In-depth reviews guided by a Pediatrician

Klean Kanteen Kid Sports Bottle Review

Not a bad lightweight option if you remember to close the sport spout
Klean Kanteen Kid Kanteen w/ 3.0 Sports Cap
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Price:   $18.00 List | $16.95 at Amazon
Pros:  Stainless steel, fits in cup holders, lightweight, easy to drink from
Cons:  Not insulated, must touch spout to use, leaks on side
Manufacturer:   Klean Kanteen
By Juliet Spurrier, MD & Wendy Schmitz  ⋅  Nov 11, 2014
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73
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Leakage - 35% 7
  • Ease of Use - 25% 8
  • Ease of Cleaning - 20% 8
  • Eco-Health - 20% 6

The Skinny

The Klean Kanteen is a nice stainless steel bottle that has an easy to use sport spout with a great flow rate. This bottle is narrow, easy to hold, and fits in most cup holders. It is an eco-healthy bottle that kids like, has few parts, and is easy to clean. Overall it is a nice bottle that did well in most of our tests, but failed to score well due to the lack of insulation and the need for little hands on the mouthpiece in order to use. This bottle scored 5th place out of 11 in our review and while it did not win an award, we did like it for a non-insulated kid's bottle.


Our Analysis and Test Results

The Klean Kanteen Kid Sports Bottle is a 12 ounce stainless steel bottle with a sport top lid. The newer 3.0 lid is a soft silicone spout with 25 % higher flow rate than the previous spout version. It has a loop for easy attachment to backpacks and strollers, and a dust cover to help keep the spout clean. It has a slim design that will fit in most cup holders. The bottle contains no BPA, phthalates, lead, or other toxins. It is made of 18/8 food grade steel that is electropolished, so it doesn't retain or impart flavors. The inside has rounded corners for easy cleaning. The large mouth opening can accommodate ice cubes and the parts are dishwasher safe. The bottles come in a variety of colors, but the painted bottles should be hand-washed for longer cosmetic lifespan.

Performance Comparison


The Kanteen has few pieces and different spout options which makes it good for various ages and increases its longevity
The Kanteen has few pieces and different spout options which makes it good for various ages and increases its longevity

Likes


We liked the eco-health properties of this bottle. It is a recyclable stainless steel that is easy to clean, does not leach chemicals or impart flavor, and is easy to clean. The inside is electropolished to make cleaning a breeze and the
The new Sport spout 3.0 is easy to drink from and has a higher flow rate than previous versions
The new Sport spout 3.0 is easy to drink from and has a higher flow rate than previous versions
rounded edges mean there are no cracks or crevices for food to get stuck. We loved that this properties of this bottle make it health for children to use, and easy for adults to manage. We also like Klean Kanteen's Earth friendly company policies and what they are tying to do for the environment as well as for children. It makes this bottle somehow more desirable.

We also liked the easy to use sport spout 3.0 that comes standard on this bottle. While it would have been better if kid's didn't have to touch the spout to open it, it is still an easy to use mouthpiece that has a constant flow rate and requires little sucking to use.
Kids liked using the easy to clean Kanteen
Kids liked using the easy to clean Kanteen
This bottle is lightweight and shaped nicely for children to hold and for fitting in cup holders. It has a loop for attaching the bottle to backpacks and strollers, and it comes with a lid to prevent the mouthpiece from getting dirty. We also like that there is no plastic used in any part that has constant contact with the liquid contents of the bottle. This was not a feature of every bottle, but was certainly one we preferred.

Dislikes


For all the things we liked about this bottle there were probably an equal number of attributes we didn't really care for. While the bottle scored well for leaks upside down, it scored poorly for leaks when tipped on its side. This can be a real deal breaker inside a backpack or diaper bag where the contents of the bottle could ruin the other contents of the bag. This test was done with the lid off and the spout fully open. If the spout is closed properly, and/or the lid is on, this bottle did better in the leak test. However, we feel it is best to test the worst possible case of accidentally left open and shoved in a tight spot.
Unfortunately even when solely hand washed the paint on Klean Kanteen will begin to chip and eventually peel off after heavy use. If put into the top-rack of dishwasher painted cups will begin to chip even sooner.
Unfortunately, even when solely hand washed, the paint on Klean Kanteen will begin to chip and eventually peel off after heavy use. If put into the top-rack of dishwasher, painted cups will begin to chip even sooner.
In addition, the bottle is not insulated and while not a necessity for all bottles, it is a nice feature for keeping contents cool or even drinkable in the case of liquids other than water. The mouthpiece also requires direct hand contact to open, therefore it comes in contact with far more germs that bottles that do not require direct contact.

Conclusion


The Klean Kanteen bottle leaked somewhat when tipped upside down. The leaking grew worse when little ones shook the bottle.
The Klean Kanteen bottle leaked somewhat when tipped upside down. The leaking grew worse when little ones shook the bottle.
We did like the Klean Kanteen and it did score higher than 6 other bottles in this review. If you are looking for a non-insulated bottle for children the Klean Kanteen is a good option. It is easy to use, easy to transport, and has great eco-health attributes. The only real drawbacks include not being insulated, direct mouthpiece contact to open, and a poor leak score for sideways bottles. If being insulated is not a top priority for you, and your child is good at closing spouts and using lids, the Klean Kanteen can be a nice option. While it did not win any awards, it is one of the bottles we used regularly and kids seemed to like.

— Juliet Spurrier, MD & Wendy Schmitz