Staying hydrated is an elusive goal we’re all trying to perfect but, for one reason or another, are rarely achieving. Why is it so hard despite well-documented health benefits? Drinking eight glasses of water a day has been shown to flush out toxins, prevent headaches, boost your energy levels, improve your cardiovascular health, keep your skin clear, lubricate your joints, stimulate your muscles, and promote weight loss. Yet most of us don’t come anywhere close to hitting the recommended levels of water intake each day.
Fortunately, we live in a modern age where technology is making it increasingly easier to maintain a proper amount of hydration. Available in nearly every shape and form, smart water bottles are specifically designed to improve drinking habits — some light up, while others send smartphone notifications. Others simply make water taste better, encouraging us to drink more with refreshing, fruity flavors. If you’re wondering how to drink more water, check out this list of the best smart water bottles for each type of hydration goal.
DrinKup Smart Water Bottle
The DrinKup water bottle uses a high-tech smart lid to track your water intake throughout the day. It logs the time and number of ounces you drink in an easy-to-read companion app while the lid itself has a screen which displays your current stats. In addition to tracking when and how much you’re drinking, the bottle generates on ongoing hydration status in the form of a percentage that’s viewable via the lid — as well as in the app. This indicates your current hydration level based on your daily goal that’s calculated given your height and weight. When the number drops below 80 percent, the lid vibrates and flashes a heart icon to alert you to drink. It also sends an alert to your phone.
On top of tracking water quantity, it also tracks water quality — just turn the bottle upside down, wait for it to vibrate, and turn it back over. The lid displays the current water temperature so you know if it’s grown stale. The $69 stainless steel bottle is sleek and durable with user-friendly features and the ability to sync with other apps such as Apple Health and Fitbit.
Hidrate Spark 2.0
The Hidrate Spark 2.0 is simple — it works by glowing every time you should be drinking water. The system calculates your water needs in the companion app based on your height and physiology, then lights up throughout the day to remind you to take a swig. A Bluetooth-enabled microprocessor sensor underneath the lid tracks how much you consume while the companion app delivers your stats. The device is powered via two coin cell batteries which means you don’t have to routinely charge it.
The 24-ounce bottle, which comes in six color options, syncs with a host of apps and fitness trackers including the Fitbit Versa, Apple Watch, Apple Health, Google Fit, Under Armour Record, and Nokia Health Mate. It’s made of BPA-free Tritan plastic and is fully dishwasher safe although the removable sensor has to be detached each time. Overall, it’s a nice mid-range choice for just $55 that gets the job done.
Hidrate Spark 2.0
Hydra Techbottle
Built with plenty of smart features, this high-tech gadget is a water bottle, power bank, lantern, and mini Bluetooth speaker all in one. The water bottle portion holds 20 ounces of fluid and syncs with your phone to offer soothing sounds like the ocean surf or summer rain when falling asleep. A rechargeable 5-watt Bluetooth speaker sits on the lid which also syncs to your phone to play music while working out or moving around town. If you don’t have a smartphone, the speaker can also connect via a regular headphone jack, or work on its own as an FM radio — it even lets you take hands-free phone calls.
If you camp with the device, it provides a built-in lantern which delivers a soft glow around the campfire. Switch it into flashing red mode and you have an emergency light for survival situations. Best of all, you can use the bottom portion as a power bank to charge your phone. However, the downside of this $60 device is that it doesn’t have hydration alerts and the water bottle won’t keep fluids as cold as some stainless steel options.
Hydra Techbottle
Bellabeat Spring
Made by the same company as the Bellabeat Leaf fitness tracker, the Spring features a unique set of body metrics it analyzes to determine your recommended daily water consumption. In addition to basic info such as your age, height, and weight, it also considers your activity level, local weather, and if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. Though designed with women in mind, the 16-ounce water bottle is perfectly suited for men.
To use it, simply drink like you normally would throughout the day and shake left-to-right when finished to sync it with its companion app. It then sends smartphone reminders when it’s time to hydrate and also features a secure data backup so you won’t lose your metrics if something happens to your phone. At $89, it’s one of the pricier options, however, it has a sleek aesthetic and boasts one of the fastest sync times, making it worth the extra dough if drinking more water is a top health priority for you.
The Right Cup
Rather than motivating you with hydration alerts or attached gizmos, this smart water bottle gets you excited about drinking water by essentially tricking you into thinking it’s flavored. Aimed at people who don’t like the taste of regular water, it infuses the BPA-free plastic with different scented flavors of your choice including mixed berry, orange, apple, peach, cola, and grape.
The idea is that it feels more flavorful, allowing you to achieve the sensation of drinking juice or soda without the sugar or harmful chemicals. Based on the premise that roughly 80 percent of taste derives from your sense of smell, it lets your nose detect the aroma, making your tongue believe it’s drinking something more savory. You can purchase a single bottle of your favorite flavor, or purchase a variety of combination packs. The scent on each bottle lasts several months, provided you store it upside down as its instructions recommend.
