My old water bottle was rusted, dented, and old. When I saw the Owala water bottle in Target I knew that I had found the bottle for me. It had a cool shape, and it was also a reasonable price so it seemed like a good purchase. Now it may be strange that I am reviewing a water bottle, but I usually don’t drink a lot of water throughout the day and some water bottles determine my motivation to drink water, so this was important for me to not end up with kidney failure. Trust me this is an actual concern for me because some days I just go all day without drinking water, but give me a fun water bottle and I will be chugging that water, so I am definitely an expert on water bottles. 

Right off the bat when I saw all the color options at the store I was amazed, but I ended up getting the black and white one to be practical. I thought it was a water bottle with a straw so there was only one way to drink, sipping it through a straw. Turns out there are two openings in the mouth piece, one to tilt the bottle and chug, or one with a straw That interested me, and I still don’t know how they were able to do that without water spilling through the straw part when you are chugging it, but I’m glad it doesn’t spill. 

The bottle also has a pretty spill proof lid, in other experiences with other water bottles, if I put the bottle in a bag and the lid presses against something in my bag it finds a way to spill, but this bottle had a double seal. It has a handle that doubles as a lock, and beneath that there is a button that you press that opens the lid. The handle/lock makes sure if something presses against the bottle, it won’t open and spill. The handle is also comfortable to hold. Little details like this make me really like this bottle. I do have some requirements though.  My water bottle must

• Be spill proof
• Keep water cold
• Have a straw
• Be a nice color
• Have a nice design
• Be resistant to dents.

The bottle met all of my requirements except for one. When the bottle slipped out of my bottle holder in my backpack (which was not the bottle design that was to blame, it’s a chronic issue with my backpack) it fell on the out.  It was close to the ground so I hoped it had not dented but,unfortunately it did. 

I was pretty sad seeing the dent in my bottle. I know that a water bottle rubber sleeve can help with it not denting, but that has to be a separate purchase from the bottle. I would like it if the bottle was made out of a material that does not dent as easily, or comes with a rubber sleeve. I know that it would be a bit more expensive if it came with the sleeve but I would rather pay a bit more for the convenience of getting it with the bottle. 

Although the bottle dents easily it is good at keeping water cold. One day I accidentally left water in my bottle overnight, and in the morning I got it thinking it was fresh water because it was that cold, then I realized I didn’t fill up my water that morning, and was very impressed by how cold it was.

 One five-star reviewer on Amazon believes the bottle is perfect for their lifestyle, stating:  , “I love this water bottle so much. I travel a lot and have been trying to find the perfect bottle for work travel and home and this is it. The lock loop is so convenient to carry the bottle or hook it on to my bag as I go through the airport or on a walk…”

A three-star review on Amazon doesn’t agree that the bottle is good on the go.  That reviewer stated: , “The lid, however, is terrible. Even when ‘locked,’ it is prone to opening. I left the bottle on my bike trailer, and the lid opened on its own, dumping its entire contents. After only a couple days of use, the button on the lid is already starting to fail….However, it simply isn’t built well enough for someone who is on the go.” 

I personally have never experienced what the person in the three- star review is describing, and their points could be an actual concern, but I do find it interesting how they still gave the bottle a three star rating which is a decent review 

The analytics in the Owala FreeSip Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle with Straw listing on Amazon show that only 10% of the 26,723 global ratings are under 5 stars. So if you are looking for a cute and practical water bottle to up your water intake, go for the Owala free sip bottle. You can find them at Target, Walmart, Dick’s sporting goods, and Amazon.