When PlanetBox, the makers of those uber popular stainless-steel lunch boxes, asked if I’d like to check out their new Bottlerocket water bottle, I didn’t even blink before saying yes. I recently ditched juice boxes from my kids’ lunches to save a little money and cut down on their sugar intake, which means they now fill and pack their own water bottle every day. So I’m always looking for the exact perfect one.
However at $28, this is probably one of the priciest water bottles I’ve seen for kids — a good $10 more than the popular Klean Kanteen bottle. So I really wanted to determine whether it’s worth it.
In a word: Yes. For some people. Here’s why.
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Truly, the Bottlerocket has been one of the lowest maintenance water bottles we’ve ever owned, which is wildly helpful for me as a busy mom of four. No spills or leaks to clean up, no tiny parts to scrub (and attempt to disinfect), and well, that all adds up for me.
As for my kids, my daughter loves it and asks for it specifically, meaning I know she can use it again next year and then pass it down to her sister.
Parents will be glad this water bottle only has a few parts: The stainless steel body, along with a plastic base you have to pop on yourself, plus the spout and the top. As you might guess, this makes cleaning ridiculous easy, something that has always been an issue when I’m using cups with tiny spouts or worse, straws — as any of us who have ever discovered mold in a water bottle straw can tell you. Ew.
Now with such a wide spout, you might think that it’s prone to leaking, but thanks to a very smart latch cap — which stays open when drinking by the way — it doesn’t leak at all.
In fact, kids can open and close the latch all on their own, which is awesome.
I find the Bottlerocket is sized perfectly for little hands, your car’s cup holder, and the Planet Box lunch bag (of course), and it’s supposed to keep drinks cold up to 12 hours. From what I can tell, it doesn’t sweat, which, is a very good thing as we get into the warmer months and the accompanying icy cold drink requests. Evidently it can be used for warm liquids too, though I honestly can’t imagine putting soup in there.
Are kids drinking hot tea these days?
Now of course even despite all the benefits, plenty of parents will flinch at a $28 price tag, and I don’t blame you. But when you think about it, it turns out to be cheaper than having to buy two (or more) $18 water bottles when the first one fails.
Do I wish it held more liquid? Yes, so maybe they’ll launch a larger size for older kids, because I imagine more parents would be more likely to spend that kind of money knowing that it won’t be outgrown by a preschooler in a few years. In fact, I think this one is best for preschoolers and early elementary-aged kids, considering the size and the look of it. (My 8-year old would consider it a little babyish.)
But overall, my daughter is drinking more water, I’m doing less cleaning, and I might actually be saving money because I’m not buying a new water bottle every few months. Or those juice boxes.
You can purchase the new Bottlerocket water bottle at PlanetBox.
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