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20 Reusable Products We Love (2023): Bags, Water Bottles, Straws, and More

Posted on April 22, 2023

20 Reusable Products We Love (2023): Bags, Water Bottles, Straws, and More

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Find Your Forever Water Bottle

Owala FreeSip Water Bottle

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$38 at Amazon (40 oz)

For Hot Drinks

Miir Flip Traveler (16 Ounce)

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$33 at Miir

A Sipping Assistant

Silicone Drinking Straws

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$7 at Amazon (Silicone 12-Pack)

An Alternative to Paper Towels

Unpaper Towels

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$64 at Marley's Monsters (24-Pack)
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Plastic is piling up in landfills and oceans; it’s even floating around in the air. It's sad and frustrating, and unfortunately, the problem can't be solved by consumers simply cutting down on single-use plastics—corporations need to do their part. But reducing the amount of garbage we produce can give us a sense of agency, not to mention that you can save quite a bit of money by buying a product only once.

The best reusable products are ones you're going to want to use again and again. So if you prefer the water bottles from Starbucks (guilty) or fancy handkerchiefs from a local boutique, that's what you should get. And if you have a pile of disposable products you want to replace, use them up first. To help you get started, we've compiled a bunch of our favorite products. Don't see anything you need here? Check out some of our other roundups, like the Best Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products or Our Favorite Products Made of Recycled and Upcycled Materials.

Updated April 2023: We've added new products, including the Owala Free Sip water bottle, Rezip reusable baggies, and a few recommendations for more sustainable dental hygiene products.

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  • Photograph: Owala

    Find Your Forever Water Bottle

    Owala FreeSip Water Bottle

    If you're still buying cases of water, it's time to stop. Getting a water bottle you love will save you money and a whole lot of plastic waste. I use straw bottles, which help me drink more water. You should be able to find filtered water to refill at most offices or colleges.

    Owala's 40-ounce Free Sip is my desert island water bottle. Its genius spout has two openings, one for sipping and one for chugging. It has a nice lock mechanism, too, so no water will spill in your bag.

    ★ More Water Bottles We Love: Other factors might affect whether you like a bottle, like washability or whether it has a straw. Check out our guide to the Best Reusable Bottles for other recommendations. WIRED product reviewer Matt Jancer likes the Miir Narrow Mouth Bottle ($35). It has a rolled lip for comfortable drinking, and it's nearly bombproof. Miir also offers a few straw lids.

    $38 at Amazon (40 oz)
    $28 at Target (24 oz)
    $38 at Owala (40 oz)

  • Photograph: Miir

    For Hot Drinks

    Miir Flip Traveler (16 Ounce)

    Whether you make your own coffee and tea and want to bring it out of the house or you're stopping at a café on your way to work, an insulated mug will not only save the waste of a paper cup but should keep your drink hot longer. Miir makes our favorite here as well, with its Travel Tumbler taking the top spot in our guide. Its flip-top lid is leakproof—seriously, we couldn't get it to spill.

    ★ Alternative: The Zojirushi 16-Ounce Mug ($29) is a favorite because it keeps hot contents super hot. Some of our reviewers say it works too well, so you might want to leave the lid open for a little bit before sealing and sipping.

    $33 at Miir
    $34 at Amazon

  • Photograph: Amazon

    A Sipping Assistant

    Silicone Drinking Straws

    I much prefer drinking out of straws. I drink way more water during the day when I don't have to raise a glass to my face. While I've also tried metal straws, I prefer soft silicone. I use this pack of 12 straws that includes two cleaning brushes. They've lasted me a few years of daily use, trips through the dishwasher, and occasionally, ahem, chewing.

    ★ Alternative: If you'd rather have a metal straw you can easily bring with you anywhere, WIRED writer Louryn Strampe recommends the Final Straw ($24). It's collapsible and comes with a case, so you can turn down the plastic or paper straws restaurants offer and use this instead.

    $7 at Amazon (Silicone 12-Pack)

  • Photograph: JESS DADDIO/Marley's Monsters

    An Alternative to Paper Towels

    Unpaper Towels

    Paper towels have their place, but it's easy to use a lot while cleaning up a mess. WIRED writer Louryn Strampe recommends Marley's Monsters Unpaper Towels in her guide to eco-friendly cleaning products. They're super absorbent and durable, and they cling together, so you can roll them up like the towels you're used to. The price seems scary, but again, how many packs of disposable paper towels do you buy a year? Instead of filling your house with paper products in bulk, you can throw these in the wash.

