Review of Owala FreeSip: The water bottle that remains my side

Review of Owala FreeSip: The water bottle that remains my side

As a professional travel writer, as I do, you develop a strong emotional connection with your current water bottle of choice. When you're racing through the Newark airport to catch a 45-minute connection or shimmying from side to side in an opulent Kenyan safari Jeep, it becomes an absolute requirement.

My cherished bottle was looking a bit lonely after touring all 63 of the country's national parks with only one drink (a CamelBak Eddy+, thanks for asking), and a close friend was gushing about the Owala FreeSip. About two years ago, I acquired one, and I have hardly taken it out of my hand.

My FreeSip has been to six continents (including Antarctica) thus far, engaged in several day treks, and taken a few lengthy road trips. Let's examine what makes it so special and useful.

The dishwasher-safe cover and straw of Owala's FreeSip water bottle make it a game-changer in the industry. Users may choose between the "sip" and "gulp" modes. It has great insulation and is available in a ton of vibrant hues.

What appealed to us about it

Although water bottles often don't have a lot of technological features, the Owala FreeSip does a great job of fitting a lot of functions into a little size. Here are some of our preferred specifications.

Excellent insulating

The FreeSip bottle's ability to keep my beverages very cold for up to 24 hours is one of its greatest features. Its three-layer, vacuum-insulated stainless steel structure is responsible for this. How does it operate? The multi-layer design, which resembles a double-walled carabiner cup, traps air between its stainless steel panels to provide a more effective heat seal than would be possible with only porcelain or plastic.

In the summer, I've left iced water in this device in my vehicle for the whole day and overnight, and the next morning, it was still cool. If you trek a lot in the hot, bright summer months as I do, this is a great benefit. After your frolic, fill your Owala with cold water, put it in the vehicle at the trailhead, and add some electrolytes. Done! Perfect as a post-hike refreshment.

The sip versus gulp function

I was first smitten with this water bottle because of its function. The unique FreeSip spout design from Owala has revolutionized the hydration game. It enables users to take delicate sip from the straw or to tilt the whole bottle back and guzzle through its bigger wide-mouth aperture. This is in contrast to competitors’ soft-strawed water bottles or Owala’s insulated tumblers. For me, the straw function is invaluable while taking lengthy road trips to locations like Yosemite National Park and Moab since it keeps me well-hydrated without requiring me to take my eyes from the road.

Sturdiness

Whether you ride a motorcycle in the rural Philippines, bike along the Boulder Creek Path, or stop often to clamber over random rocks in Joshua Tree, your reusable water bottle is sure to sustain a few bumps, drops, dents, and scratches. When thrown onto a hard surface like concrete, the FreeSip water bottle maintains its form, insulation, and leak-proof properties, in contrast to several other metal water bottles I've tested over the years, many of which were filtered water bottles.

What it wasn't like for us

There are a few things I'd want to see fixed in future iterations of this fantastic water bottle after using it nonstop for the last two years.

Dishwasher not recommended

Alright, so this is only somewhat true to be fair. The FreeSip water bottle's straw and top can be cleaned in the dishwasher, which is fantastic because that's where your mouth is, but the stainless steel bottom container has to be hand-washed due to its paint-brushed exterior, according to the official Owala website. I usually just sip water out of my FreeSip as a result to avoid making a sticky, difficult-to-clean mess. If the firm made improvements to its bottom cups so they could be easily sterilized in a dishwasher, that would be fantastic.

Just for cold drinks

The Owala FreeSip is priced at $33, and I would love to see it compete with other expensive metal drinking containers like the coffee bottle from Hydro Flask, which has the ability to insulate both hot and cold liquids. Due to the potential for pressure buildup, the FreeSip is currently only advised for cold or room temperature liquids. As such, it functions more like a smoothie, juice, or water bottle than an all-in-one hot and cold container.

How it contrasts

The Owala 32-ounce FreeSip water bottle costs $33, but it doesn't seem that pricey when you compare it to rival models like the Yeti 26-ounce Water Bottle with Straw Cap ($40) and the 32-ounce Wide Mouth with Flex Straw Cap from Hydro Flask ($50).

However, CamelBak's Eddy+, which can keep both hot and cold drinks, is priced similarly at $35 for the stainless steel edition and substantially less at $17 for the all-plastic model. The only drawback? The soft straw shape of the CamelBak creates a difficult-to-clean dirt and algae trap.

