So Many Types Of Water Bottles Out There, But Which Is The Best Reusable Water Bottle For You?

We’re definitely spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing our hydration companion. There are simply countless choices available with different brands and retailers offering various styles.

Since you will be drinking from that water bottle on a daily basis, it only makes perfect sense to pick a water bottle that you will enjoy having around you.

After all, what are the chances of you using something you absolutely have no love towards? Little to none if we’re being honest to ourselves.

But you can’t just buy any water bottle out there. You’re going to be drinking from it throughout the day, and microplastic consumption is a very real threat even with Singapore’s advanced water filtration and purification systems.

Which is why we’re compiled a list of the types of water bottles you can find in Singapore along with its functions, advantages, and disadvantages so that you can find your perfect hydration buddy to stay hydrated healthily while enjoying the process.

7 Types Of Water Bottles And Their Pros And Cons: Discover Your Perfect Hydration Companion

1. Plastic Water Bottles

Lightweight and often reusable, plastic water bottles are one of the most common water bottles around in Southeast Asia. Plastic water bottles are usually made from plastic materials such as PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and HDPE (high-density polyethylene), just to name a few.

There are two particular types of plastic water bottles that you’ll typically find; disposable plastic water bottles and reusable plastic water bottles. We’ll be focusing on reusable plastic water bottles here, because disposable plastic water bottles can be toxic when used repeatedly, and hence should always be recycled after use.

A reusable plastic water bottle is one of the most versatile hydration companions around for home, work, school, gym, outdoor activities such as hiking, cycling, and picnics, and for travelling. Basically almost every activity. That’s because it's a durable and lightweight bottle, making it convenient and easy to carry around. Not forgetting how it’s one of the easiest water bottles to find in stores.

While it does have its advantages, plastic bottles do have their disadvantages. For starters, plastic water bottles are widely available, but not all of them are high quality BPA-free plastic water bottles (Bisphenol A, a chemical compound that is found to likely cause health problems).

They also tend to absorb odours and flavours easily and they have little to no insulation to keep your drink hot or cold. Even if the plastic bottle is reusable, it still has its limit as it will be prone to wear and tear, which then calls for proper recycling if you’re looking to limit your contribution to plastic pollution.

Pros of Plastic Water Bottles:

• Lightweight and easy to carry around, making it great for almost all day-to-day activities.

• Sturdy and resistant to minor drops and impact.

• Generally affordable.

• Comes in various shapes, styles, sizes, and colours.

• You can find them almost everywhere.

• Contaminants can easily be spotted in transparent plastic bottles.

Cons of Plastic Water Bottles:

• Terrible environmental impact with plastic waste if not recycled properly.

• Low-quality plastic bottles may leach harmful chemicals like BPA.

• Easily damaged when exposed to heat.

• Tends to absorb flavours and odours easily.

• Vulnerable to scratches and abrasions while washing.

2. Glass Water Bottles

Glass water bottles are eco-friendly water vessels that need little introduction due to their rise in popularity over the years. These types of water bottles are preferred for their purity and their ability to maintain the taste of water without imparting any flavours or odours.

You’ll commonly find glass bottles made from pure glass, borosilicate glass, and soda lime glass, with borosilicate glass being the most durable and expensive one out of the three.

Because glass water bottles are generally delicate, they are best for gentle situations and environments that don’t commonly involve rough handling or dynamic movement. Think offices, homes, and your pilates or yoga studio visits.

If you find yourself regularly bouncing between one of those three locations, then a glass water bottle is one of the healthiest hydration companions you can have. It’s non-toxic, easy to clean, eco-friendly, and often aesthetically stunning. Some glass bottle retailers even provide silicone sleeves in various colours to protect your reusable bottle from impact.

The only downsides to glass bottles are how incredibly fragile they are, its commonly heavy weight, its typically higher price tag, and how condensation can easily form on its surface, making it slippery to hold (this means a high chance for it to be dropped!).

Pros of Glass Water Bottles:

• One of the purest water bottles that won’t impart flavours or odours.

• Free from harmful chemicals, making it a healthy, non-toxic hydration buddy.

• Easy to clean.

• Eco-friendly and easily recyclable.

• Typically comes in aesthetically pleasing designs and shapes.

• Transparent build makes it easy to spot contaminants.

Cons of Glass Water Bottles:

• May break or shatter if dropped or exposed to impact.

• Tends to be heavier than plastic or metal water bottles.

• May be more expensive than plastic bottles.

