The best thing about insulated bottles is that whatever beverage you put inside it, regardless of warm or cold temperature, the insulation in the bottle will keep that same temperature for hours on end. An insulated bottle is a must have for those with a busy schedule.
The two brands that are known for their insulated bottles are Hydroflask and ThermoFlask. Both have been in the industry for a good amount of time, giving them a good reputation for their brand, as well as their products.
With these two giants, we have to ask the age-old question: which brand is better? And which should you consider purchasing?
Note: Whatbrandreview is reader-supported. When you buy through affiliate links on our website, we’ll make a small commission, without impacting your price. Thank you. Learn more.
What Should You Expect From Both Brands?
Both Hydroflask and ThermoFlask offer a wide variety of insulated bottles to the public. In order to get a fair and equal comparison, we will be comparing a 32oz bottle from both brands.
For Hydroflask, we picked out the 32oz Wide Mouth. The 32oz Wide Mouth is Hydroflask’s fan favorite product. One could say that it’s the face of Hydroflask. The sleek and simplistic design lead to the brands popularity growth in 2019 to 2020, and for good reason.
For ThermoFlask, we’ve selected the 32oz Bottle with Chug Lid and Straw Lid. Now ThermoFlask offers two different lids for this product, the Chug Lid and the Straw Lid. The Chug Lid is a cap on top of the lid that you can take off, while the Straw Lid can be pushed down to reveal the straw, allowing two different methods of drinking.
Differences Between Hydroflask & ThermoFlask
At first glance, it’s hard to tell which is better, as both bottles were made to do the same thing: keeping the temperature of the contents hot or cold. In order to get a better understanding of the differences between the two brands, we’ll have to compare them in detail with a table.
| Hydroflask VS ThermoFlask: Insulated Bottles |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Model | 32oz Wide Mouth | 32oz Bottle with Chug Lid and Straw Lid |
| Materials | Durable 18/8 Pro-Grade Stainless Steel, BPA-Free and Phthalate-Free, TempShield, Color Last Powder Coat | Food grade 18/8 stainless steel, BPA-free copolymer polypropylene |
| Color | 12 colors, but you can create your own unique design | 5 colors |
| Free Shipping | Yes, but only if your order is $30 and above. | Yes, but only if your order is $39 and above. |
| Return Policy | Product can be returned within 30 days. | Product can be returned within 30 days. |
| Get An Insulated Bottle: |
From the table comparison, we can see that there are some distinct similarities between the two. But to get a better understanding of the differences, we will need to do an in-depth review of each product.
32oz Hydroflask Wide Mouth Review
This is without a doubt, Hydroflask’s most well-known product. It’s practically the face of Hydroflask. When someone thinks Hydroflask, I bet you they think about this specific product, but with different colors.
The 32oz Wide Mouth was all the rage back then, especially for Gen Z kids. This product launched Hydroflask into popularity, and with the good word of mouth from their customers, they soon started earning more as time went on.
The product is made out of Pro-Grade stainless steel, with BPA-free and Phthalate-free materials, and Color Last Powder Coat, allowing your Hydroflask to look colorful for a long time.
What’s so great about Hydroflask that separates them from the rest, is that Hydroflask developed their own technology for their products.
Introducing the TempShield insulation. This technology allows Hydroflask to get ahead of the game. The double wall vacuum used in all Hydroflask products allows the product to retain the temperature of the contents for hours, making it an ideal partner for everyday living.
Hydroflask offers a plethora of different colors to match your aesthetic. Pacific, Alpine, Laguna, Rain, Stone, Black, White, etc. But if none of those colors are to your fancy, Hydroflask offers its customers the ability to design your very own and unique bottle. It can be a bright pink 32oz, a 40oz with a singular leaf on it, or a 20oz with your name on it. This option makes it the perfect gift for someone you care about.
Best about any order, however, is free shipping. Which Hydroflask offers, but only if your order is $30 and above.
But what if you don’t like the product? Or maybe the person you’re gifting it to doesn’t want it? Then no problem, as Hydroflask offers a full refund if product has been returned within 30 days, as long as the product is in an unused condition with the original packaging.
