I have purchased a number of water bottles to try. This 32 ounce stainless steel Brita bottle is the one for me. First of all, the size is generous yet the bottle feels more compact and portable than other similar sized bottles. It doesn't feel like a huge bottle to me. It is bigger than what will fit in my cup holder in the car, but I still find it to be compact enough to be considered portable. I was looking for a bottle that is insulated so that it will keep my water cold for longer. I wanted to be able to filter water so that funky fountain water or tap water lost most of its funny taste, yet I didn't need something so crazy to filter river water or muddy water. I also wanted a water bottle that would hold a fairly generous amount of water so that I wasn't refilling all the time. The way that I use this bottle is that I fill with ice in the morning and then sip the cold water. There are times when I will run out of water yet I still have ice. Then I just find a sink or fountain, refill, and go again. Ice stays in the bottle all day, and my water is cold all day also. I have had ice in the bottle 24 hours later, so I feel that it does keep the water cold all day. My transition from soft drinks to water has occurred over about six months, but now I find that I am drinking water all throughout the day. I don't measure my water intake, but I sip my water throughout the day. I fill my bottle 2-3 times a day. This is in addition to what I drink at lunch and dinner. I do not have issues with my water bottle leaking, EXCEPT when I over fill the bottle. Then when I am screwing the lid on the bottle, there is water that overflows and leaks from the cap. Once the overflow is gone, the bottle does not leak. I don't run my bottle through the dishwasher although if you feel comfortable running your insulated tumblers through the dishwasher, you might not mind running this one through as well. I wasn't sure at first how I felt about the straw and sipping instead of being able to chug my water; however, as it turns out, that wasn't really a concern at all. I don't consider it difficult to draw up the water to drink through the straw as some have indicated. On the whole, this insulated water bottle has emerged the leader of the pack for me. It feels solidly made. It is generous in size and, starting the day with ice in the bottle, keeps me in cold drinking water all day. It doesn't leak and isn't easy to spill. It isn't unwieldy to carry and doesn't sweat. I definitely feel that I am doing a small part to help the environment since I am decreasing my use of plastic single-use water bottles. There is nothing about this bottle that is a negative for me. Update: I have been using this bottle daily for more than six months. From dawn to dark, I have this bottle with me everywhere I go. I quit drinking soda altogether and truly crave my ice cold water. My bottle has a few dings from being dropped a few times, but it’s still going strong. It still keeps my water cold for 24 hours. I don’t have any odd discoloration or moldy spots on the mouthpiece. Finding replacement filters has been exceptionally easy, and I have a bi-monthly reminder on my calendar to replace my filter. I love the carry loop, which makes this slightly larger bottle highly portable. Ultimately, I can see the “fail” will occur on the cap hinges, as my bottle already has hairline fractures on each hinge. I tried the 20 ounce bottle, and it simply does not hold enough water for me. I purchased a cup holder extender, so now I can rest my bottle in a cup holder while traveling. It isn’t a matter of if I would buy this bottle again but when I will buy another one. This is not a purchase I regret making. My only regret will come if I need this bottle again and can no longer purchase one. For my hydration, I need this bottle (and filter), ice, and tap water.
