Our Water-to-Go Filter Bottle Review + Discount Code

The best water filter bottle for travel? Our honest review of Water-to-Go bottles, plus a Water-to-Go discount code.

A dog standing on its hind legs greeting Lucy as she bends down smiling in the sunshine. A water bottle is resting in front of Lucy's wellington boots.

This post is part of a collaboration with Water-to-Go which has allowed us to provide you with a unique discount code but all opinions are honest and our own. This post also contains affiliate links, which means we might earn a small commission on anything purchased through these links at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting businesses that support us! Learn more on our disclaimer page.

Did you know a plastic bottle takes 450 years to decompose? The problem with plastic is that it isn’t biodegradable. It doesn’t rot like natural materials, it just breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces, creating microplastics. This means it can hang around in our environment for hundreds of years, ruining landscapes and injuring and killing wildlife.

Buying a reusable water bottle is an affordable investment and one of the most effective little changes we can make to help tackle plastic pollution – plus, it’s a great sustainable gift idea. Just one reusable bottle can replace hundreds of discarded plastic bottles, helping combat the plastic problem.

But you can’t always guarantee access to clean water when travelling so having some kind of filtering technology is an absolute must. With a filter water bottle, there’s no need for any more unpleasant-tasting water purification tablets.

Whether you’re travelling, hiking, camping, or simply looking for a more sustainable alternative to single-use plastic bottles, Water-to-Go filter bottles are a convenient, eco-friendly solution to staying hydrated while ensuring your water is free from harmful substances.

Browse Water-to-Go Bottles here!

Where to buy Water-to-Go filter bottles

Dan looking out at the countryside in his sunglasses, holding a blue Water-to-Go water bottle. — Buying a reusable water bottle is a great way to reduce plastic waste

Water-to-Go Filter Water Bottles

Water-to-Go is one of our favourite travel water bottle companies and we haven’t travelled anywhere without our filter bottles in the last 3 years. A UK-based company, Water-to-Go offers a range of filter water bottles that provide portable water filtration for on-the-go hydration. The filters attach to the cap of the bottle, making it incredibly convenient and easy to use.

Use our discount code for 15% off your purchase: THOROUGHLYTRAVEL15

Lucy on a hike in a bright yellow coat. She is carrying a backpack with a Water-to-Go bottle slotted into each drinks holder. — We’ve tried several styles of Water-to-Go bottle

Water-to-Go Bottle Costs

While prices can fluctuate depending don’t the retailer, sales, and size of the bottle, here are the average prices of a 75cl Water-to-Go bottle in different currencies:

GBP: £30
USD: $35
EUR: €35
AUD: $50
NZD: $55

For a small investment, you can buy a reusable water bottle that will last you years. Water-to-Go’s bottles are estimated to provide safe, clean drinking water for just 6.25p per litre, which is about 90% cheaper than the price of a plastic water bottle.

Water-to-Go Bottle Features

There are so many reasons a Water-to-Go bottle is a great traveller’s companion. Here are some of the features we love:

Bottles have a 50cl to 1L capacity.
A filter is effective for approx. 200L, which is about 3 full bottles per day for 3 months.
Each filter eliminates up to 99.9999% of water contaminants.
Bottles are BPA-free, plant-based, and FDA-approved.
Bottles are dishwasher-proof (lids are handwash only).
Bottles come in a variety of different shapes, designs, and coloured sleeves.

Water-to-Go Bottle Testing

We’ve been using our Water-to-Go bottles for years and have used the filters in countless countries – they’ve been all around the globe with us! Here are a few places we’ve taken our Water-to-Go bottles:

Backpacking through Mexico
Road-tripping around Costa Rica
Whale watching in Australia
Holidaying in Hawaii
Working on a holiday visa in New Zealand
Diving in Fiji
Hiking in Slovenia
Dog walking in the UK

A pair of filter water bottles in a black backpack. — Our bottles have been all around the world with us

Water-to-Go Bottle Ranges

Water-to-Go offers a variety of filter water bottles designed to suit different needs and preferences. They come in a range of sizes including:

50cl Original Bottle
55cl Eco Active Bottle
60cl Active Bottle
75cl Original and Eco Active Bottles

For us, a 50cl bottle is too small for travelling when we can’t guarantee we’ll be able to top up frequently. So we always opt for 75cl bottles. It honestly surprises us that our Water-to-Go bottles are 75cl as they look like they should be 50cl bottles – they’re so compact and not at all heavy when full.

