Why Do People HATE and Complain About HINT Water?

Article Last Updated: November 2023

Red Cross

The Biggest PROBLEM With Hint Water Everyone Is Complaining About

By far the biggest complaint of HINT water is its plain taste.

I have many people leaving comments complaining that it’s not as sweet or full of flavor as they expected.

However, it is important to remember that this drink has zero calories and how can water taste sweet without any added sugar or sweeteners and still remain 0 calories like water?

There are definitely better-tasting fruit-flavored water options out there but they will most likely be full of sugar or at the very least contain some calories.

How Did HINT Water Get Started?

Here is my Hint water review as it grows in popularity and seems to be the drink of choice for silicon valley.

Hint water came into existence in 2004 by Kara Goldin. Its selling point is that it’s sugar-free, completely natural and claims to have very high-purity but also sweet tasting because it contains fruit flavors.

Hint water competitors are other natural water companies like fruit water, MiO from Kraft Food and Glacéau’s Vitaminwater.

Despite the fruit flavors the Hint water label label says that it doesn’t contain sweeteners, calories, trace minerals, minerals, preservatives and even sugar.

What’s more is that Hint water claims to be gluten free and vegan!

So to put it simply, Hint water only contains natural fruit essences and oils.

All of which come from different combinations of heating, cooling, dissolving and filtering.

Do you love your fizzy soda kick?

Then there is even a version of Hint water that is called Hint Sparkling (formally Hint Fizz), which is Hint but with extra fizz.

Hint WaterThis is why Hint water is so popular. It is a sugar-free, healthy, calorie-free, preservative-free alternative to soda. The idea is that you get a sweet-tasting drink to stay hydrated without having to worry about extra calories.

If all these claims stack up then it might be the answer for you if you are pregnant, diabetic or have any sort of gastrointestinal problem. Or perhaps you simply find the taste of natural water incredibly boring but understand the importance of hydration to your health.

The slogan is as follows: “Hint is pure water + a splash of natural fruit. 0 calories, 0 sugar, 0 diet sweeteners, 0 fake!”

This Hint drink review will see if these claims do in fact stack up and if it is something worth buying…

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What Does Hint Water Taste Like?

If you are expecting regular flavored water that’s bursting with sweetness – you will be very disappointed.

It is literally mostly water with a ‘hint’ of fruit. The flavor is extremely subtle and is almost an after taste. However, the idea behind this product is that it has a zero calorie profile while not tasting as boring as regular water.

I can confirm this having tried it for my self and lots of customer reviews online say the same. Almost everyone who is not expecting heavily sweetened water enjoys the experience (myself included).

The best tasting hint water by far is the Hint Sparkling / Fizz variety. There is nothing quite like a little fizz to really bring the subtle fruit flavors alive.

Of course, everyone has their own unique taste.

So it’s best to buy some for yourself and see if the taste suits you. They all taste different and you will certainly enjoy some flavors more than others.

Hint Water Review

Does Hint Water Have Stevia?

No, Hint Water does not contain any Stevia. Here is the typical ingredient list for the Hint fizz: 0 diet sweeteners, 0 sugar, 0 preservatives, 0 gmos, 0 stevia and 0 calories.

Does Hint Water Have Caffeine?

Yes but not in all of the flavors. Caffeine is only in Hint Tip Caffein Kick.

Hint water caffeine is present in the Tip Caffeine Kick versions of Hint Water. Despite the caffeine, this variety of Hint is unsweetened and still contains fruit flavors. Kick offers 60 mg of caffeine per bottle and tastes similar to its other varieties.

Hint Water Ingredients

Hint Water Review
Hint Water Label

The regular Hint water ingredients are:

  • Purified water.
  • Natural flavors.

The ingredients are slightly different for the HINT Tip Caffeine Kick range. The principle difference is the addition of caffeine:

  • Purified water.
  • Natural flavors.
  • 60 mg of caffeine.

This means that HINT water includes:

  • 0 artificial flavors,
  • zero sweeteners,
  • 0 calories.

Why Does Hint Pasteurize Their Water?

A quick look on the FAQ section of the Hint water website reveals that Hint is made with different techniques of reverse osmosis. This may include processes of deionization and ultraviolet light treatment.

Hint Water Review

This water purification happens before flavors are added.

However, the he final and slightly surprising step is that Hint water goes through is pasteurization.
Pasteurization simply means a process of killing microbes. So its therefore safe to assume that Hint pasteurizes to maintain quality.

Pasteurization assures the water is microbe free and lasts longer.

How is Hint Water Made?

Hint Water is essentially a mix of water and natural fruit flavors. Their key selling point is that they do not include anything artificial in their water.

Unsweetened, all-natural, ultra-pure water that is infused with natural fruit flavors.

No sugar, no GMO ingredients, no calories, no preservatives, trace minerals, and without diet sweeteners.

