Wow. I’ve ignored this blog long enough that I’ve started receiving hate mail! On Monday, a mysterious character using the screen name ”susan” kindly left me the following comment on my last post:
the frugality of this recipe grows more impressive with each repeated visit to your website … look, i understand it’s cheap but can’t we get another post soon enough here?
dining cheaply, thank you.
How charming. (Love you, Suze!)
Much to my chagrin, this lovely comment turned up in my email account during class (not that I ever check email in class or anything), and I barely contained my urge to laugh aloud. My wide smile was enough to call attention to myself as it was, given that only two other students are taking this senior seminar and that the professor happened to be lecturing on the finer points of APA style. Believe me, no one smiles at yet another review of ampersand and “et al.” usage.
Ah, summer school.
I hate summer school. More specifically, I hate 8 hours of homework a day. Not that I actually accomplish 8 hours of homework a day, because between driving to and from campus (it’s a bit of a hike!), attending the darn classes, grocery shopping, making dinner, and bare-minimum housework, I simply don’t have 8 hours a day to put my head in a book or in front of the computer screen. There’s also that pesky issue of preserving my relationship with my husband by, you know, talking to him every once in a while. So I don’t ever get all of the homework done, which leaves me with that horrible desperately-trying-to-catch-up feeling all the time.
That said, I’m incredibly thankful to have this opportunity to finish my degree, so don’t take my grumpiness too seriously. It’s only temporary.
Now, on to business: May I offer, dear disgruntled readers, an olive branch of a quick and dirty review of New Wave Enviro and Klean Kanteen stainless steel water bottles? Not very exciting, perhaps, but useful.
You’ve probably heard the news by now about Bisphenol-A (BPA), an endocrine disruptor, leaching out of the hard, clear polycarbonate plastic used to make Nalgene bottles and baby bottles. If you’re not yet familiar with the issue or simply want to learn more, go here for an excellent Green Guide article (it includes tips for avoiding BPA). Keep in mind, though, that this article was written two years ago and that significant discoveries have been made since then that have led Canada to ban BPA in baby bottles.
If you, like me, need to carry a water bottle around, consider ditching that Nalgene for a stainless steel version. Sigg, Klean Kanteen, and New Wave Enviro are the most popular brands. Swiss-made Sigg produces lots of cool-looking designs, and their bottles are readily available at Whole Foods. I chose not to buy a Sigg, however, because they’re made of aluminum with an interior coating. Call me paranoid, but I’m a little nervous about that interior coating getting worn and beginning to flake off, exposing me to the aluminum.
That leaves New Wave Enviro and Klean Kanteen. I bought one bottle of each in order to compare them, as you can see below. The 20 ounce New Wave Enviro sits on the left (red), and the 40 ounce Klean Kanteen sits on the right.
Of the two, Klean Kanteen is much more well known, but New Wave Enviro is less expensive. I wondered whether the price difference was mostly due to the name-brand factor. After a few weeks of using them both, I have concluded otherwise. In my experience, Klean Kanteen produces, hands-down, the superior product. Here are three reasons why.
1. I far prefer drinking from the Klean Kanteen bottle because of the mouth design. Here is the Klean Kanteen mouth:
See how it’s smoothly molded inside and out? There are no uncomfortable seams to be found. Contrast that with the New Wave Enviro mouth:
Can you see those seams? Here’s another shot:
This design makes the bottle quite uncomfortable for drinking. The edges catch your lips slightly, and the feel under the tongue is, well, awful. It feels like…aluminum foil on your teeth. Furthermore, there’s a strange metallic taste. Ick.
2. The Klean Kanteenbody seems to be made of heftier stainless steel, and its lid is more substantial too.
The Klean Kanteen lid is smooth, with large threads that are easy to align with the grooves in the bottle.
It’s also comfortable to hold, with plenty of room for chunky fingers, like mine. (Kindly overlook the overexposure in this photo. I’m still learning.) And yes, my fingers really are chunky. I wear a size 8 to 9 ring.
For comparison, here is the New Wave Enviro lid:
Maybe you can’t tell from the picture, but this lid seems cheap. The threads are small, the plastic has noticeable seams, and the carabiner clip is a joke, though it’s a cool idea.
3. The paint on the New Wave Enviro is thin and scratches easily.
Now, the Klean Kanteen bottles aren’t perfect either. I had heard a lot of complaints about denting, and I have experienced a small one so far.
Considering, though, that I’ve thrown this bottle around quite a bit, and that it took a full-force fall from 3 feet high when the bottle was full to create this dent, I’m not too worried. Also, like other stainless steel products, it shows fingerprints badly.
Bottom line: I love my Klean Kanteen. I carry it everywhere. It has become a part of me. The New Wave Enviro, on the other hand, has been sulking in the cabinet for a couple of weeks. Poor thing. Maybe my husband will take pity on it.
