Aluminum vs stainless steel vs plastic?

bethr311 · 05-21-2008, 08:28 PM

Water bottles, I mean. I have a clear plastic one at work that I use daily, and another, smaller one that I tote around in the summer. Even if the ice melts, I can still refill at stores with water fountains, and it does help keep me from buying and drinking so many damn sodas.

One use plastic has of course always been bad in terms of oil use to manufacture and ship and recycling them isn't easy. (That's another thread.) So I get reusable, durable plastic and now that's bad for you.

Pottery Barn has aluminum bottles for $10 and I was about ready to bite when I found a report that mold had grown in them: http://drewandlindsey.blogspot.com/2...tery-barn.html

Yuck. This is why I want to see what I'm drinking.

So stainless steel is supposed to be the healthiest way to go now. But those things start at near $20, if you can find them! One maker is so far behind they had to shut their website down for two weeks.

How do we feel about this? Is $20 something too much to pay for a reusable water bottle? I've been using the plastic one for about nine months and paid maybe $4 for it.

72Tiger · 05-22-2008, 04:08 AM

If you really have an issue with the plastic one harming your health, $20 would seem worth it to upgrade to a stainless one. If you've ever seen the inside of a water pipe that is part of a city's distribution system, you probably wouldn't worry about the bottle material very much. Some pipes are over 100 years old, and can be made of anything from cast iron to PVC to polyethylene to asbestos reinforced cement to copper to lead.

All that said, the EPA's regulations on tap water are more stringent than the FDA's on bottled water, so I still feel tap water is the better choice.

khorrell · 05-22-2008, 04:24 AM

I've been wondering the same question.

We used to reuse the cheap plastic ones. A few years ago, my kids were going through a bunch of mild illnesses in a row. My doctor asked if we were reusing water bottles and suggested that we quit, as they could be a source of germ and virus transmission. I figured that the dishwasher would be enough to kill them, but apparently not. It is so hard to clean the inside of those small mouth bottles.

We then moved to the hard plastic bottles and they have been good for some uses, but I find it hard to locate small sized ones (my kids are still little) that don't leak. I've been looking into the aluminum or stainless bottles and I haven't really found one that suits our needs.

I'll be watching for a response, too.

purplefdu · 05-27-2008, 02:08 PM

I'm really not into the "get rid of anything that could potentially be bad for you" but I understand your concern. Here's a link I came across while researching the subject for my mom who is worried about anything that could contribute to her getting cancer since it runs in the family.

http://www.nalgene-outdoor.com/technical/bpaInfo.html

Basically it tells you that Nalgene will no loner be making bpa containing water bottles and has always made more than just those bottle types. So you can just wait for them to make new ones or find the ones already out there that aren't bpa.

jdp · 05-28-2008, 05:46 AM

When I fight with myself about purchases like this I think back to bp (before plastic). My grandfathers metal lunchbox is still looking great and my cousin uses it. A lunchbox well used from my childhood - eh, not so great. A $2 plastic waterbottle I bought at WalMart didn't last me a summer before it started leaking. My grandfathers old stainless thermos - still going strong.

I'd just try and find quality then add up how long it can last you then divide the cost by # of years. Might be way cheaper if cheaper is your primary concern. Then the eco or health bene's are just a bonus.

05-21-2008, 08:28 PM	#1
bethr311 Junior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Fort Wayne IN Posts: 3 Reputation: (10)	Aluminum vs stainless steel vs plastic? Water bottles, I mean. I have a clear plastic one at work that I use daily, and another, smaller one that I tote around in the summer. Even if the ice melts, I can still refill at stores with water fountains, and it does help keep me from buying and drinking so many damn sodas. One use plastic has of course always been bad in terms of oil use to manufacture and ship and recycling them isn't easy. (That's another thread.) So I get reusable, durable plastic and now that's bad for you. Pottery Barn has aluminum bottles for $10 and I was about ready to bite when I found a report that mold had grown in them: http://drewandlindsey.blogspot.com/2...tery-barn.html Yuck. This is why I want to see what I'm drinking. So stainless steel is supposed to be the healthiest way to go now. But those things start at near $20, if you can find them! One maker is so far behind they had to shut their website down for two weeks. How do we feel about this? Is $20 something too much to pay for a reusable water bottle? I've been using the plastic one for about nine months and paid maybe $4 for it.

05-27-2008, 02:08 PM	#4
purplefdu Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Eliot, ME USA Posts: 447 Reputation: (27)	I'm really not into the "get rid of anything that could potentially be bad for you" but I understand your concern. Here's a link I came across while researching the subject for my mom who is worried about anything that could contribute to her getting cancer since it runs in the family. http://www.nalgene-outdoor.com/technical/bpaInfo.html Basically it tells you that Nalgene will no loner be making bpa containing water bottles and has always made more than just those bottle types. So you can just wait for them to make new ones or find the ones already out there that aren't bpa. __________________ Homeward Bound Puppy Blog&Shades of Purple Blog best general coupon site & organic grocery coupon help

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05-22-2008, 04:08 AM	#2
72Tiger Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Knoxville, TN Posts: 276 Reputation: (33)	If you really have an issue with the plastic one harming your health, $20 would seem worth it to upgrade to a stainless one. If you've ever seen the inside of a water pipe that is part of a city's distribution system, you probably wouldn't worry about the bottle material very much. Some pipes are over 100 years old, and can be made of anything from cast iron to PVC to polyethylene to asbestos reinforced cement to copper to lead. All that said, the EPA's regulations on tap water are more stringent than the FDA's on bottled water, so I still feel tap water is the better choice.

05-22-2008, 04:24 AM	#3
khorrell Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 320 Reputation: (35)	I've been wondering the same question. We used to reuse the cheap plastic ones. A few years ago, my kids were going through a bunch of mild illnesses in a row. My doctor asked if we were reusing water bottles and suggested that we quit, as they could be a source of germ and virus transmission. I figured that the dishwasher would be enough to kill them, but apparently not. It is so hard to clean the inside of those small mouth bottles. We then moved to the hard plastic bottles and they have been good for some uses, but I find it hard to locate small sized ones (my kids are still little) that don't leak. I've been looking into the aluminum or stainless bottles and I haven't really found one that suits our needs. I'll be watching for a response, too.

05-28-2008, 05:46 AM	#5
jdp Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 181 Reputation: (24)	When I fight with myself about purchases like this I think back to bp (before plastic). My grandfathers metal lunchbox is still looking great and my cousin uses it. A lunchbox well used from my childhood - eh, not so great. A $2 plastic waterbottle I bought at WalMart didn't last me a summer before it started leaking. My grandfathers old stainless thermos - still going strong. I'd just try and find quality then add up how long it can last you then divide the cost by # of years. Might be way cheaper if cheaper is your primary concern. Then the eco or health bene's are just a bonus.