The 25 best energy drinks
We've rated 261 energy drinks for look, taste, and kick. These 25 scored highest, from 13 different brands. Every score blends the Sharks' reviews (and approved reader reviews), so the order changes as new reviews come in.
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| # | Drink | Caffeine | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Adrenaline Shoc Acai BerryAdrenaline Shoc |
300 mg | 93 |
| 2 |  Red Bull Winter Edition Arctic BerryRed Bull |
80 mg | 93 |
| 3 |  Alani Nu MimosaAlani Nu |
200 mg | 93 |
| 4 |  C4 Black CherryC4 |
200 mg | 92 |
| 5 |  UPTIME Original Citrus Sugar FreeUptime |
142 mg | 92 |
| 6 |  Alani Nu Juicy PeachAlani Nu |
200 mg | 91 |
| 7 |  Bloom Cherry LimeBloom |
180 mg | 91 |
| 8 |  C4 Twisted LimeadeC4 |
200 mg | 91 |
| 9 |  Rockstar Juiced Island-MangoRockstar |
160 mg | 91 |
| 10 |  Monster Ultra GoldMonster |
150 mg | 91 |
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Adrenaline ShocShark Score 93
1. Adrenaline Shoc Acai Berry
- 300 mg caffeine
- 16 oz can
- 18.8 mg/oz
- Elite
“It’s somehow sweet, bitter, and has high carbonation while still being insanely smooth.”Jared
-
Shark Score 93
- 80 mg caffeine
- 8.4 oz can
- 9.5 mg/oz
- Elite
“Raspberry with just the right amount of sweetness.”Jared
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Alani NuShark Score 93
3. Alani Nu Mimosa
- 200 mg caffeine
- 12 oz can
- 16.7 mg/oz
- Zero sugar
- Elite
“The single most refreshing energy drink out there. My highest rated beverage to date that truly is enjoyable to everyone.”Cam
-
Shark Score 92
- 200 mg caffeine
- 16 oz can
- 12.5 mg/oz
- Zero sugar
- Elite
“Smooth, strong black cherry flavor with the perfect amount of sweetness for everybody.”Cam
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Shark Score 92
- 142 mg caffeine
- 12 oz can
- 11.8 mg/oz
- Zero sugar
- Elite
“Original Citrus is the gold standard for the refreshing, moderate caffeine-content group of energy drinks.”Jared
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Alani NuShark Score 91
6. Alani Nu Juicy Peach
- 200 mg caffeine
- 12 oz can
- 16.7 mg/oz
- Zero sugar
- Elite
“Incredibly juicy and quite peachy. Highly refreshing, smooth, and flat out delicious.”Cam
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BloomShark Score 91
7. Bloom Cherry Lime
- 180 mg caffeine
- 12 oz can
- 15 mg/oz
- Elite
“It has the consistency of a seltzer that’s jacked to the max on flavor, while still feeling relatively healthy (if that’s possible).”Jared
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Shark Score 91
- 200 mg caffeine
- 16 oz can
- 12.5 mg/oz
- Zero sugar
- Elite
“Like a Diet Dew with a generous splash of lime.”Jared
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RockstarShark Score 91
9. Rockstar Juiced Island-Mango
- 160 mg caffeine
- 16 oz can
- 10 mg/oz
- Elite
“It manages to be unique, both in design and taste”Matt
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MonsterShark Score 91
10. Monster Ultra Gold
- 150 mg caffeine
- 16 oz can
- 9.4 mg/oz
- Zero sugar
- Elite
“I haven’t crunched the numbers yet but after a couple sips I knew this drink would sit closer to the top of the rankings within it’s product line”Matt
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MonsterShark Score 90
11. Monster Zero Ultra
- 140 mg caffeine
- 16 oz can
- 8.8 mg/oz
- Zero sugar
- Elite
“It’s crisp, sweet, and refreshing with a nice aftertaste – definitely the drink I reach for if I want a consistent, delicious kick.”Jared
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Adrenaline ShocShark Score 90
12. Adrenaline Shoc Accelerator Orange Mango
- 200 mg caffeine
- 16 oz can
- 12.5 mg/oz
- Elite
“Versatile beverage with smooth, fruity flavor that you can bring and enjoy anywhere.”Jared
