I Tried 5 Diet Colas Other Than Coke And Pepsi To See Which Is Best

Imagine a world where Coke and Pepsi don't exist. Those of us who remember the Cola Wars can hardly do such a thing. But that is the mindset I had to put myself in for this tasting. Personally, I am a Diet Coke diehard. When I go to a restaurant, order a Diet Coke, and hear that all-too-often asked question, "Is Diet Pepsi okay?" I politely switch to water because no, it isn't.

Diet Coke is my primary drink of choice. When I visit a friend's house, I bring a couple of extra cans with me because many of my friends are on the sparkling water kick, which I refuse to join. If I go on a trip, I take a 12-pack. I literally always have a Diet Coke with me. And yes, I do drink plenty of water and my morning coffee to round things out. But without my faithful Diet Coke, I would be severely depressed and dehydrated, I'm certain.

However, for this tasting, I had to pretend that my beloved soda was no longer an option. And were that the case, which diet cola would I be switching to? In a world with neither Coke nor Pepsi, where would I turn? With that incomprehensible dystopia firmly set in my mind, I set out to find a replacement that I would enjoy drinking copious amounts of. And here is how the alternatives ranked.

Fans of Sam's Diet Cola seem to drink it for its affordability, claiming it doesn't taste as good as Diet Coke or Diet Pepsi, but the price is definitely right. At the time of this writing, at $9.87 for a 24-pack of 12-ounce cans at Walmart, that is hard to argue with. However, there do seem to be complaints about commonly finding a damaged can or two among the cases. Regardless, there are households that find these concessions worth making.

The 2-liter I purchased was definitely not flat, as the soda foamed significantly while pouring. But as it hit my tongue, I immediately understood the flat taste that some reviewers online had complained about. It also felt like there were two levels of sweetness that smacked me in the palate, one slightly subdued and the other incredibly loud. And between the two, there was no carbonation to speak of. I know it was there, as I had witnessed its appearance only moments before. But when drinking it, there was no burn or tiny bubbles to be had.

Overall, this felt and tasted very much like slightly thick water that had been doctored up with too many packets of Sweet'N Low. Were this the only diet soda to be had, I would switch back to regular or go without soda altogether. And that is why this falls to the bottom of the list.

Zevia hit the market in 2007, before its sweetening component, stevia, was widely used and approved by the FDA. Today, however, Zevia pulls in over $160 million in annual revenues with its variety of clean sodas, energy drinks, and teas. And when I say clean, I mean don't be surprised when you pour this zero-calorie soda, and it is as clear as water. Zevia zero-sugar soda has no artificial sweeteners, flavors, or colors.

I went in with an open mind when I tasted this and was taken on a bit of a ride with it. The prickles of carbonation were the first thing to hit my tongue, and I appreciated that. Then the sweetness came in, and it wasn't bad, but rather well-balanced and slightly less intense than some of the others, which I liked. There was a strange flavor, however, that did seem to blossom towards the end and after the swallow. It stayed on my palate, looming with an almost antiseptic and slightly floral taste. I didn't particularly care for that at all.

While this wasn't horrible and actually tasted very similar to the zero-sugar RC before blossoming into strangeness, I don't know that I could drink this very often, if at all, due to its final flavor notes. The aftertaste was too off-putting to my palate. And while it would be better than nothing, it solidly falls here on the list.

RC takes me back home. I am acutely aware that many people are not familiar with RC, as I have been told by my friends who surround me now in the city. Back in the country, Royal Crown Cola was the alternative soda to the fancy, more expensive Coca-Cola. We also had Ski, Nehi, Mr. Pibb, and Faygo to offer us a variety of options. So, I was extremely happy to have RC Zero Sugar in this tasting to possibly introduce to our readers another diet soda alternative.

I'm happy to say that this version tasted very much like regular RC. Sadly, I don't think that will mean much to many people. RC has a very different taste profile from other sodas. Underneath the sweetness, the caramel, vanilla, and spice notes of the soda, there seems to be a plain carbonated water aesthetic that breaks through. It offers a bluntness that both highlights and maintains the sweet factor, but it can seem a little odd at first.

And that was the main taste profile this zero-sugar version offered. There was a great carbonation factor and a sweetness that wasn't over the top and didn't taste artificial. While this was definitely better than the ones ranked lower in carbonation and flavor, it didn't offer the full flavor of the ones that rank higher. And on the aftertaste, it also fell a bit flat. That is why I have to put this option in the middle of the list.

Summit is a brand of Aldi beverages that offers a diet cola. Since I am new to Aldi and still trying many of its products, I thought I would throw its brand into the mix to see how it stacked up. And when I cracked the can and began to pour it, I was happy it was a contender.

Upon first taste, I noticed that the sweetness factor of the cola wasn't as high as that of the lower-ranked ones, but it was the first and foremost flavor. But when comparing it to the other sodas, this one tasted less artificial. There was no real aftertaste, although it did seem to leave a residue. The carbonation was a secondary element to the sweetness and tingled the tongue after the taste made an appearance. However, I would have liked it to be higher.

There was also a depth to this cola that most of the others did not have. There was a rich, citrusy, spicy soda flavor that rounded out the profile more than the lower-ranked contenders. In all actuality, I feel like the Summit cola created something that tasted akin to a watered-down Diet Coke. And while it hurts me at a personal level not to place this in the number one spot due to that aspect, the next soda just delivered more in flavor, carbonation, and overall satisfaction.

Kroger's Big K brand of diet soda receives mixed reviews from drinkers, with some finding it better than Diet Pepsi or Diet Coke, while others simply note that it's not bad for the price and is better than plain carbonated water. Not incredibly high accolades, but people continue to buy it.

I was impressed by the immense amount of carbonation this had. It took quite some time to pour a glass, as the bubbles did not settle easily. I felt that this was a good indication of the carbonation I was going to be getting, and I was right. Tiny prickles danced across my tongue as soon as I took my first sip. There was also an accompanying sweetness and spiciness to it that brought it to a higher level in taste.

In all honesty, this actually tasted very much like a thinner version of Diet Pepsi, as some of the reviews had described. There was a larger taste of cola about it that I didn't get from the ones ranked lower. The profile was fuller with a bolder sense of spices. And it also fully delivered on carbonation. I can see how fans of Diet Pepsi could easily make the switch to this diet soda. And while the Summit diet cola does resemble Diet Coke, I have to say Big K beats it in overall diet soda satisfaction.

Each soda was chilled for 24 hours in my refrigerator before tasting. Subsequently, each soda was then poured over a glass of ice and tasted immediately. I used crackers and lemon to cleanse the palate between brands. But once I had tasted the first notes and flavors of each soda, I did taste them side by side to get a better comparison.

I went looking for something that could replace my long-beloved Diet Coke, were that ever to become necessary. If I wanted a diet soda alternative and my number one choice wasn't available, what would be my number two? I wanted something I would enjoy drinking almost as much. Something that was flavorful and refreshing that could be enjoyed numerous times throughout the day. And I can't believe the number one spot went to a soda that tasted very similar to Diet Pepsi, but it did.

Big K seems to have it together the best out of all of these alternatives. As far as carbonation and flavor being successfully brought to the table and well-balanced, I have to give it up to this Kroger brand. If Coke and Pepsi somehow cease to exist in the near future and diet soda drinkers are left with only these alternatives, I'll be choosing Big K. But let's all hope that never happens.