    ★ Alternative: If you don't mind a rougher texture and a little more bulk, reviews editor Adrienne So uses bar mops ($18) as a paper towel substitute. They're absorbent, affordable, and come in a variety of colors to hide stains.

    $64 at Marley's Monsters (24-Pack)
    $3.50 at Marley's Monsters (Single Towels)

  • Photograph: Amazon

    A Better Sponge

    E-Cloth Washing Up Pad

    Dish sponges get grimy fast, and even if you put them in the dishwasher to extend their lives, they last only so long. WIRED writer Simon Hill swears by these reusable ones, which have a rough side for tough stains like the sponges you're used to. They won't last forever, but Hill throws his in the washing machine once a week, and he says they last around six months before they start to fray and lose their scrubbing power.

    $10 at Amazon
    $20 at Walmart (4-Pack)

  • Photograph: Bee's Wrap

    Wraps for Your Food

    Bees Wrap Wraps

    Plastic wrap is annoying. Why is it always getting stuck to itself and not to what you need it to stick to? WIRED senior writer Scott Gilbertson has been using beeswax wraps from the cleverly named Bees Wraps, and he loves them. This brand uses organic cotton and sustainably sourced beeswax (along with jojoba oil and tree resin). The beeswax makes them waterproof. Be sure to use cold water to rinse them; hot water could melt off the wax.

    The company says a roll lasts a year, but Gilbertson has used his for longer than that. He says four to six large wraps are a good bet for fully replacing plastic wrap in your life. To wrap sticky things, like soft cheeses, he also suggests lining the wrap with parchment paper to avoid having to scrub the beeswax too hard when you clean it.

    ★ Alternative: I tried beeswax wraps from Public Goods and like them. If you're getting anything else from the company, it's a good thing to throw into your cart.

    $18 at Amazon (3-Pack)
    $18 at Bee's Wrap (3-Pack)

  • Photograph: Amazon

    A Forever Baggie

    Stasher Bags

    Stasher bags are a WIRED Gear Team favorite. They're a silicone replacement for single-use ziplock bags, and they come in multiple sizes for all your needs, like sandwiches and snacks, or something smaller to hold your bolts and screws. They're dishwasher-, freezer-, and microwave-safe. They even work for sous vide cooking.

    ★ A Cheaper Baggie: Rezip makes great reusable bags, and in most cases they're much cheaper.

    $13 at Amazon (Sandwich size)
    $94 at Stasher (7-Pack Starter Kit)
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  • Photograph: Amazon

    For Your Pet Food Cans

    Pet Food Can Covers

    If you have a cat or a dog who eats wet food, you may occasionally have leftovers that need to go in the fridge. Can covers have multiple rings to fit onto most standard can sizes, and having them on hand has saved me a ton of annoying plastic wrap. You can find silicone and plastic ones in varying packs on Amazon or at pet stores, but I have these and like them.

    I slightly prefer this plastic one. It's usually a few bucks cheaper from Chewy, but it's been out of stock for a while.

    $6 at Amazon
    $4 at Chewy

  • Photograph: Kabir Fernandez/Baggu

    For Shopping

    Baggu Standard Reusable Bag

    If you haven't already, it's time to switch to reusable shopping bags. They're typically more durable than plastic bags, so you can use fewer. Plus, many places have started to phase out plastic bags and add a small fee for paper. You can buy nice reusable bags from pretty much any grocery store you go to, as well as stores like TJ Maxx, but if you want a few to get started, we love Baggu. They're made of 40 percent recycled nylon and come in enough colors and styles that everyone can pick a favorite.

    Each standard-size bag holds as much as three plastic store bags, but there are several sizes and bundles. They also fold into a neat little square pouch for storage.

    ★ Produce alternatives: I also tried Public Good's Small Mesh Bag ($5) and Mesh Tote ($10), the latter of which I particularly love for holding everything. Editor Adrienne So goes produce shopping with mesh bags from Amazon for a little bit cheaper.

