There are professional reviewer for everything. Their websites and blogs used to be everywhere, but google ads and SEO exploits nearly killed them (And AI assistants, fake bot sites, and botted amazon "reviews" are making it worse)
@@UltravioletNomad Yea, I'm a little worried about all that. I figure TH-cam videos showing and reviewing the bottles are harder to take over for AI compared to those sites that just list the top 10 bottles next to compiled reviews, so I'm focusing a lot on getting better at making videos. But it's only a matter of time before AI-generated videos take up a greater share of the YT market too. Not sure how it'll all work out.
Cool story, i’ve had mine for a couple of years, and its been through some adventures. After all my belongings got stolen in France, i managed to track down the car thanks to my apple headphones. And the cops needed proof that this was the correct car. Luckily they dropped my owala waterbottle in the backseat and i showed the cops the date i purchased it on amazon. Turns out the car was also stolen and a few other passports were found in there. I love this waterbottle
I got my Owala bottle Christmas 2022 and I've used it almost every day since. I love the sipping straw and I also love the second latch, makes it really easy to carry when my hands are full of stuff. I never thought I'd have so much to say about a water bottle, but I love my Owala :)
The two other major pros and cons: pro - the free sip opening also makes filling the bottle incredibly easy. You no longer need to twist to open the cap! con - the removable rubber gasket that seals the bottle is really prone to getting mold on it and it's very difficult to clean the rubber material.
I got these for my fiancé and I at the end of 2023. I love mine. My fiancé loves hers. Bought one for my mom and she loves it too. Cool colors and the 24oz size has flat sections on either side giving it grip
This is proof that color choice is an opinion, haha. I listed colors under 'Negatives' in this video, but that's just my opinion. I know there are a ton of people love those funky, happy color combos, and I'm glad you guys are liking yours!
@@bottlepro3252To most people, including me, the colors make these seem like lower quality. That might be because the trend for quality products is “classy” (black, white, brushed steel, navy blue, etc., or the newer “space gray” type colors). To me it’s also the fact that they look like something you would buy in a toy store or a booth on vacation. Doesn’t make them less quality, though.
An arguably superior or unique water bottle makes a great gift. I gave everyone RevoMax bottles for Christmas one year, and they are all still going strong. One went to the Galapagos Islands, etc. Some of the recipients have also gifted them. One bought the larger 32 oz size when it came out and bought us all the second generation lids for a subsequent Christmas. I like not having to screw the lid on, saves time, can be used one handed, and a quick check and you know it won't leak.
Agree 100% with the color combos. It's like they got a deal on ordering random colors from the manufacturing company and just started putting together random combos.
I’ve had my free sip for many years and I LOVE IT! I won’t use another bottle. I love the straw and sip abilities. I agree about colors but they have a few toned down combos. I hand wash the bottom and throw the top in the dishwasher. You mentioned keeping things hot but I know that it excels at keeping things cold for many hours!!!!! Which is more important to me.
Love my Owala but like you said it has its faults but i prefer it over my other bottles, along with the issues you mentioned i have also noticed: --The lid often doesn't open when you press the button --The straw also does sometimes fall off inside the bottle and is not easy to put back on --The button on one of mine fell out and i had to heat and reshape it a little to get it to stay (QA Problem) Definitely my favorite straw lid though by a mile. they could make some improvements like getting rid of the rubber coating, making the lid open more readily, swapping for a metal straw, and tweaking the release button or just better QA.
Agreed with all of your ideas, and hopefully they keep making small improvements like those. It's already a great bottle, but that doesn't mean they can't make it better.
I've noticed the lid not opening varies with the temperature of the water. The colder it is the more likely it is to not open immediately but that's just science when you have a solidly water tight lid like theirs!
My sister is a huge Stan of these. We were in the line for TSA she realized she had water left. I was thirsty and offered to finish it. I struggled so much to drink from and was almost gagging in it. I don’t know if I’m just an exceptionally uncoordinated drinker or what.
I found the chug opening to be too large personally and it lets out A LOT of water quickly if you're not careful about it, so yea, I could see how fast chugging could turn into a disaster. It works great as a vent for the straw lid though, which is why the bottle is so easy to sip from and why I think it's one of the best straw lids out there. For how I use it, I don't think of it like a dual-purpose chug and straw lid. It's just a really good straw lid.
Also the first sek while chucking a little bit of water comes from the straw+huge opening, thats confusing but getting used to it was easy for me. Still liked the straw more :)
I was researching into some water bottles. I want to mention that the downsides of the Owala bottle is that it rusts, the cup is not dish washer safe only the lid and straw are, and a lot of 1 star reviews on Amazon are because the button pops off and cannot be put back on, some bottles are too stiff to close, the handle snaps off, and the straw inside the bottle often breaks and can’t be used anymore. Also read some comments where their customer service are not very helpful and the customer is on their own after expressing their frustrations. After learning these things I started looking into alternatives and I think the Ninja Thirsti may be a better fit for me.
2:17 i can confirm that i also do this, i picked one up at a local grocery store bc i needed a new one and it was the biggest capacity and i do enjoy it
The Owala is an interesting bottle. I was glad to see that my favorite bottle, the RevoMax, did well on your temperature holding ability chart. Thanks for the review.
Yea RevoMax did amazing with insulation. I'm planning a big insulation test later this year with all my bottles including the new ones, and I'm sure RevoMax will do well again.
I have the big 40oz and have left it in my car in a phx summer for 6 hrs and still had ice. I’ve put that thing through everything I take it everywhere.
I own an Owala and agree with your assessment. I love the straw feature! Totally worth it. It's easy to clean. However, the handle feels flimsy. Also, I dislike most of the color combos. I ended up purchasing the Darth Vader model which is more conservative with just a touch of color to match my personal aesthetic. Plus, I love Star Wars. Lol
Please test Zojirushi, which is similar to this but doesn't have a straw. Their VA72 model looks to be solidly built and lightweight: the Owala FreeSip 24oz bottle weighs 15oz, while the Zojirushi VA72 24oz weighs 11oz. Would be interested to hear your take on it.
