The Water Bottle Debate
By Malia Hickman
A war between brands has started, and only one can remain standing. The water bottle debate has risen as other water bottles have become popular. There are different types of water bottles: for example, some water bottles have straws, others do not. There’s a water bottle meant for every purpose or activity nowadays. However, I want to discuss only three possibilities for a singular best water bottle brand: Hydro Flask, Yeti, and Stanley. All three have a multitude of different sizes of water bottles, with many different reasons to add to your water bottle collection. For simplicity’s sake, I will only talk about the most popular water bottle from each brand. The main point that makes a water bottle efficient and worth buying is how long your drink stays cold. I’ve bought all 3 water bottles: Yeti is undeniably the best water bottle to buy.
Contestant number one: the Stanley Cup. The Stanley Quencher (Stanley) comes in two sizes: thirty ounces or forty ounces. It can fit in the majority of cup holders making it the preferred car drink. The pretty designs and color choices make it another top choice for individuals. However, there are numerous negatives to buying a Stanley Cup. The Stanley Cup is unreliable to travel with. The enormous handle makes it difficult to put in any bag or anything other than a cup holder. Carrying a water bottle over long periods of time becomes infuriating and inconvenient. I would prefer to throw my bottle in a bag than have to carry the bottle around. It also happens to have an inconsistency for keeping drinks cold for long periods. After being in the car for thirty minutes, the ice is gone and my water is barely below room temperature. After tiring classes and activities I don’t want to be drinking something warmer than toilet water. The cup is also easy to spill; if it happens to fall or get it, the cup leaks. If you’re clumsy then I would not recommend the cup — you spend more time cleaning than enjoying your warm drink. It’s not very reliable in any aspect unless you prefer keeping up with trends. Which I fall guilty of since I own a Stanley Cup and it has become my personal car cup. (There has been news about lead being in the Stanley Cups. It is only with sealing material in the cup. There have been no reports of lead poisoning from a Stanley Cup yet.) Overall this water bottle is worse than a normal water bottle you buy from Costco or Walmart. Unless you follow trends, do not buy a Stanley Cup. You are better off with an actual water bottle than this below-tier “water bottle”.
The second contestant: the old reliable Hydro Flask. There are not a lot of mishaps with the Hydro Flask compared to the Stanley Cup. The water bottle I will be talking about is the forty-ounce Wide Mouth with Flex Straw Cap (Hydro Flask). (It happens to be the most popular water bottle by Hydro Flask.) This water bottle in particular is very easy to travel with. It can fit in most pocket bags and cup holders. It does not leak when it drops or falls to the ground. However, when it is dropped to the floor, it makes the worst sound I’ve ever heard. It is similar to listening to nails on a chalkboard. When the water bottle is dropped onto the floor, it dents pretty easily, making the water bottle look rough after a couple of drops. So, preferably, never drop a Hydro Flask if you have one. It comes in a multitude of colors and sizes as well. If you’re looking for a specific color like aquamarine then Hydro Flask is the way to go. Similar to Stanley, (which didn’t keep the drinks cold).
For how expensive it is, I would expect my drink to be cold for the entirety of the day. As cold as Buena Vista at 3 AM. And it makes it a bit frustrating when it doesn’t. It also happens to be the most expensive water bottle out of the three. If I were paying around sixty dollars for a water bottle, I would prefer my drink cold. I feel like when paying for a Hydro Flask, I’m giving away a singular finger. I want my drink icy cold if I’m giving away a finger to pay for the water bottle. Even with its cons, I would prefer to buy a Hydro Flask over a Stanley Cup. But both are still underperforming — like picking winners for Grammys, expect a lot of hype for little performance. It’s not worth your time and money to invest in.
The greatest water bottle brand: Yeti. The prize and glory of the 36-ounce Water Bottle (Yeti). The design is simple and comes in multiple colors and sizes. (Not as many as Hydro Flask but at least four colors.) The bottle itself does not leak when tossed around or dropped. Yeti’s also do not make a horrifying sound when dropped. My ears are still intact. It doesn’t dent as easily as the Hydro Flask. I have my own Yeti, and I’ve dropped it numerous times, and it’s still good as new. It’s also a nice travel water bottle. It’s able to fit in pocket bags and luggage. It’s able to be thrown into a bag. I don’t have to constantly hold onto my Yeti for dear life like the Stanley. Out of all three bottles, ice lasts longest in the Yeti. After a long day at school and other activities, I still see ice cubes in my bottle. It makes it more efficient to take around school and such if my drink is cold all day long. It’s a little cup in paradise for how long it keeps drinks cold. For the price I pay, I do think I get my money worth the water bottle. The quality is amazing and above the quality of a Hydro Flask or Stanley. It’s like finding your soulmate in a world where everyone else doubted they were your soulmate. I will continually state that Yeti is the best brand to buy and no copycat’s close to being similar to Yeti.
Depending on if you love trends or your dented Hydro Flask, there are many options to choose from. There are great qualities about all three water bottles; however, if you are looking primarily for a water bottle to keep your drink cold, Yeti is the best choice. It’s a plain ole water bottle that’s not as pretty or fancy as a Hydro Flask or Stanley but it does its job well. I’ve bought all three and nothing comes nearly close to the quality of a Yeti. It’s a bit more expensive than a Stanley, depending on what water bottle you choose. It is worth every penny. If you’re looking for a water bottle, choose Yeti. After a hard-fought battle, Yeti easily takes the win and becomes the best water bottle. After the discussion about these three water bottles, what do you think is the best? Is there more love for Stanley than I am portraying or is Hydro Flask not getting the attention it needs as being a water bottle? Let me know in the comments.
