Popular Soda Brands Ranked Worst To Best

These days, when it comes to the fizzy drink market, it may feel like the most popular soda options are always sparkling waters or seltzers. Sure, we love carbonated water, but whatever happened to good, old-fashioned soda? Hear us out: We know it’s not the healthiest beverage you could possibly enjoy, but every once in a while, it doesn’t hurt to have a can of your favorite sugary, fizzy drink.

Whether you choose a caffeinated version to give yourself a little pick-me-up in the middle of the day or you decide to go with a caffeine-free drink that’s just supremely thirst-quenching, enjoying an occasional popular soda can be a nice treat. And we love the extra bit of flavor soda can give us that, frankly, sparkling water can never match.

But how do you know what kind of soda to get? Of course, there are the standards out there that we all know and love, but there are some lesser-known versions that taste just as good — if not better. That’s why we’ve decided to rank some of the most popular soda brands on the market, covering everything from colas to citrus drinks to orange soda. We’ll start with the worst and end with the best of the best. Keep in mind, though, that you might want to try these sodas out before you judge for yourself.

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. Back when Mountain Dew first got started, it may have been trendy to color foods with super-bright dyes. But these days, consumers want something that looks more natural and, frankly, digestible. On both counts, this soda definitely does not fit the bill. The fact that it looks radioactive and essentially inedible is an immediate turn-off to a lot of soda drinkers.

But what’s even worse is the fact that it doesn’t even taste good. Its lemon-lime-reminiscent flavor is much worse than other lemon-lime 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.

Sure, it’s a classic for some, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s actually worth your time or money. If there’s one soda we recommend you stay away from, it’s Mountain Dew.

Surge is technically a Coca-Cola brand, but it has its very own identity and unique taste apart from the cola empire. And don’t think it’s anything like Coke, either. Instead, it tastes more like a spin-off of Mountain Dew. But while it may be slightly less stomach-turning, 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 (via Player.One), 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 or Surge came as a surprise.

Though it may have tasted good to childlike palates in the ’90s, now it tastes unbelievably artificial. A customer on Amazon expressed the same disappointment: “I read the reviews, got curious about it, ordered it and … what a disappointment! I hate it. Almost 240 calories a can for a totally artificial flavor. Yuck!”

We agree. 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.

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. We’ll admit that there are some pretty gross soda varieties in this product lineup. After all, have you ever really wanted to drink cotton candy soda? Too bad, because you’re going to get it from Faygo. The candy apple might just turn your stomach, too, as will the overly sweet and artificial peach soda.

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.

Bobby Jansson

Having completed my education in English, I’ve cultivated a successful career as a content writer. My tenure includes valued collaborations with distinguished professional organizations, reflecting my commitment to producing high-quality content.
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