Revolutionize Your Hydration: How a $70 Smart Water Bottle Fails to Deliver
Smart Water Bottle Review: Does it Really Help You Stay Hydrated?
As someone who has struggled to stay hydrated for years, I was excited to test out the Water.io Smart Water Bottle, which promises to track and encourage my water intake. With its sleek design and advanced sensors, I thought this bottle could be the key to finally developing a consistent hydration habit. Unfortunately, my experience was mixed, and I found myself both impressed and frustrated with the device.
How it Works
To start using the Water.io Smart Water Bottle, you’ll need to download the companion app and answer a few questions about your age, sex, height, weight, and other factors. The app will then provide you with a personalized hydration goal, which you can adjust manually if needed. The bottle itself has dual monitoring sensors that track your water intake and send you reminders throughout the day via vibrations and LED lights. You can also check your progress on the app or by tilting the bottle.
Where it Failed
One of the biggest issues I had with the Water.io Smart Water Bottle was its overly lenient and misleading on-track/off-track status updates. I found myself often being told I was on track, even when I was significantly behind my goal. Additionally, the bottle’s lack of a progress tracker on the device itself made it difficult to see how much I still needed to drink. The app’s design was also a bit janky, and it was prone to crashing.
Where it Passed
Despite its flaws, the Water.io Smart Water Bottle has some redeeming qualities. The design is sleek and robust, and the companion app is packed with features and rewards. You can manually add physical activities and adjust your goal based on those, and there are dozens of badges to help motivate you. The leaderboard also provides a fun way to celebrate the most efficient water drinkers.
Battery Life and Charging
The Water.io Smart Water Bottle has a decent battery life, lasting around 10 days on a single charge. However, the magnetic charging system is a bit inconvenient, as you’ll need to use the proprietary cable and keep track of it.
Is it Worth it?
Overall, I would say that the Water.io Smart Water Bottle is better suited for tracking hydration than pushing you towards it. While the reminders and rewards can be helpful, the device’s limitations make it difficult to rely on solely for hydration motivation. If you’re looking for a more comprehensive hydration solution, you may want to consider online trackers or apps that offer similar features without the need for a physical device.
Pros:
- Excellent flexibility in app settings
- Gamified concept with tons of rewards
- Long battery life
- Good for tracking water intake
Cons:
- Bottle doesn’t show hydration progress
- Overly lenient and misleading on-track/off-track status updates
- Need to navigate to app for progress tracker
- Uses proprietary magnetic charger
- Better for tracking than ensuring hydration