• Not suitable for outdoor activities and sports.

• Prone to condensation with cold drinks, making it slippery to hold.

3. Stainless Steel Water Bottles (Single-Wall Stainless Steel)

Stainless steel water bottles are one of the most popular water bottles around these days. Just like its namesake, these water bottles are made from stainless steel, a combination of iron-based alloys that is known for its superb durability, and resistance to rust and corrosion.

This type of water bottle is often divided into two types; the vacuum insulated stainless steel water bottle (sometimes known as double-walled stainless steel, which we’ll look at below), and the single-wall stainless steel water bottle. We’ll be focusing on single-wall stainless steel water bottles here.

Thanks to the near indestructible nature, a stainless steel water bottle is as versatile, if not more than plastic bottles. They are ideal for high impact outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, biking, great for trips to the gym, fantastic in the office, and they even work great at home, work, and school!

Stainless steel bottles are incredibly durable, typically BPA-free (this makes them non-toxic and almost on par with glass bottles when it comes to healthier choices), and they keep the temperature of your drink in its original state for a longer period of time, only not as well as vacuum insulated water bottles. These types of bottles are also easy to clean as they do not retain odours or flavours.

But they do have their cons. For starters, a stainless steel bottle is typically heavier and more expensive than a plastic bottle. A single-wall stainless steel water bottle is also prone to condensation like glass bottles, making them potentially slippery on the surface.

There’s also the fact that some sensitive individuals may detect a slight metallic taste from low-quality stainless steel bottles, resulting in an off-putting experience for them.

Pros of Stainless Steel Water Bottles:

• Resistant to impact, rust, and corrosion.

• Retains the temperature of your drink for a slightly longer duration.

• Generally BPA-free and non-toxic.

• Easily recyclable, making it a sustainable choice.

• Easy to clean.

• Available in various beautiful designs, motifs, colours, and shapes.

Cons of Stainless Steel Water Bottles:

• Heavier than plastic bottles.

• Usually more expensive.

• Its opacity makes it a challenge to spot contaminants.

• Prone to condensation making its surface slippery.

• Not recommended for sensitive users as low-quality ones may release a slight metallic taste.

• Prone to dents and scratches.

4. Vacuum Insulated Water Bottles

This particular type of water bottle comes in many names that you may have encountered; double-wall insulated, thermoregulated, a thermos, and of course, vacuum insulated water bottle. But they all essentially point to the same thing - a water bottle designed with a double-walled (sometimes triple) construction and a vacuum-sealed space between the walls.

That very same design not only gives it additional durability, but it also maintains the temperature of the water bottle’s contents for hours, be it hot or cold. And when I say hours, I mean up to 24 hours. How amazing is that?

Vacuum insulated reusable water bottles like Montigo’s array of hydration companions are amazing for various activities. Think hiking, camping, cycling, all kinds of sports on both land and water, travelling, commuting, along with daily home and office use.

It’s the best at keeping your favourite coffee or your lunch soups hot, and favourite drink chilled all day without any condensation so you can comfortably stay refreshed and hydrated on-the-go even through your busiest days. That’s also why vacuum insulated water bottles are one of the most popular water bottles around!

A couple of downsides to the vacuum insulated bottle is how it tends to be bulkier and heavier than plastic, glass, and single-walled stainless steel bottles, and comes with a slightly higher price tag. While it’s near indestructible, its outer body is still prone to dents if dropped or roughly handled!

Fun fact: Vacuum insulated water bottles also come in glass instead of just stainless steel!

Pros of Vacuum Insulated Water Bottles:

• Excellent temperature retention that lasts hours to keep your water cold or hot.

• Resistant to impact, rust, and corrosion.

• Non-toxic and free from harmful chemicals.

• Outer wall makes it free from condensation.

• Eco-friendly thanks to its recyclable material and reusable nature.

• Incredibly versatile for various activities and environments, making it one of the best bottles for everyday use.

• Able to store hot and cold liquids safely.

• It's usually a wide mouth water bottle to fit in ice cubes effortlessly.

Cons of Vacuum Insulated Water Bottles:

• Heavier than other bottles.

• Tends to be bulkier than other bottles of the same internal volume.

• Its opacity makes it a challenge to spot contaminants.

• Outer wall is still vulnerable to dents.

• Generally more expensive than non-insulated bottles.

