Water is a vital part of life, but it’s often bland or loaded with sugars and additives to improve the flavor. Hint aimed to change that by introducing a flavored water product that tastes great without the extra sweeteners and additives.
We wondered if Hint created a delicious, healthy alternative to sugary drinks that tasted better than plain tap water, so we set out to see for ourselves.
What is Hint Water?
Hint water is a natural water infused with fruit flavors. The company leaves out sweeteners, calories, unnecessary minerals, and preservatives for a gluten-free, vegan drink. Hint expanded their original line to include more different types of water, including Hint Sparkling (formerly Hint Fizz), Hint Kick, and Hint Kids.
All Hint water products are gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and kosher. Additionally, they are all non-GMO certified by NSF.
How is Hint Water Made?
Using natural fruit essences and oils Hint puts the water through a unique heating, cooling, dissolving, and filtering process, Hint created a popular alternative to fruit juice and other high-calorie, sweet drinks. The final product is touted as a calorie-free, natural water with a hint of flavor.
According to the Hint website, the company uses various methods of reverse osmosis, including deionization and UV light treatment to create their products. The water process purifies the water before adding flavors.
Possibly the most interesting part of the process is the last step – pasteurization. Though pasteurization is usually associated with dairy products, in this case, pasteurizing the water helps it last longer and ensures it is microbe-free.
Does Hint Water Have Caffeine?
One variety of Hint Water, Hint Kick, contains caffeine. The rest of the line is caffeine-free. Hint Kick has 60mg of caffeine.
Is Hint Water Carbonated?
Again, not all Hint Water is carbonated. However, the company launched a line known as Hint Sparkling that is carbonated. It is sugar-free, calorie-free, and preservative-free like the rest of Hint’s products, but infused with a little fizz.
Hint Water Ingredients
Hint Water only includes purified water and natural flavors, though the natural flavors vary depending on the flavor you choose. For example, the ingredients for Peach Raspberry Hint Water include:
- Pure water
- Peach, raspberry, and other natural flavors
Hint Sparkling flavors are similar to the still flavors. However, Hint Kick products also include 60mg of caffeine.
Nutritional Facts
- Calories: 0g
- Total Fat: 0g
- Sodium: 0mg
- Total Carb: 0g
- Protein: 0g
How Does Hint Water Taste?
Flavor matters, especially when you want a substitute for fruit juices and sodas that are loaded with flavor. So, without all of the additives and sweeteners, does Hint have any flavor?
What Others Say
Hint waters remain highly rated across multiple sites, so it wasn’t difficult to find opinions on flavor. For our purposes, we started with Hint’s website and branched out to other major sites to gain a broader perspective.
We found thousands upon thousands of positive reviews across more than ten websites. Sure, some people argue it doesn’t taste like anything, but the vast majority of reviewers are repeat customers for a reason.
Several reviewers commended the light fruit taste and absence of artificial undertones. Many reviews report having favorite flavors and appreciating the break from plain water.
Additionally, we found a lot of reviewers who reported an interesting trend. A portion of reviewers indicated that they initially didn’t like Hint but stuck with it as a substitute for sugary drinks. Over time, they found that the longer they drank Hint, the more they tasted the fruit flavors. Many of those reviewers encourage doubters to stick with Hint for a week or two before giving up.
For Hint Kick products, reviewers liked the alternative to coffee and soda, especially for a small bump in the afternoon. A few reviewers expressed disappointment that the Kick products aren’t carbonated.
Our Thoughts
We tried a few Hint water flavors to form our own opinion and found that the fruit flavor is subtle but present. Hint water does offer a break from the ordinary, especially Hint Sparkling.
The flavors are subtle to the point you may not recognize it with every sip. However, we found it refreshing and appreciated the subtle hints of fruit without the artificial aftertaste. We liked Blackberry the best in both Still and Sparkling varieties. Admittedly, we did not try Hint Kick, so we can’t attest to the flavor or effects of the added caffeine.
What Flavors Does Hint Water Offer?
There are several hint water flavors to choose from, and different flavors for each product line. Though there’s a little overlap, the still waters offer more options.
