Best Bottled Water Brands (And the Popular Ones to Avoid)

I used to grab whatever bottled water looked "clean" at the store. Spring water sounded safe. Glass bottles felt premium. European brands seemed trustworthy. Then I started looking at the actual test data, and it changed how I buy water for my family completely.

Here's what I found when I dug into the most comprehensive testing data available - over 300 bottled water brands tested for fluoride, PFAS, microplastics, and arsenic. What I learned surprised me, and I think it will surprise you too.

The Popular Brands to Avoid

Let me start with the bad news, because it involves brands most of us have in our carts right now. I'm going to break this down by contaminant so you can see exactly what the problem is.

Worst Brands for Fluoride

Fluoride in bottled water is more common than you'd think. These brands tested with the highest fluoride levels - in some cases, comparable to fluoridated municipal tap water:

These aren't the only brands with fluoride - many others contain it at lower levels. But the brands above are the worst offenders.

One that particularly caught my attention: Fiji water, which was long considered one of the cleanest brands available, has recently tested positive for fluoride. The levels aren't as high as San Pellegrino or Gerolsteiner, but it's enough that I no longer consider it a safe go-to brand.

Brands With PFAS (Forever Chemicals)

PFAS are the "forever chemicals" that don't break down in the environment or in your body. They've been linked to thyroid issues, immune suppression, and increased cancer risk. Finding them in bottled water is a problem, because most people buy bottled water assuming it's cleaner than tap.

Brands With High Microplastics

Microplastics in bottled water are especially concerning because the plastic bottles themselves are often the source. Some brands have been tested with alarming levels:

It's worth noting that any water sold in a plastic bottle is going to have at least some microplastics. The brands above tested particularly high, but plastic packaging is the fundamental problem. This is one reason why all 8 of the "100% clean" brands are available in glass.

Quick Reference: Brands to Skip

Here's the full list in one place, sorted by the primary contaminant of concern:

The 8 Brands That Tested 100% Clean

Now for the good news. These 8 brands tested completely free of fluoride, PFAS, microplastics, and arsenic. All of them are available in glass bottles, which eliminates the plastic contamination problem entirely.

Also worth noting: stick with unflavored varieties. Anything with "natural flavors" introduces additional chemicals that aren't part of the water testing data.

Why So Many Brands Fail

If you're wondering how a $4 bottle of Italian mineral water can contain fluoride levels similar to fluoridated tap water - so was I.

The answer is that "bottled water" is not the same as "filtered water." Most bottled water is just water from a natural source - a spring, a well, a mineral deposit. That water naturally contains whatever minerals are in the ground it comes from. Sometimes those minerals include fluoride, sometimes arsenic, sometimes both.

Premium brands like San Pellegrino and Gerolsteiner actually market their high mineral content as a selling point. And for calcium or magnesium, that might be fine. But those same geological sources can also deliver fluoride that you didn't ask for.

PFAS contamination has a different source - it usually means the water supply (or the bottling process) is exposed to forever chemicals from industrial pollution. And microplastics come primarily from the plastic bottles themselves, especially when stored in warm conditions or for long periods.

What About Perrier?

I get asked about Perrier a lot. The testing shows that Perrier does contain fluoride, but at lower levels than the worst offenders like San Pellegrino or Gerolsteiner. It didn't make the "100% clean" list, but it's not in the worst category either.

My take: if Perrier is your favorite sparkling water and you want to keep drinking it occasionally, that's a reasonable choice. But if you're looking for the cleanest option, one of the 8 brands above is a better pick.

The Better Long-Term Solution

Here's what I tell every parent who asks me about bottled water: it's not a long-term solution. Even the 8 clean brands are expensive to rely on daily, and you're constantly buying, carrying, and recycling glass bottles.

For everyday drinking water at home, the better move is a quality water filter that removes all the contaminants we've been talking about - fluoride, PFAS, microplastics, lead, and arsenic. Then you only need bottled water when you're traveling or away from home.

Here's what actually works:

Reverse Osmosis (Best Protection)

Reverse osmosis pushes water through a membrane with pores so small that fluoride, PFAS, microplastics, and virtually everything else gets filtered out. This is the gold standard for home water filtration.

The AquaTru is what I use. It sits on the countertop, requires no plumbing, and is NSF-certified to remove 84 contaminants - including fluoride and PFAS. At about $0.12 per gallon, it's dramatically cheaper than buying clean bottled water, and you know exactly what you're getting every time.

Carbon Block Filter (Budget-Friendly)

If $449 for an RO system isn't in the budget right now, a quality carbon block filter is a good starting point. The Clearly Filtered pitcher at $90 uses compressed carbon block (not loose granules like Brita) and is certified to remove PFAS along with 365+ other contaminants. It won't remove fluoride as effectively as reverse osmosis, but it's a major step up from a Brita.

Test Your Tap Water First

Before you buy any filter, it's smart to know what's actually in your tap water. You might be surprised - some areas have very clean water, others have serious issues. A home water test kit or our free water quality tool (just enter your ZIP code) will show you exactly what contaminants are present so you can make an informed decision.