    $30 at Amazon (3-Pack)
    $14 at Baggu

  • Photograph: Public Goods 

    Replace Your Dryer Sheets

    Dryer Balls

    Reusable wool dryer balls help absorb moisture to quicken drying time. If you miss fresh scents from dryer sheets, you can also sprinkle essential oils on these before tossing them into the dryer. You should wash them separately every so often to keep them in shape and to help keep them from shedding. You might have seen spikey rubber balls used in the dryer, and some of them are exceptionally cute. They help open up clothes to dry them and stop the cling. You can also use tennis balls.

    $10 at Public Goods (Wool)
    $8 at Amazon (Rubber)
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  • Photograph: LastObject

    Ditch the Tissues

    Handkerchiefs

    My allergies are such that I've got a never-ending supply of tissues just to keep my nose in check. That is to say, a handkerchief is not for me. But for those with noses who run like normal, WIRED reviews editor Adrienne So recommends fancy little cloths instead. They're much more durable than a tissue, of course, and versatile. You can dab at watery eyes without getting tissue dust in them, but, as So says, you can also clean camera lenses, wipe off your glasses, or dry your hands if you find yourself in a bathroom without paper towels (or with only a gross hand dryer).

    What you use is up to you. Bandanas or fancy scarves work the same, as long as you can easily throw them in the washing machine. LastObject, which we talk more about below, makes the LastTissue ($24), a pack of six cotton tissues that are washable and reusable like your standard handkerchief, plus a nice case to keep your snotty rags away from your hands.

  • Photograph: LastObject

    A New Kind of Q-Tip

    LastSwab

    We shouldn't use cotton swabs in our ears to clean out the wax, but a lot of us do. You may also use them to fix or remove makeup or to clean dust and dirt away from little crevices. Q-Tips are wasteful.

    The LastSwab is designed to put an end to that. They come in several styles, as well as in a beauty bundle, made of rubberlike TPE. The cases are made from ocean-bound plastic. They're easy to clean with just water and soap or rubbing alcohol.

    ★ More from LastObject: The company makes other helpful products, like LastRound ($16), a pack of seven reusable cotton rounds that should last 1,750 uses. I frequently use them to apply toner to my face or to remove makeup. I also like the LastPad ($18) mentioned below.

    $12 at LastObject (Original)
    $24 at LastObject (Beauty Trio)

  • Photograph: Makeup Eraser 

    If You Use Makeup Wipes

    Makeup Eraser

    Makeup wipes are bad for your skin. They don't actually do a good job of cleaning, the ingredients might irritate sensitive skin, and the kind of scrubbing and tugging you do with one isn't good for skin in general. They're also wasteful.

    Consider a Makeup Eraser instead. It's basically magic, removing makeup with just water, and it's significantly gentler than a regular washcloth. If you take care of it, one should last about five years. No matter what kind of makeup remover you use, you need to actually cleanse your skin afterward, but this is a good first step. And for those nights when you simply don't have the will to do your whole routine, at least you've gotten rid of your makeup.

    $20 at Ulta
    $20 at Makeup Eraser
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  • Photograph: Amazon

    A Better Razor

    Safety Razors

    I didn't think a single-blade safety razor could cut it, but I was pleasantly surprised when I tried Henson Shaving's AL13 razor ($70). Not only did it completely remove the hair, but I didn't have razor burn (that has never happened for me with a regular razor). Henson's is a bit pricey, but the Merkur Razor ($38) is much more affordable and came highly recommended by product reviewer friends when I put together a shaving kit for my partner. Both are made of sturdy metal.

    Depending on what brand of razors you used previously, buying a box of blades can be significantly cheaper than replacement heads, so it's a win-win.

    $38 at Amazon (Merkur)
    $70 at Henson Shaving
  • Photograph: Modibodi

    For Your Period

    Menstrual Products

    Periods are annoying and expensive. You should use whatever product you feel most comfortable with, but if you're sick of pads or tampons, there are many reusable products available. I've switched to period underwear, and there is a steady stream (pun intended) of new styles.

    I've tried nearly a dozen, and Knix ($24-$38) is my favorite. The Nylon is silky and thin, so they're actually enjoyable to wear. You can also try menstrual cups. The Intimina Lily ($31) is the best, most comfortable menstrual cup I've ever used. For reusable pads, GladRags ($13–$30) and LastObject’s Last Pad ($18–$24) are good options to start with. You can see the rest of our recommendations in our full guide.

