The 4 Best Water Bottles for Kids

Our Picks of Kid's Water Bottles

Best Overall Kids' Water Bottle

ThermoFlask Kids

Material	Stainless Steel
Volume Tested	16 oz
Empty Weight	0.6 lbs
Insulation	Double-Wall Vacumn Insulated
Sleeve	Silicone Boot

At first glance, the ThermoFlask Kids may not seem to stand out, but its performance overall and reasonable price quickly moved it to the top tier. This bottle delivers in spades, with high-quality construction, an easy-to-clean design, and a double-walled, insulated stainless steel body. The thoughtful design shines with quick assembly, fewer parts, and a large, movable handle you can fold down when drinking and up for carrying. We loved that liquids stayed cold up to 12 hours and that the quality construction ensures years of longevity. The ThermoFlask is also super affordable. The flip and sip lid was easy enough for kids as young as three. One tot-tester remarked, “I'm a big boy, I can do it myself!” The bottle has an average-sized mouth, and the straw was easy to clean with a bottle and a straw brush. The lid is shallow, making accessing and cleaning the o-ring a simple, quick project. The ThermoFlask features a silicone boot on the bottom and a silicone ring on the lid, which protects them from dings and dents.

The ThermoFlask features a plastic flip and sip mouthpiece, so if avoiding plastic is essential to you, consider the Simple Modern Summit and its silicone mouthpiece. Still, the bottle isn't as durable, and the o-ring is impossible to clean, but the lid is replaceable. One parent said, “I'm happy to pay a little bit more and maybe have to replace it if it means skipping plastic.” Overall, ThermoFlask offers broad appeal to those looking for a high-quality, affordable water bottle designed to keep your kiddo and wallet happy for years.

Favorite for Fun Patterns

Thermos FUNtainer

Material	Stainless Steel
Volume Tested	12 oz
Empty Weight	0.5 lbs
Insulation	Double-Wall Vacumn Insulated
Sleeve	No

The Thermos FUNtainer is a popular, fun option that kids love thanks to its licensing agreement to offer graphics featuring Disney, Marvel, and other characters appealing to kids. This double-walled, stainless steel, insulated water bottle is a sleek design. The insulation keeps liquids cold for up to 12 hours, and the slender design is perfect for little hands and most cup holders. The lid button is user-friendly for straw access and closes easily to prevent leaking. The bottle uses quality materials and feels durable enough to last several years. Depending on your child's chewing habits, the silicone straw might not fare as well. Our parent tester remarked, “It was so easy to close; my kids did it instinctively, cutting down on leaks, spills, and dirty straws.”

The FUNtainer's lid has multiple parts; you'll need a straw brush to clean them. The task can be slightly time-consuming, but it isn't hard, and there are fewer nooks and crannies and a clear straw so you can make sure it is free of grime. We like the quality of the container, but the straw can wear out with frequent use (you can purchase replacements). If your child chews but still wants fun patterns, the Simple Modern Summit flip top is imperious to straw destruction and comes in kid-friendly graphic options. As one parent stated, “I have spent more money than I wanted on straws that just get chewed, because we needed one with a fun pattern.” Also, while the Thermos FUNtainer does an excellent job preventing leaks with a closed lid, water can leak through the straw with the top open, so if the button is accidentally pushed in a bag, you could end up with a mess. But, given its quality construction and ease of use with various kid-friendly graphics, this bottle is a popular, budget-friendly choice.

Perfect for Kids Over 5

YETI Rambler Jr.

Material	Stainless Steel
Volume Tested	12 oz
Empty Weight	0.9 lbs
Insulation	Double-Wall Vacumn Insulated
Sleeve	No

Pulling ahead of most of the competition, the YETI Rambler Jr. is our favorite for kiddos over five, who can open a more challenging lid. YETI is known for its high quality and durability, and this bottle is no exception. This matters because kids drop stuff (a lot!). YETI's solid stainless steel base is noticeably strong and likely to survive falls and look fine. We appreciate that the insulated body keeps contents cool, so your child can enjoy a refreshing drink during school or adventuring outside. One young tester remarked, “I love that my water is still cold at recess!” The carry handle is larger than others, making it easier to carry, and we appreciate that the body's mouth is slightly wider for easier washing and visual inspections.

