Is it possible for Hydro Flask bottles to stop working and to no longer keep ice for long periods of time or to keep drinks cold or hot? If so why does this happen and can you fix it.
Hydro Flask bottles stop working when the vacuum seal is lost and air fills up the space between the inner and out wall of the cup. This causes the cup to lose the majority of it's insulating properties and unfortunately there is no way to fix this issue, the bottle will need to be replaced.
In this article we'll look into some of the how and why Hydro Flask bottles can stop working, how you can test to see if your bottle is broken as well as what you can do.
See the latest prices and deals on Hydro Flask bottles at Amazon
Why Won't My Hydro Flask Keep Ice Cold or Keep Drinks Hot?
Hydro Flask bottles are able to keep ice so long and able to keep drinks cold or hot because they are double walled with a vacuum inbetween the inner and outer wall.
In order to heat to get from the outside into the bottle to melt your ice and warm up your drink it needs particles to pass through. The same is true for heat going from the inside of your bottle to the outside cooling down your warm drink.
Because Hydro Flask bottles have a vacuum between the inner and outer wall this means there is no particles to transfer the heat. This is what makes the bottles so effective at keeping drinks cold or hot for long periods of time.
It is possible for the vacuum seal on a Hydro Flask bottle to be broken or compromised and for the vacuum to fill up with air.
When this happens there are now lots of particles between the inner and outer wall of the bottle and this allows heat to more easily pass through, making your bottle less effective at insulating.
Sometimes this happens when the bottle is damaged through being dropped or getting knocked. Sometimes it happens when the bottle is put in the dishwasher and sometimes it's completely unclear why this happens.
But once it happens your bottle will no longer be able to hold ice for a long period of time and it will no longer be able to keep drinks hot either.
While it will still insulate better than a plastic bottle or single walled bottle it won't work nearly as well as a vacuum sealed bottle.
How To Know If Your Hydro Flask Is Broken or Not
You can't tell if a Hydro Flask bottle is broken just by looking at the outside of it, unless it has an obvious glaring hole in it.
There only need to be a tiny compromise in the vacuum seal in order for the entire vacuum compartment to fill up with air.
But luckily there are a few ways you can test your Hydro Flask to quickly work out whether or not the vacuum seal has been broken and filled up with air.
Test #1: Does Your Hydro Flask Float?
I recently did a Hydro Flask float test and proven that when Hydro Flask bottles are completely filled with water they actually sink.
However, if the vacuum seal has been compromised and the area in between the two walls is full of air then this will cause your bottle to float even when it's completely filled with water.
In order to test this simply fill up your bath or use a bucket of water or a pool. Just make sure the container is deeper than the bottle is tall to make testing easier.
Take the lid off your bottle and submerge it in water, making sure to completely fill it up and get rid of any air in the bottle.
Then let go of the bottle. If the bottle sinks to the bottle then vacuum seal is still in tact. However, if it float then chances are your vacuum seal has broken and your bottle is now full of air and you'll need to contact Hydro Flask for a replacement.
Test #2: Boiling Water Test
This is a test that Hydro Flask themselves recommend on their warranty page and it's quite effective at quickly testing whether or not your bottle is still working as it should.
Pour boiling water into your Hydro Flask bottle and fill it up, but make sure not to put the lid on as this could damage the lid.
After a few minutes feel the outside of the bottle below the neck. If you can feel any hot spots on the outside of the bottle then the insulation has been compromised and you'll need to get a replacement.
If the outside of the bottle (below the neck) remains cold to touch then the vacuum is still in tact and the bottle is insulating as it should.
Test #3: Test Side-By-Side With Another Hydro Flask or Insulated Bottle
This test will take a little bit more time but can clearly show whether or not your Hydro Flask is working as it should.
Get another Hydro Flask (borrow one from a friend if you need to) or get another vacuum insulated bottle and test them side by side against each other.
Either fill them up with ice and then leave them to see how long the ice takes to melt or fill them up with boiling water and see how long they take to cool down.
If the ice in your bottle melts much faster than the comparison bottle or if the hot water lowers to room temperature quickly compared to the other bottle then you know you have a problem.
