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Original poster

Kids water bottles.. the holy grail

57 replies

Bobnobob · 09/08/2025 17:45

I have been through sooo many water bottles and I am begging for help to find one that will last. Smiggle bottles break sooo easily. I thought I was onto a good thing with ion8 but then 2 cracked within the space of a week.. and then I bought a metal one which is still functioning but got a nasty looking dent within a week.

Needs to be:

  • aesthetically pleasing and ‘cool’ enough for my 7 year old
  • easy enough to open and close tightly for my 4 yo
  • large enough for a days water
  • dishwashable
  • under £20 as they will probably lose it!
  • strong enough to withstand being dropped several times a day
  • leak proof
OP posts:
IOYOYO · 09/08/2025 21:25

After having been through many Ion8 get my vote now. Last several years of hard wear and tear, colourful or patterned. My two use metal ones now as they keep drinks cooler, and they do not leak! Also not too expensive, can add in straws and buy replacement lids.

RedPanda2022 · 09/08/2025 21:25

Sistema.
fantastic and virtually indestructible, lots of sizes

londongirl12 · 09/08/2025 21:31

I love my SHO water bottle. They have some cool colours and patterns.

Barrenfieldoffucks · 09/08/2025 21:33

Agree on ion8, after having been Klean Kanteen devotees.

intergalacticplanetary · 09/08/2025 21:34

Ion8. Usually have them cheap in TK Maxx too

tangobravo · 09/08/2025 21:34

We like the Super Sparrow bottles in our house. Not sure if they have prints/designs but they have a great selection of jazzy colours

Hercisback1 · 09/08/2025 21:36

Ion8 metal. How did you smash the plastic ones? We've had ours over a year, and the metal nearer 3 years.

Kleen kanteen was a favourite but kids didn't like the styles as they got older.

Hercisback1 · 09/08/2025 21:37

Metal bottles do dent no matter how careful you are. They still function as a bottle though so don't throw them away for a dent.

LaundrySmaundry · 09/08/2025 21:48

anything stainless steel, they’re so much healthier than plastic and don’t break as easily. My favourite brand is one green bottle.

HMW19061 · 09/08/2025 21:51

My boys have the SHO metal kids ones, they’re great, good designs, keep the water cool, no leaks. We’ve had 1 of them for well over 2 years and it’s still going strong, the others we’ve had for about 6 months. They’ve been dropped a few times so they do have a few small dents and scratches but in the whole they’re still in great condition.

LittleBearPad · 09/08/2025 21:52

glucagal · 09/08/2025 17:58

Can’t see past the sistema ones myself. They are not completely indestructible but they come pretty close.

DS has had the same one for about 5 years! They just work

TeddyBeans · 09/08/2025 21:57

I'm quite surprised no one's mentioned contigo bottles yet! My 7yo and 2yo both have one and they're the only bottle I've ever come across that doesn't leak

Notmyreality · 09/08/2025 21:59

Took me way too long to realise this thread wasn’t talking about hot water bottles.

Ivesaidenough · 09/08/2025 22:11

Another recommendation for sho - my son has had his for more than two years and it's dented but still totally fine. He's also bottle flipped it several times.

Original poster
Bobnobob · 13/08/2025 08:51

LittleBearPad · 09/08/2025 21:52

DS has had the same one for about 5 years! They just work

Show quote history

We have some sistema at home and they are good but I don’t let the kids take them to school as all it takes is one of them to not screw it back tightly and it leaks. Fine if I’m going to be the one tightening the lid before it goes in a bag.

OP posts:
Original poster
Bobnobob · 13/08/2025 08:53

Hercisback1 · 09/08/2025 21:36

Ion8 metal. How did you smash the plastic ones? We've had ours over a year, and the metal nearer 3 years.

Kleen kanteen was a favourite but kids didn't like the styles as they got older.

I think we were unlucky because 2 were dropped within a short period of time. One cracked a little and started leaking from the bottom and one completely cracked almost in half.

OP posts:
Original poster
Bobnobob · 13/08/2025 08:56

Sho looks good but again, looks like they need screwed on tightly to not leak… which my kids seem incapable of!

OP posts:
Hercisback1 · 13/08/2025 09:17

Bobnobob · 13/08/2025 08:53

I think we were unlucky because 2 were dropped within a short period of time. One cracked a little and started leaking from the bottom and one completely cracked almost in half.

Show quote history

Get the metal ones. They don't crack.

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 13/08/2025 12:14

Camelbak Thrive

Bombproof, lots of patterns https://uk.camelbak.com/kids/

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 13/08/2025 12:14

Camelbak Thrive

Bombproof, lots of patterns https://uk.camelbak.com/kids/

thismumneedssun · 13/08/2025 19:58

Bobnobob · 13/08/2025 08:56

Sho looks good but again, looks like they need screwed on tightly to not leak… which my kids seem incapable of!

you can buy a separate lid with a straw and flip top from their website, never had one leak yet

QuaverQuanta · 13/08/2025 20:07

We are a Yeti household. More than 20 quid but indestructible so far. Yes they get dented and a bit roughed up but isn't that the point? Although I left mine on the roof of the car and drove off before i realised last week and even after it hit the road it wasn't dented or damaged so god knows what my 6 year old does to his, probably plays football with it or something!

Talipesmum · 13/08/2025 20:12

Drivingbuttercup1 · 09/08/2025 18:51

Ion8 bottles are the only ones that have lasted with my teens

Edited

Yes, same. We’ve had no problems with the plastic ones either and they get lumped about all over the place. The only time one broke was when it had fallen out of the car door and we accidentally ran it over.

ItsBouqeeeet · 13/08/2025 20:13

Super Sparrow!

Mybobowler · 13/08/2025 20:21

Another vote for metal Ion8 bottles. After spending a billion pounds on various different types and brands, these are the best - simple, leakproof, hard-wearing.

Best bit is that you can buy replacement parts (seals, lids) separately on Amazon, so you don't have to replace the whole bottle if a small bit gets lost or damaged.

They always seem to have them in TKMaxx as well, so not expensive!