Reddit Says These 8 Bottled Water Brands Are Far Above The Rest

What brand of bottled water is the best? It's a surprisingly contentious topic considering that the vast majority of people may not notice a difference from bottle to bottle. Many of the most committed water drinkers (hydro homies, in the parlance of our time) advise against buying water bottles in the first place, and instead encourage people to spurn plastic and get a good water filter for their home. But old habits die hard, and there's something to be said for the convenience of pulling an ice cold bottle from the fridge and taking it along with you for the day.

As everyone knows, the best way to get a strong opinion about a niche topic is to consult Reddit. So, when the question of the best bottled water brands was posed to r/water and r/HydroHomies, there were a wide range of answers. Perhaps to no one's surprise, nobody said Dasani, which is commonly considered one of the worst-tasting water brands out there. It is a bit surprising, however, that Aquafina, the brand of water Americans like the most, didn't show up often at all.

Evian is a pretty common brand of water, but something about it feels fancy; perhaps its the elegant pastel blue-and-pink color scheme, perhaps its the silky smooth finish that's especially refreshing on a hot day. Whatever the case, this water bottle hailing from a spring in the French Alps is a popular choice. "It's so smooth and delicioussss," said one Redditor — and with four s's at the end, you know they mean business.

Bottled on the remote island nation in the South Pacific, Fiji Water is a little more expensive than some of the other options on this list. But many water drinkers insist that it's worth it — and not just for the irresistible Frutiger Aqua aesthetic of its packaging. (Or is it vaporwave? We defer to the aesthetic historians out there.) One commenter on Reddit said, "Fiji when I'm feeling fancy or going on a roadtrip." Live a little, y'know?

Some people question whether Poland Spring can really be called spring water since the eponymous water source near Poland Spring, Maine is now closed to public consumption? That's up for debate, but Poland Spring remains a popular water brand all the same. "It's the only bottled water I buy for myself," said one commenter on Reddit. Another said, approvingly, "Poland Spring here, stuff goes down like water." (We wonder why!)

Sourced near Hot Springs, Arkansas, Mountain Valley Spring Water (which is called The Mountain Valley on the label, like it's The Ohio State University or something) was offered at the White House by several presidents, including Dwight D. Eisenhower and Bill Clinton. It also has some fans among common water drinkers. "Mountain Valley is my absolute favorite. Green glass bottle!" cheered one commenter. (The use of glass bottles rather than plastic is sure to be a considerable point in its favor among water drinkers who fear microplastics.)

Admittedly, the name is a bit presumptuous. What are you implying, SmartWater? That everyone who drinks Evian is a big dummy? That's not very sporting! But it's easy to forgive when you get one of those giant bottles of cool, clean water in hand. Just ask one r/HydroHomies commenter, who declared: "SmartWater is the GOAT. Not even up for debate." (If there wasn't a debate we wouldn't be here, but point taken.)

How many brands of bottled water can say they come from a spring that was once owned by the Medici family? Acqua Panna can. It's sourced from a spring in the Apennine Mountains of Tuscany, which was once the domain of the most powerful family in Europe. But today it can be yours, provided you buy it from its current owner, Nestle (which also owns many other brands). "The glass bottled ones are the best," said one Redditor.

This trendy water brand is owned by a Chinese company and beloved by influencers (one of whom claims to spend $2,000 a month on Voss water delivery), but it's best known for its distinctive glass bottle that makes it look like a prop in some speculative fiction movie from the 1980s. It has more than a few fans in the water community, although one warned, "Voss has incredibly low ph and will rot your teeth." We haven't seen any influencers wearing dentures lately, so you're probably in the clear.

Listen, we can't all spring for Voss or Acqua Panna. Some of us have to hold it down at Costco. But if you're like some of the hydro homies on Reddit, you'll find that's not such a bad thing. "Kirkland Signature all the way here," said one fan. "Kirkland all the way. Aqua [sic] Panna if I'm splurging," echoed another.