What To Do If Your Hydro Flask Is Broken
If your Hydro Flask bottle is broken and no longer insulating properly then you should contact the company and ask for a replacement.
Hydro Flask bottles are backed by a lifetime guarantee. If the insulation stops working then Hydro Flask will repair or replace the bottle for your free of charge.
The exception to this is if the insulation is broken because of something you did. If you dropped the bottle, dented it or somehow caused a hole to form, or if you put it through the dishwasher and it lost it's insulation that way.
It is rare to have these issues but it's good to know that if they do happen Hydro Flask will replace your bottle completely free of charge.
It's one of the benefits of buying a Hydro Flask over another generic brand of water bottle.
Do Hydro Flasks Lose Their Insulation Over Time?
Hydro Flask bottles should not deteriorate in performance over time. It should work just as well in 10 years time as it does today.
The technology behind the bottles is pretty simple. It's just a stainless steel bottle with an inner and outer wall. Inbetween these two walls is a vacuum (that contains no air).
The vacuum is what does the majority of the insulating.
Over time this vacuum should NOT fill up with air so the insulating properties of the bottle should stay in tact.
The only time it fills up with air is if the seal has somehow been compromised. This generally happens all at once of quite quickly and you'll notice a big difference in how well your bottle holds ice.
If your Hydro Flask is getting worse at keeping ice cold or keeping hot drinks hot then it's likely the vacuum has been compromised and you should contact the company to fit the issue and get a replacement bottle.
Can You Fix a Hydro Flask That No Longer Works?
Unfortunately you CANNOT fix a Hydro Flask bottle that is no longer working properly. This is due to the fact that it's really hard to recreate a vacuum once you've lost it.
Instead you'll need to buy a new one. Click here to see the prices of new Hydro Flasks at Amazon
Chances are you can't even find the spot that compromised the vacuum seal and you could need to remove all the air from inside the bottle and then seal up the hole before any air gets back in.
This is something Hydro Flask can do in the factory when making the bottles but it's extremely hard to do at home by yourself.
If your bottle no longer works properly then you're better off contacting the company for a replacement bottle.
Hydro Flask bottles are all backed by a lifetime guarantee so they should replace it free of charge for you under warranty.
Does The Hydro Flask Warranty Cover Loss of Insulation?
Yes the Hydro Flask lifetime warranty does cover loss of insulation IF the loss of insulation is from manufacturing defects.
Sometimes Hydro Flask bottles can lose their insulation through no fault of your own. If this happens simply contact Hydro Flask and they will organize a replacement bottle for you.
However, if you damaged the vacuum seal through your own fault – including dropping or piercing the bottle or putting it in the dishwaher – then you will not be covered under their warranty.
If My Hydro Flask Is Dented Does This Mean It Won't Work Anymore?
Just because a Hydro Flask has a dent in it doesn't mean that it won't work at keeping ice.
Sometimes a bottle can get dented (even significantly) and still have the vacuum seal in tact.
It's the vacuum that allows these bottles to keep drinks so cold or hot for so long so as long as that isn't compromised then your bottle should work just as well as a non-dented bottle.
Click here to learn what to do if your Hydro Flask bottle is scratched or the paint has chipped.
or click here to learn how to fix a Hydro Flask dent
The Most Popular Hydro Flask Bottles
Hydro Flask bottles are the #1 selling water bottle on Amazon and there are so many different sizes to choose from, some being more popular than others:
32 oz Bottle with Straw Lid
The 32 oz is great for those who want to drink more water throughout the day. The straw lid makes sipping cold water throughout the day easy. Rather than having to unscrew the lid just flip up the straw and drink away.
This is a very popular size.
See the latest price of the 32 oz Hydro Flask at Amazon
21 oz Standard Mouth Bottle
This is a good size for everyday use. It's big enough that you won't empty it super quickly (like the 12 oz) and need to refill it all the time. But it's not so big that it's annoying to carry around.
See the latest price of the 2 oz Hydro Flask at Amazon
20 oz Wide Mouth Bottle
I personally prefer the wide mouth bottles as they are so much easier to fit ice cubes into. They are also a great size for me to use but also a great size for my kids to take to school.
See the latest price of the 20 oz Hydro Flask at Amazon
