How The Material Of Your Water Bottle Affects The Taste

Have you ever taken a swig from a water bottle and thought the water tasted metallic, flat, or otherwise unusual? There are plenty of reasons why that's the case — maybe your water bottle needs a thorough cleaning or the water inside came from a source with taste-altering substances. But you could be tasting a difference in water from different bottles because of the water bottle itself — specifically the materials it's made from.

You can find reusable water bottles everywhere, from dollar stores to hardware stores, at Target, and everywhere in between. We've seen luxury water bottles branded by Prada, Kate Spade New York, and Dior. And they come in all sorts of materials: glass, various types of plastic, aluminum, and stainless steel, just to name a few of the popular ones. Some water bottles also have a layer of Epoxy resin coating the inside. And some of these materials change the taste of your water when you pour it into the bottle because of various chemical reactions.

Some of these reusable water bottles even offer a two-stage taste change. Your water first tastes different because of the plastic coating the inside of the bottle sheds into the water. That layer disintegrates over time, exposing the material beneath, which again changes the taste.

We love that reusable water bottles are convenient, environmentally friendly, and help you skip the debate about which bottled water brand is better. But there are some that can leave a funny taste in your mouth, thanks to the materials from which they are made. Take aluminum water bottles, for example, which can make water taste metallic. Aluminum bottles must be lined, too, and that lining degrades over time, meaning your water will get infused with plastic particles as it sits in the bottle.

Glass water bottles won't change the taste of your water, because glass is a nonreactive material. It doesn't shed and most of them are dishwasher safe, plus you can accessorize with a silicone sleeve that serves as a good grip for the bottle. We love the 32-ounce Motivational Tumbler from FLUBEVY, with a straw and a spout, and a time marker that'll help you keep track of how much water you drink through the day.

Other types of water bottles that don't impact the taste of your water are silicone water bottles, like the 26-ounce Nefeeko collapsable water bottle (great for backpacking!), and good quality stainless steel versions, like the vacuum-insulated Hydro Flask. There are some versions that may or may not change the taste of your water. Those made from plastic could change the taste of the water a bit, but they are lightweight. You'll also find reusable water bottles on the shelves like Kamojo's 100% pure hammered copper water bottle that are beautiful, flashy, and billed as healthy, but they may leave a slight copper taste in your water.