Hint Water Flavors

In simple terms, Hint Fizz and Hint Water come in 16 ounce bottles, all natural, sugar free, and zero calories. In essence, Hint water is water with natural fruit flavoring. Here is a list of Hint water flavors:

The Hint Fizz (Sparkling) has all the same flavors but with sparkling water but also include some extra flavors like:

What are the other natural flavors in Hint water? Apart from water and natural fruit flavors the ingredients include nothing. No sugar, no stevia and no preservatives.

Hint Water Alternatives

Water soaked in fruit is nothing new. This means that there are dozens of similar products, much like Hint Water.

Okay, some of these use artificial sweeteners or contain sugar in their formulas, but the point is that you have options.

In fact, if you want to save money while formulating your own unique flavor profile, you can create fruit infusion water in your home for a fraction of the cost of Hint Water. You can even use sparkling water for your own version of Hint Fizz.

Just be careful with the fruit you choose when doing it by yourself at home. For instance, using lots of grapefruit is not only bitter but can cause diarrhoea.

Make Your Own Hint Water

It’s easy to make a copycat hint water. All you need to do it slice up some fruit, add it to water and leave for a few hours in the fridge to infuse. Heart Water

You can base it on hint water recipes or try your own mix of fruits like:

  • Add some homemade fresh citrus slices to water.
  • Tear up some herbs, crush berries and add to fresh watermelon water (mint usually works well).
  • Thinly slice cumbers and oranges and add to water.
  • Pour some pickle juice to ginger and lemon water in order to make your own electrolyte replacement drink.

To see for yourself, check out this 4 super easy water fruit infuser recipes.

Hint Water Customer Feedback

At the time of my research, the customer Hint water review number is over 7,400 on the Hint water website with an average rating of 5 stars. The general praise seems to revolve around its good taste, the lack of sugar and other ingredients, which helps to reduce (or eliminate) the consumption of soft drinks.

There are also 872 customer reviews from other online sources. These reviews specifically revolved around the Blackberry flavor of Hint Water. This flavor has an average rating of 4.1 stars.

Although many hint water reviews reflect those found on the Hint website, there are also some complaints.

For instance one Hint water review complained about getting lower quality product compared to the original batches, another talked about a “chemical” taste and even some complaints that the water had gone bad (e.g a “rancid” taste). A few customers said that they asked the company for a solution but did not receive an answer.

Finally, you can buy Hint water bulk with the special offer below where you subscribe and save when buying in bulk. To my knowledge this Hint water subscription is a limited offer and can end at any time.

HINT Subscribe and SaveDashed Line

Idea Icon6 Different Ways To Make Your Own Hint Water

  1. Your first choice is to add fresh citrus juice to purified filtered water.
  2. Flavor your water by adding fresh herbs.
  3. For only a hint of flavor consider only adding freshly cut cucumbers.
  4. To spice things up, you can put some freshly sliced ​​ginger into your water. Ginger is known to be a natural belly tamer.
  5. Instead of using a slice of cucumber, add cucumber juice instead. Doing this makes it become your very own electrolyte replacement drink.
  6. Do you need a touch of sweetness? Then try putting some crushed pomegranate seeds or strawberries in your water.

> See more DIY fruit infused water recipes <

Top 5 Reasons You Should Drink Hint Water

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No fake ingredients (note water nutritional information) – 100% natural. 0 sugars, 0 sweeteners, 0 stevia, 0 preservatives, 0 calories and 0 GMO. Vegan and gluten free. Natural fruit oils and essences with pure H2O make the water of the track and the essence of Hint Water Fizz nice tasting.Hint Water ReviewGreen Plus Arrow

Comfort: You, the customer, can shop directly at Hint, which most beverage companies do not offer. Not only that, tip water can be sent directly to your door. No more hassle with the occasional inconvenience of using the store to carry water tanks. Hint Water also offers a regular delivery service so you do not have to worry about making your orders every month. Right now I have the taste of the month with auto shipping, every month a new taste of Hint Water comes to my door.

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Taste: Did you know that 76 million Americans drink 72 million diet sodas each year? Now look at this, 76% of diet soda drinkers would reduce their dietary soda consumption. But they find a big obstacle; they distinguish the taste of water. The combination of pure water + natural ingredients means Hint Water offers this audience a lot of hope.

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Diversity: Along with a great taste, Hint Water (as I mentioned earlier) offers a variety of flavors. Water stimulation of pineapple, blackberries, watermelons, peaches, pears, raspberries and more. Also for those who need a little morning help or just a midday soda, Hint Water Fizz offers natural caffeine.

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Hydration: A person can live for about 21 days without food; but not drinking any water in that time would mean death. Water is important to help metabolism, eliminate toxins, relieve headaches, aid digestion, support the immune system, prevent muscle spasms, and generally improve energy.

Hint Water Review

HINT Water Data FactsDashed Line

CEO

Kara Goldin is the HINT CEO and founded Hint Water in 2005.

Is it healthy?

