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See why.Kids’ Water Bottles
Kids lead busy lives. We set out to find a water bottle that could withstand every activity from school to sports and beyond.
Top Picks
See Everything We Tested
What You Need To Know
We love our favorite glass and plastic water bottles, but at 22 to 24 ounces they’re definitely adult-sized. Kids’ smaller hands require smaller bottles, and many manufacturers make water bottles designed for them with kid-friendly features such as straws for easier drinking, leak-proof caps that prevent spills, and protective sleeves to protect against breakage.
We wanted to find the best water bottle for kids. To do that, we gathered and tested nine water bottles made specifically for kids, priced from about $5 to about $30 and made from BPA-free plastic, stainless steel, and glass (many with silicone add-ons). For each of the water bottles, we held them upside down and shook them to check for any leakage; drank from them; filled them with green smoothies and let them sit, unrefrigerated, for three days to see if the bottles stained or retained any odors; and dropped them repeatedly onto the ground. We also had eight kids, ages 8 to 13, open and close the bottles, drink from them, and drop them onto the ground.
A Kids’ Water Bottle That Is Durable and Spill-Proof
Water bottles often get thrown in backpacks and sports bags, so a basic requirement for any good water bottle—kid-size or not—is that it’s leakproof. Fortunately none of the bottles leaked when we shook them vigorously, both when completely full and partially full.
So, we decided to kick things up a notch. We filled the bottles with water, placed them on the counter, and dropped them onto the hard floor of our test kitchen three times, with the bottles facing rightside up, sideways, and upside down.
The water bottles were surprisingly durable: none of them sustained enough damage to render them unusable, though there were some spills and dents. One of the bottles had a sippy cup-style lid, and small drops of water spurted out through the opening when we dropped it. A plastic water bottle’s lid popped off when we dropped it upside down, sending the water all over the floor. Both stainless steel water bottles dented a bit. And while the glass water bottle didn’t shatter, its plastic cap broke in half the first time we dropped the bottle (the company does sell replacements online). Our favorite water bottles did not leak, and even had locks that ensure their spouts didn’t accidently open upon impact.
The Best Kids’ Water Bottle Is Easy to Clean
To find out how easy the kids’ water bottles would be to clean under even the grossest of circumstances, we filled the bottles with green smoothies and left them sit at room temperature on the counter for three days—simulating a bottle forgotten in a backpack or locker over a weekend. We then emptied the bottles...
Everything We Tested
Recommended
- Cleanup: 3 stars out of 3.
- Durability: 2.5 stars out of 3.
- Ease of Use: 3 stars out of 3.
- Kid Approval: 2.5 stars out of 3.
This water bottle struck a happy medium: kids liked that it was easy to drink from and parents liked that it was easy to clean. It had a straw-free cap that allowed water to flow freely, as well as a cap lock that prevented accidental spills. It didn’t break or leak when dropped repeatedly or inverted and shaken. It also didn’t retain any smells or odors after the green smoothie test. The kids liked its grippy silicone sleeve and carrying handle that made for easy transport and found its lid easy to remove and put back on.
- Cleanup: 2 stars out of 3.
- Durability: 3 stars out of 3.
- Ease of Use: 3 stars out of 3.
- Kid Approval: 3 stars out of 3.
- Cleanup: 3 stars out of 3.
- Durability: 3 stars out of 3.
- Ease of Use: 2 stars out of 3.
- Kid Approval: 2 stars out of 3.
Most of the kids rated this water bottle just “OK.” While some thought the water bottle’s cap was hard to get off, others liked its twist on-and-off top that looked like a soda bottle cap. This style of cap prevented leaks very well, and the bottle survived being held upside down, shaken, and dropped repeatedly without spilling a drop of water. It was also easy to clean and dishwasher-safe, and didn’t retain any odors or stain. However, it lacked some of the extras kids liked about our top two picks, such as a straw or a silicone sleeve.
- Cleanup: 2 stars out of 3.
- Durability: 2 stars out of 3.
- Ease of Use: 2.5 stars out of 3.
- Kid Approval: 2 stars out of 3.
- Cleanup: 2 stars out of 3.
- Durability: 2 stars out of 3.
- Ease of Use: 2 stars out of 3.
- Kid Approval: 2 stars out of 3.
Of the two stainless steel water bottles we tested, this was our favorite. Its silicone “boot” prevented the bottle from sustaining too much damage when it was dropped repeatedly. It was also easy to drink from. However, some of the kids reported that the cap was harder to twist on, and when they removed the cap from the bottle, excess water from the bottle’s straw poured onto the counter. Though this bottle is not dishwasher-safe, it was easy to clean with a bottle brush and didn’t stain or retain any odors. If you’re looking for a kids’ stainless steel water bottle, this is a good option.
- Cleanup: 3 stars out of 3.
- Durability: 1.5 stars out of 3.
- Ease of Use: 1.5 stars out of 3.
- Kid Approval: 1.5 stars out of 3.
Not Recommended
- Cleanup: 2 stars out of 3.
- Durability: 1.5 stars out of 3.
- Ease of Use: 1.5 stars out of 3.
- Kid Approval: 1 stars out of 3.
- Cleanup: 2 stars out of 3.
- Durability: 1.5 stars out of 3.
- Ease of Use: 1 stars out of 3.
- Kid Approval: 0.5 stars out of 3.
This bottle’s sippy cup-style lid did not have any fans. To drink from it, you had to tip it backwards and a small amount of water would flow from the mouthpiece’s small holes. The kids thought would be OK if they only wanted a tiny bit of water, but not if they were running around or playing sports and needed a gulp of something. It might be a good option for younger kids that need more of a “sippy cup” style water bottle, but it wasn’t a good fit for our 8- to 13-year-old testers. This bottle also lacked a grippy silicone sleeve or a cover to keep its spout clean. While it did not break when we dropped it, water did come spurting out of the top (which the kids found very amusing).
- Cleanup: 1.5 stars out of 3.
- Durability: 2 stars out of 3.
- Ease of Use: 1 stars out of 3.
- Kid Approval: 0.5 stars out of 3.
Reviews you can trust
The mission of America’s Test Kitchen Reviews is to find the best equipment and ingredients for the home cook through rigorous, hands-on testing.
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