REASONS TO BUY
Doesn't hold flavors
Easy to clean
Fits in cup holder
REASONS TO AVOID
Flip-cap leaks
Carry handle is not very useful
Ello Syndicate One-Touch Review
A small-capacity glass bottle with a flip cap lid that functions for office work and car commutes
Credit: Ello
Our Verdict
A button-operated flip cap and a sleek shape that fits into any car cupholder make the Ello Syndicate One-Touch an intriguing bottle. It passed our drop test without shattering but had problems with liquid leaking out of the flip cap. We appreciate its reasonable price tag and its durable silicone sleeve. If you really want a glass bottle with a flip cap, this one works okay. However, we recommend considering the non-flip cap version of this bottle, the Ello Pure 20. It's essentially the same bottle, but with a simpler screw cap lid that does not leak.
Our Analysis and Test Results
The one-push button flip cap makes this glass bottle great for one-handed operation. It also fits well into a car cup holder. The Ello Syndicate also has all the benefits of a glass bottle — no lingering flavors, no plastics, and a sleek aesthetic. Unfortunately, we don't trust the flip cap to prevent leaks.
Performance Comparison
The Syndicate is a fine option for desktop use or use around the house. We don't really recommend throwing this one in a bag due to its tendency to leak.
Credit: Ello
Ease of Use
With a button flip cap, a locking mechanism, a carrying handle, and a removable lid, the Ello Syndicate has no shortage of features to assess when it comes to ease of use. This bottle is a bit complex. We like the one-touch button for opening the bottle, especially when driving or working at the computer. The locking mechanism seemed to work fairly well, though we will get to the results of our leak test later on.
We appreciate the convenience of this flip cap, especially when driving.
Credit: Ello
The bottle fits easily into a car cup holder — which makes it a great option for driving commutes and road trips. It also has a silicone carry loop, which we rarely used in our day-to-day hands-on testing. The loop lays flat against the bottle and is hard to get fingers into easily. It felt unnatural for us to carry the bottle this way and our testers couldn't really fathom clipping a glass bottle to a backpack (danger!). Most of the bottle's features make sense, but the clip loop felt a little gimmicky.
Durability
We always approach the drop test with a bit of trepidation when testing glass bottles. The Ello Syndicate has a fairly thin, low-profile silicone sleeve that made us nervous, but thankfully, the bottle passed our drop test without as much as a scratch.
This flip cap doesn't create the best seal. It didn't pass our leak test.
Credit: Jane Jackson
When it came to the leak test, we started to see some issues with the lid design on the Syndicate. The lid is meant to fully close with one twist, eliminating threads on the lid and rim. The result of this is a wiggly lid that didn't inspire much confidence when throwing this bottle into our backpack for the day. We also ran into issues when we filled the bottle with drink mix and shook it to mix the water and powder together. This resulted in an explosion of sticky, flavored water and a fail on the Ello's performance in our leak test.
Weight
The Ello Syndicate is a unique bottle when it comes down to the numbers. It's the only bottle we have tested that weighs the same as its fluid ounce capacity. in this case, the bottle weighs in at 20 ounces on the scale and is marketed as a 20-ounce bottle. This symmetry means that its weight-to-capacity ratio is a solid 1:1. This doesn't make it any lighter in daily use, though. Like most glass bottles, the Ello Syndicate is hefty. We wouldn't recommend this one as the worlds' most portable bottle, but glass bottles serve their purpose in other ways.
The Ello Syndicate alongside the Pure. They weigh about the same despite their different shapes and lid configurations.
Credit: Jane Jackson
Taste
As is the case with almost every glass bottle in this review, the Ello Syndicate does not impart flavors. We were pleased to see that even with its complex plastic lid, the user of the bottle only comes in contact with glass when drinking from the flip cap, which helps reduce lingering flavors.
The fact that its dishwasher safe is a major plus when it comes to the taste metric.
Credit: Jane Jackson
All that said, the lid itself is a bit challenging to keep clean and requires some creative scrubbing to get into all its nooks and crannies. The mouth of the bottle is also fairly narrow, making it hard to get a bottle brush into the very bottom. That aside, the Ello seemed to shed flavors with a quick rinse with warm water fairly effectively.
Value
Ello products seem to hold their value, and the Syndicate is no exception. With an extremely reasonable price tag and a glass and BPA-free plastic construction, this is a great option for those trying to move away from all-plastic bottles. The fact that the bottle passed our drop test is an attest to its durable construction and solid value. This bottle will last and is not overpriced.
If you are in the market for a flip cap glass bottle, this is a good option. But, we feel like the design falls a little short.
Credit: Jane Jackson
Conclusion
This is a slightly more complex take on a simple glass bottle. The Ello Syndicate has a silicone sleeve and a fairly small capacity. Its lid is where things get interesting. This flip cap is great for driving since it opens easily with one hand and can fit in most car cupholders. The bottle is fairly light, for glass, and passed our drop test without shattering (always a good sign!). Its downfall came in our leak test when this bottle leaked drink mix everywhere when shaken. Otherwise, this is a solid bottle that comes at a reasonable price, but we like the version without the flip cap lid better.
—
Jane Jackson
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