Klean Kanteen Review: Are They Eco Friendly Drink Bottles?
Since the rise of eco friendly drink bottles to replace single use plastics, many brands have entered the market. Many of the products are pretty similar, using a combination of stainless steel and BPA free plastics. Klean Kanteen branding is all about their eco friendly credentials, so in this Klean Kanteen review I’m taking a look at their popular insulated TKWide bottle and whether they are any more sustainable than others.
In This Review
Klean Kanteen TKWide Review
The TKWide bottle is named for its wide opening, which sets it apart from Klean Kanteen’s classic bottle which has a long narrow neck. For this TKWide review we tested and used a 16oz bottle with the Cafe Cap. TKWide bottles are available in 12oz, 16oz, 20oz, 32oz and 64oz sizes.
What We Like
- One of the top performers in our insulation testing, beating some more popular brands like Hydro Flask.
- The wide mouth allows for easy filling, pouring and cleaning.
- Most lid options includes a top handle which makes carrying easy.
- Its leakproof (except with straw cap), dishwasher safe and fits in standard cup holders (12oz, 16oz, 20oz only).
What We Don't Like
- Less appealing aesthetics than some other brands with a limited color range.
- Some of the cap options are a bit cumbersome to dismantle for cleaning.
- Some reports of quality issues with leaking or loss of vacuum seal, though users do seem to have a positive experience with resolving these defects under warranty.
Klean Kanteen Cafe Cap Review
The Cafe Cap is designed for drinking coffee or tea. Turning the inside part of the lid 90 degrees opens a small drinking spout to sip your hot drink. I’ve found it to be completely leakproof when in the closed position. One negative is a lack of highly visible indicator to show if the lid is in the open or closed position. A red color tab might alert you to the lid not being closed before you put the bottle in your bag. As you can see the cap also has a handy carry handle which can be pushed back when not in use. The handle isn’t very big so it may not work well for people with bigger hands trying to loop fingers around the handle.
Klean Kanteen Cafe Cap Cleaning
The Cafe Cap can be dismantled for cleaning. Whilst this does allow you to thoroughly clean the lid, it is a bit of a chore as it separates into 6 different pieces to be washed, dried and reassembled.
Starting with the cap in the open position, flip it over and unscrew the screw on the bottom of the cap whilst holding the top in the open position. Push up on the screw to free all of the pieces. I also then remove the rubber gasket so that I can clean under there too. As you take the lid apart, remember which order the pieces should be replaced in and which way up each piece should go.
If you find that your Cafe Cap is leaking you can check whether the screw on the bottom of the cap has been fully tightened. Try loosening it and then making sure you hear at least 5 clicks on tightening it to be sure it is fully closed. You can also watch a video created by Klean Kanteen showing how to dismantle and clean the cafe cap.
Klean Kanteen Insulation
In my testing with the Cafe Cap, Klean Kanteen insulation is one of the best across all of the brands that I’ve tested. The insulation performance is excellent for both hot drinks and cold drinks. I put products through 5 insulation tests, you can read all about the tests and find full results here. The TKWide 16oz bottle is in joint 2nd position in that size category and I expect when I test the larger bottle sizes they would also be at the top of their size categories.
| Test1 | Test2 | Test3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coffee Temperature At Start Of Testing | 180°F/82°C | 180°F/82°C | 180°F/82°C |
| Lid Latch Position During Testing | Closed | Open | Closed |
| Ambient Temperature of environment during the test | 72°F/22°C | 72°F/22°C | 39°F/4°C |
| Duration the TKWide Bottle Kept Coffee Temperature > 120°F/49°C | 10 hours | 10 hours | 7 hours |
The table summarises how the 16oz TKWide bottle with Cafe Cap performed in our hot drink insulation tests. As you can see it kept drinks hot for up to 10 hours even when the lid is in open position. Since the drinking spout is small not much heat is lost whilst it is open.
TKWide Caps
There are 5 TKWide Caps to choose from, making it a really versatile bottle option. The caps can be purchased separately which will allow you to have multiple lids for different uses or to replace a lid if needed. The lids also fit all the bottle sizes, so can be interchanged across multiple bottles. I chose the Cafe Cap as I wanted to compare this to other coffee travel mugs, but I’ve summarised all of the options here to help you choose.
I’m also showing the inside of the TKWide bottle where the caps screw into the bottle. Rather than traditional threads, the bottle has these rows of dimples around the inside which Klean Kanteen refer to as their TK Closure system. This keeps the threads inside the bottle allowing the bottle lip to be rounded and smooth for drinking directly from the bottle.
| Twist Cap | Cafe Cap | Straw Cap | Chug Cap | Loop Cap | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 | |
| Intended Use | Cold Drinks | Hot Drinks | Cold Drinks | Cold Drinks | Hot Drinks |
| Is It Leakproof? | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Is It Dishwasher Safe? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Can I purchase a TKWide Bottle With This Lid Option as Standard? | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Price to Purchase Separately | $13 | $13 | $13 | $13 | $13 |
| Lid Includes a Handle? | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Twist Cap: The twist cap has a concealed silicon straw which pops up or pushes down when the lid is twisted opened or closed. The internal part of the straw is stainless steel, so it shouldn’t dis-color or pick up tastes like a plastic straw might. Most cups with straws aren’t leakproof, but the twist cap is leakproof when in its closed position. I really like that the straw is covered up when the lid is closed as this prevents dirt etc from coming in contact with the straw.