Our first Water-to-Go bottles were the original 75cl bottles – Lucy owns the blue sleeve while Dan bought an African Wildlife Fund collab bottle. These bottles have served us well and are still used all the time. These lightweight, sleek bottles are BPA-free, durable, and dishwasher-safe – perfect for travel.

We’ve also tested the Eco Active 75cl bottles and love them. These bottles are made from sugarcane in an effort to move away from fossil fuel products to new, innovative plant-based plastics. They use the fibrous residue that is usually wasted during the sugarcane production process. The lids are made from recycled waste vegetable oil and UK-made packaging is 75% recycled and 25% FSC virgin stocks. We’re so here for the use of more sustainable materials and a move away from plastics.

Each filter lasts ages and is 100% recyclable. We love not having to change them out too often and the security drinking with a filter provides.

The filter inside a water bottle can clearly be seen through its translucent material. — Water-to-Go’s Eco bottles are made from sugarcane

Here are a few other reasons we love Water-to-Go bottles:

Powerful filtration – water is totally safe to drink, tastes good, and the filters last a long time.
Durable – the bottles are lightweight but can get bashed about and stuck in bag pockets without damage.
Portable – there’s a great range of shapes and sizes so you can choose the bottle that’s best for you.
Ergonomic – the bottle shapes are easy to carry and drink from with leak-proof lids.
Affordable – the bottle and replacement filters are budget-friendly and save you money on the road.
Sustainable – there’s a range of plant-based bottles made from regenerative, responsible materials.
Ethical – the company gives back to water charities and does its bit to protect the environment.

Dan standing at an outdoor tap, refilling his reusable Water-to-Go bottle. He is wearing a large blue hat and is surrounded by greenery. — You can fill up from almost all non-salt water sources

Water-to-Go Bottle Benefits

There are countless pros of using a Water-to-Go filter bottle. Just one bottle:

Reduces plastic consumption – just one reusable bottle significantly reduces your reliance on single-use plastic bottles, decreasing the amount of plastic waste in landfills and oceans.
Saves you money – Eliminates the need to buy bottled water while travelling as you can top up for free from a fountain, tap, or almost any clean water source.
Saves you from carrying extra weight – there’s no need to pack multiple bottles of water as you can top up anywhere.
Is simple to use – Bottles are user-friendly and are easy to refill, carry, and drink from with minimal effort.
Gives you immediate filtration – As you drink, the filter purifies the water, giving you immediate access to clean water without waiting or additional steps.
Keeps you safe and healthy – The filter removes a wide range of harmful contaminants, including bacteria, viruses, heavy metals, and chemicals.

A reusable bottle really is a backpacker’s best friend. Here are some common scenarios where the Water-to-Go filter bottle is especially useful:

In airports where you can take an empty bottle through security and fill it up for free on the other side.
Hiking in remote areas where water sources may be limited as you can fill up from rivers, streams, or lakes.
Backpacking in countries where fresh water is not safe to drink or where waterborne illnesses are a concern.
Camping without a freshwater source as you can use the bottle as a safe water source for activities like brushing your teeth.
During sports and exercise, helping to keep you hydrated.
On a road trip as you can stop at any rest area, refill from public water fountains, and ensure you always have access to clean water.

A Water-to-Go sugarcane bottle held in front of a bush of bright red leaves. — You save so much money with a reusable water bottle

How does the Water-to-Go bottle work?

The Water-to-Go filter easily screws into the lid of the bottle. Then, you simply suck water through the filter as you drink.

Many filter water bottles only remove bacteria, protozoa and particles from your water, but Water-to-Go’s filters also remove deadly viruses as successfully as a top-end water purifier.

Their 3-in-1 Filter Technology removes up to 99.9999% of all microbiological contaminants from any non-saltwater source (based on BCS laboratory reports).

What does that mean in English? Essentially, the filters use clever science to remove all the nasties from your water so what you drink is clean and safe. To do this, the filters use three different methods of filtration:

Mechanical filtration – very small pore sizes stop particles like dirt, sand, and sediment from passing through the filter.
Electrical filtration – a positive charge reduces the pore size even further, attracting viruses, bacteria, and smaller contaminants like a magnet and trapping them inside the filter.
Activated carbon – removes heavy metals and organic chemicals within the membrane instead of using adhesives to glue the carbon particles together, helping to reduce contaminants whilst eliminating bad tastes and odours.

Filling up a translucent water bottle from a stream covered with leaves. The words "Water-to-Go' are printed towards the bottom. — The powerful filters help to keep you safe and healthy

Does Water-to-Go actually work?

