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Which kind of reusable water bottle is best? We asked the experts.

Reusable water bottles can save carbon emissions and avoid plastic waste, but the material they’re made from can affect your health and the environment

(Illustration by Emily Sabens/The Washington Post; Shutterstock; iStock)
5 min

Reusable water bottles are having a moment, thanks, in part, to the viral thirst for stainless steel Stanley tumblers.

Drinking from a reusable bottle is likely to be healthier, more sustainable and, in the long run, cheaper than buying endless packs of disposable water bottles. That’s because the water in single-use bottles is chock-full of microplastics, and the bottles themselves are rarely recycled, often winding up in landfills or clogging waterways.

Over the years, the status of “it” bottle has changed hands between plastic Nalgene and steel S’well and Hydroflask. So which of these materials is the best choice for the health- or environmentally conscious hydrator?

We asked a group of health and sustainability experts to find out.

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