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Mar 17, 2023

The 7 Best Shaker Bottles of 2023

The Contigo Shake & Go Thermalock Bottle is easy to clean and makes a smooth

The Contigo Shake & Go Thermalock Bottle is easy to clean and makes a smooth protein shake.

Rich Scherr is an updates strategist and fact checker for Dotdash Meredith brands, including Health and Verywell. He is a seasoned financial and technology journalist who served as editor-in-chief of the Potomac Tech Wire for nearly two decades, and is a regular contributor to the sports pages of The Baltimore Sun. He has also been a news editor for America Online and has contributed to the Associated Press and The Washington Post.

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Health / David Hattan

If you’re an athlete, weight lifter, or generally struggle to meet your protein needs, protein shakes may be a useful addition to your diet. They can be made of whey, casein, soy, pea, or other sources of protein in powdered form that you mix with a liquid. Most people enjoy them as a convenient means of upping their protein intake.

Kristen Arnold, MS, RDN, CSSD, sports dietitian and cycling coach, says, "Shaker bottles are helpful for developing regular habits to ensure high-quality protein post-workout. If you have a regular shaker bottle you use, you can develop a habit of regularly taking the same bottle to the gym every time you go." Since the ideal protein shake must be well-mixed, a regular bottle doesn't usually do the trick. Shaker bottles typically either come with an agitator ball or lid inside the bottle or are designed in another way that helps mix the protein powder with water to create a deliciously mixed protein shake.

Many shaker bottles are made of BPA-free plastic, which is valuable because BPA has been linked to a variety of health concerns, including cancer and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Their capacity varies, with most ranging from 16 to 28 ounces. We tested multiple shaker bottle options on the market, considering their design, mixing effectiveness, and ease of cleaning.

A registered dietitian on our Medical Expert Board also reviewed this article for medical and scientific accuracy surrounding what to look for in a shaker bottle, its primary purpose, and who may benefit from protein shakes.

Amazon

Why We Like It: The shaker ball has an easy-to-clean design and creates a smooth protein shake.

It's Worth Noting: This bottle isn't insulated.

This shaker bottle is a simple, affordable one with thoughtful touches that make it our best overall pick. Our tester found it easy to use and to clean, noting: "The paddles along the ball is an interesting design that you don't usually see in shaker bottles, and this made it easier to clean as opposed to a standard wired/spiraled shaker ball." It only took about 30 seconds for this bottle to make a smooth, well-mixed protein shake with no residue caked on the bottle.

Our tester also liked the bottle's design, with vertical bars and a carry handle that make it easy to grip. It fits in a standard cup holder for on-the-go usage and has volume markings up to 24 ounces.

Note that this bottle isn't insulated, so you’ll probably want to drink your shake relatively quickly while it's still chilled.

Price at time of publication: $12

Product Details

Amazon

Why We Like It: It has all the pros of a shaker bottle without the hassle of an agitator ball.

It's Worth Noting: Overshaking it may result in an overly aerated protein shake.

If you’ve ever used a shaker bottle, you know that cleaning the shaker ball can be a pain, particularly the spiral wire ones. This shaker bottle's helix design means you can have a well-mixed protein shake without a shaker ball.

"I would highly recommend this product to everyone. Just the fact that it can mix well without a ball is game-changing," our tester said. "Cleaning that ball can be a pain, and sometimes I can't even find it when I need it." It's one less thing to worry about, and our tester found it still made a well-mixed shake with no caked-on powder residue.

It also has easy-to-read volume markings on the side of the bottle, fits in a standard cup holder, and is made of BPA-free plastic. Note that it isn't insulated, so you’ll want to drink your shake quickly while it's still cold.

Price at time of publication: $25

Product Details:

Amazon

Why We Like It: It's dishwasher-safe and easy to charge during your workout.

It's Worth Noting: Due to its plastic blades, you can't add ice or fruit.

During our test, we liked the convenience of this electric shaker bottle. It has plastic blades that allow you to have the perfectly mixed protein shake without manually shaking it yourself. This bottle is dishwasher safe, but even if you don't have a dishwasher, it's super easy to clean. You just have to add soap and water and turn the mixer on.

