The 9 Best Grapefruit Sparkling Water Brands — Based On Carbonation, Flavor, And Price
Today’s the day to put down that La Croix and try a new brand of grapefruit seltzer.
Sparkling water, or seltzer, is all the rage these days. The market grew from $3.61 Billion in 2016 to $24.51 billion in 2020 and is expected to continue growing at a fast pace(1). Every time I visit the grocery store it seems like there is a new brand of sparkling water in the aisles. There’s flavored, unflavored, alcoholic, non-alcoholic, canned, bottled, or organic, among many other options. So how do we know which one is the best? Well, I’ve tested the nine most popular brands of seltzers and rated them so you don’t have to.
Note on flavor: grapefruit flavor was selected for all of the following brands to keep consistency in ratings.
1. PurAqua Belle Vie Grapefruit Sparkling Water
I would give up every other store in the world for Aldi. Okay, maybe that was a little dramatic, but Aldi is absolutely amazing. And their house brand of seltzer is no different. They have the perfect amount of bubbles, not too flat and not too overpowering. The flavor is great, reminiscent of real grapefruit, and there’s no hint of artificialness. And the best part? THE PRICE! At twenty cents per can, PurAqua Belle Vie comes in at the cheapest price of all the brands tested. With a great price, great flavor, and perfect carbonation, there is no downside to trying Aldi’s in house brand of sparkling water.
Carbonation: 5/5
Flavor: 4/5
Price: $2.39 for (12) 12 oz cans — unit price: $0.20/can
2. Good & Gather Grapefruit Sparkling Water
Who doesn’t love Target?! They’ve got everything a person could need, and that includes sparkling water. Good & Gather is Target’s in house brand of items and they make an awesome grapefruit sparkling water. Scoring the same as Aldi’s PurAqua Belle Vie, Good & Gather is at the top of the list for carbonation and flavor. The only reason they rank lower than Aldi is price. At thirty-seven cents a can, Good & Gather is almost double the cost of PurAqua Belle Vie. The price is high for an in house brand of seltzer but if you can’t get to an alternative store, Target is your second best choice.
Carbonation: 5/5
Flavor: 4/5
Price: $2.99 for (8) 12 oz cans — unit price: $0.37/can
3. Bubly Grapefruit Sparkling Water
Bubly is a great sparkling water brand with fun packaging. The brand has 6.2% of market share which is amazing considering they are a newer company launched in 2018 with much less history and brand awareness than the other top seltzer brands. Bubly is a solid choice for sparkling water but if I had to come up with a criticism, it is a bit too bubbly and can be overpowering when first opened. The grapefruit flavor is subtle but great tasting, and the price is just a bit lower than other name brands. If I had to recommend one name brand of seltzer, Bubly would be my choice.
Carbonation: 4/5
Flavor: 4/5
Price: $3.69 for (8) 12 oz cans — unit price: $0.46/can
4. Wegmans Brand Grapefruit Sparkling Water
Wegman’s brand items are usually a home run when it comes to flavor and quality. Their sparkling water brand is no exception. The carbonation is just about right and the price is great for an in house brand. The grapefruit flavor is subtle but has no bitterness, which is nice. I would prefer a little bit more of the grapefruit flavor but for the price and carbonation, Wegman’s brand seltzer is a great choice.
Carbonation: 4/5
Flavor: 3/5
Price: $3.29 for (12) 12 oz cans–unit price: $0.27/can
5. Spindrift Grapefruit Sparkling Water With Real Squeezed Fruit
Spindrift is an interesting brand. It is categorized as a sparkling water, but it is not sugar and calorie free like many other seltzers. There is real fruit juice added to the sparkling water, rather than sugar free natural flavors used in most other seltzers. It has that little bit of bitterness you’d expect from grapefruit while finishing with a subtle sweet aftertaste. Spindrift was rated top for flavor because they are able to achieve that real grapefruit taste that no other brand on this list can due to using real fruit juice. However, Spindrift also rated lowest when it came to carbonation. They are classified as a sparkling water, but every time i’ve opened a can of Spindrift, it doesn’t have that sizzle or bubble that a carbonated can should have. If you are someone that wants the flavor, but not all the carbonation, Spindrift may be the choice for you. But don’t forget your wallet, because Spindrift ranks highest on our price scale, coming in at almost quadruple the cost of a can of PurAqua Belle Vie.