No straw? Would never buy it. No straw products are in an entirely different category. The whole special point of this bottle is that is has a straw that's easy to drink from. That's literally their patent.
@@BOBODDYacronyms That Owala lid design is suspiciously similar to my 10 year old Zojirushi bottle. It doesn't NEED a straw because the liquid just flows straight out because the air can go straight in - you can "chug" away. I suspect Owala put the straw inside to avoid patent conflict with Zojirushi, and that the straw actually inhibits the flow and certainly is harder to clean.
Bought this bottle because of you and came in next day. Somehow feels like a straw and also is very fun to drink water out of. Big reasons why i like plastic straws is to control how much water i get with each sip and with owala it feels the exact same so kudos to this brand and hopefully we get similar designs in every bottle. Only downside i can think of is that your front teeth will get stained if you anything else besides water since the contact point is directly on your front teeth but otherwise wonderful bottle to drink out of
Glad to hear you're liking it so far! I was skeptical at first since there are so many "trendy" bottles that really aren't any better, but I personally do like Owala's lid design. Other than the handle!
Lid durability is a big problem, there's is a seam that goes across the sides of the lid. So if it falls and hits it lid the plastic splits along that seam. They do sell replacements but it is a major weakspot that is easy hit.
Yea, I think you're probably right. To be fair I haven't drop-tested one, but the lid doesn't feel like it'd be as durable as some other brands like YETI.
I haven't run into this. I'm a huge klutz and my Owala is covered in dings, scratches and some pretty sizeable dents but I've never had anything happen to the lid. Mine ends up dropped/rolling off the couch/getting knocked off a table/falling out of my backpack weekly and has served me well for over a year.
I bought these when they first released and I LOVE my Owala. I can fill it with ice, leave it in the car for 8hrs in blazing south Texas heat, and when I open it it’s still filled with ice.
fair review and points.. I'm by no means a water bottle snob and I thought this was more of another marketing hype bottle next to all the others on the market but actually I like it and I've used it more than my other options. less than 32oz would've seemed too little for traveling or hiking.. It doesn't have a tapered bottom so it doesn't fit in my car it rolls around the seat which is annoying.
Yea, most vehicles need cup holder adapters for the 32 or 40oz ones, and I probably should have mentioned that in the video. We have our adapter BottlePro Max that fits Owalas well, but there are a ton to choose from on the market. I personally like this style bottle more than tapered ones and just use an adapter, but it's more of a preference than anything else and plenty of people love tapered bottles like Stanleys.
I bought my first one while working at a trucking company, loading trucks with a forklift, thing was great stayed cool longer than anything else I've had while sitting on top of a propane engine covering loved the straw style and thing didn't even leak after getting hit by the tire of one of the forklifts at speed just unscrewed the lid and chipped the straw
My favourite part so far for this bottle was the original, using it for mixing koolaid, i exclusively use the straw, but the chug part makes it really easy to share a cup with my girlfriend. Biggest issue is it gets dirty very quickly. I also have the flip variant. I love it so much more but it's also harder to clean, and mine does leak from the top, which I need to look at or contact customer service still with.
Good point about using the chug opening as a pouring spout. It's also helpful if you're hiking with your doggo so you can easily pour some water out for them.
I got two for $20. from Sam's Club and I really like them. My only complaint is that if I put room-temperature water in them and then put them in the fridge it takes about 3 days for them to get icy cold.
Got my Ravenclaw themed free sip and couldn't be happier. It's a normal looking dark blue/light blue combo which looks better than 90% of the other ones on Amazon 😂😂
Bought one for myself and then had to get one for my wife. Shortly after my daughter wanted one 🤣 We even took ours all over Universal Orlando for 5 days. Hands down my favorite water bottle I ever purchased.
Important note, and it seems to affect the reviewer’s bottle: some Owalas have an issue where the button won’t automatically flip up and it will take extra effort to close. This is NOT standard and must be some kind of QA issue or be due to misaligned seals. I have had ones that did it but most of mine don’t. It’s a shame because it makes the bottles MUCH better when they are more affected. Hopefully they fix the QA issue because mine open easily with just the button and close with one finger but one of my wife’s old ones were a huge pain. If this happens to you, but you otherwise like the owala consider trying a friends or adjusting the seal. I haven’t found a better water bottle if you do use straws. Hopefully they release a metal straw insert soon.
Your video is just what I’m looking for because i do not want the plastic straw in the bottle as i like to drink warm water. Plastic particles problem. A big big thank you!
i really liked my other owala chug bottle where it doesn't have the straw portion. I know owala's straw is very easy to clean but I don't like having any straw - its amazing.
HUH the inner seal is removable? I've had my water bottle for so long-it actually says BlenderBottle on it (owala was split off from BlenderBottle some years ago)-and I didn't know this! Been awkwardly cleaning it all this time...
I really like these but the only drawback for me is when you have ice in it, the straw gets knocked out. Resulting in having to repeatedly removing the lid to put the straw back in the top.
Yea, if it's crammed full of ice or that plastic wears out some over time, I could see that happening. That's something to consider with most straw lids though. Chug lids with a strainer like what Takeya has is another good option for ice.
Agreed, and I just posted a video about this yesterday that basically says the same thing. Triple-layer insulation does seem to help a little, but it's definitely not the most important factor and shouldn't be the main reason for buying a bottle. The vacuum insulation and mouth diameter are much more important from what I've seen.
I bought this Owala FreeSip and the Ello Pop & Fill, and I ended up liking the Ello better. They're both good, but the Ello's silicone straw is better and it still has the option to sip it if you want. Recommend you review this one as well as the Coleman Freeflow. The Coleman Freeflow is harder to drink from (no straw, can only sip from it) but it is one of the few bottles I've used that after years of use (bought mine in 2021) hasn't had mold growing in it that is impossible to remove. A number of my water bottles have grown mold embedded into the silicone or rubber parts making it impossible to clean and if the company doesn't sell replacement parts it ends up becoming trash.
