Stainless Steel Water Bottles

According to Wikipedia, "... stainless steel... is defined as a steel alloy with a minimum of 10.5 or 11% chromium content by mass. Stainless steel does not stain, corrode, or rust as easily as ordinary steel (it stains less, but it is not stain-proof)"
Click here to read the entire article about Stainless Steel. Chromium passively generates an extremely thin and invisible layer of chromium oxide when exposed to oxygen which prevents further corrosion.
To resist corrosion, stainless steel should have at least 13% chromium.

Nickel is added to stainless steel to make it easier to form into shapes without cracking and prevents the formation of stress fractures that can be a source of corrosion.

Stainless steel water bottles should be constructed from Food Grade 304 18/8 stainless steel. The 18/8 represents the percentage of chromium and nickel and this is the stainless steel used in Klean Kanteens. The product is continuously tested to verify that the quality of all materials used in constructing Klean Kanteen Bottles is up to exacting specifications and that all non metallic parts are consistently made from BPA and toxin free polypropylene (pp#5).

Quality stainless steel water bottles do not require a liner like aluminum bottles. Liners can eventually scratch or chip exposing the aluminum to you food and drink. The liner itself may contain BPA or other toxins.

Stainless steel water bottles don't retain the smell of food or drink you had in it yesterday or last week. Unlike plastic water bottles stainless steel water bottles won't introduce their own funky smells or taste to the content. I really don't know how people can put up with that.

Klean Kanteen water bottles cost more than some other stainless steel water bottles because using the best materials and continuously testing to make sure the best materials are in fact being used costs a lot of money. Klean Kanteen water bottles are still affordable especially considering that they practically last forever.

When you see that "no name" $5 stainless steel water bottle that is copied from and looks like Klean Kanteen Bottles in the grocery store or in your favorite major chain store please know the question is not "Why are Klean Kanteens so expensive?" but rather "How can this bottle be so cheap?". Ask yourself these questions when you see cheap stainless steel water bottles...

• What grade of stainless steel is being used? Quality 18/8 Food Grade stainless steel is more expensive that lesser grades so this is a place the manufacture can save on costs. A lesser grade may look just as good on the shelf... for a short while... but will go down hill fast. Even if there's a tag telling you the grade of stainless steel... which most often is not there... can you believe it?
• What kind of plastic is being used? Does it say it's BPA free? If there's a label telling you it's BPA and toxin free can you believe it? What corners are they cutting to reduce the price?
• If the bottle is painted is the paint safe? Does it contain lead or worse yet cadmium? Paint with lead and cadmium is a lot cheaper. Are they complying with the manufacturing specs they agreed to?