Searching for a size that is more appropriate for children? A 16-ounce Kids' FreeSip ($23) from Owala is also available, and it comes in a ton of the same vibrant colors as the adult model.

In summary

Owala's 32-Ounce FreeSip is a great option if you're searching for a stylish new water bottle for yourself or a thirsty runner or hiker on your list. It also makes a great stocking stuffer. Yes, it costs more than an arbitrary one you might get on Amazon, but the brand provides a convenient store for replacement parts in case you need them, and a lifetime guarantee against manufacturer defects, both of which we believe more than justify the price range. I can declare with confidence that this is my current favorite road trip companion and water bottle on the earth, having undergone rigorous testing in Alaska, Kenya, Antarctica, Tasmania, California, and Colorado over the last two years.

OWALA VS. STANLEY: OUR FAVORITE NEW WATER BOTTLE?

Editors at Reviewed choose recommendations on their own. We, along with our publishing partners, may get a commission for purchases made using the links below.

I will confess to being a hoarder of water bottles. There never seems to be enough room in my travel-friendly drinkware cabinet for all of my cherished tumblers and water bottles, no matter how hard I try to reduce its size.

My employment is partly to blame. As a lifestyle writer, I've been given a good number of water bottles over the years (okay, plus whenever I hear of a new limited-edition color launch, I go straight to Target, REI, and Starbucks), so I've tested out a good number of them.

I used to consider myself a Takeya fangirl. Then, long before Owala became popular on TikTok, I fell in love with her. I eventually gave myself up to Stanley and their ubiquitous Quencher H2.0 Flowstate Tumbler, however, since I love all the colors.

Even with the lead worries, which have fortunately been disproved, my go-to 40-ounce bottle of choice is still the stylish Stanley tumbler, but a few recent releases have caused me to reconsider my loyalty to traditional water bottles.

Which brings us to our subject for discussion today: the 24-ounce Stanley IceFlow Insulated Bottle ($35) and the 24-ounce Owala FreeSip Twist ($28). To find out more, continue reading.

Owala: What is it?

In 2020, Owala, a water bottle company, made its debut and quickly became well-known with their FreeSip bottle. With its unique straw-spout combination, this iconic bottle allows you to drink or gulp according to your mood.

Over 12,000 5-star reviews have been left for The FreeSip on Amazon, and the business has over 260,000 Instagram followers overall. In addition to its inventive spouts, Owala is well-known for its lively colorblock patterns and its limited-edition Color Drops, which sell out quickly.

The Owala FreeSip Twist, the brand's newest form, has a twist-off top akin to a water bottle while maintaining the popular spout shape.

Stanley, what is he?

Stanley is a historic drinkware brand that dates back to 1913. The brand was originally focused on thermoses. They eventually branched out into water jugs, barware, and tumblers, of course.

The Stanley Quencher H2.0 Flowstate Tumbler is the most recognizable water bottle made by Stanley. The somewhat hefty water bottle has a cult following due to its distinctive logo and handled form, even if it is not leakproof.

Over the years, the Stanley Tumbler has been offered in dozens of colors. Actually, the Stanley Tumbler's popularity has grown significantly as a result of these color choices. Everywhere you go, people are searching for limited-edition releases.

Sometimes they battle over the 40-ounce containers physically, as happened during the Target Valentine's Day delivery. It's rather bizarre.

Stanley shocked brand enthusiasts with a brand-new shape, the Stanley IceFlow Insulated Bottle, which combines the company's renowned insulated performance with a water-bottle-style appearance, maybe to help prevent such circumstances.

Both the Stanley IceFlow Insulated Bottle and the Owala FreeSip Twist have a tall, slender shape along with a twist-off top. But that's about the extent of their commonalities. Read on to find out more if you're debating between Stanley and Owala for your own hydration requirements.

What is the more portable water bottle?

There are 18- and 24-ounce versions of the Stanley IceFlow Insulated Bottle and the Owala FreeSip Twist. On the other hand, the Stanley is also offered in 16-, 36-, 40-, and 50-ounce sizes. Because of its integrated, robust, hinged plastic handle, the Stanley is more portable.

