The way many of us work has changed over the last few years since the pandemic in 2020, but one thing is for sure…no matter what you do or where you work, you need to stay hydrated! Drinking water and staying hydrated is one of the most underrated health habits.
Whether you are commuting to an office or place of work, or working from home, drinking enough water often falls to the wayside between meetings, work shifts, etc etc. I admittedly picked up a lot of bad habits during the pandemic but the one positive habit I was able to pick up was drinking 80oz+ of water a day. How? I owe it to all the water bottles that I put through trial and error. Keep reading to learn about my absolute favorite picks for water bottles to use at work.
This post is all about the best water bottles for work (including some reviews and my top picks).
How my water bottle journey started
Take it from me, as someone who would barely drink 12oz of water a day to now a minimum of 80oz a day, it’s a habit that I needed to build.
I used to think I could use any old reusable bottle or tumbler. Whether it was a seasonal Starbucks tumbler or any water bottle or tumbler I’d pick up on a spontaneous trip to Target, I’d use whatever I had. Or perhaps I’d grab a 12oz water bottle while I was running out the door and nurse it the entire day. Water and staying hydrated at work simply wasn’t a priority for me.
Also note that I drink a lot of coffee throughout the day so I was pretty much chronically dehydrated for years and didn’t know or realize it. My skin was crepey, dry in some places but oily in other spots, and I thought that was just the way my skin was!
Once the beginning of 2020 hit, I found myself working from home. I worked (and still work) a corporate office job and that was the beginning of the all day Zoom meeting marathon days. There wasn’t really a balance of self-care and working from home – it was back to back meetings all day. A few months into the WFH Zoom marathons, I started to realize I needed to get in more steps throughout the day and drink more water. I also started to learn about the importance of hydration and found ways to make myself drink more water. I wrote a post about that here: 41 ways to increase your water intake
Eventually, I found that I had a strong preference for cold water and not having to fill up my water container 8+ times a day. I tried various water tumblers and bottles from Yeti, large plastic jugs that have time markers, tumblers with straws that stick out, tumblers with straws that flip up/down, screw on/off bottles and more.
If you are really trying to stick to your water or hydration goals, finding a water bottle that you like AND fits your lifestyle is key. It sounds simple and almost like a no-brainer but if it were that easy, people would be drinking more water at home, at work, everywhere!
As I transitioned from WFH all day to slowly returning to the office, I found that my water bottle needs shifted in some ways but my priorities remained the same: keep water cool throughout the day without having to get up and refill it multiple times a day. I went from sitting in front of my computer all day to walking from meeting room to meeting room all day. I wanted a water bottle for work that was big enough for me to hit my water goals without having to fill up the bottle multiple times a day since the building I work in a very large and the kitchen isn’t always accessible.
So after a lot of trial and error + buying way too many water bottles than I’d care to admit publicly online… I’ve narrowed it down to my top four favorites below based on a few considerations including personal preference and lifestyle.
When choosing a water bottle for work, consider things like:
- Size (height and weight): Are you someone who wants to refill your water bottle all throughout the day or are you someone who would like to spend minimal amount of time refilling? Do you want to lug around a big water jug all day or would you prefer to refill a few times a day?
- As I transitioned from WFH all day to slowly returning to the office, I found that my water bottle needs shifted in some ways but my priorities remained the same: keep water cool throughout the day without having to get up and refill it multiple times a day. I went from sitting in front of my computer all day to walking from meeting room to meeting room all day. I wanted a water bottle for work that was big enough for me to hit my water goals without having to fill up the bottle multiple times a day.
- When it comes to size: This is going to be a big decision. If your water bottle is too small, you may not hit your water goals at work, you may forgo refiling it all together. I don’t mind lugging a large water bottle around.
- My bottles are comically big and sometimes my coworkers are in shock by how big my work water bottle is but like I previously mentioned, the best water bottle for work for you, is going to be highly dependent on your lifestyle.
- Durability: Do you want a water bottle that is heavy duty that can be dropped or are you looking for a lighter water bottle and perhaps don’t mind dents in your water bottle for work from being dropped?
- I’m clumsy so I knew I needed a water bottle that can take being dropped on the sidewalk, concrete, parking lot, etc without getting any big dents or visible signs of abuse on it.
- There are a lot of tests out there that test durability by dropping water bottles multiple times from some kind of ledge or balcony. That’s a little extreme for me but you should do whatever matches your lifestyle.
- Material: I typically choose either plastic or stainless steel. While some plastics can be BPA free, I tend to lean towards stainless steel since it’s 100% BPA-free and keeps drinks colder significantly longer without the water bottle or jug sweating.
- Cleaning: You are more likely to use your water bottle if it’s easy to clean. If your water bottle for work has as many parts as a toddler’s sippy cup, you’re probably going to use it less, or dread washing it, which will lead to not using it. So I highly suggest you find a water bottle for work with minimal parts AND you get yourself a small brush kit to really get into the crevices of the straw, flip top, etc.
- Price: What’s your budget for your work water bottle? Again, personal decision and will vary from person to person. The water bottles below range anywhere from $10 – $50+.
- Leak-proof: Do you want a water bottle that you can throw into your work bag without any concerns about it leaking? Are you sitting/standing in one place at work or are you moving around throughout the day? Being leak-proof wasn’t something that I considered until I started commuting in my car back to the office, and found myself walking from meeting room to meeting room. Then I realized I neded a water bottle that wouldn’t leak in my car or in my work bag.
