THERMOSIntak 18 Ounce Hydration Bottle, Blue

These are awesome!!! They are so easy to clean (which means A Lot if you have ever tried to clean tommee tippee straw cups!). You have 3 parts: the bottle base, the lid that screws off and has the mouthpiece hard straw part on top of the lid, then the removable firm straw (that sticks down into the thermos). The 2 straw parts are connected by inserting the firm straw into a flexible built on connector on the bottom of the screw on lid. So when you want to clean it, you just pull the firm straw out of the flexible connector and can use a straw cleaner on both sides to get it all the way clean, then you use the straw cleaner and clean the flexible connector from the bottom side of the screw lid and also use the straw cleaner to clean inside the hard straw on the top of the screw lid. Then use a bottle brush to clean inside the bottle. My first son tried the tommee tippee straw cups and one day he nor I could get the liquid out of the straw. I think they wear out rather quickly. Not to mention they were a PAIN to get apart and reassembled. So I found a blue thermos intake in the drink container section at Buy Buy Baby! I did not want a Sippy cup because of the recommendations to avoid the sipping action from doctors (even when you read on Tomme Tippes web site, you can pick up that they have to say that doctors do not recommend sippy cups!!!) So this fit my needs to a T! My son started using this after he was 12 months old (He is 3 now). My daughter who is currently 17 months started drinking cows milk out of her purple thermos intake when she was just over 11 months old. She saw her brother using his and tried it out and after several attempts was able to get the liquid all the way up the straw! My 3 year old son still uses his when we go places in the car. We take my daughters milk (in a little insulated bag) and water in these when we go visit also. The hard straw on top easily closes to prevent spills when not in use. I do warn you, when using these with milk (after they have been closed in the fridge), to twist the screw lid a bit (like you are going to unscrew it all the way) until you feel the pressure release and then screw it back on; otherwise the built up pressure with make the milk overflow out the straw when you open the straw part. I give my kids milk at meals and then put it back in the fridge till the next meal. Something about milk builds up pressure. This does not happen with water. Also during meals sometimes the milk will start creeping up the straw after it has been sitting there a while. All you have to do it twist the screw lid and let off the pressure and the milk drops right back down the straw. I love these and have used them for over 3 years. They hold up extremely well. I highly, highly, greatly recommend. :-) Hope this helps some frustrated sippy straw hunting parents out there!

These come in several colors, just be advised that the green one is slightly different from the others. If you look at the picture, you can see the attaching loop at the top, it does NOT fold down. On the green one it does and the bottle is just slightly smaller. Other than that, it is a good bottle. If I had not needed the different colors, I would have ordered the green one only, it is more compact.11/12/13 UPDATE - Amazon changed the picture of the BLUE bottle to one of the same design as the GREEN one reviewed above. I ordered this "new" blue bottle to match the GREEN one I ordered previously. Well it arrived and when I opened the package it was the same old design I had gotten previously. Apparently, when Amazon updates their website info, they still have many of the older items in the warehouse. I guess this is the draw back to being such a huge operation, the inability to manage the small, but important, details. Since the problem was with them, they are covering the return shipping, it's just a bit of a disappointment.05/22/15 UPDATE - Amazon has corrected their listing for these bottles. If you click on the different colors, the bottle design for each color seems to be correct. There are 2 versions, one with the collapsible loop and one where it simply sticks up and out and you can't fold it. I just recently ordered the pink one, and I did receive what was pictured. We have been using these about 1 1/2 years and we have had absolutely no problems with leakage or "geysering" as some reviewers said they had. We have been very happy with these.

I love this product, and plan on ordering a couple more. It's been well-designed, and its features make it a fast fave.1) Straw/tube allow sipping without tipping the bottle (say, while driving).2) The flip-top clear plastic mouthpiece is easy to flip up with your thumb (again, perhaps while driving).3) The bottle seals tightly when you flip the mouthpiece down. As long as the lid is on securely, you're good to go.4) There is a tiny valve that allows air in while your're sipping, so you never have to suck hard. This valve is completely covered and closed when the mouthpiece is flipped down.5) The pieces come apart and go back together easily, and everything is dishwasher safe - top rack. For the inner straw, I have a basket into which small items are placed, and that's where I put it. For the lid and mouthpiece, I flip the top up and slide it down over a vertical rod on the top shelf.6) The 18-oz size means this bottle is more likely to fit in your purse, messenger bag, or backpack.

Great water bottle! The best part is that it stays closed even in the bottom of a kid's backpack yet it's super easy for a 2 year old to open and close the flip top. Also very easy to wash in the dishwasher and they hold up well; we've had a few for a couple of years that have survived daily use. As other reviewers have noted, if you leave it in a hot car, a little water will spurt out of the spout when you flip it open. But it's really not a big deal, and the top can always be loosened to release the pressure first. I'm stocking up on these now, because the model that is available in stores has been changed to have a movable loop, which seems less durable.