Costco's New Glass Water Bottles Are Free, So Why Aren't Shoppers Rushing To Get One?

As America's favorite grocery store chain, Costco is loved for its many perks. The wholesale retailer boasts an incredible food court full of beloved items, a stellar wine and liquor selection, great prices, and free products and deals that come with membership. One of their recent freebies is a new reusable glass tumbler, yet Costco's customers don't seem to be getting it for some reason.

When you auto-renew your membership with Costco, you'll get a clear water bottle with a blue silicone covering that mirrors the retailer's signature dark blue color. Costco's logo is etched all over the bottle, and the top has a light wooden cover with a braided rope that can be used as a handle. Costco's promotion is coming fresh off the heels of the It Girl Stanley tumbler craze, so it's hard to imagine that it's not getting picked up in droves. It certainly looks like something people wouldn't mind carrying around, but according to some Costco members, the aesthetics don't match the quality.

In posts to the unofficial Costco subreddit, commenters bemoaned the water bottle's low quality. One noted that they had a similar bottle that didn't insulate water well and had a cover that shrank in the fridge. Another common sentiment was how tired members were of receiving reusable water bottles in general. Throughout the years, the retailer has continually offered free water bottles to customers when they auto-renew their membership.

Although a water bottle can always be put to use, some Costco customers are growing a little tired of their mounting collection from the retailer. During the summer of 2023, the store offered a cooler bag, a beloved free item, for customers who signed up for the Costco Anywhere Visa card. Even the past freebie liquid containers had more features that members enjoyed. The chain has previously given out insulated tumblers and flasks with a digital temperature check as a promotion for auto-renewing membership.

Despite the repetitive free offerings, having a Costco membership still comes with plenty of other perks. Costco is able to keep its prices lower than most other retailers, purposefully stocking fewer items and opting to have a revolving door of products instead. What seems like a limited amount of inventory in its stores actually turns out to be a focus on quality rather than quantity. And even if you don't hold onto your membership for the free water bottles, Costco's generously-portioned pizza is definitely worth the fee.