Cai Cramer is a commerce writer at PEOPLE, covering the best and buzziest products across the beauty, fashion, health, and lifestyle spaces. Previously, Cai worked on the Digital Platforms team at PEOPLE after graduating with a degree in journalism from Northwestern University.
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There’s a new accessory on the lips of all our editors — and no, we don’t mean another plumping lipgloss. We’re talking about the eco-friendly, oh-so-trendy reusable straw.
Reusable straws have become more than just an earth-conscious alternative to disposable plastic beverage sippers; with so many different colors and materials to choose from, reusable straws are now a cute accessory to express your personal style. From colorful glass stirrers to earthy bamboo straws perfect for your mid-afternoon iced diet coke (from the fountain, of course), the right reusable straw for you is out there.
You might be thinking — who cares which reusable straw I use? Isn’t it just a tool to drink beverages? To this, we say: just try one of these curated straws for yourself, and you’ll see what a difference a good straw can make in how much water you drink throughout the day.
We set out on a mission to find the best reusable straws so that you don’t have to. Read on to discover our favorite reusable straws.
This reusable straw bundle from Climate Neutral Certified company United by Blue comes with everything you need to sip on the go — two stainless steel straws, a straw cleaning brush, and a silicone bendy tip — all safely tucked inside an adorable carrying case made from 100% recycled polyester.
PEOPLE Editor Lindsey Metrus carries these straws with her wherever she goes. These straws are dishwasher-safe and responsibly made in Vietnam. Overall, we think this reusable straw kit is a win for our purse and the environment.
Price at time of publish: $15
Straw Material: Stainless steel | Carrying Case: 100% recycled polyester pouch with velcro closure | Length: About 8 inches
Glass straws are an eco-conscious alternative to disposable straws — these ones from Kikkerland are both highly functional and simply beautiful. Each set comes with 3 straight and 3 curved translucent pieces made from thick, multi-hued glass. The Kikkerland Reusable Glass Straws are dishwasher-safe and come with a helpful cleaning brush to get the hard-to-reach inside of each straw.
These straws are a personal favorite for this writer — they’re a handy tool for sipping my morning smoothie and iced cold brew without ruining my lipstick or staining my teeth. The multicolored glass rods look charming in a cup or displayed on the kitchen table.
Price at time of publish: $16
Straw Material: Glass | Carrying Case: None | Length: About 8 inches
Some cocktails are just better with a straw — but who says it needs to be disposable? Enter Hay Sip Cocktail Straws, an adorable and more sustainable alternative to throw-away plastic straws. These 8-inch straws are made from thick borosilicate glass, a type of glass that was designed to handle temperature shocks and work for both hot and cold drinks.
Perhaps the cutest feature of these glass straws is the tiny bunched-up detailing at the bend, which mimics the structure of classic disposable straws (but more sustainably, of course). Despite their name, these straws work terrifically for beverages of all kinds, alcoholic or otherwise. We think these straws are the perfect drink accessory for the trendy hostess — and make a great gift for one, too!
Price at time of publish: $35
Straw Material: Borosilicate glass | Carrying Case: None | Length: About 8 inches
For the eco-conscious shopper on the go, these reusable straws from Kynup are the perfect beverage companion. Made from food-grade stainless steel, these convenient straws stretch up to about 9 inches long and collapse to be just about 4 inches long. The carrying canaster comes attached to a key ring, which can be easily clipped to your bag with an included carabiner hook.
The Keynup 4Packs comes with four collapsable metal straws, four carrying canaster keychains, four cleaning brushes, and four carabiner hooks — perfect for sharing with family and friends or to keep for yourself (yes, I do need one for each purse!).
Price at time of publish: $15
Straw Material: Stainless steel | Carrying Case: Metal carrying canaster | Length: As short as 4 inches and as tall as 9 inches.
Each of the stunning, 100% organic bamboo straws by Bambaw was handcrafted in Bali. One set comes with 12 straws, 6 short (about 5") and 6 long (about 9"). These straws can handle both hot and cold beverages and are odorless and tasteless.
We love that the Bambaw straws are dishwasher safe and biodegradable, so they can be composted when you’re ready to toss them out. Shopper note that after about 3 months of heavy use, it might be time to replace your straw. Luckily for you, this set comes with multiple straws and a cleaning brush and is packaged up in a cotton pouch.
Price at time of publish: $13
Straw Material: Bamboo | Carrying Case: Cotton pouch | Length: Half of straws are 5” long, half are 9” long
The cost of a reusable straw is initially more expensive than its disposable counterparts, but when you think about the cost per use, you will save much more money by washing and sipping from the same straws than if you kept purchasing plastic or paper options. The material of the straw will also determine the cost, as stainless steel is generally more expensive than say, bamboo or glass, and, of course, the total quantity per package will also sway the cost.
Nowadays, reusable straws are available in all different kinds of materials — glass, bamboo, metal, silicon, and more. When picking out your reusable straw, think about what kinds of beverages you’ll likely be using them for. Glass straws commonly work for both hot and cold beverages, while metal straws are not always graded for hot liquids. Some materials, like bamboo, tend to wear down faster and need replacing more often than sturdier materials like glass and stainless steel. For the more eco-conscious shopper, it’s also important to think about the sustainability of each individual material — we purposely did not include any plastic reusable straws on this list for that reason.
Depending on how high your drinking container is, you might prefer your straw to be longer or shorter. For example, short drinking glasses might be more difficult to sip from with a very long straw, and a straw that’s shorter than the height of a tall drinking glass isn’t useful.
This is entirely dependent on the material. It’s important to check on the manufacturer's website before attempting to use a straw in very hot or very cold liquids.
This is also entirely dependent on the material your straw is made from. More durable materials like metal and glass can last for years, while straws made from bamboo might wear down faster.
Certain harder materials, like metal and glass, might not be suitable for young children or those who might bite the straw — a softer straw made from silicone or bamboo might work better and be safer for those groups.
Cai Cramer is a Commerce Writer at PEOPLE, covering the best and buzziest products across the beauty, fashion, health, and lifestyle spaces. Previously, Cai worked on the Digital Platforms team at PEOPLE after graduating with a degree in Journalism from Northwestern University. Cai has a keen interest in sustainability and for this story she did extensive market research and polled fellow editors in order to determine which reusable straws were the best.
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