I really love the Owala FreeSip Stainless Steel Water Bottle in the 40oz size, Very Very Dark. I mostly carry it to work and on exercise walks, and it keeps my drink cold all day long. No trips back to the fridge every few hours. The 40oz size is enough to get me through most of the day, and since I'm partial to water only when it's cold, having it stay that way the whole time actually gets me drinking more of it and staying hydrated.

How the whole family ended up with one
Our daughter was actually the first one in the house to get an Owala, she picked up the 24oz in the Candy Store color. About a year in, hers stopped keeping drinks cold for some reason. We reached out to Owala, ran a few tests they walked us through, and they confirmed the bottle was faulty and gave us a credit toward a new one. Seeing how they actually stood behind their product sold us on the brand, so when the new school year came around we picked up an Owala for everyone in the family. Everyone else went with the standard size. I'm the only one who opted for the 40oz, and every single bottle gets used daily.

Styles, colors, and the limited runs
Owala puts out a wide range of styles and colors, and if you follow them through their website, they run limited edition drops from time to time. We've seen some glow-in-the-dark releases that we're honestly tempted to grab just for fun.

Our favorite feature
The FreeSip spout is what sold us, you can sip through the built-in straw right where you drink, or tip it back and swig from the wide opening, whichever fits the moment. The bottle is genuinely easy to clean, which isn't a given with insulated bottles. Some of them are a real chore to keep fresh. The spout opening is large enough that you can dump in a handful of ice without it taking forever, and that same wide opening makes cleaning easier too. There's also a carry loop that folds flat into the lid when it's not in use, so it doesn't stick out and catch on anything, and it doubles as a lock so the button doesn't get bumped open by accident in a bag.

Is it worth the price
At $39.99 for the 40oz, it's not the cheapest water bottle out there, but it's not overpriced either given how well it actually works. Between the insulation, the build quality, and how Owala backs the product when something does go wrong, it's held up as a fair trade for what you get.

The Good
- Keeps drinks cold all day, which genuinely gets you drinking more water
- FreeSip spout lets you sip through the straw or swig from the wide opening depending on what you're in the mood for
- Wide mouth opening makes it easy to load up on ice and easy to clean
- Carry loop tucks away flat and doubles as a lock so the button doesn't get bumped open by accident
- Owala's warranty support came through without any hassle when our daughter's bottle failed
- Wide range of colors and styles, plus limited edition drops if you follow along
- Although we didn't customize our families, they offer text, art, or upload your own graphics as shown above


The Bad
- $39.99 for the 40oz is a real purchase, not an impulse buy, especially if you're outfitting the whole family
- The larger 40oz size is great for all-day use but isn't going to fit in every cup holder
- Limited edition colors sell out fast if you're chasing a specific style
- You may end up wanting more than one once everyone in the house sees how well it works


Grab one for yourself here: Owala FreeSip Stainless Steel Water Bottle