Drinking enough water every day is one of the best things you can do for your health and wellbeing. Proper hydration energizes muscles, keeps skin glowing, boosts mental clarity and improves nearly every bodily function. No wonder staying hydrated is such a hot wellness trend!
But drinking water all day long can feel like a chore. And the last thing anyone wants is to have their workflow disrupted by taking endless trips to the nearest water cooler.
That‘s why I‘m so passionate about half gallon water bottles. Holding a full 64 ounces, these oversized jugs let you carry all the water you need in one convenient package. Just fill it up once or twice a day and sip to your heart‘s content!
After extensively testing over two dozen of the most popular half gallon water bottles for the past year, I‘m sharing everything I learned in this complete buying guide. Read on for:
- Half gallon water bottle benefits
- Factors to consider when choosing a bottle
- Recommended daily water intake for men and women
- Warning signs you may be chronically dehydrated
- Reviews of my 10 favorite options with pros, cons and ratings
- Comparisons of plastic vs stainless steel vs glass bottles
- Tips to motivate yourself to drink more water
Let‘s dive in to find the perfect half gallon water bottle to become your new hydration hero!
Why Choose a 64 Ounce Water Bottle?
Before we get to the bottle reviews, let‘s look at why you should choose a half gallon size instead of a smaller reusable water bottle:
Holds all the water you need. 64 ounces is equal to 8 glasses or just over half a gallon. That‘s more than enough capacity for daily hydration needs for most people.
Saves you refill trips. Fewer trips to the water cooler means less time wasted away from your desk or workout.
Motivates you to drink more. Watching those ounces disappear is great incentive to keep sipping until empty.
Aids weight loss goals. Drinking water boosts metabolism and controls appetite between meals.
No more plastic water bottles. Better for your wallet and the planet!
Helps achieve daily fluid intake. Clear markings show ounces consumed towards hydration target.
With all those advantages covered, let‘s explore what features you need in a high quality half gallon bottle.
What to Look For in the Best Half Gallon Water Bottles
Material
Half gallon water bottles come in plastic, stainless steel or glass. Each material provides different pros and cons:
Plastic
- Lightweight
- Durable
- Affordable pricing
- Insulated options available
- Can retain odors
- May contain BPAs
Stainless Steel
- Naturally BPA-free
- Highly durable
- Insulated to keep water cold
- Heavier than plastic
- Can dent and retain odors
Glass
- Most natural material option
- Best taste from glass
- Easy to monitor ounces left
- Fragile if dropped
- Very heavy when full
Insulation
Insulated bottles incorporate double walled vacuum sealed construction to maintain internal temperatures longer. This keeps water cool for 24 hours or more – very helpful if you‘ll be outdoors running errands or traveling.
Lid Design
Secure screw-on or flip top lids prevent annoying leaks. Some bottles feature straws or spouts for easy one-handed sipping that make drinking simpler mid-workout or on the go.
Style & Extras
Additional considerations include strap types, carrying handles, measurement markings, motivational phrases, and fun colors or patterns to suit your personality.
How Much Water Should You Drink From Your Half Gallon Bottle?
Now that you know what to look for in a good half gallon bottle, how many times should you plan to fill it up daily?
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine recommends:
- Women: 9 cups (72 oz) of fluids per day
- Men: 12 1⁄2 cups (100 oz) per day
That‘s based on sedentary people in temperate climates. Those who exercise heavily or live in hot environments need to drink even more.
But in reality, your personal hydration needs depend on many factors like activity level, medications, caffeine intake and more.
A good way to gauge if you’re drinking enough? Check that your urine is light yellow to nearly clear. Dark yellow and smelly urine signals chronic under-hydration.
