Key takeaways
- Choose Black Cherry if you want the safest single-flavor purchase.
- Choose Summer Berry or Grape if perceived sweetness and strong fruit flavor matter most.
- Choose Peach or Strawberry if you prefer softer, less acidic drinking.
- Choose Pineapple if you want a tropical flavor for mocktails.
- Choose Orange or Lemon-Lime if you want familiar citrus that pairs easily with food.
- Choose Grapefruit or Lime if you prefer tartness and bitterness over sweetness.
- Choose Coconut only if you already know you enjoy coconut flavor.
- Choose Blackberry Lemonade if you want maximum intensity rather than maximum versatility.
Waterloo flavors ranked from best to worst: Black Cherry is the strongest all-around choice, followed by Summer Berry, Peach, Grape, Strawberry, Pineapple, Orange, Grapefruit, Lemon-Lime, Lime, Coconut, and Blackberry Lemonade, although the best can depends on whether you prefer bold fruit, citrus brightness, or a lighter finish.
Waterloo sparkling water is unsweetened and contains no sugar or calories, so “sweetness” below means perceived fruit sweetness rather than added sweetener. The ranking focuses on fruit intensity, carbonation, aftertaste, and how useful each flavor is in everyday drinking, meals, mocktails, or mixing.
Our top picks
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Ratings are shown as listed on Amazon.
Waterloo flavors ranked
1. Black Cherry — best overall
Black Cherry has the most balanced profile in the range: a recognizable dark-fruit aroma, noticeable but not syrupy fruit character, and enough carbonation to keep the finish lively. It is a reliable refrigerator staple because it works on its own and does not clash with most foods.
Best for: shoppers who want one flavor for everyday drinking. It is also a good substitute for cola when you want carbonation without sweetness.
2. Summer Berry — best for a sweet-tasting fruit profile
Summer Berry leans toward a rounded blend of berry notes rather than one sharply defined fruit. Its perceived sweetness is relatively high for an unsweetened sparkling water, while the finish remains clean instead of candy-like.
Best for: people moving away from sweet soda, berry mocktails, and drinking straight over ice.
3. Peach — best soft, mellow flavor
Peach is one of Waterloo’s gentler options. It offers a floral, ripe-fruit impression with moderate intensity and less acidic sharpness than the citrus flavors. Its subtlety is an advantage if strong flavoring quickly becomes tiring.
Best for: breakfast, light lunches, and anyone who finds berry or citrus sparkling waters too forceful.
4. Grape — best for a nostalgic soda alternative
Grape is more distinctive than Peach and typically reads as a dark, candy-adjacent fruit even without sugar. That makes it satisfying for some drinkers and less versatile for food pairing. The finish can seem more artificial than Black Cherry if you prefer natural-tasting fruit.
Best for: a cold afternoon drink or replacing grape soda without the sugar.
5. Strawberry — best mild berry
Strawberry delivers a softer berry impression than Summer Berry. It is approachable and relatively easy to drink repeatedly, but its fruit intensity may feel restrained if you expect the aroma of fresh strawberries.
Best for: people who want berry flavor without a dark or tangy finish.
6. Pineapple — best tropical option
Pineapple brings a sharper tropical aroma and a lightly tart finish. It has enough personality for mocktails but can be polarizing as an all-day drink because the acidity-like impression and tropical flavor remain prominent.
Best for: mixing with lime, serving with spicy food, or creating a nonalcoholic tropical drink.
7. Orange — best with breakfast
Orange is familiar and refreshing, with a bright citrus nose and a moderate finish. Compared with orange soda, it is much drier and less rounded because there is no sugar to soften the acidity. That makes it more food-friendly but less dessert-like.
Best for: breakfast, brunch, and anyone who wants a classic citrus profile.
8. Grapefruit — best for bitter-citrus fans
Grapefruit has a clean, brisk character with more bitterness than Orange or Lemon-Lime. That bitterness gives it an adult, palate-cleansing quality, but it lowers its appeal for shoppers seeking obvious sweetness.
Best for: savory meals, aperitif-style drinks, and people who enjoy tonic water or bitter citrus.
9. Lemon-Lime — best neutral mixer
Lemon-Lime is bright, crisp, and uncomplicated. It does not deliver the deepest fruit flavor, but its simplicity is useful: it can accompany food, hydrate during a workday, or serve as the base for a mocktail without competing with other ingredients.
Best for: versatile mixing and shoppers who prefer clean citrus over fruit punch.
10. Lime — best for maximum tartness
Lime is sharper and more focused than Lemon-Lime. The flavor can feel refreshing in small servings but somewhat austere if you want a fuller fruit profile. It performs particularly well when paired with a squeeze of fresh citrus or used in a mixed drink.