Even better, the handle is made with a little groove to catch the bottle cap as it twists off, preventing you from dropping or losing it (albeit it may be a bit difficult to remove the cap from the groove when you need to replace it). Even though the Owala water bottle seems lightweight, it only has a corded carry loop that could unravel with time.

Stanley IceFlow Insulated Bottle Wins for Portability

Which is the most fashionable water bottle?

Style is personal. For those who want sleek, elegant designs that bring back memories of S'well water bottle craze in 2015, the Owala FreeSip Twist is a superior choice. There are five color combinations available, the most of which are pastel or subdued.

I would have loved to see this style in some of the brand's incredible vibrant hues, so this is definitely a disappointment. For instance, I like the All the Berries design. This bottle would appear right at home in upscale exercise classes and other settings.

That being said, the Stanley IceFlow Insulated Bottle could be more tempting if you want solid colored water bottles or ones with a more practical appearance. Eleven striking, neutral solids are available, along with special edition hues.

Winner of Style: Tie

Which bottle of water is most insulated?

I partially filled each Owala FreeSip Twist and Stanley IceFlow Insulated Bottle with ice and then topped them up with filtered water to test their insulation. I shut the lids on each one and left them on my kitchen counter for a whole day, from 9:15 p.m. to 9:15 a.m.

When I eventually unscrewed their tops, I saw that a few ice cubes were still floating about in each of them. I took a temperature reading on both bottles, and they came in at around 33 degrees. Neither of them had any remaining ice cubes by 2:30 p.m. Still, the water was pleasantly cool and stayed so all evening.

Even though the bottles handled insulation rather uniformly, Stanley's statement that "Drinks stay iced for two days" is worth bringing up. The IceFlow Insulated Bottle, however, is also mentioned as something that "keeps drinks cold for 10 hours." Given that there are two very distinct propositions, this is puzzling. Conversely, Owala only states that beverages remain cold for a whole day.

Winner of Insulation: Tied

Accuracy of Insulation: Owala FreeSip Twist

Which is a more useful water bottle?

The Owala FreeSip Twist is unquestionably more useful. I was instantly enamored with the original FreeSip's dual-purpose spout upon testing it, and even after all these years, I'm still fixated on it, as seen by a new silhouette that showcases the mechanism.

The Owala FreeSip Twist has an outside that resembles a standard slimline water bottle from the 2010s, but its inside is completely different. There's a broad spout with a straw action when you unscrew the lid. The mouthpiece completely twists off to reveal an even larger spout that can hold ice cubes, but you can still refill the bottle from the main spout. Owala gave this a lot of thinking.

Two twist-off choices are included with the Stanley IceFlow Insulated Bottle: one for the main spout and another for simple refilling. I think the reason it's called the IceFlow is because it fits ice so effortlessly.

The Owala FreeSip Twist is the most useful since you can easily sip or gulp from it, but the IceFlow Bottle is undoubtedly simpler to fill with ice (you can just put it under the refrigerator dispenser, but you have to manually insert cubes in the Owala to prevent a traffic congestion). But you may prefer the Stanley if you don't mind drinking via a straw. You truly can't go wrong with them both since they are both leak-proof.

Victory in Function: Owala FreeSip Twist

Which water bottle is most cost-effective?

Despite being somewhat more expensive, the Owala FreeSip Twist has a built-in straw mechanism and is more versatile than the Stanley IceFlow Insulated Bottle.

Winner of Value: Owala FreeSip Twist

Who's Better, Stanley or Owala?Even though I like the colors of the Stanley IceFlow Insulated Bottle, the Owala FreeSip Twist was the superior choice between these two recent arrivals in terms of value, functionality, and insulation accuracy.

The Owala FreeSip Twist is great, however my only complaints are with the colors it comes in (I wish there were more vibrant color options) and the way the lid clicks together. It must be precisely aligned in order to twist on correctly since it is specifically made to match the sipping and chugging action. I don't mind, however, since it's a little hassle for ice-cold, leak-proof water.

But, this does not mean that I am dismissing Stanley completely. Still a fantastic choice if you're looking for a big, vibrant, leak-proof water bottle is the Stanley IceFlow Insulated Bottle. However, despite what the company suggests, don't expect your ice to really last for 48 hours.

Winner with the Best Overall: Owala FreeSip Twist