Canstar Blue’s first-ever review of energy drinks compares Mother, Monster, V, and Red Bull on taste, effectiveness, range variety, packaging design, value for money, and overall satisfaction.
Whether you’re working at a desk or doing hard labour − there are times when you just need that extra energy kick to get you through the day. If a cup of coffee simply won’t cut it, energy drinks are an alternative specially formulated to increase energy and mental performance. In fact, nearly half of the Aussies we surveyed (47%) consume energy drinks to feel more energetic, and 24% feel it improves their performance in sports, work, or other activities.
To find out which energy drinks are worth trying out, Canstar Blue surveyed nearly 400 consumers for their feedback on the energy drinks they’ve purchased (from a supermarket or grocer) and consumed within the last three months. Respondents rated their respective brands on important factors including taste, effectiveness, range variety, packaging design, value for money, and overall satisfaction. Those that received the minimum required survey sample size of 30 responses are included in our results.
Mother was rated the best brand for energy drinks with five-star reviews for overall satisfaction and in the majority of categories!
Here are the best brands of energy drinks in Australia, as rated by consumers in Canstar Blue’s inaugural review:
Mother took out the top spot in our energy drinks ratings after scoring five stars for taste, effectiveness, range variety, value for money, and overall satisfaction. V was the only other brand to score full marks in any category, namely for effectiveness and packaging design.
Mother was established in Australia and New Zealand, as a subsidiary brand of Coca-Cola. Its energy drinks come in various caffeinated blends including original and flavours like ‘passion’, ‘frosty berry’, and ‘kiwi sublime’. There’s also a sugar-free version. Caffeine levels vary by can size and product flavour, so be sure to check the nutritional information of each product if you want to know more about the ingredients used.
It depends. Energy drinks do contain large amounts of caffeine and sugar (apart from sugar-free versions) − so it’s best to consume them in moderation. Almost one in five Aussies we surveyed (19%) said they prefer energy drinks to coffee (because they don’t like hot drinks), but still want a caffeine hit. Energy drinks are required by law to indicate their caffeine content on the label and also need to be approved for use by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ). Energy drinks are not recommended for children (including teenagers), pregnant or breastfeeding women, or people sensitive to caffeine.
Our survey found that 23% of Aussies consume one standard-size glass/can/bottle per day. Just keep in mind that drinking too much caffeine (even coffee) can raise your blood pressure and heart rate. Consume energy drinks in moderation.
This report was written by Canstar Blue’s Home & Lifestyle Content Lead, Megan Birot. She’s an expert on household appliances, health & beauty products, as well as all things grocery and shopping. When she’s not writing up our research-based ratings reports, Megan spends her time helping consumers make better purchase decisions, whether it’s at the supermarket, other retailers, or online, highlighting the best deals and flagging anything you need to be aware of.
Picture credits: Mother Facebook.
Canstar Blue surveyed more than 3,000 Australian adults across a range of categories to measure and track customer satisfaction, via ISO 26362 accredited research panels managed by Qualtrics. The outcomes reported are the results from customers within the survey group who have purchased (from a supermarket or grocer) and consumed energy drinks within the last three months – in this case, 363 people.
Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included. Results are comparative and it should be noted that brands receiving three stars have still achieved a satisfaction measure of at least six out of 10. Not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The ratings table is first sorted by star ratings and then by mean overall satisfaction. A rated brand may receive a ‘N/A’ (Not Applicable) rating if it does not receive the minimum number of responses for that criteria.
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