Product Review: H2O4K9 25oz. Stainless Steel Dog Bottle & Bowl

Product: H2O4K9 25oz. Stainless Steel Dog Bottle & Bowl

Price: $19.95

Info: An eco-friendly stylish stainless steel bottle with an integrated dog-friendly 'bowl' cap system

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Paws

To be honest, I have never thought about carrying water for my dogs during walks.  Though, I suppose I should have given the burning hot weather going on this summer (especially living in humid South!)  Typically though, the walks generally are around the neighborhood and lasts about 15-45 minutes.  However, I can say that my dogs seem to have a bad habit of drinking water from questionable sources a lot of times instead of drinking the NICE CLEAN water I set out, they prefer the stagnant rain water from a hole in the ground.  In fact, I believe one of my dogs obtained coccidia AND giardia from drinking out of a stagnant pond that likely had dead stuff in it.  As such, I thought the H2O4K9 water bottle may serve as a solution to this issue during trips away from home.

Unlike any other stainless steel (SS) bottles on the market, this one has been specifically designed for dogs.  As such, it bears a unique cap design that doubles as a drinking bowl that holds approximately 8.5oz. of water per serving.  It comes with a sturdy carabiner attached so you could easily hook it onto a backpack, harness, or belt loop.  In addition, it is available in many bold and vivid colors to boot!  A neoprene sling accessory is also available that will help insulate the bottle to keep it colder.  I didn't opt for one, but now in afterthought, I probably should have since Spock (Rat Terrier) will probably never be able to carry a 25oz. bottle by himself, LOL.  It should be noted that H2O4K9 did have a 9.5oz. bottle available as well; however, I did not purchase it because it seems to lack a way to 'hook' onto something to carry like the 25oz. bottle (no hole in the cap, no carabiner). 

Compared to my personal SS water bottles, this one seems to be on par in terms of build quality with many other brands.  The only one that I know that is noticeable heavier/sturdier are the CamelBak SS bottles.  Though the differences could be due to two reasons: Insulated design of the CamelBak SS bottles and the use of 18/8 food grade stainless steel in the H2O4K9 bottles.  Unlike many brands though, the H2O4K9 was designed in such a way that it has a very nice 'feel' to it when held.

As you can see on Leila's harness, the bottles are attached on either side comfortable.  Personally for me, it would be great if it could be slightly shorter (or Leila could get slightly taller) as to provide better ground clearance.  I found that it occasionally came to bang against trees/posts (namely the bottom of the bottles as it swung back and forth) during walks however the durability was solid so it's really not a concern.

Drinking from the bowl cap was great and simple as opening the bottle and pouring it into the cap.  As you can see even Leila's massive jowls are accommodated by the cap.  Unfortunately, it still does not prevent her from splashing water everywhere (she's a really messy drinker!).  

My only concerns consists of relatively minor issues.  Due to its design, the plastic cap becomes thinner as tapers into its scoop design.  I'm sure it's sturdy, though I wonder its durability after everyday wear-and-tear including impact against objects or accidentally 'drops'.  Most regular SS bottles would not have this issue due to their very basic and simple cap design (little room to break into pieces).  A warranty or replacement cap option would easily solve this issue though.  The other issue was based on quality control.  One of the bottles I purchased had what looks like paint residue/chips stuck on the inside of the bottle (it matched the same color as the bottle).  I tried washing it with soap and water but it was still there, I may have to try at it again with a bottle brush.  Additionally, I received a 'nice' cut from the scoop cap end when I twisted it open for the first time.  Upon further inspection, it seems like it had a fine sharp edge along the edges of the extended ledge of the scoop cap.  Again, this is not a major issue and can easily be remedied with better mold casts or light sanding prior to shipment (or maybe it was just my particular bottle cap).

Likes:

• Durable yet lightweight
• Distinctive color options 
• Ergonomic bottle design
• 'Free' carabiner
• Functional integrated cap/bowl system
• Neoprene sling option (insulation increases duration of cold water)

Gripes:

• Long-term durability of plastic cap
• Quality Control

For More Information:

• visit www.h2o4k9.com

Disclosure: I was not paid for my review and all opinions are entirely my own.