Customer Reviews

The Bamboo Bottle Company's 17-Ounce Bottle

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

There are three main reasons to purchase the bottle.

1. Aesthetics. I was initially drawn to the bottle because of its unique look. In person, the bamboo is quite striking, and the product really stands out.

2. Glass bottle. It's hard to find a bottle that uses glass for its liner. I'm certain there are products out there that do, but they seem uncommon. The glass is easy to clean, doesn't pick up residual tastes, and won't leech chemicals into your drink. It's also easy to clean because it is dishwasher safe.

3. Hot and cold, same bottle. This is my number one reason for purchasing this bottle. It works great with hot coffee in the morning and cold water later in the day. I don't like using paper cups when buying coffee, but I don't want to bring both a water bottle and a coffee mug with me to work every day. This bottle works great for both.

There are some reasons why this bottle may not be for you.

1. You want a really light weight water bottle. This water bottle is part glass, so it's heavier than other products. I wouldn't want to take it along for a run, but in my bag or lifting to take a drink, I don't notice the weight at all. But if you need something that is very light weight when empty, don't buy the product.

2. You want a bottle that holds a LOT of liquid. Take note - the Bamboo Bottle holds half a liter. If that's too small for you, don't buy the product.

3. You care about function over everything else. To clean this bottle in the dishwasher, you have to disassemble it. That means unscrewing two pieces. There's no "sippy cap" on the product, so you have to remove the top to take a drink. And the bamboo can't be put in the microwave or soaked in water. If all this seems like a hassle to you, don't buy the product.

Length:: 1:18 Mins

I purchased a few of these bottles and we really like them. Typically I am not a water bottle carrying guy, but this has changed that. Watch my video for my take on this great bottle!!

Like the other commenter, I also did not purchase this through Amazon, but rather, direct from the company. As has been well documented, this item has been on pre-order for well over a year as they worked out the inevitable kinks of bringing something to market.

The bottle, as is touted far and wide, is beautiful to look at and a truly unique product in an already swamped marketplace.

It is, however, slightly heavier than I would like for an item I intend to carry around (it's interior is made out of glass.) One of its best features also provides some frustrating moments as you get to know it: if you twist the top off in the wrong way, while holding the wrong part of the bottle, the pieces can come loose, in one case, even coming apart. Now, as with anything, the longer I use it the less of a problem this becomes, but new owners take note. Finally, I've come to realize that it does not do well in the refrigerator. The plastic top, neck-nut and bottom can seize up and cease to operate smoothly until the unit warms up again. Also, as is to be expected from a natural wood/fiber, the bamboo sleeve does not like to be refrigerated either - it weeps and swells with the changes in temperature. The manufacturer does not mention this in any of its literature that I could find, but certainly should in order to help owners get the most out of their bottles.

I like this bottle, but recognize it as the first offering from a company trying to fill a void in the market. I expect their next bottles to address these issues. Bringing something truly new to market can be tough, but I'm not going to make excuses for the company.

If you're looking for a beautifully unique, environmentally friendly bottle that needs a little baby sitting, then this is your bottle! Don't put it in the fridge and be mindful when opening and closing it, and I suspect that you'll be quite happy with it.

I recently brought the bottle after reading of it online. What stood out was the great aesthetics and the uniqueness of the bottle. However after it arrived, I made some disappointing discoveries. When I first picked the bottle up I found that it was much heavier than I originally thought it would be. To the point where it is almost impractical to take it to school/uni in a bag already loaded with writing equipment, books, electronics. However, ignoring this blemish upon my new bottle, I took it with me to uni the next day. After a long day at uni I opened my bag to find that not only was the bottle a burden, it was also a danger. To my electronics that is. The bottle had leaked some water into the bottom of my bag. After getting home I tested it by filling it up, screwing the top on tightly and placing it vertically on the bench. It still leaked. And now all I use the bottle for is as a fancy big cup that doesn't leave the house.

Like many of the other reviewers, I too bought my bottle directly from the manufacturer, not from Amazon. After reading the comments--read complaints--I thought I would throw my two cents in. As a preface I should say that I have had a Sigg bottle for several years that I have used on a daily basis. We have very hard well water and after all that time lime deposits that now look like a miniature forest have grown at the bottom of my Sigg bottle despite regular washing because of the small opening--and no I do not have the special brush. I have been looking for a new water bottle for some time.

The reviewer's complaints seem to fall into the following categories:

Size: the bottle's size is clearly listed as 17 ounces. This is smaller than most water bottles, but I took this into account when I ordered. Incidentally, 16 ounces is the size of a Starbucks Grande Coffee, with room left over for plenty of cream and sugar, which is how I take my coffee. Since this bottle accommodates both hot and cold drinks, and the bamboo sleeve provides insulation for both, something the Sigg bottle does not, I think I am ahead. You can hardly blame the product if you didn't bother to read the product description carefully enough.

Weight: everyone is complaining that this bottle is heavier than the aluminum and stainless steel bottles already on the market. I do not intend to be insulting, but duh! Again, the product description was pretty clear that what was being purchased was a bottle with a glass lining with a bamboo insulator (I bought it from the manufacturer so I got the whole song and dance). A glass bottle is heavier than an aluminum or steel can; it can be presumed that any product made of glass is going to be heavier. Having already looked at some of the glass bottles on the market, I was not surprised or disappointed.

