What is the Best Reusable Straw? Spoiler Alert: It’s Silicone and We Make the Cutest One

There is something incredibly satisfying about sipping a drink with a straw. Perhaps it’s the throw back to the juice boxes and capri suns of our childhood or visions of sipping pina coladas in the sun or simply the fact that many people report it’s simply easier to drink from a straw. Regardless, this love of straws recently came under fire for the insane waste produced by single use plastic straws. Did you know that 500 million plastic straws are thrown out every day in the U.S. alone?! For some, a plastic straw is medically necessary but for the vast bulk of us there is no reason to use single use straws and contribute further to the growing mound of plastic choking our planet. So what is the solution? Of course we could all just not use a straw but more likely (and the reason you’re reading) is that you’d like to find a reusable alternative and get back to sipping.  Reusable straws come in a few varieties: glass, metal, bamboo and silicone. So what is the best reusable straw material? Read on to get our honest opinion.

Are glass straws good?
Well, they do help reduce plastic and can be recycled but we’re not fans of glass straws. Glass straws can be very thin and fragile. This means that glass straws aren’t great for travel. It also means that glass straws can chip and cause injury. And worse glass straws also pose a danger of impalement - yikes. Glass is great for many things but straws may not be one of them.

Are metal straws good?
Using a metal straw means you aren’t throwing away single use plastic. But will you love a metal straw?  Metal conducts heat which means if you use a metal straw with a cold beverage the straw gets very cold and if you wash your metal straw in hot water be careful as it will heat up and can burn you. Metal straws also make your drink have that metallic taste (the one that drove us to make a better type of reusable bottle in the first place). Metal straws can be tricky to clean too as many aren’t dishwasher safe. You can also injure a tooth if you clink on a metal straw or bite it. And unfortunately, like glass straws, metal straws are rigid and can be dangerous since they pose a risk of impalement (we will not link to any of the awful/gory stories reported on this and do not recommend that you google them).

Are bamboo straws good?
You may have seen bamboo straws popping up at your favorite bar or restaurant. But should you go out and buy bamboo straws? They’re interesting as they are compostable so that means less waste and we do applaud the restaurants and bars for helping reduce plastic waste. The problem is because they are compostable this means that they don’t last very long and are not dishwasher safe. They also don’t bend. In short, our opinion is no, don’t buy bamboo straws.

The best reusable straws.
All of this leads us to the best reusable straw …ours of course (wink, wink). In all seriousness, silicone straws are the best reusable straws. As perfectionists we tried them all and only wanted to make the straw that was the absolute best to use. Silicone straws are safe for the earth, safe for kids, safe for your teeth and other body parts, dish-washer safe and have a great mouth-feel. Silicone straws also don’t impart any taste to your drink and don’t break. When we decided we wanted to make a silicone straw we made it the perfect silicone straw. They’re the right softness, have the perfect bend for sipping and of course come in chic colors to match your bkr. We made them to fit perfectly into our custom straw cap and to be the exact right length for your bkr. And of course we also sell a sip kit that comes with a bkr, straw cap and set of straws. 

So, if you are hunting for the perfect straw, your search is over. You will love bkr silicone straws. Once you add them with a straw cap to your bkr, you’ll never understand how you got along without it.

Welcome to the good sip.