Carbonation: 1/5
Flavor: 5/5
Price: $5.99 for (8) 12 oz cans–unit price: $0.75/can
6. Polar Ruby Red Grapefruit Seltzer
Polar is a well recognized brand that has been making seltzer for more than 200 years. They know their market and keep things simple. After tasting Polar’s Ruby Red Grapefruit Seltzer, I was neither greatly impressed, nor disappointed. A middle-of-the-road type seltzer, Polar has extra bubbly carbonation and moderately strong flavor. The flavor is one dimensional, and gives off a bit of candy taste rather than the more bitter taste you’d expect with grapefruit. The price is on the lower end of name brand seltzers. There was nothing I didn’t like about Polar’s grapefruit seltzer, but it wouldn’t be my first choice on the shelf.
Carbonation: 3/5
Flavor: 3/5
Price: $3.69 for (8) 12 oz cans–unit price: $0.46/can
7. Waterloo Grapefruit Sparkling Water
Waterloo is another newer sparkling water brand, releasing their first product in 2017. Just like Polar, Waterloo grapefruit sparkling water is a middle-of-the-road seltzer. It has an average carbonation level, leaning towards less bubbly. The flavor is great and resembles a real grapefruit, but is very subtle. There is no unpleasant aftertaste which I appreciate. It is on the higher end of pricing for name brand seltzers so I’d probably go with a cheaper, more flavorful alternative before choosing Waterloo.
Carbonation: 3/5
Flavor: 3/5
Price: $3.99 for (8) 12 oz cans–unit price: $0.50/can
8. Kirkland Signature Grapefruit Sparkling Water
Kirkland Signature items are usually a great price and great quality. Their version of sparkling water sort of hits the mark. Something to note is that you can’t buy an individual flavor, their seltzer comes in a mixed pack of 32 cans in lemon, lime, or grapefruit flavor. I found the carbonation to be overwhelmingly powerful and the flavor to be super underwhelming. The smell and taste does not evoke grapefruit and is a little too earthy for my liking. The only shining quality of Kirkland Signature’s sparkling water brand is the price. It comes in at twenty-three cents, the only brand coming even close to beating Aldi’s price. But you do have to buy in bulk to get that price, as with most items at Costco.
Carbonation: 3/5
Flavor: 2/5
Price: $7.49 for (32) 12 oz cans–unit price: $0.23/can
9. La Croix Pamplemousse Sparkling Water
Anyone who drinks sparkling water has heard of La Croix. The brand takes up 13.7% of sparkling water market share, more than double of other brands on this list. Their pamplemousse flavor (fancy, French name for grapefruit) is their most popular. However, I was disappointed with it on all levels. Right after opening the can, I was greeted with a slight artificial scent that was followed by an even more artificial tasting sip of seltzer. Nothing about the taste or smell was reminiscent of real grapefruit juice. With one of the higher prices per can, especially compared to in-house brands, I don’t see myself ever picking up a case of La Croix at the grocery store.
Carbonation: 3/5
Flavor: 1/5
Price: $3.99 for (8) 12 oz cans–unit price: $0.50/can
Carbonation Winner: Good & Gather Grapefruit Sparkling Water
Flavor Winner: Spindrift Grapefruit Sparkling Water With Real Squeezed Fruit
Price Winner: PurAqua Belle Vie Grapefruit Sparkling Water
Overall Winner: PurAqua Belle Vie Grapefruit Sparkling Water
When factoring in price, flavor, and carbonation, PurAqua Belle Vie comes out on top as the best grapefruit seltzer brand. You just can’t beat twenty cents a can.
As you can see from this list, sparkling water isn’t going anywhere. It’s only going to expand in future years, with reports expecting the industry to grow 11.8% from 2020 to 2027. Until then, I’ll stock up on Aldi’s PurAqua Belle Vie Sparkling Water and wait for the next great seltzer brand to emerge.
