Clean Bottle

Posted: 07/12/2010 In Category(s): Reviews :: Product Reviews

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Our cabinets, they floweth over with water bottles -- big, small, wide, narrow, short, tall, metal, plastic…. Bottles seem to be like rabbits around here, as we’re sure they are in other sporty households.

So we were a bit skeptical when we heard a few months ago about yet another water bottle being introduced -- the Clean Bottle.

What made it different was a screw-off bottom. Other than that, it’s your basic plastic bike/sport bottle. Still, we’re testers of products for goodness sake, so we thought we’d give it a try.

The concept is that you can easily clean the gunk, slime and green growth (yuck) at the bottom of your bottle without the hassle of trying to reach into it -- and maybe not being able to get at it. Now, we don’t tend to let sports drinks and other growth-producing liquids languish in our bottles. When we are done with a ride, run, hike, paddle or whatever, we open the bottle and dump out any residual stuff, giving it a good rinse and sometimes a hot-water-and-soap swirl. That’s always done the job -- sometimes keeping the bottle around our overflowing cabinets for more years than it should stay.

But for those who tend to leave sugary concoctions in bottles, perhaps even on their bikes, for awhile, we suppose this could be the answer to the science experiments that have their origins there. Or if you are just a germ freak and simply can’t stand the thought of a plastic bottle without a good daily scrub, this could be your dream come true.

An unexpected advantage of having the removable base, we discovered, was how quickly the bottle dried after a use. Instead of hanging out on the counters with droplets of water in them for days sometimes, we removed the bottom and by the next morning all the water was gone. Heck, stick a towel through it -- much easier with the bottom off -- and it’d be dry in a snap.

Now, what we really didn’t like is how hard the plastic nozzle was -- really hard, like it hurt our teeth a bit to pull it out and suck down some water. Pushing it back in with anything but your hand was out of the question unless you wanted your dentist (or mother) to yell at you. And it took a real push to get it to close securely -- we didn’t get it closed a couple of times and had water all down our backs when carrying it in a waist belt for a run (luckily, it was warm water and didn’t matter).

In addition, if you are a weight freak, the bottle, due to the screw-bottom construction, is a bit heavier than most at 4.25 ounces. Other standard no-frills, 20- to 22-ounce bottles weigh closer to 3 ounces. Add a few bells and whistles like ‘biner handles or a lining and they can creep up to 3.5 to 3.75 ounces. But if you are a minimalist, the extra smidgen may not be your cup of tea. 

The plastic is also a bit stiff and takes a harder squeeze to get your fluid fix. But basics like stiff plastic or hard nozzle rubber could just be a matter of a first run on the bottles that will get tweaked over time.

All in all, it’s a good idea for those who are bothered by germy or wet bottles and don’t care about weight.

SNEWS® Rating: 3.5 hands clapping (1 to 5 hands clapping possible, with 5 clapping hands representing functional and design perfection)

Suggested retail: $9.95 (10 percent is donated to eco-friendly charities)

For more information: www.cleanbottle.com