I have a theory – the ‘Wussification of America’ is due to the prevelance of plastics and plasticizers in our environment. Now, before you completely shut me down, think about this: BPA (bisphenol-A) is an artificial estrogen, and according to the linked article, the biggest contributor of BPA in our bodies is canned food. Think about how many spaghetti-os and cans of formula our kids and babies consume, and then ponder if all that extra artifical estrogen can’t have some effect as their bodies develop. In my environmental chemistry days, I came across BPA practically every time I did a landfill leachate analysis, so it’s definitely out there, in big quantities. That’s my theory, and I’m sticking to it.
Anyway, we were at Costco and found these spiffy stainless steel water bottles. That means no plasticizers, no BPA. These look similar to the EcoCanteen found on infomercials, but without the all the extra stuff that you get for free - ”just pay shipping and handling!” We picked up a box of 2 bottles for $19.95.
Pros:
- Yup, it’s a stainless steel bottle. Basically an updated version of my old Boy Scout canteen (although that certainly wasn’t stainless steel).
- Dishwasher safe.
- Silicone seal, so it seems pretty leak-tight.
- No BPA – no wussification.
- Mouth is wide enough to get ice cubes into.
- You can clip a carabiner on it and hang it off your day pack if you’re hiking.
- 27 oz is a nice big size.
Cons:
- Not insulated so cold stuff won’t stay cold forever. But hey, it’s a bottle, not a thermos.
- The usual stuff you might expect – don’t put hot drinks in it (you’ll burn your hand since it’s not insulated). Don’t put soda in it (not designed for pressure).
- A little squeaky when you open it – the inside of the cap is steel too.
- Fits in our Altima’s larger cup holder, but not in the smaller one.
Probably lots of others out there like this, but at a Costco price, it seemed like a good deal. We’re happy with it.
Initial rating: 
2 thumbs up.
-DrDave
Edit: According to here, KleanKanteen caps fit this bottle too. I like the look of the Sport Cap 2.0.
Edit again: see our post here on taking it on a hike.
4 Comments so far
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i had no idea about the wussifying factors in the average plastic bottle, and teh stainless steel bottle/container thing would last longer than any plastic bottle, so it would be a lot more eco-friendly
Comment by roxicool90210 July 30, 2009 @ 3:17 pmthanks
Are the H2Ozone really BPA free? I don’t see that it says it on the packaging. Some of the Stainless Steel products contain a lining that has BPA in it.
Comment by Robin November 4, 2009 @ 5:22 pmI don’t recall what the packaging said – we recycled the packaging way back when. However the tag on the shelf at Costco did say BPA free, and the interior of the bottles look and feel like stainless. Also, some users have reported a slight metallic taste to the water, but I don’t notice it.
Comment by DrDave November 9, 2009 @ 10:15 amWe purchased a pair of these of these bottles at Costco less than a year ago and I really liked them until my latest road trip. My son filled one with cold water and about an hour into the trip I wanted a drink of water. The top would not unscrew. Even my teenage (wrestler) son could not open it. I think the problem is that the cap is in two parts and although it feels like it is unscrewing it is only turning one part inside the other. I now have a bottle of water with an unremovable cap on it. It might make a good doorstop, but I cannot use it for drinking anymore. I tried to find the website of the company that manufactures them, but have been unsuccessful, which is what led me to your review.
Comment by Dona July 9, 2010 @ 9:44 am