Klean Kanteen Stainless Steel Water Bottle with Poly Loop Cap (27-Ounce, Orange Sunset)

Love these bottles. This is large enough to take me through a couple of sets of tennis, my daughter through an intense run up some very steep and long steps, or my son's football practice. The biggest drawback is that they no longer come with an insulated sleeve. I have some older ones which came with them and they are great. However, the loop cap was not available at that time and it makes carrying so much easier when hands are full or one is concentrating on running. They clean up easily and the water tastes fine. No mess for the environment and the paint is water based. I called the company. My extended family is getting these as green Christmas presents.

The [[ASIN: B0019N2DO8 Kleen Kanteen Stainless Steel Colored Water Bottle]] is very attractive and functional bottle for taking water on the go. I got the black bottle. The product is very similar to the non-colored version sold here except that it seems that for the present time these colored versions only come with the steel loop top, which is one of the better tops anyway. The other version gives you a choice of tops, including poly tops that come in flat and loop versions, a flat steel version, and "sippy-spouts" for drinking without removing the top. The steel loop top is one of the best anyway. The only thing I wish it had that the poly sport top seems to have is a lanyard to hold the cap to the bottle when it's opened. Still, I would still choose the durability of the steel loop over any of the poly tops. It's so light, it's hard to believe that it's steel. And the durability of the steel top would have to be better over time than the poly top.

PROS:
+ Durable and attractive stainless steel bottle in a variety of colors
+ Wide mouth makes it easy to add ice cubes or water as well as to drink from it
+ Steel loop cap is very durable with a large enough loop to hook onto a carabineer
+ High quality enamel paint on the outside
+ Allows you to save money and stay green by limiting your use of bottled water
+ Container can be recycled
+ Dishwasher safe, though thorough cleaning requires diluted vinegar or baking soda
+ A smooth interior leaves water with no aftertaste; I will monitor this over time
+ Great for hiking, camping, or normal commuting
+ 18 oz is a perfect size for everyday use
+ 27 and 40 oz models may be more ideal for hiking or camping
+ The price is good considering the high quality materials

CONS:
- The body may be prone to dings and dents over time
- Wide threading means you have to screw the top in slowly to get a nice seal
- Not everybody will appreciate the big logo on the bottle

PRODUCT CLAIMS

Included with the product is a small paper tag hanging from the spout and a thin book-mark like info tag on the inside. Both tags tout the environmental benefits of this product. In fact, even the tag itself is marked as "printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper."

One of the main claims about this product seems to imply that drinking from plastic bottles may be harmful because "many plastic water bottles, including Lexan bottles, leach toxins such as Bisphenol A (BPA). These studies have linked BPA to breast cancer & reproductive mutations."

I have not personally read any of these studies, though I have heard this claim made before from other sources. Granted, I take any claims for or against a product with a great deal of skepticism. But this does give me pause and motivate me to seek out more information about this subject.

This made me curious. I generally use water that I have filtered in my PUR CR-6000C 2 Stage Oval Water Pitcher which is also made out of plastic. If this metal water bottle is better than plastic bottles that may leech BPA, am I reintroducing other chemicals by using water purified in a plastic pitcher? Obviously this is a different type of plastic that is thicker and more durable. But it's a thought that has prompted me to at least file it away to do more research on this in the near future. Clearly those using faucet mounted filters would not have those debates, but the included product information definitely made me rethink some things.

The product also states that the stainless steel that is used in it is "100% non-leaching and toxin-free." It is also surprising that they state that there is no inner lining or coating, though looking inside the metal does seem to be smoothed in some way. The pamphlet describes this process as "electro-polishing." While I have not noticed any sort of metallic after-taste from a few days of use, others have reported a slightly metallic taste to the water. If I do experience this over time I will post an update.

FEATURES

This product works great for drinking water. It's not clear to me if this bottle can be used with all cold beverages. They do include the warning that this is not for hot beverages, so don't plan on loading your hot cocoa or coffee into it. :) They clearly seem to be marketing this for water, but can it be used for cold tea, soda, or other beverages? I'm not entirely sure, but I plan to find out more about this. I only intend to use this for water, but it's good to know in any case.

The exterior is coated with what appears to be an electro-statically applied metal enamel paint. The exterior may ding, so it would be nice if they included a sleeve with this. Some third party sellers do include one, though it's easier to find sleeves and totes for the larger sized bottles. The mouth has a curved lip and is nice and wide so you can add ice cubes if you wish. The bottle itself is dishwasher safe, though the cap is not. However, they do note that hand washing with diluted vinegar or baking soda is necessary for thorough cleaning.

I'm not totally crazy about the rather prominent logo on the front. I know not everybody minds such things, but I don't like when products force you to give them free advertising with huge logos. In any event, many people who believe in the *green* theme of this product will be happy to spread the word.

As for me, the 18 oz bottle is the perfect size for my daily commute. The 12 oz bottle is probably only big enough if you want your kid to have their own. But for a camping trip or hiking, the 27 and 40 oz versions may each get good usage.

CONCLUSION

This is a good product that works very well. The cons are few and are relatively minor. For those that don't want a painted bottle, there are also Klean Kanteen Stainless Steel Water Bottles in all the same sizes. If you don't have the room to carry the larger bottles, at least get the 18 oz to have enough for commuting to work or short hikes.

Enjoy.

This water bottle is very handy and easy to clean. The neck is big enough to be able to put ice cubes in easily. I recommend the sippy-cap and not the loop-cap. We have found drinking from the bottle without the sippy-cap, you end up wearing water if you are not very careful.

This is a fantastic alternative to filling landfills with plastic bottles. I keep it with me everywhere I go, and have even used it for coffee. Water tastes so much better from stainless steel. Just don't forget yours at the gym! I almost did that once.

I love this water bottle. I feel so much better using a reusable water bottle rather than the constant supply of bottled water I was buying. And I prefer the stainless steel to plastic absolutely. It is a little chirpy drinking out of it (I use the sport bottle top), but I can easily live with that. I've actually bought another one for myself to take to work filled with my home water since the water at work is nasty.