That water bottle you're carrying says a lot more than 'hydration'
If you like to stay hydrated no matter where you go, chances are you've got a reusable water bottle or two. Or 10. (The collectors know who they are.)
Whether you're a tech enthusiast, fashion trendsetter, hiker, commuter or just an eco-conscious consumer, there's a bottle out there for you. There are bottles that sterilize themselves. Bottles that remind you when to drink. Bottles designed for sustainability. And bottles transformed by a paintbox of colors and imagery into mini artworks.
Hydration's become more than a necessity. It's got a personality.
Bottle basics
Kit Dillon, a writer for Wirecutter, says four things make a good water bottle: 'It's the right size. It's leakproof. It feels good. It insulates well.'
Which one works for you depends on what you use it for, he says. Eva Bleyer, who tests kitchen appliances for the Good Housekeeping Institute, agrees.
Some people go for a favorite sipping straw while others value a comfortable carrying handle. For collectors, social media feeds light up with the launch of new colors and patterns.
'While I can confidently recommend which ones performed best in our tests, choosing the right water bottle is incredibly personal,' she says.
Hydro history
It's all a far cry from the mundane mugs of yesteryear.
An early maker of light, plastic water bottles was Nalge, in Rochester, New York, which found that the unbreakable containers it was making for science laboratories in the '60s were being used by employees on backpacking trips. The Nalgene reusable water bottle soon went on the market.
Hundreds of plastic and bioplastic versions from various makers have been joined over the decades by stainless steel and aluminum versions, with as many iterations of the lids – straws, screw-ons, flip-ups.
Smart sips
The tech keeps evolving, says Bleyer. 'I've seen and tested everything from filtering water bottles to the Air Up, which uses flavor pods to enhance the taste, as well as newer options that carbonate your water or track your sips."
Some examples:
Self-cleaning bottles could be helpful in countries or wilderness areas where water quality is questionable. Philips' GoZero UV Self-Cleaning Smart Water Bottle got top ratings in Men's Health magazine's testing lab for self-cleaning bottles. Its month-long battery life might make it useful for off-grid camping or trekking. LED technology automatically sanitizes the bottle every two hours, or whenever you push the cap button.
The LARQ PureVis 2 is another self-cleaning water bottle. The company says the plant-based filter in the lid removes chlorine, forever chemicals (PFAS) and bacteria. The bottle also tracks your consumption. It's made it into the Museum of Modern Art's design store and is part of their spring new product collection.
The HidrateSpark Pro comes with a Bluetooth tracker to keep you updated on consumption, based on your age, weight, activity level and other factors you code into the app.
Low tech but reliable: Wirecutter has put the Hydro Flask on their 'best' list since they started testing water bottles in 2014, citing simple yet dependable features like good insulation, sturdy steel construction, wide or narrow mouth options, and dishwasher-cleanability.
Hydration, but make it fashionable
New color and design drops generate the kind of buzz that fashion drops get. Owala's FreeSip bottles usually go for about $25-$40, but limited-edition designs can sell in the $400 range. A Valentine's Day pattern, and a St. Patrick's Day pattern called 'Clover the Rainbow' that was released on leap day 2024 (Feb. 29) are now on eBay for over $200.
S'well has collaborated with illustrator Steffi Lynn, known for her cheery, youthful prints and murals that feature upbeat messages like 'What's the Best That Could Happen?' and 'Have a Nice Day,' and also with Crayola for a series of bottles that look like giant crayons. New patterns for the brand include a deep, moody floral called Midnight Botanical.
S'well also offers customization, perhaps for an event, team or a gift for a special someone.
Italian company YouBottles did a collab with Banksy; the artist's 'Girl with Balloon' and 'Flower Thrower' murals are a couple of the patterns.
Color trend giant Pantone has its own collection of BPA-free bottles in eight vibrant colors, including aubergine, red, yellow and greenery.
