I Tried 9 Of Aldi's Summit Energy Drinks And Ranked Them Worst To Best

Sometimes, we need a stronger pick-me-up than coffee, which is where energy drinks come in. Packed with caffeine (and often ingredients like taurine, B vitamins, and ginseng that are intended to help boost mental clarity and enhance focus), energy drinks have become a go-to choice for those looking to fuel their workouts or just get through the afternoon slump.

While there are quite a few energy drink brands on the market targeted at different demographics, their goal is the same — to give individuals an energy boost. As with most popular products, you can count on copycats to appear — in this case, we're talking about Aldi's line of Summit energy drinks. Just by looking at the can designs and flavor varieties, you can see how closely Aldi's products resemble some of the bigger energy drink brands, such as Monster, Alani Nu, and Celsius.

However, our aim here isn't to compare Aldi's energy drinks to mainstream brands. While there are some noticeable similarities, our goal is to determine which Summit energy drink flavors (from both the Gridlock and Waves product lines) are the best. To achieve this, I first assessed the flavor of each drink both in terms of quality and whether the taste matched the name and description on the can. I also judged the sweetness of each, determining whether it was too sweet, well-balanced, or not sweet enough. Finally, I looked for that distinct, chemical aftertaste that's present in many energy drinks (which some people love, and others don't). So, next time you're in Aldi seeking an energy boost to get you through the day, check this list to see which flavor you should grab.

Based on the can designs, Aldi's Gridlock range is the supermarket's answer to Monster, bearing a strong visual resemblance to the famous energy drink company's branding. Personally, I am not a huge fan of this type of energy drink, and I would always choose something like Alani Nu over Monster. So, to provide a more accurate assessment, I recruited my Monster-loving husband to help me with this particular taste test. I'm very glad that I did, especially for the Gridlock Paradise.

Before I could swallow my first sip, I had a good idea of where this flavor would end up in the rankings. However, I had to do my due diligence, so I deferred to my husband to make sure I wasn't exaggerating. I wasn't — he could barely get it down, either. All of the negative attributes that an energy drink could have — an artificial flavor, cloying sweetness, and that chemical aftertaste — were present here and dialed up to the max. I couldn't even tell you what flavor it was supposed to be. For all the reasons above, I had to rank it in last place.

Of Aldi's entire Gridlock line, this was the most similar to the original green Monster energy drink. While the flavor differs ever-so-slightly from classic Monster, you'd have to be very familiar with the latter to notice the difference on the first taste. It's your typical energy drink flavor — bright and sweet, with an almost tinny aftertaste — with hints of citrus, just like green Monster. Truthfully, it's not necessarily a bad flavor, but you'd have to really like the taste of classic energy drinks for this to be your number one choice.

Ultimately, it still tasted artificial and had that unpleasant aftertaste, so I couldn't rank it any higher than second-to-last. The only reason I didn't give it last place was because I could still identify specific flavor notes, and it wasn't so bad that I wanted to spit it out after the first sip.

I'm assuming that Gridlock Ultra White is supposed to be Aldi's version of Monster Zero Ultra, which Reddit users describe as tasting like grapefruit, pineapple, lemonade, and white gummy bears. However, Gridlock Ultra White tastes more like berries than gummy bears, with slight notes of cotton candy that jump out toward the end of each sip.

This one was certainly better than the previous two Gridlock variants, as it had the most pronounced and recognizable flavors. That being said, I really disliked how much it still tasted like a typical energy drink. It was overly sweet with a strong artificial flavor, and featured a noticeable tinny aftertaste. Again, if you love the distinct flavor of traditional energy drinks, you'll probably really enjoy Gridlock Ultra White, but if you want something that's a bit more balanced and natural-tasting, you should continue reading.

Since I'm slightly allergic to pineapple, I don't get to eat it as much as I'd like to, and I was excited to try Tropical Waves because it isn't made with real pineapple juice. Sadly, I was left disappointed. While the pineapple flavor was definitely present, it was almost entirely overshadowed by the addition of starfruit. Honestly, I've never eaten starfruit before, so it was difficult to assess how faithful this flavor was to the real deal. I can say that it missed the mark either way. 

Not only did Tropical Waves taste artificial, but it had a weird flavor profile that I couldn't quite put my finger on. I'm not sure whether that was thanks to the starfruit or something else. Ideally, Aldi would have paired the pineapple with a more complementary fruit, like coconut or mango. It wasn't so bad that I would never touch another — it was certainly more enjoyable than the previous Gridlock flavors, tasting less artificial and sugary overall — but I would definitely choose one of the higher-ranking energy drinks from this list.

