The eco-friendly corporate social responsibility ideal has really started to kick in in recent years.
Some notable mass market consumer products that are being slowly replaced by more environmentally-friendly products include:
- Plastic bags
- Cutlery
- Light bulbs
- etc
But one that I have taken to heart are straws. This realization came about one day when I saw a whale carcass with a stomach filled plastic bags and a whole bunch of plastic straws.
That was the last and final straw. Pun intended. 😀
While I don’t throw these things into the ocean, I do feel a little responsible for this pollution since I use straws almost on a daily basis. And I commission even more of them on a daily basis to customers who ordered cold drinks like smoothies and juices.
And that’s without mentioning the carbon footprint left behind.
So it is of huge joy when reusable straws started to be made available to general consumers.
When I first learned about them, I felt that this movement was long overdue.
After all, the manufacturing industry has had access to raw material to mass produce stainless steel and silicone (2 material leading the charge towards eco-friendliness) for years.
And long have we been made aware of how disposable goods are doing harm to natural habitats.
But better late than never. At least we have yet to reach a point of no return.
This means that if the majority (ideally everyone) play their part, detoxing Earth from all these harmful substances is still possible.
No longer will we be grasping at straws.
Reusable straws these days basically come in 4 categories:
- Stainless steel
- Silicone
- Glass
- Bamboo
Here are some of the best reusable straws you can buy in the above-mentioned materials today and play a role in sustaining the environment.
Stainless steel
The most popular material as of now is stainless steel, or a combination of stainless steel and silicone.
Some are even made collapsible and foldable.
Stainless steel have long been a favorite of both manufacturers and consumers for kitchenware.
It’s resistant to rust, easy to clean, and very durable. It doesn’t pose a health hazard unless you swallow it. And it looks modern and cool as well.
However a common disadvantage of metal is they they get heated up when used to consume hot drinks. This might pose a degree of discomfort to users.
Here are the best stainless steel reusable straws.
SipWell
SipWell’s stainless steel reusable straws come with little fanfare, practical, and straight to the point.
They are approximately 6 to 8 inches long (including bend) and dishwasher safe.
Made with 18/8 stainless steel, they can be use to consume most drinks including that iced latte you have been craving for since the morning.
The main drawback of them is that they are quite thin and narrow in diameter, making it unsuitable for sucking up thick smoothies.
It comes in a set of 4 and a cleaning brush. It offers very good value for quality and price point.
It also comes in a set of 8 consisting of 4 straight and 4 bended straws with 2 cleaning brushes.
YiHong
YiHong sounds like a Chinese word. But since everything is made from China these days, don’t let that affect your impression of the product they deliver.
The straws are each made of 18/8 stainless steel, FDA approved, and have no metal aftertaste.
Even though they are fully made of stainless steel, it is different from SipWell’s offering design-wise, due to engraved lines on the bend area.
In fact, they come with a variety of options to choose from, including those that incorporate silicone covers.
It’s just that I would go with the full metal set by default.
The full metal option also come with a choice of 8.5 and 10.5 inch straws.
If you like your straws long, don’t forget that they have selections for longer ones available.
SenHai
Another Chinese sounding brand, and another great product.
The standard stainless steel design variant of this set is somewhat similar to YiHong’s.
But the whole package comes with 4 longer straws, of which 2 are long with 2 short. And 4 bent straws, of which 2 are long with 2 short. Making it a total of 8.
Included in the pack are 2 cleaning tools and a drawstring carry bag to keep the items.
What’s really interesting about their product line is that they have a variant in multi-colored stainless steel. Giving it that funky appearance that can perk you up.
One particular set even include custom made lids that the straws would fit in nicely.
Silicone
Silicone has been one of the most used materials in modern kitchenware.
So it’s no surprise that found it’s way into reusable straws as well.
Here are the best silicone reusable straws.
Koffie straw
There’s no questioning who these models are targeting at – Coffee drinkers.
These coffee straws are those that are almost flat meant for sipping hot beverages.
So don’t just limit it to your coffee. They will do just as well with tea and hot chocolate.
When I first used these types of straws, I was amazed how I was able to consume very hot coffee easily without burning my tongue.
Actually, I have to confess that I didn’t know they were bendy straws in the first place.
Made of 100% non-stick silicone, they come with the option 7 inches or 10 inches. So there must be a size suitable for your tumbler.
Koffie does remind us of something that we often neglect or simply ignore. And that is that coffee causes stains on our teeth.
Using straws to drink our daily doses will minimize that impact.
A pack comes with 2 straws bent near the mouth piece, with a free cleaning brush included for thorough pull-through cleaning.
Seraphina’s Kitchen
While we have listed down some pretty attractive looking straws so far, this is the first one that have retains the typical fun colors we are so used to seeing with straws.
Seraphina’s Kitchen’s food-safe straws come in a pack of 6 with vibrant solid colors.