Yes, it’s healthy because Hint Water is sugar free, vegan and gluten free. It also doesn’t include diet sweeteners, preservatives or calories. Finally the HINT brand is certified NON-GMO as well as WHOLE30 approved.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 0 Sugars 0
Sodium 0 g Polyunsaturated 0 g
Potassium 0 g Monounsaturated 0 g
Dietary Fiber 0 g Saturated 0 g
Total Carbs 0 g Total Fat 0 g

Hint Water Lawsuit?

The Hint water lawsuit is based on the use and description of Propylene Glycol as an ‘all-natural’ ingredient. However, the issue is that Propylene Glycol (PG) is considered to be a synthetic substance by the FDA. Hence the ‘all-natural claim by Hint while using Hint water propylene glycol is the basis of a class action lawsuit filed against Hint Inc. The case is on-going at the time of writing this.

Is Hint Water Bad for your Kidneys?

No, Hint is not bad for your kidneys because Hint does not contain anything like sodium or potassium that could negatively effect your kidneys.

Hint Water Retailers

Hint Water is only available in 16oz bottles and Hint Fizz in 16.9oz bottles. The following prices come directly from the company and correct at the time of writing this. Note that you may be able to get them cheaper on places like Hint water Amazon.

  • 12 Bottles Tip Fizz: $18
  • 12 bottles of water recommendation: $16- $18
  • 60 bottles of water recommendation: $80
  • 120 bottles of Hint Water or Tip Fizz: $160

Where To Buy Hint Water?

If you’re interested, you can also sign up to their subscription service called “Club Hint. This newsletter allows you to regularly receive the product of your choice. Before signing up, you can choose which product you want to receive, how often, when you want to receive it and how much you want. You can also cancel or pause the subscription at any time. Signing up gets you benefits like free shipping on 3 or more cases and early access to new flavors.

Remember that you don’t need a Hint water coupon to get this special offer just use this link.

However, you can change or delete your subscription plan through the panel of your account by using the online contact form or by sending an e-mail to hello@drinkhint.com

Bear in mind that you can also get Hint water from most national retailers such as Amazon, Wegmans, Safeway, Sam’s Club, Whole Foods and Walmart.

Hint Water Review – Total Waste of Money?

Mr Water Geek ThinkingIf you have a distaste for plain water, need variety, want the natural calorie free option and seek to keep good health, Hint water can be for you.

With natural ingredients, nice taste and flavor, Hint Water has become an option for me and for many other consumers desperate to increase their daily water intake.

People like us want to drink more water without ‘suffering’ with what some would consider to be the plain taste of natural water.

It’s also good for those who are pregnant or breastfeeding and looking for a sugar-free alternative.

Or perhaps you have gastrointestinal problems, are diabetic or simply want to give up soda? Hint water may just be the solution you are looking for.HINT Subscribe and Save

COMMENTS:

  1. Clementine
    I am 72 and love Hint Water.
    I love it 3 to 4 bottles a day.
    Thank you for making a little ‘ole Southern Lady so hydrated and happy.

  2. I loved Hint for the longest time. I finally got serious about water drinking and ordered several pallets of Hint in a couple of flavors. After a few weeks, I noticed that my sense of taste was off, and that even the Hint tasted different (a little metallic). I actually ended up here trying to see if this happened to anyone else… I stopped drinking it, and everything went back to normal after a week or so. Now I just enjoy it occasionally. Everything in moderation, I guess… but I still think it’s delicious, and wish I could drink it more!!

  3. I drink blackberry hint. I have for quite some time. I bought a 12 pack recently and put some of the bottles in refrigerator. I pulled out a bottle and took a couple sips and set it on the counter and then went back and took another sip. I set it by my chair. And I went to grab the bottle the next time I noticed it was pink colored and had something floating all around in it. I emailed the company and got a reply. I took pictures of the bottle with the floating particles inside. They said they would have their lab analyze what they thought it could be. Probably pulp, but I have no idea how it got there. They are sending me a case of hint and are still analyzing. I am anxiously awaiting their diagnosis.

  4. I’m pregnant. That’s not a reason to drink Hint (though it is a good reason to get hydrated in general). Any beverage is safe in moderation. Did you know that one mug of black coffee a day reduces your odds of developing gestational diabetes?

  5. I do intermittent fasting and would like to know if Hint spikes insulin response. I get that it has no sugar or artificial sweeteners but fruit will spike insulin. I have asked the company and they don’t seem to understand the question.

  6. I love Hint and have been drinking it since it came out. I cannot stand any sweetner, even natural ones like stevia. I would say that you should try every flavor to see which ones you like best. Even I don’t like every one. I search and search for any and all new ‘essence’ waters and have found a few (SmartWater is pretty good but only has 4 flavors). I am always waiting for new Hint flavors and have even written to them with new flavor ideas! I would suggest buying Hint at your local store because they just made thier shipping cost higher. Many stores now have multi flavor and single flavor 12 packs for about $10. I cannot afford thier online prices unless of course it’s a new flavor and I have to try it!! One more thing – i have put fruit flavored tea bags in my water and some are really good. It is a good alternative to Hint.