Bags for the bottled bevs
Snazzy carry bags for your water bottle include insulated ones that keep the drink cold or hot. PackIt has one with a crossbody strap in sturdy nylon. Versions come in sunflower or starry-night prints, and feature a phone pouch attachment.
WanderFull's bag has made 'Oprah's Favorite Things' list twice. The bag, available in colorful puffer-coat fabric, comes with a nylon crossbody strap. There's a vegan leather version as well, with an additional chain strap for dressier occasions.
___
New York-based writer Kim Cook covers design and decor topics regularly for The Associated Press. Follow her on Instagram at @kimcookhome.
For more AP Homes stories, go to https://apnews.com/hub/homes.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
05-06-2025
- CBS News
Jane Birkin's Hermes bag is going to auction at Sotheby's
The original Hermès Birkin bag, once worn by the late actor and singer Jane Birkin, is heading to auction at Sotheby's this summer. The leather handbag inspired what would be become one of the world's most desired, hard to acquire and priciest fashion accessories. While the auction house resells a range of secondhand Birkin bags, ranging in price from $5,000 to $220,000, there's only one original. "No handbag in the world carries as much cultural significance as the Hermès Birkin. But before it became the ultimate symbol of luxury, the Birkin was born out of necessity — crafted specifically for Jane Birkin herself," Sotheby's said in a statement Thursday announcing the auction. Jane Birkin is pictured with her namesake bag, which is set to go up for auction at Sotheby's this summer. Mike Daines / Shutterstock The original Hermès Birkin bag, which differs slightly form the model sold today, is on item in Sotheby's Fashion Icons auction, which takes place in Paris from June 26 to July 10. In the meantime, the original bag, which belongs to a private collector, will be on display in at the auction house's New York headquarters from June 6 to June 12. Chance encounter Birkin, who died in 2023 at age 76, was known for her artistry and style. In addition to her songs, including recordings with celebrated singer Serge Gainsbourg, she appeared in classic films including Michelangelo Antonioni's 1966 "Blow-Up." She was also admired for her political activism, capaigning for Myanmar's pro-democracy movement and the fight against AIDS, among other causes. "Jane Birkin was a French icon because she was the incarnation of freedom, sang the most beautiful words of our language," French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on social media when she died. An errant remark from Birkin to Jean-Louis Dumas, then the head of Hermès, on an Air France flight in 1984 spawned the creation of the Birkin bag, according to Sotheby's. At the time, Birkin complained she couldn't find a bag big enough to accommodate her belongings for daily use. Dumas quickly sketched a bag that he would go on to make, and later name, for her. The bag is now made in a variety of colorways, leather types and sizes based on the prototype Dumas made for the singer. But "the Original Birkin bag is a true one-of-a-kind — a singular piece of fashion history that has grown into a pop culture phenomenon that signals luxury in the most refined way possible," Morgane Halimi, Sotheby's global head of handbags and fashion, said in a statement. Costly, not expensive? Sotheby's has not indicated how much the bag could fetch. A spokesperson for the auction house told CBS MoneyWatch it will provide an estimate to interested parties upon request, noting the bag's exceptional provenance. By comparison, Sotheby's sold Princess Diana's historic black sheep sweater in 2023 for $1.1 million, 14 times its estimate of $80,000. In December, Hermès artistic director Pierre-Alexis Dumas, told "60 Minutes" that the fashion house's leather goods, including the Birkin bag, are as costly as they are because the company refuses to compromise on quality or craftsmanship. He also disputed the notion that Hermès goods are "expensive," while conceding hey are "costly" to make. "The cost is the actual price of making an object properly with the required level of attention, so that you have an object of quality," Dumas told 60 Minutes in the interview. "Expensive is a product which is not delivering what it's supposed to deliver, but you've paid quite a large amount of money for it, then it betrays you. That's expensive." Customers have accused Hermès of deliberately limiting production of Birkin bags, a notion Dumas dismissed as a "diabolical marketing idea" that the company does not employ. Rather, he insisted, the company can't keep up with the enduring demand for the Birkin bag, while only a few craftspeople are trained to make the item.. "Whatever we have, we put on the shelf and it goes," he said.
