SIGG or Stainless Steel Water Bottles?

I have been thinking a lot lately about reusable water bottles, ever since watching the documentary, Tapped. After doing a little research, I decided it is time to upgrade from the plastic and mystery metal freebies I've been drinking out of lately, and get something that is both safe and practical for my lifestyle.

I celebrated my 30th birthday last week. I decided this year to take the money that friends and family gave me as gifts and actually buy myself things that I would like to have rather than put it in the checking account like I usually do.

The first purchase I made was on amazon.com, where I found the best prices on two brands of water bottles that I wanted to buy and compare. I picked out a brand new SIGG bottle, as well as a Kleen Kanteen.

SIGG

My Newest SIGG Bottle!

I've had 2 different SIGG bottles in the past. Both of them were destroyed when I left them in my car overnight during the cold Wisconsin Winters, and the water inside them froze and as the ice expanded the walls of the bottle burst open. The last bottle I owned was a year or two ago, and I'm excited to have a new one again!

I like SIGG because they have beautiful and artistic designs that you can use to really express yourself while carrying around your water all day. I like the "loop" top (as pictured above), but the ABT top is a nice option for when you need quick sips too. I love that they have the BPA-free lining now, (the newer bottles with the yellow lining are safe, the older gold ones are not!). And finally, because the brand is fairly well known, I love that people will see me carrying it and know I'm making a statement about drinking out of non-plastic reusable containers.

The downsides of SIGG bottles is that they can be a little inconvenient to clean because of the small opening, but I solved that by buying a SIGG Cleaning Brush years ago. They are dishwasher safe, though my last couple bottles claimed that hand-washing will prolong the life of my bottle and the liner inside. I DO NOT RECOMMEND using SIGG bottles for hot liquids, as the metal will conduct heat and become very hot to the touch.

Kleen Kanteen

In 2004 when the first Klean Kanteen bottle was released, the only other options out there were polycarbonate plastic bottles or aluminum bottles lined with plastic resin or epoxy (like the SIGG bottles).

My Kleen Kanteen!

Klean Kanteen wanted to give consumers a safe, healthy, BPA-free alternative to plastic, a bottle that's reusable, environmentally sustainable and durable enough to last a lifetime. They chose to make a bottle from high-quality, 18/8, food-grade stainless steel, which they claim is one of the healthiest and most durable materials available.

Some of the key features that set Klean Kanteen® apart include easy to clean rounded corners and threads; high quality, food-grade materials that are BPA-free and don't retain or impart flavors; and durable, all-stainless construction including bottle threads.

They also set up their company and manufacturing to be environmentally responsible and sustainable from the beginning. They oversee our manufacturing every step of the way, from the sourcing of the basic materials to the retail floor and they're constantly working to cut waste and operate more efficiently. Read more about their sustainability efforts.

Kleen Kanteen was preferred by several of the reviewers of SIGG bottles on amazon.com, so I thought I'd spend a little of my birthday money and check it out for comparison!

According to their FAQ webpage, you still can't freeze them, but if you have a double walled insulated bottle, you can transport hot liquids in them, and even use them on stove tops!  

The biggest questions for me: 

Which is safer, the Stainless Steel in my Kleen Kanteen or the Aluminium in my SIGG bottle?

While I still am not sure which brand I'll ultimately end up with, I did find information on the topic. According to Kleen Kanteen's website:

"While aluminum is lightweight, it can leach harmful substances and chemicals when it gets hot or comes in contact with anything acidic. Studies have also linked aluminum exposure to Alzheimer's disease. To ensure that the drinks inside aluminum bottles are safe, the bottles must be lined with something.

The most common materials used to line aluminum bottles include plastic resins or baked-on epoxy, both of which can leach BPA and other harmful chemicals or can get scratched, exposing the aluminum underneath. Ceramic is another material used to line aluminum bottles, but it's more rigid and can crack.

Of even greater concern is the fact that many companies won't release information about what the liner on their aluminum bottles is actually made from. The liner can also retain flavors, which can make your drinks taste funky.

The stainless steel used to make Klean Kanteens® is time-tested, safe and completely free of BPA, phthalates, lead and other harmful substances. It's fine for acidic beverages or foods, and doesn't retain or impart flavors. That's why it's the material most commonly used in food preparation and by the brewing and wine-making industries."

The first paragraph above makes me a little nervous about cleaning my SIGG bottle in the dishwasher! The Kleen Kanteen site claims that the bottles are dishwasher safe, except for some of the plastic caps. Until I get the Kleen Kanteen, I won't know if it will be any easier to clean than the SIGG though, so the jury is still out on that issue.

Both the SIGG and Kleen Kanteen bottles will probably have issues with sweating, so to solve that problem, I added a fun rainbow striped neoprene water bottle sleeve to my order!  I love that it has a snap built into the handles so I can hook it onto my purse, lunch bag, a tote, belt loop, or whatever!

I'm a little nervous about the openings on the bottom corner, but hopefully there won't be too much of an issue.

To wrap things up here, I'd like to mention that I started this post wanting to talk about why everyone should want to run out and buy a SIGG bottle like the ones I've enjoyed using in the past. However, through my research, I'm starting to wonder if I may just end up converting over to stainless steel bottles like Kleen Kanteen! I'll follow up after I've had a chance to use both, but in the meantime, I'd love to hear about the types/brands of water bottles that others use. I'm especially curious about anyone who uses them for their kids instead of plastic sippy cups & bottles!