Best Reusable Straws: The Zero Waste Lifestyle

Plastic straws have been causing significant problems for our environment, and it’s no longer a secret due to the media attention it receives.

In America alone, we use nearly 500 million plastic straws EVERY DAY; this is shocking.

What makes this worse is that plastic straws are super hard to recycle.

The problem is recycling machines struggle to recognize the plastic straws due to the size, which means they will often end up in the trash, and in some cases, the ocean.

And to make it worse:

Turtles and sea birds are mistaking the colorful straws for food, and once digested, their mortality rate increases by 50%.

This has lead to people looking for a more eco-friendly solution to the plastic straw problem, and that’s where reusable straws can help.

The best reusable straws help us tackle the environmental crisis in an environmentally friendly fashion.

What To Look For When Buying Reusable Straws

Knowing what to look for in a new product can be pretty tricky; it takes a lot of research, which is why I like to do the hard work for you.

Below I’ve listed all the essential factors you need to look out for before making your decision:

The Best Reusable Straws

With so many reusable straws on the market, it can be pretty hard to find the right one. Which is why I’ve laid out five of the best reusable straws the market has to offer:

ALINK Glass Smoothie

The product comes with eight 10″ glass straws in a pack and features two cleaning brushes to make your life easier.

They also come with two buying options, clear or colored, and thin or wide diameter.

The straws feature four straight straws and four curved, so you get to choose which works for you.

The glass straws are durable due to the 2mm thickness of the glass.

The best thing about them is they are completely BPA and Lead-free, which means no harmful materials. They also don’t leave a metallic after taste in your mouth, unlike stainless steel straws.

Key Features

Customers really loved these glass straws; they had no issues with suction power, and the straws were the perfect length for tall drinks. They also found the glass straws super easy to clean with the brush, and because they were see-through, you could make sure they were clean.

The wide glass straws worked perfectly with thick drinks; I didn’t have any issues creating enough suction. The cleaning brushes were perfect for cleaning and were just bendy enough to get past the bend in the straws. Overall, these straws performed very well.

Longzon Extendable Straws

The longzon extendable straws come in a pack of two, with 11 buying options of various colors.

The stainless steel straws start at 4″ and extends to 9.17″.

The straws also come with detachable silicone tips to help protect your teeth from chips.

They’re made with a food-grade 304 stainless steel, so it’s completely BPA-free and won’t rust.

This version also comes with an upgraded aluminum carrying case; the lid survives a 100,000 times gravity test to ensure you don’t lose your straw.

Key Features

They weren’t sure how much they would like the stainless steel straws until they arrived. They really loved how sturdy the straws felt; it filled you with confidence. The silicone attachments were really comfortable in their mouth, and the keyring meant they could attach it to there bag.

The extendable metal straws were pretty cool. I loved the carrying case and how it was small enough to fit in your pocket. I was concerned about losing suction due to it being extendable, so far, this hasn’t been an issue, but only time will tell.

Flathead Products

These reusable silicone straws come in a pack of ten and contain five colors, including Blue, Purple, and Pink.

Each straw is made with a 100% food-grade silicone, which means no BPA products are involved.

The silicone straws are 10″ in length and 4 mm thick, which is about the regular size of a straw.

It also comes with a cleaning brush and a travel case.

Their bent straws are compatible with most tumblers, including a few Yeti cups.

The straws are dishwasher safe to make it easier to clean and can be trimmed down to suit your needs.

Key Features

One customer was pretty shocked by how well the straws worked; they were excellent quality. They really liked the little baggie that came with it. It was super easy to clean due to the brush that came with it. They were also delighted with the donations they make to OCEANA.

They’re a beautiful set of silicone straws, it’s great to see ten in the pack with five different colors; it makes it easy to split them around your family, or for when guests come round. Another great thing about silicone straws is you don’t have to worry about chipping your teeth on edge.

Jungle Culture Bamboo Straws

The jungle culture reusable bamboo straws come in a pack of twelve, and each straw is 8″ in length.

