The Best And Worst Bottled Water Brands, Ranked
Are you tired of boring old water that tastes like...well, water? Well, hold onto your hydration because you're about to embark on a journey of discovery that will change the way you think about H2O forever! We're about to rank the top water bottle brands that will tantalize your taste buds and leave you wondering how you ever lived without them. But beware, not all waters are created equal and we'll also be uncovering some duds that will make you think twice before taking a sip. So, grab your favorite water bottle and get ready for an adventure of aquatic proportions!
Best: Fiji
Fiji Water gets its name because the water bottle brand originated, is bottled, and shipped from the country of Fiji. More specifically, Fiji Water comes from an artesian aquifer in Viti Levu.
Not only does the square-shaped bottle set it apart from other brands, but taste testers agree it's refreshing and smooth.
Worst: Evian
One of the oldest water bottle brands is Evian. Their water was discovered in 1789 near the south shore of Lake Geneva and they are usually considered a high-end brand.
When Slate hired a group of water bottle tasters to try Evian they described it as "salty, chalky, and soft."
Mixed Reviews: SmartWater
It's hard not to notice the giant bottles of Glacéau Smartwater compared to all the other water bottles at the grocery store.
Smartwater is a vapor-distilled water brand with added electrolytes and was one of the first brands to add enhancements to its water. Expert tasters recommend opening the water and letting it breathe for a bit before drinking to get the best flavor.
Best: Voss
Those who drink Voss probably can't help themselves from feeling a bit fancy. The Norwegian artesian water bottle brand recently claimed that its entire manufacturing process is carbon neutral.
A taste tester at Mashed wrote, "Voss also has the smooth, crisp, food-complementary tastelessness you want with dinner but just enough minerality to know you're not drinking wet air."
Mixed Reviews: Poland Spring
The town of Poland, Maine is known for manufacturing the iconic Poland Spring water bottles. One of the places where you'll see Poland Spring everywhere is New York City.
While New Yorkers love it, it doesn't have the greatest taste. The expert taste testers at Slate called Poland Spring "dirty, salty, sour, and milky."
Best: Essentia
According to their official website, "Essentia is supercharged ionized alkaline water." This is done in a few simple steps where they purify the water, add electrolytes, and remove bitter acidic ions to get a higher pH balance.
Tasters at Business Insider tried Essentia and thought it had a "clean, smooth taste" and could rehydrate them between regular work days and intense workouts.
Mixed Reviews: Check Out The Artwork On LIFEWTR Bottles
One thing shoppers are bound to notice is the colorful artwork featured on LIFEWTR bottles. The company rotates the artists to "advance the sources of creation and creativity."
As for the flavor, LIFEWTR was given to blind taste tester Vincent Sanchez who seemed pretty neutral. "It's not a bad choice of water, but rather than inspiring thirst with creativity, you'll probably be inspired to choose something more if you can," said Sanchez.
Worst: Dasani Is Actually High In Sodium
Most water bottle drinkers would think that the only ingredient would be water, but that isn't true for Dasani. Launched by the Coca-Cola Company in 1999, this brand has some unique ingredients.
Dasani is made from tap water, salt, magnesium sulfate, and potassium chloride. The extra salt causes people to be thirstier than when they started drinking.
Best: Acqua Panna Is Smooth All The Way Down
Acqua Panna gets its name from the Villa Panna hills in Tuscany, Italy, and was first bottled in 1880. This high-end brand reportedly has water travel 14 years through limestone before it's bottled up.
Mashed says that Acqua Panna is one of the smoothest with just a little taste of minerals. It's best served chilled because it can feel a little thick at room temperature.
Mixed Reviews: Propel Fitness Water Was A Pioneer In Flavored Water
Propel Fitness Water was introduced in 2000 and stood apart for being one of the few flavored water options at the time. Ingredients found in Propel include water, citric acid, sodium, and vitamins C, B3, B5, and B6.
Water sommelier Belinda Chang described Propel to have a salty and metallic smell with a similar taste to Gatorade. That could be because Propel is owned by Gatorade.
Worst: Arrowhead Fell Flat During Its Taste Test
People who live in the western part of the United States have likely tried Arrowhead Water. Priests stationed at Mission San Gabriel Arcángel were some of the first to find the source of the Arrowhead springs.
Blind taste tester Vincent Sanchez tried Arrowhead and said, "The spring water of Arrowhead tastes less like it came straight from the freshest mountain streams and more like the water you drink when all hope is lost..."
Best: Zephyrhills Hits The Spot
Only certain areas in the U.S. get the chance to drink Zephyrhills. It's a spring water bottle brand made in Crystal Springs and Zephyrhills, Florida.
Limestone aquifers purify the water, which gives it a smooth, cool, and refreshing taste. While Zephyrhills is one of the best-tasting spring waters, its bottle design is subpar.
Mixed Reviews: Crystal Geyser Got Mixed Reviews
Crystal Geyser Alpine Spring Water is bottled directly at the source. According to their official website, they were the first American beverage company to start a PET recycling (rPET) plant where they recycle about a billion plastic bottles every year.
Grub Street performed a blind taste test with mixed reviews. One taster thought it had too much sodium, while another thought it had good body.
Worst: Aquafina Tastes Metallic And Muddy
Aquafina is manufactured by PepsiCo and is made primarily with tap water, so it usually doesn't receive the best reviews.
Slate hired a group of tasters to drink various bottled water and they described Aquafina as "soft, metallic, and muddy." Those probably aren't the words PepsiCo wanted to be attributed to their brand.
Best: Why You'll Feel Better After Buying Ethos Water
Starbucks customers will most likely recognize Ethos Water because it's their official water bottle brand. Its mission is to help children get clean water, so Starbucks donates five cents of its water proceeds to "support humanitarian programs in coffee-growing communities..."
Those who have tried Ethos water think it's pretty refreshing and tastes just as good in the bottle or in a glass.
Mixed Reviews: Ice Mountain Is Popular In The Midwest
Most commonly found in the Midwest, Ice Mountain natural spring water is a rather unique water bottle contender.
Belinda Chang, a water sommelier, described Ice Mountain as one of the most neutral-tasting water brands she had ever tried. Although, she noted it had a slight "mineral and pipe-like" aftertaste.
Best: Penta Was Created On Accident
Penta Water was created by Bill Holloway in Carlsbad, California after his son Mike came up with a formula for highly purified water to treat his fibromyalgia.
Tasters at Mashed claim that the purified water has one of the cleanest flavors for a non-spring brand with just a hint of minerals.
Mixed Reviews: Icelandic Glacial Is Filtered Through Lava Rocks
One thing that sets Icelandic Glacial water apart is its state-of-the-art water bottles. They are made to resemble actual ice crystals.
Their water comes from an underground spring that was caused by a five-thousand-year-old volcanic eruption. Since the water is filtered through lava rock, it can come out tasting bitter. The best way to combat this is to drink it while it's still really cold.
Best: Boxed Water Is Better
Boxed Water is looking out for the environment with its earth-friendly paper cartons. These paper boxes are 74 percent made with trees, so they are better for the planet.
Some taste testers stated that Boxed Water had no overpowering flavors, was just a little thin, and wasn't filled with chemicals and minerals like other water brands.
Mixed Reviews: Core Hydration Has A Bottle Unlike No Other
The unusually shaped bottles of Core Hydration might get any shopper to pick it up and give it a try. The purified water is enhanced with electrolytes and minerals and comes with a naturally high pH balance.
Those who've tried Core Hydration love the bottle's shape, but describe the taste as almost like air. Core Hydration drinkers recommend having it cold, rather than at room temperature.
