The generation that had grown up in the 80’s or even in 90’s like me may well remember how challenging it was for us to carry our favorite drink during an outdoor camping. Our soft drinks would get hot and hot drinks like coffee would get cold.
Fortunately, things have changed now for good. So many first-rate vacuum insulated water bottles are now available in different shapes, sizes, and colors in the market. Now it’s relatively simple to keep your hot beverages hot and cold liquids cold.
They are now all over the place, but the real challenge is to decide which brand you should buy.
Two giant players are there in the insulated water bottle industry – Hydro Flask and Yeti Rambler. Both the brands are highly respected and enjoy the loyalty of many customers who believe that their brand is the best.
Table of Contents
It may be compelling for most people to decide which one of these two they should buy and which one would perform better given all the advertisement and promotion done by both the brands.
We did a stringent set of tests to determine the winner of the Yeti vs Hydro Flask, so you don’t have to. In the following article, we’re going to share the result of our tests with you that will help you decide on which one is best suited for you.
You’ll find all the important features and comparison of both the products in this review article.
Even though Yeti turned out to be slightly better in our tests, Hydro Flask wasn’t far behind. Read on for more details.
Editor's Choice - Yeti Rambler
Yeti Rambler
Product Name: YETI Rambler 26 oz Bottle, Vacuum Insulated, Stainless Steel
Brand: Yeti
Review Summary
Yeti has been a market leader in the insulated market segment for years. It has got a large number of loyal customers. ‘Over the nose’ design, 18/8 food-grade top quality stainless steel sturdy body, double-wall vacuum insulation, dishwasher safe, 3-finger grip technology, etc., make it one of the best insulation bottles in the market.
It has its few downsides as well. It’s a bit expensive and has only 5 years warranty. Customization options are also limited in Yeti.
Yeti performed slightly better than Hydro Flask in our test. So, we’re recommending the Yeti Rambler.
Overall
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Durability
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Insulation
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Volume Options
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Color Options
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Cap / Lid
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Accessories Options
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Warranty
User Review
( vote)Pros
- “Over the nose” design helps you drink without hitting the other side of the bottle.
- No condensation outside because of the double-wall vacuum insulation. So, no water ring.
- Robust body made of 18/8 stainless steel.
- Easy to put the ice into the bottle for its wide-mouth.
- 3-finger grip technology is perfect while walking around.
- Hold the temperature of hot/cold drinks for a long time.
- Prevent the ice from melting up to 12 hours with little water being melted.
- Fits perfectly in the backpack’s side pocket.
Cons
- The color option is limited.
- A wide-mouth bottle is easy to clean but difficult to drink without spilling, especially when driving.
- A straw cap is needed to drink directly out of the bottle. It’s sold separately but expensive.
- It doesn’t fit in any standard cup holder.
- Retains smells from previous beverages.
- Only five years warranty. No lifetime warranty.
- More Expensive than Hydro Flask.
Tips
- A boot for the bottle would have been great.
- Handle with care. If dropped, not only would the exterior get damaged, but insulation may also get affected.
- Take out the rubber gasket when washing as bacteria get trapped there.
Hydro Flask
Hydro Flask Water Bottle
Product Name: Hydro Flask Water Bottle - Stainless Steel & Vacuum Insulated - Wide Mouth - 18 oz
Review Summary
The competition between Yeti & Hydro Flask is neck and neck. Hydro Flask was a close second to Yeti in our test. If you’re searching for a bottle that’s less expensive than Yeti, yet as good as Yeti, then Hydro Flask is the bottle for you.
Hydro Flask also comes with a standard mouth, 18/8 food-grade top quality stainless steel sturdy body, double-wall vacuum insulation, a wide range of colors, lifetime warranty, etc.
Overall
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Durability
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Insulation
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Volume Options
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Color Options
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Cap / Lid
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Accessories Options
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Warranty
User Review
( votes)Pros
- Hydro Flask maintains the temperature for a long time.
