The Best Kids Water Bottle (2024), Tested and Reviewed | Epicurious

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As a mom of two, I’ve spent nearly a decade in search of the best kids water bottle. And as a professional product reviewer, I’ve spent the last two years extensively testing 17 popular options—though I can’t take all the credit since I enlisted my young sons to help. And after swigging and sipping and spilling and dropping, these are the four we recommend.

If you’ve ever requested recommendations for the best kids water bottle from, say, a Facebook mom group or caregiver group chat, you’ve likely been inundated by opinions from other parents who swear by a certain brand or style. But the one that keeps drinks the coldest longest may not be the best water bottle for your kid if it’s too bulky or heavy to carry. And the most leak-free water bottle might not work for your family if it’s too complicated or time-consuming to clean. There’s also price and durability to consider; in my testing one very buzzy bottle started to fall apart within weeks.

The four I recommend range in price from $10 to $30, but they’re all all easy to clean, hard to break, and mostly leak-free. Find a detailed review of each below. To learn more about how I tested, what I looked for, and what kids’ water bottles didn’t make the cut, keep scrolling.

When researching kids’ water bottles, I noticed multiple reviewers complaining about leaky lids. More often than not, in accompanying photos, the spout was open and the person was holding the bottle upside down, causing water to drip out of a straw or vent. Unfortunately, no water bottle is actually 100% leak-proof, especially not when it’s open. When a manufacturer calls its bottle “leak-free,” or “leak-proof” this means it shouldn’t leak into a diaper bag or backpack when everything is properly closed.

Hydro Flask 12-Ounce Kids Wide Mouth with Straw Lid

Amazon

Hydro Flask

Until I started testing bottles for this review, we were a Yeti family, so I was surprised by how much we all loved the Hydro Flask kids water bottle. Both the Yeti and the Hydro Flask are 12-ounce vacuum-insulated stainless-steel bottles that keep drinks cold for up to 24 hours and have a powder coating. But for smaller kiddos, the Hydro Flask is a better choice because it weighs quite a bit less (9.5 ounces compared to 16 for the Yeti) and has a few more kid-friendly features. It’s also as leak-proof as any bottle with a folding spout can be—with this style of cap, water that remains in the straw or spout after it’s folded down can sometimes drip out later.

The thing that really sets the Hydro Flask apart is what the brand calls a “bottle boot”—a short silicone sleeve that makes the bottle less slippery and helps to prevent damage when dropped. It also softens the terribly-loud blow that happens when a stainless steel water bottle is not-so-gingerly set down on a counter, table, or desk. When I tested kids water bottles in 2022, the boot was perforated; an updated boot is solid, though there is a little hole in the bottom so liquids don’t get trapped under the bottle. The updated design is also slightly slimmer, so it’s easier to slip this bottle into cup holders and backpack side pockets.

Another nice feature? The name tag space on the bottom of the boot. Many kids’ water bottles claim to have a spot for a name or initials, but rarely is it functional, or even obvious.

With only three main parts (bottle, lid, and straw) plus the boot, the Hydro Flask is easy to clean in the dishwasher or by hand. Sometimes, in an effort to make kids water bottles truly leak-free, manufacturers overcomplicate the straw component (ahem, Contigo), so I really appreciate the Hydro Flask’s straightforward configuration. You can see straight through the spout and straw, and in theory, this should make the whole thing more likely to get truly clean in the dishwasher or with a straw brush. Speaking of straws, this bottle comes with a spare and you can buy a three-pack of trim-to-fit replacement straws from Hydroflask.

My main hesitation is price. $30 is a lot to pay for a kids’ water bottle (and the 18-ounce version is even more expensive). But this durable bottle can be retrofitted with other styles of Hydroflask lids as kids get older. You should also be aware of a slim silicone gasket embedded in the lid. There’s no indication that you should remove it or clean it separately, but I’d keep an eye out for mildew and contact the brand for a replacement lid if need be.

Zak Designs Kids Tranquility Straw Water Bottle

Target

Maybe you’re not willing to spend $30 on a reusable water bottle that will actually only get used three times because your kid is most definitely going to leave it on the bus Wednesday afternoon. And I see you. That’s why I’m also recommending this affordable alternative from Zak Designs. I was immediately drawn to the 20-ounce adult version when I spotted it at Target a and was thrilled to find a kid-friendly 14-ounce size too. The colors are brilliant, the design is uncomplicated, and all of the parts are dishwasher safe. Even better: It only costs $10 and so far, I have not experienced any leaks.

The diameter of the double-walled, stainless steel tumbler is a hair larger than the Hydro Flask sans boot and the same with the boot, so it’s cup holder friendly. The fixed, hard plastic handle is much roomier than the carry loop on the Hydro Flask too, so big and little hands can carry it comfortably. Like the Hydro Flask, this bottle opens via a flip-up hard plastic straw spout and when I turn it upside down to try and spill, the flow is pretty controlled.

