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Metal vs Silicone Straws

Metal or silicone: which reusable straw should you use?

Silicone is the right answer for some people and it is not close. It is soft, so it is safe for children, for anyone with limited motor control, and for anyone who has chipped a tooth on something hard. If any of that describes you, use silicone.

For everyone else the trade shows up over time. Silicone is slightly porous, so it holds onto color and smell — a smoothie straw stays faintly orange, a coffee straw keeps the smell. It also attracts lint in a way steel does not, which is a small thing until the straw lives in a bag. And because it is flexible, cleaning it fully means getting a brush through a tube that collapses while you do it.

Steel gives up the softness and gets back a surface that does not hold flavor, color, or smell, and that survives a dishwasher indefinitely.

Are silicone straws safe for kids?

Yes, and this is where silicone is simply the better material. A child who runs, trips, or bites down while drinking is the exact scenario where a hard straw becomes a hazard and a soft one does not. Metal straws are not a good choice for young children regardless of who makes them.

Are metal straws safe to drink from? More on kids, hot drinks, and daily use.

Do silicone straws hold onto smell and taste?

Over time, yes. Silicone is slightly porous, so pigment and odor work their way into the surface — most noticeably with smoothies, coffee, and anything strongly colored. It does not make the straw unusable, and washing helps, but the staining is generally permanent once it sets.