Tastebud-tricking Air Up water bottle gets a stainless steel upgrade

Water: we can’t live without it, but boy it’s dull to drink. The fizzy alternatives aren’t exactly great for your waistline (or teeth), either. Air Up’s scientific spin on healthy hydration has been doing the rounds for a while now, but the all-plastic bottles weren’t exactly kind to the environment. Now the fledgling firm has introduced a stainless steel version that’s a bit more eco-friendly.

Air Up’s pod-based bottles use retronasal smell to trick your brain into thinking you’re drinking flavoured water, when really it’s 100% H2O. There’s no calories, no sugar, and no additives. The new steel bottle stays compatible with the entire range of Air Up aroma pods.

Each one infuses natural scents and flavourings with the air every time you take a sip, making pure water taste like cola, coffee, cherry or cucumber – and those are just the Cs. There are 27 flavours on offer, with each pod being good for around five litres of water, or ten refills.

The system works because as much as 80% of perceived flavour comes from smell rather than taste. Flavour-filled air travels from your mouth to your nose every time you eat or drink, with your brain filling in the rest. It’s why food tastes so bland when you’ve got a cold, and why you can swallow those properly unpleasant ‘local delicacies’ encountered on holiday by pinching your noise.

The new bottle has double-walled insulation that’ll keep your water chilled for up to 14 hours. It holds 480ml of water, which is slightly down on the plastic version’s 650ml. It’s not entirely plastic-free yet, but significantly cuts back on the amount used for each bottle.

The new steel bottle is available to buy from the Air Up website now, alongside the usual selection of flavour pods, for £55.

• The best water bottles and flasks for sustainable hydration
• Lua is a smart plant pot that wants to be a virtual pet