Harry Potter Strada™ Insulated Stainless Steel

Love it

I've had one of these strada bottles for at least a couple years now and still love it, so I decided to get one more (busy mom things!). The floral was pretty but still crisp and simple. I like these for the locking feature, leakproof sealing, smaller opening (great for distracted drinkers or bumpy car rides so you get to drink water instead of taking a bath), and INSULATION! I can keep my water at precisely the temperature I want for hours and hours. If I put some ice in there, I can even leave it in the hot car for hours and not end up with hot tea. Great for road trips.

I don't shake protein or anything in here, just use it as a water bottle. That being the case, it's easy to clean, and the extra step of removing the silicone bits is key. I still use the regular/classic bottle for shaking protein - or baby formula! - because we drink that immediately and have no need for insulation.

While the Strada Insulated Stainless Steel blender bottle is well-made, there are a number of drawbacks compared to the classic bottle for my use case.

1. Cleaning — Because it is insulated, the Strada bottle should be hand-washed. This shouldn't be an issue except that I find it is harder to get clean than the standard bottle. For context, I clean the bottle immediately after I am done. I expected the stainless steel would be easier to clean, but I find that the protein drink sticks more than the standard bottle and sometimes has an odor after the initial clean. The top has a rubber seal that has to be removed and cleaned, and the spout cover has several recessed areas that need to be cleaned (although the lid is dishwasher safe). And overall, I just find the Strada bottle is messier, especially if you mix your drinks in two parts (blend half the liquid and powder and then the rest of the liquid)

2. Insulation — I thought it would be useful to have an insulated bottle, but I find that the insulation really isn't relevant for my day-to-day use. Refrigerating the drink overnight, the contents are no cooler compared to the classic bottle, and I don't leave the drink sitting around to take full advantage of the insulation. With the limited insulation use, the Strada's extra weight also becomes a bit of a negative.

In short, I just don't find using the Strada as convenient or efficient in my daily use as a classic bottle. Cleaning the bottle is a chore and I find myself reaching for the classic bottle before the Strada. It's a well made, great looking bottle, but after using it I prefer the classic bottle, especially at 2x the cost.

This fit all of my water bottle specifications
1. Not plastic
2. Fits in car drink holder
3. Flip cap
3. Carry loop
4. Dishwasher safe

so easy to clean and is the best blender for protein