Hydro Flask Water Bottle - Insulated Stainless Steel - Wide Mouth Flex Straw Lid, Non Spill, Leakproof and Refillable in 32 Oz Tonal Black

Why it's worth it

A 32-ounce insulated Hydro Flask with a flip-up straw lid is the closest thing to a universally welcome college gift. It's leakproof when closed, keeps ice going for the better part of a day, and every part goes in the dishwasher.

If you're buying for a nephew you see twice a year or a friend's kid heading off in the fall, this is the low-risk pick. Data from The Strategist's college gift roundups shows Hydro Flask and Stanley tumblers together account for over 40% of the most-gifted physical products in the student category. Students ask for these by name. There's no sizing, no taste risk, and nothing to set up.

The straw lid is what makes the 32-ounce size work on campus. Flip it, sip it, click it shut, drop it in a backpack next to a laptop. Owners consistently describe it as genuinely leakproof when closed, which is the only spec that matters when the bag also holds a MacBook. A screw-top would mean stopping and unscrewing between classes, which is exactly how a bottle ends up staying home.

From our review of 8 gifts for college students

What we like

• +If you're buying for a nephew you see twice a year or a friend's kid heading off in the fall, this is the low-risk pick
• +The straw lid is what makes the 32-ounce size work on campus
• +Cold retention is the other half of it
• +There's a personalization angle here too

What to know

• –Thirty-two ounces of stainless steel plus water is heavy, and it's tall — check that it clears the cup holder in their car and…
• –Straw lids have more parts than a simple cap, and the straw and gasket need actual attention or they get funky
• –The outside dents. It's a soft powder-coated finish over steel, and a drop on a dorm tile floor leaves a mark