Here’s Why This Cult-Favorite Water Bottle Is Worth Every Penny—And Why You’ll Want Several

By now, you’ve almost certainly crossed paths with a Hydro Flask water bottle. If you don’t already own one yourself, they’re hard to miss—it seems like everywhere you turn someone is carrying their own candy-coated water bottle, turning hydration into a must-have accessory.

I’ll admit it—I was late to the Hydro Flask party. Very late, mostly because I didn’t get the hype. Sure, I thought they were cute, with their sticker-friendly surfaces and an expansive color palette to explore. But it’s a water bottle—an expensive one at that. What’s the big deal?

So, when a Hydro Flask water bottle made its way across my desk, I was skeptical. Unwrapping the Refill For Good Limited Edition 32-Oz. Wide Mouth ($52), I was impressed, but not, by any means, blown away.

Now, I’m eating my words. I, a converted Hydro Flask skeptic, can confirm: these bottles are way worth the hype.

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Hydroflask 32-ounce Wide Mouth Cap Bottle

Where to begin? Let’s start with the design. Unlike other larger water bottles that are clunky to carry around and feature complicated caps or straws, Hydro Flask is sleek. There’s no fancy bells-and-whistles—it’s just a clean, metal water bottle with a silicone bottom and a twist off cap. Boom.

But don’t let its minimal looks fool you (like it fooled me)—this unsuspecting water bottle gets the job done. At 32 ounces, it’s large enough to carry half of your recommended daily water intake without leaking or spilling. Its twist-on cap screws on seamlessly to the bottle’s mouth, keeping liquid safe and secure no matter how much you move around.

And it actually keeps your water cold. I filled mine up with ice water when I started my day around 8 a.m., and by the time I signed off, it was just as chilly! No sweating on the outside, no lukewarm liquid on the inside—it was seriously just as refreshing as when I first filled it up. That’s because Hydro Flask uses a hardcore double wall vacuum insulation that regulates its temperature, keeping cold things cold and hot things hot for up to 24 hours.

And while other water bottles can leave a weird, plastic-y taste behind—especially as the day goes on—Hydro Flask has none of that. Its stainless steel body doesn’t make for any weird tastes, and it’s free of any chemicals, like BPA or phthalates. Nor does the stainless steel leave the bottle vulnerable to cracking or denting. It’s durable (that silicone bottom protects from dings and scratches), leak-resistant, and oh-so-good at keeping things chilled.

Surely by now you’re sick of listening to me talk this water bottle up, so I’ll pass the mic over to the nearly 20,000 5-star reviewers it has on Amazon. That’s right—the 24-ounce Hydro Flask ($35) has almost 20,000 5-star reviews on the retail platform, all thanks to its 24-hour cold performance and functionality.

One, similar Hydro Flask convert wrote: “In my quest for water bottle perfection, I’ve gone through quite a few and [am] always eventually disappointed in them all; not so with the Hydro Flask! It’s amazing, I didn’t think it’d be possible to be this much of a fan of a water bottle.”

Another swooned: “Never purchased a Hydro Flask before but DAMN do I regret not buying one sooner. This thing blows my other Thermos purchases out of the water.”

Praise aside, Amazon reviewers and I do agree that Hydro Flask products are pricey. $53 for a water bottle is steep, and the bigger the bottle gets, the bigger the price tag does, too. But the bottle does its job and is backed by a warranty, so if you aren’t impressed, or it loses any of its temperature-regulating features, the brand has got you covered.

Do yourself a favor and get yourself a Hydro Flask water bottle. There are hundreds of colors and styles to choose from, ranging from trendy solid pastels and bold neons, to limited edition prints (some of which donate to a good cause with every purchase.) Surely you’ll find one that fits your style and quenches your thirst.

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