Sometimes I marvel at how culture has changed in ways I often don’t even think about — and definitely take for granted now. I’m Gen X, and back in the day, drinking water was not a thing. Oh, we all knew it was important and needed eight glasses a day, but we didn’t take it with us. We maybe had it with meals (or out of a hose when we were kids barred from going into the house), but more likely we had juice or soda and considered that part of our required liquid intake for the day. I owned exactly zero water bottles in college.
At some point in the mid-’90s, that changed. Today, I have an entire wall of containers for water from places like the Hello Kitty Cafe truck and my health club and I would never think of leaving the house without one. They make great souvenirs and they can showcase your personality.
Out of all this bounty, though, the one that I use every day is maybe the least fancy, but it shows the most how my mindset has changed over the years. I like to think I’m a pretty laid-back person, but there’s one rule I follow every day: I drink those eight 8-ounce glasses of water (and yes, I know that advice has been tweaked and honed over the years). The reason I’m able to stay hydrated is the Takeya Premium Quality Water Bottle with Straw Lid, 64 ounce.
I’ve had other “motivational” water bottles before. The thing is, I don’t pay all that close attention to the times written along the side. I’m relatively lazy in that respect. I want to be good and do good but I also want it to be as easy as possible.
Because the water bottle holds a full day’s worth of water, I simply fill it up the night before and sip at it all the next day. This, of course, works best on weekends and on days I’m working from home. I don’t take my Takeya with me to work, as it’s a bit big to fit in a car cupholder, so I do try to track my water usage on days I go to the office.
Every other day, though, I simply empty my Takeya as the hours pass. I keep it on the nightstand by my bed or I take it up to my home office and place it by my computer. It goes nowhere else. I will probably drink other liquids over the course of the day, like coffee or tea, but those I consider extra.
The Takeya is not terribly heavy, even full, and the handle is pretty sturdy. I have to admit I’ve been won over by the flip straw even though I generally prefer more simple water bottles because you don’t have to worry about a part not working properly. But something with 64 ounces of water in it is easier to drink if you don’t have to tip it to your mouth.
The water bottle is also dishwasher-friendly and leakproof, and the silicone bottom is nice and gentle on wood surfaces like my desk. I’ve dropped it or tipped it over onto the floor numerous times and doing so has never caused a mess. I’ve been using it for at least two, maybe three years and it still looks and feels new.
The Takeya 64-ounce bottle comes in six different colors including Stormy Black, Pistachio Green and Flutter Pink. I have it in Vivacity Purple. Sometimes I’ll see it randomly at a Target or somewhere and be tempted to buy a different color just because it’s pretty, but then I think of how mine is still perfect and I don’t actually need a new one and I resist.
But if you don’t have one yet, there’s no need to stop yourself. Right now, the Takeya 64-ounce water bottle costs between $16.60 (for Breezy Blue) and $22.57 (for Flutter Pink) on Amazon. The regular price is $24.99, so no matter which color you choose, you’ll be getting a deal!