Out of all the Gridlock flavors I sampled, Sunrise was by far the best. If the color of the can didn't give it away, this is supposed to be an orange-flavored energy drink; fortunately, it delivered. After the previous Gridlock energy drinks, I was bracing myself for an overwhelming fake orange taste. Instead, it reminded me of a high-quality orange soda.

Although orange is one of my favorite soda flavors, Sunrise still had that metallic energy drink taste on the backend, so I couldn't rank it higher. If it wasn't for that aftertaste (and the fact that Aldi's other orange-flavored energy drink blew this one out of the water), it could have potentially placed in the top three. None of the following flavors featured that lingering, tinny finish, so Gridlock Sunrise sits right in the middle of the pack.

I'm normally not a fan of watermelon-flavored drinks or candies, as I tend to find they taste too artificial. However, I was so surprised by my first sip of Watermelon Waves that I immediately took a few more, just to make sure it wasn't a fluke. Not dissimilar to fresh watermelon juice, the flavor was exactly what you would hope to find in a watermelon beverage. Unfortunately, this was the only positive note.

I tapped out after drinking a third of the can because, while the flavor was delicious, it was far too sugary. I didn't even realize something could be that sweet without tasting artificial, but somehow Watermelon Waves managed it. While it didn't have an unpleasant aftertaste, the flavor continued to linger in my mouth. It was so intense that I nearly had to brush my teeth to rid my mouth and tongue of the sticky sweetness, and it took drinking a full glass of water to completely cleanse my palate. If it wasn't for that fact, I would have ranked this one higher, because it was delicious. As not everyone will like this level of sweetness, it failed to break into the top three.

If you're a fan of blue raspberry slushies, you're going to want to run to your nearest Aldi and grab a can of Berry Waves. The first sip instantly took me back to my high school days, sipping fast food slushies with my friends. However, unlike traditional blue slushies, Berry Waves doesn't quite hit you with the same intense sugar rush. Now, don't get me wrong, this energy drink is still very sweet, but it's much more refreshing, like a slushie.

I would say that it's almost as sweet as Watermelon Waves, but the flavor is softer, and it doesn't have that never-ending aftertaste. Berry Waves is a great choice for anyone with a sweet tooth who doesn't want to be overwhelmed by the taste of sugar.  As I didn't feel the need to brush my teeth immediately after drinking this, it beat out Watermelon Waves in the rankings.

Out of all the Aldi energy drinks, Orange Waves was the one I was most excited to try, due to the rave reviews I'd seen on Reddit.  Multiple users compared it to Orange Crush soda, and many claimed it was their favorite energy drink in the Waves range. So, with this in mind, I came in with pretty high expectations. Thankfully, my expectations were exceeded — it really did taste like Orange Crush, and I quickly forgot that I was drinking an energy drink instead of a soda. It had just the right amount of orange flavoring and no detectable aftertaste.

Ultimately, if you like orange soda, you will not be sorry for choosing Orange Waves next time you're looking for an energy drink in Aldi. Ranking this flavor was extremely difficult, as it could have easily taken the number one spot. The only reason it didn't was because the top flavor was arguably better, but I admit that may come down to personal preference.

Out of all the Aldi energy drinks I sampled, I was the most shocked by Kiwi Guava Waves. While I don't dislike kiwi or guava, they're not fruits that I gravitate towards, and I couldn't tell you the last time I ate either one. However, this energy drink was easily the best-tasting of all those I sampled. Not only was it the most balanced flavor-wise, but it was also the most refreshing. It had just the right amount of sweetness, and I didn't have to guess the flavor of what I was drinking. With no aftertaste, it was almost like chugging straight kiwi and guava juice, rather than an energy drink.

Due to how light and refreshing Kiwi Guava Waves tastes, it's not something that I feel I'd need to be in a particular mood for. I still enjoyed many of the other flavors that I sampled, but many felt like they should be enjoyed as a rare treat rather than an everyday refreshment, and I could see myself drinking Kiwi Guava Waves on a regular basis. 

When it came to ranking the best Aldi Summit energy drink flavors, I focused on three main criteria. First, I assessed the overall flavor quality, including whether or not the name and description on the can accurately represented the flavor of the drink. Next, I judged the level of sweetness, preferring those with a balanced sweetness over those that tasted too cloying or weren't sweet enough. Finally, I tried to identify whether the product had a distinct, chemical energy drink aftertaste. While some people like that aftertaste, many don't, so I favored energy drinks that achieved a more balanced flavor profile and would appeal to a broader audience. I also gave preference to the energy drinks that I felt I could drink personally on a regular basis.