LittleLife Children & Toddler Water Bottle With Easy-Access Lid & Straw, 400 ml

Product Information

Five water bottles impressed us enough to be named Best Buys, including some excellent cheap reusable bottles, but others were marked down for annoying lids or leaving water tasting of plastic. What type of water bottle is right for you?

I adore the Yeti Rambler, but I couldn’t put it higher on this list because it’s so heavy. The lightest 532 ml version weighs 462g empty. For context, the S’wheat weighs almost half that, at 250g, and Chilly’s Series 2 bottles weigh 390g. Half a kilo may still not sound very heavy, but it sure will take its toll on weaker wrists. On our mission to find the very best reusable water bottles, we paid close attention to the features that matter the most, rating each bottle on features such as ease of use, ease of cleaning and portability. Looks wise I can’t complain either. The Hydro Flask features a compact design with a powdered coating and a choice of nine colours. My favourite was the rain colour, a pale blue. The bottom is slightly indented in the middle for a stable base and after a month of using it, I can confirm it’s durable and keeps water ice cold.Any BPA free water bottle, like all the ones above, are safe. Exposure to the industrial chemical BPA is believed to cause health problems, as I have explained in more detail in the introduction, but thankfully manufacturers are extremely cautious to avoid it these days. Glass and stainless steel are both naturally BPA free. If you’re particularly safety-conscious with your water, consider buying a filtered water bottle. BPA stands for Bisphenol A, an industrial chemical compound used in the manufacturing of strong plastics. Some research suggests BPA can leak into food and drink and cause health problems. “When looking for a bottle, look for non-toxic materials. Stainless steel is one of the most eco-friendly materials for a water bottle. Not only is it safe, but it is very durable and infinitely recyclable,” says Natalie Byrne, content marketing manager at Go Outdoors.

I’m often a little wary of water bottles with straws because I’ve previously found they become rather unhygienic. This water bottle uses antimicrobial drinking surfaces and a stainless steel telescopic straw, which comes with its own cleaning brush. It’s just as well, since it can’t go in the dishwasher. In a departure from the traditional Chilly’s style, this brand new water bottle has a stainless steel straw with a sporty flip lid and carry loop, designed for use on the go. It comes in either 500ml or a litre. Some bottles have a retractable, pop-up straw so young children can sip a drink more easily without any spills, whilst others have a design with a special push-to-drink valve, which promise to stop any leaks. They’re essentially tiny granulate cubes made from natural plant and fruit extracts which are low in calories and free from sugar, artificial flavours and sweeteners. The bottles are made with a perfectly sized drinking hole to drop these cubes inside and flavour the water – hence the name, Waterdrop. Now I’ve got the negatives out of the way, I can talk about why I love the bottle. I have it in taupe, shown above. The powdered body is top and tailed by stainless steel bands with a small logo at the bottom. The lid has a large handle which can be grabbed with a whole fist and under that is what they call their ‘Chug Cap’. It’s a shatter-resistant plastic lid with a large chug opening in the middle for gulping water on the go.How comfortable is the bottle to hold? Some bottles are unwieldy to handle, particularly if you have smaller hands, and they can be slippy. We've also tested the water bottles to see how easy they are for a kid to use – and for parents to keep clean! Reusable plastic bottles are better than disposable ones, but obviously this doesn't completely solve the problem. Recently there has been an increase in the use of stainless steel for making water bottles.

You can also buy very simple sippy cups with a spout. This type of cup is aimed at babies and toddlers. I’m a long time fan of Chilly’s Original Bottle and I’ll admit I was dismissive when the Series 2 bottles first came out. They’re objectively less attractive than the classic design of the Series 1, with a more rugged, squat appearance and a loop handle. But I’m here to tell you I’m a convert. Unlike other sports bottles, it’s also beautifully designed. I love the blue linen colour (shown above). The powdered coating means it doesn’t slip, even with sweaty hands, and the ridged edging on the lid makes the cap easy to twist off. The rather large branding down the side is a turn off for me, though at least it’s subtle in colour. That said, Lululemon is a prestigious fitness brand which I imagine many would be proud to show off.Another type of water bottle that's great are those that are insulated. These bottles are made in the same way as a Thermos flask. This means that the contents of the water bottle keeps chilled, ideal for having refreshing cold drink to hand on a cold day. It can of course keep the contents hot, too. This type of water bottle is more expensive because of its insulation. The body curves inwards around three quarters of the way up so you can wrap the rest of the hand around the body as you press the lid. I’d suggest it really needs to be a little higher, though I do have small hands.