When people were freaking out about Stanleys I was always thinking why TF do people like these?? Owala as a straw sipping experience is clearly better in every way. I also don't feel stupid being an owala fan because their products aren't overpriced, they're just designed well. I agree with the handle ergonomics issue, it isn't comfortable to carry by the handle, but personally I find myself throwing it in my passenger seat or in a backpack more often than carrying it around so I think the priority of it being designed as a lock outweighs the bad carrying ergonomics.
Yea, Owala has a really good product without the YETI price point. Kind of a fan that they don't price gouge. I'm actually about to post a video about YETI on that very topic...
love love love this, cause i always wanted a water bottle that has a straw but is thin and the top isnt exposed. this litreally is it ITS SO SO SO SO SO GOOOOOD
Have you tried corkcicle? I owned a bottle for 3 years until i gave it away, but it kept my water very cold on hot days outside and for so many hours even under the sun. Its built like a tank. Loved that bottle.
i bought my gf an owala for anniversary and she said it was good so i bought myself one, thought it was good, so i bought my mom one, she thinks it's good, dad is next
I can see the appeal - the straw + opening mean that if you're having something like orange juice with bits, the bits are often at the bottom. Sipping from both would provide a mix of smooth & pulp
My wife used one for a year. Loved it for a while, but ended up switching back to her old HydroFlask with a newer lid. The Owala would condensate much faster and the silicone gaskets were far grosser in-between cleanings. Her old bottle was easier to clean too. Not sure if this helps, just what I noticed as the dish do-er of the house.
Sounds like Hydro Flask's newer Flex Straw lid, right? That's my 2nd favorite straw lid that I've tried. They made it much easier to clean around the pivot point with that removable seal insert, so for a pivot-style straw lid where the spout rotates open on a pivot point, it's hard to beat.
Yea, I'm not sure. I usually stick to water in bottles like these. But eventually I'd like to take a look at shaker bottles, so maybe I'll learn more about the options for thicker shakes/smoothies when I get into bottles like those.
i have one and it’s been quite good but it broke recently. the button broke so the whole thing doesn’t work. The button popped off and no matter how many times i put it back on it does not work. It becomes a projectile because of the spring. The company offered a free new top. I ordered it forever ago and still have not gotten it. Sucks :/
I was wondering about that button. I used it a lot and didn't have issues, but it seemed like that would be the place it would break most easily. Thanks for commenting about it. Sorry it happened though.
I feel like I need a different water bottle. I haven't had any big issues with it but I think I would want something different for my needs. I love a bottle review though!
i got the big one in all black. best bottle ive ever used. i primarily use it at home replaces my biggest cups not sure what the style is but theyre 500 ish ML like stein glasses? or beer mugs? not sure what theyre called but i liked them because they hold 500ml but since i got this big owala one that holds smidge under 1L its become my main water only container. i typically hate straws because you need to suck on them hard and im typically a chugger. so when this large straw is free flowing im chugging the straw mostly but if i want that extra chugg 9000 ill use that chug spout. for whatever reason also the chug spout is nice to pour out water if needed into another cup or whatever. relatively easy to clean too. i like the rubber grip because being all metal and the large size its kinda slippery otherwise. i like the handle its not that bad for plastic but i dont like how it doubles as a lock kind of sus having the button exposed like that not gonna lie. so far its been over 2 years the spring and lock work as new some other bottles the spring gets so weak it wont flip open or the lock lip gets chewed out from opening and closing. mine came with a dent unfortunately but holds ice just fine i think. if i drink hot water or tea i use one of the zojirushi bottle which has a nice mechanism and one handed locking switch anyways thats my 2cents
All good points! Yea, someone else mentioend using the chug opening as a pour spout too. I should have mentioned that in the video. Really good for hiking with your dog too so you can easily pour out some water. I haven't tried a Zojirushi yet either, but I've had a quite a few people recommend them!
The handle its the best thing about this bottle. I can hang it in any shower hook at any gym. Insulation, I can leave in my car at 110 degrees Texas weather and water is still cold after 24 hours. Had mine for 2 years now and its like new. Off white Color. Dropped it several times no problem.
Good points, but to be fair most of those benefits would apply to other brands like Hydro Flask too. And the flexible Hydro Flask handle is wider and less likely to break if you drop it. It all comes down to preference though.
i love my freesip so much its so easy to use lol. My issue is that I accidently broke the lid and now it wont clasp anymore. Really hard to insert the wire in lol. Thank god they got replacement lid to purchase
Yea, I wonder about Owala's long-term durability. That button feels a little flimsy, and I can imagine it's easy to bust that spring-loaded hinge if you drop it wrong. I didn't have issues with those parts after quite a bit of use so I didn't mention much about it in the video, but it's something I'm keeping an eye on in the comments. Thanks for commenting about it. Wish they would have covered it under a warranty or something so you didn't have to buy a new lid.
Would you have any recommendations for cleaning the O ring inside the lid? I saw Owala commenting that they don’t recommend taking this out because the rubber can tear, but I feel like that area will also be somewhere mold and mildew can grow.
You complained about the handle but if you rotate and hold it the other way it fits perfectly. I have a 24 oz I carry with me when I exercise no problem.
That's a good point! I should have tested that. I might make another video where I'll try it in the dozens of otherwide mouths I have. I think it has a larger diameter and different thread pattern than most bottles, so I doubt it would fit many. Would be interesting to try it out though.
If you let a waterbottle nerd bully you, im afraid that's a skill issue. Go watch some raunchy 90s comedys. Bullying people for having niche interests used to be a national pastime.
Weird observation but I notice at the temp drop chart at 4:00 the start temperature seems to play a role too. Higher initial temperature, higher drop after 4 hours?