  7. Could you put Stevia, which is a natural sweetener 10 times sweeter than sugar, to each bottle to sweeten it up a little?

  8. “Hint is made with different techniques of reverse osmosis. This may include processes of deionization…”
    RO/DI IS DANGEROUS TO DRINK over time. I’d be interested to know how much of these processes happen, as I love drinking Hint.

  9. MY MOTHER-IN-LAW’S NURSING HOME DID THIS FOR YEARS AND ALWAYS HAD A DISPENSER TANK WITH A NOZZLE IN THE LOBBY. IT WAS WATER PLUS THE FLAVOR OF THE DAY: ORANGES, LEMONS AND CUCUMBERS WERE THE MOST FREQUENT, AND YOU COULD HAVE AS MANY REFILLS AS YOU WANT, BUT IT HAD FLAVOR! AND IT WAS FREE! I ALMOST GAGGED WGEN I SAW IT ADVERTISED ON TV FOR $1.00 PER BOTTLE. MY WIFE RECENTLY BROUGHT SOME HOME FROM COSTCO AND REALLY HAD TO USE MY IMAGINATION TO FIND ANY FLAVOR. NOT MY CUP OF TEA! IN ADDITION TO PERIODIC VISITS, I SPENT 17 DAYS THERE IN THERE, AFTER MAJOR HIP SURGERY A FEW YEARS AGO, SO IT WASN’T JUST A RANDOM INCIDENT,.

  10. I just discovered Hint water. I love it. Just what I needed. So far I’ve tried Watermelon, Blackberry and Pineapple. Blackberry is my favorite l, followed by pineapple and finally watermelon. My biggest issue is price. I can’t afford to drink this on a regular basis so will have to resort to only drinking it to get ready for a military fitness test. That’s lead me to research homemade options. I think I will try soaking things like orange slices and strawberries in water for a few hours. These are still great for on the go when you are out in town somewhere.

  11. The people who think it’s bland, has no flavor, and don’t like it, obviously are looking for something sweet. I have a sweet tooth, but prefer not to drink my water sweet. I have a real hard time drinking regular water. So far all the flavors have not disappointed and I’ve already doubled if not tripled my water consumption, and can drink regular water now without much issue. I find it to be extremely flavorful and exactly what I was expecting and hoping for. Although a little concerned about lawsuit and have been following it. I believe started in 2017. Would be interested in any new information. Your review was great!

  12. Hi All,
    Love Hint. I wanted to find out if it is safe to put your bottle in the freezer to freeze before consuming? I have chilled and sometimes freeze before taking it with me. Just wanted to make sure this is ok with the plastic in the bottles.

    1. From what I’ve read on their site the bottles they use are BPA free. Other research I’ve done, was when I got an email “warning” me about freezing my water bottles, and it sited the Mayo Clinic as the research hospital that conducted this study-so I went to the source. At the official Mayo Clinic website, I searched for the published results of their study on freezing water bottles, but instead I found they have a section devoted to responding to some of the false claims made about them being involved in case studies, or “warnings” that seem to go around now & then. First off they made it clear that they did not conduct a study on freezing water bottles, and that freezing objects-like plastics-does NOT cause toxins to release from them, but heating them might-but logically, only ones that are actually used to make them. They stated that most of those claims made include toxins that aren’t ever used for making plastic drinking bottles. It was insightful and led me to find good sources of info about the actual plastic being used out there, and what we actually need to look for when using them.

  13. Just because the water is pasteurized means that the water has been processed so no longer in its natural state and not providing all that natural water provides for your system. A good idea only I do love all the ruckus about any product that helps people be aware and deal with their best health habits.

  14. I will definitely need to try this for my husband he recently became diagnosed with type 2 diabetes we tried diet green tea lipton but i noticed he sugars never went down we did a test and yes its because of the Aspartame. Will see how this drink does.

  15. For years I was a very poor water drinker. I can’t stand the bland taste. However, when trying to lose weight and finally figuring out that I need water to flush daily toxins out, I attempted and succeeded in learning how to get eight glasses of water into my daily regimen. Since then I have gone up to 96+ ounces a day and this is because I was introduced to Hint water. I love the fact that you can smell and have that hint of fruit tickle your tastebuds. I would recommend to anyone. If you’re looking for something sugary sweet, this may not be for you. I truly hope it is here to stay. Thank you for your candid review.

  16. I bought 4 bottles of Hint water, 2 of Blood Orange and 2 Watermelon.
    I started drinking them and they both have absolutely no taste to them.
    Was very disappointed, it was like drinking plain water.

  17. Why don’t I just buy fresh fruit and make my own fruit flavored water??? Seems cheaper and I know exactly what’s in it….I can buy a case of water and different types of fruit cheaper than what you are charging.

