The 25 best energy drinks
We've rated 267 energy drinks for look, taste, and kick. Of the ones you can still buy, these 25 scored highest, from 14 different brands. Every score blends the Sharks' reviews with reader ratings, so the order shifts as readers weigh in.
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| # | Drink | Caffeine | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  C4 Black CherryC4 |
200 mg | 92 |
| 2 |  Celsius Spritz Vibe Sparkling Shirley TempleCelsius |
200 mg | 92 |
| 3 |  UPTIME Original Citrus Sugar FreeUptime |
142 mg | 92 |
| 4 |  Alani Nu Juicy PeachAlani Nu |
200 mg | 91 |
| 5 |  Bloom Cherry LimeBloom |
180 mg | 91 |
| 6 |  C4 Twisted LimeadeC4 |
200 mg | 91 |
| 7 |  Rockstar Juiced Island-MangoRockstar |
160 mg | 91 |
| 8 |  Monster Ultra GoldMonster |
150 mg | 91 |
| 9 |  Monster Zero UltraMonster |
140 mg | 90 |
| 10 |  Adrenaline Shoc Accelerator Orange MangoAdrenaline Shoc |
200 mg | 90 |
Only drinks you can buy now are listed. Retired cans keep their scores in the full rankings.
The full list
-
Shark Score 92
- 200 mg caffeine
- 16 oz can
- 12.5 mg/oz
- Zero sugar
- Elite
“Cherries jubilee ice cream flavor that makes for an instant classic.”Jared
-
Shark Score 92
- Seasonal
- 200 mg caffeine
- 12 oz can
- 16.7 mg/oz
- Zero sugar
- Elite
“I think this will appeal to a wide audience, whether you’re into Celsius, shirley temples, lemon-lime, or cherry.”Jared
-
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
-
Alani NuShark Score 91
4. 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
-
BloomShark Score 91
5. 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
-
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
-
RockstarShark Score 91
7. 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
-
MonsterShark Score 91
8. Monster Ultra Gold
- 150 mg caffeine
- 16 oz can
- 9.4 mg/oz
- Zero sugar
- Elite
“Captures the intended pineapple flavor with perfection.”Jared
-
MonsterShark Score 90
9. 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
-
Adrenaline ShocShark Score 90
10. 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
-
Alani NuShark Score 90
11. 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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
Alani NuShark Score 89
19. Alani Nu Cherry Twist
- 200 mg caffeine
- 12 oz can
- 16.7 mg/oz
- Zero sugar
- Excellent
“I’d prefer a bit more sour with the lime and less sweetness from the cherry – basically a slightly different limeade combo.”Jared
-
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
-
Shark Score 89
- Seasonal
- 114 mg caffeine
- 12 oz can
- 9.5 mg/oz
- Excellent
“The cherry flavor is prominent, not too sweet, and then it has a cooling, iced aftertaste to it.”Jared
-
Super CoffeeShark Score 89
22. 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
-
Adrenaline ShocShark Score 88
23. 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
-
Shark Score 88
- 300 mg caffeine
- 16 oz can
- 18.8 mg/oz
- Zero sugar
- Excellent
“A sweet and crisp nectarine flavor, complemented by a subtle, delicious blueberry aftertaste.”Cam
-
Shark Score 88
- 200 mg caffeine
- 12 oz can
- 16.7 mg/oz
- Zero sugar
- Excellent
“Definitely tropical and incredibly refreshing.”Jared
Questions
What is the best energy drink?
By Shark Score, the best energy drink we've rated is C4 Black Cherry (92), followed by Celsius Spritz Vibe Sparkling Shirley Temple (92) and UPTIME Original Citrus Sugar Free (92).
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, blended with reader ratings, which count for up to 40% as they add up. Anyone can rate a drink; see how we score.