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Alani NuShark Score 90
13. Alani Nu Breezeberry
- 200 mg caffeine
- 12 oz can
- 16.7 mg/oz
- Zero sugar
- Elite
“Sweet tart blue raspberry flavor, exciting moutheel, and overall excellent energy drink.”Cam
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Shark Score 90
- 200 mg caffeine
- 16 oz can
- 12.5 mg/oz
- Zero sugar
- Elite
“Ghost Sour Pink Lemonade is extremely crisp and refreshing and absolutely lives up to the rest of the Ghost lineup.”Jared
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Shark Score 90
- 200 mg caffeine
- 12 oz can
- 16.7 mg/oz
- Zero sugar
- Elite
“If you like lemon-lime, or energy drinks in general, you should check out PRIME Lemon Lime.”Jared
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Shark Score 90
- 200 mg caffeine
- 12 oz can
- 16.7 mg/oz
- Zero sugar
- Elite
“The strawberry watermelon combination tastes like summer in a can.”Jared
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Shark Score 90
- 114 mg caffeine
- 12 oz can
- 9.5 mg/oz
- Elite
“I know it’s not warm or apple, but this tastes like a warm apple cider, in the best way.”Jared
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Shark Score 90
- 300 mg caffeine
- 16 oz can
- 18.8 mg/oz
- Zero sugar
- Elite
“Smooth fruit punch flavor with melon aftertaste that walks the fine line of re-drinkability by not being too sweet.”Jared
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Shark Score 90
- 142 mg caffeine
- 12 oz can
- 11.8 mg/oz
- Zero sugar
- Elite
“Despite the relatively low caffeine content, I would recommend this to anyone who’s looking for a refreshing, fruity kick.”Jared
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Shark Score 89
- 300 mg caffeine
- 16 oz can
- 18.8 mg/oz
- Excellent
“Strong and sour green apple energy drink. Superior to most sour beverages. Highly rated kick and taste make it my highest rated Rockstar.”Cam
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Shark Score 89
- 200 mg caffeine
- 16 oz can
- 12.5 mg/oz
- Zero sugar
- Excellent
“A delicious blue beverage with a solid amount of carbonation and caffeine. With 200mg of caffeine, no calories, and a popular flavor, I would recommend this to all energy drink lovers.”Cam
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Shark Score 89
- 200 mg caffeine
- 12 oz can
- 16.7 mg/oz
- Zero sugar
- Excellent
“My first thought was wow, that’s artificial. But my second thought was, damn, I really don’t care. It’s that good!”Jared
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Super CoffeeShark Score 89
23. Super Coffee Sweet Cream
- 200 mg caffeine
- 12 oz can
- 16.7 mg/oz
- Excellent
“Super Coffee Sweet Cream is an impressive, well balanced coffee drink. Really the perfect drink for coffee lovers who want an extra kick.”Jared
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Adrenaline ShocShark Score 88
24. Adrenaline Shoc Shoc Wave
- 300 mg caffeine
- 16 oz can
- 18.8 mg/oz
- Excellent
“With its inoffensive flavor, it’s easily re-drinkable, and I’d recommend it if you’re looking for a big kick.”Jared
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Adrenaline ShocShark Score 88
25. Adrenaline Shoc Accelerator Cherry Limeade
- 200 mg caffeine
- 16 oz can
- 12.5 mg/oz
- Excellent
“Smooth, and not as bitter or carbonated as the main Adrenaline Shoc line. Both the cherry and limeade flavors come through in a great way.”Jared
Questions
What is the best energy drink?
By Shark Score, the best energy drink we've rated is Adrenaline Shoc Acai Berry (93), followed by Red Bull Winter Edition Arctic Berry (93) and Alani Nu Mimosa (93).
How do you rank energy drinks?
Each Shark scores a can 0–10 for Look, Taste, Kick, and Overall. The Shark Score is the Overall average × 10, with approved reader reviews counting for up to 40% as they add up. See how we score.