Wanting to have a filtered water bottle, but not wanting the filtration level for serious hikers? The ease of having a filtered water bottle on hand is unmatched. No more wondering what is in your water when you fill it at a water fountain, or paying high prices for bottled water. It’s time to recycle your old plastic water bottles and trade it in for a refillable, reusable, filtered water bottle.
Here are top recommendations for filtered water bottles based off of price, functionality, and how often you’ll need to replace the filter. So take a water break, and find out which is best suited for you.
1. LifeStraw Go
- Weight: 8.6 oz
- Capacity: One liter
- Filter life:
- Carbon Filter: 26 gallons
- Membrane Filter: 1,000 gallons
Leading the pack is the LifeStraw water bottle filter. This filtered water bottle works in two different phases in the straw filtration system. The first phase is when the water goes through the membrane filter, and then through the carbon filter towards the top of the straw. By going through different filters, the bottle removes the taste and odor of chlorine and removes 99.9% of bacteria and parasites.
LifeStraw Go also provides a way to give back while you’re purchasing for yourself. At the end of 2019, LifeStraw Go has provided over 3.3 million children with safe drinking water, reached 1,896 schools, delivered over 12,000 LifeStraw filters, and close to 16,000 follow up visits.
2. SurviMate
- Weight: 6.7 oz
- Capacity: 22 oz
- Filter life: 396 gallons
The SurviMate lives up to its name- it’s meant for survival with its four different types of filters. It has a medical grade hollow fiber membrane filter, a coconut activated carbon filter with both antibacterial beads and medical grade PP cotton filters. Sounds like a lot? You’re not wrong.
The filters all work together to remove heavy metals, chemicals, viruses, protozoa, and bacteria. The bottle itself is BPA free and FDA approved, with the filters lasting 396 gallons, or roughly eight months. With the price tag coming in around $30, this is an excellent investment for clean water.
3. Waterwell
- Weight: 6.9 oz
- Capacity: 23 oz
- Filter life: 1,264 gallons
The Waterwell bottle comes with a filter that allows you to fill your water bottle from just about any water source: lakes, rivers, tap, water fountains or puddles. As long as the water source is fresh water, and not salt water, this filter can transform it into fresh, clean water. This filter removes 99.9% of any water-related contaminants, parasites, and bacteria. That means there isn’t any reason to be afraid of local water fountains giving you stomach pains later.
Waterwell is a gravity filtration system. So instead of filtering through a straw, just fill the water bottle, flip it upside down, and then the water will be ready to drink.
4. Clearly Filtered
- Weight: N/A
- Capacity: 22 oz
- Filter life: 25 gallons
The Clearly Filtered water bottle is made from medical-grade, antimicrobial plastics and is free from BPA, BPS, and EA. They stick with keeping things safe- so far as to remove 99.9% of contaminants, meaning you can get rid of close to 220 threats. Some notable ones are lead, hormones, and fluoride. The best part of this bottle? If you’re unsure about it, they offer a 30-day trial to make sure that you’re happy and satisfied with your purchase.
5. Sawyer
- Weight: 5.5 oz
- Capacity: 34 oz
- Filter life: Forever
The Sawyer 34 ounce bottle is BPA free and has a .1 micron hollow fiber membrane filter to provide you with fresh and clean water. This filter removes 99.9% of all bacteria, including salmonella, E. coli, protozoa, cholera. It also removes 100% of microplastics. This is a great filtered water bottle for hiking, camping, or just everyday use. It has a quick flow rate and is easy to drink from.
Honorable Mention: Brita
You might have noticed that an extremely popular brand has been left from this list. Confused? Here’s why. Brita’s filters are not as successful in removing contaminants as the other bottles, in fact it only removes the smell and taste of chlorine. While the other filtered water bottles have the capacity to remove contaminants, Brita only reduces them. Their pricing is slightly lower than the other bottles on this list, but not by much. Their filters only have a 40 gallon life, whereas four of the five listed bottles have longer lives. Buying a filtered water bottle is a bit of an investment, so it’s important to buy the filter that will do the most for you, within your budget.
Learn More About Water Options
If you’re going on a trip and wanting a great filtered water bottle, check out our list of must-haves here. If you find yourself really happy with your filtered water bottle and want to make the switch to have an in home filtration system, look no further. We’ve got you covered! From free water tests, to filtration options, our team of experts are here to help you.