15 Powerade Flavors, Ranked Worst To Best

Powerade is one of the undisputed leaders in the sports drink universe. Since hitting the market in 1988, their focus has been providing an effective and satisfying way to rehydrate and replenish your body with the electrolytes that you lose as you sweat during exercise or other rigorous activities. These days, Powerade has a variety of tasty flavors that can help you stay hydrated so that you never need to skip a beat and can keep doing what you love to do.

While Gatorade, which launched in 1965, is still the top-selling sports drink in the United States, Powerade's array of scrumptious flavors compares favorably to Gatorade and other competing brands like Bodyarmor. That said, not all of the flavors that Powerade sells are worthy of your hard-earned dollar bills.

To help lead you to the tastiest of what Powerade has to offer, we've ranked 15 of their most popular flavors, beginning with the worst and finishing with the best. 

Even if you're really, really thirsty, it will be difficult for you to deal with the putridness that is Powerade Orange. This stuff is so off-putting that you'll grimace after your first sip, and you'll be tempted to just deal with your dehydration rather than take a second sip. The blatant issue with this Powerade flavor is the unrelenting sweetness. Instead of including the mix of tanginess and sweetness that's found in the best orange juice brands, Powerade Orange is a nonstop sugar-flavored onslaught. Nothing about it is fun at all. In fact, having a parched mouth is more enjoyable than trying to drink an entire bottle of this flavor.

Powerade Zero Orange isn't much better. While it's slightly less sweet, the sports drink has a chemical-like aftertaste that makes the overall experience just as unpleasant. The next time you're in the market for Powerade, skip all of their orange flavors. They're a complete waste of time.

In theory, Powerade Zero Sugar Fruit Punch sounds like it should be a safe selection. A sports drink that tastes like Hawaiian Punch would be awesome. Unfortunately, this Powerade flavor is nothing like any other fruit punch you've ever tasted. Rather than offering fruity goodness, this sports drink is cursed with a flavor that's painfully artificial. No matter how hard you try, your taste buds won't be able to pinpoint any specific fruit flavors.

If you find Powerade Zero Sugar Fruit Punch difficult to drink, consider adding water to it. This flavor is so strong that watering it down actually makes it more manageable. It still won't taste good, mind you, but the improvement could help you reach your rehydration goals. That said, instead of putting lipstick on this pig, an even better idea is to pick a Powerade flavor that is in the upper echelon of this ranking.

There's simply nothing exciting about Powerade Lemonade. This stuff even looks boring, which, in retrospect, should have been a warning sign. While most Powerade flavors are so bright that you can see them from a mile away, this one is a pale shade of yellow. The boredom continues once you give it a taste. This lemonade-flavored beverage somehow manages to lack both sweetness and sourness. It basically just tastes like citrusy water with a miniscule amount of sweetness.

The only circumstance you should ever opt for Powerade Lemonade is if you figure out that you hate all flavors of Powerade and you just want the one that tastes most like nothing. In all other scenarios, there are much, much better options available.

If you want a sports drink that actually tastes like lemon, pick up a bottle of Powerade Lemon Lime. Although it's a mediocre flavor in its own right, it at least tastes somewhat like the name suggests.

Not to be confused with Vitaminwater, Power Water is Powerade's line of sugar-free, clear sports drinks packed with electrolytes (sodium, calcium, magnesium, and potassium) and B vitamins. Of the three available Power Water options, Tropical Mango is the best — but even this flavor doesn't deserve a recommendation.

The problem with the Power Water line is that it's painfully obvious that artificial sweetener is used in the formula. While the Powerade Zero Sugar line does a fantastic job of masking the fake sugar taste, that's unfortunately not the case here. The mango flavor is bold and refreshing, but the festivities are ruined when the taste of artificial sweetener crashes the party.

Considering that all the other Powerade lines also contain electrolytes and B vitamins, the only reason to go with Power Water is if you value the fact that it's clear. For example, if you want to hide a sports drink in a water bottle, this makes sense. Otherwise, pick a higher ranked flavor.

If you enjoy drinks, candies, and other treats supercharged with artificial grape flavor, you'll feel let down by Powerade Grape. Though it does have some of the artificial grape flavor that you know and love, it's an underwhelming amount. To make matters worse, the sweetness level is a bit low, and the aftertaste is blander than you'd expect.