    1. It’s not always convenient to have fruit around. This is good for those times. Cooking at home is cheaper, you still eat out, right?

  18. I was excited to try Hint water. Fell for all the hype. I must have got a bad batch as I ordered a case of cherry infused. The taste I got drinking it was bitter, very bitter. I couldn’t really mask it or make palatable with flavor drops for bottled water. Threw out most of it. Contacted Hint multiple times and did not get satisfactory response or refund. Will never buy again that’s for sure!

  19. I can hardly drink plain water which is why I LOVE HINT! I have one question… why is it so much more expensive to purchase Hint from their website? I can get an 18 pack of Hint from Sams for $11.00 but on the Hint website a case is 19.99. That’s a huge difference in price!

  20. Huge Hint can here. I just wanted to point out that Hint is now producing litre-sized bottles, alleviating my guilt a see bit.

  21. I appreciate this article, I am severely allergic to all diet sweeteners, stellivia and anything like those. I don’t know if I’ve ever had the Propylene Glycol stuff. Is there something common that it’s in?

    1. Hi Gary

      Very unlikely as this would have to be on the ingredients list and I haven’t seen any form of tea on any of them so far.

      Stay hydrated,
      Luke

  22. Does Hint have calcium chloride, sodium bicarbonate in it like the regular purified water bottles do?

  23. Do people know that sugar is in fruit? Sucrose or anything with ose is sugar people are so fing stupid and dazzled with bs what a scam. Some law firm needs to look at these claims.

    1. Hi! While you are correct that fruits have sugar in them, Hint water has fruit essence or oils, in other words, flavoring extracted from the fruits. This means that any sugar from the fruits has been basically removed The bottles say 0 sweeteners, meaning they add no sugars, and it also says there are 0g of total sugars in each bottle, meaning that any potential sugars (though I doubt there are any) from the fruit flavors are so minuscule they don’t need to be added on the packaging.

      1. HINT WATER LAWSUIT
        The Hint water lawsuit is based on the use and description of Propylene Glycol as an ‘all-natural’ ingredient. However, the issue is that Propylene Glycol (PG) is considered to be a synthetic substance by the FDA. Hence the ‘all-natural claim by Hint while using Hint water propylene glycol is the basis of a class action lawsuit filed against Hint Inc. The case is on-going at the time of writing this.

        Can’t believe all the morons out there that still believe what they read on food labels! Ya’ll don’t know that there is no accountability for theses labels? They can print whatever they want. Just have the money to pay your attorney when someone finds out you left Propylene Glycol off your ingredient list.
        (Propylene glycol is a synthetic liquid substance that absorbs water. Propylene glycol is also used to make polyester compounds, and as a base for deicing solutions. Propylene glycol is used by the chemical, food, and pharmaceutical industries as an antifreeze when leakage might lead to contact with food. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified propylene glycol as an additive that is “generally recognized as safe” for use in food. It is used to absorb extra water and maintain moisture in certain medicines, cosmetics, or food products. It is a solvent for food colors and flavors, and in the paint and plastics industries. Propylene glycol is also used to create artificial smoke or fog used in fire-fighting training and in theatrical productions. Other names for propylene glycol are 1,2-dihydroxypropane, 1,2-propanediol, methyl glycol, and trimethyl glycol. Propylene glycol is clear, colorless, slightly syrupy liquid at room temperature. It may exist in air in the vapor form, although propylene glycol must be heated or briskly shaken to produce a vapor. Propylene glycol is practically odorless and tasteless).
        I’m hoping beyond belief that hint is being honest, because it’s one of the few drinks I like. But who are we kidding here…

  24. I’ve purchased at both Sam’s Club and Costco for $0.63 a bottle. It’s more affordable than Amazon or Hint directly. I too would like a glass bottle as anything you consume in plastic is toxic and can lead to cancer.

  25. I’ve been drinking hint water for over a year I’ve always tried to drink water because I know it’s healthier but I’m bored with just plain water I began the keto diet 3 months ago and hit has been my savior I don’t see how people could complain about the taste wonderful it’s bursting with flavor especially if you’re used to not consuming sugar I actually prefer it over a sweetened version of something else that I could drink

  26. I love everything about Hint except the price. I was drinking several gallons of sweet tea every week as well as super sweet coffee. I have decided to cut sugar out of my diet but I missed flavor. Unsweet tea and coffee tastes horrible in my opinion. My wife has been drinking flavored mineral water but I don’t like the mineral water taste or the fizz. I decide to try Hint. I was excited to get the $36 + free shipping for 36 bottles offer. I also bought the 24 flavor variety pack but shipping was expensive. Some of my favorites are the Pineapple, Blackberry, Cherry, Peach, Green Apple.
    I want to continue drinking Hint but I think the price will be too high for my budget. I can buy a 48 pack of Spring water at the price club for less than $7. So at $1.65/ bottle its just too expensive.

