Can Lidl's cheap reusable water bottle rival pricier brands?

Update for 19 February 2020 - As part of its 'Kitchen essentials' themed special offers, Lidl has unveiled new colour options for the Ernesto Double-Walled Flask. It's back in stores from Thursday 20 February. The new colours are ombre red, blue and yellow.

Lidl is also selling matching kettles and toasters in the same spring colours for £17 each. We haven't tested them, but you can see how owners rated Lidl kettles and toasters in our guide to the best kettle brands and best toaster brands.

Original story:

If you're on the lookout for a reusable water bottle to take with you to the gym, keep in the car or use at work, Lidl is selling one for the bargain price of just £3.99.

When it comes to design and style, Lidl's Ernesto Double Wall Flask reminds us of popular bottles from Chilly's and S'well, which start from around £20. If you're shopping for a reusable water bottle but don't want to reach too deep into your wallet, it might catch your eye.

The Ernesto is one of the supermarket's 'Middle of Lidl' special offers this week, available while stocks last. Get our verdict on whether it's one to snap up below.

We recently tested 20 different reusable water bottles - find out which ones we recommend by reading our guide to the best reusable water bottles for 2019.

Ernesto Flask: is it worth buying?

Lidl's budget bottle is made from stainless steel and uses a double-walled body that aims to keep your drinks hot or cold for longer. It's protected with a 'leak-proof' silicone seal and holds 500ml of liquid.

A handy carry strap attached to this reusable water bottle makes it well-suited to outdoor adventures.If you're convinced by the Ernesto Flask, you can grab one in white, silver or blue.

With reusable water bottles typically costing between £10 and £35, particularly the metal ones, the Ernesto is pretty good value. Plus, you'll save a tidy sum when you're not buying bottled water on a daily basis.

Reusable water bottles reviewed

We haven't fully tested the Lidl Ernesto reusable water bottle, but our scientists have gotten hands-on with branded water bottles including Chillys, S'well, Bobble, Hip and Brita. For every reusable water bottle in our test, we asked a panel of users to try them out and answer the questions that matter the most:

• How easy is the bottle to drink out of? While some bottles have a twist cap, others use a bite valve. Our users rated the ones that were more comfortable to drink from.
• How comfortable is the bottle to hold? Our testing uncovered a number of bottles that will slip from your hand far too easily.
• How easy is the bottle to dismantle and hand clean? Reusable water bottles can be tricky to clean, especially if there are gaps in the lid where grime can build up.

We can't fault the build quality on our highest-scoring reusable water bottle. Not only does it feel great in the hand, but the lid is easy to unscrew. It's not all good news, though - our lowest-scoring reusable water bottle gives off an unpleasant plastic taste. The lid is also a pain, with crevices in the lid proving tricky to clean.

What about hot drinks?

If you refuse to tackle your morning commute without a hot drink in your hand, have a peek at our list of the best reusable coffee cups and travel mugs. With the environmental impact of single-use disposable cups in mind, we've rounded up the best options for your budget.

Making up our list of competitors are cups from Caffu00e8 Nero, Starbucks, Waitrose and other big-name brands. We've rated all of them on how easy they are to clean and how well they will hold up if you're using them every day.

Determined to reduce how much plastic you use at home? You may also want to take a look at our guide on compostable Nespresso-compatible coffee pods.