The best insulated water bottles
Cold water on the walk, hot tea at the allotment, and no more buying bottled water.
A double-walled steel bottle keeps water cold for most of a day and tea hot for hours, and it doesn’t sweat in a bag the way a plastic bottle does. They make good presents for almost anyone, from teenagers heading to school to grandparents who like a flask on a walk.
Think about the lid as much as the bottle: straw and chug lids are easiest to drink from, screw and flip lids travel best with hot drinks.
What matters
- 500ml suits bags and cup holders; a litre is for long days.
- Check it’s rated for hot drinks if tea’s on the menu.
- Straw and chug lids are easiest to drink from on the go.
- Dishwasher-safe bottles are much easier to keep fresh.
Photos are illustrative. We may earn a small commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you. How we pick · How this works.
Best overall
#1 of 5
9.3/10
Hydro Flask 946ml Insulated Water Bottle
£39.95 RRP
Hydro Flask started out in Bend, Oregon in 2009, and still backs its tough, powder-coated bottles with a lifetime warranty against defects.
- 946ml
- Cold 24 hrs, hot 12 hrs
- Leak-proof Flex Cap with strap
- Dishwasher safe
- Lifetime warranty
What owners say: Keeps drinks hot or cold for ages, doesn’t leak, cleans easily and looks good. Owners love the colours.
Heads up: It can dent if it’s dropped on something hard.
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A closer look: The powder coat stops it sweating in a bag and gives a grippy finish. It’s a big bottle, so it suits the car, a desk or a day’s walk more than a school bag. The standard mouth is easy to fill with ice and clean with a bottle brush.
Best for: A long day out, or a big bottle for the desk
- Capacity
- 946ml
- Keeps cold
- 24 hrs
- Keeps hot
- 12 hrs
- Lid
- Flex Cap with strap
- Dishwasher safe
- Yes
Best value
#2 of 5
9.2/10
Polar Gear 1L Insulated Water Bottle
£15.49 RRP
Keeps water cold all day and doesn’t leak in a school bag. Stickers not included.
- 1 litre
- Cold 24h, hot 12h
- Leakproof chug cap
- Dishwasher safe
What owners say: Tough, easy to clean, and keeps drinks cold all day.
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A closer look: Ice cubes drop straight in through the wide mouth, and the flip cover keeps the spout clean at the bottom of a PE bag. The powder-coated finish makes a good canvas for stickers, which for plenty of teenagers is half the fun. Full to the brim, a litre of water is a fair weight, so it rides better in a main compartment than a flimsy side net.
Best for: Teenagers, gym bags and school days
- Capacity
- 1 litre
- Keeps cold
- 24 hrs
- Keeps hot
- 12 hrs
- Lid
- Chug cap
- Dishwasher safe
- Yes
Best small bottle
#3 of 5
9.1/10
OTTO KONING 500ml Insulated Water Bottle
£9.99 RRP
A neat 500ml bottle that fits most cup holders and keeps tea hot through the morning.
- 500ml
- Cold 24 hrs, hot 12 hrs
- Leak-proof screw lid
- 18/8 stainless steel
- Fits most cup holders
What owners say: Good quality and keeps water cold or tea hot all day. Owners like the handy size and the secure screw cap.
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A closer look: The screw lid seals tightly enough to throw it in a handbag with tea inside, and at 500ml it slips into a car cup holder or a coat pocket. It suits water, tea, coffee or juice, but not fizzy drinks. A good size for the commute or a classroom.
Best for: The commute, the car and smaller bags
- Capacity
- 500ml
- Keeps cold
- 24 hrs
- Keeps hot
- 12 hrs
- Lid
- Screw lid
- Dishwasher safe
- –
Best for sipping
#4 of 5
9.0/10
Owala FreeSip Insulated Water Bottle (710ml)
££ £15–£40
The clever lid is the draw: sip through the built-in straw or tip it back and swig from the wide spout, with a push-button cover that locks shut.
- 710ml
- Cold 24 hrs
- FreeSip spout: straw or swig
- Locking push-button lid
- Fits cup holders
What owners say: Keeps drinks cold all day and doesn’t leak into bags. Owners love having the choice of sipping or swigging, and the look of it.
Heads up: It’s for cold drinks only, and a few owners find the lid less tough than the bottle.
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A closer look: The carry loop doubles as the lid lock, so flip it over the button before it goes in a bag. The cup is hand wash only, but the lid can go in the dishwasher, and the wide opening takes ice cubes easily. Cold drinks only: it isn’t made for tea or coffee.
Best for: All-day sipping at a desk, the gym or school
- Capacity
- 710ml
- Keeps cold
- 24 hrs
- Keeps hot
- Not for hot drinks
- Lid
- FreeSip spout, locking
- Dishwasher safe
- Lid only
Best for hot drinks
#5 of 5
8.8/10
Milton Thermosteel 1 Litre Insulated Flask with Cover
££ £15–£40
A copper-lined, double-walled litre flask that keeps tea hot for up to 24 hours, with a flip lid and a protective cover.
- 1 litre
- Hot or cold for 24 hrs
- Copper-coated inner wall
- Flip lid
- Dishwasher safe
What owners say: High quality and keeps drinks hot all day, holding about four mugs. Owners find it handy for day trips.
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A closer look: A litre holds about four mugs, enough for a morning’s tea on a building site or at the allotment. It’s dishwasher safe, and the maker suggests storing it with the lid open so it doesn’t pick up smells. The cover gives a better grip and saves the steel from scratches.
Best for: Tea and coffee on long days outdoors
- Capacity
- 1 litre
- Keeps cold
- 24 hrs
- Keeps hot
- 24 hrs
- Lid
- Flip lid
- Dishwasher safe
- Yes
How they compare
| Feature | #1Hydro Flask 946mlBest overall | #2Polar Gear 1LBest value | #3OTTO KONING 500mlBest small bottle | #4Owala FreeSipBest for sipping | #5Milton 1LBest for hot drinks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Picked Rating | 9.3 | 9.2 | 9.1 | 9.0 | 8.8 |
| Price | £39.95 RRP | £15.49 RRP | £9.99 RRP | ££ £15–£40 | ££ £15–£40 |
| Capacity | 946ml | 1 litre | 500ml | 710ml | 1 litre |
| Keeps cold | 24 hrs | 24 hrs | 24 hrs | 24 hrs | 24 hrs |
| Keeps hot | 12 hrs | 12 hrs | 12 hrs | Not for hot drinks | 24 hrs |
| Lid | Flex Cap with strap | Chug cap | Screw lid | FreeSip spout, locking | Flip lid |
| Dishwasher safe | Yes | Yes | – | Lid only | Yes |
| Best for | A long day out, or a big bottle for the desk | Teenagers, gym bags and school days | The commute, the car and smaller bags | All-day sipping at a desk, the gym or school | Tea and coffee on long days outdoors |
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