We've decided to rate some of the most popular soda brands on the market to help save you
the time and sugar rush that would come from trying them all yourself.
We've covered everything from colas to orange soda, all in a ranking from worst to best.
Let's just be honest here, okay?
Mountain Dew is not good.
You probably know about Mountain Dew because of its signature lime-green color, one that
looks like it belongs more in a chemical factory than it does beside your lunch.
These days, consumers want something that looks more natural and, frankly, digestible.
On both counts, this soda definitely does not fit the bill.
"What do you have to wash that awful taste out of my mouth?"
"Mountain Dew or crab juice."
"Blech!
Oh!
Jeez!
I'll take a crab juice!"
But what's even worse is the fact that it doesn't even taste good.
Its vague, green citrus flavor is much worse than other citrus sodas we've tried, for one.
And don't even get us started on the disasters that are the other flavors, which are also
aggressively colored and named.
And while many sodas are on the sweet side, Mountain Dew seriously goes over the top when
it comes to sugar.
Surge is technically a Coca-Cola brand, but it has its very own identity and unique taste
apart from the cola empire.
And while it may be slightly less stomach-turning than Mountain Dew, it's still not a soda we'll
be stocking in our fridges anytime soon.
You see, this soda was a cult classic in the '90s, but it eventually left store shelves.
So when it came back into production in the mid-2010s, people got excited to try the drink
they remembered from so many years ago.
But tastes change and nostalgia doesn't forgive all sins.
We're guessing that, for many, the actual flavor of Surge came as a surprise.
It definitely doesn't taste remotely like citrus.
Instead, it tastes like what massive food companies thought citrus tasted like in an
era where we were all eating way too much processed and pre-packaged food.
We think that Surge deserves to stay in the past.
Before we say anything else, we just want to point out that we actually really love
the flavor of root beer.
However, that doesn't mean we have to like every single root beer brand on the market.
Unfortunately, Mug Root Beer is just not doing it for us.
Mug Root Beer is actually part of the Pepsi brand, but there are much better brands in
the company portfolio out there.
The Soda Jerks summed it up with their review of the drink, commenting on its watery taste
as compared to other root beer brands.
While Mug Root Beer may not be the absolute worst soda on our list, we still wouldn't
waste our time with it if there were other options available.
Haven't heard of Dr. Brown's soda before?
You're not alone.
Now, is it worth it to give it a try?
Well, that depends on what you're really looking for in a soda, but we would argue that you
should probably just pass it up if you want the best possible soda experience available.
Dr. Brown's is most known for its cream soda which sadly leaves a lot to be desired.
There's nothing about the flavor that sticks out or makes it special.
Rather, it's just kind of bland and a lot more watery than you might expect, too.
The carbonation isn't that intense, either, so, you're probably not going to want to spit
this stuff out, but it certainly shouldn't be your first choice.
Here's another citrus soda that you may have on your radar: Sun Drop.
If the name rings a bell, you probably remember the brand's quirky commercials that attempted
a certain kind of humor but didn't quite succeed.
Overall, this is not a great soda.
However, it is better than a lot of the other, more well-known citrus sodas out there.
The actual flavor is not intense, to the point where you don't taste the citrus much at all.
This is great for those who want something a bit lighter, but don't get your flavor hopes
up too much yet.
While the citrus taste is less intense when it comes to this soda, there is a distinct
downside to Sun Drop.
It's a lot sweeter than some of its citrus soda competition, so while, yes, it's great
that it goes down more smoothly, we definitely don't want anything that's even sweeter than
Mountain Dew.
For many, that's literally the opposite of refreshing.
A&W Root Beer is perhaps one of the most classic root beer brands out there, with a lot of
name recognition.
We'll admit, it's not our favorite root beer brand of them all, but it does the trick if
it's all you can find at your local vending machine.
Still, there's not too much that's interesting about this brand, which does little more than
offer up the root beer status quo.
It's sweet but not too intense, which means it likely has wide appeal.
That being said, don't expect to be blown out of the water by a bottle from this company.
This is a plain, somewhat boring drink that you probably won't want to go out of your
way for.
If you do try it, though, you're not likely to complain.
Soda brands that offer a variety of fruit-flavored drinks are generally most associated with
the orange flavor, but then they add to the collection from there.
Our least favorite of these brands is Crush.
Crush claims to be the quote, "original orange soda," so we'll give them credit for creativity.
That doesn't mean, however, that they're the best such brand on the market.
The original orange Crush is good.
It's super sweet, but it still has that artificial orange flavor you're looking for when it comes
to orange soda.
However, we can't get on board with the brand's other flavors as much.
The grape and grapefruit flavors are just okay, meaning that they're nothing to write
home about, but we would drink them if they were in front of us.