PROS
- Popular brand
- Great materials
- TempShield technology
- Color Last Powder
- Customizable
- Free shipping
- 30-day return policy
CONS
- Unlike the 32oz ThermoFlask, Hydroflask’s 32oz does not come with different lids, and must be a separate purchase
32oz ThermoFlask Bottle W/ Chug Lid & Straw Lid Review
ThermoFlask’s 32oz bottle is a big competitor against Hydroflask, due to the fact that ThermoFlask offers 2 different lids with the purchase of the 32oz bottle. While it may not seem like much, this simple act offers more to the customer than Hydroflask’s standards 32oz bottle. Sure, Hydroflask offers different lids as well, but you have to purchase those separately, whereas ThermoFlask, the lids come with the bottle.
But, one thing that ThermoFlask doesn’t have, is their own insulation technology. While Hydroflask has their TempShield tech, ThermoFlask has to use regular insulation that other brands use. While it may not seem like a bad thing to use the same insulation materials found in other brands, their lack of original technology developed for their products puts them a bit below Hydroflask.
The materials making the product are food grade 18/8 stainless steel, and BPA-free copolymer polypropylene. While it’s not pro grade, food grade stainless steel is still widely popular among cooking brands, making it a safe choice to use.
A downside for those who want to express themselves with their ThermoFlask is that there are only a limited number of colors available, 5 to be exact. Those colors are Cobalt, White, Capri, Plum, and Black. ThermoFlask does not offer the option to their customers to customize their bottles like Hydroflask does.
READ ALSO: Nomad Goods Review
ThermoFlask offers free shipping, but only if your order reaches $39. Which is not bad, but it’s $9 more expensive. On the plus side, ThermoFlask offers a full refund when returning products before 30 days, so you can take advantage of that should you ever not want a ThermoFlask.
PROS
- Good materials
- Comes with two different lids
- Free shipping
- 30-day return policy
CONS
- No special insulation technology
- $9 more expensive for free shipping
- No customizable option for unique bottles
- Less colors
Head-To-Head Comparison
Trying to determine which brand is better is not an easy task. Both brands offer something the other does not, and sometimes that something can be exactly what a person needs, but the other doesn’t. But if you want a definitive answer on which brand is better, then the next part should help you decide.
Hydroflask VS ThermoFlask – Which Is The Better Brand?
While ThermoFlask offers free lids with the purchase of their 32oz bottle, I personally prefer Hydroflask as a brand overall. Due to their amazing developed technology like TempShield and Color Last, you can clearly see that Hydroflask is being competitive with other brands, which is why their technology allows them to be one step ahead of the others.
It’s not to say that ThermoFlask isn’t good, because their products are. Hydroflask risked a lot when they developed their TempShield technology, but it paid off. ThermoFlask however, played it safe, and decided to just get the best materials they can afford to create a perfectly safe product that functions better than most other bottles, and it works.
There is no definitive answer on who is better, but only preference. Hydroflask and ThermoFlask offers something the other does not offer, so its up to you, the consumer, to decide if you want to go for what interests you both.
Our humble opinion is, that, Hydroflask is the better overall deal.
The Verdict: Insulated Bottles, Hydroflask & ThermoFlask
Insulated bottles, to me, are the best thing mankind has ever created. It keeps your drink hot or cold for hours on end. I personally like to keep my drinks cold so I always have an insulated bottle with me to keep my drink nice and refreshing. Same goes for hot drinks too. Having an insulated bottle filled with hot cocoa on a cold, rainy day just feels right.
Having different brands selling insulated bottles means more people can experience the magic these products can offer. It’s such a simple creation, yet the demand for it is high. Brands like Hydroflask and ThermoFlask realize that.
Competing to become the most talked about brand is normal for companies. In fact, it’s what helps brands grow, innovate. Without it, we wouldn’t have Hydroflask’s TempShield technology being implemented into their bottles. Or ThermoFlask’s brilliant idea in giving customers free lids with every purchase.
READ NEXT : Lalo Vs Stokke: Comparison Of The Two Best High Chairs