    1. Hi Sherry

      It’s probabaly best kept refrigerated once opened (especially since plastic is susceptible to heat damage) but I’m sure there will be more information about this on the packaging.

      Stay hydrated,
      Luke

  27. The part about adding your own flavor to water to ‘imitate’ Hint is a false equivalent…since Hint is 0 cal and all fruits have calories, natural sugars and vitamins and minerals … so adding fruit to water will not, in fact give you the same outcome as Hint

    1. Hi John

      You are right, I stand corrected.

      I guess what I was suggesting was a low calorie alternative to the high calorie sugary “fruit infused bottled water” options that are currently all over the market.

      Stay hydrated,
      Luke

  28. Hi,

    Thanks for the in-depth review. As a lifelong Type-1 Diabetic I’m kinda loving having the non-caffeinated Hint Water to sip in the evenings for a little variety. It is a somewhat cultivated taste–the fruit flavors don’t haul off and sock you in the face, but they are there, and they make things more pleasant.

    I was really wondering about sorbitol which (in my case) seems to result in . . .unpleasantness. It seems thatI’ I’m relatively free from worry there (aside from, say, trace amounts from apples and berries.)

    Really appreciate your analysis!

  29. While I totally understand the difficulty in providing identifiable flavor and remaining at 0 calories, but if I didn’t look at the label I would not have been able to identify the flavors. I could tell there was a whisper of flavor but could not identify which flavor I was drinking. The commercials are severely misleading.

  30. After my sister-in-law praised the flavors of Hint water I decided to try it. I bought 6 bottles in different flavors to try a range of flavors. Every flavor I tried had 1 thing in common – they all tasted like the plastic bottles. I could barely taste the “flavor” of the water. A huge disappointment! I am very sensitive to artificial sweeteners so was happy to see there were none in Hint products. I would change the name to Suggestion because I don’t even get a hint of the flavor.

    1. Hi Linda

      I hear you on this one, I expected a lot more flavor when I tried it too.

      But when I thought about it I realised that it’s not really possible to have a lot of flavor in somethat that is ZERO calories.

      So if your taste buds require more stimulation then you should probably opt for regular flavored water, however, the consequence is that you will be consuming all the extra calories that come with that.

      Unfortunately more flavor = sugar, sweetners or artificial ingrediants.

      Stay hydrated,
      Luke

    2. I would highly recommend trying all the flavors. For me I love the blackberry and peach best, plus lemon. But the watermelon flavor is very light, pomegranate is very lightly flavored, the apple is a stronger flavor, but not my favorite. So I suggest truly trying all the flavors, and you may find some lighter and some stronger, based on your own taste buds! I truly drink it because I consider regular water is boring. Also being on subscription keeps the price per bottle reasonable, and I just do one bottle a day as a treat, along with my boring water, or sometimes add it to my boring water, even though that makes the water have only a subtle hint of flavor – whatever it takes to get my 2 Liters of water per day!

  31. I wanted to try Hint even though its not alkaline (like FLOW) but the ingredient said it is carbonated. I noticed you did not mentioned this ‘added’ feature? I had read this:” The very nature of adding carbon dioxide to water lowers the pH of the beverage, and many worry that the acid will promote tooth decay.” This was only one of listed potential health hazards of drinking carbonated water on a daily/consistent basis. Your take on this please.

    1. Hi Maria

      To my knowledge only the “HINT Fizz” variety are carbonated.

      So if you are concerned about this then you should opt for regular HINT water.

      Stay hydrated,
      Luke

  32. I am a Hint junkie! I tried it in California years ago and have been looking ever since. When it finally got to New England, it was so expensive though, and I hate the single serve bottles. Since being stuck at home I decided that Hint could be my guilty pleasure. I look for the $1 per bottle specials and try to limit to one a day. I have tried to make my own, but it is never as perfect. I need a 5 gallon cooler bottle of this at my house!!

  33. Great article well done. One thing I have wondered about, not complaining, just curious I don’t expect you to know but wanted to know your thoughts.

    Why do different flavors have such different prices on Amazon? Like I was used to the pack Cherry, Blackberry, Pineapple and Watermelon. But I wanted to try Lemon. Lemon was $17 for 12 bottles where I got 12 of the variety for $10.38. Now I understand brands sometimes have flavors they want to push. But I have looked at individual flavors 1 on 1 and the prices are all over the place. Lemon $17 and Watermelon $14, Pineapple $15.

    I like the lemon a lot because it’s been my experience that the lemon has more flavor compared to say Pineapple which IMO has none.

    But I got to say being a fan of Hint and never looking anything up and then reading about the proplyene glycol really makes me think it’s not worth drinking anymore. Kara seems to be pretty straightforward and a solid human being, why is she not addressing this or getting rid of this?

    Thank you and best of luck with the blog.

    1. Hi Raymond

      Thanks for pointing this out to me.

      I honestly have no idea but I would imagine it might have something to do with the different cost of different ingredients?