The flip-and-sip hard spout is extremely stiff to open and close, hindering younger users from operating it without help. However, kids five years and older, who can open the spout, will love the easy sip straw spout. You'll need a small straw brush to clean the lid, but we saw this with much of the competition. The Yeti can be more expensive than other options, so if your budget is limited, the ThermoFlask Kids with Straw Lid might be a better choice, and the lid is more straightforward to operate. One parent tester says, “I prefer the ThermoFlask because my child can easily open the spout without help.” Overall, if budget is less of a concern or you want something durable for longevity, we think the Yeti will last for years.

Our Favorite Glass Bottle

Lifefactory with Active Flip Cap

Material	Glass
Volume Tested	12 oz
Empty Weight	0.8 lbs
Insulation	No
Sleeve	Silicone Sleeve

Available in multiple bright colors and various sizes, the Lifefactory with Active Flip Cap is a glass bottle with a medical-grade silicone sleeve that adds a layer of protection to the bottle and helps prevent breakage from accidental drops. The silicone sleeve also provides a grippable surface for young users. Our parent tester said, “My kids had no trouble keeping a grip on the sleeve, so they didn't drop it as often as I thought they would.” Glass containers are inert, so there are no worries about leaching chemicals or imparting flavor to the bottle's contents. It is also super easy to clean with a bottle brush, and unlike stainless steel insulated bottles, it can survive the dishwasher with no issues.

The Lifefactory lid struggles over time to stay closed, and after repeated use, it is easy to nudge open. This can lead to accidental spills in backpacks or furniture. Also, it is heavier than most, and some younger users might find carrying it bothersome. One tester remarked, “I worry the bottle is heavier considering all the stuff my child already takes to school.” The stainless steel Thermos FUNtainer is more lightweight than the Lifefactory, and its insulation can keep contents cool. Lastly, being glass means this bottle can break. It is best used with supervision for this reason and might not make the best choice away from a caregiver's bottle, especially if your little one is prone to dropping things. Overall, if you are looking for an eco-friendly inert bottle, the glass Lifefactory is a quality option that doesn't disappoint.

How We Tested

Finding the perfect kids' water bottle took over 100 hours of investigation, years of water bottle testing experience, deep dives, and real-world testing. We used three key metrics in our evaluation during our extensive hands-on testing and side-by-side comparisons. Our review team assessed each product for weight, durability, ease of use, cleaning, and more. Our kid testers used each bottle over time and weighed in on their favorite options and those that didn't make the kid-friendly cut. Some of these bottles have lived in our homes for over ten years.

Why Trust GearLab

Leading our water bottle roundup is founder, Dr. Juliet Spurrier is a board-certified pediatrician, a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and a mother of two. This Mom-in-Chief uses her background, education, and experience to guide product selection and develop our safety and testing standards. Senior Review Editor, Wendy Schmitz is a mother of two and holds a degree in biology with a concentration in chemistry. Her education provides a unique perspective on water bottle materials and potential concerns over plastics and associated endocrine disrupters. Wendy has been involved in our sippy cup and water bottle testing since our first water bottle review in 2014. It is safe to say Wendy's education, background, and Mom time influence selection and testing. Review Editor Averi Hughes also contributed to our most recent update. Averi has three kids and over twenty years of experience using and evaluating every aspect of the world of water bottles.

Analysis and Test Results

Our analysis includes ease of use, cleaning challenges, and eco-health.

What's the Best Value?