[Read: 41 ways to increase your water intake]
My top 4 favorite water bottles for work:
The Quencher H2.0 FlowState™ Tumbler (40oz)
Alright, so let’s address the elephant in the room. Everyone has been obsessed with the Stanley 40 oz cup. You see it online, on TikTok, on Instagram, in the hands of every influencer and/or mom at school pick up. But is this really the best water bottle for work? Yes. That is… if you really want your water bottle to fit in your car cup holders and don’t mind the straw sticking out.
Quick info:
- Size, height weight: 3.86L x 5.82W x 12.3H in
- Durability: Moderately durable
- Material: 90% recycled 18/8 stainless steel (BPA-free)
- Cleaning: Easy to clean
- Price: ~$50
- Leak-proof: 4/5; see below for more details.
- Keeps liquids cool for a decent amount of time (the website says 11hours cold, 2 days iced).
Pros:
- Lots of different colors – I can see why people keep buying more and more
- Lifetime warranty
- Different than other 40oz cups, the base will fit in most cup holders in cars
- Light and easy to have in one place, or walking short distances to various places
- If you’re starting your hydration journey, 40oz is a good starting point
- Large handle for easy holding and gripping
Cons:
- While it technically could be considered leak proof if you remove the straw and spin the cover to cover the drinking hole, I personally find this cumbersome. Now I have the mental burden of where to keep the straw since it’s not in the cup. For some people it’s no big deal but I will be the first to admit I can be extremely forgetful and clumsy… I’ve lost many reusable straws that have been haphazardly thrown into a backpack/purse, so a detached straw is a hard no for me.
- If you have cup cover inserts in your car, the Stanley may not fit in your cup holders. Based on my own preference, this brings me back to the issue of having to separate the straw from the cup.
- Depending on the version you get, it could get scratched easily. I scratched mine within a day of getting it and I would consider myself a pretty cautious person. Note that I have the Soft Matte version in Dune and this could be specific to the matte collection.
Takeya Active Insulated Water Bottle with Straw Lid 40 oz
This water bottle is the same size as the Stanley 40oz but note the shape is different. It won’t fit in most car cup holders but I find this water bottle to be the best for work. I really like the flip straw on these Takeya bottles. Keep in mind there is a version of this bottle that comes with a wide-mouth opening and a version that comes with the flip straw (Actives). It also comes with a protective bumper but that got lost a long time ago!
Quick info:
- Size, height weight: 3.75 x 3.75 x 11.63 inches
- Durability: Very durable
- Material: Stainless Steel; BPA free
- Cleaning: Easy to clean
- Price: ~$33
- Leak-proof: Yes (note: Flip up straw needs to be down otherwise it will leak)
Pros:
- Assortment of colors
- Easy to clean
- Extremely durable to dropping
- Top of the bottle has a grip for easy opening and closing
Cons:
- Can leak if flip straw is not completely down
- Bumper at the bottom of the bottle comes off, and can potentially get lost (but does not effect the functionality of the bottle in any way)
It’s not really “compact” or “small” by any means but I this is actually my favorite water bottle to take with me on trips, weekends, errands, on the go etc. I bring it to work occasionally but find that I like 60oz+ to be the best water bottle for work, as opposed to 40oz. I’d say this is my #2 favorite. Read more below on how this compares to the 60oz+ water bottles.
Stanley IceFlow Stainless Steel with Straw (64oz)
This 64 oz is also made by Stanley but I see it far less frequently online and out and about. It’s not as common or aesthetically pleasing as the 40oz cups, and let’s be honest, it kind of looks like a small water cooler – so you may get comments from your coworkers. It’s feels heavier than the ello in my opinion. Is this the best water bottle for work? Yes if you are mostly going to be stationary at work or don’t mind carrying a heavy jug around.
Quick info:
- Size, height & weight: 2lbs; 5.5L x 5.8W x 9.7H in
- Durability: Very durable
- Material: 18/8 stainless steel, BPA-free; double-wall vacuum insulation
- Cleaning: Easy to clean
- Price: $55
- Leak-proof: 4/5; see below for more details
Pros:
- Very big and sturdy
- Lifetime warranty
- Flip up straw
- Spring within the straw that seals the straw which can help prevent leaks
- Large assortment of colors
Cons:
- Very big!
- Some people have said their jugs leak (I haven’t had this problem yet)
- Sturdy but others have reported that it’s easy to dent (I haven’t had this issue yet)
Ello Stainless Steel Half Gallon Jug with Straw 64oz
This Ello water bottle is just as massive as the Stanley 64oz bottle. The one thing I really like about this water bottle for work is that there’s a protective cover over the spout. The spout is made out of silicon and doesn’t flip up or down which is different than the other bottles. Since the spout doesn’t flip up or down, there’s a locking mechanism so that the protective cover doesn’t pop open. Again a personal preference but I really like this because it is kept clean and the chances of it leaking while in transport are lower than the other bottles and jugs. I’d say this one is my top favorite.
Quick info:
- Size, height weight: 4.85” W x 11.35”H
- Durability: Very durable
- Material: Stainless steel
- Cleaning: Easy to clean
- Price: ~$35
- Leak-proof: YES, YES, YES
Pros:
- Silicone spout with protective cover (BIG PLUS FOR ME!)
- Locking mechanism for cover (ANOTHER BIG PLUS!!!)
- Easy to transport
- Lifetime warranty
Cons:
- Big!
- Color selection is limited
- If you wear dark lipstick, it might stick onto the silicone spout
- Locking mechanism can be cumbersome if you’re not used to it
This post was all about my picks for the best water bottles for work.
TL;DR: My favorites are 1) The Ello Water Jug then 2) Takeya Active Insulated Water Bottle. I hope this breakdown helps someone out there looking for the best water bottle for work. Be prepared for comments from your coworkers on how big your water bottle is 😂 Take it as a compliment and keep hydrating!