  • Photograph: Amazon

    For the Doodler

    Buddha Board

    I love to draw or write aimlessly when I'm bored or need to refocus my energy. It's usually not anything worth framing—I'll look down to see a bunch of cubes or my name written 45 times. I didn't understand the need for a Buddha Board until I tried it, but it gave me that opportunity to move my hand and create nonsense without wasting paper, and the brushes it comes with feel like expensive art supplies, creating perfect strokes. It feels like you're painting, but it's only water, and once it dries the board is clear to start again. The company describes it as being like an Etch-a-Sketch.

    $18 at Buddha Board (Mini)
    $38 at Amazon (Original)
Most Popular

  • Photograph: Target

    A Reusable Notebook

    Rocketbook Core

    I've been testing a few products from Rocketbook for our smart pens guide and am impressed with its reusability so far. The entire range of notebooks, planners, and note cards work with an erasable Pilot Frixion Pen (one should come with whichever item you buy). You take notes, scan photos of them to the Rocketbook app, and erase the pages with the damp microfiber cloth.

    The paper isn't as nice to write on as regular paper, but it's made to withstand the damp cloth. Technically, you can write in any old notebook with a pencil or erasable pen, take photos, and erase it, but that will eventually ruin the integrity of the paper. The Rocketbook app is also designed to keep everything together and easily send things off to Google Drive, Evernote, OneNote, and a handful of other options. If I took a ton of notes every day, I'd probably want really good paper, but I like that one notebook can last as long as you take care of it.

    $26 at Amazon
    $37 at Rocketbook

  • Photograph: OmieGo

    A Better Bento Box

    OmieGo Bento BIO

    When it comes to food storage, glass is easier to clean and lasts longer than plastic. But there are times when you want plastic. It's lighter and won't break, which is important for kids. In that case, you might consider OmieGo's Bio. The three-piece set is made of plant-based material, and they're durable. I like that the little containers snap onto the top of the longer one. Reviews editor Adrienne So packs her kids' lunches in the company’s Insulated Box ($45).

    $23 at OmieLife
  • Photograph: Quip

    For Your Pearly Whites

    Better Oral Hygiene

    Yes, even your tooth-brushing routine could stand to be more sustainable. You're never going to use one toothbrush for life, but there are a few things you can get to help out.

    • Oral-B Pro 100 Oscillating Electric Toothbrush for $50: Electric toothbrushes are less wasteful than manual ones, since the only thing you're tossing out is the brush head rather than the entire thing. We have a full guide on our favorites, but Oral-B's Pro 1000 is a reliable and affordable brush to get your teeth sparkling.
    • Suri Sustainable Electric Toothbrush for $92: If you can spend a bit more, the Suri electric toothbrush focuses on repairing and recycling brushes instead of letting them sit in landfills once their batteries reached their limits. The brush heads are made from cornstarch with castor oil bristles that should break down without leaving microplastics behind.
    • Quip Refillable Floss for $15: I prefer floss picks to string floss, but it's worth it to replace them with this refillable pick from Quip. You'll need to replace the floss as usual, but there's no single-use plastic pick being tossed in the garbage every day.
    • Listerine Concentrate Starter Kit for $12: If you already use mouthwash daily, Listerine's newest product makes slightly less waste. You start with a normal plastic bottle and instead of tossing it when it's done, you fill it with concentrate and water. It doesn't go without plastic, but it cuts down. A three-pack of the contrate is $11 from Amazon.
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  • Photograph: Amazon

    For the Stuff You Have to Throw Away

    Better Single-Use Products

    We can do a lot to reduce the waste we create, but most of us can't completely stop throwing things out. I don't know about you, but I'm not willing to wash my toilet paper or reuse a dog poop bag. For those instances, you can still make smarter choices.

  • Photograph: Maryna Terletska/Getty Images

    More Things You Can Do

    Some Advice

    If you take anything away from this guide, it's that a little goes a long way. You don't have to replace everything in your house, but you can start to make small, low-lift choices.

    • If you buy takeout and it comes with these plastic deli containers, keep them! They're perfect for reusing, freeze well, are stackable, and last a long time even with dishwasher use.
    • If you don't want to give up paper towels, you can save them for really gross messes. For minor cleanups, use a reusable kitchen towel you probably already have and throw them into the washing machine.
    • Ditch single-use coffee filters for reusable filters.
    • Swiffer pads can be replaced with microfiber cloths. You can use your own cleaner with them too.

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