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You may be ready to give your disposable-water-bottle habit the old heave-ho, but picking a reusable beverage container to sip from can be a tricky proposition, especially with so much talk swirling around bisphenol A (BPA), an endocrine disruptor said to leach from polycarbonate plastics (typically marked with the recycling code #7). With that in mind, we combed around for some safer, BPA-free alternatives, including bottles made from aluminum, stainless steel, and a new material called Tritan copolyester.
Direct from Switzerland, SIGG bottles are made from tough, virtually unbreakable aluminum, and lined with a proprietary internal coating that is resistant to fruit-juice acids, energy drinks, alcohol, and almost every other consumable beverage. The company says its products exceed U.S. Food and Drug Administration requirements and have been tested to ensure absolutely zero leaching.
In addition to its range of eye-catching designs, SIGG bottles also bear the distinction of being 100 percent recyclable. Prices start at $15.99 for a 10-ounce kid's bottle. ::SIGG
Durable and rust-resistant, stainless-steel Klean Kanteens are made "responsibly" in China, according to the company. They're available in four sizes: 12 ounces, 18 ounces, 27 ounces, and 40 ounces.
One feature we like is the Sippy Spout and Adapter, an inexpensive pair of accessories made from non-leaching polypropylene #5 plastic, which converts any 12-ounce Klean Kanteen bottle into a sippy cup. Prices start at approximately $13.65 for the smallest size. ::Klean Kanteen
Made from BPA-free food-grade plastic, both the Filtered Sport Bottle (CAD$12.49) and the Bio-Filtered Hiking Bottle (CAD$33.99) come equipped with a two-stage filtration system that will treat up to 80 gallons of water, or approximately three months of normal use. The filter removes chlorine, unpleasant tastes and odors, plus heavy metals such as lead, mercury, and copper.
Not a fan of plastic? You can also get the SIGG-like 20-ounce stainless-steel bottle for CAD$9.99, or a 32-ounce stainless-steel canteen for CAD$12.99. ::The Water Geeks
Stainless-steel-lovers can find more options at Guyot Designs, another company that says it holds its Chinese manufacturer to high standards of worker safety, health, and compensation. You get your choice of four wide-mouth designs: The Standard (38 ounces), the Shorty (24 ounces), the Commuter (24 ounces), and the Backpacker (32 ounces).
As a result of Guyot Designs' participation in the Environmental Resources Trust's C-Minus program, each bottle sold comes bundled with enough greenhouse-gas offsets to render each product "carbon-negative." Prices start at around $19.95. ::Guyot Designs
Although most of Camelbak's water bottles are made from polycarbonate plastic, the company recently introduced a line made from a new BPA-free and phthalate-free material known as Tritan copolyester.
Appropriately dubbed the Better Bottle, this design comes in three sizes and five colors. Each bottle retails at roughly $9. ::CamelBak
Difficulty level: Easy
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