NBC Sports
04-06-2025
- NBC Sports
Phil Mickelson knows 'high likelihood' Oakmont will be final U.S. Open appearance
GAINESVILLE, Va. — After he shocked the golf world four years ago by winning the PGA Championship at age 50, Phil Mickelson had a moment of honest self-assessment. 'It's very possible that this is the last tournament I ever win. Like if I'm being realistic,' Mickelson said on that triumphant Sunday at Kiawah Island. Mickelson hasn't won since, and while he wasn't eager to reflect Wednesday on a career that includes six major titles and just as many famous near-misses, he indicated his competitive future is limited. He said he wants to help his teammates on LIV's HyFlyers squad and would step away if he's no longer doing that. 'I'm also going to be 55 in a couple weeks, so I want to be realistic there, too. I want this team to succeed. I don't want to hold it back,' Mickelson said. 'If I'm holding it back, then it's time for me to move on and get somebody else in here.' Mickelson also acknowledged the possibility that Oakmont will be his last U.S. Open. He has a record six runner-up finishes at the national championship, the only major he hasn't won. 'There's a high likelihood that it will be,' Mickelson said, 'but I haven't really thought about it too much.' The USGA gave Mickelson a special exemption to the 2021 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, which he ultimately didn't need because he won at Kiawah a month earlier. Nonetheless, the U.S. Open historically does not grant more than one special exemption to any player, and Mickelson has missed the past three U.S. Open cuts. He remains exempt for the other three majors as a past champion.
Fox News
04-06-2025
- Fox News
Celebrity chef planning pop-up bakery at historic 16th century home, documents show
Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver is apparently seeking to turn a former stable block at his historic home into a pop-up takeaway bakery, news agency SWNS reported. The small pop-up would run in August only. The English chef has applied for planning permission to change the use of the former block to serve baked goods, sandwiches and coffee at his home on a month-long trial. "There isn't anything definite, just ideas at this stage," a representative told Fox News Digital. If approved, the bakery would operate on the grounds of Spains Hall in England, a Grade I-listed home built around 1570 in an area that has been used to host weddings. "The proposed temporary change of use offers the opportunity to trial a new small-scale commercial use within a rural location, which will not cause any detrimental heritage, traffic or amenity impacts," a statement from the chef's representatives to SWNS said. Grade I-listed buildings in the United Kingdom are structures of exceptional national, architectural or historical importance. They represent the highest level of protection under the planning system, according to Historic England's website. Oliver, who is listed as the applicant on plans submitted to Braintree District Council, has submitted several supporting documents via his representatives. He outlined the proposal to open the bakery throughout August, operating seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is estimated that six employees would be needed for the bakery and deliveries would be made three times a week. Said Oliver's representatives, "The existing kitchen within the building will be used for food preparation." They added, "Public access would be restricted to the main room open plan within the building plus the toilets, both of which are on the ground floor." The application stated that customers would use the existing parking in the back of the stable block, while an extra area would be available for an overflow if needed. Oliver's representatives said the proposals would have "no impact on the scale, amount, design, layout or access to the site." "No physical alterations are required to the building internally or externally in support of the proposals and there is no impact on any areas of soft landscaping or habitat." Since the Middle Ages, the house and estate in Finchingfield, Essex, have been in the ownership of just three families. It was sold to Oliver in 2019. The coach house and stable block originally date from the 18th century and were first listed in 1967, when they were used as stables. In recent years, it has been used to host weddings and other functions, SWNS reported. No public comments have been registered so far and a decision on the application will be made by the council later. For more Lifestyle articles, visit Oliver had previously sought permission for repair work to the property, including windows, doors and masonry. He has been credited with renovating it from a state of disrepair. The $6.8-million house serves as his family home, where he lives with his wife, Jools, and their five children. Jamie Oliver's Cookery School has also offered a cooking experience at Spains Hall, allowing guests to learn from his chefs and sample ingredients from his garden.
