Our Honest Review of New Celsius Hydration Packets

I don’t know if you’ve heard the news, but Celsius is getting into the hydration game with a brand new line of electrolyte powders. We tried two of their new hydration flavors: Celsius Lemon Lime and Arctic Cherry. It’s the first time Celsius has ever released a caffeine-free product—I’m pretty curious to know if these new Celsius drinks will taste at all like their energy drink counterparts. Will they bring the same bold flavors? Should Liquid I.V. be concerned about the new competition on the market? Let’s find out. 

Allow me to speak my truth for a second: as a brand, Celsius intimidates me. Most of the people I know who drink Celsius products are just a bit too cool for my personal comfort. Dorks don’t drink Celsius, is what I’m saying. (They will, occasionally, consume a single Red Bull if they’re feeling wild, and then call it a month.) Given all the hype around hydration drinks lately, I’m not surprised to find Celsius nosing their way into the trend. That’s what cool people do. They don’t always set the trends, but they certainly coast on in at the right time. (I say all of this with love, Celsius. Your clientele is cool because, let’s face it, cool people have great taste. Anyways, onto the review.) 

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New Celsius Drink!

Celsius Hydration Lemon Lime

Amazon

Pros: Hey, Celsius Lemon Lime is certainly not the worst electrolyte powder I’ve ever tried. That sentence might not bode very well for the pros column, but it’s probably the extent to which I can praise this new Celsius drink. I’ve heard some people say it’s really similar to Liquid I.V.’s lemon lime flavor. I didn’t get that; I recall Liquid I.V. having a lighter, brighter flavor that isn’t so acidic and sharp. But hey, maybe give it a try to see for yourself? It’s not bad. 

Cons: To me, this new Celsius drink is straight citric acid. (Unsurprisingly, citric acid is the very first ingredient.) Other than that, it’s sorta forgettable, like a flat, watered down, more acidic Sprite. To my memory, it’s not very similar to their lemon lime energy drink, either—Celsius energy drinks are mostly sparkling, so maybe a little bit of fizz helps. I’m sorry, Celsius. I warned you I wasn’t cool enough to review these.

Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon

Rating:

5.5/10

Sporks

New Celsius Drink!

Celsius Hydration Arctic Cherry

Amazon

Pros: My first thought was that this tasted like a tangier Blue Gatorade. My second and more refined thought: It’s actually very similar to Cherry Kool Aid. Plus, it comes much closer to tasting like a Celsius. 

Cons: For a product line debut, these new Celsius drinks aren’t really doing much to separate themselves from what’s already out there. The only reason I’d reach for these over other brands is because they’re competitively priced ($12.99 for 14 packets, where Liquid I.V. is almost twice that for 16). But in terms of flavor, I’m a little underwhelmed. 

Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon

Rating:

7.5/10

Sporks