Alcohol-Free Drinks

The Best Sparkling Water Brands (Trust Us, We Tried Them All)

Plus everything you need to know about bubbly water.

June  1, 2022
Photo by Rocky Luten

This summer, I asked Amanda Sims if she wanted something at the grocery store: "San Pellegrino," she specified: "Not Perrier."

I found her predilection to be quirky until I realized that loyalty to sparkling water beverages runs far deeper than just a fizzy way for staying hydrated.

Samantha Weiss-Hills frequently brought in her own personal can of La Croix (unflavored or lime) from home—even though our old office is equipped with a soda maker—while former Food52 intern Taylor Rondestvedt prefers Mendota Springs Sparkling Water, another Midwestern brand.

And then my friend Rebecca sent me this photo of the refrigerator at her Chicago workplace:

Photo by Rebecca Levinsky

But do these brand loyalties simply grow out of habit, or do they have a basis in truth (or at least in taste differences)?

To find out, we did a blind taste test of 17 seemingly similar products—seltzer water, club soda, carbonated mineral water, and sparkling water—to see if we could tell the difference. (And to figure out if Sam could identify La Croix from the lineup.)

Here's what we concluded:

  • The individual products do taste and feel different, but it's hard to tell the categories of beverages apart. (No one was able to identify group 1 as seltzer or group 2 as club soda, for example.)

  • And while the drinks do taste different, there was disagreement about how they tasted. One drink was simultaneously described as "tap water"and "flat Champagne"—and this discrepancy was true of every bottle or can. We found that most differences involved flavor (subtle, salty, citrusy) and the bubble experience (sharp tiny bubbles, large mellow bubbles, or aggressively tingling bubbles, for example). "The quality of the bubble is the thing," concluded one taster.

  • No one successfully identified which bottles were most expensive. The European-ish, fancy glass bottles that I avoid at the grocery store were indiscernible from the canned generic kind. One editor pegged the Whole Foods-365 club soda—one of our most affordable choices—as "more expensive."

  • Some waters pair better with food than others. Though we tried all of the sparkling beverages without food, we imagine that eating alongside sipping would alter the experience. Aggressive bubbles might help dissipate the heat of spicy foods but overpower other sensation; more delicate carbonation might be more appropriate for food with subtler flavors.

  • Temperature probably makes a difference. We tasted all drinks at room temperature, though we imagine that they would have been perceived as "more refreshing" had they been chilled.

  • Sam successfully identified La Croix (but Amanda did not correctly pick out Pellegrino).

  • Drinking this much sparkling water will make you really, really full (and burpy).


sparkling water

The 6 sparkling waters.

Sparkling water is a broad umbrella term that can be used to describe club soda, seltzer, or sparkling mineral water. Here were the five bottles that self-identified as "sparkling water" without a more specific demarcation.

Whole Foods Brand Italian Sparkling Water:

This had a "very clean flavor" that our tasters predicted came from a glass bottle (they were right!). The flavor was neutral and "inoffensive," while the bubbles were big and slow-acting.

Poland Spring:

While some were put off by a "plasticky" taste, others detected (to borrow a word from wine) "minerality." It's like "sucking on a rock," said Leslie.

Mountain Valley:

The bubbles were deemed "perfect: soft but present." Each bubble was said to be a distinct individual, popping identifiably on the tongue. This, too, had mineral notes—"but in a good way."

La Croix:

Samantha correctly identified her beloved sparkling water, which she calls "summer in a can." The bubbles—smaller than most of the other drinks—act as if they're on a "time release" or a "cascade," starting off strong and fizzing out slowly on the tongue

Voss:

Tasters noted a subtle sweetness ("it has a taste of beginning") and very little carbonation.

San Benedetto:

"Tastes like tap water," said one taster. The small bubbles were "so small, they're prickly," like Pop Rocks or needles.


Seltzer

The 5 seltzers.

Seltzer is plain water that has been artificially carbonated with carbon dioxide, with no added ingredients (like salt or potassium salts).

Boylan:

With many more bubbles than the others in its group, it was described by one editor as "slap-to-the-face aggressive"; another said it was "almost foamy."

Polar:

It had large, mellow bubbles and a strong "water" taste, though we did notice a citrusy, lime-y flavor upon first sip.

Fairway Brand:

The bubbles are quick, imparting a pinpoint sensation: One editor explained the sensation as "ping-ping-ping, very fast." The texture was foamy and light, and although there were no added ingredients, some said it had a slightly lemony (and/or slightly metallic) flavor.

