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Most questions received at Klean Kanteen® are answered below. In order to avoid delays and speed up your answer, please review them to see if your question is answered here.

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General

Why should I buy a Klean Kanteen?

Klean Kanteens are made with high-quality, 18/8, food-grade stainless steel, one of the healthiest and most durable materials available. Klean Kanteen bottles are the original eco-friendly, stainless steel hydration bottles created to give you something better than plastic, a toxin-free bottle designed to be used over and over again, strong enough to last a lifetime.

How much does a Kanteen weigh?

Klean Kanteen Classic bottles are lighter than they look. We've tested various wall thicknesses and struck a balance between durability and weight. The stainless steel walls in our bottles are significantly thicker than other, lower quality bottles on the market, which means they don't dent or bend easily. But they're still lightweight and easy to carry.

Capacity	Weight*
12 fluid ounces (355 ml)	4 ounces
18 fluid ounces (532 ml)	5 ounces
27 fluid ounces (800 ml)	6.125 ounces
40 fluid ounces (1182 ml)	9 ounces
*doesn't include cap

Why is the sports cap made of plastic and not stainless steel?

We chose polypropylene #5 because it contains zero Bisphenol A, a chemical that leaches from some kinds of plastic, which has been linked to various diseases. Polypropylene has no known leaching characteristics and is softer than other types of plastic. If you'd rather avoid plastic coming in contact with your drinks altogether, a stainless steel screw-on lid is available as an accessory.

What is stainless steel?

Stainless steel is an iron-containing alloy made from some of the basic elements found on earth: iron ore, chromium, silicon, nickel, carbon, nitrogen, and manganese. The properties of the final metal change depending on varying amounts of these elements. There are more than 57 stainless steels recognized as standard alloys on the market.

Klean Kanteens are constructed from high-quality, food grade 304 stainless steel, which has a low nickel content. Stainless steel has excellent resistance to stain or rust due to its chromium content making it the material of choice among the food processing, dairy and brewing industries. Stainless steel is easy to clean, durable, inert and sanitary.

What is nickel and how can it affect my health?

Nickel is a naturally abundant element found in the earth's crust, soil and ocean floor. It is generally resistant to corrosion and is therefore used to make metal alloys such as stainless steel.

Approximately 10-15% of the population is sensitive to nickel. According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), a department of the U.S. Dept. of Public Health and Human Services, the health effects of nickel are highly dependent on the manner and degree of exposure.

The ATSDR warns that environmental exposures may arise from wearing costume jewelry, handling coins or from inhaling dust near nickel industries. The most common reaction to handling nickel is a skin rash at the site of contact. Less frequently, those sensitive to nickel have asthma attacks after inhaling dust containing nickel.

Klean Kanteens are constructed of high-quality, sanitary grade 304 stainless steel. The stainless steel in Klean Kanteens has a low nickel content and is preferred by breweries and dairies.

Fill It Up

Can I fill a Kanteen with acidic beverages such as apple juice or orange juice?

Yes.

Can I use a Kanteen for carrying alcohol?

Yes.

Functionality

Do Kanteens sweat?

Yes, Kanteens do sweat, just like any other single-walled container. The best solution to naturally occurring condensation is to wrap your Kanteen with an insulated sleeve. We've partnered with Built NY® to offer you a wide array of insulated totes. Whatever size Kanteen you prefer, there's a color and a style you'll love. Check them out on our accessories page.

Can I put hot liquids in my Klean Kanteen?

No. Klean Kanteens are single walled and not for use with hot liquids because there's nothing to insulate the bottle and you could burn yourself. Warm beverages can be used at your own personal comfort level.

Can I put my Kanteen in the freezer?

We do not recommend it and it will void the one-year warranty against manufacturer defects.

Can I put my Kanteen on a stove?

In a pinch, the stainless steel Kanteens can be placed on a fire or a stove as long as you take the cap off. Do not do this with a colored bottle, as it may damage the paint.

Is the Kanteen a Thermos™?

No. A Kanteen is a single-walled bottle and has little insulating properties. Keep in mind that if your drink is too hot, the Kanteen will be too hot to touch and may burn you.

Care & Maintenance

How do I clean my Kanteen?

Klean Kanteens are dishwasher safe and are also easy to clean with a bottle brush and mild soap. We also recommend an old fashioned cleaner: white vinegar and baking soda.

Caps should not be washed in the dishwasher because water can squeeze into the cap.

For more information, visit our care and use page.

Why is stainless steel better than aluminum?