That it comes apart: personally, I bought the bottle for this very reason. With the difficulties that I have had cleaning my Sigg bottle (and by the way, the brush really wouldn't have made much of a difference; our water is so hard I have to keep a bottle of Lime-Away handy when doing the dishes, but for some reason it didn't work on the Sigg bottle, maybe because of the lining?), I wanted something that I could actually clean effectively. In actual use, you can prevent any problem by holding the bottle by the green coupler while twisting off the top; if you try to twist the green coupler, it will come apart.

One of the reviewer mentioned that the bottle gets stiff when put in the refrigerator. While true, the effect is minor and not worth fixating on.

I am delighted with my new bottle. I enjoyed the years of use I got from my Sigg bottle, but my new bottle keeps my water truly cold for much longer. It also doesn't sweat (or at least not much), so I don't have to worry about having a coaster and a paper towel on my desk. I have to fill it up more often, but because of its wide mouth, that's not such a hassle either.

At first, this water bottle was functioning as intended and had decreased my plastic bottle usage. The only drawbacks at first were the liquids inside did not stay cold for too long and the cap needs to be twisted off to drink from the bottle. The problem is I live in Florida, the bottle leaks and/or drips down between the glass and bamboo insulation. As one might imagine, this causes the bottle exterior to get a stench to it from the wetness. I could not figure out where the smell was coming from at first and then realized it is from the leaking/dripping down the side of the bottle. I have a life factory bottle, which is more functional, it does not stink; even though it lacks insulation. The musty smell of the bamboo water bottle is off putting. I am not sure if any one else has had this issue???? After several months of use, the bottle has started to leak profusely which ruined my books and a planner in a bag I had been carrying the bottle in. I feel as if I wasted my money on this product. It is decorative, but no longer functional in the context I purchased it for. Such a bummer.

When the aggressive marketing campaign for the Bamboo Bottle took off in Summer '10, I'll admit - I was impressed. I couldn't wait to get my hands on the bottle that would single handedly solve all of our environmental problems, cure cancer, and bake some chocolate chip cookies while at it. I patiently waited a few weeks, a few months, then lost interest after the delays continued on (Glad I didn't hold my breath). Now, a year later, one can actually order the bottle! Hallelujah!

Now that I have it, my what a pretty bottle! It's made from high-quality material and is heavy (even without any liquid inside). Nothing about it looks or feels cheap. Drinking water from glass is such an absolute joy when there are plastic or paper cups everywhere I go. But why did I give this only 2 stars? Because this bottle fails in the one function that is central to any water bottle. Keeping the liquid inside without leaking and have a lid that opens and closes easily.

Once you have filled the bottle with your favorite beverage, screwing the lid back on is no easy task. The threads on the glass are a little too thick that it takes a few tries to align the lid correctly. Even then the only way to find out if you've got it on right is to turn the bottle upside down over a sink to make sure nothing is leaking. Great! Now off you go outside!

If you take this with you in the car, note that it wont fit in a standard cup holder. This means that the bottle will have to lie flat either on a seat or on the floor. God forbid you get thirsty and open it at a traffic light because it takes longer than most red lights to get the lid back on correctly. Since the bottle does not fit in a standard cup holder, you'd have to balance it in your crotch till the next light so you can resume the process of getting the lid back on and testing the seal. If you don't, then you will have to deal with cleaning coffee/juice off your car seat (or worse, your stuff that is next to the bottle). Joy!

If you do screw the lid on tightly, be careful when you open it next time. Because a tight seal will mean that the green collar will unscrew before the lid, resulting in the entire assembly (the black bottom and the bamboo sleeve) hitting the floor. I've never experienced this much difficulty with any other bottle I've owned.

A year spent on redesign and this is the best they could offer? They over promised and under delivered. I'd rather drink water from a BPA loaded Nalgene than deal with this mess.

In summary:

Pros: Pretty bottle with high-quality material.

Cons: Heavy (even when unfilled), user-unfriendly, and borderline impractical for an active person.

I have been excited about this product for a long time and was really excited when I received it last night, but...

It is very heavy for a 17-Ounce Bottle and it LEAKS like crazy, filled it up the first time and promptly got a lap full of water after tipping it on its side. I tried tightening it up as tight as I could get it, and although it didn't leak very much after that it still leaked. Now before anyone goes and says I didn't tighten it up enough, I am 6'4", weigh about 225 pounds and lift weights 4 to 5 times a week, and I tightened as tight as I could.

DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT, YOU WILL BE DISAPPOINTED.

I bought this bottle based on the description and the only thing that was true about it was that it looked good. It does squat with insulation, pain in the neck to disassemble and assemble (when we have to clean it) and leaks ever so often. Would recommend no one buy this. I am currently processing a return on this.

Great idea, poor execution. First, this bottles still sweats a lot when there is a cold beverage inside. I hoped that the gap between that glass and the bamboo would prevent that. It does, but not nearly enough. Second, it is surprisingly heavy. Third, the mouth on the glass bottle is just the right size to be annoying--it is neither small like a soda bottle nor is it large like a regular glass. Consequently, your nose will get in the way too often. Third, the threads at the top seem to get cross-threaded way too easily.