Americans go through 2.5 million plastic bottles every hour. Say that with us again. Americans go through 2.5 million plastic bottles every hour. That figure is hard to wrap our brain around and is all the encouragment we need to cut down on disposable plastic wherever we can. One place to start is with kids' water bottles and we’ve found two great options.
The Swiss are known for their engineering and the SIGG water bottle is no exception. Made from a single, seamless aluminum component they are virtually unbreakable and employ a hi-tech internal coating which is neutral in flavor, resists breakdown from fruit juices or other acidic beverages, and reduces bacterial build-up.
Kids' bottles are available in 10, 13 or 20 oz. sizes and a variety of colors and graphics. One useful accessory is the grip handle. They are dishwasher safe, but we recommend cleaning them with a bottle brush. They range in price from $15.99-$18.99.
Less colorful, but no less friendly to the environment is the Klean Kanteen. It is made of stainless steel and is available with or without a sippy adapter. The smallest Kanteen is 12 oz. and sells for $17.99.
Both the SIGG bottle and the Klean Kanteen can be purchased directly through their respective company websites or at Reusable Bags - a great resource for environmentally friendly products.
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We love our SIGG and our Klean Kanteen! We just published hands-on reviews of both brands, and of Thermos Foogo cups, BornFree toddler cups, and a couple of other plastic cup manufacturers who use non-polycarbonate plastic. (The focus of our interest is on protecting kids from Bisphenol-A and other potentially harmful plastic additives.)
We had our toddler use each of the seven cups over the course of a couple of weeks, and document all the pros and cons of each. We even did drop tests (sigh - a lot of sad denting going on) and leak tests. You can read our "Sippy Cup Showdown" here (sorry for the long link line):
http://zrecs.blogspot.com/2007/05/sippy-cup-showdown-safer-bpa-free-sippy.html
view Jeremiah's profile
We have Sigg bottles at home and just a note. Though some websites claim they are dishwasher safe, the tag that comes attached to the bottles recommends *handwashing* only. The small rubber circle will breakdown over time in the dishwasher making the bottle leak and the finish off the bottles will chip over time as well.
Love them despite the extra step in handwashing.
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We use our steel bottles (store brands) constantly, and I have my eye on a cute Sigg design.
I'd just put in a plug for the Sigg cleaning brushes. I held out for years, not wanting a unitasker. But finally, I broke down and have discovered the brushes get all my bottles cleaner than ever. It's really worth it!
view Rev. Bee T.'s profile