The ThermoFlask Kids with Straw Lid not only offers impressive ease of use and quick cleaning, but it is also affordable and kid-friendly. This incredibly durable option comes in a variety of colors, so little ones can pick their current favorite. Kids like the easy-to-open lid and larger carry handle, motivating them to keep the bottle nearby. If you can stretch your budget slightly, the YETI Rambler Jr. is a steel insulated bottle known for quality and affordability. It is user-friendly for ages five and up, and has outstanding durability, increasing the odds of years of use by multiple kids. We believe there is value in a well-made product that lasts for years and prevents frequent purchases of replacements, saving you money over time.

Ease of Use

A kid's water bottle should be easy to use. While some younger testers preferred bottles in their favorite colors, the products that were easy to drink from eventually won their hearts, while challenging options gathered dust in a cupboard.

Factors influencing ease of use include the bottle's weight, durability, and how hard it is to operate.

Our highest-scoring contender for ease of use is the CamelBak eddy+ Stainless. This double-wall vacuum-insulated bottle has an extremely easy-to-open push-button soft spout and outstanding durability. The eddy+Stainless is powder-coated for durability and comes in a variety of kid-friendly patterns and designs. Disappointingly, the manufacturer states that the o-ring gasket should not be removed for cleaning because it would be impossible to put it back in. The inability to clean the gasket to prevent mold growth significantly limits this bottle's longevity.

The Lifefactory with Active Flip Cap, made of glass, is the least durable, despite the silicone sleeve. It is easy to open, completely safe to wash in the dishwasher, and has a free-flow spout, but the glass composition offers no insulation properties and could break. It features a warning that children should not be left alone with this bottle due to the possibility of it breaking. Requiring constant parental supervision drastically limits when kids can use it.

Our lowest-scoring contender is the Contigo AUTOSEAL Trekker due to its thin composition, lack of insulation, and a spout system that requires a child to push a button on the lid's back, then continually hold that button while drinking. While this design means no accidents or spills, it can be challenging for younger kids or those with smaller or weaker hands to keep the button depressed to fully quench a strong thirst. The CamelBak eddy Kids also disappoints thanks to its plastic composition (only slightly thicker than the Contigo), which offers minimal insulation and questionable long-term durability.

Weight

A bottle's weight is determined by its material type and whether or not it offers insulation (extra material). Your child's abilities and how you plan to use the bottle can impact how much “weight” you place on the importance of total weight. Is the water bottle in a backpack full of heavy books going to school? Will it mainly serve as a spill-proof solution at home? Does it need to be bigger or insulated for sports practice? Don't forget, it only gets heavier when it's full.

The glass Lifefactory with Active Flip Cap and stainless steel YETI Rambler Jr. are two of the heftiest contenders and more troublesome to carry when full, which increases their chance of being dropped. However, the YETI provides insulation, partially justifying the weight, while the Lifefactory doesn't. A higher weight might be acceptable if it buys you insulation, but less so if it doesn't

Lightweight contenders tend to be plastic, like the Contigo AUTOSEAL Trekker and the CamelBak eddy Kids. We are not big fans of plastic for eco-health reasons, but we realize plastic is lightweight and can come in handy when weight matters. If you don't want to compromise on material, the Klean Kanteen Classic is a lighter-weight, single-wall bottle that cuts weight by skipping the insulation. It is easy to carry and hold, but it doesn't keep contents cool, and the pull top lid is stiff to open and easily leaks if not fully closed.

Ease of Cleaning

Cleaning convenience is a big deal. If it is time-consuming or requires specialized tools, you might use it less or clean it infrequently. We assessed the ease of cleaning by considering the number of parts, hard-to-reach areas, areas for bacteria or mold to thrive, and whether the bottles were easy to assemble and disassemble.

The easiest products to clean are the ThermoFlask Kids with Straw Lid, Yeti Rambler Jr., and the Takeya Actives. These options have wider mouths, accessible o-rings, straws, and lids, with minimal nooks and crannies, making inspecting and handwashing easier. We recommend handwashing all contenders to help increase functional longevity and appearance, like the graphics on the Thermos FUNtainer, CamelBak eddy+ Stainless, and the Simple Modern Summit.

Hand washing insulated containers is also a good idea, as their double-walled structure could trap water, making the insulation ineffective and increasing the opportunity for microbial growth.

