There are thousands of different water bottles on the market in all shapes and sizes. Some have loud in your face designs, oversized capacity and massive carry handles (Stanley cups i’m talking about you!) Whilst others take a more streamlined simplistic approach, like Chilly’s new series 2 bottle.
There’s something about Chilly’s aesthetic that really draws me in. Simple, minimalistic and soft muted colours make up the Chilly’s series 2 water bottle ‘Solids’ collection, and i’m 100% here for it. If unadorned isn’t your vibe, Chilly’s have plenty of vibrant patterned options available too.
I’ve been a daily user of the Chilly’s coffee cup for many years now, you can read my review on series 1 vs series 2 here if you fancy. But i’ve also pinched my fiances black Chilly’s water bottle for the last year or so, which is probably why he bought me my own series 2 water bottle for Christmas! To make things even better though, he got me the additional flip lid attachment so I can transform this into my sports bottle too.
Here’s my thoughts on this pretty-as-can-be water bottle, let’s see if it’s a hit or a miss!
In this article...
Is the Chilly’s Series 2 bottle design good?
Whether you like clean and minimalist or bold vibrant designs, you will probably enjoy Chilly’s water bottle offerings.
Colour and pattern options
The Chilly’s series 2 water bottle comes in 6 different collections; Solids, Botanicals, Liberty, Patterns, Elements and the Tate collection. Not forgetting the additional custom option, where you can create your own colour combination for each element of the bottle. For example, you could have a whale blue bottle, with a plum collar and blush pink carry loop if you fancied!
The solid collection currently comes in 8 colour-ways. All of which have a slightly muted tone to them, which is right up my street. I especially love ‘Lichen’ a beautiful gentle green and ‘Blush’ which is the soft pastel pink shade that I have.
I personally prefer the sleek solid colour-ways, but if you’re after something a little more unique, take a look through Chilly’s other collections. You’ll find pretty florals, tropical leaves and abstract artsy patterns. There is also the series 2 flip bottles which come in 11 colours options, although the cute Chilly’s logo is dropped in favour of bold brand writing.
Powder-coated finish
To the touch these Chilly’s series 2 bottles feel expensive, which is due to their premium powder-coated outer layer. Thanks to the powder-coating, Chilly’s stainless steel bottles gain a beautiful luxe-looking matte paint finish. No glossy stainless steel here. Meaning you can wave goodbye to unsightly smeary fingerprint marks.
New hygienic drinking collar
Unlike the original Chilly’s water bottle, which has a regular stainless-steel opening. The series 2 comes with the addition of an anti-microbial drinking collar which reduces microbes by upto 99.99%. Not only does this make for hygienic sipping, it also creates a soft, comfortable bottle mouth to drink from. The same goes for the series 2 flip lid, and both options help to protect against stains and unpleasant odours.
A reusable water bottle that doesn’t taint the taste of your drinks
Some water bottles can taint the taste of your drink, and ultimately prevent you from using a more environmentally friendly water bottle. Thankfully though, Chilly’s series 2 bottles are BPA-free, and preserve the flavour and freshness of your chosen refreshment. It seems to work well, as I’ve not noticed any flavour change with my drinks or water.
Available accessories for the Chilly’s series 2 bottles
The series 2 water bottles have a few accessory options available, allowing you to make this bottle totally unique to you, whilst also giving you the option to transform this regular bottle into a sports bottle. Perfect for trips to the gym, taking out on your bike or going on a run.
Bottle loops
I love bottles that come with a carry handle, as it make it so much easier to carry when you’re off on a nice walk. The loop on the chillies bottle isn’t the biggest, so if you have large hands or fingers it has the potential to be a little snug. For myself though, I find the loop a perfect size – as I think most would. If you get bored of your loop colour, or you simply fancy mixing it up you can buy new bottle tops for £7 each.
Flip tops
The series 2 water bottle actually comes in two model options; series 2 and series 2 flip. However the flip lid accessory fits the series 2 bottle too. So if you don’t like the large Chilly’s logo font that adorns the flip bottle, but still want the flip attachment, then it’s possible to buy the flip lid accessory separately for £22. This also prevents you needing multiple bottles for different circumstances. Now you can easily transform your bottle from office swigging to spout sipping whilst on a run or at the gym. The flip lid has a small woven fabric carry loop too.
Collars
Chilly’s also sell the silicone collars individually for £3. Allowing you to switch out the colours if you fancy having a few different options on rotation throughout the week.
Are Chilly’s bottles expensive?
Chilly’s bottles can seem a bit pricey when compared to some others on the market. But if you look after them and follow the care instructions correctly, they should last you a long time.
Regular 500ml series 2 bottles cost £32 whilst the 500ml series 2 flip will set you back £42. To buy the flip lid separately that will cost you £22 but there is a series 2 bottle and flip lid duo which works out a little cheaper at £51 (if you were planning to combine both)
Performance – does the Chilly’s bottle do what it says it should?
As for performance, Chilly’s state that their series 2 bottles should keep liquids hot for 12 hours, or keep drinks refreshingly cold for 24 hours. I put that to the test, and here’s my results.
Hot results
Personally, I don’t really use my bottle for hot drinks as that’s what I use my Chilly’s cup for. But for the purpose of this review, I filled it with boiling water to see how long it would remain hot for.
After 6 hours the water was still super hot, and to be fair even at the 12 hour mark it was still steaming. I checked it again at 18 hours, and it was more tepid than hot by that point. I’m not sure you would be able to make a cup of tea with it at the 18 hour mark, but then Chilly’s only claim 12 hours, which it achieves very well. The bottle didn’t get hot to hold, but you could feel warmth in the lid.
