Energy drinks have soared in popularity ever since Red Bull dominated the market. Many players have entered with different approaches, each bringing in their own variety of flavors, visions, and uniqueness. Here are some of our team-polled favorite energy drinks - including a new form of energy drink in the form of our very own VAE Energy Spray.
1. Reign
You’ve probably seen them in grocery stores near you. This new player has come in hot, boasting only 10 calories per bottle, electrolytes, and 300mg of caffeine. The downsides are similar to those of Bang, as with 300mg of caffeine, there’s a high risk for a caffeine crash, as well as an inability to dose your caffeine due to its drink format. Nevertheless, with their unique dreamsicle flavor and great design, Reign has made a mark in mid 2020, and seems to be on the rise for 2021.
2. Starbucks Refreshers
When Starbucks introduced these cans, I thought the design seemed cool, if not minimalistic, but I didn’t think much beyond that. When I finally got around to trying their peach/passion fruit mix, I realized that it was -really- great to taste, and really refreshing. The downsides include a minimal amount of caffeine and carbonation (which is divisive on its own), but overall I’d suggest trying this out, especially if you’re someone who doesn’t need a lot of caffeine to get going.
3. Amazing Grass Superfood Energy Powder
This is a bit of a weird one because it comes in powder form, but with matcha and yerba mate, you won’t get many caffeine sources as natural and healthy as this. Similar issues to the above Starbucks Refreshers include the minimal amounts of caffeine - though this one has slightly more - and being in a powder format means there’s a risk factor if one consumes too much. However, with 11 different flavors and different options such as tangerine and other specific fruits tailor-made for immune response, this is a great option to those trying to supplement their energy with other vitamins and minerals.
4. VAE Energy Spray
Just like the Amazing Grass Superfood Powder, or even the Starbucks Refreshers, VAE Energy Spray isn’t exactly an “energy drink”. That said, we’re living in 2021, and that means that things are changing, even the way we consume our energy and move about our day. Prior to VAE, the most powerful caffeinated drink comes from Reign, at 300mg per bottle. At about 1/8th of the size of a Reign, VAE packs 4x the amount of caffeine, as well as fixes the issue of dosing by providing 24mg of caffeine per spray (with over 50 sprays per bottle). With a tasty, fast-acting, and crash-mitigating boost, we believe VAE to be a new contender in the energy spray market, acting as a premium, better boost to those who need the enhanced productivity. The one downside to VAE is the fact that VAE is not a drink - instead, it is either sprayed into a drink, or onto one’s tongue. This means that VAE does not provide the same beverage-like refreshment of other energy drinks, and this should be considered when deciding between purchases.
5. Cellucor Energy Drink
Known for their protein powder, Cellucor has recently come out with an energy drink, and it’s surprisingly great-tasting, while providing 200mg of caffeine. Try the peach-mango nectar flavor, as it’s definitely the best one. Given that all their caffeine is sourced from natural tea leaves, I consider this surprise start-up of an energy drink to be a contender in the near future.