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You’ve probably seen these colorful bottles at the gym, at the park, or even just sitting around the office. They’re stylish looking, simple in design, and offer an insulates stainless steel container to keep your water cold as ice.
The problem is, there are hundreds of water bottles on the market offering a more refreshing drink when you need it the most. Is there something that makes this particular product stand out from the masses? Is it worth the price, and does it live up to its claims?
If you’ve considered purchasing the Hydro Flask, then it here’s an in-depth review to help you decide whether or not this is the insulated water bottle for you. We’ve broken every aspect of this product down to give you every detail possible on its performance, use, and versatility.
First Glance
This is one snazzy looking bottle, but looks aren’t everything. It doesn’t matter how beautiful a bottle looks when you’re dying for a drink of water. With a $40 price tag, it needs to be one of the best bottles you’ve ever owned.
Off the bat, it’s easy to see that this bottle is a little larger than the rest. It features a wide mouth to accommodate ice cubes, and its stainless-steel interior is easily washable while ensuring that no flavors are retained from a previous drink you had inside.
Digging Deeper
The Hydroflask is indeed larger than your average water bottle, capable of holding up to thirty-two ounces of whatever you choose to put inside. Its vacuum insulated body is designed to retain heat as well as keep your drinks cold on a hot summer day.
The design on this one is simple, making it easy to carry and hold. The cap features a protruding middle to create a secure seal and is also connected by a retaining strap, which is excellent for those quick refreshers during a workout or bike ride.
The strap used is incredibly sturdy. You can clip it to a backpack or bike handle without worrying about the cap coming off. The bottle does weigh more than most, so we wouldn’t recommend doing so, but it is an option.
Its wider mouth is great for drinking, filling, and placing ice cubes inside, but there are certainly larger mouthed bottles on the market. That’s not much of a drawback, though, considering that is plenty large enough.
How Does the Insulation Hold Up?
The vacuum insulation works exactly as promised. If you fill the glass with ice, it will melt in just under twenty-four hours. The water inside does stay nice and cold long after, which is excellent news.
There probably won’t be a time when you need your water bottle to stay ice cold for an entire day, but at least you don’t have to worry about your drink turning warm mid-way through a workout.
Best of all, the bottle doesn’t “sweat” from the ice inside even in the heat. You’ll never have to worry about wet hands or a slippery bottle when on the trail. On the flipside, the Hydro does not live up to its claims on keeping your beverages hot.
The manufacturer claims that the flask will keep your drink hot for up to twelve hours. In reality, you can expect coffee or hot chocolate to keep its temperature for about six hours. While that’s a little bit of a letdown, having thirty-two ounces of hot coffee for six hours at work isn’t too bad at all.
Unique Features
There’s not much hidden in this bottle’s appearance, but the Hydro Flask does have a few features that make the user experience better. First off is the sheer size. There are plenty of insulated bottles on the market, but very few boast a capacity of thirty-two ounces.
Despite this hefty size, the bottle remains thinner than several others in its class. The Hydro pulls this off by standing taller, but it is still incredibly comfortable to hold in your hands. The finish is a nice matte, which also helps you grip the flask as you drink.
Finally, the rim of the mouth is rounded off. This adds a decent level of comfort to your lips while allowing an excellent flow of water when you’re craving a drink. That wider mouth opening also makes it easy to fill up at nearly any water source.
The wider mouth does have one downside, however. If you’re on the move and trying to take a swig at the same time, you might end up wearing whatever liquid you’ve placed inside. This is one water bottle you definitely need to stand still for.
How Is The Taste?
Despite being made of stainless-steel, the Hydro Flask does not impart any metallic taste to the water inside. You can expect a crisp, clean taste throughout the twenty-four-hour period it keeps your drink cold.
Since the bottle does come with a steep price tag, you’ll probably want to put a variety of drinks inside of it. In most containers, this leaves a nasty leftover taste from whatever you had inside before. The Hydro Flask does an excellent job at keeping the flavor in your drink and off of its inner surface. You might taste a slight hint of sports drink once you fill it back up with water, but a simple rinse will take care of this.
Hot liquids tend to leave more of a flavor profile behind, especially coffee. You will need to wash the Hydro afterward to get rid of the taste, but any leftover flavors disappear entirely. It is recommended that you wash the bottle out with a baking soda and vinegar mixture.
How Easy Is It To Clean?
While the manufacturer does not recommend placing your bottle in the dishwasher, it is still ridiculously easy to clean. The wide mouth makes getting inside of the bottle simple, and the stainless-steel surface comes clean in a heartbeat. The lid is also easy to suds up and rinse off, which is great news for anyone who hates washing dishes by hand.
Is It Durable?
As large as it is, and given its stainless-steel complexion, you would expect the Hydro Flask to be as durable as they come. The downside here is that it is heavy, and even heavier when full of water. Dropping your flask on a hard surface might result in a dent or two where it hit the ground.
This isn’t uncommon for stainless-steel bottles, though. They can take a beating and still come back for more. However, it is something to be aware of.
If your bottle is dented or the cap breaks, you can fall back on the manufacturer’s warranty. Their website features a very user-friendly claim form that takes about two minutes to fill out. Their customer service team is quick to respond and happy to send you any replacements necessary free of charge.
Just How Heavy Is This Bottle?
The Hydro Flask weighs in at about 14.8 ounces. That’s heavier than most bottles on the market and is only made heavier when filled up with water. Keep that in mind when choosing to lug this product with you on a run or walk.
Is It Worth the Price?
The Hydro is a costly water bottle, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth the price. If you want a bottle with exceptional insulating properties that looks as good as it functions, then this might be the best choice for you. Your purchase is also protected by the manufacturer’s warranty, which comes with excellent customer service.
If you’re just looking for something to fill with water to keep you hydrated, then there are cheaper options available on the market. There are hundreds of reusable water bottles out there to choose from. It really comes down to whether or not you want the level of insulation that this flask offers.
Conclusion
The Hydro Flask is a sleek looking water bottle with impressive insulation. It fits comfortably in hand and is as easy to use as well as a clean. It boasts a large volume, which is excellent for tough workouts or long trips. It might cost more than your average insulated bottle, but it delivers on its claims.
The ability to choose from a wide variety of colors in such a simple design is a nice touch, too. Add in the warranty, and you have something that’s worth the price. Whether you need to keep your coffee hot or your water cold, you can’t go wrong with the Hydro.
Last update on 2023-07-30 at 10:07 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