Interestingly, Powerade Zero Sugar Grape tastes almost exactly like the original. If you do a side-by-side taste test, it's really difficult to tell the difference. For that reason, if you're looking to limit your caloric intake and you like Powerade Grape, it'd be a good idea to switch over to the sugar-free version.

It's important to note that you need to keep Powerade Grape as cold as possible. If it's not cold, this flavor tastes a lot worse. By the time that it's warm, it tastes like grape-flavored medicine. The result is so bad that it would end up at the very bottom of this ranking.

When you first take a sip of Powerade Zero Sugar Strawberry, you'll congratulate yourself for being a wise shopper who successfully found the best sports drink on the market. But before you pat yourself on the back, you should know that the happiness you feel will be short-lived. While this flavor of Powerade tastes wonderful for a few sips, it quickly gets old. Before you've finished your first bottle, you'll be ready to move on to another sports drink.

The main flaw with Powerade Zero Sugar Strawberry is that the flavor is extremely monotonous. At first, a sweet strawberry-like flavor hits your taste buds. After that, the aftertaste strikes, and it's the same but even sweeter. Without any sort of reprieve or flavor diversity, you'll quickly grow tired of how it tastes. In small doses, it's a fine choice. But just know that it is unlikely that this will become your Powerade flavor of choice.

Purchasing a bottle of Powerade Melon is the start of a topsy-turvy adventure. Typically, you'd expect a melon-flavored drink to taste like watermelon or, maybe, cantaloupe. However, after you see that this sports drink is neon green, your imagination will tell you that this beverage will likely taste like juice from a honeydew melon. But after you take a sip, you'll find that it does in fact taste like a combination of watermelon juice and cantaloupe juice. It, regrettably, doesn't taste like honeydew melon at all.

When the aftertaste arrives, your adventure will take another turn when you taste a little bit of pineapple juice. Since pineapples are actually in the berry family and not in the melon family, the subtle pineapple flavor is sure to catch you by surprise.

All in all, Powerade Melon is a decidedly average flavor. Go ahead and try it once before you're six feet under the dirt, but don't expect to be awed.

The Powerade Ultra line is similar to the Powerade Zero Sugar line, but its sugar-free formula is even more advanced when it comes to the vitamins and other nutrients it contains. First of all, this line has 50% more ION4 electrolytes, so that means more sodium, calcium, magnesium, and potassium to keep you hydrated (via Food Business News). Secondly, in addition to B vitamins, Powerade Ultra beverages contain BCAAs (branched-chain amino acids) which help you maintain muscle mass. Another addition is creatine, which can help you increase the size of your muscles.

There are three flavors in this line, and Powerade Ultra Strawberry Lemonade is the best of the bunch. It's comparable to the aforementioned Powerade Zero Sugar Strawberry but with a slightly sour aftertaste that helps keep the boredom at bay. If you're intrigued by the inclusion of the BCAAs and creatine in your sports drink, pick this flavor. It's not the best Powerade flavor, but it's definitely above average taste-wise.

Powerade Citrus Passionfruit is everything Powerade Orange should have been but isn't. It's the optimal combination of sweetness and tartness and will keep you enthralled until the bottle is empty. Ripe passionfruit is sour with a hint of sweetness, which makes it the perfect center of attention for this sports drink. While the label doesn't specify, it tastes like Powerade Citrus Passionfruit also contains orange juice, grapefruit juice, and a little bit of lemon juice flavoring.

While it's obvious that sweetener has been added to this beverage, it's a reasonable amount that only adds a dash of vivacity to the fiesta. Even if you've never tried passionfruit juice before and you're nervous about buying this flavor of Powerade for that reason, you should ignore your concerns and add a bottle of this stuff to your shopping cart. It promises a well-balanced and pleasant experience, even for those individuals who typically don't like trying new flavors.

Don't get it twisted, Powerade Twisted Blackberry absolutely deserves its lofty spot on this list. While it's not a surprise that blackberry plays the leading role, you'll be happy to learn that cherry also steals the show in a co-starring role. With their powers combined, the blackberry and cherry create a deep, rich flavor that will have your taste buds doing somersaults on your tongue.