This is a newer product, so there hasn’t been time for the kind of long-term testing my other top picks have received, but so far I’ve only seen cosmetic wear-and-tear (more on that below). Given the simple design and sturdy construction, there just aren’t many elements that could break.

When I bought the 14-ounce kids Tranquility bottle, I also picked up the 20-ounce version for myself. Other than the size, the only notable difference between the two is that the bigger size has a matte finish while the kids bottles have a shiny finish. And unfortunately, the shiny finish isn’t that durable. After a few weeks of use, there are some noticeable dropped-on-the-sidewalk scratches, but they’re purely cosmetic and, I probably don’t need to say it a third time, this thing costs only ten bucks!

Nalgene Grip-N-Gulp Kids Water Bottle

Amazon

Nalgene

When I buy stuff for my kids—especially stuff I know will be used outside of our home—I fully expect it to get lost or damaged. So, as much as I enjoy lugging around my own heavy vessel for hydration, I’m less inclined to buy pricey insulated water bottles for my young sons. I also tend to avoid anything I have to wash by hand. The 12-ounce Nalgene Grip-N-Gulp addresses all those concerns.

Like Nalgene’s popular adult-size water bottles, the Grip-N-Gulp is made of lightweight but durable BPA-free plastic. A screw-on top has a fixed sippy-style spout and a simple silicone valve that pops into the underside of the lid and prevents leaks (unless you’re trying really hard to make it leak, of course). At the end of the day, I can pop the valve into my dishwasher’s silverware caddy and put the bottle and lid on the top rack.

After heavy use—including drops on the playground, sidewalk, and a few tumbles from the car—the Grip-N-Gulp does look a little worse for wear. But for something that costs about $15 (and can often be found on sale for much less), I really don’t mind the scratches and scuffs. Plus, it’s nothing a few strategically-placed Spider-Man stickers can’t fix.

Though the Nalgene Grip-N-Gulp has a sippy-style top, it doesn’t look or feel too babyish for bigger kids. My eight-year-old still sometimes uses this bottle at home and at school (sans gasket), and it’s small and smooth enough to slide easily into the side pocket of a backpack or diaper bag. So far, it has also fit into every cup holder I’ve tried, including in car seats, booster seats, and strollers. A simple fixed loop on the lid makes it easy for kids to grab this bottle with one or two fingers, and it’s carabiner-friendly too. If you want to upgrade to something more grown-up over time (ours are still functional after years of heavy use), you can use any of Nalgene’s wide-mouth lids with this bottle as well.

The fixed, hard plastic sippy-cup-style spout means kids don’t have to use germy hands to open and close the spout, but it also means the part that comes in contact with your kid’s mouth is constantly exposed to everything. While the lack of a removable straw makes this bottle incredibly easy to clean, the silicone valve does make it a little harder to drink from. For older kids, you can remove the valve for faster flow, but then the bottle will no longer be leak-free.

Thermos Funtainer Water Bottle with Straw

Amazon

Target

Thermos

The Hydro Flask is indicated for kids three and up, so if you have a younger little one that could use an insulated water bottle (and pediatricians and occupational therapists often recommend starting kids on a straw before their first birthday), the Thermos Funtainer is your best bet. In addition to a soft silicone straw, this lightweight, leak-free bottle has a hinged handle with a little strip of textured silicone on the underside that’s easy for little hands to grab, as well as a full-coverage push-button lid to keep the straw clean.

The Funtainer will keep drinks cold for up to 12 hours and it’s deceptively compact; it looks and feels smaller than the other bottles I recommend, but it has the same 12-ounce capacity. It’s short enough to fit into many lunch boxes and slim enough to fit into just about any cup holder— even the frustratingly tiny ones you find on some car seats.

Thermos knows its audience for the Funtainer, too, so in addition to solid colors, it’s available in a variety of designs, including Paw Patrol, Frozen, and more. And if the straw component (which also includes a leak-preventing disk that pops securely into the lid) gets damaged or worn out, Thermos offers affordable replacements.

The only thing I didn’t like about this bottle was cleaning it. The Funtainer is marketed as dishwasher-safe, but the manual recommends hand-washing when possible and the narrow silicone straw should really be cleaned with a straw brush. When putting everything back together, you really have to secure the straw piece in the lid or this bottle will seriously leak.

As the bottles arrived, I hand-washed them with dish soap and hot water. Then I reassembled them, filled them with ice water, and passed them off to my kids, 5 and 8—who fought over every single one. After they stopped bickering, they told me what they liked and didn’t like about each, including how easy it was to drink out of them. We also tested the bottles for leaks by holding them upside down and shaking them when open and closed. My kids took the bottles on walks, to school or day care, and in the car—where we could test how well they fit into car/booster seat cupholders. They wanted to take them to bed too. I also put each one through the dishwasher at least three times and hand-washed the small parts of each.