Hal's:

"This is like cake," said one taster. Almost sweet and easy to drink, with fewer and tinier bubbles, this beverage is hereby dubbed "cake water."

Adirondack:

The flattest of the five, it was compared both to tap water and to flat Champagne. The bubbles are floaters, traveling swiftly to the back of the throat, where they make themselves known.


Club Soda

The 2 club sodas.

Club soda is seltzer's bulked up brother: It's got sodium salts and/or potassium salts, which can include table salt and baking soda. These are added to neutralize acidity and imitate the flavors of natural water.

Whole Foods 365 Brand:

While some of us found the bubbles to be almost too harsh (causing a tingling sensation from the lips inwards), others predicted it was be one of the most expensive of our tasting. Another person thought it "could be Perrier,"

Q-Club (Superior Club Soda):

Surprisingly, this was also identified as Perrier. It had a distinctly citrusy, "lime-forward taste"—the editors couldn't believe it wasn't flavored. (Q-Club, according to its website, is made with Himalayan salt.)


Carbonated Mineral Water

The 4 carbonated mineral waters.

Mineral water is defined as sparkling water that comes from a mineral spring. According to the The Food and Drug Administration, it must contain "no less than 250 ppm total dissolved solids that originates from a geologically and physically protected underground water source.”

Neither minerals nor carbonation is added (with the exception of San Pellegrino; according to the Huffington Post, additional carbonation is added to Pellegrino by the bottler). "Spring water," on the other hand (see Mountain Valley Spring Water above), comes from a natural source but contains less than 250 parts per million dissolved minerals.

Perrier:

Tasters were surprised by the tiny bubbles, so small that some people found it felt "almost flat." The little bubbles moved in all sorts of directions, like electrons, and Amanda Sims—the one who had specified I not buy Perrier—said, and I quote, "I like it."

Gerolsteiner:

Described as simultaneously foamy and flat, Gerolsteiner also had an unusual taste: "Is that wet wood?" asked Ali Slagle. Others identified notes of rainwater.

San Pellegrino:

The bubbles, tasters noted, were weak: "not flat but not trying hard enough", "a man in a tutu starting to leap." Leslie Stephens declared she was uninterested. No one identified this famous, fancy drink (not even its fan Amanda Sims).

Selters:

"That's Pellegrino," Taylor Rondestvedt said decisively.

Carbonated Water At Home

Skipping the grocery store? Or maybe you don’t want to schlep heavy bottles and cans all the way home? There are excellent at-home carbonators on the market that let you make seltzer on-demand. The soda makers store carbon dioxide compressed into cartridges. Fill up your bottle with cold tap water, screw it into the machine, and with a press of a button, you have carbonated water in seconds. Check out SodaStream’s Terra and Art sparkling water makers. Our favorite? Aarke’s stunning carbonator, which has a slender design and svelte finish that looks as good on your countertop as it is functional.

Flavored Favorites

The seltzer aisle is filled with delightful flavored sparkling waters that are a low-to-no-sugar alternative to soda. Flavored sparkling water brands are getting more creative with flavor combinations every day, gaining inspiration from natural fruit flavors and showcasing them without the use of added sugars or artificial sweeteners. Here are a few of our favorite fruity and fizzy sips:

There are classic fruit flavors like raspberry lime (Sprindrift is king here,) or more tropical flavors like Sanzo’s, which include lychee, mango, yuzu with ginger, and calamansi lime, Something Nothing’s bright and fresh cucumber seltzer is all Food52’s editorial assistant Lucy Simon wants on a hot summer day, and you can never go wrong with a twist of lime Topo Chico.

Final Thoughts

And so, a fitting conclusion to our very inconclusive sparkling water test. People cling to a certain type of sparkling water—they're used to it, they actually like it, or they haven't tried many others. And there are other factors, like temperature, what you're eating it with, how many sparkling waters you're trying at once, that alter the experience.

Basically, we're not becoming water sommeliers anytime soon.

This article was updated in June 2022 because we'll never stopped loving seltzer.

This post contains products independently chosen (and loved) by our editors and writers. As an Amazon Associate, Food52 earns an affiliate commission on qualifying purchases of the products we link to.

What's your preferred brand of sparkling water? Defend your choice in the comments below!

See what other Food52 readers are saying.

  • Linda Ditch
    Linda Ditch
  • FS
    FS
  • jocelyn stewart
    jocelyn stewart
  • Susanna
    Susanna
  • charlotte_k
    charlotte_k
I used to work at Food52. I'm probably the person who picked all of the cookie dough out of the cookie dough ice cream.

