As tastes change and health trends evolve, seltzer water has become a better-for-you soda replacement for some, and for others, a more flavorful way to up their water intake. The sparkling water sector as a whole has been on fire in recent years and is expected to continue growing; market research firm BlueWeave Consulting projects a 9 percent annual growth rate through 2028. While the category’s mainstays are going nowhere anytime soon, there’s a bunch of new and exciting brands popping up with innovative recipes that range from simple flavorings to the addition of juice, or tea infusions.
Bubbly water is here to stay, and store shelves and fridges are more stocked than ever with options both familiar and new. With countless flavors and infusions to choose from, VinePair tasted dozens of sparkling waters across the most popular brands to pare them down to the best ones offered on today’s market. Here are the 12 best sparkling waters and seltzers to buy now.
Sanzo Calamansi Sparkling Water
A foil to the many one-note citrus flavors on the market, Sanzo’s Calamansi flavor offers zippy, balanced notes of tangerine and lime that stand out from the pack. The brand — which touts itself as the first Asian-inspired sparkling water — offers an array of unique seltzers, each of which is made with real fruit puree. The result is a seltzer that’s light enough to sip like water, but flavorful enough to keep you coming back for the next sip. Also notable is Sanzo’s Lychee flavor, which is pleasantly floral and fruity.
Price: $30/ 12-pack 12 oz. cans
LaCroix Pamplemousse Sparkling Water
With as many dedicated fans as it has haters, LaCroix is one of sparkling water’s best-known names at this point. So if you have strong feelings about the brand (and whether you pronounce it la-kwa or la-croy), you’re not alone. While some feel LaCroix doesn’t pack enough of a flavor punch, its Pamplemousse flavor has a cult-like following for good reason. Where some grapefruit seltzers leave an overwhelmingly bitter aftertaste, LaCroix offers just a whisper of zesty citrus that remains bright from start to finish without turning sour on the back end.
Price: $4.50/ 12-pack 12 oz. cans
Sound Sparkling Water Blood Orange with Vanilla & Black Tea
For health-minded sparkling water sippers, Sound’s unsweetened offerings made with entirely organic ingredients offer bold flavors without the heavy sweetening agents found in many sodas and juices. This one is made with black and green teas — imparting a small amount of caffeine — as well as vanilla and orange extracts and is full of small, active bubbles that tickle the tongue. Blood orange aromas dominate the nose as soon as the can is cracked, followed by a creamy creamsicle flavor profile. Lovers of cream soda will covet this flavor as an unsweetened alternative.
Price: $30/ 12-pack 12 oz. cans
Hal’s New York Seltzer Water Lime
A New York staple, Hal’s is known for its widely available, flavorful seltzers, potato chips, and more. Its down-to-earth, old-school aesthetic offers a nice change from the design-forward cans lining store shelves, as it’s clear the brand’s focus is on flavor. Hal’s offers a variety of fruity options, but its Lime seltzer stood out for its soft bubbles and subtle yet refreshing profile. Born in 1940, Hal’s is budget-friendly and a true old faithful.
Price: $1.50/ 20 oz. bottle
Spindrift Lemon Sparkling Water
A longtime favorite among the VinePair team, Spindrift was one of the first brands to infuse its sparkling waters with real fruit juice. Each of the brand’s offerings impressed our panel, but none stood out like the Lemon flavor. Refreshing and vibrant, this seltzer’s citrus twist tastes as real as it gets. Where many lemon-flavored sparkling waters fall short and taste more like watered-down lemonade, Spindrift Lemon is bright and balanced without tasting saccharine or artificial.
Price: $26/ 24-pack 12 oz. cans
Poland Spring Raspberry Lime Flavored Sparkling Water
The bright sweetness of freeze-dried raspberries takes center stage in this highly flavorful sparkling water. The berry is complemented and calmed by the sourness of lime, creating a truly balanced beverage that’s brought to life by large, bursting bubbles.
Price: $6/ 8-pack 17 oz. bottles
Canada Dry Seltzer Water Lemon Lime
Canada Dry has been on the market since the early 1900s and its products — especially its ginger ale — have remained fan favorites. Its Lemon Lime seltzer is highly effervescent, with a flavor profile that Sprite fans will covet. If you’re looking to make a mindful swap from soda to seltzer this year, this makes a great, relatively affordable alternative.
Price: $8/ 12-pack 12 oz. cans
Topo Chico Mineral Water Twist of Lime
There’s no sparkling water with a following like Topo Chico’s. The Mexican-founded, Coca-Cola-owned brand is known for its sleek glass bottles sealed with non-screw bottle caps, which keep its fine bubbles active and sharp. Its Twist of Lime flavor adds a subtle juiciness to its highly effervescent mouthfeel, and makes for an ultra-easy Ranch Water (just take a couple gulps from the bottle and top it off with your favorite tequila — no lime wedge required). Serve this one extra cold for the ultimate sparkling experience.
Price: $6/ 4-pack 12 oz. bottles
Sap! Ginger with Lemongrass Sparkling Water
Swap your ginger ale for this lower-sugar alternative. Sap!’s products are all made with tree sap (hence the name), giving them a natural sweetness that balances some of their herbal and spice-driven flavors. Its ginger-lemongrass combo is made with water from Vermont birch trees, is highly carbonated, and packs a gingery punch. We like it as a stomach settling digestif.
Price: $25/ 12-pack 12 oz. cans
Recess Black Cherry Infused Sparkling Water
Think of this as Dr. Brown Black Cherry’s hippy-dippy sibling. Made with hemp and adaptogens and promising to keep drinkers calm, cool, and collected, Recess’s Black Cherry flavor is made with cherry tea for a slightly tannic beverage ideal for bold flavor seekers. Rather than tasting like a cherry candy — as many of its competitors do — Recess is light and never veers into sticky territory. The result is a balanced drink that still manages to be refreshing. As for those mood-enhancing claims? We’ll let you decide for yourself.
Price: $30/ 6-pack 12 oz. cans
Liquid Death Sparkling Water
Liquid Death Sparkling Water was in a fraternity in seltzer college and won’t let you forget it. Despite its hyper-masculine, lightly threatening branding (which promises to “murder your thirst”), Liquid Death’s “tall boy” sparkling water impressed our tasting panel with its pillowy mouthfeel and buzzy bubble structure. With a clean and crisp flavor (the brand also offers “Mango Chainsaw,” “Severed Lime,” and “Berry It Alive” varieties), this is a seltzer for water snobs — the ones who can tell the difference between Essentia and Dasani. Whether you shotgun it or sip it slowly, Liquid Death deserves a spot in your fridge this year.
Price: $16/ 12-pack 17 oz. cans
San Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water Original
What can we say about good old San P that hasn’t been said before? Invented in 1899 in San Pellegrino Terme, the mineral water brand is unabashedly Italian in its chic simplicity, arguably rising to become the gold standard for the entire category. While many modern brands attempt wacky flavor combinations and over-the-top labels, San Pellegrino keeps it simple, effervescent, and always refreshing with every green bottle.
Price: $8/ 8-pack 11 oz. cans