I looked for kids’ water bottles that held at least 12 ounces of liquid.

I looked for water bottles that were easy for both of my young testers to open, close, and carry, and I took into consideration the size and weight of each.

A kids’ water bottle should be 99% leak-free when properly assembled and closed and, ideally, still moderately leak-proof when in use.

I looked for water bottles that would be comfortable for toddlers and young kids to use (a.k.a smaller spouts and straws for toddlers and slightly larger but not-too-big spouts and straws for elementary-age kids). Bottles with straw tops or narrow spouts are also less likely to spill if tipped over, so I preferred bottles that didn’t have gaping spouts.

As a busy working parent, I won’t even consider buying kids’ water bottles that aren’t dishwasher-safe. But plenty of dishwasher-safe bottles still have parts that require occasional hand-washing—namely straws and gaskets. So I looked for bottles with parts that were easy enough to remove and clean and I favored bottles with fewer parts.

Kids are hard on most things, especially water bottles, so I looked for products that could withstand frequent drops on hard floors and sidewalks. I also looked for spouts that kids wouldn’t damage by chewing. Brands that offer replacement parts à la carte or under warranty got extra credit.

Kids tend to lose things, so I looked for water bottles that wouldn’t be too expensive to replace.

Yeti Rambler Jr.

Yeti

Deal breaker(s): Heavy and pricey

My oldest son has used a Yeti Rambler Jr off and on for years. It’s a durable, mostly leak-free bottle that’s easy to use and easy to clean because it only has three dishwasher-safe parts. The insulated stainless-steel construction keeps water cold for a really long time and it works with or without the included straw. Ours is pretty banged up right now, but the damage is purely cosmetic because, like all of Yeti's products, the Rambler Jr is incredibly durable. Unfortunately, it’s quite a bit heavier than the other insulated kids’ water bottles I tested, and the oversized, fixed handle feels unnecessarily bulky.

Klean Kanteen Kids’ Classic Sport

Amazon

Dealbreaker(s): Leaky

If you prefer a lightweight water bottle but want to (mostly) avoid plastic, the Klean Kanteen Kids’ Classic Sport is made from durable stainless steel and comes in a handful of kid-friendly designs. It does have a BPA-free hard plastic cap, but it’s hard to avoid a little plastic with any water bottle. The spout is the kind with a pull-out stopper (think old-school cycling water bottles) but some kids can’t or don’t always close it all the way, which can lead to leaks if the bottle is tossed into a bag or backpack. Plus, the spout itself has to be opened either with teeth or dirty little kid hands.

Owala Kids FreeSip Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle

Amazon

Dealbreaker(s): Not all parts are dishwasher safe, wonky lid

Owala’s kids water bottle features a clever “free sip” spout—meaning there’s a hole that lets kids just pour water into their mouths and inside of that there’s a smaller spout connected to a hard plastic straw for sipping. There’s also a carry handle that flips down to lock the lid in place and prevent leaks when in a bag or backpack. Unfortunately, the lid is the only dishwasher safe part (the double-walled stainless steel tumbler should be washed by hand) and many customers have complained about problems with the push-button function on the lid.

Thermos Funtainer 16 Ounce Stainless Steel Vacuum Insulated Bottle

Amazon

Target

Dealbreaker(s): Leak risk

This 16-ounce Thermos Funtainer is very similar to the vacuum-insulated stainless steel Thermos l I recommend for toddlers, but with features that make it better for older kids. It’s larger (16 ounces) and with an open spout instead of a straw. The spout is half covered by a hard plastic lip to prevent spills if it’s tipped over when the lid is open, and when it’s closed, a little loop can be flipped up to lock it in place. I didn’t experience any leaking with this bottle when properly closed and like the little-kid version, this one comes in a variety of fun colors and characters. But it doesn’t keep water cold for nearly as long as the Hydro Flask and if kids don’t manage to flip up the little loop to fully lock the lid, it could easily pop open and spill in a bag or backpack.

Bubba Flo Refresh Kids Water Bottle

Amazon

Dealbreaker(s): Annoying to clean

The Bubba Flo Refresh is a lightweight, hard plastic water bottle with a removable silicone sleeve to help prevent condensation and supposedly keep drinks colder longer (though it's not an insulated bottle). When fully closed, this 16-ounce bottle doesn't leak, but the gasket that prevents leakage is recessed pretty far into the straw cap and removing it for cleaning would be a pain. The spout is pretty large too, so when the flip-top cap is open this is not a spill-proof bottle. Though all parts are dishwasher safe, the instructions recommend removing the silicone sleeve before putting this bottle in the dishwasher, and that's a pain too.

