Should you buy a Frank Green water bottle? Welcome to the great Aussie water bottle debate
Frank Greens are hot right now – so hot they divide playgrounds and send shopping centres into meltdown. But what about the alternatives?
Lifestyle
Don't miss out on the headlines from Lifestyle. Followed categories will be added to My News.
It’s the water bottle everyone wants – so popular it can divide playgrounds or trigger a shopping centre frenzy whenever a new design drops.
Frank Greens are hot right now. They’re trendy, aesthetically pleasing and sustainable, and they have a cult following, especially among teens.
While they don’t come cheap, for many they’re more than just water bottles, they’re emotional support water bottles.
But are they the only option out there? What are the alternatives for those not sold on Frank Greens?
We delve into the great water bottle craze of 2024 to hopefully find the perfect one for you.
Frank Green
Ceramic Reusable Bottle Regular| RRP: $49.95
Australia’s most talked-about water bottle brand offers not only reusable water bottles, but also sells homewares, pet accessories and even pet water bottles.
The major selling point of a Frank Green is that they are not only visually appealing, they’re extremely functional, with a triple-wall vacuum insulation allowing the water to remain cold for multiple hours.
Influencers are a major reason behind the cult following, with social media full of Frank Green unboxing videos.
Fashion vlogger Lans Rosem in one influencer producing paid partnership videos on TikTok for Frank Green.
“So excited – it’s Frank Green lucky bag time, I have a big box here and you best believe we are diving into this together,” she says in her latest upload.
“I’ve been obsessed with watching these unboxings. We have a ceramic bottle, oh my god, I love it. Gold and green.”
Camelbak
Arete 18 | RRP: $99.99
Designed for adventure, Camelbak prioritises utility and reliability in the field over colour matching.
The Hydrobak offers a portable water solution that is lightweight and can double as a backpack.
While the brand offers vacuum insulated water bottles, Camelbak excels at rugged, outback-tested backpacks.
In the US, Camelbak has found success through subliminal influencer marketing.
Last month, the brand was featured in a video where a husband told his wife that she could buy whatever she wanted at the shops as long as she could carry it without dropping it.
“I’m not ready,” the woman said.
A few seconds later, the video cuts to the woman running to a water refill station with her Camelbak water bottle in hand.
“I needed to stay hydrated,” she joked.
Later in the video, she grabbed a Camelbak water bottle from the shelf excitedly.
“I’m literally holding one of your Camelbak water bottles,” he said.
“But we don’t have this colour, it’s leakproof, and it’s insulated,” she said in response.
Anko
1.18L Purple Jumbo Tumbler with Handle | RRP: $15.00
Kmart’s budget offering doesn’t command the same cult following as Frank Green.
But what it does have on its side is affordability.
Anko has introduced a market option that rivals Frank Green and even Stanley Cup at less than half the price, without sacrificing basic functionality.
In a video uploaded just a few days ago, TikToker Cody Harrington described Kmart’s budget water bottles as “insanity.”
“Three point seven litres. What are we doing here, do we need to put limits on water bottles these days,” he asked.
“Look at the girth on this thing.”
Another TikToker described the Anko range as “emotional support water bottles.”
Memobottle
A5 Memobottle | RRP: $55.00
The Memobottle has a unique niche in the industry: a water bottle that is flat and can fit in tight spaces such as handbags.
“I honestly love this bottle. I take it everywhere, you can put it in your purse, keeps the water cold, it’s cute. It literally fits anywhere,” one TikTok user said.
Another TikToker considered purchasing a Frank Green water bottle but went with the Memobottle for the space-saving design.
“I’ve been really getting into the gym recently and wanted to find a water bottle that would keep me hydrated, was durable, and I could put it in my bag,” she said.
Smiggle
Squiggle Insulated Stainless Steel Drink Bottle 550Ml | RRP: $39.95
The early 2000s were full of wonderful and whimsical stationery must-haves. You had Big W and Kmart selling perfectly acceptable stationery that students liked but didn’t really attract a cult following.
That all changed when Smiggle entered the scene in 2003.
Stationery with rainbows, spaceships and random splashes of colour found their way into classrooms around the country.
The love for Smiggle hasn’t really changed much over the past 20 years.
You don’t really see hundreds of posts praising the water bottles because kids, for the most part, aren’t jumping on TikTok and gushing about their latest purchase.
But that’s okay, Smiggle doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel. The brand just needs to keep releasing colourful and kid-friendly water bottles to remain a mainstay in every Aussie classroom.
Thermos
Thermos Stainless King Vacuum Insulated Flask, 1.2L | RRP: $64.99
Popular with customers ranging from outdoor explorers to budget shoppers, Thermos creates water bottles that appeal to every lifestyle. The brand has also created a range of child-friendly water bottle designs with bright colours and specks of glitter.
Hydro Flask
20oz (591mL) Wide Mouth | RRP: $54.99
Hydro Flask water bottles stay cool for up to 24 hours and hot for up to 12 hours, perfect for exploring the great outdoors.
Designed for and inspired by outdoor living, Hydro Flask is a brand that strives to make outdoor spaces more accessible.
The Hydro Flask Parks For All initiative has a team of thousands of volunteers that work towards maintaining outdoor trails and cleaning rubbish from green spaces.
Yeti
Rambler 26oz (760 mL) Straw Bottle | RRP: $60.00
Yeti was founded in 2006 after two brothers wanted to design a cooler they could use every day. Over the past 18 years the brand has expanded to drink bottles, tumblers, travel mugs, bags, outdoor living accessories and even apparel.
The Rambler line of outdoor water bottles are tough enough to handle toddler tantrums and keep cold water cold for as long as needed.
Environmental advocate Lottie Dalziel says sustainability doesnāt have to be expensive
It's easier than you think
I found the best of Europe, without the crowds
Forget about "destination dupes",Ā Europe has plenty of gems to discover when you get off the beaten track.