As a person with low-level anxiety, I truly never thought I’d become an energy drink connoisseur, but here we are. At this point, I’ve tried pretty much every flavor of Monster, Ghost, Reign, and, of course, Celsius—and I haven’t pulled off my face even once! Thought about it. But didn’t do it. Anyway, as an energy drink expert, I’d describe Celsius as an energy drink for the everyperson. It’s definitely designed for active people, but the brand’s lineup of appealing fruit flavors and slimline cans make it way more accessible than the brands that seem like they’re tailor-made for teenage gamers. And two new Celsius flavors just dropped for summer!
You can now glug either Strawberry Kiwi Celsius or Watermelon Lemonade Celsius as you prepare for your rigorous workout or to sit at your desk all day—dealer’s choice. We tried both and I gotta say, one new Celsius flavor is worth seeking out.
Pros: Sounds refreshing, right? Well, it basically is. All Celsius drinks are, thanks to their mild, shimmery carbonation. This new Celsius flavor also has a bright, fruit punchy aroma that hits you like a wallop when you open the can.
Cons: Okay, I realize the pros section was short, and that’s because this new Celsius flavor is sort of lackluster. It doesn’t taste like lemonade. It doesn’t taste like watermelon. There’s a whisper of tang that sort of suggests this is meant to taste like something that’s lemon adjacent, but I probably wouldn’t have noticed it if I hadn’t tasted this alongside another flavor. Like all Celsius flavors, this is very sweet because it’s zero sugar and sweetened with sucralose, which is incredibly potent. I kept taking sips to try and place the flavor and just couldn’t do it. It’s a generic fruitiness you can’t quite pin down. There are lots of better Celsius flavors.
Pros: Do you miss the ‘90s? Sure, we all do (that’s a Sally Struthers reference and if you REALLY miss the ‘90s, you picked up on it). Well, Strawberry Kiwi Celsius is for you. This has the light body and light fizz of Celsius, but the flavor is pure Snapple. One sip transported me back to my high school cafeteria, where we had both Snapple AND Fruitopia vending machines. What a world. Does this taste like kiwi or strawberry? Not really. It tastes like kiwi candy and strawberry candy, but that’s what we expect from this flavor profile.
Cons: This is also very sweet (again, sucralose), but kiwi strawberry drinks always lean sweet, so it works.
Howdy! I’m Gwynedd, Sporked’s managing editor. I live in Los Angeles and have access to the best tacos the U.S. has to offer—but I’m a sucker for a crunchy Old El Paso taco night every now and then. I’ve been at Sporked since 2022 and I’m still searching frozen mozzarella sticks that can hold a candle to restaurant sticks.
Why you should trust me: I’ve been a journalist for 20 years (yikes), a consumer of food for 40-plus years, and I’m truly hard pressed to think of foods I don’t like (or that I can’t tolerate at the very least). Oh and one time I cooked my way through Guy Fieri’s cookbook and wrote about the journey through Flavortown.
What I buy every week: Trader Joe’s Original Savory Thins. Fat free plain yogurt (usually Fage or Nancy’s). Honeycrisp apples. Sweet cream coffee creamer for my at-home Americanos. A frozen cauliflower crust pizza and some jarred mushrooms to top it with. Old El Paso Stand ‘N Stuff taco shells and Gardein Ground Be’f, even though I think “be’f” is a nightmarish contraction.
Favorite ranking: Stouffer’s frozen dinners. I don’t own a microwave (I get my cancers the old fashioned way!), so I love taste testing things that I don’t really buy to eat at home.
Least favorite ranking: Soy sauce. Don’t get me wrong, I love soy sauce—but consuming that much sodium in one sitting is probably illegal in some countries. Our frozen enchilada taste test was a close second; the smell of microwaved corn tortillas still haunts me.
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!
Gwynedd Stuart
Jessica Block
Matt Crowley
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!