Since bottled water usually isn’t any better than tap water, and since it’s not good to reuse the bottles because they leach unsafe chemicals into the water, what can you do for portable water? Glad you asked.
The first part of the answer is to buy a water filter as discussed in an earlier post, then use that water to fill up some reusable water bottles that do not leach any bad chemicals into your water.
All the following bottles are 100% BPA-free:
The CamelBak This company has sold clear plastic bottles made with polycarbonate for a long time, however, they are now also producing bottles made from a new copolyester polymer called Tristan™ that is 100% BPA free. Comes if 5 sizes, from 12 to 33 ounces.
Pros: Dishwasher safe, no residual taste of plastic in stored liquids.
Cons: Need to look for the BPA-free logo on the bottle to be sure you’re getting the newer type bottle guaranteed not to leach BPA, instead of a polycarbonate the company will also continue to market.
Klean Kanteen Stainless Steel: These containers are made from electropolished, non-leaching stainless steel and come as a 12 oz sippy cup, plus 4 regular bottle sizes ranging from 12 – 40 ounces.
Pros: Dishwasher safe. large-mouth design allows you to pour in big stuff like ice cubes.
Cons: Cannot be frozen or filled with very hot liquid. Made in China.
Nalgene Plastic: This company is now producing non-leaching HDPE (#2) and LDPE (#4) plastic reusable bottles that come in 12, 16, 20 and 32 ounce sizes.
Pros: Economical and dent proof.
Cons: Nalgene is currently phasing out the old polycarbonate bottles that will leach BPA into your liquid, but some are still on the market, so be careful which kind you buy.
Platypus Company: This collapsible bottle is made with a durable, multi-layer laminate of urethane and food-grade, taste-free polyethylene film. It comes in 3 sizes: 17oz, 34oz, and 80 oz.
Pros: Takes up very little room when empty. Stylish in a funky sort of way. Bottles are tough enough to be frozen or boiled. Weighs 80% less than conventional plastic bottles.
Cons: Prone to spills when half-full. Must be washed by hand. Looks a lot like an IV bottle.
Sigg Aluminum: These bottles are made it Switzerland. They have a special liner that prevents any leaching of the metal into the liquid and come in at least 6 different sizes: 13.5, 16.9, 20.4, 24.75, 33, and 50.7 ounces.
Pros: Dishwasher safe (though repeated washings may dull the finish). Can hold carbonated drinks. Taste neutral (doesn’t impart any plastic or other taste no matter how long liquid stored).
Cons: Availability shortage due to high demand. Cannot be frozen.
I’m sure there are more bottles on the market besides the above that are BPA free, and with more and more people looking for them, companies will label them as such.
A lot of outdoor shops carry these water bottles, Lands End, REI, and other places. I just placed an order with ReusableBags.com to try one of the Nalgene water bottles and a Sigg bottle. I’ve heard good things about this company. I’ll let you know how it works out! Stay safe, stay healthy – buy reusable water bottles that are BPA-free!
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Stupid question time—is it only re-use that causes leaching? It has me wondering about my milk jugs? Do they leach BPAs while there is still milk in them?
Actually, that’s a very GOOD question!
There is always some leaching with plastics made with BPA, however, it is greatly accelerated by reuse, and even more by heat, such as putting stuff through the dishwasher.
As for milk jugs, look on the bottom. There will likely by a number 2 inside a sort of triangle made of arrows, which means the jug is made from High-density polyethylene (HDPE), which has good barrier properties and has good chemical resistance. So no worries about BPA there. (Items made with BPA will have a number 7, though not all 7′s have BPA… sounds like one of those complicated math problems they used to give us in grade school!).
Great list of bpa-free bottles. Wanted to add one more to the list because I think the Stainless bottles have great properties – including retaining the cold of your drink with none of the metallic aftertaste – plus stainless by nature doesn’t need an inner lining. I did lots of research and opted for a stainless bottle… but loved the SIGG designs, so I searched until I found a great stainless bottle that offered designs (I got the tree one).
Here’s a pic of my new fave bpa-free bottle I use daily!
Thanks for that link… I’ll post it where more people will notice it!