Ranking 19 La Croix Flavors From Worst To Best

It's official: Super sweet sodas are out, and flavored sparkling waters are in. They have the intense fizziness you crave from a soda but don't have that syrupy feeling that leaves you thirstier than before. They're delicious, satisfying, refreshing — everything you want in a cold drink. And although there are countless sparkling water brands out there, one of the most popular brands is La Croix. The brand's seemingly '90s-inspired, colorful cans advertise a wide range of flavors from the simple (like the classic lemon) to the more unexpected (like the pastéque, also known as watermelon).

With so many different options to choose from, you may not know what flavor to pick up the next time you're in the drinks section of the store. Luckily for you, we've done some backbreaking research to determine which flavors are worth trying and which are better left on the shelf. Honestly, we're huge fans of the brand, so we can't say that any of the flavors are bad options, but here's how we think the different flavors stack up, ranked worst to best. Choose which one sounds best to you, and happy sipping.

If you love coconut water, there's a chance that LaCroix's Coconut flavor is going to be one of your favorites in the lineup. It has that combination of a full-bodied, thick mouthfeel that still leaves you feeling hydrated — just like what you'd expect from coconut water. But if you ask us, that sensation with carbonation isn't a completely pleasant experience. It felt like they couldn't decide what kind of drink they wanted to make and decided to switch it up halfway through.

What's more is the fact that, although this beverage isn't actually sweet (as it doesn't contain any sugar), it does leave you feeling like you just drank something sweet. It's not super pleasant if you're not craving something with a warmer flavor profile, which probably isn't what you want when you grab sparkling water. We think this flavor would work best mixed with an espresso and accompanied with a slice of lime, where that coconut flavor is really allowed to shine.

First up is a flavor we were really hopeful about: Limoncello is a lemon-flavored Italian liquor that's both incredibly sweet and tart. Sipping on the stuff after you've finished your dinner on a hot summer night is a massive pleasure, so we were excited to capture a bit of that feeling in the LaCroix LimonCello flavor. However, we were a bit disappointed with what we got. Of course, considering that LaCroix doesn't contain any sweetener, we weren't really expecting this drink to be sweet, but it seems like LaCroix replaced all that sugar with a slight vanilla flavor.

If you like vanilla Coke, then this LaCroix flavor is probably going to do it for you. But for us, that slight hint of vanilla was unnecessary. It masks the more refreshing, citrusy flavor of the drink. Of course, the LimonCello flavor could work well as a mixer, if you're trying to make a LaCroix cocktail or a fun virgin drink. But when it comes to a LaCroix that we'd want to sip all on its own, we can't say that the LimonCello flavor would be our first choice.

We had high hopes for the Beach Plum flavor of LaCroix, but unfortunately, we weren't too impressed. Does it taste like plum? Kind of! But, not really. When you first take a sip, you get a fruity, plum-like flavor, but it doesn't seem that strong. In fact, this flavor seems like one of the least intense options. But once you let the aftertaste kick in, it's easier to pick up on that plum flavor. The problem is that, like the pastéque, it tastes kind of artificial. Not really in a bad way — it's just not what we're looking for. That intense aftertaste makes the drink slightly less refreshing, but it's not bad enough to keep us from downing a can on a really hot day if there weren't any other options.

Although we were disappointed by this flavor (because it sounds so good!), we don't want to be too hard on LaCroix. Incorporating natural plum flavor into a drink isn't too common, and we think the brand got relatively close to their target. However, with so many other LaCroix flavors that we absolutely love, we couldn't rank Beach Plum any higher on our list.

Is there anything wrong with the Lemon flavor of LaCroix? No. So, why is it so far down our ranking of LaCroix flavors? Basically, there's just not that much going on here. You get that slight lemon flavor you'd expect, and it's good, but it's not particularly exciting. And considering you can get lemon-flavored sparkling water from pretty much every other sparkling water brand, there's nothing that sets LaCroix apart from the pack. Since LaCroix can be more expensive than other generic sparkling water brands, we probably wouldn't opt for this one over another brand's.

That being said, you know exactly what you're getting with this product. Sparkling water and lemon are a classic combo, so you're not likely to be disappointed with the essence of lemon. We just don't think it's worth paying a premium to get LaCroix lemon-flavored sparkling water, but if you're super loyal to the brand and citrus is your go-to, you're going to love every sip.