Best for: tacos, spicy dishes, and citrus-forward mocktails.
11. Coconut — best for a distinctive novelty flavor
Coconut is the least universally appealing flavor in this ranking because its aroma is unmistakable and lingers more than the lighter citrus options. Fans of coconut may find it relaxing and creamy-tasting despite the absence of dairy or sugar; others may find the finish perfumed.
Best for: tropical combinations, especially with Pineapple, and shoppers who already enjoy coconut-flavored drinks.
12. Blackberry Lemonade — best for tartness, weakest for daily versatility
Blackberry Lemonade combines dark berry character with a pronounced lemonade-style tang. That creates a vivid first impression, but the layered flavor is less neutral with meals and can leave a longer aftertaste than the simpler flavors.
Best for: occasional treats, summer gatherings, and anyone who wants the boldest fruit-and-citrus combination.
Head-to-head taste comparison
The table uses a 1-to-10 scale, where a higher number means more of that characteristic. These are comparative flavor-guide scores, not laboratory measurements; carbonation perception can also vary with serving temperature and how long a can has been open.
| Flavor | Perceived sweetness | Fruit intensity | Carbonation impression | Aftertaste length | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Cherry | 8/10 | 8/10 | 8/10 | 5/10 | Everyday drinking |
| Summer Berry | 8/10 | 8/10 | 7/10 | 6/10 | Soda replacement |
| Peach | 7/10 | 6/10 | 7/10 | 4/10 | Breakfast and light meals |
| Grape | 8/10 | 8/10 | 8/10 | 7/10 | Nostalgic fruit flavor |
| Strawberry | 7/10 | 6/10 | 7/10 | 4/10 | Mild berry drinking |
| Pineapple | 7/10 | 8/10 | 8/10 | 6/10 | Tropical mocktails |
| Orange | 6/10 | 6/10 | 8/10 | 4/10 | Breakfast |
| Grapefruit | 4/10 | 7/10 | 8/10 | 6/10 | Bitter-citrus preference |
| Lemon-Lime | 5/10 | 5/10 | 8/10 | 3/10 | General-purpose mixing |
| Lime | 4/10 | 6/10 | 8/10 | 5/10 | Spicy food |
| Coconut | 6/10 | 7/10 | 7/10 | 8/10 | Tropical combinations |
| Blackberry Lemonade | 8/10 | 9/10 | 8/10 | 8/10 | Bold occasional drink |
Which Waterloo flavor should you buy?
- Choose Black Cherry if you want the safest single-flavor purchase.
- Choose Summer Berry or Grape if perceived sweetness and strong fruit flavor matter most.
- Choose Peach or Strawberry if you prefer softer, less acidic drinking.
- Choose Pineapple if you want a tropical flavor for mocktails.
- Choose Orange or Lemon-Lime if you want familiar citrus that pairs easily with food.
- Choose Grapefruit or Lime if you prefer tartness and bitterness over sweetness.
- Choose Coconut only if you already know you enjoy coconut flavor.
- Choose Blackberry Lemonade if you want maximum intensity rather than maximum versatility.
Pack size, carbonation, and ownership considerations
Waterloo is commonly sold in individual cans and multipacks, with 12-ounce cans being the standard format in many markets. A 12-ounce can equals about 355 milliliters, enough for a normal serving without requiring storage for a half-finished bottle. Multipacks generally offer a lower cost per can than singles; for example, a $6 to $9 multipack containing 12 cans works out to approximately $0.50 to $0.75 per can before taxes and regional variation.
Because sparkling water loses carbonation after opening, the practical “freshness” window is the same day rather than several days. Refrigerate cans before opening, pour over ice only when you plan to drink it promptly, and avoid shaking them. Stronger flavors such as Grape, Coconut, and Blackberry Lemonade can leave aroma in reusable bottles, so rinse those bottles soon after use rather than letting them sit overnight.
Waterloo’s unsweetened format is useful for people comparing it with soda, but it will not reproduce soda’s syrupy body. If you are switching from sweet drinks, the easiest transition is usually Summer Berry, Black Cherry, or Grape; if you already prefer dry drinks, start with Grapefruit, Lime, or Lemon-Lime.
Final verdict
For most shoppers, Black Cherry is the best Waterloo flavor because it combines high fruit intensity with a relatively clean finish and broad food compatibility. Summer Berry is the better choice for a sweeter-tasting berry profile, while Peach suits lighter palates. Citrus fans should choose Orange for familiarity, Grapefruit for bitterness, or Lime for tartness. The bottom of this ranking is not a quality judgment: Coconut and Blackberry Lemonade are simply more specialized and less likely to satisfy every drinker every day.