Good catch! You're correct, there is a correlation there. A higher difference in temps between inside and out means faster heat transfer, and the transfer rate slows as they get closer to the same temp. In an ideal world I'd boil a ton of water so it's a more consistent starting temp, but that would be a lot of water to boil and take a lot of time when you're talking about dozens of 32-40oz bottles with multiple rounds of tests like I've done in some comparison videos. The tap water is a faster method that gives a pretty good idea of how the bottles compare and if there are any major outliers, but it should be taken with a grain of salt when the results are close. Honestly from what I've seen, most vacuum insulated bottles perform pretty similarly and have good enough insulation for most people of the course of a normal day, and on that list everything from the TKWide to the EcoVessel are pretty similar. Owala and Steepware were far enough on the bad-side of the results to stand out more, and RevoMax and S'well were on the good side (the only narrow mouths, which is the biggest factor). Owala has a larger mouth opening than some other bottles like Hydro Flasks, so I wasn't surprised when it ended up a little worse-off.
I love these bottles. The ability to sip from a straw or chug all from the same opening while having a lid that closes and locks over the mouthpiece is quite nice. The lock over the button to open the lid is handy and doubles as a carrying handle, but most of all, these bottles are 100% leakproof. I take my 40oz bottle and put it sideways in my bag and never in three years has it leaked. Just a great water bottle all around. The downside is that with so many moving parts on the lid, I know it won’t be something that lasts 20 years.
I had 3 of these bottles and every single one had a mold issue with the seal under the lid in the cap. Try pulling yours out and taking a peak. Loved the bottle but that flaw is something I can't look past?
Are you referring to that silicone insert that's in the flip-up part of the lid that seals the mouthpiece? Or the gasket that seals the threaded part between the lid and the bottle? That insert in the flip-up part is pretty easy to remove and clean the way they designed it, but I'll admit it's also easy to forget about from time to time.
Question, have you done any reviews for accessible water bottles? I've got teens with fine motor issues and we're going through bottles like crazy trying to find something that is easy to grip and sip, with the least risk of spilling the entire thing.
I haven't yet, but it's funny you ask because i thought about that topic recently. I made a coffee mug called Momnt Mugs, and it's made to be more comfortable and easier to hold without slipping. Not designed for disabilities specifically, but a lot of people with arthritis, shaky hands, and other similar conditions have said it's helped. I'm planning a video about different mug handles to help get the word out about our design, but that also got me thinking about water bottles too. It would probably be next year with the other videos I have planned, but I added it to my list of video topics to keep in the pipeline. Thanks for asking about it. And I'd love to hear if you find any good ones!
The owala colors would be nice.. if they let you make your own bottle.. i know most of the instore bottle are always mis matched because people combine the ones they like
how did I stumble across people who like water bottles as a hobby
welcome to the club! haha
Have you not seen the CULT that Stanley has created?
Yes same I’ve found my people 😂
Sounds quite quirky
*hydration canister enthusiasts
It's 3 am and I just learned water bottle reviews are a thing 🤯
You can find anything on the internet
damn, same
There are professional reviewer for everything. Their websites and blogs used to be everywhere, but google ads and SEO exploits nearly killed them (And AI assistants, fake bot sites, and botted amazon "reviews" are making it worse)
Dude there’s reviews and communities around EVERYTHING! It’s nuts.
@@UltravioletNomad Yea, I'm a little worried about all that. I figure TH-cam videos showing and reviewing the bottles are harder to take over for AI compared to those sites that just list the top 10 bottles next to compiled reviews, so I'm focusing a lot on getting better at making videos. But it's only a matter of time before AI-generated videos take up a greater share of the YT market too. Not sure how it'll all work out.
I use the big hole to refill without taking the lid off.
Same!
Smrt
I do this all the time and I so often end up over filling and spilling cause I can't see the water line but I keep doing it anyway haha
I have a home water cooler but it won't fit under the spout with the lid on. Womp womp.
Cool story, i’ve had mine for a couple of years, and its been through some adventures. After all my belongings got stolen in France, i managed to track down the car thanks to my apple headphones. And the cops needed proof that this was the correct car. Luckily they dropped my owala waterbottle in the backseat and i showed the cops the date i purchased it on amazon. Turns out the car was also stolen and a few other passports were found in there. I love this waterbottle
Looks like I'll need to add antitheft as another advantage haha.
@@bottlepro3252LMFAO
Ok TH-cam recommendations are cooking again, I have now watched 5 different videos on water bottle reviews 😂
Fun fact, this is called an Owola because when you drink it (not from the straw) it will turn your nose into an koala nose.
Oh my gawd hell naw😂
Haaa nah ah. Really?
Wait what?????
Not really, if the cap is in front of your nose, then i kinda looks like a koala nose. Doesnt really turn ur nose into a koala nose. (No hate btw)
You’ve never seen a koala have you?
(Source: am Australian)
I got my Owala bottle Christmas 2022 and I've used it almost every day since. I love the sipping straw and I also love the second latch, makes it really easy to carry when my hands are full of stuff. I never thought I'd have so much to say about a water bottle, but I love my Owala :)
The two other major pros and cons:
pro - the free sip opening also makes filling the bottle incredibly easy. You no longer need to twist to open the cap!
con - the removable rubber gasket that seals the bottle is really prone to getting mold on it and it's very difficult to clean the rubber material.
Good points. And yea, I wish they'd added a pull tab for the seal between the bottle and lid like Takeya has.
I got these for my fiancé and I at the end of 2023. I love mine. My fiancé loves hers. Bought one for my mom and she loves it too. Cool colors and the 24oz size has flat sections on either side giving it grip
This is proof that color choice is an opinion, haha. I listed colors under 'Negatives' in this video, but that's just my opinion. I know there are a ton of people love those funky, happy color combos, and I'm glad you guys are liking yours!
Yep, the colors are a definite negative for me
@@bottlepro3252To most people, including me, the colors make these seem like lower quality. That might be because the trend for quality products is “classy” (black, white, brushed steel, navy blue, etc., or the newer “space gray” type colors). To me it’s also the fact that they look like something you would buy in a toy store or a booth on vacation. Doesn’t make them less quality, though.
