Aubrey Kids Water Bottle

“Spill-proof” is a relative term, as every parent eventually learns, but the Contigo Aubrey is about as close as we have found in a kids water bottle.

There is one important condition: your child has to push the spout down until it snaps closed. Once that happens, we are comfortable letting these bottles roll around the floor of the car without worrying that their contents will slowly empty into the carpet. When the spout is open, an internal valve limits spills even if the bottle gets knocked over or held upside down.

A button on the front releases the pop-up silicone spout, making the bottle easy for young kids to open with one hand. The spout remains attached to the lid, so there is no loose cap or small drinking component to lose. Closing it takes slightly more effort than opening it, particularly for younger kids, and the bottle is only fully leak-proof once that step is complete.

Our Aubrey bottles have survived enough drops, throws, and time bouncing around the car that we consider them virtually indestructible. The plastic exterior will eventually collect scratches and dents, but we have not found that cosmetic wear affects the bottle’s function.

The Aubrey is also unusually easy to clean for a bottle with a valve and straw. The lid hinges open to expose the internal drinking mechanism, and the straw and other components separate for more thorough washing. All parts are top-rack dishwasher-safe, although the open design also makes it possible to see and scrub the areas where residue would otherwise collect.

Then there are the designs–dinosaurs, unicorns, sloths, narwhals, mermaids, and assorted other creatures appear across a broad range of colors and patterns. It is entirely possible that my wife and I enjoy choosing them more than our kids do.

The only annoyances are minor. Kids need to remember to close the spout and the plastic body will show wear, but none of those issues outweigh how reliable the Aubrey is.