If you’re like me and many others I know, you’re on a constant quest for the perfect water bottle. Not only does it need to be the right size, it also needs to keep your water sufficiently cold. It should be easy to clean, be convenient to carry around, and look cool, too. Throw in some high-tech features like you’ll find with the Scosche MagicMount Flask, and we might have a winner.
What is the Scosche MagicMount Flask?
Wait, high-tech features in a water bottle? Water bottles that can work with an app to track your hydration have been around for many years. But that’s not what this one is about. It’s an insulated water bottle with a flip-up sipping spout and a built-in MagSafe compatible phone mount at the top. It’s designed to hold an iPhone 12 or later in either landscape or portrait mode using powerful Neodymium magnets.
These magnets, in fact, can even secure the water bottle itself to a metal surface: think your fridge or dishwasher while you cook to keep your counter space free. You could technically mount a non-MagSafe phone as well using the MagicRing, which comes included in the box. With adjustable counterbalance, you can mount the phone in portrait or landscape position, so the water bottle basically functions like a phone holder.
Most likely, however, you’ll use it at the gym, yoga studio, sporting event, beach, or even in the car. The cap itself is also universal so if you have a favourite water bottle of the same size and type already, you might be able to interchange this cap with it.
Along with a built-in carrying handle, the inside of the bottle has double-wall vacuum insulation that can keep your water or other beverage cold for up to 24 hours, or even hot for up to 12. The interior is made of food-grade stainless steel while the outside is powdered-coated. The bottle is BPA-free and bacteria- and odour-resistant.
A nice touch: at the base is a BPA-free food-grade, anti-slip silicone gel bowl that you can remove and use as a water dish for your dog.
A version of this bottle was announced back at CES 2023 called the Scosche MS Hydro, and Scosche is now running an Indiegogo campaign to bring it to fruition under this new name. Pre-orders are open and you can sign up for updates once it’s available to get 30% off the regular price at launch. You’ll need to pay US$5 as a 100% refundable deposit. The 22 oz. bottle will sell for US$39 and the 32 oz. for US$45.
Scosche MagicMount Flask Review
It’s important to keep properly hydrated throughout the day, and I love that the Scosche MagicMount Flask comes in two sizes to accommodate those who love to chug and a smaller, more compact option that fits nicely in the centre console of a car or other drink holder (though the silicone bowl at the bottom makes it a bit thicker than usual at the base). It keeps water sufficiently cold and drinks like hot coffee warm. My water remained cool even after a full day. I placed hot coffee inside at 10:30 a.m. and it was still lukewarm by 3:30 p.m. Keep in mind, however, that while the straw is easy to remove, drinking coffee from a spout is a bit strange so you’ll more likely use the bottle for things like hot soup, or even milk or formula for a baby that you can pour into their own bottle.
I’m not a fan of water bottles with straws because I find that they are more difficult to clean. It’s always recommended to take a water bottle apart completely at least once a week and thoroughly wash and dry it. You can use a vinegar solution as well to prevent mold growth. The straw is wide enough, however, such that it’s easy to clean with a long brush using warm water and dish soap. As noted, you can use the spout without the straw if desired, though you’d then have to tilt to drink. When it comes to the cover, you don’t really want to submerge the MagicMount portion in water, but it’s easy to spot clean the underside and spout after each use.
I exercise at home and AirPlay content to my big screen TV. I usually lie my phone flat on the TV stand, but using this water bottle, I’m able to keep the phone propped up in case I need to quickly pause the workout to answer the door or phone or check important messages. This also comes in handy for snapping post-workout selfies, which I send to a girlfriends in my fitness accountability chat group. Instead of propping the phone up against something, I can position it facing me than use my Apple Watch to trigger the shutter. The mount is attached to the handle which you can pull down to angle the phone upward by a few extra inches if desired.
You might think drinking from the cup isn’t easy when your phone is mounted to it, but this is why there’s a flip-up spout and straw: you can drink from the opposite side, even with the phone mounted, since you don’t have to tilt the bottle: just suck through the spout and straw. I tried it and it’s doable, but you’ll probably do one or the other at a time: either drink from the bottle or use it as a phone holder. During a short 10 second break in an intense workout, for example, the last thing I want to do is grab my water bottle to chug with my phone in the way! But while relaxing on a beach and using the phone to play music, it might be just fine to grab it, take a sip, and place it down again.
The ability to mount your phone and keep it out of the way when you’re at a gym using weight machines is useful. Rather than worry about someone accidentally stepping on your phone, you can keep it off the floor. You can also use the water bottle as a phone grip, essentially, for snapping selfies or taking videos just about anywhere. And, as noted, it’s a perfect holder while at the beach to keep your phone out of the sand but still in view.
I love that the magnet is strong enough to adhere to other magnetic surfaces. I mounted it to my dishwasher while cooking to keep counterspace free, and even with a full bottle, it worked like a charm. At the beach, you could affix it to something magnetic so the base doesn’t get covered in sand or just use it to hold your phone.
While I don’t have a pet, I can see how the silicone bowl could be useful for water or even dry food for your dog on the go. Parents could even use it for snacks for a baby or toddler. Imagine packing dry cereal, milk inside the bottle, and using the little bowl to pour and eat. (Note that you’d also need to be able to at least rinse the bowl out before putting it back on the base.)
I love the handle that makes it easy to carry around, especially when my hands are full with other items.
Should You Buy the Scosche MagicMount Flask?
If you’re looking for a unique water bottle to add to your collection (cause really, you probably already have a few!) the Scosche MagicMount Flask is…interesting. It’s well-built, well insulated, and easy to drink from. I wish the MagicMount could be removed, but as noted, you might be able to fit another similarly sized water bottle top on this one when you don’t need the mount.
I’d recommend this water bottle for gym-goers. When I used to go to the gym and bring my phone with me, I’d have to plop it on the floor under a bench or weight machine or position it in the treadmill or stationary bike holder while I work. Considering how many germs are likely to be on such equipment (no matter how much it’s cleaned), I’d much rather mount the phone on my own water bottle.
It’s also great for places like the beach or anywhere you’d want to keep the phone out of sand or dirt. My son plays softball, and I often have my phone in my lap while I lounge on a folding chair. The water bottle could come in handy for taking photos and videos, too. It’s effectively a water bottle that doubles as a phone mount.
There are lots of unique uses for this bottle. It’s not a need, however, it’s a want. The Scosche MagicMount Flask doesn’t solve a pressing problem but rather provides a fun solution to one that might exist on occasion. As a cool gift for a fitness enthusiast or someone who needs to increase their water intake and could use motivation, it’s something that will stand out.
Will the Scosche MagicMount Flask replace my everyday water bottle? No. But I will use the mount for my basement workouts, when shooting videos at home, and it might make its way onto the field for the new softball season. Then, I can keep my hands free to cheer and eyes free to watch…and stay properly hydrated through the hot summer nights, too.
Visit the Indiegogo campaign to pre-order to Scosche MagicMount Flask for 30% off the price of US$39 for the 22 oz. bottle and US$45 for the 32 oz.