The harder to wash bottles include the Contigo AUTOSEAL Trekker, CamelBak eddy Kids, and CamelBak eddy+ Stainless. The Contigo's lid has openings that you can't easily access or inspect, and no finger gymnastics will clean it thoroughly. Both CamelBak bottles have identical lids that feature an o-ring that is impossible to remove for cleaning to prevent mold accumulation. The company states the o-ring is not meant to be removed, and if you manage to get it out, you won't get it back in. This o-ring issue means the lifespan of the Camelbak bottles could be pretty short.

Eco-Health

We believe materials matter. Your child will frequently use their water bottle, and the contents could sit in the body for extended periods, so what the body is made of is particularly important.

We are not fans of plastic. Given its potential for leaching chemicals into its contents, we consider it less desirable than stainless steel or glass. This is why we didn't choose very many plastic bottles for testing. Why use plastic if you don't have to? Also, given a choice, we prefer silicone over plastic, as silicone is generally considered healthier. These factors influenced our selections and how well they scored compared to one another.

We love stainless steel construction and silicone mouthpieces or straws. The YETI Rambler Jr. and the Thermos FUNtainer are two of our favorites that meet these desires. The Contigo AUTOSEAL Aubrey, Klean Kanteen Classic, and Simple Modern Summit also offer stainless bodies but have more plastic in the lids or mouth parts and less plastic in the water. Stainless steel options whose plastic mouthpieces hurt their performance include ThermoFlask, Hydro Flask Kids, Takeya, and Owala Kids FreeSip Insulated.

The Contigo AUTOSEAL Trekker and the CamelBak eddy Kids were our least favorite bottles for eco-health. Although very light, which may appeal to younger children, they feature plastic bodies and mouthpieces. This double-whammy of plastic makes these bottles less desirable for parents focused on limiting the use of plastic, especially in containers that hold liquids for extended periods.

Lead Concerns

Some parents have discovered lead in some stainless steel water bottles using at-home test kits. These results do not representall stainless steel bottles, as steel does not contain lead. Whew! The problem seems to stem from a small solder spot on the bottom of some bottles that can become exposed due to the damage of the bottle's parts (loose bottoms, chipping paint). While manufacturers paint or place a cap on the bottles' bottom to prevent this spot from being accessible, children can potentially be exposed to lead if the base or the paint is displaced. As a result, we tested all competitors for lead. None of the exposed parts of the bottles tested positive for lead, but we did not remove the bottom caps or paint to test underneath.

How to Pick the Best Kids' Water Bottle

Choosing a water bottle for your child largely depends on what bottle they are willing to use. As kids age, their opinions abound, and no matter what bottle you think is cool, having their buy-in can help gain compliance with keeping well hydrated and ready for adventure.

Choose a Body Material

We aren't big fans of plastics. However, plastic is often lightweight and cheaper, making it potentially a good choice for packing in a backpack or going to camp. Stainless steel is the better option if you want to avoid plastic or require the benefits of insulation. Price can also play a role, as plastic is often cheaper than steel and might be less upsetting if it gets left on the field.

Pick a Spout

Active kids using bottles while running should use soft spouts or silicone straws to avoid mouth injuries. Alternatively, if the bottle is used primarily sitting still, a hard spout might be less of a concern.

Insulated or Non-Insulated

Insulated bottles often weigh more than non-insulated bottles. However, if you hope to keep the contents cooler, you need an insulated option. Kids heading off to all-day camp or outdoor activities will likely enjoy a cold drink of water over a warm one, and older kids can usually handle the heavier weight.

Conclusion

With so many kids' water bottles saturating the market, finding the right one for your child or activity can leave you floundering or guessing. Finding the best one to meet your needs or goals, especially if you aren't sure what those are, can be frustrating. Luckily, we've sipped through the details and completed hands-on testing of impressive competitors. Our extensive review can streamline your decision-making, so you can return to more important matters, like family time or packing lunch boxes.