53 Comments

Linda D. June 30, 2022
Aura Bora is my go-to sparkling water. I love the lavender-cucumber and the lemon-ginger.
 
FS June 30, 2022
Pellegrino's seltzer is quite salty. I like the gentle micro bubbles but the flavor is intensely salty.
Kroger's store brand seltzer is quite good, esp. the Simple Truth Organics line.
 
jocelyn S. June 17, 2022
I think the real difference is the sodium content between brands.
 
Susanna June 17, 2022
I’ve always favored Saratoga for its tiny tingly bubbles, though it’s increasingly hard to find.
 
charlotte_k May 20, 2022
Topo Chico is the best.
 
The Best!
 
Janet M. May 20, 2022
I don't care for flavored waters. I still have a penchant for Gerolsteiner--maybe that "rainwater" taste is my thing, but I can't find it much in my rural area and it's gotten expensive. Following that, when in Texas I always grab bottles of Ozarka. And I do like Topo Chico, too.
 
MacGuffin June 17, 2022
I like flavored waters but I also like Gerolsteiner--it's my favorite among unflavored sparkling waters.
 
candida January 9, 2021
I just wrote to someone who made a comment in regards to my favorite Vichy Catalan, i saw it in a taste test on TV travel program. Located it on amazon, expensive (it comes in from Spain) so for Christmas that is what i asked my son for. Water !! loved it, had a soft fizz and tasted like alka seltzer. It was expensive having it shipped. Wondering if anyone knows where i can obtain it other then Spain. Thanks Candida
 
Suzi P. July 14, 2019
I have to say I am hooked on a sparkling water that wasn’t even mentioned. It Glaceau smart water sparkling. Yes I have had Pellegrino, Perrier, polar, lacrouix, etc.... the unflavored brand of smartwater sparkling actually quenches your thirst my only issue is that I can’t easily get it. I used to be able to get it at the dollar stores (eastern Pa) now I can find Apple pear and strawberry in some stores but I am still a fan of the plain and actually crave it. I have been ordering it from amazon but fear they, coke or Pepsi aren’t making it or it isn’t available in my area? If anyone has the means to find out I would truly appreciate it and would ask to try this brand if you can get your hands on it. Way different taste than any other I have had and my ya coworkers in Ohio agree.
 
Chester W. December 12, 2017
Crysalli is also the best choice because it is a "green" solution. By making your own sparkling, you save the manufacturing of bottles, the actual bottling process, transportation and waste disposal of billions of bottles.
 
Chester W. December 12, 2017
Crysalli Artisan water is by far the best choice because it doesn't come in a plastic or glass bottle, it is filtered and cold carbonated at 35 degrees right on site, allowing you to adjust the bubble "profile" to bigger or smaller, and always served cold and refreshing.
 
geg September 19, 2017
Topo Chico.
 
Glen D. July 27, 2016
Why is Ramlosa not on here exactly? Its like as popular in England as VOss and Paligrino are here???
 
Berry G. July 21, 2016
This is a delicious kick start! I tried the berries recipe; also adding my health mixes from http://www.superfoodberrydrinks.com/. It was yummy! Thanks for sharing.
 
Andrea Y. December 16, 2015
Oh dear sweet sparkling bubbles, how do I turn the comment notifications off? It's not intuitively obvious!
 
KLS June 4, 2022
When you type a comment, below that box is a grey area that says: Send me emails about new replies with a check box. Uncheck the box
 
Eric C. December 16, 2015
From Safeway, Von's, or Pavilion's comes Refreshe seltzer. Bargain-priced, the bubbles are both bold and soothing. It comes in flavored, too: lemon, lime, mandarin orange, raspberry, mixed berry, and plain. So long diet soda, Refreshe is sparkling companion.
 
Petit S. December 14, 2015
Llanllyr Source water from Wales. The perfect bubbles and clean taste - delicious
 
Alexandra G. December 13, 2015
A man who frequented the WF I used to work at introduced me to Gerolsteiner, he told me, "If you're feeling like sh&! try drinking a bottle of this." He was right, it gets rid of both my headaches and nausea.. I like Mountain Valley otherwise. Never tried Selters.
 
donna December 13, 2015
Selters followed by Pellegrino. I like knowing that the carbonation in the Selters' is from the earth.
 