An arguably superior or unique water bottle makes a great gift. I gave everyone RevoMax bottles for Christmas one year, and they are all still going strong. One went to the Galapagos Islands, etc. Some of the recipients have also gifted them. One bought the larger 32 oz size when it came out and bought us all the second generation lids for a subsequent Christmas. I like not having to screw the lid on, saves time, can be used one handed, and a quick check and you know it won't leak.
The algorithm brought me here and for no reason I instantly bought the bottle... I'm so cooked 💀
You are cooking
My girl bought me one and it's awesome stays icy in my hot ass car
Agree 100% with the color combos. It's like they got a deal on ordering random colors from the manufacturing company and just started putting together random combos.
I’ve had my free sip for many years and I LOVE IT! I won’t use another bottle. I love the straw and sip abilities. I agree about colors but they have a few toned down combos. I hand wash the bottom and throw the top in the dishwasher. You mentioned keeping things hot but I know that it excels at keeping things cold for many hours!!!!! Which is more important to me.
Love my Owala but like you said it has its faults but i prefer it over my other bottles, along with the issues you mentioned i have also noticed:
--The lid often doesn't open when you press the button
--The straw also does sometimes fall off inside the bottle and is not easy to put back on
--The button on one of mine fell out and i had to heat and reshape it a little to get it to stay (QA Problem)
Definitely my favorite straw lid though by a mile. they could make some improvements like getting rid of the rubber coating, making the lid open more readily, swapping for a metal straw, and tweaking the release button or just better QA.
Agreed with all of your ideas, and hopefully they keep making small improvements like those. It's already a great bottle, but that doesn't mean they can't make it better.
I've noticed the lid not opening varies with the temperature of the water. The colder it is the more likely it is to not open immediately but that's just science when you have a solidly water tight lid like theirs!
The color combos look like they are for children's sippy cups! I love color! But couldn't find a single combo I liked.
My sister is a huge Stan of these. We were in the line for TSA she realized she had water left. I was thirsty and offered to finish it. I struggled so much to drink from and was almost gagging in it. I don’t know if I’m just an exceptionally uncoordinated drinker or what.
I found the chug opening to be too large personally and it lets out A LOT of water quickly if you're not careful about it, so yea, I could see how fast chugging could turn into a disaster. It works great as a vent for the straw lid though, which is why the bottle is so easy to sip from and why I think it's one of the best straw lids out there. For how I use it, I don't think of it like a dual-purpose chug and straw lid. It's just a really good straw lid.
Also the first sek while chucking a little bit of water comes from the straw+huge opening, thats confusing but getting used to it was easy for me. Still liked the straw more :)
It’s a simple mechanism; you people just don’t know how to use a simple drinking top…
a smart person would have taken off the lid to actually CHUG the bottle
@@bottlepro3252 please be careful using a cup. The opening on those are tremendous.
I love my Owala. They're not meant for hot drinks BTW it says on their label/bottle even.
I appreciate the truly non biased review.
I agree! I hate most of the colour combos, especially the ones on Amazon.
It's one of those love-it-or-hate-it type of things for sure
omg the roasting for the colors was fantastic
Someone else mention how it looks like they threw together spare parts, haha. Maybe I just have a boring sense of style.
I was researching into some water bottles. I want to mention that the downsides of the Owala bottle is that it rusts, the cup is not dish washer safe only the lid and straw are, and a lot of 1 star reviews on Amazon are because the button pops off and cannot be put back on, some bottles are too stiff to close, the handle snaps off, and the straw inside the bottle often breaks and can’t be used anymore. Also read some comments where their customer service are not very helpful and the customer is on their own after expressing their frustrations. After learning these things I started looking into alternatives and I think the Ninja Thirsti may be a better fit for me.
This is one of the most in depth reviews I’ve watched
Hope it helped!
2:17 i can confirm that i also do this, i picked one up at a local grocery store bc i needed a new one and it was the biggest capacity and i do enjoy it
Tysmfs. My 9yo son was gifted one and I had no idea of what I was looking at. 😅 It's a really thoughtful present indeed.❣️
I’m a huge fan. I like to paddle board. So being able to open with one hand while holding a paddle in the other is key. This also keeps ice for days
My wife and I have a bunch of water bottles that we’ve picked up over the past few years. Our Owala bottles are our favorites by far
The Owala is an interesting bottle. I was glad to see that my favorite bottle, the RevoMax, did well on your temperature holding ability chart. Thanks for the review.
Yea RevoMax did amazing with insulation. I'm planning a big insulation test later this year with all my bottles including the new ones, and I'm sure RevoMax will do well again.
I have the big 40oz and have left it in my car in a phx summer for 6 hrs and still had ice. I’ve put that thing through everything I take it everywhere.
I own an Owala and agree with your assessment. I love the straw feature! Totally worth it. It's easy to clean. However, the handle feels flimsy. Also, I dislike most of the color combos. I ended up purchasing the Darth Vader model which is more conservative with just a touch of color to match my personal aesthetic. Plus, I love Star Wars. Lol
I love that colour combo actually. Green + orange just looks amazing to me
Please test Zojirushi, which is similar to this but doesn't have a straw. Their VA72 model looks to be solidly built and lightweight: the Owala FreeSip 24oz bottle weighs 15oz, while the Zojirushi VA72 24oz weighs 11oz. Would be interested to hear your take on it.
No straw? Would never buy it. No straw products are in an entirely different category. The whole special point of this bottle is that is has a straw that's easy to drink from. That's literally their patent.
@@BOBODDYacronyms That Owala lid design is suspiciously similar to my 10 year old Zojirushi bottle. It doesn't NEED a straw because the liquid just flows straight out because the air can go straight in - you can "chug" away. I suspect Owala put the straw inside to avoid patent conflict with Zojirushi, and that the straw actually inhibits the flow and certainly is harder to clean.