      Thanks again for sharing your thoughts and feedback.
      Stay hydrated,
      Luke

    2. You could make your own lemon flavored water at home. Using tap water or bottled (purified or spring) and lemons. I used to make my own at work. I’d take a lemon, lime,or orange..cut it into really thin slices so that they’d fit into the neck of the bottle. Shake, leave it be for about 45 minutes (the longer you leave it the more flavor)

      1. They now make a blueberry lemon, that is pretty good, maybe the price on it is more reasonable.

  34. Hint is a great product. Like you said, it encourages more water consumption. I really have a hard time drinking an entire bottle of water, but no trouble drinking a bottle of Hint. In fact I can drink too much. I have IC and propylene glycole irritates the bladder. I could drink five times as much plain water and not have to run to the bathroom, but if I drink one bottle of Hint, I have to go five times. I wish there was a way to get the Hint flavor without the proylene glycole. I don’t think home infused water is ever as good.

  35. First time ordering Hint online. Going for the TVBUNDLE: 3 cases. May I make one case sparkling and two original? And can I create a flavor assortment within each case. Thank you!

  36. I really enjoy hint water. The only issue I have with it is that the ingredients on my bottle just says purified water and natural flavors. Natural flavors could mean anything, they could put dirt in the water and call it a natural flavor. Do you know what is exactly in the water.

    1. Hi Sharon
      They would legally have to mention aspartame on the ingredients list if it were included.

      As I don’t see it anywhere on the list, I would say no.

      Stay hydrated,
      Luke

  37. I HATE drinking plain water and HINT has changed my life!! I drink it all day. At first I found it pricey but then I found it at my local BJs wholesale club for less than a dollar a bottle. I also buy it at the HINT website for cheap with frr shipping. I buy the HINT drink boxes for my granddaughter.

    1. Hi Jennifer

      If you mean which stores sell it, you can look it up on their store locator to see the one nearest to you.

      However, if you mean that you want to add it to your store then you can try contacting them (hello@drinkhint.com) and I’m sure they’ll be able to arrange that for you.

      Stay hydrated,
      Luke

  38. awesome review, thanks for your honesty, it’s so refreshing,
    stay hydrated!

  39. I love the “hint” of taste of the water. Guess that’s where the name came from. I suffer from acid reflux and indigestion from many liquid products. I have consumed the many waters available and the Hint water is the ONLY one that does not give me indigestion late at night. I do not like the price per bottle and usually drink one daily with my prescription medicine taken at night. It definitely tastes better the colder it is. I don’t know what they do any different than other bottlers but it sure works for me. Thanks for a great product.

  40. I accidentally bought a case of Hint caffeine Kick after always buying the original. The taste is inferior. Adding in caffeine spoiled the deliciousness of the original flavors. I will not make this mistake again. Why ruin a good thing?

    1. Hi Terry
      I guess it’s all down to personal taste because I personally prefer the taste of Hint caffeine Kick. However, I’m a total coffee addict…
      Stay hydrated,
      Luke

      1. i absolutely love the Hint water however, I was looking on Internet to see if, because, it is infused with fruits could cause loose bowels and no one commenting saying they have this issue. I was hoping it was because, it’s infused with fruits so, I’m gonna stop to see if this changes I just hope it’s not something else that’s bad. Again I just love it especially the black Berry and the cherry my favorites.

  41. There is not enough flavor for me. Make the flavor stronger, it taste so watered down you can hardly taste the flavor. I like that it doesn’t have carbonated water. I have acid reflux and like water with flavor, so hard to find water that is flavored without carbonated water. Thanks for hearing my complaints.

    1. Hi Linda
      I hear you but more flavor may only be achieved with more calories (remember that HINT is currently *zero* calories – no sugar, sweeteners, preservatives etc).
      If you want a slightly stronger/sweeter tasting water then the market is flooded with these options but there will be a calorie consequence.
      Stay hydrated,
      Luke

    1. Hi Sandra
      The label simply says: purified water and natural flavors.
      There doesn’t seem to be more information than this so presumably it means some sort of natural fruit extracts.
      However, if you need specific information then contact hello@drinkhint.com
      Stay hydrated,
      Luke

  42. Hard to believe the company will not reveal any of the locations where the product is bottled.

    1. Hi Brenda
      Yes, I totally agree – this is not cheap.
      Hopefully their prices start to come down or they offer bigger discounts for those customers that bulk buy online.
      Stay hydrated,
      Luke

    2. In North Little Rock Arkansas you can buy hint for 10 for $10.00. Thats 10 bottles for $10.00 plus the tax when you check out. They didn’t have all the flavors but they did have about 6 flavors. Grocery store chain in Stuttgart Arkansas had them for 88 cents a bottle. So shop around you may find it cheaper.

  43. HINT water has changed my life…seriously! Detest drinking plain water and this I can drink and I do! Just wish there was a little more flavor (as your taste test showed as well) so I am looking for Hint SQUARED! Double the flavor and double my delight HINT WATER! What do you think?