When this sports drink first enters your mouth, your senses will be met with a delicious tart flavor. It will remind you of taking a big, glorious bite of the fruit-filled cobbler your grandmother used to make. But long before that sourness becomes too much to handle, a sweet aftertaste pops up to cool you down and prepare you for the next sip. While tartness remains the dominant flavor of Powerade Twisted Blackberry, the sweet aftertaste will ensure that an ear-to-ear grin remains on your face.

From the moment you open the bottle of Powerade Kiwi Pineapple until you've swallowed the final drop, you'll feel like you're on a beach vacation at a tropical destination without a care in the world. This sports drink has an amazing sweet, tropical aroma that will instantaneously intrigue your nostrils. When you taste Kiwi Pineapple, you'll find that the flavor profile is shockingly complex. Not only is it sweet and tropical, but there are enough sour and acidic notes to keep you thoroughly entertained.

The first flavor you will come across is the kiwi. While it's a relatively delicate flavor, its balance of sweetness and tartness will draw you in. The pineapple-powered aftertaste is the second flavor, and it too is a winner. In addition to sweet and sour, the pineapple flavor adds an acidic kick that will keep you on your toes and keep you craving another sip.

If you've been working out all day in the sun and you want to feel refreshed as soon as possible, there's no choice on this list that hits the spot quite as quickly as Powerade Watermelon Strawberry Wave. From the moment you begin to drink this beverage, it will feel like you've been lovingly smacked by a big, cool, refreshing wave of thirst-quenching goodness. Within just a few gulps, you will be completely refreshed and ready to get back to your workout.

The initial flavor that hits your tongue is the strawberry. It's flavorful and sweet — but not so sweet that it's distracting. Next, a wondrous wave of watermelon makes its presence felt. The best part about the watermelon flavor is how authentic it tastes. It's like you're drinking juice directly out of a chilled watermelon. Finally, there's a light, minty aftertaste that sneaks in and prepares you to start sipping all over again.

Without question, the most astonishing Powerade flavor of them all is Zero Sugar Citrus Peach. Mixing citrus and peach sounds dangerous at best, disgusting at worst. However, it won't take you long to agree that this flavor is magical. Even without any sugar, this stuff is so good that you'll want to purchase it by the truckload.

The peach flavor is distinguished and graceful, yet also whimsically fun. It offers a mix of fruitiness and sweetness that you'll never grow tired of tasting. To kick things up a notch or two, a unique citrus aftertaste rides in to perfectly complement the peach flavor. The citrus flavor adds a feathery touch of sweetness and tartness, but it's so modest that the masterful peach flavor is still able to shine bright. If this is the Powerade flavor that ends up being your favorite of them all, that is totally understandable. This stuff is that good.

The best flavor in the Powerade Zero Sugar line doesn't visually stand out from the pack. This white sports drink has a white label, so it's actually easy to miss if you're not specifically looking for it. But once you try Powerade Zero Sugar White Cherry, you'll be so blown away that you'll reminisce about it and count down the days until it will grace your lips once again. Although there is a doppelganger of this exact flavor made with sugar, the sugar-free version is better-tasting and has no calories, so there's no reason to switch.

Although this drink is boring in terms of its color, it's anything but bland when it comes to its flavor. Powerade Zero Sugar White Cherry has the most ideal cherry flavor you can imagine. It's a little bit sweet and a little bit tart, so nothing about it ever gets too overpowering — no matter how much of this spectacular beverage you drink. Moreover, the flavor is light enough to remain joyous, but also strong enough to never get lost in the shuffle. Diet sports drinks just don't get any better than this.

If you close your eyes and envision the best flavor of Powerade you've ever tasted, you'll undoubtedly see a shade of electric blue. That's because Powerade Mountain Berry Blast is in a class of its own. This is what a sports drink is supposed to taste like. You may sample other flavors of Powerade, but you'll ultimately end up back here once you realize that only the best of the best will suffice and you're done fraternizing with the rest.

Powerade Mountain Berry Blast, as the name pledges, tastes like a blast of berries. The most prominent is a yummy blueberry flavor that will leave you feeling refreshed, reenergized, and ready to take on whatever it is that the world will throw at you. The aftertaste is so clean and so smooth that you'll be convinced that you've just tasted a slice of heaven. Give this Powerade flavor a whirl when you're ready to be thrilled beyond belief.