Water-to-Go’s technology is NASA-level science inside your water bottle and it really works to keep you safe and healthy. We’ve been drinking water through our filters for years in countries notorious for having unclean water and haven’t once got sick.

But you don’t just have to take our word for it – Water-to-Go’s bottles have been independently tested internationally.

Every type of bottle has been tested against internationally recognised standards by industry specialists including The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (UK), BCS Laboratories (USA), Bangalore Test House (India) and IMI (China).

Dan drinking from his water bottle which is made from re-purposed sugarcane waste. — The filters really work to remove nasties from your water

What contaminants does the Water-to-Go filter remove?

Water-to-Go filters can trap and remove a variety of harmful bacteria, viruses, and particulates like dirt and sand that might be found in untreated water.

They remove chlorine and chloramine, which are commonly used to disinfect municipal water supplies but can affect the taste and smell of water. It also agricultural chemicals like pesticides and herbicides.

Water-to-Go filters remove harmful bacteria that can cause gastrointestinal illness, including:

E. coli
Salmonella
Campylobacter

They also remove viruses including:

Norovirus
Hepatitis A
Rotavirus

This is important for water sources that might be contaminated with human waste.

Water-to-Go filters remove heavy metals that can be found in polluted water or tap water, including:

Lead
Mercury
Arsenic

The filter reduces the risk of waterborne diseases caused by microscopic parasites that can be present in untreated water, particularly from natural sources like rivers and lakes, including:

Protozoa
Giardia
Cryptosporidium

Lucy smiling as she pets a fluffy dog in a field. Sheis wearing a bobble hat and is knelt beside a blue Water-to-Go bottle. — Water-to-Go bottles are lightweight, durable, and aesthetic

How long does a Water-to-Go bottle last?

Each Water-to-Go bottle is designed to be durable and long-lasting, both in terms of its construction and its filtration capacity.

The filter in a Water-to-Go bottle can purify up to 200 litres (about 53 gallons) of water before it needs to be replaced. Depending on how frequently you use your bottle, this usually translates to 3-6 months of regular use.

As an example, we find we get about 3 bottles of water a day for 3 months from one filter when travelling full-time.

Each filter is estimated to be able to replace 400 single-use plastic water bottles. At an average price of 50p a bottle, that’s a whopping saving of £200 every three months from just one filter!

Over the last three years that we’ve been using our bottles while travelling, we’ve saved around £2,400 each just from using a reusable bottle and filter!

The bottle itself is made from durable materials. Depending on which range you purchase from, this is BPA-free plastic or plant-based sugarcane. With proper care, the bottle can last for years and years. Our original bottles have been going on strong since 2021 and we still use them.

Browse Water-to-Go Bottles here!

A filter water bottle with a red design donned in the side-pocket of a backpack. — Each filter lasts about three months of continuous use

Water-to-Go Discount Code

We’ve got you covered with a unique coupon code to get you 15% off your Water-to-Go bottle. Simply use the special code THOROUGHLYTRAVEL15 at checkout to receive your discount on all purchases through the Water-to-Go website.

A translucent, reusable water bottle held up in front of a sunny forest scene. — Use our Water-to-Go discount code to get money off your bottle

Water-to-Go Bottle Drawbacks

No product is perfect so here are a few of the things to bear in mind before purchasing a Water-to-Go filter bottle.

If you don’t keep track of time, it can be hard to know when to change the filter. This isn’t a problem for us when travelling as we use the bottles every day just make a mental note to change out the filter every three months. Each purchase also comes with a little timer that you can stick to the bottle to count down three months to remind you when to change the filter.

One of the things we notice most is that it’s hard to suck the water out of the bottle for the first couple of uses after installing a new filter. But, after a little while, the water comes through the filter a lot more smoothly and is much easier to use, so you can just drink like normal.

The filter only works if you drink through the cap and it’s pretty hard to pour any water out of the bottle. This means it’s not easy to use the water for anything else, for example washing up. You’ll have to boil water to make it safe in scenarios like this.

Due to its wide mouth, it can be tricky to fill up the bottle if you have a shallow water source. However, this can also be a pro as it’s easy to fill up from a variety of other sources.

As with any bottle, the pressure from an aeroplane cabin can cause the bottle lid to dribble once opened. To avoid this you can simply unscrew the lid carefully to release the pressure, then screw it back on before taking the cap off to drink.

As the filter sits inside the bottle, it is not recommended to add tablets or fruit to flavour your water as it can get stuck in the filter. The filters are also not compatible with salt water.

All-in-all, these are pretty minor gripes and don’t outweigh the countless benefits we enjoy from using our Water-to-Go bottles.

