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Energy drinks – the 21st century’s version of coffee. These buzzy beverages absolutely exploded in the early 2000s, from a niche product, to a mainstream staple – so you will definitely want to know the low down, on all the best energy drinks on the market today.
One thing every product on this list will have – caffeine. And lots of it. However, there are tons of poor quality drinks out there, so we aggregated millions of actual customer reviews, and tested the best choices. Without further ado, here are the best energy drinks on the market.
Our Top Pick
Reign Total Body Fuel
Reign emerged from complete obscurity, to fairly quickly take over the entire energy drink market. With no sugar, great taste, and a boatload of caffeine – these drinks will definitely get you up and going.
We don’t recommend drinking one anywhere close to bedtime – that’s for sure. The usual suspects of BCAAs, electrolytes, and B vitamins are all here – and this drink easily got us into the gym every morning we drank it. It’s hard to go wrong with this one, and Reign is our top pick for the best energy drink.
Other Great Picks
Rockstar Sugar-Free Energy Drink
Rockstar is one of the most famous energy drinks, and they’ve been around for quite a long time. We don’t recommend getting the full sugar version of any Rockstar energy drink (as they will be terribly unhealthy), but we definitely recommend their sugar-free versions.
Packed with caffeine, good taste, and backed by decades of positive consumer feedback – it’s hard to go wrong with Rockstar’s products. While other energy drinks may offer a different taste, or slightly different amounts of caffeine – Rockstar is a legendary brand for a good reason.
Monster Energy Zero Ultra
Monster is perhaps the best known energy drink brand (at least this side of Red Bull), and their sugar-free energy drinks are absolutely delicious. With a wide variety of flavors (our favorite is the ultra red), you can easily pick your poison.
Monster drinks are a little bit less carbonated, so they’re generally a little easier to get down (especially quickly). They also offer many non-carbonated versions, like Rehab – so there’s truly something here for everyone.
VPX Bang
Bang energy drinks came out of nowhere to quickly grab a large share of the energy drink market. Perhaps best known for their high caffeine content and wild flavor names – we’re definitely a fan of the brand.
These drinks are definitely not low in caffeine, so many people will do just fine with only half of a can at a time. The flavors are truly wild, and we particularly like the cotton candy choice, as well as the rainbow unicorn variation.
5-Hour Energy Shot
5-Hour Energy is extremely famous in the energy drink world, and this shot is easily the best way to pull an all-nighter, cram for an exam, or pick up an early shift. If you want even more caffeine (and we only recommend this to pros) – try mixing this shot into another energy drink, for a truly potent mix.
Since you barely need to consume any liquid to get about 200 milligrams of caffeine, 5-Hour Energy is a great portable option for caffeine lovers. However, we do have to mention the one consistent complaint consumers have with it – the cough-syrup like taste – if you’re able to move past this, 5-Hour Energy is a great caffeinated choice.
Red Bull Sugar-Free
Red Bull was one of the earliest energy drinks on the market, and perhaps the one brand who has survived the longest. They do nothing fancy – just make great energy drinks, that get you amped.
While they have now diversified, and offer many different flavors, sodas, and more – we still think the sugar-free flavor is the best choice. Red Bull is always cheaper if you buy it in bulk, so we recommend hunting for the biggest pack possible – you won’t regret it.
Celsius Fitness Drink
With no sugar, no aspartame, and only 10 calories – Celsius is easily one of the healthiest energy drinks out there. Packed with B vitamins, as well as ginger extract – it also gives you a nice boost.
It’s on the lower side, in terms of caffeine (200mg per can), but this also helps keep it healthier. We don’t love the taste, but it’s certainly far from terrible – and many people love it. A great, slightly healthier, option.
V8 +Energy
V8 is of course most known for their vegetable juice. However, this healthier take on the traditional energy drink formula is really something else – and it’s backed by a ton of (real) glowing customer reviews.
With black tea and green tea providing the necessary caffeine, there are also 6 fruit and vegetable juices included, making this a truly unique energy drink. It should be noted that this drink is light on the caffeine (only 80mg per serving) – so this may not be for the caffeine heads out there. Otherwise, this is a fantastic (and unique) choice for an energy drink.
Zipfizz Healthy Energy Drink
We weren’t that aware of Zipfizz as a brand – but boy were we pleasantly surprised at the results we got, once we tested this product. Since this is technically a drink mix, simply place the powder into your favorite liquid, and enjoy.
You can put it in Gatorade, soda, another energy drink (be careful with that idea), juice – or anything you can dream up. Since this comes in tubes, Zipfizz is also extremely portable – which makes it a winner in our book. Backed by a myriad of great customer reviews, this is another stellar choice.
Mountain Dew Kickstart
Mountain Dew is mostly known for their traditional soda, but Kickstart has become pretty popular in its own right. We do have to mention that this contains sugar – a decent amount, if you drink the whole can.
So we recommend drinking half of a can at a time, or simply mixing it with other (sugar-free) energy drinks. This easily tastes the best of any choice on our list, but since all the other choices are lacking in sugar, this is not surprising.
What Are Energy Drinks?
