The best Sparkling Ice flavors deliver a delightful fizz and splash of fresh fruit effervescence. For many people, Sparkling Ice is a zero-sugar, low-cal replacement for sugary soft drinks and other guilty pleasure beverages. But not all Sparkling Ice drink flavors truly shine. If you want to know the best Sparkling Ice flavor to grab the next time you need a fizzy midday pick-me-up, well, keep reading.
Sparkling Ice isn’t trying to copy Spindrift or other seltzer brands known for a strong fruit flavor. It’s closer to a diluted diet soda, spritzer, or even something fresh out of a SodaStream. It’s sweetened with sucralose, unlike many seltzers which aren’t sweetened at all. It can be enjoyed on its own or mixed into cocktails and mocktails for flavor enhancement.
But gentle as it may be, Sparkling Ice still has some moves. The company partnered with Starburst on a line of candy-inspired flavors that still contain no sugar and barely any calories. And we recently updated this ranking of Sparkling Ice flavors to include those Starburst Sparkling Ice flavors (along with a couple other flavors that we missed out on the first time around).
Without further ado, let’s dive into the best Sparkling Ice flavors so newcomers and long-time fans alike can find their go-to Ice of choice.
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- Sparkling Ice Kiwi Strawberry
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Artificial kiwi and artificial strawberry can be tolerable on their own, but together they are a nightmare combo. You can tell from the bubblegum pink color of this Sparkling Ice flavor that very little of it is naturally occurring, and you can tell from the cloying taste, too. If Sparkling Ice Kiwi Strawberry is your favorite Ice flavor, hey, no judgment—I’m known for sipping soy sauce straight off a spoon. But I can’t in good conscience recommend this to anyone. Next! — Ariana Losch
Credit: Merc / Amazon
- Sparkling Ice Starburst Watermelon
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For a candy-branded drink, this Sparkling Ice flavor is very tame. Maybe I had too much Bubblicious growing up, but I expected a much stronger flavor out of this drink. I almost wish I had tasted this drink blind, because the watermelon flavor is muted enough that I could easily mistake it for something else. I’ll be keeping an eye out for watermelon Starburst to figure out whether this middling flavor is authentic to the original or a true miss all around. — Griffin Parker
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
- Sparkling Ice Lemon Lime
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The Sporked team loves lemon lime Gatorade, so I had high hopes for this Sparkling Ice flavor. At first glance, you’ll notice the liquid is completely clear. It’s intriguing, sure, but in hindsight, that should have been a red flag. There’s very little flavor overall—it’s like a flatter, duller diet Sprite. It tastes like someone dropped a whole lemon in a glass of water, took it out three seconds later, and did the same thing with a lime. All that said, the flavor isn’t offensive, it’s just a bit boring! — Ariana Losch
Credit: Merc / Amazon
- Sparkling Ice Coconut Pineapple
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The Coconut Pineapple Sparkling Ice leans heavy on the coconut, with the slightest hint of pineapple (if you really hunt for it). Which, heads up: That’s going to be a running theme for all Sparkling Ice flavors that come in combos. They may advertise two flavors, but one flavor is generally more prominent than the other. If you go crazy for coconut or, I don’t know, enjoy sniffing sunscreen, you might like this. Otherwise, you can skip it. — Ariana Losch
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- Sparkling Ice Starburst Orange
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Who loves orange soda? If you have that in common with the latter half of Kenan & Kel, you’re going to love this drink. Sparkling Ice Starburst Orange has a powerful artificial orange flavor. It’s been a little bit since I’ve actually eaten the third-best color of Starburst, but this feels very accurate to what I remember of those waxy orange rectangles. — Griffin Parker
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
- Sparkling Ice Berry Lemonade
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As I so helpfully wrote, in my notes: “It’s not bad, but it’s not much of anything.” The beverage’s ruby color packs a more powerful punch than the taste. There’s a hint of tart berry, and then no lemonade to be found. I would maybe use this as a mixer, but for a standalone drink, it leaves a lot to be desired. — Ariana Losch
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- Sparkling Ice Black Cherry
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Hi, it’s me, your friendly neighborhood cherry-flavor apologist. It’s true: I like cherry, even when it reminds me of the cough medicine I used to hate as a child. If you, unlike me, are sensitive to medicinal cherry, this is not the best Sparkling Ice flavor for you. It may, in fact, be the worst. This has a sharp, bitter cherry essence that really lingers. Don’t worry, though—there’s another cherry option on this list that may redeem your faith in cherry flavored bevs altogether! (In the meantime, I’ll be over here, sippin’ this like a cherry-crazed weirdo.) — Ariana Losch
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- Sparkling Ice Starburst Fruit Punch
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Per the label, this Starburst drink features lemon, cherry, and orange. I’m no expert, but that sure seems like the three flavors leftover in a standard bag of Starburst after someone’s eaten all the pink ones because they’re the best. Did Sparkling Ice base an entire drink off of the three less-popular flavors in the most popular Starburst variety pack? Anyway, this just tastes generic. — Griffin Parker
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
- Sparkling Ice Peach Nectarine
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For ingenuity’s sake, I have to give Peach Nectarine Sparkling Ice credit: It really tastes like nectarine! Artificial nectarine, but nectarine nonetheless. That’s new and fun and fresh, right? Still, as someone who loves peach beverages (Peach Pepsi is my drink of the summer, thank you very much), this could have been better. But if you want to try something unique, it’s one of the Sparkling Ice drink flavors you should give a whirl. — Ariana Losch
