Boxed Water leads the way in terms of sustainable packaging compared to other single-use water bottle brands. Its cartons are refillable, BPA-free and 100% recyclable. But that’s not all the brand offers. In fact, its water is delectable, refreshing and a go-to pick. Boxed Water recently brought back its flavor options for those looking for a healthy alternative to soda or sugary drinks, and we tried them out. If you’re looking for a fun gift this season, here it is.
Why “Boxed Water is better”
Boxed Water isn’t new to the bottled water industry. Having started in 2009, it’s still top dog in terms of eco-friendliness. Other water companies add salt to their water, among other odd ingredients. Boxed Water filters and removes total dissolvable solids, such as metals, and uses 100% pure water.
Related: What’s the future of single-use plastics?
Moreover, with its packaging being 92% plant-based, it offers a smart replacement for single-use plastic water bottles. The cartons use 43% less fossil fuel than plastic and a 64% lower carbon footprint. The company also is a part of 1% For The Planet, helping plant one million trees, and a partner of the National Forest Foundation and Ocean Blue Project.
Review of Boxed Water flavors
Boxed Water graciously sent samples to review. Within a week, I received a box totaling 12, 16.9-ounce bottles of water coming in four flavors: lemon, blackberry, grapefruit and cucumber.
I was quite excited to try Boxed Water, as I do like to consider myself a water connoisseur. Although I prefer it unflavored, I still look forward to trying new options. Especially when it is packaged as eco-friendly.
Packaging-wise, it was as good as you could hope for, having arrived in a cardboard box without any wax coating. The box design provided facts about the company, its mission and colorful fruit drawings to represent each flavor.
For the taste test, I decided to go all out and try each flavor both chilled and at room temperature. The carton packaging recommends chilling first, so I wanted to have the water experience as intended. My partner also participated in the taste test. He was a good opinion to include as he prefers flavored drinks to regular water. We both preferred the flavors chilled. Room temperature couldn’t compare, and the cold brought out more flavor.
The water itself is absolutely delectable. It’s been a long time since I felt so refreshed by bottled water. It’s clean and balanced. Even my partner agreed it’s good water. There’s no chemical, mineral or metal aftertaste. Even with the lemon, raspberry, grapefruit and cucumber aspects to it, the water taste was still dominant. I would say much of this is due to personal preference, but I thoroughly enjoyed this flavored water where you could still taste the water instead of an overwhelming chemical or artificial flavor.
Lemon
This was the first flavor I tried. Initially, there was a strong lemon scent when I opened it. It gave the impression that lemon would overpower the taste buds. However, I discovered a lack of such flavor. It was subtle and almost unnoticeable until I kept drinking. This was also the case for the rest of the flavors. I enjoyed this natural flavor the most and quickly depleted my supply. Putting lemon and water is a classic move and, in my opinion, provided the most refreshing option.
Blackberry
Blackberry was my partner’s first pick and my second. Again, the smell was strong, but the taste was on the subtler side. I did notice that both the blackberry and grapefruit flavors were stronger than the other two. The scent imitated candy. I would say that this one nearly nails a blackberry taste. It’s definitely sweeter than the rest, but Boxed Water says there aren’t any artificial sweeteners.
Grapefruit
I’m not a fan of grapefruit, except in this case. The smell is sweet and quite similar to the real thing. Boxed Water nailed the flavor profile here. I’m somewhat torn over this and the blackberry for second place, but my partner was really rooting for the blackberry. Grapefruit is a refreshing flavor that’s subtle without a chemical taste.
Cucumber
Neither of us was a huge fan of the cucumber flavor. Therefore, it’s ranked last on the list. The taste was a bit too realistic, which could be good for some people. However, as I continued whittling down my supply of Boxed Water, the cucumber flavor grew on me.
Final thoughts
Overall, Boxed Water did a fantastic job. This has been the most refreshing flavored water I’ve had, and it’s won over someone who doesn’t typically drink water that’s flavored. I see Boxed Water purchases in my future, of both its regular and flavored options. I highly recommend Boxed Water if bottled water is needed for trips or as a treat.
The raved-about flavors are available on Amazon and the Boxed Water website. Prices range from $27.50 to $55 for 12 and 24 packs. You’ll feel healthy and refreshed with this sustainably-packaged water. Plus, it’ll make a fun gift for the holidays.
Images via Boxed Water
Editor’s Note: This product review is not sponsored by Boxed Water. All opinions on the products and company are the author’s own.
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