To purchase your own Klean Kanteen, you can visit Amazon or REI or look at Klean Kanteen’s listing of authorized retailers. I purchased mine through the REIwebsite, then had it delivered to my local store to avoid paying shipping charges. The company offers 12, 18, 27, and 40 ounce bottles, ranging in price from about $15 to around $25. They may cost a pretty penny, but I think the quality is worth the money. These bottles should last forever.
Cool, thanks for the review. I’ve been happily drinking daily from my lovely pink Nalgene ever since I bought it at Sun and Ski with Katie C. in December, but the news about BPA has been bugging me. I’ve held off buying a Sigg (though they are soooooo cute!) because I’m such a tightwad. I’ll probably break down and buy a Kanteen, though; I really don’t need any more endocrine issues.
(Actually, MIL is already bugging us for Christmas ideas…. methinks a couple bottles could make it on to the list!)
Oh, and have a lovely day tomorrow. Hope it’s wonderful.
haha, hooray!
your fingernails are perfect.
Toni,
Good idea to ask for them as Christmas presents! I want to get one for J, and I’d like some other sizes too. I’ll add them to the wish list.
Thanks for the birthday wishes!
Susan,
Why, thank you! I confess that I was impressed too. I saw the pictures and thought, “Gee, my fingernails don’t look half bad!” I still don’t see hand modeling in my future, but I am pleased with my fingernails’ progress. They are much stronger than they used to be. I wonder why exactly…
Oh man I am jealous I want a Kleen Kanteen so badly, but I am waiting and that will be my Christmas present to myself.
I love Kleen Kanteens. Thank you for the great review. I have been curious about the other brand, so this was very helpful. I even had a little one for my daughter (which, got run over by a car, and ruined). I will be replacing it for her in the near future.
Enna,
Hi there! Thanks for reading and commenting. I waited months and months before I finally took the plunge. They really aren’t spare-change kinds of buys. Just think, Christmas is less than 5 months away now! You’ll be sipping BPA-free before you know it.
Kimi,
It’s so hard to tell about the quality difference when ordering online. I fretted about the two brands for quite some time before I just bought them both. Sometimes more money=higher quality, and sometimes it doesn’t. Usually, it seems that it doesn’t, but this is an exception.
I definitely want those little stainless steel sippy cups when I have kids!
Hi webmaster!
Hi,
Great idea on comparing the two products. Love the pictures.
We often have people ask us about the price difference and this will be a great resource for them.
We sell Klean Kanteen and agree that they have the highest quality products available. Sometimes people forget that you get what you pay for.
I’ll add a link on our site to your blog entry.
Thanks
Joanne
PlasticFreeBottles.com
I found your site on technorati and read a few of your other posts. Keep up the good work. I just added your RSS feed to my Google News Reader. Looking forward to reading more from you down the road!
Joanne,
Thanks for the feedback. Yes, at least when it comes to these two brands, paying more up front is worth it. I appreciate the link!
Alex,
Great! And welcome! Hopefully I’ll be a bit busier on the blogosphere in the weeks and months to come than I have been over the past month. Thanks for reading!
Alison
Oh, Thanks! Really interesting. Big ups!
This is great!! I was about to buy the New Wave, and thought the cheaper (than Klean Kanteen) price was too good to be true. I am sticking with Klean Kanteen. Thanks for doing the legwork!
Sandy,
I’m so glad the post was helpful! Thanks for reading.
I was just debating whether to get the Klean Kanteen or the less expensive New Wave Enviro bottle. Thank you so much for taking the initiative to compare and share your experience. I knew I wanted the Klean Kanteen, but of course if there was a cheaper model I would have to reconsider. My mind is made up, I’ll spend the few extra dollars and enjoy it more.
Thanks for helping us make up our minds. Great review! Klean Kanteen wins!!
Great article! Thank you for putting in the effort for your audience. Our health retreat is in the middle of deciding which stainless steel bottle to use and it looks like we may be going with Klean Kanteen. I also agree with what you have stated about Sigg bottles. Unfortunately their brand reputation will continue to sell well despite the fact that Klean Kanteen bottles are a healthier choice.
Excellent post. Thanks so much for this–exactly the info I was looking for. Terrific photos to illustrate the points, as well. I’m ordering 3 right now!
Where do you fill your water bottles up while you are out? After you have emptyied it? Just curious.
Thanks
Thanks for the comparison. I’ve been looking at a few different brands and decided on the Kleen Kanteen mainly due to various recommendations. I’ve found them on sale at http://www.reusablebags.com. The 27oz stainless steel is on sale for $12.57. Others are marked down also. When you look at the colored ones be sure to look into the drop down box to see the sale price. I ordered (5) … different colors and sizes for stocking stuffers for the kids.
Ohhhhh! These inputs are incredible. Thanks for the inputs. I have been quite confused with all these various metal bottles in the market. Looks like the Klean Kanteen is my choice. Anyone knows how I can buy it in Singapore?
Klean Kanteen’s authorized international retailer in Singapore is:
http://www.singhealthstore.com
Just chanced upon this input. Thought those who are stainless steel bottle fans may be interested as well….a bit of old news (3rd Nov 2008)…
Risks Of Bisphenol A
FDA’s draft assessment of the controversial chemical is inadequate, a new report says
Britt Erickson
ref: http://pubs.acs.org/cen/news/86/i44/8644notw9.html
Looks like it is preaching to the converted. Will be interesting to see FDA’s reaction.