Credit: Merc / Amazon
- Sparkling Ice Strawberry Watermelon
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Pros: This combo flavor actually does taste like both strawberry and watermelon. Amazing! It’s sweet and summery. Cons: The fake watermelon might remind you of the last time you chewed on a watermelon-scented eraser. (Just me?) If that’s not the kind of nostalgia you’re looking for in your Sparkling Ice flavors, well, keep reading. — Ariana Losch
Credit: Merc / Amazon
- Sparkling Ice Pink Grapefruit
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If you’re buying this, you’re getting exactly what you want. This is tart and sweet in that order. The grapefruit flavor is authentic, but not overpowering—no small feat, thinking back on past zero-sugar grapefruit drinks I’ve had. This would make a great substitute for Squirt in your next Paloma. — Griffin Parker
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
- Sparkling Ice Strawberry Lemonade
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Is the lemonade in the room with us? I’m not sure why they don’t just label it “Strawberry” Sparkling Ice. I won’t get caught up in false advertising, though. This is bright, refreshing, and probably something Starbucks would pour over bits of dried fruit and charge $5 for. I’m here for it. — Ariana Losch
Credit: Merc / Amazon
- Sparkling Ice Cherry Limeade
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Do you like the cherry part of Cherry Coca-Cola? Great, you’re gonna love this. It has a fresh, bright, clean cherry taste. (The official Sparkling Ice YouTube channel actually made a “Cherry Limeade Mule” tutorial, if you want to check that out.) — Ariana Losch
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- Sparkling Ice Starburst Cherry
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We’re cooking now, y’all. Starburst Cherry is absolutely a “candy” cherry flavor. I enjoy Wishniak sodas; “adjacent to cough syrup” isn’t a bad thing in my eyes. That said, if you’re the kind of person who finds certain cherry flavors too “syrupy” or flashback-inducing, this one might not be for you. — Griffin Parker
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
- Sparkling Ice Black Raspberry
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Now we’re getting into the good Sparkling Ice flavors. Black Raspberry Sparkling Ice packs a bold tartness and fresh—yes, fresh, not artificial—raspberry flavor on the finish. I had the urge to serve this with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. — Ariana Losch
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- Sparkling Ice Fruit Punch
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I wasn’t initially sold on Sparkling Ice Fruit Punch. And then I had the brilliant idea—wait for it—to try drinking it over ice. This might not be the mouth-staining, lip-pursing fruit punch from a juice box, but this bright seltzer is super refreshing. It’s fruit punch for adults, and I think that’s beautiful. — Ariana Losch
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- Sparkling Ice Grape Raspberry
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Sometimes, grape can go so wrong—and other times, so very right. When it comes to Sparkling Ice flavors, Grape Raspberry Sparkling Ice is bold. It’s tart, but not too tart. It’s pretty to look at. Something about this just scratches an itch. The flavor is mostly grape, but finishes on raspberry, but overall? This is one of the best Sparkling Ice flavors for people who would lay down their lives for a good grape soda. — Ariana Losch
Credit: Merc / Amazon
- Sparkling Ice Starburst Strawberry
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Sparkling Ice Starburst Strawberry is head-and-shoulders above the rest of the Starburst Sparkling Ice flavors. This is authentic to the original candy without being cloyingly sweet or a textural nightmare. Seriously, this somehow imparts the feeling left in your mouth after eating a Starburst candy. — Griffin Parker
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
- Sparkling Ice Orange Mango
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Here’s the deal: The mango flavor hits right at the beginning of each sip, and then disappears fully into orange. And you know what? That’s A-okay with me, because the overall effect is just so darn pleasant. It’s giving “spa.” (No, not hot tub water; I’m talking about ice water steeping with fresh fruit.) Do you wish you were at brunch right now holding a mimosa? First of all, same. Second of all, if it’s the middle of the work day, grab Sparkling Ice Orange Mango instead. It’s one of the best Sparkling Ice flavors, hands down. — Ariana Losch
Credit: Merc / Amazon
- Sparkling Ice Classic Lemonade
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Sparkling Ice Classic Lemonade Ice sets the standard for Sparkling Ice drinks flavors. It’s bright, zingy, and instantly invigorating. You can barely taste the artificial sweetener. Plus, there’s just something about the carbonation that hits different in this classic lemonade flavor. It’s extra bubbly, and tastes almost chic. This is the best Sparkling Ice flavor. I’m willing to bet that anyone who doesn’t agree would at least place it in the top three. — Ariana Losch
Credit: Merc / Amazon
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Lemon lime is my all time favorite, I will actually choose it over a regular Sprite.
I knew I shouldn’t have continued this list as soon as I saw strawberry kiwi at the bottom. The lemonade flavor isn’t even that good. It doesn’t even taste like lemonade at all!
Its sparking water not a soda ass head
Sorry, but you guys forgot to try pink grapefruit flavor. That one is probably the best flavor if not definitely in the top two.
15 flavors
Ice Tea lemonade 🧋
I’m surprised y’all couldn’t find the pink grapefruit flavor. It’s in Walmart, Food Lion, and even one of the three or four flavors carried by DG here in central NC. It’s my favorite, any I am by no means alone. As it is often one of the flavors that sells out before restocking.