Hmm...*goes looking for Zojirushi bottles*
Bought this bottle because of you and came in next day. Somehow feels like a straw and also is very fun to drink water out of. Big reasons why i like plastic straws is to control how much water i get with each sip and with owala it feels the exact same so kudos to this brand and hopefully we get similar designs in every bottle. Only downside i can think of is that your front teeth will get stained if you anything else besides water since the contact point is directly on your front teeth but otherwise wonderful bottle to drink out of
Glad to hear you're liking it so far! I was skeptical at first since there are so many "trendy" bottles that really aren't any better, but I personally do like Owala's lid design. Other than the handle!
Lid durability is a big problem, there's is a seam that goes across the sides of the lid. So if it falls and hits it lid the plastic splits along that seam. They do sell replacements but it is a major weakspot that is easy hit.
Yea, I think you're probably right. To be fair I haven't drop-tested one, but the lid doesn't feel like it'd be as durable as some other brands like YETI.
I haven't run into this. I'm a huge klutz and my Owala is covered in dings, scratches and some pretty sizeable dents but I've never had anything happen to the lid. Mine ends up dropped/rolling off the couch/getting knocked off a table/falling out of my backpack weekly and has served me well for over a year.
I bought these when they first released and I LOVE my Owala. I can fill it with ice, leave it in the car for 8hrs in blazing south Texas heat, and when I open it it’s still filled with ice.
fair review and points.. I'm by no means a water bottle snob and I thought this was more of another marketing hype bottle next to all the others on the market but actually I like it and I've used it more than my other options. less than 32oz would've seemed too little for traveling or hiking.. It doesn't have a tapered bottom so it doesn't fit in my car it rolls around the seat which is annoying.
Yea, most vehicles need cup holder adapters for the 32 or 40oz ones, and I probably should have mentioned that in the video. We have our adapter BottlePro Max that fits Owalas well, but there are a ton to choose from on the market. I personally like this style bottle more than tapered ones and just use an adapter, but it's more of a preference than anything else and plenty of people love tapered bottles like Stanleys.
I bought my first one while working at a trucking company, loading trucks with a forklift, thing was great stayed cool longer than anything else I've had while sitting on top of a propane engine covering loved the straw style and thing didn't even leak after getting hit by the tire of one of the forklifts at speed just unscrewed the lid and chipped the straw
Fun fact the same company that makes owala also makes “Blender bottles”. They got some great minds at work clearly
These people are making amazing things
I love my freesip. Easy to clean, easy to use. It just makes sense.
My favourite part so far for this bottle was the original, using it for mixing koolaid, i exclusively use the straw, but the chug part makes it really easy to share a cup with my girlfriend.
Biggest issue is it gets dirty very quickly.
I also have the flip variant. I love it so much more but it's also harder to clean, and mine does leak from the top, which I need to look at or contact customer service still with.
Good point about using the chug opening as a pouring spout. It's also helpful if you're hiking with your doggo so you can easily pour some water out for them.
I got two for $20. from Sam's Club and I really like them. My only complaint is that if I put room-temperature water in them and then put them in the fridge it takes about 3 days for them to get icy cold.
No rubber bumper at the bottom sucks if you drop it
Love my Owala and I too have never used the chug lid.
Got my Ravenclaw themed free sip and couldn't be happier. It's a normal looking dark blue/light blue combo which looks better than 90% of the other ones on Amazon 😂😂
They're very intuitive. I love the straw/sip split
I got this from Costco because that’s pretty much the only place I buy water bottles and it’s my favourite bottle I’ve ever had
I love my plastic Owala bottle, no complaints
Bought one for myself and then had to get one for my wife. Shortly after my daughter wanted one 🤣 We even took ours all over Universal Orlando for 5 days. Hands down my favorite water bottle I ever purchased.
Important note, and it seems to affect the reviewer’s bottle: some Owalas have an issue where the button won’t automatically flip up and it will take extra effort to close. This is NOT standard and must be some kind of QA issue or be due to misaligned seals. I have had ones that did it but most of mine don’t. It’s a shame because it makes the bottles MUCH better when they are more affected. Hopefully they fix the QA issue because mine open easily with just the button and close with one finger but one of my wife’s old ones were a huge pain. If this happens to you, but you otherwise like the owala consider trying a friends or adjusting the seal. I haven’t found a better water bottle if you do use straws. Hopefully they release a metal straw insert soon.
Love the idea of a bottle channel. Fantastic. Subscribed instantly.
drinking from my owala (in the exact same color actually) while watching this and this is how I learned the silicone in the lid is removable omg
I have owned and drank out of an owala every day for 3 years. It is a superior drinking experience. Water just tastes better out of an owala.
Your video is just what I’m looking for because i do not want the plastic straw in the bottle as i like to drink warm water. Plastic particles problem. A big big thank you!
i really liked my other owala chug bottle where it doesn't have the straw portion. I know owala's straw is very easy to clean but I don't like having any straw - its amazing.
Yea, I personally tend to lean towards spout/chug style bottles for personal use for the exact reason you mentioned about the straws.
HUH the inner seal is removable? I've had my water bottle for so long-it actually says BlenderBottle on it (owala was split off from BlenderBottle some years ago)-and I didn't know this! Been awkwardly cleaning it all this time...
Good review video. Thanks! The background music was nice too. Not too loud or distracting.
Thanks! I had a video last year where it was too loud and learned my lesson from the comments, haha.
Owala is way out front. you can drink while lying down, you can drink in the car without raising the bottom up….. genius.
I really like these but the only drawback for me is when you have ice in it, the straw gets knocked out. Resulting in having to repeatedly removing the lid to put the straw back in the top.
Yea, if it's crammed full of ice or that plastic wears out some over time, I could see that happening. That's something to consider with most straw lids though. Chug lids with a strainer like what Takeya has is another good option for ice.
Triple insulation is a marketing gimmick. Most of the heat loss is through the lid area, you don't really need more insulation on the base area.
Agreed, and I just posted a video about this yesterday that basically says the same thing. Triple-layer insulation does seem to help a little, but it's definitely not the most important factor and shouldn't be the main reason for buying a bottle. The vacuum insulation and mouth diameter are much more important from what I've seen.