Patsy December 13, 2015
Tried the best and also compared the store brand seltzer which was cheapest. Oddly enough, the store brand seltzer is amazing! Chilled and refreshing. Why pay so much for nothing more? It's all in the head.
 
Bonnie December 13, 2015
My favorite is Badoit. I must order it and it's not cheap, but it's a taste and a memory of France.
 
Sam I. December 13, 2015
POLAR! Only available in certain areas of the country. Comes in several flavors that are refreshing. They have fun seasonal flavors as well.
 
MacGuffin May 19, 2022
The flavors are great---I even make egg creams with them. I ship them from NYC to Detroit. I wish the flavors were available locally.
 
Mainer June 17, 2022
Pineapple Pomelo and Gingerlime Mule are my favorites right now. Great cut with Polar Ice ginger lemonade or any other if the Polar Ice flavors if you want more ummph (and no calories or alcohol.)
 
MacGuffin June 17, 2022
I love both of those. I just wish the flavors were available here in Michigan. Meijer sells Polar but none of the good flavors are available.
 
Karin B. December 13, 2015
Water should never come in a can or in plastic. I drink Pellegrino but would buy Selters or Gerolsteiner if I could get it here in rural Georgia.
 
Ronna S. December 11, 2015
Lacroix....coconut, grapefruit, & cherry lime. The best!
 
Joanna December 11, 2015
Vintage band seltzer is definitely the best! And cheapest!
 
PjrTexas December 10, 2015
LaCroix Coconut.....my favorite....
 
Alexandra G. December 13, 2015
For flavored water, mine too!
 
Michelle December 10, 2015
I like Vichy Catalan too. Also, Apollinaris is salty. Ewwh.
 
candida January 9, 2021
I justy had my son send me Vichy Catalan for Christmas. A soft fizz and the taste of alkaseltzer. I cannot get it near me, we had it shipped from Spain (its origin) may I ask where you obtained it, as it is very expensive this way. thanks...Candida
 
Emily11 December 10, 2015
Klarbruun is better than LaCroix!
 
Kimberly H. December 10, 2015
At a very nice dinner in Italy (on the Banfi estate) we were once offered an extensive water menu in addition to the wine list. We thought it was hilarious, but of course there really are huge differences between the various flat and sparkling H2Os!
 
Julie M. December 10, 2015
If you can find it, Topo Chico is definitely the best. Detroit's Mexican markets carry it!
 
Alexandra G. December 13, 2015
They carry this in TX too, the store manager at WF wouldn't buy anything else.
 
Michele December 10, 2015
LaCroix all the way, especially lime and grapefruit. Lime is great with a shot of pomegranate and a few wedges of lime.
 
Glenys December 10, 2015
Sodastream- no recycling endless bottles and can, especially plastic bottles. Little or a lot of carbonation, as you like. Added bonus of making tonic water, especially the infused varieties for cocktails.
 
Andrea Y. December 10, 2015
When my husband and I were in Spain in '98 (on our 3-month honeymoon... sigh....), we drank a sparkling water called Vichy Catalan. Of all the (many!) sparkling waters we drank throughout Europe, this was our favorite. I have never seen it in the USA.
 
candida January 9, 2021
I just asked someone else who mentioned Vichy Catalan where they obtained it, as I had my son send me a case from Spain, it was expensive, maybe she will respond with a local area...we did buy it through Amazon, but still expensive, but love it. Candida
 
Panfusine December 10, 2015
Firmly in the LaCroix camp.
 
BDAtlanta December 10, 2015
Sodastream - homemade from tap water. You control the fizzyness. Some days, 3 beeps is enough. Other days, you gotta have 10 beeps!
 
Tina December 9, 2015
Gerolsteiner for life!
 
Debby December 8, 2015
Gerolsteiner is the best thirst quenching and bubbly
 
Samantha W. December 8, 2015
La Croix will always be my sparkling water!!
 
Thom D. December 8, 2015
Topo Chico is simply the best
 
nico843 December 8, 2015
Agreed, I was just logging in to say Topo Chico is THE best! Nothing else compares.
 
Sarah J. December 8, 2015
Where is that typically found? We couldn't find it in NYC!
 
nico843 December 9, 2015
when I lived in nyc I ordered it online, Walmart carries it! maybe some specialty Mexican grocers might carry it, it's hard to find even in Southern California!
 
nico843 December 9, 2015
https://www.thrillist.com/drink/austin/13-things-you-didnt-know-about-topo-chico-plus-free-cases-of-it-read-on
 
Topo Chico! You can find it everywhere in Texas.