I’m not sure if all their variants come with a mixture of the same colors. But I got mine in:
- Blue
- Red
- Orange
- Yellow
- Purple
- Green
They wouldn’t look too slick for birthday parties for the kids. And might actually add to the party atmosphere.
The opening is also easily wide enough for all types of beverages including milk shakes and fruit smoothies.
It could even serve as boba straws and accommodate bubble tea.
Along with their message to reduce plastic waste is that using such straws reduce the risk of acid erosion.
Frankly speaking, I was not aware of these risks before.
So thank you for informing, Seraphina.
Kitchen Up
I simply have to include this set of straws from Kitchen Up be cause it easily offers the best value.
This is an affordable set consisting of:
- 6 pastel colored silicone straws
- 2 stainless steel straws
- 3 cleaning brushes in 2 sizes
- A storage pouch to keep everything
And it’s not as if the quality would be compromised due to it’s budget price.
The metal straws are made of 10/18 stainless steel. While the silicone ones are made of non-toxic silicone.
What even more amazing is that the makers are so confident with the durability of their products that they offer a 5 year warranty with it.
How do you say no to that?
Glass
The reservation that we would instinctive have with glassware is that how safe are they? Do they pose a danger to not just kids, but adults as well?
Regarding that, I can only say that technology has advanced so much at the industrial and commercial space that we as end-consumers cannot even comprehend what is possible in this modern era.
But let’s allow the merchants of the best glass reusable straws to make their case.
Hummingbird Glass Straws
For starters, Hummingbird is such a catchy word for a brand. The good thing is that this company has done justice to the term with an awesome product.
Made in the USA by meticulous glass artists in the production studio, these straws are made from 100% non-toxic glass that is certified BPA and lead free.
While we tend to associate the most sturdy glass material with Gorilla Glass due to our infatuation with smart phones, remember that this is not a wireless communication device we are talking about.
It’s actually made from the strong and steady borosilicate glass that is proven to be dishwasher safe.
But even so. I’d still practice caution and hand wash then in the sink instead.
What I like about glass straws is the clear slender body that allows drinkers to observe the liquid moving within the body.
But at the same time, a clear body can make stains even more obvious to an observer.
So Hummingbird has included a cleaning brush that will easily scrub in insides clean without causing scratches on the inner surface.
They really look posh with ice-blended slushie served in a glass highball or tumbler.
JimJim
I like this listing as it comes with 4 glass straws, with 2 straight and 2 bent.
In addition to that, it is probably the best budget set of reusable straws if you have decided on glass material.
No-frills.
Just down-to-earth good value. Upfront. And pragmatic.
KORSREEL
As you would have probably realized by now, I put an emphasis on design and innovation.
Not that I suggest you do the same. But it’s just how my buying decision process works.
So I find it my duty and responsibility to recommend an alternative with a little more design elements… in the form of colors.
Glassware don’t need to be colorless and transparent all the time as KORSREEL has demonstrated.
This is a kit of 6 glass drinking straws in different shades of color:
- Clear
- Green
- Light blue
- Dark blue
- Pink
- Orange
And comes with 2 cleaning tools.
These color straws can really give a beverage that unique look that instantly instagrammable.
It’s made of pyrex, a premium grade glass material.
Bamboo
Bamboo is an extremely durable and strong natural material that is 100% biodegradable. And they have been used for household stuff like cooking utensils for decades.
Here are the best reusable bamboo straws you can purchase online.
Buluh straws
When it comes to the best bamboo straws, it seems that the market has decided that the winner is Buluh.
But don’t let the market sway you without justification.
The Buluh straw is 8 inches in length and handcrafted in Bali with perfection as the goal.
Made from organic bamboo, it’s BPA-free and vegan. Containing no dyes or ink.
And I must say that they look gorgeous. This is the beauty of nature.
The drawback is that because they don’t come out from machinery in a production line, it is inevitable that there will be variances in the texture and diameter of different individual straws.
But that’s how nature is meant to be, isn’t it?
It’s not so critical as to be a straw that broke the camel’s back.
Zone-365
Also sourced from Bali, this is comparable to Buluh.
But it is a great alternative option due to it’s selection of sizes.
They come in 19.5cm and 24cm… both at the same price.
Which one to buy?
Which type to buy really depends on your personal preferences.
While they are all safe to be used with food, some people just don’t like drinking from a metallic straw. While others will always have reservations about silicone.
But seeing how affordable these things are, if you use straws at home, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t consider buying a set of each material and use them depending on your mood for the day.
And if you dislike a particular material, give them to a friend.
By having one less person use plastic straws, it’s an additional person playing a small role towards the bigger picture of saving the planet.
Finally, if you are sourcing for a cafe or coffee house, I get it that premium straws might not be economical for business operations.
Many of them will go missing and you might have to replenish them with new ones within days.
In this case, with the environment in mind, do take a look at disposable straws that are compostable or biodegradable.