Just add water

Just add water The Kor One is not a water bottle. It is indeed a "hydration vessel," as maker Kor Ideas claims.

What makes the 1-foot-tall elliptical flask, which holds 25 fluid ounces of water and costs $30, so special?

For starters, it is made of Eastman Tritan, a clear compound that has no bisphenol-A (BPA), a suspect chemical prevalent in some water bottles.

The design is neat, with a pop-top lid, a large pour spout and a rubber bottom to make it sit smoothly on a hard surface. Water stays fresh inside. It's easy to drink from.

One eccentricity: The bottle includes a "mantra insert" area, where you can place a piece of paper with a picture or motivational saying.

Many people will scoff at the price. But the company (www.korwater.com) seems sincere in its mission to inspire personal health and global sustainability through a new type of drinking vessel. If Kor can persuade people to re-use a bottle instead of throwing away disposables, then I am a fan -- motivational mantra or not.

STEPHEN REGENOLD