5. Ceramic Water Bottles

In the past, ceramic water bottles featured a fully ceramic construction. Think ancient water jugs made from ceramic - it’s a similar concept only their water bottle counterparts were the portable version. But because of its fragile nature and opacity which made it hard to spot contaminants, these water bottles were slowly phased out from production.

Which is why ceramic water bottles of today typically mean ceramic-lined stainless steel water bottles, and these are often insulated. They feature a double or triple-walled vacuum insulated stainless steel construction with a ceramic-lined interior to prevent any metallic scent or flavours from leaching into the bottle’s contents.

Ceramic-lined water bottles are often heavier than regular vacuum insulated water bottles, but they pose as a healthier option for individuals who are sensitive to metallic scents and flavours from full stainless steel bottles. That said, only a handful of brands manufacture ceramic water bottles these days as they are not as indestructible as stainless steel water bottles, while being more expensive to boot.

Pros of Ceramic Water Bottles:

• Excellent temperature retention that lasts hours.

• Does not react to acidic beverages, preventing any metallic flavours or scents from leaching.

• Non-toxic construction.

• Typically comes in aesthetically stunning designs, colours, and shapes.

• Versatile in storing a wide variety of beverages from water to coffee, tea, and juices.

Cons of Ceramic Water Bottles:

• May not be as fragile as glass water bottles, but the interior is still relatively fragile to chips, scratches, and abrasions.

• Tends to be heavier than a regular vacuum insulated stainless steel water bottle.

• Often more expensive out of all the types of water bottles available.

• Not suitable for activities and environments that involve rough and dynamic handling.

• Its opacity makes it a challenge to discover chips, cracks, and contaminants.

• May be harder to clean if the opening is narrow, and requires a soft brush for gentle cleaning.

6. Aluminium Water Bottles

Think of an aluminium water bottle as the lightweight cousin to a stainless steel water bottle. Aluminum water bottles are made from aluminium, often with an inner lining to prevent any chemical reaction to the bottle’s contents because aluminium is a reactive metal.

Aluminium water bottles are often used for strenuous outdoor activities that call for a lightweight yet durable water bottle such as hiking, bouldering, mountaineering, jungle trekking, and biking. That said, it can also be used day-to-day as a lightweight and durable hydration companion.

But what makes aluminum bottles a less popular choice compared to vacuum insulated stainless steel water bottles are its non-insulated characteristic, the potential for chemical leaching once the inner lining degrades, and how its softer surface can be dented easily.

Pros of Aluminium Water Bottles:

• Incredibly lightweight, almost on par with most plastic water bottles.

• Resistant to impact.

• More affordable than stainless steel bottles.

• Eco-friendly and easily recyclable.

• Available in various sizes, shapes, and colours, but typically more robust in design.

Cons of Aluminium Water Bottles:

• Bears potential for chemical reaction and leaching if the inner lining is damaged or worn out.

• Lack of temperature retention, making it unsuitable for hot beverages and prone to condensation with cold beverages.

• Aluminium’s soft nature allows it to dent easily.

• Often not suitable for acidic beverages such as most fruit juices, tea, and coffee.

• Low quality aluminium water bottles are hazardous, while high quality ones are non-toxic but typically expensive.

7. Silicone Water Bottles

Silicone water bottles aren’t nearly as popular as the rest of the bottles listed above, but they do have their advantages as one of the more unique bottles. For one, they are usually flexible and collapsible, making them one of the most portable water bottles around. They are also usually made from food-grade silicone, which contributes to its non-toxic and heat-safe nature.

You’ll often find silicone water bottles sold by retailers that specialise in outdoor gear and certain reusable coffee cup manufacturers as a type of specialty drinkware. Because of its highly durable nature, silicone water bottles are one of the best when it comes to outdoor activities such as hiking, mountaineering, trekking, camping, and even for lightweight commuting.

Pros of Silicone Water Bottles:

• Flexible and collapsible, great for homes with limited storage space or on-the-go.

• Lightweight and highly portable.

• Durable as it does not dent or crack and is resistant to impact.

• Those made from food-grade silicone are non-toxic and free from harmful chemicals.

• Easy to clean and often dishwasher safe.

• Available in various bright colours and flexible shapes.

• Non-toxic nature makes it suitable for all kinds of beverages.

Cons of Silicone Water Bottles:

• No temperature retention.

• May retain odours if not cleaned and allowed to fully dry properly.

• Sensitive individuals may detect the odd silicone scent or taste.

• It may lose its stability over time and when not completely filled.

• Often more expensive than other water bottles.

• Usually features limited capacity due to its often smaller build.