Choosing the best Bluetooth water bottle speaker is no easy task. Since they’re relatively new and far from perfect, it’s tough to track down the ones that are worth the doe. In this article, I share our complete TAL Bluetooth water bottle review, along with some helpful tips to lead you in the right direction before you buy.
Over the past year, we’ve spent a good chunk of time researching smart water bottles and found that most of them aren’t so smart. One of the smart features available is Bluetooth. Is the TAL Bluetooth water bottle more than just a speaker? That’s one of the key questions we answer in our review.
Let’s start with the features.
Key Features
- Made with shock-resistant Tritan BPA-free plastic
- 28 oz. Capacity
- Compatible with all Bluetooth devices, including iPhone, Android, iPad, and all other tablets with Bluetooth
- The ability to answer calls w/ included feature to call back last caller
- Color-changing “strobe” light in the lid handle (turn on or off)
- 4-hour battery life (uses micro-USB port for charging)
- Volume, track, and other control buttons on the side of the lid
- Water-resistant lid (not waterproof or dishwasher safe)
What to expect?
We always like to dive into the current info on a product to identify positive and negative trends. In this section, I share several of the more helpful points to consider before you purchase.
- Not very practical
- Call answering, LED lights, and speaker all function properly
- Great for hikes and other outdoor activities.
- A good gift for friends
- The speaker doesn’t play very loud, which in my opinion, is to be expected with a small Bluetooth water bottle speaker
- The sound is clear (even at max volume)
- A faulty Bluetooth connection that can disconnect
- Keep in the mind, the bottle won’t keep water cold like the TAL vacuum-insulated, double-wall steel water bottle.
- The speaker charges quickly, and the lights are a cool feature
- The option to turn the LED lights off to save battery
- The LED light is a cooler feature than expected
- Sound quality is great, especially at this price point
- The wide-mouth opening makes it easy to fill and add ice
- It automatically turns off after 15 minutes of inactivity
- 28 oz. capacity is just right for most
- Since the lid is the speaker, the bottle is top-heavy and can tip over when not full
- The need to unscrew the lid every time to take a sip
- The LED lights change colors slowly; they don’t have a strobe effect
- The LED lights only function when connected to Bluetooth
- The speaker is not powerful enough for outdoor use
Our TAL Bluetooth Water Bottle Review
Is the TAL Bluetooth speaker worth it?
Likes
- For the price, the TAL Bluetooth speaker impresses us. No one complained about the audio quality, which is the most important consideration to make before you purchase. The last thing you want is a speaker that makes you turn your back on your favorite songs.
- Although the LED light doesn’t actually produce a strobe effect, we think it’s cool nonetheless. If I could take a time machine back to college, I can definitely envision throwing a mini-Pink Floyd listening party with the speaker turned up all the way and the LED activated.
- The bottle is light and small enough to bring along while hiking or camping. It may not have enough power for a noisy outdoor environment, but it certainly does the trick in a quiet spot along a hike. My friends and I often use our phone speakers while hiking in California. Since the TAL Bluetooth speaker is a lot louder than a phone speaker, it definitely gets the job done.
- Outside of one review, no one complained about Bluetooth connectivity. Nothing annoys me more than a faulty Bluetooth connection since I use Bluetooth devices all day, every day.
- We like the shape, appearance, and wide-mouth design that makes it easy to add ice.
- The instructions are clear
- The ability to answer calls and call back the last caller are cool features. When you’re working at your desk, you have a portable speakerphone.
Dislikes
- The speaker and the ability to answer calls are great, but the TAL Bluetooth water bottle is not a true smart water bottle. It won’t connect to smart home devices such as Alexa.
- The top-heavy design can get annoying at times when the bottle accidentally tips over.
- It’s not made to keep cold liquids cold and hot liquids hot.
- The possibility of condensation forming on the outside of the bottle when filled with ice
- The LED light only functions when Bluetooth is on is a bit of a bummer.
- No straw or flip top to make the bottle easier to drink from is a drawback.
Overall, I do give the TAL Bluetooth water bottle a thumbs up because it delivers entertaining features and a decent speaker at a very affordable price. If one thing is for sure, it makes a great gift for kids and teenagers.
We confirmed that the TAL Bluetooth water bottle is a better product than the stainless steel bottle the company sells.
Final Score: 7/10
Are there better alternatives?
If you’re shopping for a true smart water bottle, there are certainly better options than the TAL Bluetooth water bottle. The TAL bottle won’t remind you to drink water, it doesn’t offer an iOS or Android app, and it can’t connect to other smart home devices.
We recommend our list of Top 10 Best Smart Water Bottles for better options.
If the additional smart functions aren’t important to you, and all you require is a Bluetooth speaker with cool lights, then the TAL bottle gets the job done and more.
Final Thoughts
The TAL Bluetooth speaker did impress us. We expected to find more negative feedback.
The next time you hang out with your friends, they’ll laugh when they see your new water bottle. Then, later on, they’ll admit how awesome it actually is. I think that’s the perfect way to sum up the response you’ll get with the TAL Bluetooth water bottle.