Like the lemon sparkling water, the Lime LaCroix flavor is nothing too out of the ordinary. Pretty much every brand of sparkling water is going to sell a lime flavor. However, we happen to enjoy LaCroix's lime slightly more than other lime sparkling waters we've had on the market. It's not a super-noticeable difference, but it seems like LaCroix's lime is tarter than others we've tried, and we're here for it. That extra touch of tartness makes every sip more refreshing, and it gives the bubbles even more zip.

One of the reasons we like the lime flavor so much is the fact that it's just super simple. You're not going to have to guess if you're actually going to like this drink — you pretty much know what you're getting into. Sometimes, we don't want anything too wild and would rather stick to the classics. When that's how you feel, the refreshing Lime LaCroix is the way to go. We didn't give this LaCroix flavor a higher ranking simply because it's not extra-special or groundbreaking, but it's a solid option you almost certainly won't regret.

Red fruit flavors are some of the most reliably enjoyable flavors out there, which is why you'll see so many strawberry, raspberry, cherry, and cranberry-flavored products in the grocery store. The Razz-Cranberry flavor combo from LaCroix is a great example of this kind of flavor's popularity. Can you really pick up on the raspberry or cranberry notes specifically? If you ask us, not really. Rather, you're just going to get a generally fruity-flavored drink. That being said, that kind of mild, unremarkable taste makes this flavor especially drinkable — pretty much nobody is going to turn this stuff down.

The Razz-Cranberry is not our absolute favorite LaCroix flavor, but it's pleasant enough that we would keep some stocked in our fridge for whenever we felt like a bubbly pick-me-up. If you're looking for a solid, generic sparkling water that has just the right amount of flavoring in it, you're probably going to be a fan of the Razz-Cranberry flavor from LaCroix.

You know that we're already big fans of lime LaCroix, but you may be wondering why there's a key lime sparkling water in addition to the standard lime. How could the two citrus flavors possibly be that different? But we're here to report that there's a big enough difference to land these two LaCroix flavors on our ranking list in different positions. Although we love the refreshing simplicity of the plain lime flavor, Key Lime LaCroix ranks as one of our favorite citrus flavors of the bunch.

First of all, this sparkling water features the tart acidity you would expect from anything lime-flavored. It's lovely, light, and not overwhelming at all, which makes this drink a solid option for sipping solo. But then, you get an added touch of something special: The key lime flavor seems to have a sweetness to it — LaCroix invokes the flavor of a graham cracker crust. That makes this flavor feel a little more two-dimensional.

Key Lime laCroix isn't always available at your local grocery store, so keep an eye out to snag this flavor when they get it in.

If you ask us, passionfruit is one of the most elite fruits in the world. The nondescript pinkish-brown exterior of the passionfruit hides luscious, juicy, yellow seeds if you break into it. There's little in the world that's more refreshing than those lovely, thirst-quenching seeds, which is why we think the Passionfruit flavor of LaCroix is so perfect. The brand seems to capture the essence of passionfruit perfectly while providing customers with an ultra-refreshing sparking water that doesn't get old after the first few sips.

This drink tastes a little tropical, but we wouldn't really describe it as sweet. Rather, you're mostly picking up on the tart flavors here. However, that's not to say that this flavor is too simple — it has just enough complexity to keep things interesting. And because we generally don't see other sparkling water brands offering passionfruit-flavored drinks, we think that LaCroix was pretty creative for coming up with this flavor. Snagging a spot in our ranking list in the top three, the Passionfruit LaCroix is a no-brainer when it comes to the best thirst-quenching LaCroix options.

Sometimes, you just want to go back to the basics, which is why the Pure LaCroix flavor is one of our all-time favorites. Pure is, as the name suggests, the least fussy of the flavors, probably because it's actually not technically flavored at all. Rather, it's just plain sparkling water. When you want a drink that's ultra-refreshing, there's nothing better than the plain, unadulterated stuff, especially when it's hot outside, and you want to take a huge swig of your drink.

We also love that the Pure flavor is so versatile — you can use this water for pretty much anything you want to add bubbles to. Need some fizz in your mocktail? Pour in some Pure LaCroix. Want to transform your tea into a sparkling beverage? This unflavored water is the best way to go. Of course, you can pair your LaCroix with whatever else you're drinking, but we think it's at its best when it's plain with nothing else but a slice of lemon.