The best smart water bottles of 2023

Among the plethora of “smart” things in this world—televisions, phones, speakers, and even entire homes—water bottles don’t come to top of mind. However, we think that can change, thanks to water bottles now having more capabilities other than “simple receptacle of many liquids.” Now, you can count how many ounces you’re chugging, get reminded to take a sip, and even get your filtered water to a new level of clean. The best smart water bottles make staying hydrated easy as they’re refilled and you’re fulfilled. 

The best smart water bottles: Reviews & Recommendations

Why it made the cut: This high-tech water bottle comes with a self-cleaning cap that uses the power of UV light to give your filtered water a purer taste and keep the bottle clean. 

Specs

• Cap options: PureVis self-cleaning cap, filter cap with flip top (doesn’t self-clean)
• Bottle sizes: 17 oz.; 25 oz.
• Self-cleaning?: Yes
• Water tracking: No

Pros

• Clean you can taste
• Sleek look
• Lightweight

Cons

• No water tracking
• Largest size is still relatively small
• MicroUSB vs. USB-C

Although water covers more than 70% of the Earth’s surface, only 3% is drinkable fresh water. Even deeper than that, only .5% of that drinkable fresh water is available, meaning it’s not locked in a glacier or the atmosphere. And water from public water systems isn’t guaranteed to be clean (hello, boil water advisories). Enter the LARQ PureVis bottle, which uses UV-C light to eliminate up to 99% of bio-contaminants (including E.Coli). And it self-cleans every two hours, meaning you don’t even need to think about having a musty water bottle. Double-vacuum insulation keeps things cool, even when you’re getting stress-sweats thinking about how only 3% of the world’s water is drinkable fresh water. 

The LARQ makes for a great travel water bottle as well, especially if you really want to make sure the bottled water you’re drinking is A-OK. Just make sure you fill it up after you pass through TSA security—you don’t want to get this fancy, pricey water bottle confiscated by a very strict agent before a flight. If you’re more active, consider the Movement PureVis bottle, which is uninsulated and lighter but has the same PureVis tech as the insulated version. 

At $99-$118, this water bottle is expensive, meaning it’s heartbreaking for you and your wallet if you misplace it, especially since you can’t use Bluetooth to track its location. And its capacity tops out at 25 oz.—practically a sip for those who drink water like a fish. There’s no hydration tracking, meaning it’s up to you to remember how much water you’ve imbibed. A pitcher version lets you get squeaky clean water you can put into your favorite gallon water bottles (or even the other smart water bottles on this list that focus on water intake tracking), but if you’re looking for UV cleaning and water tracking … sadly, this ain’t it!

The water problem, considering how things are going with the climate and public infrastructure, isn’t going away anytime soon. The LARQ PureVis bottle gives you more peace of mind that you’re not sipping on nasties. It’s not the only self-cleaning water bottle on our list, but it’s definitely the best. Read more of our thoughts on the LARQ.

Why it made the cut: This light-up water bottle uses the power of Bluetooth to keep track of how much water you’ve consumed. It even tells you how much water you should drink based on your height and weight. 

Specs

• Cap options: Chug or straw lid
• Bottle sizes: 17 oz.; 21 oz.; 32 oz.
• Self-cleaning?: No
• Water tracking: Yes

Pros

• Lots of size options
• Seamless water tracking
• Friendly UX with bottle and app

Cons

• Straw cap hard to sip out of
• Heavy
• Not self-cleaning

If you need the gently pulsing alarm clock version of a water bottle (aka, those bottles with the lines and cute phrases don’t cut it for you—someone with a mushy brain and short attention span caused by social media scrolling), consider the HidrateSpark PRO just that. It works with Bluetooth and a coordinating app to measure your water intake. All you need to do is set the bottle down, and the app automatically updates how close you are to your water goal. You can set that number yourself or allow the bottle to figure that out for you by entering your weight, height, elevation, and other metrics. Setup is super easy and takes less than five minutes, less than the time it takes to wash the bottle when you first get it in. The settings are also super robust: you can set when the bottle glows—every time you take a sip, when you meet your goal, both, or even … not at all! It’s similarly priced to other non-smart water bottles on the market, meaning you’re wallet won’t hurt as much compared to other options on this list. 

Why it made the cut: Practically all the same capabilities of the HidrateSPARK Pro bottle minus the price tag—and some of the cheapest smart water bottles you can buy. 

Specs

• Cap options: Chug or straw cap
• Bottle sizes: 20 oz.; 24 oz. 32 oz.
• Self-cleaning?: No
• Water tracking: Yes

Pros

Cons

• Not insulated
• Water intake only updated with phone tap

Sure, it’s not as packed with features as its PRO sibling, but the HidrateSpark TAP is an excellent option for someone who doesn’t want to spend too much money on a smart water bottle. It doesn’t update as often as the PRO because it lacks Bluetooth tech—it uses near-field communication (NFC) instead of Bluetooth, with a simple phone tap allowing you to update the app with how much you’ve sipped. It comes in insulated stainless steel if Tritan plastic isn’t your jam, comes in a sip top option, and lights up to remind you to drink (although you can’t customize that option; it’s preset at once an hour for 12 hours as soon as you turn the timer on). If you’re looking for a basic, budget-friendly smart water bottle, look no further. 

Here are other options we think are a cool drink of water:

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best smart water bottles

Smart water bottles are a great way to easily track how much water you drink daily, ensure your water doesn’t have any rogue bacteria, and self-clean for mustiness-free sipping. Our favorite smart water bottle is the LARQ PureVis Bottle, which kills potential bacteria in water for results you can taste. If you’re looking for an option to track hydration, we recommend the Hidrate SparkPRO Smart Water Bottle, which syncs seamlessly with incredibly customizable settings to boot. If the cheapest option is your goal, look no further than the HidrateSpark TAP Smart Water Bottle Chug Lid, the HidrateSpark’s formidable and budget-friendly sibling. 

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