5 Aldi Flavored Sparkling Waters Ranked

I love cracking open a brisk can of sparkling water — and can't tell you how many times the 12-ounce bubbly beverage made my evening a little better. Those small products can make a difference sometimes, and it's even better if you find them at affordable prices. Truthfully, I've been looking at various grocery stores, from Albertsons to Costco, to find the best prices paired with the best flavors for these beverages. So I was really interested to see how Aldi's PurAqua Belle Vie flavored sparkling waters could compete.

I tried everything it offers as of this writing — a cool five options — and ranked them by flavor and versatility. I wanted a prominent flavor that delivered on its promised notes; in other words, it should be refreshing and good enough to finish the can without leaving a drop. It was also important to me that there are uses for a flavor beyond simply drinking it as sparkling water, since each option comes in a 12-pack. Let's figure out how Aldi's small number of current selections rank, and which of its sparkling water flavors you should add to your cart first.

Let me introduce the general makeup of the sparkling waters here before we get started: They all come in a carton with a dozen 12-ounce cans. They're all zero calories and sugar-free, so they offer a lighter sip than other Aldi sparkling drinks — like its selection of Frost Waters or Aldi Summit sodas. 

At the bottom of the ranking, we have the Blackberry PurAqua sparkling water. It simply doesn't taste like blackberry. Instead, it has a floral aroma and a slightly floral flavor that turns somewhat medicinal as it hits your mouth, then lingers there well after. This creates a funky combination and isn't something I would want to drink, but I'm sure it could appeal to a certain variety of drinkers. In addition to that, I find it isn't versatile enough for many other applications.

I think this would overwhelm a lot of things that you might mix with it, particularly because it's quite fragrant. The aroma and flavor are a little too intense and don't deliver much blackberry at all, so this is the easiest option for a last-place pick. As for me, I will stick with Soleil Blackberry Dragon Fruit sparkling water (which I buy at Albertsons or any Albertsons Companies brand), because it tastes considerably better and showcases that you can find a more balanced blackberry flavor out there.

I thought the Strawberry flavor might be the medicinal one, but overall it's pretty lackluster. It has a noticeable strawberry-inspired scent right when I crack open the can, kind of like those 1990s lip balms, but the flavoring itself is very light. It's almost like the flavoring dissipates upon opening; it's on the tongue for a second, but it's barely there. I wanted more fruity notes, and for that reason, it ranks quite low. The next three are considerably more interesting and authentic in flavor, so fourth place is the only place for strawberry to go.

I think this could be helpful if you want to build on it, perhaps by adding some fresh strawberries sliced or even muddling the fruit, then pouring the can over it (so you minimize eliminating the carbonation). As it is, the Strawberry PurAqua does not curb any type of fruit or berry craving and ultimately doesn't hit the spot. I would not feel inclined to purchase this again, especially since you have to work through a dozen cans. Stick with Nixie's Strawberry Hibiscus sparkling water if you genuinely want the berry's flavor.

Lemon is a classic sparkling water flavor; many variety packs include a lemon option because it's so well known and enjoyed. Aldi's version hits the general mark, delivering a lemony sipper. This has a nice, familiar, easily buildable thingy flavor. It also has a hint of bitterness that really makes it taste like a lemon. I think this would be the perfect addition to a classic Lynchburg cocktail recipe, since it already calls for sparkling water, lemon, and lime. It can play with fruit flavors without adding any sweetness, unlike a lemon-lime soda might.

I certainly like it better than the previous two flavors because it at least tastes like the fruit it's named after, and doesn't have any overarching issues. However, it simply isn't the most interesting or the most worthwhile option among the five I tried. Let's just say I would eventually finish the 12-pack of lemon sparkling waters, but I would reach for the top two more frequently.

I have seen and tasted grapefruit sparkling waters quite often, as it's yet another incredibly popular flavor. PurAqua's Belle View Grapefruit option has an ideal balance of the tart notes grapefruit is known for, with a bit of floral flavor toward the end of the sip. This creates a unique yet balanced combination that makes it a compelling flavor to keep in your fridge, and enough to earn second place in these rankings.

It's a mellower citrus flavor (compared to something like blood orange or lime) and makes a tasty sparkling water. I could see this being a great option for sitting by the pool or just for dinner, but it would work well in cocktails and mocktails of all kinds.

Try this in a sparkling Cynar cocktail instead of the standard seltzer; it would pair nicely with the grapefruit juice. I think the somewhat tart notes would work well with something like ribs where you want a drink to balance out the fattiness. There's really no wrong way to sip on this, and it would make a stellar sipper for parties and entertaining when you want to offer canned beverages instead of sugary options like soda and juice.

I think there should be a study on why lime-flavored sparkling waters fare so well. Lemon Lime was deemed the top flavor from Waterloo, and Raspberry Lime was Trader Joe's top contender. Lime is ultimately my Aldi PurAqua champion, as well (cue Queen's "We Are The Champions" song). I must say that it is incredibly refreshing and lime-forward. It smells like lime and tastes like lime. I think that's part of why lime sparkling waters work so well; it's already bitter and not as intensely flavored as other fruits, like a juicy sweet strawberry, for example.

Additionally, if you're wondering how lime compares to lemon, the latter tastes noticeably somewhat tart and bitter, with a flatter flavor, whereas the lime is more well-rounded. It almost tastes like you added a fresh squeeze of lime to a plain sparkling water, and that's just about as good as it gets. These are an ideal option for entertaining guests or family without something heavy like a cocktail or a soda. You can incorporate other fruits or even fresh herbs like mint to add some fresh flavor. This is the top sparkling water I'd buy again and consistently choose from the fridge.

I judged the sparkling waters by taste-testing them directly out of the fridge. This way, they were as cold and refreshing as possible, since I find that briskness can bring out the flavors and bubbles in a beneficial way.

I ranked these sparkling waters from least interesting or strange flavors, to the tastiest and most balanced. I wanted a pleasant fruit flavor that was neither overwhelming nor too understated. The drinks were consumed consecutively, taking a few sips of each to form overall impressions. I mixed and compared sips afterward to better understand the differences (such as between lemon and lime). I enjoyed three out of the five, so I'd stick with those if you want an affordable sparkling water.