Warning Signs You May Be Dehydrated
Drinking inadequate water every day doesn’t just lead to afternoon fatigue. Ongoing dehydration causes all kinds of health issues like:
- Headaches and migraines
- Poor concentration and memory
- Muscle weakness and athletic decline
- Joint pain
- Constipation
- Increased risk of kidney stones
Watch for these common symptoms of dehydration so you can take action before things escalate:
- Dark yellow or orange urine
- Increased thirst
- Fatigue and sleepiness
- Dizziness upon standing
- Dry eyes and mouth
- Muscle cramps
Luckily keeping a half gallon jug handy makes preventing dehydration easy! Which brings us to…
Reviews of the 10 Best Half Gallon Water Bottles
After a year spent testing the most popular half gallon water bottles side-by-side, here are my top 10 picks:
1. HydroJug
HydroJug pioneered the original half gallon plastic water bottle trend starting in 2017. After using their bottles daily the past year, I can confirm they live up to the hype!
Both their BPA-free plastic and 18/8 stainless steel options keep water deliciously cold for a full day, even during intense exercise. The built-in durable handle makes carrying a cinch too.
With fun colors and patterns to choose from, I never get bored sipping from my HydroJug collection. At $25 for plastic and $70 for steel, they strike an excellent balance of quality and affordability.
My rating: 5/5
2. Fifty/Fifty Insulated Growler
Fifty/Fifty makes these awesome stainless steel half gallon growlers that keep water icy cold a full 24 hours. I take mine everywhere from road trips to camping to beach days thanks to the sturdy handle.
It fits perfectly in standard car cup holders too despite the giant 64 oz capacity. And I get compliments all the time on the stylish solid color and flashy holographic growlers in my collection.
For only $35 a pop, I plan to keep adding more Fifty/Fifty growlers to my hydration arsenal for years to come!
My rating: 5/5
3. CamelBak Chute Mag Water Bottle
I’ve relied on CamelBak water bottles for years to survive intense cycling and hiking excursions, so I knew their reputation for durability would make the Chute Mag half gallon bottle nearly indestructible.
Made from BPA-free plastic, it has withstood hours of daily use and abuse over the past year without a scratch. Despite holding 64 ounces when full, the angled spout makes taking a quick sip mid-bike ride easy. I also detach it often for thorough cleaning and have yet to experience any leaks.
My only complaint is the plastic does retain soap odors more than other bottles. But for just $23, the CamelBak Chute Mag still earns high marks.
My rating: 4.5/5
4. HYDROMATE Motivational Water Bottle
This plastic HYDROMATE jug adds extra motivation to stay hydrated thanks to etched time markers and inspiring phrases like “Don’t give up!” on the bottle itself.
While it didn’t keep water as cold overnight as more expensive steel options, the HYDROMATE still performed well for $20. I’m a sucker for the whimsical teal color and quotes too.
One annoyance is the included straw detached pretty easily, causing minor leaks in my backpack. But HYDROMATE’s friendly customer service quickly sent me a replacement.
My rating: 4/5
5. Iron Flask Sports Water Bottle
Iron Flask makes exceptional stainless steel bottles and this half gallon size is no exception. It kept water cold a full 24 hours even after hours left baking in the hot car.
I love that it includes three lid options in one package too: straw, flip and handle. It allows me to customize sipping convenience for different situations.
While condensation did collect on the outside causing some slippery moments, the durable steel exterior easily survived frequent drops with only minor scratches to show for it.
At $30 and backed by Iron Flask’s lifetime guarantee, picking up one of their sports bottles is a smart investment for years of reliable hydration.
My rating: 4.5/5
6. Ello 20 oz Glass Water Bottle with Silicone Sleeve
While most half gallon water bottles choose plastic or stainless steel, this one from Ello combines elegant glass construction with a grippy protective silicone sleeve.
Without insulation, water didn’t stay as cold overnight as insulated steel options. But I far prefer the clean taste that comes with glass. And the silicone sleeve let me toss it in my bag worry-free.
My only annoyance was needing to unscrew the lid fully each refill since the opening is pretty small. At $30, the elegant styling makes it perfect for disguising as a vase at your desk!