Hint Water Flavors – 16-ounce Bottles
- Peach Raspberry
- Clementine
- Mango
- Lemon
- Watermelon
- Blackberry
- Pineapple
- Peach
- Cherry
- Crisp Apple
- Raspberry
- Strawberry-Kiwi
- Honeycrisp Apple
- Peppermint
- Pomegranate
- Mango-grapefruit
- Pear
- Blood Orange
Hint Sparkling Flavors – 16.9-ounce Bottles
- Blackberry
- Cherry
- Peach
- Watermelon
- Grapefruit
- Strawberry-kiwi
- Ginger
Hint Kick Flavors – 16-ounce Bottles
- Black Raspberry
- Apple Pear
Hint Kids – 6.75-ounce Boxes (kid-friendly packages with straws!)
- Watermelon
- Blackberry
- Cherry
- Apple
Is Hint Water Good for You?
We touched on taste, flavors, and ingredients, but many people want to know “is hint water healthy?” Hint water is pure water infused with natural flavors, so it’s a healthy alternative to sugary drinks, like sodas and fruit juices.
Hydration is critical to our well-being, and drinking water is the best choice. For some people drinking enough water is a challenge because they dislike plain water. However, choosing a product like Hint that infused pure water with natural flavors ensures you drink enough water without growing bored.
Hint touts the health benefits of their products for people with various dietary concerns. The waters are Non-GMO certified and vegan. They contain no MSG, nuts, soy, or gluten.
Was There A Hint Water Lawsuit?
Yes, there was a Hint water lawsuit filed in 2017. The lawsuit argues Hint water contains propylene glycol (PG), a synthetic substance approved by the FDA for use in foods. It’s often used as a solvent in natural flavors.
Does Hint water have propylene glycol? According to the suit, independent testing found some PG in a product, so the claimants feel that Hint should not label water as natural or all-natural. At this time, the suit is ongoing.
Where Can I Buy Hint Water?
You can purchase Hint water directly from the company via the website. Hint also makes it easy to find an approved retailer near you, but it is nice to bypass the middleman and go straight to the source. Plus, as you’ll see, there are some serious perks to shopping with Hint directly. You can place orders at any time (24 hours per day, 7 days per week).
Hint offers two choices for purchasing through their site, a Hint water subscription or a one-time purchase. A one-time order scores you one case (twelve bottles) for $19.99, plus shipping. They also offer bundles and a Discovery Pack that features twenty-four different flavors.
Subscribe and Save
Hint offers a subscribe and save option that can save you a little, no matter what type of Hint you like. If you choose a Hint water subscription, you can rack up additional savings and some extra perks.
- You get 20% off every order, which works out to approximately $15.99 per case.
- Even though you select a flavor for your shipment, you can switch flavors at any time, so it’s easy to get the variety you seek. You may even want to try a variety pack.
- Subscribers get early access to new flavors.
- Score free shipping on orders of three cases or more.
When you subscribe, you select your flavors and frequency of deliveries (14-day, 30-day, or 60-day increments). You can cancel your subscription at any time without penalty because there is no membership fee to worry about.
Rewards Program
Like many other successful companies, Hint created a rewards program for loyal fans. Sign up to earn points toward discounts on purchases or Hint products, like sunsticks and face masks. There are several ways to earn points:
- Every $1 spent on Hint’s site earns 10 points.
- Create an account to earn 100 points.
- Share Hint on Facebook to earn 100 points.
- Make three purchases of $50 or more to earn 100 points.
- Refer a Friend Program allows you to give a friend $10 off their first purchase. In return, you get 5,500 rewards points ($10 worth of points) for every successful referral.
Shipping Policy
Hint ships within the 48 contiguous states. They do not ship to Alaska, Hawaii, FPOs, APOs, P.O. Boxes, or outside the United States.
Shipments of one or two cases, including subscriptions, cost a flat rate of $8. If you order three or more cases, shipping is free (even if you don’t have a subscription). Shipments go out via FedEx Ground/Home Delivery, and you receive an email with the tracking number when your order leaves the fulfillment center.
Orders placed Monday through Friday morning usually ship within 24 hours, but orders placed Friday afternoon through Sunday evening ship on Monday. Expect your order to arrive at your door within three to six business days.
Return Policy
Hint does not accept returns or exchanges. However, you can handle damaged or incorrect orders with the customer service team at hello@drinkhint.com or by filling out this form.