It has a rechargeable battery, and the mixer isn't too loud. "It's great for anyone who wants something ready to go post-workout," our tester said. "It's quiet enough to use in the gym without annoying everyone around you."

Note that this is not a blender (though we have plenty of recommendations for those), so you can't add other ingredients like ice or fruit to it. It's just meant to be used for protein powder.

Price at time of publication: $55

Product Details:

Amazon

Why We Like It: It can be used for not just a protein shake but any other beverage, thanks to its versatile design.

It's Worth Noting: It is not dishwasher safe.

Our tester was pleased with this bottle's versatility and performance. It effectively mixed a protein shake without a shaker ball thanks to its removable agitator lid. A lot of shaker bottles on the market are not insulated despite protein shakes tasting best chilled. This insulated bottle is a good option if you like to take your time with your beverage or use it for other types of beverages. It even has an easy carry handle on the side that is similar to some coffee mugs.

Despite this bottle not being dishwasher safe, we didn't have trouble cleaning it. "Because it's made out of stainless steel, residue doesn't cling to the walls of the bottle," our tester said. "That, coupled with the removable agitator lid, makes for an easy and thorough cleaning all around."

Price at time of publication: $17

Product Details:

Blendjet

Why We Like It: It's easy to upgrade your protein shake by adding fruit and veggies.

It's Worth Noting: It's bigger than most shaker bottles.

For some, the timing involved with a manual shaker bottle is a deterrent to using it. That's where this blender bottle comes into play. It's a single-serve bottle with aluminum blades that makes the perfect protein shake without you having to break out a timer. Our tester said, "I would give this to anyone who wants an easy way to blend and get right to exercising." Most blenders are cumbersome, but this one is small enough that you can take it on the go.

The fact that it's a blender also means you can add more nutrition to your protein shake by adding frozen fruits or vegetables for added vitamins, minerals, and fiber. And you’re not limited to protein shakes. This blender can be used to make your favorite frozen drink — think margaritas, smoothies, or frappes.

To clean it, simply add soap and water to the blender and turn it on. It will self-clean, so you don't have to scrub the sharp blades with a sponge.

Price at time of publication: $100

Product Details:

Amazon

Why We Like It: It saves space by consolidating your pre- and post-workout bottles into one.

It's Worth Noting: You may need a bottle brush to clean the smaller compartment.

We were impressed by this bottle's unique design. It's divided into two sides: a 14-ounce section for your pre-workout drink and a 22-ounce section for your post-workout drink. Each section has a separate mouth spout, and the bottle does an overall nice job of preventing the two liquids from mixing. Our tester said, "Very thorough and effective product! A lot of thought was put behind the compartment system and how to effectively mix powders in each compartment independently."

This bottle does not have a shaker ball. Instead, it has agitator lids to mix your shakes, which our tester felt worked very well. If you’re an avid gym-goer who likes having a pre- and post-workout shake, this could be a great space-saving product.

Price at time of publication: Three for $25

Product Details:

Amazon

Why We Like It: It has a built-in storage pod to keep your protein powder until you’re ready to mix it.

It's Worth Noting: Its plastic blades can't be used for ice or fruit.

What makes this bottle stand out is its built-in storage pod for keeping your protein powder dry until you’re ready to pour it in and mix it. This also means you can use your bottle for water until you’re ready to mix in the powder. And when you’re ready to make your protein shake, it has an electric plastic blade that mixes in the powder with no effort from you. Our tester noted the effectiveness of the mixer, saying, "[It] works wonders breaking down all powders you can think of, even thick whey proteins."

This won for "easiest to clean" because you just have to add water and soap to the bottle and turn on the mixer to clean it. This was another feature we appreciated, with our tester noting: "Just drop in some liquid soap, turn on the motor, and pour water in, and it cleans itself, or you can remove the parts and clean it individually. I love that it cleans itself."

Note that this is an electric shaker bottle, but it is not meant to blend solids like fruit or ice because it has plastic blades.

Price at time of publication: $40

Product Details:

Our testers used the bottles to make a protein shake and cleaned them afterward. They paid specific attention to the bottles’ design, effectiveness for mixing, and ease of cleaning.

