This 'game-changer' water bottle has more than 3,000 ratings on Amazon — and it's only $23

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When it comes to bad habits, I have several. The only one I’m willing to share publicly is my addiction (not an understatement) to diet soda.

The amount of aspartame and caffeine I consume on a daily basis is too embarrassing to admit, but believe me when I say that it’s a lot. A few weeks into working from home due to COVID-19, I decided now is as good of time as ever to begin making healthier choices; starting with drinking more water.

Prior to setting this goal, the amount of water I consumed on a daily basis was limited to whatever I accidentally consumed while brushing my teeth. Yes, I knew how vital water is to good health but I had come to a point where I was so addicted to the taste and fizz of diet sodas that it was all I would reach for from sun-up to sun down.

Drinking water would be a massive lifestyle overhaul for me - and I knew that I needed to psych myself up for it the only way I know how: by shopping.

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I went on the hunt for a water bottle that would help motivate me to drink water. Enter: the BuildLife Gallon Motivational Water Bottle. With more than 3,000 ratings on Amazon, I liked that each bottle was not only large enough to hold a daily recommended amount of water and BPA free, but there were time markers to help encourage you to stay on track and meet your goal.

BuildLife Gallon Motivational Water Bottle

SHOP IT: Amazon, from $23

BuildLife offers bottles available in both 73 oz (approximately 2L) and a gallon (approximately 4L) quantities. As the saying goes, you either go big or go home — and since I had already been home for five weeks, I decided to take the plunge and order the gallon.

First impressions

Even with shipping delays due to COVID-19, I received my bottle within five days. After giving it a wash, I set out on the task of following the time markers on the bottle. Once full, the bottle is heavy, but luckily it comes with both and handle and nylon strap that makes drinking and carrying it around much easier than I had expected.

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On the first day, I only made it 3/4 of the way through the time markers before I had to give up, but as the days went on, I was easily hitting the markers without even trying. It was around day 3 or 4 that I drank the entire gallon, and found that I was actually craving water rather than diet soda.

Confession: I still drink diet soda, but after three weeks drinking a gallon of water a day, it’s considerably less than I was drinking before.

Although it’s not dishwasher safe, the bottle is easy to wash since the spout and straw come apart easily. BuildLife does warn not to drop the bottle as it can break and crack (especially when full) but so far I’ve had no issues or noticed any deterioration.

What others are saying

In addition to its 3,000-plus ratings, the BuildLife Gallon Motivational Water Bottle boasts a solid 4.6 star rating.

“It is so much easier to keep track and keep drinking water,” one shopper wrote. “The straw does not give a struggle like some other bottles I have used before. I just love it. Definitely would recommend. Drink up and stay hydrated.”

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While most people have noted just how overwhelming the bottle can seem at first (a gallon seems daunting in the beginning) many have noted that they’ve found improvements in their skin and find it easier to hit the recommended intake of water on a daily basis.

“The great thing about this water bottle is how easy it is to drink from the nozzle, and you can close the nozzle when you're not using it, to deter from any dust or dirt getting into it,” another wrote. “It's great because you can easily gauge roughly how much you water you should be drinking in a 14 hour period. I only have to fill this bottle up once a day, which is very convenient.”

The final verdict

As someone who went from drinking hardly any water to consuming a gallon a day, this bottle has been a game changer. I enjoy the challenge of hitting the time markers and like the fact that I only have to fill the bottle up once in the morning, put in some ice and carry it with me throughout the day.

So far, my boyfriend and few friends have all purchased their own gallon water bottle and have had only positive things to say.

If you’re looking to change your habits, this is a great first step.

The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.

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