My 30-Day Journey with Ocean Bottle: What I Learned
Drinking water is essential to keeping us hydrated, but with different materials and styles of bottles, choosing the right one can be difficult. Recently, I changed water bottles as my old one was losing the paint, damaged and difficult to clean. After some considerations, I selected the Ocean Bottle and throughout this review I will explain why, and what I think of the bottle after a month of use.
Read on to find out.
Who it suits
- Anyone looking for a sleek water bottle
- Anyone looking for the possibility of a modular design
Who It Doesnāt
- Anyone does not like metal water bottles
- If you are on a budget
About The Bottle
- Price: Ā£35 (Ā£39 for the Ground Truth collaboration)
- Height: 95 mm
- Width: 200 mm
- Depth: 70 mm
- Weight: 256 grams
Ocean bottles are available as water bottles and drinking cups, or as a hybrid using their modular design. Ocean Bottle has worked with brands like Passenger Clothing and Groundtruth to create different colours or designs and offer a range of distinct colours on their official site.
The Ocean Bottle company states that every one sold funds the collection of 1000 ocean bound plastic bottles with further removal offered through their app, which I will discuss in a dedicated section later.
Unlike some bottles, the Ocean Bottle features a dual opening system, making cleaning easier, or adding ice to keep drinks cold. Lastly, the bottle features a modular design, meaning you can put on their brew or on the go lid on.
Specifications
The company claims their dual walled bottle, as they offer a single walled option, will keep drinks cold for 18 hours and your warm drinks hot for 6. The bottle features a NFC chip in the base which can be used with their app, and a silicone carry handle which I find myself using to carry the bottle.
Ocean Bottle Product Video
Teaser trailer showing the bottle at kick-starter before its official launch
Aesthetics
Personally, I find the Ocean Bottle sleek due to its minimal design. Unlike my previous bottle, which had a printed design, the lack of it helps maintain the product's longevity and clean form. Each bottle had no worded branding visible, with just an infinity symbol on one side.
Ease of Cleaning
The bottle is easy to clean in my opinion, and the company offers a short video showcasing the cleaning of the bottle as well as a webpage for different cleaning methods. What is great is the wide opening allows easy cleaning for handwashing, allowing you to easily see any marks inside. Alternatively, the bottle can go in the dishwasher.
Eco Credentials
With a 10-year guarantee, and replacement parts available, the Ocean Bottle should last the test of time and minimise the chances of you needing to buy a replacement. Their water bottle is quoted to be made from 65% recycled materials, including 90% recycled stainless steel.
Ocean Bottle App
The Ocean bottle comes with a free app available on iOS and Android where bottles with the NFC chip can be added.
As an iPhone user, I will discuss how the app looks on iOS as there might be features not cross compatible. Requiring a username and email (no password) you can track how many refills you have done of your bottle and add the amount of water you have drank to the Apple Health app for iOS. While it is not exact as it is based on how many refills you do, some people may benefit from this approach, combined with motivational streaks.
Adding a bottle to the app is easy, and from there each time you refill your bottle, tap the NFC chip in the bottle against your phone. The company claims each refill removes 5 plastic bottles with details such as the location and date of collection.
What I find confusing is when I refilled my bottle and used the app, I was told I helped remove plastic bottles from a year ago. Therefore, the collection has already taken place, and I am being back dated against it. I felt this was a little misleading as I assumed the collection would have been real-time however this approach might be done, so plastic can be collected in a large volume rather than in small amounts.
What Do I like about the Ocean Bottle?
The Ocean Bottle comes in several colour options and 3 sizes, on top of this, the modular design allows you to adapt your bottle. The sleek, minimal design is great for me, as I do not want a water bottle that is bold. With two opening options, the main way is easy to unscrew and is leakproof, while the second opening allows me to clean and refill my bottle with ease. The lid doubles up as a cup, which is useful for solo or if you want to share a drink with a friend. Finally, the 10-year guarantee gives peace of mind that this will be the last bottle I need for years to come.
Pros
- Modular system allowing 3 different lids to be swapped
- Range of bold and subtle colours
- Dishwasher safe
- Sleek design
- Silicone carry handle
Cons
- While some replacement parts are sold, the silicone gaskets are not.
Verdict
The Ocean Water Bottle comes at a premium cost compared to some branded bottles, however their commitment to the environment and backed by a 10-year guarantee makes the bottle cost Ā£4/yr over its quoted 10 years.
While the app might be useful for some, others may consider it unnecessary, and it's nice to know that the NFC chip is hidden away if you do not use the feature.
With some replacement parts, it's easy to buy or swap out a carry loop; however, it would be great to see the silicone gaskets sold online, as these may get lost when washing the bottle.
Despite this, I since buying the bottle I feel I have been drinking more and has improved the water taste compared to the previous bottle. I also appreciate the commitment to using recycled metal, helping keep emissions lower when compared to new ore.
I strongly recommend the Ocean Bottle to anyone seeking a water bottle (or drinking vessel due to the modular design) which is built to last, which is made from recycled metals and from a certified B Corporation.