Dan taking a drink from his Water-to-Go water bottle while looking out at a cloudless sky. — We love our Water-to-Go bottles and would highly recommend them

How does Water-to-Go give back?

Water-to-Go is partnered with Just a Drop, a charity that seeks to provide sustainable safe water, sanitation and hygiene projects to communities across the world.

They have worked with smaller organisations and charities on initiatives including supplying Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) with Water-to-Go products for their emergency packs and fundraising in Benelux.

Water-to-Go also runs frequent collaborations with smaller organisations and charities. Dan’s first bottle was their collab with the African Wildlife Foundation. They have also worked with organisations including Malaria No More, The Hunger Project, and Rotary.

We don’t just love a sustainable product, but we love sustainable products from eco-conscious companies that give back, and Water-to-Go ticks all the boxes!

A filtered water bottle lying on a pile of bright orange leaves. The words "Water-to-Go" are inscribed across the front of the bottle. — Water-to-Go works with charities to fight plastic waste and provide clean water

Conclusion

With a focus on innovation and quality, Water-to-Go makes it easier to reduce plastic waste and save money by allowing you to refill your bottle from almost anywhere.

Overall, we love our Water-to-Go filter bottles and would highly recommend them if you’re looking for a sustainable way to cut back on plastic. Their eco-friendly range is great, offering durable yet aesthetic bottles for an affordable price with a range of colours and sizes. Plus, the company’s eco-conscious policies and charity work mean your purchase is helping to improve the planet too.

Browse Water-to-Go Bottles here!

Use our discount code for 15% off your purchase: THOROUGHLYTRAVEL15

Pouring water into a nearby stream from a reusable active water bottle. — Water-to-Go bottles are some of the best filter water bottles on the market

Water-to-Go FAQs

In case you’ve got any remaining burning questions, we’ve answered some frequently asked questions below to help you make an informed purchase that best suits you.

What is the filtration technology used in the Water-to-Go bottle?

A Water-to-Go bottle uses a three-stage filtration system, incorporating a combination of mechanical and electrical filtration, as well as activated carbon and ion-exchange resin to remove contaminants from water.

How does the Water-to-Go filter purify water?

The filter works by stopping particulates from passing through the small pore sizes, attracting contaminants like a magnet, and physically trapping harmful substances like bacteria, viruses, chlorine, heavy metals, and other impurities in the membrane.

Does the Water-to-Go bottle remove viruses and bacteria?

Yes, the Water-to-Go filter is highly effective at removing viruses and bacteria and has been proven to eliminate up to 99.9999% of harmful microorganisms.

Does the Water-to-Go filter remove chlorine and heavy metals?

Yes, the Water-to-Go filter removes chlorine and heavy metals, such as lead, mercury, and cadmium., making your water safer and tastier to drink.

Lucy walking with two small black dogs. She is wearing a wooly hat and carrying an active water bottle. — We don’t go anywhere without our reusable water bottles

How effective is the Water-to-Go bottle at removing harmful substances from water?

A Water-to-Go bottle is highly effective at removing over 99% of harmful substances like bacteria, viruses, chlorine, heavy metals, microplastics, and pesticides. The filter has been designed to purify water from a variety of sources and has been independently tested, proving its effectiveness.

How many litres of water can the Water-to-Go filter purify before it needs replacing?

A Water-to-Go filter bottle is designed to purify up to 200 litres of water before it needs replacing. As full-time travellers, each filter lasts us about 3 months.

How often should I replace the filter in my Water-to-Go bottle?

The filter should be replaced after every 200 litres of water filtered or approximately every 3 months when used every day, whichever comes first. It’s important to track your usage and replace the filter when needed.

Dan holding a Water-to-Go reusable water bottle in his hand. The cap is open, ready for him to take a drink. — The bottles are easy to clean and the body is dishwasher-safe

Can I use the Water-to-Go bottle for any type of water?

The Water-to-Go bottle can be used for most types of water, including tap water, river water, lake water, and even water from natural sources like streams. However, the filter cannot be used for salt water and it’s always a good idea to use clean sources of water so as not to clog up the filter.

Is the Water-to-Go bottle easy to clean?

Yes, the Water-to-Go bottle is easy to clean. The bottle itself is dishwasher safe and the lid can easily be washed by hand, while the filter can be detached and rinsed with water to maintain its functionality.

How do I clean my Water-to-Go bottle?

To clean the Water-to-Go bottle, simply pop the bottle in the dishwasher. Wash the lid by hand using mild dish soap and warm water, making sure to clean the cap thoroughly. The filter should be rinsed under cold water without soap.