Pros and Cons of Stainless Steel Water Bottles

A while ago I decided to make an investment in a new reusable water bottle but today there are so many options, so many brands to choose from. I started to think about what kind of material I would want, plastic was clearly out so I focused on the stainless steel options, but what exactly are the pros and cons of stainless steel water bottles?

The pros of Stainless Steel Water Bottles are that they are eco-friendly, lightweight, visually appealing, and chemical free to name a few. The cons of Stainless Steel Water Bottles are that they can cost more, may be harder to find as well as being prone to dents if accidentally dropped.

Below is a quick lookup table where I’ve featured the most common pros and cons of glass water bottles. Of course, I like to get into the detail so continue reading if you’d like to know more.

ADVANTAGES OF STAINLESS STEEL WATER BOTTLES	DISADVANTAGES OF STAINLESS STEEL BOTTLES
Eco Friendly	Fragility
Chemical Free & Safe	Cost
Taste & Odor Neutrality	Availability
Lightweight	Insulation
Visual Appeal	Plastic Accessories

By the way, if you’re planning to travel in and wonder what the rules are about flying with a stainless steel bottle I’d encourage you to read my article “Can You Bring a Metal Water Bottle on a Plane?” next.

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Advantages (Pros) of Stainless Steel Water Bottles

1. Environmental Friendliness – Reducing Plastic Bottles

Clearly moving to reusable stainless steel bottles will reduce the use of single-use plastic bottles but there are more eco-friendly benefits to consider.

Steel as a material is a metal which is endlessly recyclable with many water bottles now being made from recycled steel.

This comes with another pro which won’t be realised until it’s time to say goodbye to your trusty water bottle. When it does come time to replace your stainless steel water bottle you’ll be safe in the knowledge that it can be fully recycled and not end up in landfill.

2. Chemical-Free and Safe

As with glass bottles by choosing a stainless steel bottle you’ll be avoiding any chance of chemical leaching into the water inside.

We’ve all heard of BPA, a chemical that until recently was used in the manufacturer of bottled water. In the case of some plastic bottles, this chemical would shift from the plastic bottle to the water it contained after which was drunk by the consumer – not great!

Although BPA free plastic bottles are much less common now stainless steel water bottles avoid this problem altogether because stainless steel is an inert material which essentially stops the transfer of chemicals.

It is worth noting that stainless steel is graded and so when choosing a water bottle you should look for a bottle made from food-grade steel.

For information, 304/18-8 grade steel is the most common graded steel used in the food industry so if you can find a bottle of this grade you can be sure it will be safe to use.

3. Taste and Odor Neutrality

Non-porous materials do not hold on to odours so unlike bottles made from plastic stainless steel water bottles do not smell of previous drinks if washed regularly.

With plastic, it’s always been a thing that as you drink water from a bottle you can still taste and smell the previous beverage that the bottle contained, like a strong juice flavour for example. this might even be a drink you had weeks ago and this is because the strong flavour has been left behind in the porous surface of the bottle.

With stainless steel water bottles, this just doesn’t occur, I have put some quite strong juices in my bottle and I can assure you I’ve never tasted past the actual time I drank it.

Stainless steel is such a great material for water bottles.

4. Stainless Steel is Lightweight

I think one of the biggest benefits of stainless steel water bottle is its weight. You might think that being made from metal would make the bottles weight a disadvantage however Stainless steel is light and in particular, bottles made from stainless steel, even if they are double-walled can be very light indeed.

This makes these types of water bottles ideal for various activities such as walking, hiking and cycling as well as being good for kid’s school lunches.

5. Visual Appeal and Customisation

Design and how an object looks is incredibly important to many of us and water bottles made of stainless steel do not disappoint.

Stainless steel as a material in my opinion makes beautiful products with a dull sheen providing a sense of style and quality that you just can get from plastic.

It’s becoming commonplace now for water bottles made from stainless steel to be customised.

Engraving a person’s name is an example of customisation.

Or perhaps a business providing its staff with a water bottle with the company logo etched on the side.

The customisation of stainless steel water bottles is now big in the gifting industry.

Disadvantages (Cons) of Stainless Steel Water Bottles

1. Bottle Fragility

Now this con is a difficult one because as you can imagine a bottle made from metal is going to be incredibly durable and long-lasting and so it could have easily made it onto the pros list.

However, I’ve listed this as a disadvantage simply because steel water bottles are prone to dents if you are unfortunate enough to drop them at the wrong angle.

Most quality water bottles are much better nowadays than they were but this is still an issue for these types of bottles.

The other point to mention is depending on how you use and store them, your stainless steel water bottles can sometimes attract hairline scratches.

Whilst unlike a water bottle made from plastic, these scratches can usually be buffed out using special cleaner but it’s not something everyone is keen to do.

2. Cost

Like glass water bottles stainless steel bottles tend to cost more mainly due to the manufacturing process and the materials used.

Water bottles made from plastic for example will usually be much as plastic is cheap to make.

Another reason that the cost is usually higher is down to the quality and design of the water bottle.

As we know a good, quality brand like Black+Blum can demand a higher cost but as with anything, you get what you pay for and I would rather pay a little more to avoid plastic alternatives.

3. Availability

In general, due to the cost, water bottles made from stainless steel do tend to be less available than their plastic alternatives.

This is really only an issue in a physical shop as the stainless steel range may be much smaller.

If you’re buying online then it may just take you a little more browsing time but in the end, every stainless steel option is quite literally at the end of your fingertips.

4. Insulation

One of the downsides of any metal is that it’s a good conductor of heat and stainless steel it no exception.

Just like the first disadvantage around bottle fragility, insulation should really be a pro and con.

The manufacture of stainless steel water bottles has come a long way, but it was not that long ago when keeping hot liquids for any length of time in stainless steel bottles just wasn’t possible.

But with the introduction of insulated stainless steel bottles, it’s now possible to keep cold drinks cold and hot drinks hot for hours at a time making your daily commute much more bearable.

If you do decide to go for a non-insulated stainless steel bottle just bare in mind that it’s going to perform much better with cold drinks and hot ones.

5. Steel Bottle – Plastic Accessories

It’s not particularly common however I have seen some water bottles made from stainless steel but have plastic accessories.

If made from plastic, the mouth accessories such as the spout or straw, or perhaps the carrying handle is most likely not recyclable. At least it cannot go in the normal household recycling bin.

So when you buy your stainless steel water bottle just make sure that all the components of the bottle are recyclable.

Common FAQs

Do Stainless Steel Water Bottles Rust?

As a general rule, stainless steel water bottles will not rust. Stainless steel is a mixture of iron and chromium and it’s the chromium atoms at the surface of the steel that stops the bottle from rusting. In rare cases where the stainless steel is damaged rust can appear.

You can also help to prevent stainless steel water bottles from rusting by following these tips:

• Avoid using harsh chemicals on your water bottle.
• Rinse your water bottle thoroughly after each use.
• Clean your water bottle regularly with soap and water.
• Dry your water bottle thoroughly after cleaning.
• Store your water bottle in a clean, dry place.

Are there Health Risks with a Stainless Steel Water Bottle?

As a general rule, there are no known health risks with a stainless steel water bottle. The non-porous property of stainless steel helps to stop the build up of bacteria within the bottle and the non-reactive property reduces the chances of chemical leaching.

Where possible always choose a bottle made from 304/18-8 food grade stainless steel.

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