Rubbermaid Take Along Chug Bottle - Sporty, Sturdy & Sleek!
Written: Mar 21 '03 (Updated Aug 04 '03)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Strong plastic bottle, strap cap, different colored lids, inexpensive!
Cons: A little hard to clean the inside.
The Bottom Line: Rubbermaid does it again! The 17 ounce chug bottles are strong, inexpensive, convenient and durable. Stock up now because summer is right around the corner!
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| Freak369's Full Review: Rubbermaid Take-Alongs Chug Bottle 17 ounce |
I’d already purchased the smaller sipper bottles from the Rubbermaid Take Along series when I came across the 17 ounce Chug Bottles and knew that I better stock up on them before they flew off the shelves! The smaller sipper style bottles are great for being on the road with smaller kids but when you are going to be out for more than an hour or so, chances are you will need a bigger container. Thankfully, Rubbermaid had this all planned out and created a larger size for older kids and adults. So far these have been great with the only drawback being the small opening at the top that makes it a little hard to clean the inside.
Rubbermaid Take Alongs Chug Bottles
These are packaged three to a set and come with three different colored lids – light purple, lime green and blue. This makes it easy to tell the bottles apart if you have several kids who are using these at once. The bottle bodies are made of the same sturdy plastic as the smaller sipper bottles which means that they will last longer than the cheaper, no name sport bottles. These are so strong that you can’t squeeze them – well – you can squeeze them but you will only be able to make a small impression in them – not collapse them. The plastic is hard but flexible so you won’t have to worry about them cracking or breaking after ten or fifteen uses. I’ve only had mine for a sort period of time, but they are holding up nicely.
The lids are attached to the bottle via a strap cap so you will never have to worry about losing the cap! The small thin piece of plastic that wraps around the bottle [and to the cap] can be pulled off if you need to clean up juice or ice tea spills. Getting them off is simple – just pull on the snap on lid and it will pop right off. Getting it back on it a little more difficult so only remove the cap if you really need to. The lids snap on to the bottle and create a pretty tight bond so leaks are pretty much out of the question. Make sure you have the bottle on a flat surface and press down on the cap with the palm of your hand. There is a small pull tab on the cap but it is pretty much too small to grab a hold of and use. I usually pop it open with my thumb or push up on the sides of the cap. Smaller kids might have a little trouble getting these open [which might be a blessing in disguise] so be prepared to offer assistance.
Cleaning these is a bit of a pain so I suggest picking up a cleaning wand that has a cut up sponge at the end. These are inexpensive and allow you to get inside the bottle to clean out and juice or ice tea build up. If you have an old bottle brush, this will also work. Make sure you clean these before you use them because they do have a “new plastic” smell to them and you never know where they have been or if they have been opened. I don’t use my dishwasher so I don’t know how these hold up against the heat of the water and drying cycle but the package claims that they are top rack dishwasher safe.
Visually the bottles are nice looking and have a slight resemblance to the smaller sipper cups. These are tall – about seven inches high and have three ripples at the bottom that make it easy to grip, even if the outside of the bottle is wet. These are great for people who spend any amount of time outside during the summer, at the beach, hiking, camping or picnicking. These will be a great alternative to the more expensive drink containers that we use during the summer months.
Things To Know
On the package this is called a “Sport Bottle” but at the official Rubbermaid site they are called “Chug Bottles”. These are the same product and carry the same product number 8371. I emailed Rubbermaid about the difference in the names and haven’t received a response yet. When / if I do get a reply I will update this review with the information. I’ve never seen these packaged with the words ‘chug bottle’ but this is what they are called at the website.
I found these at my local Big Lots store for .99 cents for a package of three bottles. These run anywhere from $1.99 to $2.49 at other stores like Wal-Mart and Target so I tossed about ten packages in my cart and snickered all the way to the check stand. Regardless of what you might think about the Big Lots stores, they don’t sell used products or outdated merchandise, just items that are out of season, overstock from retail stores or discontinued merchandise. If you have a Big Lots in your area, check the plastic ware or seasonal section for these before you fork out twice as much at a retail store.
On the bottom of the package you’ll see all the usual information – top rack dishwasher safe, do not freeze or microwave, clean daily if you are using, storing or serving juice in them and do not store juice in the bottles for more than one day. I tossed one of these in the freezer filled about half way with water and didn’t have any trouble. I suggest that if you are going to freeze these with a liquid in them that you leave the top uncapped so that it doesn’t split out the seams. One word of caution, don’t plan on using these to store carbonated beverages unless you like hearing the tops blow off and scare the life out of you [the voice of experience speaks here]. I thoughtlessly poured a 12 ounce can of soda into one of these thinking that since there was extra room in the container it wouldn’t be a big deal. I then spent the next twenty minutes cleaning up the inside of the refrigerator after the top popped off and [I am assuming] knocked it over.
The Bottom Line
While I’ve only had these for a short period of time, they are working out great around the house. These are the perfect size for mixing protein shakes and a great alternative to having to buy the large overpriced shakers that they sell at the gym and at the sport stores. Since these are so inexpensive they can be tossed in the trash if any type of build up accumulates inside them or they become stained from ice tea or juice. These would be the perfect size for kids who have outgrown the smaller bottles and have mastered the use of pop off lids as well as those who need a larger gripping surface. My neighbor Jane tried these out with her son who has limited use of his hands and while he has trouble removing the cap from the bottle, he can easily grasp it because of the three large thick ripples. As far as this family is concerned, the Rubbermaid Take Along Chug Bottles are a huge hit! If you are looking for an inexpensive alternative to high priced plastic drink bottles – I highly suggest checking these out!
As always, thanks for the visit!
^V^ Freak ^V^
© 2003 Freak369
Other Rubbermaid product reviews…
• Rubbermaid Laundry Basket • Rubbermaid Blue Ice Mini Freezer Pack • Rubbermaid Take-Alongs 9 Ounce Sip Cup • Rubbermaid Servin’ Saver Egg Keeper • Rubbermaid Take-Alongs Rectangle • Rubbermaid Ice Cube Bin • Rubbermaid Take-Alongs Chug Bottle 17 Ounce • Rubbermaid Take-Alongs Deep Square • Rubbermaid Snap Case Series •
Recommended:
Yes
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