Glass vs plastic bottled water: is glass really healthier?

Updated · Scores from third-party lab reports · How we score

Yes, glass is healthier. Across 729 still waters in our data, glass-bottled waters average 66.2/100 versus 54.3/100 for plastic. Glass is inert, it does not shed microplastics and it does not leach plastic additives into the water.

PackagingStill watersAverage score
Glass21966.2
Aluminum5756.4
Plastic (PET, HDPE)43254.3

Why plastic loses points

  • Microplastics. See microplastics in bottled water.
  • Leaching. PET can release antimony and other compounds, more so with heat and long storage.
  • Heat exposure. Bottles that sit in warehouses, trucks and cars degrade faster.

Same brand, glass vs plastic

Some brands sell both. Compare for yourself:

  1. Evian Spring Water Glass Bottle — 71/100, glass
  2. Evian Spring Water Plastic Bottle — 59/100, plastic
  3. Icelandic Glacial Still Water Can — 83/100, aluminum (can)
  4. Icelandic Glacial Water Plastic Bottle — 72/100, plastic
  5. Icelandic Glacial Water Glass Bottle — 71/100, glass
  6. Mountain Valley Spring Water Glass Bottle — 68/100, glass
  7. Mountain Valley Spring Water Aluminum Can — 61/100, aluminum (can)
  8. Voss Still Water (Norway) Glass Bottle — 74/100, glass
  9. Voss Still Water (US West) Glass Bottle — 66/100, glass
  10. Voss Still Water (US East) Glass Bottle — 64/100, glass

The best glass bottled waters

  1. Panama Blue Water Glass Bottle — 96/100, glass
  2. Cedar Springs Bottled Water Gallon — 96/100, glass
  3. Acqua Filette Natural Glass Bottle — 95/100, glass
  4. Acqua Filette Gently Sparkling Glass Bottle — 95/100, glass
  5. Acqua Filette Very Sparkling Glass Bottle — 95/100, glass
  6. Eldorado Natural Spring Water Gallon — 95/100, glass
  7. Lauretana Natural Mineral Water in Glass Bottle — 94/100, glass
  8. Eira Still Mineral Water Glass Bottle — 93/100, glass

Full list: best glass bottled water brands.

Frequently asked questions

Is water in glass bottles better than plastic?

In our data, still waters in glass average 66.2/100 compared with 54.3/100 for plastic, mainly because glass avoids microplastics and leaching.

Is aluminum better than plastic for water?

Slightly. Aluminum bottles and cans have a thin plastic liner, so they carry a moderate microplastics risk, lower than plastic but higher than glass.

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