Some of the other flavors, though, just aren't tasty at all, and while a strawberry-flavored
soda sounds good in theory, it's really not very palatable in practice.
While the flavor of the orange soda balances this brand out, overall, its selection is
lacking.
Pepsi is one of the biggest names in soda, and it owns a ton of other soda brands.
But you can't mess with the original.
Pepsi hit the market just 13 years after Coca-Cola, so it's been around for quite a while.
Nowadays it may be well-known now for that cringy Kendall Jenner commercial referencing
police brutality, but this soda's flavor is still what most people think of when the brand
comes to mind.
We hate to say this because we know it's a controversial opinion, but Pepsi just isn't
as good as Coke.
It's fine on its own, with that typical cola taste, but it has some flaws when compared
to the actual good stuff.
It's a bit watery, for one, and it even feels flatter than other colas out there.
At the same time, we think it also tastes less sweet than a lot of other sodas, which
we appreciate.
While we certainly wouldn't turn down Pepsi at a restaurant, we think we speak for most
people when we say we'd ask for a Coke first.
Even Pepsi seems to know that's the case.
"I'll take a Coke."
"Is Pepsi OK?"
"Is Pepsi OK?
Is Pepsi OK?!
Wow!
Are puppies ok?
Is a shooting star ok?
7UP is an iconic soda — and perhaps one of the most notable citrus sodas out there.
It's a classic brand, and it's one that you probably won't have problems finding at a
local restaurant or a nearby grocery store.
The flavor is light and crisp, though it may be more on the sweeter side than many would
like.
It does have a lot of carbonation, however, which has earned it a higher place in our
ranking for the bubbly mouthfeel.
In addition to the classic citrus flavor, you can also snag this soda brand in a cherry
variety.
We're not huge fans of the cherry, though, and we'd never choose it over the original.
The zero-sugar options aren't great, either.
One thing that this soda does have going for it, though?
It tastes amazing when used as a mixer.
If you're looking for an easy way to bring some more flavor and fizz to your cocktails,
7UP is a really good option.
Since it has that sweetness to it, it can really mellow out the harsh flavors of liquor.
Stewart's isn't one of the best-known soda brands out there, but you might still want
to try it if you're curious about other options.
This brand is most known for its root beer and cream soda, both of which are solid.
We're going to warn you: These drinks really are sweet.
But even with all that sugary flavor, we still think that this is a great brand overall.
There are other flavors that you'll likely want to try as well —The grape soda is seriously
really good and doesn't taste as artificial as some grape sodas you'll find.
But as far as we're concerned, the Key lime soda is the best of the bunch.
Schweppes is perhaps one of the most recognizable ginger ale brands on store shelves.
You may be thinking that ginger ale is only a good option to drink when you're feeling
unwell, but that's just not the case.
In fact, it can be delicious in its own right.
While Schweppes may not live up to the status of the very best sodas on the market, we can't
deny that it does taste great.
First, there's the classic ginger flavor, which is surprisingly light.
While the ginger ale does have a touch of sweetness to it, the original isn't too sugary,
which we prefer.
But it doesn't stop at the original.
The dark ginger ale has a deeper, richer flavor that's a bit more complex.
Sounds like a good base for a cocktail right?
And don't worry if you're not a fan of plain ginger ale because Schweppes also sells raspberry,
grape, and black cherry versions, too.
We have to admit that these flavors aren't as good as the original ginger ale, but if
you'd prefer some fruitiness to your soda, you may still like them.
Our advice?
Don't write Schweppes off just because ginger ale isn't the first soda to come to your mind.
There's one citrus soda that rises above all the others, and that's Sprite.
It's got that lemon-lime flavor you love without any caffeine.
It's also light, crisp, and refreshing in a way that'll make you want to take one more
sip — then another, and another.
And while Sprite may taste sweeter than brands like 7UP, that intense carbonation makes it
hard to notice how much sugar you're downing.
You can find both ginger and cherry-flavored Sprite, but they're not particularly tasty.
And when it comes to the tropical mix Sprite?
We don't suggest trying it.
Like most other sodas out there, we don't really like the alternative sugar options
either.
But because the original is so good, it still ranks toward the top of our list.
Another thing that might make you love Sprite: according to Atlanta magazine, it's an excellent
hangover cure.
When it comes to a delicious root beer, you can't go wrong when you choose Barq's.
This may be a controversial opinion, but we think that it's the best of the root beer
brands you'll be able to find at your local grocery store.
That's because Barq's root beer has a certain kind of "bite" to it that's sweet and spicy
at the same time.
That kick sets it apart from the competition, and it has countless people coming back for
more time and time again.
Plus, it's also really amazing in root beer floats.
Admittedly, it can't quite stand up to the competition once you add other types of soda
to the mix.
