I’ve always been pretty particular when it comes to the water I’m drinking, especially if it’s coming from a bottled brand. While many people would argue that “water is water” and there’s no real difference, there are definitely some brands I actively avoid and you should too (for no reason other than I think you deserve the best quality water!).
As silly as it sounds, water is my favourite drink. I think that mostly comes from the fact that I’m not a big fan of most drinks, so water is always the go-to. Juice is too sweet, energy drinks have a weird flavour and tea is too hot. It’s safe to say that having water as my go-to drink means I’ve tried a fair share of water brands over the years. The result? A curated list of brands I love and brands that I‘d probably choose dehydration over.
If you’re looking for reasons to hydrate but don’t know where to start (or you’re just thirsty), here’s the big neon “Drink Water” sign you’ve been looking for. Without further ado, five water brands you should drink and five you should avoid.
DRINK: Pure Life Spring Water
This is probably the most basic water brand out there and it’s absolutely one of my favourites. You don’t need to be spending $3 to get good-quality water. Save yourself the money and buy a $0.50 bottle of Pure Life Spring Water. I should mention, however, that this water is best served freezing cold, for the best water experience.
DON’T DRINK: Aquafina
It’s often argued that Dasani is the worst water brand out there (and I’ll get to them, don’t you worry), but Aquafina tops my chart as the worst water brand in existence. It’s barely drinkable and the water you do drink tastes like metal and salt. My unfiltered opinion? It honestly tastes like they’ve added way too many chemicals so drinkers will consider them “fancy.” Do yourself a favour and drink literally anything else.
DRINK: Flow
There are so many pros here. First of all, it tastes so good. Flow has a sweet taste that honestly makes me feel like I’ve just dipped my water bottle into a waterfall. An even bigger plus is that it’s made with sustainable packaging. The only downside is it doesn’t really keep its temperature for very long. So, if you’re getting it cold, you’ll want to drink it fast!
DON’T DRINK: Dasani
I’m sure this doesn’t come as much of a surprise. Dasani has no redeemable qualities and just tastes bad. They add too many minerals and chemicals to their water to “purify” it, but it just results in a really unsatisfying drink. While it’s slightly better than Aquafina (and there’s a big emphasis on the word “slightly” there), there are still better brands out there that you should look for first.
DRINK: evian
evian is always a safe choice when it comes to a water brand. Admittedly, this is one of the more pricier options for water. However, it’s got that smooth sweetness to it that just tastes super refreshing. You really can’t go wrong with evian and it’s worth the extra price for how good it tastes.
DON’T DRINK: Fiji
Spoiler alert to anyone wondering what this absolutely ridiculously expensive water tastes like: it’s bad. It’s got a similar taste to Dasani and Aquafina and I think, because of its price, people view it as good quality. I promise you it’s not worth what it costs. If you want to spend money on water, spend money on good water!
DRINK: San Pellegrino
This one is a little out of left field because I’m not usually a sparkling water girly, but there’s something special about San Pellegrino. The thing about this one is it has to be in the little glass bottles to make it on the “Drink” list. In the little glass bottles, it has the perfect amount of carbonation and natural flavour that I’d be wrong to keep it off the list. This is an expensive water brand worth buying!
DON’T DRINK: Ethos
Ethos is known for being the Starbucks brand of water that costs way too much for the tiny amount that you’re getting. Honestly, this should be a red flag. Ethos is one of those brands that leaves you super thirsty after you drink it, so you end up craving more water. Although it’s nice that Starbucks claims to donate some of the profits, if you want to give to charity, just donate online or elsewhere. This water isn’t worth it.
DRINK: Ice River Green Bottle
There’s just a list of things to love about Ice River Green Bottle (IRGB). First of all, because the water is natural spring water, it doesn’t have that metallic, chemical taste that you get from the bad brands on this list. What’s almost as great as its taste, is what the brand is doing for the environment. IRGB uses 100% recycled green plastic to make their bottles and even partners with a company that makes 100% recycled furniture from their bottle caps! It’s honestly the best of both worlds!
DON’T DRINK: Smart Water
This one is super controversial and after a lot of thinking and consideration, it’s going on the “Don’t Drink” list. When comparing it to the good-tasting waters on this list, Smart Water is too metallic and hard-tasting to fit in with the good waters. It’s nowhere near as bad as most of the others, but it could be doing better. If Smart Water was a letter grade, it would be a C+.
And there you have it, five water brands to drink for a good water experience and five to avoid. Obviously, I know that there’s an incredibly small group of people who’ll be as picky as me. Nevertheless, I believe if you really sit there and think about the water you’re drinking, you’ll notice a difference in taste. Even if you don’t, you’ll be hydrating so I guess it’s a win/win!
All my love <3