Stainless Steel vs Glass Water Bottles

Stainless steel water bottles and glass bottles are popular and both look great! When you’re choosing between these two types of water bottle, it’s really more a question of what you want the bottle for, and of course your own personal preference.

To help you to choose, we’ve had a look at both:

Who is the bottle for?

The thing about stainless steel water bottles is that they are probably a better choice for a child’s water bottle. While glass bottles are made of glass that’s not designed to shatter, and is also heat resistant, we think that many of you would feel less comfortable giving a child a glass bottle than a stainless steel bottle that’s very resilient to the rough and tumble of everyday life with a child!

Both bottles make excellent gifts because they look so good, far superior to any plastic water bottle. Glass bottles are largely designed for adults.

The environmental question

All of us are looking for ways to help sustain our planet, and plastic water bottles - or, worse still, single use plastic bottles - are certainly major causes of pollution in our landscape and in our seas. Plastic bottles take many, many years to break down and they litter our planet, putting our wildlife and marine life in danger, causing untold harm.

Both stainless steel water bottles and glass bottles have excellent environmental profiles. Both are recyclable easily in your regular recycling bin, and both are really good choices if you’re looking for an eco friendly bottle.

In the production of both glass and stainless steel, pollution is emitted, however with their excellent recycling capabilities and longevity, they are certainly a better environmental choice than plastic bottles.

Durability

It’s true that stainless steel is extremely durable and will go on giving good service for years if it’s looked after! It’s very resilient and will withstand knocks and bumps well, if you purchase a good quality bottle. It’s true that it can dent with very hard wear, but generally a good stainless steel bottle will be strong and durable.

Modern glass water bottles are also quite hard-wearing. However it’s unlikely that a glass water bottle will outlive a stainless steel one, they are just not as strong.

If you’re looking for a water bottle that could give you years of use, then stainless steel is the better option.

Weight

Neither are the lightest on the market, they are both slightly heavier than plastic or aluminium bottles; however both glass and stainless steel bottles are perfectly easy to carry around and use.

Glass bottles are generally slightly heavier than their stainless steel competitors, more of a weight to carry around in a bag, and consequently stainless steel is probably the better option for children.

Keeping drinks hot or cold

Lined stainless steel water bottles will keep drinks warm or cool for 10-12 hours, so if you’re going on a hike, or even just taking your bottle to work, you can be sure that your drink will remain refreshing throughout the day. Or if it’s a warm drink, it’ll still be warm when you want a break!

Glass bottles, on the other hand, unless fully insulated, don’t have the capability to keep drinks warm or cold, which can be a big disadvantage on a hot day when you want maximum refreshment!

Dishwasher safe?

Edging ahead with this one, glass bottles are dishwasher safe and most stainless steel water bottles are best hand washed due to their powder coating. So if you want a bottle that’s safe to go in a dishwasher, then a glass bottle is the best option.

Stainless steel bottles however are very simple to wash by hand, so there’s no real need for a bottle that’s dishwasher safe.

Which is healthier?

Stainless steel and glass are both free from chemicals, for example BPA, so they are a good option if you want a bottle that’s good for your health and the health of your child.

Check your bottle to see what the lid or spout is made of to be sure it’s free from BPA.

How they compare in looks

Stainless steel water bottles are usually powder coated, so they come in different colours and can be personalised. The powder coating gives the bottles a stylish look, and has the added benefit of giving the user some grip. Stainless steel water bottles have an architectural, classic look that’s pure and uncomplicated, meaning that they are eye-catching to look at in an understated way.

Glass bottles do certainly look enticing, with a feeling of purity because you can see the water contained inside. However they can’t come in the variety of colours that stainless steel bottles can, because by nature glass is transparent!

Glass bottles also have a more fragile, they just don’t have the down-to-earth practical look of stainless steel bottles.

How about the cost?

Stainless steel water bottles and glass ones are more expensive than plastic bottles initially. However, considering how long they will keep on giving you good service, they are definitely a better investment.

There isn’t much difference in general between the cost of glass and stainless steel bottles - both are certainly worth the price though when you consider their longevity. Stainless steel bottles probably have the edge here as they will be the more durable in the long term.

Each person ultimately has to choose their bottle according to preference, of course plastic bottles are initially cheaper and seem easier on the pocket when you’re watching your shopping bills, but looking towards the long term, stainless steel water bottles are probably the best value for money taking into account their potential lifespan.

Everyone is reaching for water bottles that are better for the environment, better for our health and better to look at. We are no longer satisfied with throw away plastic bottles, we all realise the damage that these single use bottles can do to our planet, and consequently they are simply not cool. Both glass and stainless steel water bottles are good options for the environmentally conscious consumer.

Love them or hate them, reusable water bottles are here to stay, and we think that stainless steel water bottles come out on top compared to glass ones. Purchase a stainless steel water bottle and you’ll be doing the planet a good turn, getting value for money, investing in durability, healthy drinking and practicality as well as good looks. There’s no real reason not to buy one!

Still need to know a bit more? Read our 10 benefits of using stainless steel water bottles

Wan't to learn even more about stainless steel bottles? Check out our in-depth guide here: Stainless Steel Water Bottles: Everything You Need To Know