The straws come with a cleaning brush to ensure you can get the grime out.

They also come with a Hessian storage bag, as well as a traveling case.

The straws are lab tested for food safety; they are also environmentally friendly, so you don’t have to worry about chucking them away.

The reusable straws can be cleaned in the dishwasher and are entirely odorless, leaving no after taste.

Key Features

They loved these bamboo straws; they took them everywhere; it fits perfectly into their purse. What made them better was knowing they wouldn’t harm the environment. They felt it’s stopped them using at least 20 straws a week.

The straws are fantastic, especially if you’re looking for the most eco-friendly alternative. The straws can biodegrade naturally in the environment. I was also a massive fan of the free hessian bags; it made it really is to travel with them, and it looked pretty stylish.

HIWARE Jumbo Reusable Boba Straws

The HIWARE Jumbo straws come in a pack of two.

Both straws are made with food-grade stainless steel, so it leaves no metallic aftertaste.

Each straw is 10″ in length and 0.5″ wide, making these straws perfect for Boba teas or thick milkshakes.

The straws feature an angled tip, which makes it easier to piece the film from your drinks.

The drinking ends are perfectly handed polished to ensure smooth tips. They also come with a carrying case and a cleaning brush for your convenience.

Key Features

They were very impressed with the quality; the stainless steel looked and felt very sturdy. The carrying case also came in very handy; they could slip them inside their purse easily. The best feature was the angled edges. They were perfect for getting into their Boba tea.

The straws are a perfect size and can fit in most tumblers. The edges were also very smooth, so you didn’t have to worry about cutting your lip. One of the biggest pitfalls was with the cleaning brush; it was slightly too small to make it through to the other side.

Are Metal Or Silicone Straws Better?

With so many styles of reusable straw out there, it can be hard to know which material is better. To help you understand I’ve broken down the materials:

Metal – It’s by far the most reliable and most durable material. Stainless steel is oxidation free and stain-resistant. Because of these factors, metal straws can last longer than any other straw.

Metal straws are an excellent option for anyone looking to cut down on waste and use the straw for a long time. Before buying your straw, make sure it’s made with food-grade stainless steel.

Silicone – Silicone is a more flexible material, but it also doesn’t last as long. One benefit of silicone straws is that they are easily adjustable; you can cut them down with scissors.

Another benefit with they fell softer in the mouth compared to metal straws. It reduces the chance of chipping your teeth, and it can handle heat better.

Which one you choose will usually come down to personal preference. The best reusable straw is metal because they last longer, and for me, taste a lot nicer.

Are Stainless Steel Straws Safe?

Stainless steel straws are a lot safer than traditional straws of the environment, and your health.

Cheap plastic can leak harmful chemicals into your drink. These chemicals can cause hormone imbalances and, in some cases, cancers.

However, Stainless steel straws are made with a good grade material, which makes it a safer drinking experience.

Stainless steel is also dishwasher safe, which makes it easier to clean and sterilizes the straw. This alone makes using reusable straws more reliable than plastic.

How To Take Care Of Your Reusable Straw

To ensure your reusable straw stays safe, you need to take proper care of the straw. Just sticking the straw in the dishwasher isn’t going to get it clean.

Cleaning brushes help loosen any particles inside the straw, which means you need to use both:

1. Rinse the straw with warm water; this will loosen up any hard particles
2. Use the cleaning brush with some soap to scrub off any particles
3. If there’s still some dirt stuck add baking soda to the cleaning brush
4. Rinse the straw with water to make sure it’s clean
5. Once a week or more place the straw in a dishwasher for sterilization

Conclusion

Reusable straws are a great way of reducing the amount of plastic you use. Straws are having a detrimental effect on our wildlife.

Which straws you choose comes down to personal preferences. Think about what material you want to use and the length of the container you drink from.

Thinking of these things will help you make a wise buying decision.

If you’re looking a more biodegradable option, then check out my review of the best biodegradable straws.