Ello Emma Kids Water Bottle with Straw

Amazon

Target

Dealbreaker(s): Not fully dishwasher-safe, weird lid

The Ello Emma kids water bottle is… fine. The vacuum-insulated stainless steel design does a good job of keeping ice water cold, the soft silicone straw spout drips but doesn’t pour water if turned upside down when open, and there’s a convenient carry handle that can be clicked into the lid when not in use. The push-button lid fully encloses the spout and it can be locked with a tiny switch on the neck—though I do wonder how many times my fidgety kid will have to fiddle with it before it breaks. Only the lid is dishwasher safe but it has enough parts I’d want to disassemble and hand wash it to check for mold occasionally. Supposedly it’s easy to remove the silicone spout but it attaches under the lid (presumably for safety reasons) and when I tried to remove it a tiny soft silicone plug popped out of the vent and it wasn’t that easy to pop back into place. Finally, the exposed stainless steel base is very loud when set down on a table or counter

Zak Designs Kids Plastic Water Bottle With Straw

Amazon

Walmart

Dealbreaker(s): Awkward straw, durability issues

This 16-ounce plastic water bottle from the makers of my favorite budget steel bottle can often be found for less than $10 and it comes in a variety of kid-friendly designs. The silicone spout extends into the bottle where it meets the straw, so there’s no worry about the spout detaching from the lid and turning into a choking hazard. However, drinking out of it when the water level is low is somewhat awkward. Because the straw goes into the lid at a bit of an angle, the bottle has to be almost perfectly upright to get the last of the water out. Customers have also complained that the hard plastic spout cover shatters easily.

Simple Modern Kids Water Bottle with Straw Lid

Amazon

Simple Modern

Dealbreaker(s): Leaky, hard to suck from straw

Simple Modern's Summit Series double-walled stainless steel water bottle with a straw lid is available in 14-, 18, and 22-ounce sizes and the flip-down straw spout is small enough for toddlers to use comfortably and large enough for bigger kids too. All of the parts are top-rack dishwasher safe but because the bottom end of the spout is partially exposed when it’s flipped down, I did experience some dripping even when this bottle was closed (presumably what was leftover from the previous sip). I was surprised by how little water spilled out even with the spout fully open, but if the straw isn’t 100% inserted into the lid, it’s hard (even for me, the grownup) to suck the water out of this bottle.

Takeya Actives Kids 14-Ounce Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle

Amazon

Dealbreaker(s): Major durability issues

The Takeya Actives Insulated Water Bottle with Straw Lid is an attractive insulated kids water bottle available in 14- and 16-ounce sizes and I really liked the foldable carry handle. Like the Hydro Flask, the Takeya is lightweight and comes with a protective, nonslip silicone sleeve—but it’s just not durable. Compared to some I’ve met, my kids aren’t very hard on things, but within weeks, the carry handle broke off of this bottle and it seemed to come home from school with a new scratch or dent nearly every day.

Contigo Autospout Camping Hydration Thermal Bottle

Amazon

Dealbreaker(s): Over-complicated design

The Contigo Kids Autospout Insulated bottle uses a button to release the spout, which is nice for smaller kids and for keeping grimy hands off of the mouthpiece. However, while it’s meant to prevent leaks, the construction of the straw feels too complicated. Assembling or disassembling it for cleaning takes a twist and a snap. I’m also wary of the soft spout. Even before Contigo issued a voluntary recall due to detached spouts that posed a choking hazard, my kid would chew the spouts of his Contigo bottles to bits. Contigo has since made small design improvements to its kids’ water bottles, but the complicated straw component and soft spouts still make this one an easy pass.

CamelBak Chute Mag Kids Water Bottle

Amazon

Dealbreaker(s): Leak risk

The CamelBak Chute Mag Kids water bottle doesn’t really make sense for kids. With the help of a magnet, an attached cap covers an open pour spout, but that’s only step one of closing this lid. In order to truly seal the water bottle, the cap still needs to be twisted closed. This seems like a leaky disaster waiting to happen, whether in a backpack, diaper bag, or purse. The pour spout is also a little too big for smaller kids to use without occasionally spilling ice-cold water down the front of their shirts—which leads to a total meltdown 99.9% of the time.

CamelBak eddy Kids Water Bottle

Amazon

Dealbreaker(s): Quality control/manufacturing issues

The CamelBak Eddy+ Kids is the brand’s more traditional water bottle with a flip-up spout and optional straw, and this style is available in lightweight plastic or insulated stainless steel. Unfortunately, the first Eddy I ordered didn’t have a hole in the spout (my toddler looked like he was going to pass out when he tried to suck water out of it the first time, and I later learned this is a known issue), and the second one was missing a straw. I thought about ordering a third, but considering the Eddy has four different parts to clean (well, when you get the straw, anyway), I decided to move on instead.