What Kind of Water Do You Drink?
What Kind of Water Do You Drink?
Tap, filtered, bottled, flavored, with or without bubbles — we talk about what we're drinking and why
To help beat the summer heat, more of us are toting around water (well, except for Mark, who, as Kate says in the audio, she’s never seen carrying around a flask or bottle of water away from home). And whether that means we’re filtering tap water and filling up flasks, buying bottled water, or cracking open our favorite flavored seltzers, we’re doing just about all of it.
Bottled water has become more popular since the beginning of the pandemic, with accelerated growth in the first half of 2020 in part due to stockpiling, according to Gary Hemphill, managing director of research for New York-based Beverage Marketing Corporation. “Both still and sparkling waters are growing, but sparkling has seen greater growth in recent years due to consumers migrating from carbonated soft drinks and some very high-profile product launches,” Hemphill told Beverage Industry last year.
And while still water sales far outpace sparkling water, sparkling water sales increased over 18 percent in a year, according to Information Resources Inc. Still water sales grew 5 percent in 2021.
In the audio, we mention the products below.
Are you a from-the-tap water drinker? Do you carry a favorite flask? Do you have a favorite still water brand? Or have you converted to flavored seltzers? Maybe you have a favorite hack or you’re loyal to your sparkling water maker. Let us know what you drink and why in the comments — open to all members. We want to hear from you.
Kate’s newest favorite flavor comes from LaCroix, a longtime brand favorite among many for its flavor variety, price point ($3.99 for an 8-pack), and aggressive fizziness.
Melissa’s favorite is Spindrift, more expensive than most brands ($5.99 for an 8-pack) and while it’s not zero calories, you can really taste the juice. Polar Black Cherry is the runner-up.
Mark’s (and our) newest water gadget is the Philips sparkling water maker that operates on CO2 cartridges: It’s sleek enough that you won’t mind keeping it out on the counter and it allows for customizable carbonation levels. The plastic container is BPA-free. About $70.
Kerri is a fan of collapsible water bottles: they’re really great for the plane, they’re super lightweight, they don’t clank around, and they don’t leak. About $16.