- No condensation outside because of the double-wall vacuum insulation. So, no water ring.
- Hydro Flask has wide range of colors & sizes.
- The bottle is easy to carry with its rubberized strap without dropping.
- Rubberized strap moves up/down instead of one side.
- Stainless Steel pins attached to the Hydro Flask bottle’s strap help twist the cap on/off with ease.
- Inner cap seal makes Hydro Flask Water Bottle leakproof.
- It’s easy to carry around with its handle.
- Ice doesn’t get melted for up to 12 hours.
- Lifetime Warranty.
Cons
- Hydro Flask water bottle is too big in size to fit in any bottle holder.
- Hard to drink out of the bottle because of its large spout.
- Slight metallic smell that affects the taste of the water.
- Narrow lid not very narrow & wide lid not very wide.
- Extra cost to buy the lid of your choice.
- Hydro Flask Bottle Dents if dropped.
- Heavy in weight.
- Not dishwasher safe.
- Hydro Flask has no side handle.
- Not easy to clean.
Tips
You should invest in a straw lid to drink smoothly from the Hydro Flask bottle.
Similarities - Hydro Flask and Yeti Rambler
- Both Hydro Flask Water Bottle and Yeti Rambler have ‘Sweat Free Technology.’ The double walled vacuum insulation helps the liquid retain its temperature for a more extended period. So, chilled water will be chilled, and hot coffee will be hot for quite a long time. It doesn’t also allow condensation outside the bottle, so you won’t have water rings.
- The build quality of both Yeti & Hydro Flask insulated bottles is sturdy. If you drop the bottles, you may have a dent on the hard exterior, but both of them will still be very much usable. Corrosion or leak will hardly be an issue for both.
- 18/8 food-grade top quality stainless steel has been used in both Hydro Flasks and Yeti Rambler.
- Both the bottles have a sweat-free powder coat finish to protect them from peeling, cracking, or fading.
- Both the bottles have an insulated press-in lid feature that stops the water from spilling. It also obstructs the transfer of temperature. But both the lids have some other issue. There is a permanent open hole on the lids for drinking and no option to close the hole. So, you’re left with only the option of buying a separate water-proof lid.
- Both are pricey, but still, people love both as they last long.
- Both the companies offer different kinds of accessories like wide mouth straw lid, flip lid or straw cap, boots, etc.
Hydro Flask and Yeti Rambler Differences
Color & Exterior
Both bottles offer a wide range of colors.
Color Options- Yeti Rambler
- Black
- Brick Red
- Clay
- Navy
- Olive Green
- Peak Purple
- Sand
- Seafoam
- Stainless Steel
- Tahoe Blue
- White
Color Options- Hydro Flask
- Graphite
- Watermelon
- Cobalt
- Flamingo
- Forest
- Frost,
- Lilac
- White
- Black
- D-green-Forest
- Lemon
- Pacific
- Citron
Even though both the brands are made of 18/8 stainless steel, they are slightly different. Hydro Flask uses standard powder coating to make it slip-free. Yeti Rambler uses its trademark DuraCoat color to ensure there is no fading, peeling, or cracking.
Volume Options
Both Yeti & Hydro Flask insulated water bottles have a wide range of volumes. Yeti insulated water bottles are available in 10oz, 12oz, 14oz, 18oz, 20oz, 26oz, 30oz, and 36oz. If you need a large volume, it has half and one gallon.
Hydro Flask insulated water bottles are available in 18oz, 20oz, 21oz, 24oz, 32oz, 40oz, and 64oz volumes.
Check the price of different volumes of Yeti Rambler & Hydro Flask on Amazon by clicking the below button.
Cap/Lid
The bottle’s lid or cap plays a vital role while deciding on the bottles you want to buy. It shouldn’t be inconvenient when you want to sip while in a hurry. Yeti Rambler surpasses Hydro Flask in terms of the cap’s design in Yeti vs Hydro Flask.