My rating: 4/5
7. Simple Modern Summit Water Bottle
Simple Modern makes exceptional water bottles at reasonable prices, and their half gallon Summit is no exception.
It kept water cold a full 40 hours thanks to excellent vacuum insulation. I was seriously impressed! The Summit‘s durable steel body also survived many a dishwasher cycle and still looks brand new.
While simple, the push-button lid got the job done without leaks. My only complaint is the awkward placement of the handle made drinking while walking tricky.
But for just $40, the Simple Modern Summit half gallon bottle delivers outstanding insulation at a fair price.
My rating: 4.5/5
8. Brita Stainless Steel Filtering Water Bottle
My favorite thing about this Brita bottle is it filters out chlorine and funky tap water tastes as you fill using a replaceable filter. I far prefer drinking freshly filtered water over plain old tap!
While it’s capacity is slightly less than other options at 60 oz, the built-in Brita filter makes it unique. It also keeps water cold overnight thanks to insulation.
I deducted a star because the push-button lid does require very precise alignment to avoid leaks. But if filtered tap water makes drinking more palatable to you, Brita’s half gallon solution gets top marks!
My rating: 4/5
9. Healthy Human Stein
Healthy Human’s aptly named Stein makes guzzling 64 oz of water easy. Made from shatterproof BPA-free plastic, its wide mouth design welcomes everything from fruits to ice cubes.
While lacking insulation, it excelled at maintaining safe internal temperatures when filled with cold tap water. And it stacks perfectly in my fridge too!
I loved the low $20 price tag, but was bummed by the flimsy carrying strap. While it survived my testing period intact, it feels prone to snapping unexpectedly.
My rating: 3.5/5
10. Glass with Silicone Sleeve Half Gallon Bottle
I decided to give this budget glass water bottle a shot, but quickly encountered issues from its lacking insulation and insecure screw-on bamboo lid.
Without insulation, 64 oz of ice water became lukewarm in a little over an hour on a hot sunny day. Annoying to say the least!
I also struggled to fully tighten the fancy looking bamboo lid which lead to disastrous leaks inside my bag more than once. No one wants to deal with that mess!
While I loved its lightweight glass body and silicone sleeve in theory, the poor lid design and lack of insulation were dealbreakers for me.
My rating: 2/5
Plastic vs Stainless Steel vs Glass: Half Gallon Bottle Showdown
Now that we’ve covered 10 excellent individual options, let’s directly compare pros and cons of the three most common half gallon water bottle materials:
As you can see, each material has strengths and weaknesses that suits different buyers’ priorities and budgets.
My recommendation? Start with an affordable BPA-free plastic jug to test the half gallon capacity. But make stainless steel your next upgrade thanks to unbeatable insulation for all-day cold water.
5 Tips to Motivate Yourself & Actually Drink More Water
Okay, so you made a great half gallon water bottle purchase. But how do you motivate yourself to actually use the thing and stay hydrated every single day?
Here are my top tips to drink more water without fail:
1. Schedule reminders to drink. Set a smart watch, phone alarm or computer reminder to nudge you take big swigs every hour or two.
2. Infuse with fruits & herbs. Liven up boring old water with fruits and herbs! Bonus motivation plus antioxidants.
3. Chug first thing in morning. Knock back a full glass right after your feet hit the floor and you’ll be playing hydration catch-up the whole day.
4. Attach your bottle to your body. Clip it to your backpack strap, belt loop or laptop bag so it stays in sight.
5. Make it a game. Download a water tracking app and start collecting ounces towards fun badge rewards!
Sticking to a consistent hydration routine gets far easier with the right tools and mindset shifts. So try out some of these motivation tips if you’re struggling to use your spiffy new half gallon jug enough.
Staying properly hydrated each and every day is one of the best gifts you can give yourself and your body. So grab one of my top recommended half gallon water bottles now to unlock better health with every delicious sip!
Interested in my other product recommendations? Follow me on Instagram @AgileTips for quick product reviews and lifestyle tips updated daily!
