Liewood Kids' Water Bottles review: our verdict on Liewood's Kimmie and Falk designs
Scandi chic, leakproof and built to last, but are these cute Liewood water bottles worth the premium price tag? Here's our honest review.
By Poppy O'Neill | Last updated Jun 27, 2024
Price on writing: from £25 | Shop now at Trouva
Cute, tasteful designs
Zero leaks
Robust
Choice of handles or no handles
Keeps drinks cool
Removable straw
Comes with a cleaning brush
Expensive
Kimmie design has a smaller capacity
Material: Steel and food-grade Polypropylen | Capacity: 250-350ml | Colour choices: Range of muted tones and patterns available | Spout type: Flip top, straw| Dishwasher safe: No, handwash only | Insulated: Yes
How we tested
Our parent-tester May put Liewood's Kimmie and Falk water bottles through their paces over the course of 3 months, with the help of her 6- and 3.5-year-olds. Taking detailed notes on how much her kids liked them, how easy they are to clean and crucially, whether they leak or not, the bottles went pretty much everywhere with May and her kids.
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Liewood Falk Water Bottle: our verdict
May's 6-year-old loved the handle-free Falk design, taking it everywhere - the playground, the beach, swimming lessons, Granny's house, the climbing wall and playhouse in the garden and dens in the hedgerow - she especially liked the grown-up look of the muted colours and subtle pineapple pattern, and was keen to share it with both her mums.
While May's 6-year-old wanted to open and refill the bottle herself, the rubber seal is very strong and effective, so she needed a grown-up's help. At 350ml it's a good size for a 6-year-old to carry around independently, and enough to keep her going during a trip out.
The bottle is completely leak free, even when left on its side with the spout open. The bottle claims to keep drinks cool for 12 hours, and May got the best results when she popped the bottle in the fridge for a couple of hours before heading out on a hot day.
The bottle is made from steel, with a food-grade Polypropylen lid, so it's super robust. After three months of intense testing, it's showing absolutely no signs of wear.
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Liewood Kimmie Water Bottle: our verdict
May's 3.5-year-old went straight for the Kimmie with its chunky handles and cute animal design. Although he had already graduated onto handle-free sippy cups, May reckons he likes the added security of the Kimmie's handles, which also make it suitable for younger toddlers.
The bottle is 100% leakproof, which is always the first thing parents look for in a water bottle for kids.
Both bottles come with a brush specially shaped and sized to clean the straw and lid, making them easy to keep clean and hygienic, even though they can't be put in the dishwasher. For the Kimmie, May found it required quite a bit of force to reattach the straw after cleaning.
At 250ml, it held a bit less water than May would have liked, and she found it needed refilling more often than was convenient. After a few weeks of daily use and washing, she found the handles started to twist slightly further than the straw, making it a bit awkward to drink from as the two components were no longer aligned.
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How easy are Liewood Kids' Water Bottles to keep clean?
Both the Kimmie and Falk are handwash only, so unfortunately you can't bung them in the dishwasher as it would warp the straw and damage the insulation. As kids' water bottles, especially those with a straw, are notoriously difficult to keep clean and germ-free, Liewood have thoughtfully included a small brush designed to clean inside the straw and in all the nooks and crannies of the bottle's lid.
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Do Liewood kids' water bottles offer good value for money?
At £26 for the Kimmie and £29 for the Falk, these are certainly premium bottles. It's worth remembering that despite their cute pastel appearance, they are made from strong, insulating steel, so they're on a par with something like a Hydro Flask, which retail for around £28.
They're super robust and will last and last, without letting you down with leaks. If you love the Scandi look of Liewood products, these bottles are a versatile addition to your kids' kit, and the Falk is grown-up looking enough to last from toddler to around 7 years.
About the author
Poppy O'Neill is a Content Editor at Mumsnet and a mother of two. She's been researching and reviewing the products Mumsnetters swear by for 3 years, with a particular focus on home essentials, laundry and fans. From a highly-recommended retractable washing line to the best quiet fans money can buy, and Mumsnet's favourite dehumidifier to the steam generator iron that'll cut your ironing time in half, she loves to deep-dive into research and find the very best products on the market.
Poppy is also an award-winning, best-selling children's and parenting author of books such as Don't Worry, Be Happy, The Extraordinary Book That Makes You Feel Happy and Mother Power. She specialises in children's mental health and her books are used by therapists, teachers and SENCOs across the UK. She won a The Week Junior Book Award in 2023, her books have been translated into several languages and she's been featured in The Guardian, The Sunday Times and The Sun.
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