Investing in a quality double-wall vacuum-insulated stainless steel water bottle is one of the smartest investments you can make. In this article, I share our TAL water bottle review, along with the pros and cons of owning an insulated water bottle.
Long gone are the days of storing and carrying your water in a plastic water bottle. Even BPA and BPS-free water bottles are no match for their stainless steel counterparts.
In this review, we’ll take a close look at the TAL water bottle and compare it to similar brands, mainly YETI. By the end, you’ll know for sure if the TAL brand is for you or if there are better options to suit your needs.
Let’s begin with the features.
TAL Water Bottle Features
The most popular model is the TAL 64 oz. Ranger Pro water bottle. In this section and throughout our review, we’ll focus on the Ranger Pro.
- The double-wall vacuum-insulated design keeps the outside of the bottle condensation-free
- TAL water bottles hold both hot and cold liquids
- The bottle keeps cold liquids cold for up to 24 hours and hot liquids hot for up to 12 hours
- An easy-carry loop on the lid gives you the option to hang or hook the bottle while you’re not using it (good for backpacking and camping)
- 64 oz. Ranger Pro Dimensions: 11.8″ x 4.5″ (Height x Width)
- Dishwasher Safe
Next, let’s check out the pros and cons of owning the TAL insulated water bottle. Is it worth the money?
- It can keep ice for up to 2 days
- Keeps drinks cold for 24 hours
- Keeps liquids cold in a hot car while running errands
- No condensation on the outside of the steel to worry about
- The 64 oz. size is too large for some (there is a 40 oz. model available)
- Broken lids (hard to find replacements)
Overall, the TAL water bottle does deliver on its promise of keeping cold drinks cold and hot liquids hot, but is it the best insulated water bottle available?
TAL Ranger Pro vs YETI Rambler
What do you think? Below, I go over the key points to consider when comparing the TAL Ranger Pro to the YETI Rambler.
- The YETI Rambler costs significantly more, at the time of this writing
- YETI replacement lids are affordable, a lot less likely to break, and easy to purchase online
- Both bottles do a great job of keeping hot liquids hot and cold liquids cold, yet YETI owners consistently report cold temperatures lasting for over 24 hours
- YETI cups are made with kitchen-grade 18/8 steel that’s superior (YETI steel won’t rust)
- TAL and YETI water bottles are both dishwasher safe
- YETI water bottles are available in several additional styles and sizes (great if you’re on the hunt for a cup that’ll fit in your car cup holder)
- The YETI 64 oz. Rambler doesn’t have an easy-carry loop on the lid like the TAL Ranger Pro
- All YETI lids and parts are guaranteed BPA-free
- The kitchen-grade steel in the YETI cup is great for holding hot soup, smoothies, and other foods as well as liquids. The TAL bottle is not of the same quality for holding food.
- The YETI lid won’t sweat while there are photos showing condensation on the TAL lid
The bottom line is you get what you pay for when you invest in a YETI bottle. The question to ask yourself is how much you plan to use your water bottle?
Buying Considerations
Before you invest in an insulated water bottle, there are a few questions to answer:
- How much do you plan to use it?
- Where do you plan to bring it?
- What do you plan to put inside it?
Once you’ve answered those questions, the decision is easy. If you plan to use your water bottle every day and bring it with you everywhere, the YETI is the better choice.
If you only need the water bottle a couple of times a week or while you’re running errands, the TAL water bottle may be the better choice depending on the size of your car’s cup holder.
Considering the common broken lid problem with the TAL bottle, and the fact that people are having a tough time tracking down replacements, the YETI is the superior cup for adventures, camping, fishing, boating, and all outdoor activities.
The TAL bottle becomes useless if the lid breaks. The only advantage of the TAL is it comes with an easy-carry loop, however, it’s easy and cheap to buy a carabiner clip for your YETI cup.
A carabiner clip is more durable, secure, and better for hooking onto a backpack on hikes than the easy-carry loop anyway.
Lastly, if you plan to store food in your cup, YETI is the sure winner. My good buddy, who introduced me to the YETI cup, asked smoothie shops to use his YETI cup. Hours would go by, and I would catch him munching on the granola-filled smoothie.
I remember the first time I caught him, I asked, “Is that seriously still cold?” He looked back at me with a sure smile and replied, “Yup.”
I was sold on YETI cups from that moment on.
How to Clean a TAL Water Bottle
The best way to keep your TAL water bottle clean and avoid any potential funk inside is to periodically run it through the dishwasher. In between dishwasher runs, mild soap and water will get the job done.
You may need a soft brush or a long sponge (use the soft side) to reach down into the bottle, especially if you plan to store soup or other foods in it.
My TAL Water Bottle Review: Final Score
I give the TAL Ranger Pro a 5/10 in the double-wall vacuum-insulated stainless steel water bottle department (that’s a mouthful).
- Will it keep your cold drinks cold and hot drinks hot? Yes
- Will it stand the test of time like a YETI cup? No
- Is the company as reliable and trustworthy as YETI? No
My best advice is to buy the TAL water bottle if you only plan to use it occasionally while running errands or at the office.
If you’re an outdoor person who plans to use it while camping, on the boat, fishing, hiking, and other similar activities, stick with a YETI cup or something similar. The YETI lid is superior, it’s easy to find affordable replacements, and YETI guarantees the bottle won’t leak.
There are too many broken lids. It seems that once the lid breaks, your only option is to buy a brand-new water bottle. In the end, you may end up spending the same amount as for a YETI cup and have one useless water bottle and one inferior one.
Why do I love double-wall stainless steel bottles so much? I think everyone should own one to cut down on plastic waste. Plus, water tastes a lot better out of a kitchen-grade steel cup than any plastic water bottle.
I’m also passionate about alkaline ionized water, and I drink it every day. The best way to maintain the quality of ionized water and store it for a full day is inside a double-wall vacuum-insulated stainless steel bottle. Why? Because exposing ionized water to light and air degrades the quality and antioxidant potential of the water.
Whether you’re drinking ionized water or any type of filtered water, a YETI cup is the best way to store water hands down. This is only one of the many advantages of owning this type of water bottle.
Is the TAL water bottle worth it? I’m confident that by this point you’ve already made up your mind.
Are you interested in alternate TAL models? Below are two additional 40 oz. options (click images to view prices at Amazon #ad):
Final Thoughts
What did you think of my TAL water bottle review? Did I answer all of your questions? If there’s anything else you can think of that I missed, feel free to drop me a line in the comments section below.
Overall, the TAL broken lid problem is a dealbreaker for us because we prefer an insulated water bottle that’ll stand the test of time and offers readily available replacement lids. Currently, YETI is the name to beat, and we don’t see that changing anytime soon.
The last bit of advice I’ll offer you is to remember that the human body is made of mostly water, and nothing in our diet is more important than good ol’ H2O. A quality water bottle is always a worthy investment, no matter who you are.
Read our TAL Bluetooth water bottle review next.
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Cheers!
