightdark00]

If it's glass with a plastic lid, that isn't far enough away from plastic for me! Steel with a steel lid is what I prefer and use.

[@lightdark00]

I would love to see glass with a steel lid. Glass is only find when it has little chance to break, and beaches don't even allow glass bottles.

[@swtnez4685]

Niceee🇨🇦❣️🇨🇦

[@elund408]

I have been using a smart water bottle for about a year, $1.50 full of water and recyclable. yes its the dreaded plastic but it has less plastic than most of these and its been dropped, kicked and hiked with. I keep it full of water in the fridge and it has never lost a drop. good metal would be my second choice, last place would be glass its too heavy, too breakable and too expensive.

[@akr01364]

I don't really see the point to these. Water, unless you're getting it from a bad source, doesn't cause BPA leeching from plastic and I'd imagine metal is probably just simply the worst to use overall given its reactivity. Use plastic, check to see what the ph rating of a sports drink is and try to stick to balanced hydration source: ie, water in a cheap, nearly unbreakable plastic container that is made from a recyclable resin.

[@pixoariz]

Lower third over breaking bottle alert.

[@MeepMeep88]

Lol the Borat Thong Bottle won..

[@elizabethshaw734]

The bottle called chic looks to me like a hair conditioner bottle without a label.

[@cynthiaamitrano8915]

You do realize most people rarely if ever clean their water bottles or coffee mugs. Disgusting, I know. I'm not one as I wash each time I use.

[@NewtonWashinton]

If i want a glass water bottle i buy orange juice in glass bottle drink the OJ save the bottle wash it out and my glass water bottle is free.

[@haircandykina]

I guess Hydromate didn’t exist when this video was made.

[@Ottawa411]

I've pretty much given up on water bottles. I occasionally buy a 1 liter soft drink bottle. After I finish the drink, I wash it out and reuse it quite a few times. I then recycle and start over. If I want ice, I fill it part way and lay it on its side in the freezer. When I'm thirsty, I grab it out and fill it from the tap. In hot weather, I usually keep a few of them on the go so one's always frozen ready to go.

[@luna_thetunatic]

OH SHIT!

[@happydayz7857]

Can we eliminate the rockin tunes in the background while they’re talking? That’d be nice.

[@sasukeichigo12]

The BKR tutu one looks like a shampoo bottle which is a bit odd to say.

[@oksills]

Who carries around and drops an empty bottle? Fill them, then drop them! Those are all so small that I wouldn’t even bother with them.

[@RachelDee]

I have broken 3 Lifefactory bottles and it's expensive. And you CANNOT put hot liquid in it without burning yourself. Don't buy it unless you just plan on using it around the house.

[@ackman3981]

A lot of bottle companies of the "dreaded" metal ones allow you to buy parts like more tops for example if that is the only part that needs it. You not have to buy a brand new bottle. Companies like Hydroflask will even send you a brand new bottle once you contact them about your broken one.

[@lyfandeth]

Wide mouths allow ice cubes. High quality plastics (no BPA) and stainless steel just don't shatter. And double wall stainless stays way colder, or resists freezing, much better. Sorry, no glass canteens for me. And borosilicate glass is notoriously fragile. Notoriously!

[@dirklapunk4777]

For the Gear Heads videos, you really need to stop putting that GIANT information graphic on screen and covering what we want to see. For the drop test half of them happened completely behind the graphic. Do you not watch the videos before you upload them? Overall though I like the Gear Heads reviews.

[@puirYorick]

Seems like a fairly useless niche product to me. If you won't use a safe refillable plastic then a stainless steel flask is the obvious choice. Also, it would seem to beat any so-called glass options in every test category. Several of these feature fiddly plastic parts that will soon break and render the item less useful. My store brand stainless wide mouth bottles were a few dollars each on sale years ago and are still going strong.

[@puirYorick]

@Robert Marshall I prefer the cleaner (residue free) taste of drinking water from dedicated glassware or an enamel mug. Plastic is a somewhat catchall term for many (mostly) synthetic substances. Some are deemed food safe in recommended usage but all seem to deteriorate fairly soon especially if they are abused. When glass is abused it usually breaks, taking itself out of usage. People tend to keep on using their failed plasticware which is most of the cause of danger. I just mentioned the plastic option because I believe it can serve well in specific uses.

[@wdavis911]

Was this really the best idea they could come up with for an episode??

[@patfarina3428]

You said you would drop them from "about waist height". You were both dropping from shoulder height but Hannah looks a little taller. Maybe to be fair only one of you should be dropping them or be sure you are both dropping from the same height.

[@2075vj]

Thanks for sharing but you should drink half your body’s weight in ounces. So if you’re 150 pounds you need 75 ounces of water per day. And so on

[@KeithOutWest]

I think I'll stick with BPA-free plastic. None of these looked that great.

[@cindyfinlayson4197]

You will go to hell for buying plastic.

[@yt650]

Currently I understand that society wants to get rid of plastic so now we’re having glass water bottles that we had before, so now we have glass and plastic, does any of this makes sense to you. I have a stainless steel plastic lined lbottle and it’s worked well for years. Yeah sure I’m going to go out and spent $23 for a water bottle. Please give me a break.

[@samuelwilliams8560]

@YT - Have a break on me. You seem like you need one.

[@yt650]

Samuel Williams Thank you for responding to my comments. Over 50 years ago I worked with a fellow named Sam and I could never remember his last name although I could remember the names of others I worked with at the same establishment. When I saw your name it all came back to me his last name was Williams. Thank you for helping my memory and unless you are or were from New Hope Pa, and about 75 or 80 years old, You are not him. LOL

[@samuelwilliams8560]

@YT - 😀 Nope, not me, but I’m glad I could brighten your day. 👍

[@hanywhiskey]

why is glass and plastic the same for you? also to each their own, nobody is telling you to go and buy an extensive bottle, don't be so angry about it. it's a personal choice. I enjoy my overpriced bkr, but would never buy something lined with plastic. everybody can do what they wanna do. you are personally attacked but this is not about you at all

[@yt650]

rice opener Glass and plastic are the same to me with regard to decomposition. We got rid of the glass because it took thousands of years to decompose in a land fill. You must of been reading lately about how bad plastic is for everything, so why not combined glass and plastic and make it twice is bad. In the area where I live they don’t recycle glass any longer, there’s no sale for it. You have lots of things that are plastic lined if you have any kind of a cooler at all it’s got lots of plastic in it and so does your car if you own one and your computer and almost everything else you own. Magine a cell phone made out of cast-iron, I just saw an article about how many million tons of plastic from computers, televisions, and tens of millions of cell phones as scrap and no place to put them.

[@AirrowRocket]

Two adults who are paid to do testing all of a sudden lose all common sense and manual dexterity to test simple items.

[@scoob42]

They act like that because not everyone is careful or dexterous as they are and clumsy people buy this stuff too.

[@jakerischard5686]

The bottle had moles and made me sick