    Thanks for your opinions!

    1. Hi Nancy
      How about adding your own fruit or flavors into the mix?
      You could cut up chunks of oranges, watermelons or strawberries, put them in the freezer and then use them as “ice-cubes” to infuse your HINT water.
      I’ve also got other DIY fruit infused water recipes that you might find interesting.
      Stay hydrated,
      Luke

    1. Hi Bill
      Yes, HINT water is keto friendly.
      I would say so because it does not have any carbohydrates or sugar – both of the big no-no’s of the keto diet.
      Stay hydrated,
      Luke

  44. I LOVE Hint water. It is way more expensive than Nature’s Promise in grocery stores however. The flavors are better though and it takes much better. My ONLY problem is that it doesn’t come in GLASS bottles that can be recycled. More and more people are becoming too aware that our environment is suffering from so many plastic things that are not really recyclable. It would be nice to have the option, if not online but in grocery stores.

    1. Hi Lyn,
      I totally agree with you.
      I think more of these types of products need to become environmentally friendly but I have no doubt that the owners are looking into making this happen in a way that will keep the product competitively priced… hopefully this will happen sooner rather than later.
      Stay hydrated,
      Luke

    2. That is my only complaint as well is the plastic bottles. I do realize glass would be much heavier to ship. But, much friendlier for the environment.

    3. I just received my first order of Hint water and the bottles are labeled with #1 plastic, so they ARE recyclable.

      Plastc 1, 2 and 5 are all recyclable.

  45. What are the TDS (total dissolved solids) in this drink? If it is zero where do the flavors come from? Does it contain any fruitose?

    1. Hi Dennis
      Thank you for the questions.
      OK, so TDS usually refers to bacteria and water contamination NOT healthy natural ingredients.
      “Fruitose” doesn’t exist so I guess you mean “Fructose”.
      Fructose is naturally present in many plants so is likely to be present in HINT fruit flavors that naturally include fructose. However, if this is a concern check directly with HINT (hello@drinkhint.com) to see if traces of fructose appear in the flavor of your choice.
      Stay hydrated,
      Luke

  46. I just bought some and I really like it. I will continue to buy hint I want to try them all!

  47. I used to drink Hint water all the time, but unfortunately have recently been diagnosed ( like many others, apparently) with an allergy to propylene glycol, and advised to avoid it completely, which is hard to do. Since Canada & the EU have cut way back on the amounts allowed in products and food, the petroleum chemical sales people seem determined to place it in a huge variety of products, often without having to declare or list it, if used in small quantities. This is not just frustrating, but dangerous to a growing percentage of allergic Americans, but aside from policies and ethical considerations, , I just need to know if Hint water does actually use propylene glycol, including flavorings that may contain it. Do you know the answer to that question in August ./September 2019?

    1. Hi Steph

      So sorry to hear about your recent diagnosis.

      As this is something that can pose a health risk to you, it’s better to contact Hint directly and get full clarification – hello@drinkhint.com
      Please circle back here and keep me updated so that I can publish their answer and help others who may have similar concerns.

      Stay hydrated,
      Luke

  48. Does the water go bad if not opened by a certain date? I was going to get a few cases in. My daughter said just remember it goes bad, when she bought a case it had a date. I buy by the bottle and can’t find any expiration date.

    1. Hi Colleen

      I’m sorry that you can’t find the HINT water expiration date on the bottle but any case you buy should come with an expiration date.

      Unopened flavored water will stay at the best quality between 9-12 months if you store it at room temperature. It is still going to be safe to drink after this period but the quality might not be the best.

      Stay hydrated,
      Luke

  49. I LOVE Hint! My favorites are kiwi-strawberry, blood orange, cherry and watermelon. I’ve been signed up for about a year, with delivery of three cases, every 60 days. This is awesome stuff, and the taste is off-the-charts good when you keep it REALLY cold! Plus, delivery is free, and you receive a nice discount with three cases or more. I also have a Brita water pitcher, featuring the new filters, which now remove lead, along with all the other contaminants. I can honestly say that I’m well-hydrated! No, I don’t run the Hint water through the Brita; it’s just nice to have a “back-up”. Enjoyed your review/article. Keep up the good work.

  50. There are bio-based propylene glycols, whic would mean it’s still “all natural.” If that’s the case for Hint then I think they will win their lawsuit. Let’s hope so because the product is great! But, even if not, companies are allowed to say “All natural” if less than X percent of the ingredients are synthetic. I would think Hint meets those criteria. Will be interesting to see the outcome…

    1. Hi Kathleen
      I think you could be right! But I’ll also be keeping an eye on the unfolding lawsuit too.
      Thanks for dropping by.
      Stay hydrated,
      Luke

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About The Author

About The Author Of This Post

I'm Luke and I enjoy researching, testing and writing about water treatment products. Read full bio.