Grayl Ultrapress Purifier 500mL Water Bottle Review

The Only Drink Bottle You Will Ever Need

Date: June 2024

Location: London hostel - sitting on my bed typing on a suitcase for a desk.

This page does include affiliate links for things that I have used and loved and want to recommend to you guys! This means when you use the link such as to buy a product, I get affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Some of these are for Amazon as I am an Amazon Associate and I earn commission if you use the link to buy a product. This allows me to continue to write this blog and deliver helpful content for you all. Thank you :)

Before I set off on my 3 week trip through Central America in early 2024, I knew I needed to get a good drink bottle. I heard there were drink bottles that could filter out the bacteria, viruses, etc and they sounded pretty cool to me. Having the ability to reduce the risk of me getting sick while traveling or on an outdoor adventure was definitely on my priority list. This was my first big oversea trip and I was pretty nervous about the idea of getting unwell from the water or food, as I was told this commonly happens in Central America. All I could picture was me busting for numbers twos on the bus and no toilet in site… not my ideal picture of an amazing travel trip that I’ve been waiting years to finally do. If there was something that could avoid this then I would purchase it! Not only did I not want to live out the experience of being sick overseas and take up precious travel time not living it up to the max. I also care about my health and I didn't want to ingest risky water. So investing in a filtering/purifying water bottle seemed like a pretty good investment to me.

I did my typical thorough google search of the common filtering/purifying water bottles and compared pricing, reviews, how often to change the filters and longevity, company values, etc. The winner for me was the Grayl Ultrapress Purifier 500mL. At the time it seemed quite expensive and I ummed and ahhed if I should spend that much just on a drink bottle. I took the risk and it was sooo worth it!

Below are some pics on the day I brought the drink bottle and a rough size idea from me holding the bottle.

I purchased the Grayl Ultrapress Purifier Olive 500ML. I tossed up a lot between the 710mL (Grayl Geopress Purifier) and 500ml (Grayl Ultrapress Purifier). With the anticipation of traveling quite light and often with carry on, a smaller bottle was a better fit for me. And since I can literally fill it up anywhere anyway, any water source will do. From doggy toilet sinks to murky rivers, I will always get beautifully clean and purified water. I’m very glad I stuck with the 500mL for me. I think the bigger bottle would have made it hard to take with me on my trips. But this little incredible drink bottle fits well in my backpack and keeps me hydrated no matter what water source I have. However, the size you pick will depend on your own personal circumstances. That's enough backstory, let's get into the good stuff!

Below are the features of the Grayl Ultrapress I liked and some of the reasons that I ended up buying the drink bottle:

• You can make purified water ready to be guzzled down in 10 seconds (3L/min).

• Replaceable purifier cartridge (saving the environment and your pocket - what a win win!).

• Removes waterborne pathogens such as viruses and bacteria, reducing the risk of me getting sick on my awesome adventures.

• 10 year warranty.

• Small so easy to fit into my backpack, mesh water bottle side pockets and easy to carry with the handle if need be.

• I liked Grayl because of their company mission and values. They donate a minimum of 1% of every purchase to environmental causes.

• It has a one way value so you can add in electrolytes and other additions to your water without it affecting the drink bottle mechanics.

These are the key features that popped out to me. You can find more information on their website here. They also have good information on their mission and values, if you are like me and like to spend your money ethically and aligned with your values where possible.

My thoughts/review:

• The Grayl Ultrapress is fast and easy to use. The process is quite straightforward. But you do require a fair amount of force and need a solid surface to complete the purifying process. Most people would easily be able to use it. But just warning if you are elderly, or don't have the ability to put a bit of force through your hands/wrists, then this may not be the bottle for you.

• I love this bottle as it's not too heavy and it's the perfect size to take anywhere. It gives me peace of mind that I can always have access to clean water that won't make me sick. I was not sick once through my 3 weeks in Central America and I think this bad boy played a part in that. I noticed in Europe and the UK they don't have water fountains often open to the public like New Zealand does. I found myself getting dehydrated easily and struggling to find a clean water source. This bottle saved me so many times. I can just fill up my drink bottle from the taps in the toilet and know it's fresh to drink.

• I like the spout of this drink bottle. It has a cap you twist off then you can easily drink from the wide spout. I feel these types of spouts encourage me to drink more water. With suction/sip tops I drink less and can be noisy sometimes. This one is a simple screw off cap allowing a good flow of water for easy hydration. It’s easier to clean as there are less nooks and crannies to clean between. The cap has a grippy type material that allows better grip to take on and off.

• I like the handle as it makes it easy to carry and you can also put a hook/carabiner on it and attach it to a bag or object. I do this when I have it in an external pocket and want to make sure it doesn't fall out or get stolen when out and about.

• It's a solid drink bottle. I've dropped and thrown this thing through mud and heights and it has lived to tell the tail. It feels really solid and robust too which is great when in the wilderness.

• Another pro is it’s better for the environment. I am very conscious of how I live and how this affects the environment. And it’s probably a bit of the kiwi in me. I witnessed a lot of tourists buying bottled water when overseas, and the extensiveness of this really shocked me. I didn't want to contribute to this further. This water bottle means I never have to buy bottled water when traveling.

• A health pro is it keeps you hydrated. You don't have to wait until you get somewhere to fill up from a trustworthy tap or buy bottled water, you can always have fresh water with you. This is reassuring for me on my outdoor adventures and my city excursions. Water is a necessity for us to live. You can live up to ~3 weeks without food. But you can only live for ~3-5 days without water. So having the ability to have access to beautiful purified water is definitely a priority on my traveling and adventuring checklist. Staying hydrated also has sooo many benefits. A few, but not limited to are: boosts your energy, helps with concentration and brain function, aids with digestion, supports organ function, improves the health and look of your skin, and helps with sleep ! The list could go on really.

• If practically, the health side or environmental side still isn't doing the trick for ya. Then the awesome color options may be the thing for you. I loved the color options. It took me a while to decide on the exact one. I went for the earthy look of the olive and am pretty happy with my choice. But there are many to choose from. For me the look of the drink bottle is important, otherwise I'm less likely to drink from it. Don't know if that is just a me thing. Would love to know if ya'll feel the same too!

Overall I have never once second guessed myself for buying this little gem of a bottle. It has kept me hydrated and saved me more money in the long run. If you are looking for a water bottle while traveling or one for your outdoor adventures, this is a great staple to have. I get rather passionate telling my friends and family about my drink bottle and how cool it is. Don't they say it is the simple things in life right?

Anyway I hope this helps you decide if this is the drink bottle for you or not. I would love to hear about others that have this bottle too and your thoughts, or if there are other purifying water bottles that you have tried and recommend!

I hope you have a great day and remember to stay hydrated! :)