Straw Cap: The straw cap gives the option to use the bottle with a traditional straw top. Its a simple lid with a hole for a stainless steel and silicon straw. The straw is a little wider than on the twist cap which Klean Kanteen mention makes it good for drinking something like a smoothie. This is the only TKWide cap which isn’t leak proof, so there are limited uses, it might suit for sipping drinks at your desk or in the car where you don’t want the inconvenience of opening a lid.
Chug Cap: The chug cap has a faster flow that will let you drink more quickly, so its ideal as a sports bottle. The cap has a bottle top lid that you unscrew, which stays attached to the cap so you won’t loose it.
Loop Cap: The loop cap is a simple cap for using the bottle as a thermos. Its an insulated cap which doesn’t have any kind of drinking spout, the lid should be removed for drinking or decanting. I haven’t put this through our insulation testing yet but you can expect even better results than we saw with the Cafe Cap.
Klean Kanteen vs Hydro Flask vs YETI
How does Klean Kanteen compare to other similar brands? I’ve included this summary of Klean Kanteen vs Hydro Flask vs YETI so that you can compare the product features, specification and performance. I’ve used similar product types and sizes to make this comparison as meaningful as possible. The Hydro Flask Coffee Bottle with their Flex Sip lid and the YETI Rambler 18oz bottle with their Hot Shot lid (in my opinion the best YETI for coffee).
| Klean Kanteen 16oz TKWide Bottle with Cafe Cap | Hydro Flask 16oz bottle with Flex Sip Lid | YETI Rambler 18oz bottle with Hot Shot Lid | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 | |
| Standard Price | $32.95 | $32.95 | $30 |
| Cup Weight ( Empty Inc lid) | 13.9 ounces | 11.5 ounces | 19.2 ounces |
| Height (Inc lid) | 8.65" | 9.35" | 10.2" |
| Width | 3" | 2.9" | 3" |
| Fits in a standard 3” cupholder? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Lid Opening | Twist | Twist | Twist |
| Leakproof | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Dishwasher Safe | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mug Materials | 18/8 stainless steel | 18/8 stainless steel | 18/8 stainless steel |
| Lid Materials | BPA free plastic | BPA free plastic | BPA free plastic |
| Interchangeable Lid Options | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Manufactured In | China | China | China |
| How Many Hours Does It Keep Coffee Hot (>120F) is a room temperature environment | 10 hours | 7 hours | 10 hours |
| Warranty Period | Lifetime | Lifetime | 5 years |
There is really not much difference between these products. The YETI is heavier but is renowned for its superior durability. The Hydro Flask does not insulate as well as Klean Kanteen or YETI but it still might perform well enough for your needs and as it is slightly slimmer it may fit in a wider range of cup holders or back pack pouches.
Klean Kanteen Eco Credentials
Klean Kanteen does try to set itself apart through its eco friendly credentials and this is where it may win over other brands for you. They are a family and employee owned business headquartered in California who try to minimize their impact on the environment. Whilst some of the competing brands do also put a focus on the environment, I think Klean Kanteen are making a compelling effort.
- They are Climate Neutral Certified which means they measure and report green house gas emissions for all of their business activities and contribute to initiatives to offset those emissions.
- They are a 1% for the planet member, donating 1% of every sale to environmental organizations, totalling more than $4.1M so far.
- They are a Certified B Corporation which means they’re legally signed up to prioritise people and planet as much as profit.
- They’ve transitioned to using 90% recycled steel in 95% of their products and are aiming for 100% soon.
- Their products are designed be multi purpose and to last. Whilst reusable drinkware has helped to reduce the use of single use plastic drinkware, there are also trends in collecting drinkware products. Having a Stanley cup in every available color or the full range of YETI products means that a lot of products are being manufactured and purchased to sit in a cupboard and eventually go to the dump. Klean Kanteen haven’t jumped onboard these types of trends and they actively support users to use their products for as long as possible. Lifetime warranty and ability to purchase a wide range of replacements parts help extend the life of products. Not all insulated drinkware brands do sell replacement parts or lids so often once something is worn or broken the entire product is no longer usable.
Klean Kanteen Discount
Klean Kanteen run some regular discounts and occasionally put some products on sale:
- Subscribe to the newsletter at the Klean Kanteen website to receive 10% discount off an order.
- Free shipping when you spend more than $40.
- Earn points which can be applied at the checkout for a discount. You can earn points by creating an account, purchasing products, referring friends and leaving reviews and more so there are lots of chances to earn a discount.
- Student discount is offered in some countries, for example in the UK a 15% discount is available.
- A sale section on the Klean Kanteen website offers discounted products, you will usually find some TKWide bottles included there maybe in a less popular color or at the end of a limited edition.