Yes I love mine it's amazing with the straw and pour. Just make sure u lock it when u close it so it doesn't leak
I bought this Owala FreeSip and the Ello Pop & Fill, and I ended up liking the Ello better. They're both good, but the Ello's silicone straw is better and it still has the option to sip it if you want. Recommend you review this one as well as the Coleman Freeflow. The Coleman Freeflow is harder to drink from (no straw, can only sip from it) but it is one of the few bottles I've used that after years of use (bought mine in 2021) hasn't had mold growing in it that is impossible to remove. A number of my water bottles have grown mold embedded into the silicone or rubber parts making it impossible to clean and if the company doesn't sell replacement parts it ends up becoming trash.
Thanks for the recommendations. I haven't looked at ello but I will now.
This was actually a really good video, considering it was about a water bottle, i found it quite interesting
Welcome to the wild world of water bottles in 2024, haha
When people were freaking out about Stanleys I was always thinking why TF do people like these?? Owala as a straw sipping experience is clearly better in every way. I also don't feel stupid being an owala fan because their products aren't overpriced, they're just designed well. I agree with the handle ergonomics issue, it isn't comfortable to carry by the handle, but personally I find myself throwing it in my passenger seat or in a backpack more often than carrying it around so I think the priority of it being designed as a lock outweighs the bad carrying ergonomics.
Yea, Owala has a really good product without the YETI price point. Kind of a fan that they don't price gouge. I'm actually about to post a video about YETI on that very topic...
love love love this, cause i always wanted a water bottle that has a straw but is thin and the top isnt exposed. this litreally is it ITS SO SO SO SO SO GOOOOOD
Bought the mandalorian design owala from its star wars series, have not had the change to try it yet. I’m so excited…
Have you tried corkcicle? I owned a bottle for 3 years until i gave it away, but it kept my water very cold on hot days outside and for so many hours even under the sun. Its built like a tank. Loved that bottle.
Not yet, but they're definitely on the buy list to test and do a review.
This is exactly a channel I have been looking for!
i bought my gf an owala for anniversary and she said it was good so i bought myself one, thought it was good, so i bought my mom one, she thinks it's good, dad is next
Also I agree that the handle isn’t the most comfortable and the color ways seem like they just recycled extra parts
I can see the appeal - the straw + opening mean that if you're having something like orange juice with bits, the bits are often at the bottom. Sipping from both would provide a mix of smooth & pulp
Owala is basically OALAH, it's Javanese vocabulary which means: "Oh so that's how it is".
Very cool, I didn't know that.
My wife used one for a year. Loved it for a while, but ended up switching back to her old HydroFlask with a newer lid. The Owala would condensate much faster and the silicone gaskets were far grosser in-between cleanings. Her old bottle was easier to clean too. Not sure if this helps, just what I noticed as the dish do-er of the house.
Sounds like Hydro Flask's newer Flex Straw lid, right? That's my 2nd favorite straw lid that I've tried. They made it much easier to clean around the pivot point with that removable seal insert, so for a pivot-style straw lid where the spout rotates open on a pivot point, it's hard to beat.
The colors giving me kindergarten Caregiver, with yellow pink polka dot rainbow coat and rubber boots.
It's like walking into home depot, they ask what color paint you want, and you say yes
Another positive feature i think is that the chug opening doesn't stink (i've been using it for almost 1 year now).
5:23 no, I agree. I was lucky enough to get a decent looking one
Long time beverage container enthusiast here, first time viewer. I wonder what they have for thicker smoothy beverages.
Yea, I'm not sure. I usually stick to water in bottles like these. But eventually I'd like to take a look at shaker bottles, so maybe I'll learn more about the options for thicker shakes/smoothies when I get into bottles like those.
i have one and it’s been quite good but it broke recently. the button broke so the whole thing doesn’t work. The button popped off and no matter how many times i put it back on it does not work. It becomes a projectile because of the spring. The company offered a free new top. I ordered it forever ago and still have not gotten it. Sucks :/
I was wondering about that button. I used it a lot and didn't have issues, but it seemed like that would be the place it would break most easily. Thanks for commenting about it. Sorry it happened though.
Thermos funtainers will still always be the best, I’ve had mine for over 10 years and it is still in great condition.
Yes finally someone mention it’s color
you either love it or hate it without much in-between, haha
I feel like I need a different water bottle. I haven't had any big issues with it but I think I would want something different for my needs. I love a bottle review though!
Love mine. Only complaint is the rubber gasket will grow mold unless you clean regularly
True. I wish they had included a pull-tab on that gasket like Takeya and a few others do.
can you do the memobottle next? The brand is way smaller compared to the ones you review but I think they are an interesting one to cover
i got the big one in all black. best bottle ive ever used. i primarily use it at home replaces my biggest cups not sure what the style is but theyre 500 ish ML like stein glasses? or beer mugs? not sure what theyre called but i liked them because they hold 500ml but since i got this big owala one that holds smidge under 1L its become my main water only container. i typically hate straws because you need to suck on them hard and im typically a chugger. so when this large straw is free flowing im chugging the straw mostly but if i want that extra chugg 9000 ill use that chug spout. for whatever reason also the chug spout is nice to pour out water if needed into another cup or whatever. relatively easy to clean too. i like the rubber grip because being all metal and the large size its kinda slippery otherwise. i like the handle its not that bad for plastic but i dont like how it doubles as a lock kind of sus having the button exposed like that not gonna lie. so far its been over 2 years the spring and lock work as new some other bottles the spring gets so weak it wont flip open or the lock lip gets chewed out from opening and closing. mine came with a dent unfortunately but holds ice just fine i think. if i drink hot water or tea i use one of the zojirushi bottle which has a nice mechanism and one handed locking switch anyways thats my 2cents
All good points! Yea, someone else mentioend using the chug opening as a pour spout too. I should have mentioned that in the video. Really good for hiking with your dog too so you can easily pour out some water. I haven't tried a Zojirushi yet either, but I've had a quite a few people recommend them!
The mouthpiece looks cool and smart.