Yeti Rambler’s leakproof TripleHaul cap is more robust compared to Hydro Flask’s Flex Cap. Yeti has 3-finger grip technology, so you can quickly push three fingers for grip. On the other hand, Hydro Flask wide mouth allows you only two fingers.
Yeti’s 3-finger technology may not look anything extraordinary from the outset, but you’ll feel the difference when you’ll use it outdoors. It’s also easy to unscrew.
However, Hydro Flasks offers a solution to their bottle’s cap limitations by giving you the cap’s customization options. You may opt for customization like Mass Wide Mouth Straw Lid or Mass Silicone Flex Boot or Mass Wide Mouth Flex Cap or Mass Wide Mouth Coffee Flip cap, etc.
Yeti is the winner here in Hydro Flask vs Yeti race.
Insulation
Yeti Rambler insulated water bottle comes with Double-wall Vacuum insulation that can, the company claims, “keep your water cold or coffee hot until the last sip.”
Hydro Flasks have TempShield insulation that can, the company claims, “keep drinks icy cold for up to 24 hours and hot liquids hot for up to 6 hours.”
We tested both the vacuum insulated water bottle, and the following is what we got.
Test with Hot Water
We filled both the bottles with boiling water and took the water temperature. It was 208° F. Then, we kept the bottles with the lid closed in a temperature-controlled 80° F room.
After eight hours, we checked the temperature of both the bottles. We found in the hot water test that Yeti’s water temperature was 135° F, and in Hydro Flask 128° F.
So, Yeti Rambler bottle had a slight edge here over Hydro Flask in Yeti vs Hydro Flask race.
Test With Cold Water
We filled both the Yeti Rambler bottle and Hydro Flask water bottles with chilled refrigerated water to perform a cold water test. Like earlier, we kept the bottles with the lid closed in a temperature-controlled 80° F room and left it for 8 hours.
After 8 hours, the temperature of water in Yeti was 57.75° F. Hydro Flask was 59.50° F. So, in the Yeti vs Hydro Flask race, Yeti Rambler performed a little bit better once again in cold water test.
Test With Ice
To test with ice, we put 7 ounces of ice in both the bottles and left it in the same room for 12 hours.
After 12 hours, we found that the Yeti Rambler bottle had 3.55 ounces of water from ice melt, and Hydro Flask had 5.25 ounces of water from ice melt.
The great thing about both bottles is that they were able to prevent the ice from melting entirely. Once again, Yeti performs better than Hydro Flask bottle in Yeti vs Hydro Flask battle.
Construction & Durability Test
We drop the insulated water bottle at some point or other. It’s crucial to know how badly both the bottles would get damaged if dropped by us. Both the bottles are made of 18/8 stainless steel that’s supposed to be durable. Still, We put the bottles to the test.
We choose a hard cement floor and 6 ft. height to drop the bottles. First, we drop the empty bottles twice – once on the lid and then on the bottom. We repeated the same, but this time, the bottles were full of water.
After the test, what we found was both the bottles got dented. The dent on the Hydro Flask insulated water bottle was comparatively more than Yeti Rambler Bottle. Both the bottles got damaged more when they were dropped full of water on the lead.
We found a crack on the handle of the Yeti Rambler bottle. On the other hand, the lid of the Hydro Flask came out. We figured out that Yeti had more threading than Hydro Flask. It makes Yeti more sturdy.
Unfortunately, both bottles didn’t do well when we scratched them with keys. Yeti’s so-called DuraCoat color and Hydro Flask’s regular powder coating couldn’t prevent the bottles from getting scratched.
Maintenance & Care
Hydro Flask isn’t an excellent dishwasher safe bottle. Even though Yeti claims to be dishwasher safe, it’s still wise to wash the bottles by hand using lukewarm water and soap to make your bottles long-lasting. Shake the bottle after filling half with water & soap and putting the lid back. You may need a bottle brush to clean the tough stains & reach the bottom of the bottle.
