Smart Water Price and Guide 2021

Introduction of Smart Water

Smart Water represents the first attempt at producing a healthier than water option by the creator of what was once called Energy Brands, J. Darius Bikoff. Energy Brands is now known widely as Glaceau and is owned by the Coca Cola company.

While Coca Cola owns the brand, Glaceau operates independently with Bikoff still making the decisions as the leader of the water brand. Created in 1996, after a revelation when taking vitamin C with mineral water (an important part of creating Vitamin Water in 2000), Smart Water quickly rose to be one of the most popular bottled water brands in the United States.

Smart Water continues to be popular in the US, posting sales of well over $800 million in 2016. Jennifer Aniston has been a brand ambassador for over a decade as Glaceau inked a marketing deal with her in 2007.

Outside of the United States, Smart Water can be found in Australia, Canada, Chile, Croatia, India, Serbia,  the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. Each country has its own selection of offerings but all of them carry the original Smart Water.

Smart Water Prices

Smart Water finds itself squarely in the mix of premium bottled water brands with close to a billion dollars in sales in any given year. The brand has continued to expand its offerings as Coca Cola seeks to take advantage of the growing popularity of bottled water (bottled water has become the top-selling of all beverages including soft drinks).

The brand is considered enhanced water - a coin termed by the bottled water industry to differentiate between simply filling a bottle with water and the manipulation of water before bottling.

Smart Water adds electrolytes to its bottles of water. An electrolyte is any one of the ionized minerals: calcium, magnesium, phosphate, potassium, and sodium. Some experts believe replacing these minerals after activities that cause sweating can be beneficial for your health.

Electrolytes do not add any measurable dietary components to the water and are tasteless. However, many people suggest that electrolytes make the water seem more “crisp” or “refreshing”.

There are now several unflavored options available from Smart Water in addition to its original product: sparkling, alkaline, and antioxidant. Aside from the notably different “texture” of sparkling water, the other options taste and cost the same as the original Smart Water.

Smart Water vs Other Bottles

As Smart Water is an enhanced-water, it is fair to compare it against premium brands like Fiji or Evian while also considering its sister brand Vitamin Water.

The Smart Water 1L bottle comes in on average at $1.59, as you can see below. The equivalent bottle from Fiji averages about $2.49. Evian averages about the same as Fiji water, while Vitamin Water can climb to $4.00 for its 32-ounce size (slightly less than a liter).

As you can see, for water widely considered to be comparable to other premium brands, Smart Water comes in at almost a dollar less on average. This is great news for those who prefer to follow Jennifer Aniston’s lead.

Common Smart Water Prices List

pH of Smart Water

The pH of bottled water is often based on its source and mineral content. Smart Water and Smart Water Sparkling are slightly more acidic than a bottle of pure water. The Alkaline option, which has a significantly higher pH, is guaranteed to be over 9 on the pH scale.

Smart Water uses an undisclosed method to remove certain elements from the water to increase its alkalinity. Neither lower nor higher pH is said to impact the taste of the water.

Where Does Smart Water Come From?

While some marketing materials suggest the water comes entirely from a British spring, Coca Cola admits that the vast majority of Smart Water sources is simple tap water. This revelation is notable given the common comparison of Smart Water to brands like Evian and Fiji, who do get their water directly from natural sources.

Smart Water uses the natural procession of vapor distillation (which is how clouds and rain are formed) as part of its purification process. Simply put, water is heated causing the solids (contaminants) to separate from the water molecules. The vapor cools and forms water again.

Prior to the tap water entering the vapor distillation phase, Smart Water uses a common method of filtration: carbon filtration. Carbon filters absorb poor tasting chemicals used to clean tap water like chlorine.

Ozone gas is used as a final purification method before the water and its added electrolytes (and carbonization if it is sparkling water) are sealed for final shipment.