I own one and they are pretty easy to use when I want to chug i just put my bottom lip over the top of the straw and take a sip
this is the first trendy thing i bought cause of the straw thing and i very much enjoy it
Agreed. I never really got on with the Stanley trend, but I can see myself sticking with Owalas for awhile inbetween testing other bottles.
I thought the top of my Owala bottle cap was so hard to clean until I watched this video and realized it’s removable 😅😅
The handle its the best thing about this bottle. I can hang it in any shower hook at any gym. Insulation, I can leave in my car at 110 degrees Texas weather and water is still cold after 24 hours. Had mine for 2 years now and its like new. Off white Color. Dropped it several times no problem.
Good points, but to be fair most of those benefits would apply to other brands like Hydro Flask too. And the flexible Hydro Flask handle is wider and less likely to break if you drop it. It all comes down to preference though.
i love my freesip so much its so easy to use lol. My issue is that I accidently broke the lid and now it wont clasp anymore. Really hard to insert the wire in lol. Thank god they got replacement lid to purchase
Yea, I wonder about Owala's long-term durability. That button feels a little flimsy, and I can imagine it's easy to bust that spring-loaded hinge if you drop it wrong. I didn't have issues with those parts after quite a bit of use so I didn't mention much about it in the video, but it's something I'm keeping an eye on in the comments. Thanks for commenting about it. Wish they would have covered it under a warranty or something so you didn't have to buy a new lid.
Would you have any recommendations for cleaning the O ring inside the lid? I saw Owala commenting that they don’t recommend taking this out because the rubber can tear, but I feel like that area will also be somewhere mold and mildew can grow.
You complained about the handle but if you rotate and hold it the other way it fits perfectly. I have a 24 oz I carry with me when I exercise no problem.
Yea, it feels a little better that way. Still crams my fingers more than some others I've tested though. Just my preference.
You forgot to answer the most important question.. Does the lid fit other wide mouth bottle openings?
That's a good point! I should have tested that. I might make another video where I'll try it in the dozens of otherwide mouths I have. I think it has a larger diameter and different thread pattern than most bottles, so I doubt it would fit many. Would be interesting to try it out though.
@@bottlepro3252 Dang, I'll have to wait for a chinese clone so it can fit on my hydroflask then lol
This is popular????? I had this for years and got told “it’s not a Stanley cup” 😂
So hot right now (said with my best will ferrell impersonation)
If you let a waterbottle nerd bully you, im afraid that's a skill issue.
Go watch some raunchy 90s comedys. Bullying people for having niche interests used to be a national pastime.
Weird observation but I notice at the temp drop chart at 4:00 the start temperature seems to play a role too. Higher initial temperature, higher drop after 4 hours?
Good catch! You're correct, there is a correlation there. A higher difference in temps between inside and out means faster heat transfer, and the transfer rate slows as they get closer to the same temp. In an ideal world I'd boil a ton of water so it's a more consistent starting temp, but that would be a lot of water to boil and take a lot of time when you're talking about dozens of 32-40oz bottles with multiple rounds of tests like I've done in some comparison videos. The tap water is a faster method that gives a pretty good idea of how the bottles compare and if there are any major outliers, but it should be taken with a grain of salt when the results are close. Honestly from what I've seen, most vacuum insulated bottles perform pretty similarly and have good enough insulation for most people of the course of a normal day, and on that list everything from the TKWide to the EcoVessel are pretty similar. Owala and Steepware were far enough on the bad-side of the results to stand out more, and RevoMax and S'well were on the good side (the only narrow mouths, which is the biggest factor). Owala has a larger mouth opening than some other bottles like Hydro Flasks, so I wasn't surprised when it ended up a little worse-off.
@@bottlepro3252 wow, thanks for the in depth explanation.
Im 2years in on owala freesips. I love mine and just bought my 5th bottle. I now prefer the darker colors due to the way they get dirty so fast.
I love these bottles. The ability to sip from a straw or chug all from the same opening while having a lid that closes and locks over the mouthpiece is quite nice.
The lock over the button to open the lid is handy and doubles as a carrying handle, but most of all, these bottles are 100% leakproof. I take my 40oz bottle and put it sideways in my bag and never in three years has it leaked.
Just a great water bottle all around. The downside is that with so many moving parts on the lid, I know it won’t be something that lasts 20 years.
Yea, I'm curious how the spring loaded lid and the button hold up too.
@@bottlepro3252 Time will tell! So far, three years in, and all is well with two daily use bottles. One is Tritan plastic and one is stainless steel.
I just learned we can customize them by changing lids, handle etc. Whodathunkit! TFS
Even more Owala color combinations...oh my...haha
I had 3 of these bottles and every single one had a mold issue with the seal under the lid in the cap. Try pulling yours out and taking a peak. Loved the bottle but that flaw is something I can't look past?
Are you referring to that silicone insert that's in the flip-up part of the lid that seals the mouthpiece? Or the gasket that seals the threaded part between the lid and the bottle? That insert in the flip-up part is pretty easy to remove and clean the way they designed it, but I'll admit it's also easy to forget about from time to time.
Great review... I want to get one NGL 😂
Question, have you done any reviews for accessible water bottles? I've got teens with fine motor issues and we're going through bottles like crazy trying to find something that is easy to grip and sip, with the least risk of spilling the entire thing.
I haven't yet, but it's funny you ask because i thought about that topic recently. I made a coffee mug called Momnt Mugs, and it's made to be more comfortable and easier to hold without slipping. Not designed for disabilities specifically, but a lot of people with arthritis, shaky hands, and other similar conditions have said it's helped. I'm planning a video about different mug handles to help get the word out about our design, but that also got me thinking about water bottles too. It would probably be next year with the other videos I have planned, but I added it to my list of video topics to keep in the pipeline. Thanks for asking about it. And I'd love to hear if you find any good ones!
How does it compare to other water bottles in keeping liquids cold?
3:35
The owala colors would be nice.. if they let you make your own bottle.. i know most of the instore bottle are always mis matched because people combine the ones they like