The claim: The Bubi Bottle (pronounced boo-bee) is a foldable, BPA-free beverage bottle that's great for travel across the country or the city. It doubles as a waterproofing apparatus and multiuse container. The bottles are small and compact with a roll-and-go feature. They are mold resistant and safe for use in microwaves, dishwashers and freezers. It retains its shape and never releases harmful chemicals. The Bubi Bottle is reversible to clean.

Cost: $30

Where: bubibottle.com

I like the idea of a bottle that can be used as a hot-water pack and a place to store dry pancake mix (not at the same time, of course), but I wasn't a big fan of the Bubi Bottle.

First, the bottle gives off a chemical smell, and even though I've run it through the dishwasher, it still has an odor. Online reviews indicate that others noticed that the smell lingers through quite a few uses before fading.

Also, putting the retainer back onto the bottle is unnecessarily complicated. I felt like I was being challenged to assemble a puzzle. You have to be careful, because if you don't put the retainer on correctly, you'll get messy leaks.

So, while it's nice to have a bottle that you can roll up into a small ball for storage, I don't think the convenience is worth the other hassles.

— Bill Vidonic

T his water bottle. Once my inner immature teenager stopped giggling nervously at the name — Bubi — I began to appreciate the value of a water bottle that stands on its own when it's full and collapses and rolls up when empty. I began to like the ability to carry it on a hike and when it was empty, chuck it in my backpack to be flattened by granola bars and winter clothes. I began to appreciate the way my cat pawed at it nervously as it rolled around the floor, never getting pierced by his balloon-popping claws.

But it leaked. Twice. Once in my purse, then again in my backpack. Nothing serious, no drowned iPhone or anything, but things that work better dry were wet. Grr. I had to tighten the top so much that once, I couldn't get it back off again, and had to (sulk) enlist the help of a dude with stronger hands than mine. Independence defeated. Bubi failed.

So, in a world of Nalgenes and Camelbaks and devices intended to ensure your hydration at any time, anywhere, I guess this product fits right in the middle. A little squishy, a little solid, but I guess I wasn't so wowed as to overthrow my entire H20 portability system.

— Megha Satyanarayana

This water bottle is wicked awesome. It rolls up smaller than a coffee cup and was great to carry in my work bag. I can't wait to take it backpacking this summer. It did feel a little unsteady in your hand when drinking out of it. The slotted spout is tough to remove for easy filling.

— Aaron Aupperlee

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