I Love My Contigo Water Bottle

That's all there is to it.

I've been thinking that it would benefit me to start using a reusable water bottle.  I've tried a metal one before with the theory that it would keep my water colder and wouldn't taste "plasticky."  It didn't.  It tasted metallic.  I did a little searching for a metal bottle with a ceramic liner, thinking that might taste better.  I didn't search too thoroughly, but I didn't find any.  And if they exist, I'm betting they're pricey.

Cut to last week when I was shopping at Costco.  I spotted a 3-pack of Contigo water bottles in aqua, raspberry and a dark charcoal color.  James loves his Contigo travel mug and uses it frequently for his coffee.  These water bottles were cool-looking, they were in the AutoSeal line and they were only $15.99 for all three.  I decided to give them a try.

This one is similar to the raspberry one we have:

Ours is a little more slender, I think, and it has a bumpy grip on the bottle near where the lid attaches, which makes it easier to hold.  This one also appears to have lines measuring the volume of the liquid, whereas ours don't, but I don't miss that.

Pros:

• Bumpy grip
• BPA free
• Thick walls keep water cool for a long time
• Narrow enough to fit in car and stroller cupholders
• Automatically seals closed so it doesn't spill or leak.  You press a button on the lid to take a drink and release it to seal it again.
• The button is easy to press and it's nice not having to unscrew the cap or lid of a water bottle.
• Dishwasher safe in the top rack
• Lid allows you to drink water quickly
• Has a carabiner so you can attach it to bags
• Environmentally friendly way to stay hydrated
• The water I drink from it actually tastes good!

Cons:

• Lid is heavy, which can make it the tiniest bit unwieldy when putting the lid on until you get used to it.  The bottle height and heaviness of the lid might make it difficult to use in most stroller cupholders.
• If you don't empty out the lid's opening, when you press the button, you can get a little blast of water (very small, just a couple of drops) in your face.  Yes, I speak from experience.  That's easy enough to fix, though - I just bring my bottle upright before I release the button, and that empties it enough.
• Most people probably don't have dishwasher top racks tall enough to accommodate; handwashing it is pretty simple, though, and I don't mind.

By the way, you should definitely wash out your reusable water bottle regularly (every other day, if not daily) and sanitize it periodically to keep it from growing bacteria, mold and algae.  A simple way to sanitize it is to put in half an inch of baking soda, then fill the bottle most of the way with hot water and close it tight.  Shake it for about a minute and leave it for half an hour, then rinse it thoroughly.  If the water from your bottle still tastes weird after you've sanitized the bottle, it's time to recycle it and get a new one.

The best part of my new water bottle is that I find myself drinking a lot more water, and I know that's good for me.