According to users on Reddit, Yeti and Hydro Flask are two of the best water bottle brands. When it came to which water bottle kept drinks cold for longer periods of time, Hydro Flask beat out Yeti, per Redditors. However, for overall durability, they rely on Yeti.
We put both factors (and more) to the test — seeing which water bottle is the best in terms of insulation, durability, portability and how leakproof they are.
Then, we took it one step further and also tested each of the brands' travel mugs — again, testing the same qualities as above. In the past, Hydro Flask beat out other, trending water bottles — and I've been known to name them as my go-to.
But, Yeti is my tried-and-true while traveling as their mug is able to keep coffee piping hot for hours on end. Whether you're looking for a new water bottle or want a better vestibule for coffee during your morning commute, read below to determine which brand is best for you.
Yeti vs. Hydro Flask water bottles
Which has better insulation?
Yeti claims to keep drinks cold or hot "until the last sip." Hydro Flask is a bit more specific, saying it'll keep drinks cold for up to 24 hours and hot for up to 12.
To test insulation in the water bottles, I filled each one up with six ice cubes and refrigerated water from a water pitcher.
- Yeti: A recognizable, reliable stainless steel material coats the interior of Yeti products. After filling the water bottle up, Yeti had a temperature of 50 degrees Fahrenheit. After 24 hours, the temperature increased to 60 degrees Fahrenheit and no ice cubes were left.
- Hydro Flask: This water bottle was made with brand-specific TempShield double-wall vacuum insulation, which promises to "guard" the temperature of your drink. After filling the water bottle up, Hydro Flask had a temperature of 35 degrees Fahrenheit. After 24 hours, no ice cubes were left and the temperature increased to 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
While Hydro Flask remained at a colder temperature, its overall increase over a 24-hour period was 5 degrees more than Yeti's.
Which is more durable?
We dropped each water bottle three times at eye-level onto concrete flooring.
- Yeti: Yeti products are made with 18/8 stainless steel. According to manufacturing site Xometry, this type of stainless steel “has better corrosion resistance” than other types of stainless steel. It's most commonly found in cookware, thanks to its food-safe features. Yeti describes it as "puncture and rust-resistant." We used my personal Yeti water bottle for this test, so it had some wear and tear already. However, after dropping it three times, the stainless steel lining at the bottom was further dented and scratched. The handle also suffered minor damage, with some scratches at the top.
- Hydro Flask: Hydro Flasks' exterior is made out of 18/8 stainless steel as well — yet it suffered a dent as well as chipping and cracking along the bottom. The paint also corrodes away at the bottom, exposing the silver coloring of the stainless steel. Hydro Flask's chips and dents were significantly larger than Yeti's, helping it to look less attractive after dropping it.
If aesthetics and overall appearance are important to you, Yeti's water bottles fared better in the drop test.
Which is more portable?
These water bottles each have a slimmer build compared to some other models offered by the brands, making it easy to slide them in and out of any side pocket.
Which is more leakproof?
Both water bottles come with a secure twist-off lid, meaning when its shut, water doesn't leak out of either of the two. I tilted both at a 45-degree angle and fully upside down, as well as shook them to see if the lid would come loose.
Yeti vs. Hydro Flask mugs
Which has better insulation?
To test insulation, I put hot tap water into each mug, making sure they were the same temperature to start with: 124 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, I put the lids on as a way to trap heat and let them sit overnight.
- Yeti: Similar to their water bottle, Yeti's mug is also crafted with 18/8 stainless steel and a double-wall vacuum insulation. Once 24 hours had passed, the water inside had decreased to 73 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Hydro Flask: This mug boasts an interior coated with stainless steel, in an attempt to keep drinks warm and even hot for long periods of time. After 24 hours, the hot water also measured out to 73 degrees Fahrenheit.
Which is more durable?
Similar to the water bottles, we dropped each mug at eye-level onto concrete flooring.
- Yeti: While it is made out of the same, 18/8 "kitchen-grade" stainless steel as their water bottles, the Yeti mug didn't perform as well comparatively. With each drop, the slider popped off (not ideal if you drop it on the subway, or on a busy street). The bottom has evidence of chips and some of the paint has started to peel away after three drops. The handle also has specks where the paint has started to chip as a result of being dropped.
- Hydro Flask: Hydro Flask seriously impressed me. Aside from some minimal damage on the stainless steel rim, it has no visible damage after being dropped. The brand says it's made out of stainless steel, coated with a soft-touch exterior. This exterior (that is truly soft to the touch) helped it remain more durable than Yeti.
Again, if overall appearance is important to you, Hydro Flask would be my choice in terms of durability.
Which is more leakproof?
Both mugs have a lid with rubber seals to easily slide on and fit securely. They each also have a slider feature that opens to reveal a mouth opening for easy sipping. I tipped each mug 45 degrees as well as fully upside down to test if any water would spill through the sliders or sealants. Then, I shook them a bit to see if the lids would come loose at all.
- Yeti: Virtually no water leaked out of the Yeti mug when tipped at 45 degrees or fully upside down — aside from some dribbles that were left over from sealing it shut.
- Hydro Flask: When tipped at a 45-degree angle, a constant drip, drip, drip of water seeps through the slider, similar to if you were to accidentally leave the kitchen sink on. When tipped upside down, water also dripped out. There's also a very subtle gap between the lid and the mug itself, however, this doesn't seem to cause any water to leak out.
Which is more portable?
Each mug has a handle that makes it a bit awkward to fit in the side pockets of a backpack. However, the Hydro Flask mug fit a bit better because it's smaller than the Yeti mug.
My personal pick
I’ve been using Yeti and Hydro Flask products interchangeably for several years, and it honestly wasn’t until my last Hydro Flask water bottle that I started to notice how easily they get dirty — forcing me to switch over to a Yeti water bottle. Plus, I've been using a Yeti coffee mug since I was in college and I'm still impressed by how long it keeps coffee, tea and other drinks warm for a long period of time.
Both are viable options, no matter if you prioritize the temperature of your beverage, how they withstand drops or spills, or how quickly each gets dirty after normal use. I will also note that the products fall within the same price range so neither is more noticeably expensive than the other.
Why trust Shop TODAY?
We performed a series of tasks to test these water bottles in terms of durability, insulation, portability and how leakproof they are. We recorded our findings and displayed them here in a format that allows you to choose which is the best based on what features you prioritize.
This isn't our first go at testing water bottles and travel mugs, either. We previously tested both categories during our Shop TODAY Travel Gear Awards.