But if you're an avid root beer fan and are looking for the best of the best, you simply
have to try Barq's.
Faygo may not have the very best flavor compared to other soda brands, but when it comes to
selection, you really can't go wrong with this company.
There are so many different sodas for you to choose from just within the Faygo brand.
Ultimately, no matter what flavor you like, you can pretty much guarantee that Faygo is
going to carry it.
From traditional cola to fruit punch to pineapple orange to grape, you're going to want to try
just about everything at least once.
Of course, that sort of variety means that there will be some misses alongside the hits.
After all, have you ever really wanted to drink cotton candy soda?
Too bad, because you're going to get it from Faygo.
On the other hand, you'll also get to choose from favorites like black cherry and the relatively
well-balanced raspberry blueberry.
Since these flavors are so hit and miss overall, you just have to give them a try and see what
you think for yourself.
Crush might be decent, but if you want an orange soda that's really going to impress,
turn to Sunkist instead.
Sunkist isn't overly sweet, though it does have a touch of sugar that makes this drink
seem just a bit indulgent.
And despite its neon orange appearance, it actually is exceptionally refreshing.
It may not be our favorite orange soda brand, sure, but it certainly gets the job done on
a hot summer day.
Like a lot of the other soda brands we've covered, though, the best product this brand
sells is its original orange soda.
There are other options available, but they're just not as good as the basic orange flavor.
However, when your flagship product is as good as the plain orange Sunkist, it doesn't
even matter that much how your other ideas turn out.
You didn't think we would forget about Coca-Cola, did you?
Coke is absolutely iconic in the soda world.
In fact, it's so entrenched in American culture that, in some parts of the country, "coke"
is used to refer to the entire category of soda.
It's been around for well over a century, and it doesn't look like it's going anywhere
anytime soon.
There's something about that brown fizzy drink we all love, and no, it's not the cocaine
- they took that out in 1903.
By all measures, Coca-Cola is far too sweet, but we love it anyway.
"So he added a ton of sugar and then he made it into like a drink, you know he thought
'Oh well, people will love this."
It has a rich, intense flavor that's similar to root beer in some ways but also more subtle
and less pronounced.
It's not spicy, per se, but it does have a slight bite that sets it apart from other
colas on the market.
Of course, you know all about the different types of Coke you can find lining store shelves.
Some of the most popular include cherry and vanilla Coke.
Are they good?
It depends on your preferences.
They both taste even sweeter than the original, so keep that in mind if you want to try them
out.
Truthfully, Coke shouldn't taste as good as it does, but we can't help but love it anyway.
When you try New Wave Soda, you'll get something a little unexpected — and that's exactly
what we love about it.
These days, more and more people are turning their noses up at soda and deciding to drink
sparkling water instead, given that it isn't packed with a bunch of extra sugar.
But at the same time, you may not want to miss out on the caffeine in soda.
If that's your problem, it looks like New Wave Soda might be your solution.
This brand combines 85% sparkling water with 15% natural fruit juice to create delicious
flavors you'll love.
But the best part?
There's also caffeine added to the mix — but not too much, and since each drink is less
than 30 calories per can, you don't have to worry about drinking more than one in a day.
The soda is available in different flavors, but the grapefruit, blackberry, and tangerine
varieties are the best.
If you're looking for something different, this soda is it.
If orange soda is your thing, then you must know that Fanta is where it's at.
It's super sweet, yes, but the artificial-tasting orange flavor with the heavy carbonation somehow
makes it really drinkable.
They come in a variety of flavors, but the orange flavor Fanta really is the best of
the bunch.
If you're not from the U.S. or you've taken a vacation elsewhere in the world and ordered
a Fanta, you may realize that you don't get the same drink.
If you get an orange Fanta in Italy, for instance, it's more likely to taste like carbonated
orange juice than the artificial-tasting American stuff.
The color is bound to be quite a bit lighter, too.
But really, no matter where in the world you get Fanta, you can bet on it tasting pretty
darn good.
Finally, we've arrived at the best of the best.
The indisputable champion.
The soda we always want to be stocked in our fridge.
It's the famous Jarritos brand, hailing from Mexico, which has reached new levels of popularity
in the United States over the past several years.
Why do we love them so?
First of all, there's the way these drinks look.
They're super colorful, but not in a weird, toxic, Mountain Dew-looking way.
They're also served in glass bottles, which makes them seem both nostalgic and high-quality.
Perhaps that's why you'll see this brand popping up all over social media — the drinks just
look amazing in pictures.
There are a ton of different flavors, from pineapple to mandarin to tamarind, that you
won't find many other companies offering.
And the best part is that all of these flavors are excellent, with nary a dud amongst them.
And if you ever frequent trendy bars, you'll see that this soda brand is on the non-alcoholic
section of the menu more often than you might expect.
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