Cold results
When it comes to keeping drinks cold, Chilly’s knock the ball out of the park. The series 2 keeps my drinks icy cold for hours on end. On an average day, I would consume the entirety of my bottle within 12 hours, but on the odd occasion when I have left water in there over night, it’s still been perfectly chilled the following day. Even on a hot day it does an amazing job at keeping my drink cool. No complaints there.
How practical is the Chilly’s series 2 bottle?
Here’s some of the features on the Chilly’s series 2 bottle that makes it such a practical choice.
Leak proof
Nobody wan’t a drinks bottle to wreak havoc and leak inside their bag or backpack. Potentially wrecking school work, damaging phones or leaving a big soggy mark on your new designer handbag. Thankfully I’ve found the Chilly’s series 2 to stand strong on the leak-proof front, no matter its orientation. There is one slight flaw in the design though. In the sense that the bottles collar can sometimes accidentally loosen when trying to unscrew the lid. As long as you hold the collar when untightening the lid you shouldn’t have any issues, but that is something to be wary of. The collar is removed when using the flip lid so thats not a problem.
Noise dampening bottom
Stainless steel bottles can make quite the clang when you pop them down on a surface. But Chilly’s clever addition of the silicone pad on the bottom enables you can set your bottle down silently. That is a feature I love, and it’s more satisfying than you think it would be! It doesn’t sound like a big deal, does it? But when you experience it in action, you’ll appreciate how it creates a far more premium feeling product.
Weight
Not the lightest water bottle on the market, but at 390g I find it perfect for everyday use. Because it’s crafted from stainless steel, it’s always going to be heavier than a bottle made from plastic.
Carry loop
The loop on the regular series two lid makes carrying this water bottle really easy. Much nicer than trying to wrap your palm around the width of a bottle for a long time. Especially when you don’t have a bag with you, and you’re taking it out on a walk. The flip lid also has the small woven fabric loop. It’s smaller than the other silicone loop, but still handy to hook over your finger.
Size/ volume
Series 2 comes in 3 different sizes; 300ml, 500ml and 1 litre. My bottle is 500ml which I think is a great and practical size to carry around and chuck in your handbag to take to work.
Double walled
Because the series 2 bottles are double walled, you wont have the challenge of trying to hold a hot bottle or worry about any pesky condensation issues or drips going on inside your bag.
Bottle pros and cons of the series 2 bottle
There are so many pro’s to the Chilly’s series 2 bottle, but as with most things in life; nothing is perfect. When it comes to pro’s and con’s, this is what I would say.
Pro’s:
- Gorgeous aesthetically pleasing designs
- Quiet to place down on the desk
- Leak proof
- Doesn’t taint taste of drinks
- Keeps drinks cold for 24 hours
- Accessory/customisation options
- Feels premium
- Robust
- Handy carry handle
- Option to transform into a sports bottle
Cons:
- Neck can unscrew at the same time as the lid if you don’t hold it in the right place
- Expensive
- Not dishwasher proof
- Lighter colours can mark
- If dropped on a hard surface it’s likely to dent
Maintenance
When it comes to looking after your Chilly’s series 2 bottle, one thing is for certain; do not put it in the dishwasher.
You’ll need to hand wash this bottle, as putting it in the dishwasher destroys the powder-coating and you’ll end up with it flaking off. Precisely what happened to James’s black bottle when I accidentally popped it into the dishwasher without thinking, oops!
They are easy to clean by hand though, so it’s not much of an issue. Using a bottle brush will give it a good scrub, and the flip lid comes with it’s own mini bottle brush to clean the collapsable straw thats part of it. It’s safe to put the flip lid and straw in the dishwasher, although washing by hand is probably still the safest option for the bottles longevity.
Chilly’s series 1 bottle vs the new series 2 bottle
If you’re wondering what the difference is between the original Chilly’s bottle and the new series 2 bottle. Well, there’s actually quite a lot.
Sleeker shape
To begin with, the newer model has a much nicer shape in my opinion. The original bottle was slimmer and tapered to a narrower opening, whilst it’s base was more crinkled.
Carry loop and sound dampening
There is no carry loop on the original Chilly’s bottle, nor does it come with the noise dampening silicone base. Making this bottle harder to carry, and loud to set down.
Drinking
The series 2 comes with a nice soft silicone collar to drink from rather than the cold metal on series 1. However series 1 doesn’t have the issue of the collar coming undone with the lid, as there is no collar on the original bottle. Overall, I much prefer the series 2. I think it looks nicer and drinking from the series 2 is a far more comfortable experience.
Conclusion
I’m so happy with my new pink drinking bottle, it looks so pretty and I’ve already got lots of use out of it. Much like my Chilly’s cup, my series 2 water bottle now comes to work with me everyday and i’ve returned the black one to it’s rightful owner. I love that I have the option to not only customise elements of it, but that I can also transform this bottle from swigging to sipping. It works brilliantly as my sports bottle when i’m doing a run on the treadmill, and I really enjoy the soft touch flip attachment too.
So long as you wash it by hand, this bottle should stay looking beautiful and last you many years to come. Overall I think the Chilly’s series 2 is a hit, but I’d love to know what you think. Feel free to leave a comment below with your experience.
Check out the Chilly’s series 2 offers here.
Pin it for later
Check out my latest posts!
- Creating a Practical and Low Maintenance Side Garden on a Budget
- Chilly’s Series 2 Bottle & Flip Lid Duo Review: Hit or Miss?
- 18 of The Best Things to Do in Vienna
- Imperial Riding School, Autograph Collection: Vienna Hotel Review
- Vienna’s Christmas Markets: Festive Fun With Jet2CityBreaks