While aluminum is lightweight, it leaches toxic chemicals when it comes in contact with anything acidic. Therefore, aluminum has to be lined with something to make sure the contents are safe for drinking. Usually it is lined with plastic which can leach chemicals, baked on epoxy, or ceramic which can crack.

Ordering

How do I order a colored Kanteen with a sports cap?

At this point in time, our colored Kanteens are only stocked with the loop cap. Any additional cap, such as a sport cap, a stainless steel cap, or a flat cap, can be purchased as an accessory.

Can I order a Kanteen with a stainless cap instead of a polypropylene cap?

Yes and no. Kanteens on our website come with a polypropylene cap, but you can purchase a stainless steel flat or loop cap as an accessory.

Prior to January 1, 2008, we stocked all of our bottles with stainless caps. In late 2007, the cost of stainless steel rose dramatically, which nearly **doubled** the cost of producing the stainless steel caps. At that point we switched to the polypropylene caps to keep our bottles affordable. Our polypropylene caps are one solid piece and we have been very happy with our recent new designs.

But again, if you prefer that plastic never touches your drinks, you can order the two-part stainless cap as an accessory from our website.

Warranty

My sport cap broke and/or leaks, will you replace it?

Absolutely. We offer a one-year guarantee on the Klean Kanteen bottles, caps, and lids against manufacturing defects. Please send us your damaged goods along with your return address and we will replace them free of charge. If you have questions or comments, email them to customerservice@kleankanteen.com

Made in China

Why are Klean Kanteens made in China?

When we created the very first Klean Kanteen our goal was to promote healthy living and respect for the environment by giving people an affordable alternative to plastic bottles.

From the get go, we shared many of the concerns you, our customers, have expressed about manufacturing the bottles in China. Before a single bottle was ever produced, we set in place checks and balances to ensure that our bottles are produced safely, sustainably and that the people making Klean Kanteens are treated well and paid fairly.

Klean Kanteen is a family-owned business and we care for everyone on our team, from the person who answers your calls in California, to the welder in China who meticulously joins the parts of each Kanteen. By manufacturing our bottles in China, we can provide a handcrafted bottle of exceptional quality at a reasonable price.

For more information, read how our products are responsibly made.

Is the Klean Kanteen factory safe?

Yes. We visit our manufacturing facilities several times a year and perform audits every six months to ensure all of our products are produced with respect for the environment and that the workers in our factories are treated well and paid fairly.

We require fair labor standards, including the ethical treatment of factory workers, child labor rules, wages and benefits, health and safety.

The Klean Kanteen is and will continue to be one of the safest and most sustainable beverage containers on the market.

Not only do we uphold strict design and manufacturing standards at our factories, we also regularly test the metal in our bottles at a U.S. lab. Every three to four months the science division of EMSL Analytical, Inc. tests the elemental composition of metal in Klean Kanteens for hazardous substances.

Health and Safety

Does the paint on a Kanteen contain lead?

When we debuted our colored bottles, the most important thing to us at Klean Kanteen was to find a safe and durable paint that also looked dynamite. We reviewed and tested dozens of different paints and selected an acrylic paint that contains no toxins or lead. We test the paint regularly and though it is safe, we recommend our stainless steel finish bottles for small children who like to chew on things.

My child chewed on a colored Klean Kanteen and might have eaten some paint. Should I be concerned?

No. The paint on Klean Kanteen bottles is a nontoxic, acrylic, resin-based finish that’s mostly water and is totally free of lead and toxic chemicals. So you’ve got nothing to worry about if your child ingested some paint! That said, we do recommend the stainless steel finish bottles for small children who like to chew on things.

What do you consider normal wear and tear for the paint on colored Klean Kanteens?

Under normal use, the paint on the new colored Klean Kanteens will not flake or chip off. When we tested paints for our colored bottles, safety was our first concern but durability was a close second.

The paint performs well in lab tests. Many of us at Klean Kanteen also use the colored bottles so we’ve been putting them to the test in the real world too. Sure, if you drop your Klean Kanteen or jam it into a metal water bottle cage, you can scratch it. It’s also possible to scrape off the paint if you try hard enough, just like any other painted surface.

But if your paint is flaking or peeling off, you might have gotten a bottle from a bad batch, which does happen occasionally. If that’s the case, it’s covered by our warranty and we’ll replace it at no cost to you. Contact our returns department.

To prolong the life of your colored Kanteen, we recommend hand washing it with mild detergent. And if you want the ultimate finish in terms of durability, you can’t beat our original electropolished Kanteens.