After selling over 10 million Stanley Quenchers, it appears that a different, increasingly popular water bottle is about to take over the market. Despite the Stanley company recently celebrating its 110th anniversary, society has shifted away from the Hydro Flask trend and adopted the Stanley cup only in the last two years; news stories of people waiting outside of their local Target stores a night before a new Stanley release, or even people fighting over the Stanleys, define society’s reaction to these stylish cups. However, it seems that society is on its way to shift again, shifting towards the Owala FreeSip water bottles. 

The tag “#owala” has garnered over 272 million views on Tik Tok, foreshadowing the company’s societal take over to come. The trend first started with nurses posting about the water bottle, and spread like wildfire throughout the internet. People were attracted to the variety of color options, ranging from vibrant neon pink and green to muted beige tones. People also admired the FreeSip for keeping drinks cold for extended periods and its durability.

 Emily Pennington from CNN stated “Unlike a lot of other metal water bottles I’ve tested over the years, many of which were filtered water bottles, the FreeSip retains its shape, insulation, and leak-proof qualities, even when dropped onto a hard surface like concrete.”

“It looks cute; I think it’s a creative design, and I would buy it because it looks like a koala,” said freshman Tiffany Li Zhu, “I think Stanleys are overrated, while the Owala design is much cooler and cuter.”

However, it seems that its most popular feature is its two spout options of drinking: sipping or gulping. Pennington reports, “This is the feature that initially made me fall head over heels for this water bottle.” This feature provides users the flexibility to choose how they drink their water and has become very popular with users. 

While some of the limited edition Owala water bottles have a resale value of roughly $400, the Owala remains one of the most cost-effective products in the market. In comparison to Hydro Flasks, priced at around $50, and the Stanley Quenchers, which can cost up to $60, the Owala costs between approximately $28 to $38. 

While it is yet unclear what Owala’s fate will be in regards to dominating the market, it is safe to say that many are adopting the FreeSip and not looking back. Emma Wartzman from The Strategist states, “And if this leaves you wondering what the status water bottle of 2024 will be, I think the Owala is here to stay … it’s simply too well-designed to be a passing trend.”