If you want to drink sparkling water on the go, a can or plastic bottle is not always an ideal vessel – especially if you use a home sparkling water maker like SodaStream or GROHE Blue. You likely want a water bottle that will keep your sparkling water cool, is easy to clean, and can hold a good amount of water.
After much consideration, our team found that Hydro Flask offers the ideal water bottle for sparkling water. The brand features stainless steel walls for exceptional insulation, multiple lid options for ultimate customization, and it comes in a variety of attractive colors and sizes.
What Makes a Good Water Bottle for Sparkling Water?
Not all types of water bottles are ideal for sparkling water. Plastic bottles, for example, lack several key attributes and are not ideal vessels for a carbonated beverage. When selecting a water bottle for sparkling water, you’ll want to be sure it has the key features listed below. Without them, you may find your sparkling water is difficult to drink, goes flat quickly, or tastes off.
Stainless Steel Insulation
When looking for a water bottle for sparkling water, you’ll want one that can keep your beverage cold for many hours. Even if you don’t love cold water, a low temperature will help your sparkling water retain its carbonation, and that’s crucial.
For keeping beverages cold, there is no better material than stainless steel. Insulated stainless steel water bottles typically keep beverages cold for up to 24 hours. That means you can enjoy sparkling water that is cool, bubbly and refreshing all day – assuming you don’t open the bottle too frequently.
There is no need to worry about sparkling water damaging a stainless steel water bottle. Even though sparkling water is a bit more acidic than flat water, it will not cause any erosion of the metal — nor would alkaline water. Additionally, with thorough frequent cleaning, mineral buildup will not occur in a stainless steel water bottle.
Lastly, stainless steel water bottles are both durable and safe – a feature that sets them far apart from plastic water bottles. No more fretting about BPAs and harmful chemicals. And forget about throwing away another cracked plastic water bottle.
A Design That is Easy to Clean
If your water bottle is dirty, it’s going to taste bad. Bacteria can quickly build up in a water bottle, and that will contribute to odors and unpleasant flavors.
Some water bottles are easier to clean than others, and this typically relates to the width of the water bottle’s opening. The wider the opening, the easier it will be to clean.
While stainless steel water bottles may not be ideal for the dishwasher, they are relatively easy to clean. Many brands offer special brushes that are ideal for hand washing. Aside from a brush, all you need is soap and warm water. Strong cleaning tablets are also available for any buildup that may have occurred as a result of infrequent cleaning.
Plastic water bottles often have issues with retaining unwanted tastes and smells, even after being cleaned. For this reason among others, we recommend avoiding them for your sparkling water.
The Ideal Lid
The opening of your water bottle is a very personal choice. Everyone has a preference, and different options are ideal for different situations. Water bottle lid styles include:
- Sports cap
- Screw-top
- Flip-top
- Straw lid
However, we prefer a screw-top lid for sparkling water, and here’s why:
If you want to keep your sparkling water carbonated, it’s best to keep it in an insulated water bottle and pour it into a separate cup when you’re ready to drink it. That way, you can keep the remaining sparkling water cold and carbonated in the sealed vessel until you’re ready to drink more.
Carbonation can escape quickly when drinking directly from the water bottle. Sipping from a sports cap may seem like a good solution, but we found the sparkling water less enjoyable when sucked or sprayed through a small opening.
If you are not interested in pouring your water from the water bottle into a cup, consider a flip-top lid. The small opening will allow less carbonation to escape, while still offering an enjoyable sipping experience.
Top Brands: The Best Water Bottles for Sparkling Water
So which brands offer the ideal water bottle for sparkling water? The following options hold true to the standards outlined above.
1. Hydro Flask
There’s a reason Hydro Flask has a solid reputation as a great stainless steel insulated water bottle. The brand offers a variety of shapes and sizes, but we found the Hydro Flask Wide Mouth Bottle with Flex Cap to be the ideal one for sparkling water. The wide mouth makes adding ice easy, and the brand’s quality insulation properties justify a slightly steeper price point.
- Cold up to 24 hours
- Wide mouth opening makes the bottle easy to clean
- Durable screw-top lid with a handle
- Over a dozen options for gorgeous colors
- Sizes ranging from 20 to 64oz
2. Takeya
Takeya is another excellent choice for a sparkling water bottle. With a lifetime warranty, you can be confident that even if it breaks, you’re covered. Takeya Actives Insulated Water Bottles feature a versatile spout lid for sipping sparkling water. The lid features handy grips that allow you to twist it off quickly and easily.
- Cold up to 24 hours
- Unique spout lid
- Lifetime warranty
- Available in 6 sizes and over a dozen colors
- Easy to clean wide mouth opening
3. Camelbak
Camelbak has been in the hydration game for a long time, and their products reflect decades of refining. The Camelbak Chute Mag Water Bottle features a magnetic cap, keeping itself out of the way while you drink. With a carrying loop, unique color combinations and a leak-proof seal, Camelbak is an especially great choice for outdoor adventurers.
- Unique magnetic top
- 20 color choices and 4 sizes
- Sweat-proof double-walled vacuum insulation
- Leak-proof design
- Keeps sparkling water cold for many hours
4. Contigo
It may not be glamorous, but Contigo makes quality products and stands by them. The Contigo Matterhorn water bottle is perfect for sparkling water. It features a wide-mouth opening to a stainless steel bottle that keeps water cold for an impressive 36 hours. Additionally, it’s a great shape and size to fit cupholders or bike water bottle holders.
- Keeps water cold 36 hours
- Comes in matte black or stainless steel
- Fits most cup holders
- Durable carrying handle
- Limited lifetime guarantee
5. Iron Flask
Simply put, Iron Flask offers value. These stainless steel water bottles come with three different types of lids – spout, flip-top and screw-top. With a variety of color variants in fun patterns and gradients, Iron Flask is helping to make bringing your own water stylish again. These bottles are durable, with paint that is less likely to chip upon the inevitable drop.
- Over 2 dozen color options and 6 sizes
- Comes with three lid options
- 100% satisfaction guarantee
- Keeps drinks cold up to 24 hours
- Leak-proof design
Choosing a Stainless Steel Water Bottle for Sparkling Water
While we prefer Hydro Flask above other stainless steel water bottles, your budget and needs may vary. The good news is that all of the options listed above are excellent choices for sipping sparkling water. With a variety of color and size options, you’re sure to find something that suits your needs.
Just remember to keep your water bottle clean (washing at least every other day) for optimal sparkling water flavor. If you add fruit juice or other additives to your water, daily cleaning is likely necessary.