Our experts in the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab tested the Air Up to evaluate the performance of the pods as well as to assess the bottle's durability and ease of use. In our Lab, we performed drop and leak tests on both a plastic and a stainless steel model, and we tested nine different flavor pods that we rated based on flavor, longevity and strength. We also evaluated the water bottle for how easy it was to fill, carry, drink from and clean. What is in the flavor pods? Jocelyn Ivanov, MIT, Drinking fountains: the past and future of free public water in the United States, September 29, 2015 In the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, we've tested countless water bottles over the years. We evaluate them for performance, durability and ease of use. In addition to Lab tests, we send water bottles to consumers to get their opinions on how the water bottles fare in the real world. That said, Air Up is not for everyone, especially those who drink a lot of water and need a larger water bottle capacity (the plastic version holds 22 ounces while the stainless steel version holds 28 ounces). One tester said, "I wish it were available in different sizes, so I didn't have to refill it so often."

When you sip from Air up, scent-flavored air bubbles travel through the straw into your mouth which produces a bubbling sound and means it’s working. As the scent-flavored air bubbles rise it is perceived as taste.

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Place the center of the circular pod over the mouthpiece and push it into place. If you don't taste the flavor, pull the pod up and ensure it is “activated.” Parsing through data points and tester notes, we confirmed an inevitable result: Some testers didn't like a certain pod, while others loved it. People perceive scents differently, especially if they have personal ties to a scent or if their sense of smell isn't as strong as another individual's. For example, some testers didn't see themselves reaching for the Air Up water bottle after testing, but others found it to be innovative. Good Housekeeping Institute Nutrition Lab Director Stefani Sassos, M.S., R.D.N., C.S.O., C.D.N., NASM-CPT said, "I think people who struggle with staying hydrated would enjoy this bottle, and people who say that they hate the taste of water or think it's boring would really benefit from this product." So if you're a consumer who doesn't have time to cut up fresh produce to infuse your water, you might enjoy Air Up. According to Air Up, the flavorings in the pods are made from natural flavors, extracted from plants, fruits and spices. The company noted that specific details that "relate to Air Up's [intellectual property] are proprietary."

No consumer health risk from bisphenol A exposure, European Food Safety Authority, January 21, 2015 That means u sing the science of retronasal olfaction, you will perceive scent as flavor through Air Up. Comfort: We found the mouthpiece to be more comfortable than other water bottles we've tested with soft silicone material, but we did note that you had to sip a little harder on the water bottle to get enough water compared to competitors. And the straw was difficult to remove and to reattach as well. "I wish the straw were easier to put on the bottle," said one consumer tester. "I struggle to get it on just right every single time, and then I can't screw on the cap."Jenna Bilbrey, BPA-Free Plastic Containers May Be Just as Hazardous, Scientific American, August 11, 2014 Jon Hamilton, Beyond BPA: Court Battle Reveals A Shift In Debate Over Plastic Safety, NPR, February 16, 2015 Johanna R. Rochester, Ashley L. Bolden, Bisphenol S and F: A Systematic Review and Comparison of the Hormonal Activity of Bisphenol A Substitutes, Environmental Health Perspectives, July 1, 2015

Did we find that our water tasted like each flavored pod? The short answer is yes. We were particularly impressed with the mango-passionfruit pod and its juicy "flavor," but we thought the orange-vanilla tasted artificial. Weight: We found the plastic Air Up bottle to be lightweight, but the stainless steel version is on the heavier side. According to Air Up, " the majority of what we taste comes from our olfactory receptors (part of our anatomy that plays a central role in our sense of smell)." It is believed that the average person can identify over 1 trillion different scents. The brand goes on to state: "Retronasal smelling is what makes everything we do possible, as it’s how we ‘bring flavor’ to plain water. Our bottles allow the 'flavored’ air contained within our pods to be consumed with every sip. Your nasal receptors interpret this 'flavored' air as taste, even though the water itself isn't flavored. Think of it as tasting through your sense of smell." If you've seen the Air Up water bottle on social media, you may already know that it's a water bottle that utilizes flavor pods to enhance the taste of your water without actually adding any flavoring to the water itself. The pods are placed on the water bottle and when you take a sip, the flavored air bubbles travel through your mouth to your nose where your brain interprets it as flavor. Fill your water bottle with water to the capacity line, then attach the mouthpiece with the straw to the bottle.Air Up was founded by Lena Jüngst and Tim Jäger, two German university students who, during their studies, read Neurogastronomy: How the Brain Creates Flavor and Why It Matters, a book by neuroscientist Gordon M. Shepherd that posits that the sense of smell is a more powerful component of flavor than previously thought.