What is the best bottled water? I tasted 13 different bottled water brands to find out. And before you ask, yes, there are differences and some waters really are better than others. So, if your Brita filter just isn’t cutting it, I’m here to tell you all about the six best tasting bottled water brands to buy.
Here’s what I was looking for in the best bottled water:
1. It should be refreshing. That might seem like a no-brainer, but when it comes to a bottle of water I can earnestly recommend, I wanted something that really made me feel instantly refreshed and replenished.
2. It shouldn’t taste bad. I didn’t want any bitter or off aftertaste. It could taste like minerals. It could taste like nothing. It definitely could not taste bad, though.
3. It should be easy to drink. Packaging is a big player in the bottled water world. If a bottle was unpleasant to hold or impossible to drink out of, it did not make this list. (I’m looking at you, Penta, with your dribble top.)
After an extremely hydrating taste test that left me feeling dang good (unlike this one), I can finally reveal the six best bottled water brands.
- Acqua Panna
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Here’s an instance of marketing really working. Drinking this Italian water right out of a bottle makes me feel like I’m a chef on the line at a Michelin-starred restaurant. It feels cool and chic to hold. Luckily, it tastes good, too. It’s a little sweet at first with a touch of minerally tang at the end but it’s not unpleasant. Now, excuse me, I have to go complain about my mise en place and 86 some lamb ribs.
Credit: Merc / Amazon
- Arrowhead
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Sourced from the Rockies, Arrowhead water is clean, crisp, and a touch savory on the finish. It has that extremely mild minerality that harkens back to its mountainous roots. And it’s pretty darn cheap, too. You can get 24 bottles for about six bucks. It’s definitely the best bottled water to buy by the case.
Credit: Merc / Amazon
- Icelandic Glacial
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Let’s start with the packaging: It’s fun. The neck of the bottle is faceted to make it look like the top of an iceberg. So fun. And there’s an icy image that shines through when you look into the bottle. Very fun. It’s not just water, it would pass as entertainment a hundred years ago. Today, though, it’s mostly about the water—which is some of the best tasting bottled water, especially if you like alkaline water (it has a pH of 8.4). It’s crisp and slatey. It goes down easy, but that minerality does linger on your tongue for a bit.
Credit: Merc / Amazon
- Eternal
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There is a lot going on with this bottle. It’s dramatically curved—almost like it was wearing a corset. Like it’s some sort of high fashion water bottle. It’s also textured with swirling designs. (Am I attracted to this bottle?) And it is a pleasure to hold. (I am.) The naturally alkaline spring water inside the sexy bottle is soft and light with a very, very, very faint touch of minerality. It’s one of the best bottled waters to drink—but it’s the best bottled water to hold.
Credit: Merc / Walmart
- Smart Water
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This is the best bottled water to drink if you’ve ever wanted to drink a fluffy white cloud. It’s so light and soft with zero aftertaste. It’s a gentle caress of refreshment. And the tall, slim bottles are pretty cute. (They’re no Eternal, of course.)
Credit: Merc / Target
- Essentia
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If drinking Smart Water is like drinking a cloud, then drinking Essentia is like drinking a crystal clear blue sky. It’s so light and crisp—it leaves your mouth feeling cleaner than before you took a sip. And it tastes like nothing—just pure, liquid hydration. The logo looks like something a snow-based Bond villain would co-opt. And I think that’s cool. This is the best bottled water, take it from someone who spent over an hour tasting and re-tasting 13 bottled water brands. It’s an hour I’ll never get back, so please believe me.
Credit: Merc / Amazon
Best Chef-y
Best to Buy in Bulk
Best Alkaline
Best Bottle
Best Soft
Best of the Best
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