We also spoke to two fitness experts to discuss what factors to consider when selecting shaker bottles. The experts we spoke to included:

Most shaker bottles are made of plastic, although some are made of stainless steel. "Plastic is lower cost, lightweight, potentially more portable and only to be used for cold contents," says Christina Figueroa, MS, RD, CDN, a Sport and Eating Disorder Dietitian at Cornell Health. "Glass may be more ‘eco-friendly’, wash well, and will do a better job handling fats and oils. Insulated stainless steel might be a great option for someone who needs to keep something cold (or hot) for a longer duration throughout the day."

The material best for you will vary based on your needs and priorities. Figueroa says, "Factors such as environmental impact, personal values, finances, and how/where a shaker bottle will be used will inform an individual's decision on what material is best for them." If you are purchasing a plastic bottle, make sure it's BPA-free. BPA has been linked to a variety of health concerns, including cancer, infertility, and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).

A shaker bottle's main purpose is to mix protein powder with water to make a protein shake. Arnold says, "Ideally, you are using a shaker bottle for a protein shake as soon as possible after a workout. The sooner, the better, but at a minimum, within 60 minutes."

And while shaker bottles are mainly used for protein shakes, Figueroa highlights their versatility. She says, "Shaker bottles use an agitator to incorporate/blend various liquids such as smoothies, protein powders/shakes, sport or electrolyte beverages, iced coffee, [and more] while on-the-go or in the absence of a machine-powered blender. It can even be used to make dressings and marinades!"

Shaker bottles come in a variety of sizes, with most holding between 20 and 28 ounces. They often have volume markings on the side to help you measure your water-to-protein powder ratio.

Smartshake Slim Bottle: This bottle didn't make the cut because its agitator lid didn't do a great job of mixing the protein powder into the water. When our tester used it, the powder didn't mix in entirely, and there was residue left on the bottle.

Nike Unisex - TR Hypercharge Shaker Bottle: Our tester enjoyed this bottle's versatility and design. It didn't make the list of our top picks because its design makes it a little harder to clean than other bottles we tested.

BlenderBottle ProStak System: While this bottle mixed a protein shake well, it is not a top pick because our tester noted that this bottle does not fit in a standard cup holder despite only holding 16 ounces of fluid. It was also rather tedious to clean since it has two separate powder compartments and a spiral wire shaker ball.

BrüMate MultiShaker: A gunked-up shaker bottle is a smelly shaker bottle, and for that reason, this bottle did not make our list. Although this bottle's agitator is removable, we struggled with that feature, leading to powder getting caked inside the agitator, despite our tester's attempts to thoroughly clean it.

Shaker bottles help optimally mix protein powder with water or other liquids to make a protein shake. They use different types of agitators to promote a well-mixed, smooth shake that a regular bottle could not make. Many people use them after a workout to get in protein to help with muscle growth and replenishment.

Whether or not a shaker bottle is worth it will depend on your habits and preferences. If you regularly consume protein shakes, then a shaker bottle is worth it because it will lead to a tastier drink, and you’ll get good use out of it. If you only have a protein shake every once in a while, then you might not want to invest in a high-end bottle, but a simple, low-priced option might serve you well. Ultimately, shaker bottles can make protein shakes smoother and tastier, so if that's something you’re looking for, a shaker bottle will be worth it.

If you’ve ever left a shaker bottle sitting around for a few hours after using it, you may have noticed a foul smell when you opened it up again. This smell is typically a result of bacteria that form from the protein powder residue left in the bottle. When it's been sealed for hours, it is probably in what food safety experts call the "temperature danger zone" of 40 degrees F to 140 degrees F, where harmful bacteria grow most rapidly. To clean your shaker bottle, Arnold says, "Make sure to scrub out the crevices and creases of the bottle with soap and a sponge to ensure there's no residual powder."

Isabel Vasquez RD, LDN is a Latina registered dietitian who counsels clients through the private practice Nutritiously Yours LLC. Her work is especially focused on helping individuals divest from a one-size-fits-all approach to health and connect with their unique needs.

Konieczna A, Rutkowska A, Rachoń D. Health risk of exposure to Bisphenol A (BPA). Rocz Panstw Zakl Hig. doi:2015;66(1):5-11.

USDA. "Danger Zone" (40°F - 140°F).