Water is a pretty important part of our diet. It’s because our bodies are about 60% water, and our blood is 90% water. Water is essential for all the cells and organs in our bodies to function properly. Drinking enough water will help regulate body temperature, lubricate joints, fish out body waste, and can prevent kidney damage.
Propel earned its spot at the bottom of the list, and for good reason- is this stuff even considered water? The ingredients list is so long that you might confuse it for a Cheez Whiz label.
Nestlé Waters is the largest bottled water corporation in the world, so you would think their namesake water brand would be… better. Nestlé Pure Life certainly isn’t the worst on this list, but it isn’t exactly the best either. Pure Life comes in on solid middle ground, with a clean, neutral taste without much of any flavor at all.
No one is talking about Dannon Spring Water, and that might be pretty telling. It’s water, sure. But what does it taste like? Well, it’s just kind of… water. It’ll quench your thirst, but I don’t think anyone’s going to put Dannon at the top of their favorites list.
If there’s one good thing I can say about Dasani, at least it is consistent. It tastes the same whether you drink it cold or warm, directly out of the bottle or poured into a glass. Otherwise, it’s kind of like drinking regular tap water. This vending machine staple will likely have you pushing the Diet Coke button instead.
Ready for a mouthful? Penta purified water is 'purity perfected.' According to the label, Penta water goes through a patented 13-step process that takes 11 hours. For all that, it better be some good water. At the very least, the California-based company claims that it has the lowest levels of heavy metals, salts, and organic compounds out of any bottled water on the market.
The name isn’t misleading here. Poland Spring really is spring water derived from several springs in the state of Maine. Yep, you’re really drinking groundwater from the Northeast! It originally came from a spring in the town of Poland, but demand is so high that they now have to use multiple springs across Maine.
Eternal Water is another bottled spring water that touts the water’s natural filtering through layers of 'ancient rock.' As it’s rolling around all those rocks, it absorbs plenty of minerals, which you can definitely taste when you take a sip. It doesn’t have much of an aftertaste, but that initial blast of flavors makes it taste like a grade-school water fountain.
If you’re looking for some water, Deer Park Natural Spring Water can probably quench your thirst. It’s classified as spring water, which means it’s filtered to remove particles and other unwanted elements, but any minerals that give it taste come straight from the ground.
Apparently, Aquafina is purified through a rigorous seven-step process they call HydRO-7. It includes reverse osmosis, ultraviolet, and ozone sterilization to remove things like chlorides, salts, and other substances that affect the water’s taste — which is good, considering Aquafina is just municipal tap water to start out with. It’s purely water, but at least it’s consistent, I guess.
Although Crystal Geyser Natural Alpine Spring Water uses the tagline 'bottled at the source' like plenty of other bottled spring water companies, it is safe to assume that they still have to transport it to a bottling facility just like every other company.
Zephyrhills might be one of the best things to come out of Florida (hey, it’s Florida, after all). This stuff tastes like, well, water.
Ice Mountain Natural Spring Water is the midwestern version of Zephyrhills Natural Spring Water. Not only are they remarkably similar, they even have the same website… Oh, that’s because they’re owned by the same corporation.
Ozarka Natural Spring Water is the South Central United States version of Zephyrhills and Ice Mountain Natural Spring Water. The water is sourced from a few springs in Texas before going through an 11-step quality process. It’s a good middle-ground spring water that has a slight mineral taste.
Okay, one more middle-of-the-road spring water. Arrowhead Mountain Spring Water is sourced from 13 springs throughout the Western United States, and is sold mostly in the region, as well. I’m sure it’s supposed to taste like it came directly from a fresh mountain stream or something, but it’s kind of just average mineral-forward bottled water.
Life WTR is another bottled water company that goes out of its way to have a really cool-looking bottle. They feature original work from a rotating lineup of artists, I’m assuming in an effort to create a 'premium bottled water that fuses creativity and design.'
If we were going on looks alone, Icelandic Glacial Water would take the cake. The water is sourced from a spring that was created from a massive volcanic eruption that occurred 5,000 years ago, according to the company.
Remember the days when Evian was synonymous with bottled water? Although the bottled water market is much more saturated these days, Evian is still a luxurious standard… for some people who like it.
If you frequent Starbucks, you have definitely seen Ethos Water. You probably didn’t buy it — hey, we go to Starbucks for the caffeine! — but this bottled water is the chain’s own house brand of bottled water. You’ll find it at your local Starbucks nestled next to the juice boxes.
The company claims this is the 'finest water possible.' It’s purified through a nine-step filtration process and enhanced with electrolytes and minerals, so it definitely has that crisp taste. However, this is also alkaline water with 9.5+ pH level, so it may taste different or even bitter compared to what you’re used to.
Essentia is 'overachieving H20' — hey, they’re words, not mine — and like many overachievers, Essentia makes plenty of claims. This 'supercharged' alkaline water has bitter-tasting acidic ions removed, and apparently you can’t get a precise reading of its pH levels of 9.5 or higher without a specific testing method.
If you need something that’s easy to chug after a solid workout, Core Hydration is the bottled water for you. Sure, they added a tiny hint of flavor with electrolytes and minerals added after reverse osmosis, but it’s mostly crisp, flavorless water.
Mountain Valley Spring Water has a fresh taste, and the bubbles aren’t too much. It’s also worth noting that the naturally ionized water with a pH range of 7.3 to 7.7 balances out highly acidic food pretty well, making this one an excellent choice to wash down dinner.
San Pellegrino is a personal favorite of mine. Although it’s owned by Nestlé, the same company that apparently owns nearly all bottled water on the face of the planet, this one is different. It’s mineral water from the foothills of the Italian Alps.
Much like San Pellegrino, Acqua Panna is another fancy Italian water that comes from a natural water source — but this time, it’s natural spring water. This smooth, noncarbonated water tastes clean and has just a hint of minerality, thanks to the spring it is sourced from.
Although this water doesn’t technically come in a bottle, it still garners a spot on the bottled water list. It might seem weird at first to drink water out of a cardboard carton like it’s milk, but once you get past that hangup, Boxed Water is clean and crisp.
We can’t talk about water brands without mentioning La Croix. Call it hipster water if you want, but this sparkling flavored water is an 'all occasion' beverage. The bubbles are softer than other similar sparkling waters, and there are so many flavors you’ll never get bored. Which flavor is your favorite? I’m a big fan of 'imagine like, a strawberry but with low battery.'
Perrier is a natural mineral water that comes from a spring in southern France. If you like carbonated mineral water, this is like the champagne of sparkling water. This French mineral water is often touted for having more bubbles than the competition, but it’s definitely only for those who enjoy that mineral taste.
If the name didn’t give it away, this water is collected and bottled in Fiji. The company says it comes from an artesian aquifer on the island of Viti Levu, where its filtered through volcanic rock and picks up plenty of minerals and electrolytes for taste. It would have scored higher if that square bottle fit in any cup holder ever.
Glaceau Smartwater is one of the top five brands of bottled water in the United States, so clearly this is a good one. It’s because the folks at Glaceau have their heads in the clouds — literally. This stuff is vapor-distilled, which gives it that pure, smooth taste. Then they add electrolytes to it for taste.
Norwegian-based Voss just jumps out and grabs your attention, thanks to the sleek, fancy-looking bottle. And when you drink it, it certainly doesn’t disappoint. It’s smooth and crisp, with just enough minerality to give it some oomph.
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