You may want to use vinegar or baking soda to clean the stubborn stains. Take half a cup of vinegar, pour inside the bottle, whirl it, and leave for some time. Then wash it. If it’s not cleaned yet, repeat the process a few more times.
Cost
Yeti Rambler insulated water bottles tend to be slightly more expensive than Hydro Flasks.
So, Hydro Flask is the winner here in Yeti vs Hydro Flask.
Warranty
Yeti gives a limited 5-year warranty on its double walled bottles. There is no doubt that Yeti respects its promise but, you can’t compare it to the lifetime warranty of Hydro Flask. Hydro Flask is the winner here in Hydro Flask vs Yeti competition. .
Verdict
After all the tests we had done, we have a clear winner in Yeti vs Hydro Flask race. Even though Yeti Rambler bottle had outperformed Hydro Flask in most aspects, both the bottles are of premium quality, durable, and have excellent insulation. Yeti Rambler bottle is slightly better overall in Yeti vs Hydro Flask rivalry. So, our recommendation is Yeti bottle.
Please note that the Hydro Flask bottle isn’t way behind the Yeti Rambler bottle. It also performed pretty well.
As an industry leader, Yeti Rambler bottle will definitely have its large fan following. You may be one of those fans of Yeti, and you can continue holding to Yeti Rambler bottle.
Suppose you’re looking for a good vacuum insulation bottle that has a broad range of colors, size, better price, standard mouth, discounts, and a lifetime warranty. In that case, Hydro Flask can be a great alternative.
FAQ
They're equally good, even though Yeti Rambler bottle is a little bit better in some aspects like insulation, structure, wide mouth, etc. Hydro Flasks have more color options and attractive prices.
Yes! Yeti Rambler bottle is definitely worth it. It performed excellently in most of the different tests we did. A sturdy body made of 18/8 stainless steel, top-class double walled vacuum insulation, wide-mouth, 3-finger grip technology, a wide range of colors & sizes, etc., makes it the top contender in the category.
It's a close call. Yeti Rambler bottle is slightly better.
In Yeti vs Hydro Flask, Yeti Rambler bottle has little leverage. Still, Hydro Flask is also a good option given the competitive price they offer.
It doesn't break if it drops accidentally, but there'll be few dents on the bottle, and it'll still remain usable.
When it comes to Yeti vs Hydro Flask, the competition is neck and neck. There are so many similarities between them, but Yeti Rambler bottle is better than Hydro Flask in terms of insulation, built, dishwasher safety, design of mouth, etc. At the same time, Hydro Flask offers more color options and competitive prices.
Generally, it doesn't fit.
Hot beverages can last six hours to thirty hours, and cold ice melt water can last six hours to twenty-four hours.
Yeti, Hydro Flask, Klean Kanteen, Mira Cascade, Geysa, CamelBak Chute, Stanely, Coleman Freeflow Autoseal, etc.
Yeti, Hydro Flask, Geysa, Mira, Stanely are our top picks.
Bottles made of 18/8 non-toxic stainless steel are the healthiest water bottles to use.
Yeti and Hydro Flask insulated water bottle can keep the ice water cold up to 12 hours, even though they claim more. Klean Kanteen can keep the ice water cold up to 24 hours even though it claims 40 hours.
To keep your hot beverages hot & cold liquids cold for a long time without sweat created by condensation. It doesn't transfer the temperature to your hand, whether the bottles contain hot water or ice. On the other hand, single-walled bottles transfer the heat comparatively fast that led to the beverages getting cold or hot in a short time.
BPA used to be used to make plastic bottles in the earlier days. Now everyone is aware of the physical hazards created by BPA. As a result, manufacturers switched to 18/8 stainless steel for the manufacture of vacuum insulated water bottles. It gives a toxin-free robust structure to the water bottle.
These should be enough reasons for you to buy a modern vacuum insulated bottle like Yeti and Hydro Flask.