Great entry. I bought a New Wave Enviro over a Klean Kanteen and have also noticed the slight metallic taste, seamed mouthpiece, etc. My biggest complaint is that the cap never seals properly. If you over-tighten it, it pops loose again! My brother went with a 27 oz. Klean Kanteen and I’m thinking I’ll follow suit. It’s too bad – I think 20 oz is a great size!
I’ve had my 27 oz Kleen Kanteen since April, 2008. My sister gave it to me as a birthday present. Yay sis! At first, I didn’t use it very much, favoring my plastic cheapo Walgreens 40 oz because of the capacity (I drink a lot of water). The taste difference is very noticeable, especially when the water warms up. It still tastes good in the Kleen Kanteen while not so much in the plastic.
I’m about to order sippy cups for the kiddos and another 27 oz for the wife as soon as I research prices. I thought of the New Wave for a while, until I saw, held, and played with one. The lid felt flimsy and hard to get on/off. It also felt cheap and almost like a soda can. Plus the Kanteen has a bunch of lid options.
Thanks for the comparison!
-Mark in San Antonio
I sure wish the Sigg had a better mouth, and the klean kanteen sploshes on me all the time. I found out that not only does the Sigg (Aluminum) use a plastic lining, they won’t say what’s in it.
You can’t beat steel. Unlined. But as thin as the New Wave is, I’d worry about dents all the time.
The designs on Sigg are a little cute but futurebottle will be way cooler.
Klean Kanteens are good. I got one for Christmas, and just bought one for my girlfriend for her birthday, at http://www.waterbottlepeople.com
Good shipping prices, great customer service, would recommend to a friend.
joe
How does it compare with Earthlust?
Diane,
I have never tried Earthlust before. In fact, before your comment, I’d never even heard of them. But I Googled them, and they look great! Stainless steel, unlined, BPA-free lids, cool exterior designs, comparable price to Klean Kanteen. It also appears that the mouths are wide like Klean Kanteen. If you buy one of the Earthlust bottles, I’d be interested to hear what you think!
i purchased my kleen kanteen last year from ll bean, anyways i was reading backpacker this month and they advertised a new 2.0 sports bottle lid to fit anysize kanteen, they also have the older sports cap. while searching i also came across the built ny bottle covers, i’m buying one. I need to keep my diaper bag from getting wet and to prolong the life of my bottle, i’m a little clumsy. i don’t no if that helps with the water sloshing problem and the dents, the covers come in cute prints too. have a great day. healthegoods.com has the older sports cap for $1.45. not an expensive investment to improve your kanteen.
I LOVE my Klean Kanteens! I originally bought them for my daughters – when I heard the horror of plastic sippy cups I freaked out and bought a SiGG and a KK with the sippy cup top! Hands down the KK is much better. So durable, can go in the dishwasher AND the top is wide enough to put ice cubes in. Try that with a SIGG! We “temporarily lost” our SiGG with milk in it once and now it forever smells sour. What a waste! I know own three Klean Kanteens and we have graduated to the sport top. I like the screw top for myself. Great product!
Thank you so much for the review! I have been thrilled with my KK’s! We just got the new pink for my daughter and it is soo cute.
Wanted to share a site with you, http://www.thatsmypan.com they will personalize the KK’s they sell and you can send in a KK in another size and they will personalize them also. We got ours in and they are so cool!!
I did want to ask if you have had any expierence with Oggi bottles? I have seen them on ebay and amazon. Thinking of trying one out.
Thanks again for your work!
sandra
i have a new wave enviro 40 oz bottle and i am trying to find a comparison on it vs the kleen kanteen.
i agree that the 20oz NWE is not good. i bought one of those too and i think it is packed away somewhere. like you, i found the opening to be scratchy. what is that about..?
i bought both of mine at a local health food store where only NWE was sold. but i have to say i think that a more fair review would be of the KK vs NWE both in the 40oz size. the NWE 40oz has a rolled edge like the KK 40oz, but the thing i like better about the NWE is that the cap interior is also stainless steel. the KK cap is plastic which will mean that plastic would be touching the water. the stainelss steel cap, when screwed onto the stainless steel bottle makes a metal on metal noise that may bother some ppl.
thank you for the review!
~karrie
Just like to share that the Klean Kanteen, when dropped will be dented at the base. This makes them difficult to stand stably. I just flew from New York into Singapore with my new Klean Kanteen and dropped my bottle.
I am really so disappointed as I will not use the bottle with a dent. To my surprise, Klean Kanteens are available in Singapore at http://www.kooldepot.com. This time, I buy a matching BuiltNY insulating sleeve. It is really beautiful and fits like a glove. The neoprene material not only provides insulation to keep my water (with ice cubes) cold in the hot Singapore weather but also protects my bottle when I drop it again.
It is good to have a peace of mind.