Energy drinks are simply caffeinated beverages (sometimes carbonated, though not always) which are packaged and marketed as an alternative to coffee. The closest comparison would be a very caffeinated version of diet soda.
Energy drinks were not really popular (or even really manufactured widely), until Red Bull hit the American market in the late 1990s. Within 10 years, they became ubiquitous, as the market continued to grow.
Nowadays, the energy drink market is now capped at over $50 billion dollars a year. Not bad, for just two decades of existing.
What Are The Benefits Of Energy Drinks?
Energy drinks make many marketing claims on their packaging. However, the one true benefit of energy drinks is getting a caffeine boost.
There may be other (albeit small) benefits to energy drinks, like more electrolytes, BCAAs, B vitamins, and enhanced focus – but these benefits are generally very small in practice. Nonetheless, some consumers report greatly enhanced energy and focus, as some are more sensitive to the effects of energy drinks than others.
What Is The Best Time To Take An Energy Drink?
About 20-30 minutes before your main activity, is generally the best time to consume an energy drink. This will allow the caffeine to get into your bloodstream, and start to work its magic.
Consuming an energy drink an hour before exercise is still effective. Any longer than this though, and you likely won’t get the full impact of the drink.
Energy drinks are not best consumed any time near sleep – as they can keep you wide awake. Cut off all caffeine sources about 6 to 8 hours before bed, as much as possible.
Are Energy Drinks Effective For Hydration During Sports Or Exercise?
Energy drinks are generally not great for hydration during sports or exercise. That is because they contain large amounts of caffeine, which is a diuretic.
This means it can actually dehydrate you – not optimal. However, some energy drinks (such as Rockstar’s Recovery line) contain both sugar and electrolytes – meaning they could potentially work for hydration during games.
Mostly though, we recommend consuming an energy drink before a game. During the game, opt simply for water, or a sports drink (like Gatorade).
How Many Energy Drinks Can I Have In A Day?
We would not recommend more than one energy drink per day. However, many blatantly go over this limit.
They are risking adrenal fatigue, sleeplessness, and many other downsides. We do not recommend more than 200 milligrams of caffeine per day, with a maximum upper intake of 400 milligrams.
400 milligrams would be one energy drinks, and two additional cups of coffee – so it’s quite a bit of caffeine. The less caffeine you have, the better most people tend to sleep – so it’s always wise to minimize your overall intake.
How Long Does It Take To Feel The Effect Of Energy Drinks?
Energy drinks are effective very quickly – entering your bloodstream within about 10 minutes of consumption. It takes about 5 hours for 50% of the caffeine to leave your body, which is where 5-Hour Energy got its name from.
What Is The Difference Between An Energy Drink And A Sports Drink?
Sports drinks are another very popular beverage in the United States (as well as worldwide). They are loaded with electrolytes, as well as sugar – but usually lack the carbonation and caffeine found in energy drinks.
On the flip side, energy drinks are largely sugar-free – though sugared versions still exist. They also often have added BCAAs, as well as B vitamins – which sports drinks usually lack.
Another key difference is that energy drinks will often be for after (or during) intense exercise. On the other hand, energy drinks are often consumed as a pre-workout beverage.
Are Energy Drinks Bad For You?
There is a popular conception that energy drinks are bad for your body. However, this is a misconception, as sugar-free energy drinks are really on par with coffee.
However, neither of these two drinks is needed to have a balanced diet, and both are not so great when consumed regularly. However, neither has been proven to be harmful in the long run, so both coffee and energy drinks are regarded as safe (though we do not recommend consuming energy drinks with large amounts of sugar).
Are Energy Drinks Worse Than Coffee?
There is not really an accepted answer here – energy drinks and coffee both have pluses and minuses. On the one hand, energy drinks are carbonated, and the substances in energy drinks (and there are many) may be bad for your teeth, as well as for your body.
This is especially true of artificial sweeteners, as no one really knows the long term effects of the many artificial sweeteners used in energy drinks. However, coffee is very acidic, and can wreak havoc on many people’s stomachs.
Additionally, it stains your teeth, and is made with many substances (including pesticides, in some cases). Ultimately, it’s a bit of a draw, and green tea is technically healthier than both options – or simply opting for no caffeinated beverage at all.
However, 90% of the world drinks coffee daily, and almost as many drink energy drinks on a daily basis. So you’re not alone in consuming either of these psychoactive beverages.
The Best Energy Drinks
There you have it, our top picks for the best energy drinks on the market. Whether you want a natural drink, with only 80 milligrams of caffeine – or a fully loaded one with 300 milligrams of caffeine – we’ve got you covered.
Energy drinks are certainly not necessary, but many people love them. If you’re a coffee drinker, you may just want to stick with that, and only occasionally have an energy drink, for an added boost.
However, for others, energy drinks are a way of life. College students, athletes, shift workers, nurses – many of them love the quick rush of downing a Red Bull (or another brand of drink).
Whatever your preference may be, there has never been more choice than there is now, in the energy drink sector. And if you loved this list of the best energy drinks – be sure and check out some of our other great product reviews.