I have been drinking sparkling water at every lunch consistently since eighth grade and it has quickly become my most favorite drink and proves to be a great alternative to sugar loaded sodas. After tasting these six brands several times based on when they went on sale or whether we were shopping at Costco of Fry's, I have developed an ordered list from my favorite down. I hope you enjoy reading it and I would encourage you to go out and try some seltzer water for yourself!
1. LaCroix Curate
Flavor of Choice: Cerise Limon (Cherry Lime)
LaCroix Curate is far and away my favorite sparkling water. Its dual flavor mix gives it a nice sweetness without being overpowering in every sip. Like all the sparkling waters on this list, it is free of any sugar, calories, or sodium. A 24 count variety pack usually retails for $8.99 at Costco, but especially when it goes on sale, LaCroix's Curate line is a good way to go for any sparkling water connoisseur.
2. LaCroix
Flavor of Choice: Pamplemousse (Grapefruit)
One of the most well known brand names of sparkling water, I believe LaCroix lives up to expectations. Out of the flavors I've tried from LaCroix's arsenal, I am impressed by the subtlety of the flavor that is present in every sip. It also holds its flavor and sparkle for a fairly long time. A 24 count variety pack usually retails for $6.39 at Costco and the three flavors in the pack change based on the season.
3. Kirkland Sparkling Water
Flavor of Choice: Lemon
This might be surprising to see a generic brand of sparkling water earning the bronze, but Kirkland's line of seltzer, in an attempt to profit from the overlap between people who shop at Costco and people who drink sparkling water, is the best imitation of the LaCroix brand. Its three flavors (lemon, lime, and grapefruit) capture the citric acidity and delightful sparkle of any high level seltzer, for a fraction of the cost, at $7.49 for a 32 count variety pack.
4. Bubly Sparkling Water
Even though this is one of the most popular sparkling water brands on the market, my main issue with Bubly is the truly too overpowering flavor. Unlike the first three, I find it a little bit more difficult to drink a full can in one sitting, despite the nice sparkle and large variety of flavor choices. A 12 count single flavor pack retails at Fry's for $5.75.
Flavor of Choice: Grapefruit
From the newly opening convenience store, Aldi, in Chandler, this off-brand sparkling water was hard to rank in how it compares to the Kroger brand. I have to say, it was very close, but Belle Vie took the slight lead to Kroger because of its crispness upon opening and solid flavor (though still faintly present). All in all, I would recommend it as a grocery store seltzer if an Aldi is close to you and it comes in at a very affordable $2.99 for 12 cans.
Flavor of Choice: Mandarin Orange
Coming in at #6 on this list is Kroger's brand seltzer, definitely a knock off generic brand, but a decent alternative, especially when it's not directly compared to higher level seltzers. There are many flavors to choose from including dual flavors and they all do taste uniquely different. My main complaint is that it tends to start tasting flat much faster than its competitors. A 12 count single flavor pack retails for just $2.79 at Fry's.
7. Aha Sparkling Water
Flavor of Choice: Orange+Grapefruit
A low level name brand, Aha sparkling water is dead last on my list for a couple reasons. With all dual flavors, one would think that the drink would be very flavorful, but instead it is hard to pinpoint specific flavors and it tends to taste a little bitter. The citrus flavors are slightly better than the others because citrus tends to work best with the bubbles. An 8 count single flavor pack retails for $3.99 at Fry's.
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