My brother moved from New York to Seattle to work for Microsoft and then Amazon, and in the process, he became super environmentally-conscious (Before, he was freaking out over the lack of good steaks there…now he’s a mostly vegan triathlete). What does that mean? It means that when he came back to NYC to visit my parents and me, and he saw how many water bottles I go through every day, he literally yelled at me (YELLED!). This led me to do research into fitness shakers and bottles to replace my pile of Fiji and Poland Spring ones. I hate to admit this, but not only did I go through five to six a day, but I was also horrible about recycling them. Luckily, it turns out a lot has changed since those shabby, old plastic bottles ruled the market, which impart nasty plastic-like “flavoring” to beverages and can easily accumulate bacteria over the course of usage. Here’s a look at three next-generation shakers and bottles that really stand out.
Umoro
Umoro ($28.99) is somewhere between the Zoku and SmartShake options below. It’s a 20 oz. bottle that comes with a 50 g. supplement compartment that holds about one big scoop of protein powder. While it won’t house as many different things as the SmartShake can (there’s no room for supplements in pill form), that also means that there’s no need to screw open any compartments. All you do is press a button and a ball containing your protein or energy powder drops into your bottle of water (the container is BPA-free and the supplement container is “screwed” onto the top). When I work out, this is my go-to. I use it as a regular water bottle beforehand, then a few minutes before exercising, I press the top button to “drop” my EBOOST in. After the workout, I use it as a regular water bottle once again. You could do the same if you use post-gym protein powder. There isn’t any flavor or odor residue lingering in your drink.
Smart Shake
If you regularly consume supplements or powders, check out the SmartShake Original2Go (around $9.99 depending on the retailer), which is the easiest way that I’ve seen to tote everything with you in one convenient portal. It comes with three storage compartments designed for protein powder, vitamins, supplements, and more, and the actual bottle is made of 100% leak-proof, toxic-free, food-grade plastic. The bottle is also microwave-safe, dishwasher-safe, freezer-safe, and recyclable. The taste isn’t as crisp as with the Zoku below, but if you’re a supplement buff, there’s no better option. If you’re interested in possibly taking your coffee nutrition to another level, then you may just want to try a hot cup of mushroom coffee.
Zoku
Pictured above are Zoku’s Glass Core Bottles, which are about to launch in two sizes ($24.99 for the 12 oz. and $29.99 for the 16 oz.). You probably know Zoku for their quick pop maker, though I’m personally obsessed with their iced coffee maker (Seriously works like a charm! I put in two shots of steaming espresso and in a matter of minutes they’re cold without the use of ice.) and now their new bottles. They look gorgeous with their double-wall suspended glass core, and they’re designed to be as sturdy as they look. You can fill them with either a hot or cold beverage and because of the glass you’ll be able to enjoy the drink in its best form (the bottles are also BPA and phthalate-free). Since the glass used is insanely durable, you can drop it without worrying that the Zoku will shatter into a thousand pieces, and there’s 1/4-turn lock cap, making it leak-proof. Lastly, the mouthpiece doesn’t hold on to flavors, so if you plan on using the bottle for water, but also for shakes, no worries; you can switch between beverages without leftover residue.
I still do sometimes indulge in a plastic water bottle, but I’m happy to say that these options make those few and far between!