Office Water Delivery
Hint even delivers to offices looking for a health boost and substitute for the soda machine. There are three bundle options to choose from, depending on your office’s needs. As a bonus, if you sign up for a subscription, your office gets an extra 5% off the bulk purchase.
- The 6-case bundle includes 72 bottles of assorted flavors, and you have eight options starting at $92.99 per month (with a subscription)
- A 12-case bundle (144 bottles) of assorted flavors starts at $179.99 per month (with a subscription), and you have eight options to choose from.
- Try a 12-case mixed bundle that includes a selection of Hint Water, Hint Sparkling, and Hint Kick in the most popular flavors.
Hint Water At a Glance
Looking beyond the product, these Hint water data facts might interest you and shine some light on the brand behind the water.
More About the Company
The San Francisco-based company is the brainchild of CEO Kara Goldin. The entrepreneur started Hint in 2005 to make great-tasting water without added sugar and sweeteners.
Like many Americans, Goldin survived on sugary drinks, typically downing eight to ten diet soda per day! Overweight, exhausted, and dealing with adult acne, Goldin chose to make a change.
Goldin hated the taste of plain water and sought a way to spruce it up a bit. She cut up pieces of fruit and dropped it in pictures of water. Not only did Goldin prefer it, so did her family.
Today, Hint makes a variety of waters to appeal to many tastes, but Goldin and her team didn’t stop there. The team expanded Hint’s offerings to include an array of health-conscious products, including sunscreen and deodorants.
Additional Hint Products
Hint’s products don’t stop at flavored water. The company introduced a selection of other products to encourage health and well-being.
- Try the hand sanitizer infused with the company’s signature scents, like clementine and grapefruit. It’s 70% alcohol with glycerin, hydrogen peroxide, and essential oils.
- If you need a face mask, Hint offers branded, non-medical grade face masks that are lightweight and breathable.
- Check out the aluminum-free, easy-glide deodorant (eucalyptus lemon scent) that dries clear.
- Water-resistant sunscreen comes in fun, fruity flavors, like pear and grapefruit (SPF30). The sunscreen spray can be applied to wet or dry skin and can last up to 80 minutes in the water.
- Sunscreen sticks provide a pocket-sized alternative. The sunscreen sticks are also SPF30 and remain water-resistant for up to 80 minutes.
Hint Green Initiative
It’s no secret that plastic is a problem for the environment. So, what do you do if you make bottled water that people love? Hint launched the Hint Green Initiative to reduce the impact on the environment.
Hint uses bottles manufactured at the bottling facility and made from fully recyclable PET plastic. Since 2007, Hint has reduced the amount of plastic in the bottle by almost a quarter and hopes to reach a total reduction of 40% within the year.
Affiliate Program
Hint offers an affiliate program for interested parties who share their passion for clean, fruit-flavored water. With a baseline offer of 8%, it’s a reasonable option for bloggers and health-conscious sites. Hint also offers some decent perks to affiliates.
- The average order value is $50.
- Get high converting coupons and other consumer offers.
- Expect regular newsletters and commission boost incentives.
- There are some exclusive offers and deals available upon request.
Alternatives to Hint Water: Competitor Brands
If you’re not sold on Hint, there are alternatives you can purchase and even make at home. Let’s take a look at some of your options.
There may be several other companies that offer fruit-flavored water, but many use artificial preservatives and flavors. You might be surprised to find that several of them even have calories!
DIY Fruit-Flavored Water
You can always make your own flavored water at home. Start with purified filtered water for the best results and then go to town with fresh ingredients. Try making it by the pitcher and leaving it in your fridge to chill.
- Add some citrus juice, like lemon, lime, or orange juice.
- Try some fresh herbs, like peppermint or spearmint for an extra-refreshing glass of water.
- To tame your sweet tooth, slice up fruit, especially berries, and add them to your water.
- Recreate the spa vibe by slicing cucumbers and dropping them in your water.
- To settle an upset stomach, add freshly sliced ginger to your water to soothe it.
Bonus tip: Drop bits of fruit, ginger, or herbs in a silicone ice cube tray. Cover with purified water and freeze. Pull the cubes out and add to your water whenever you want a little extra flavor.
The Verdict: Hint Water Review
Hint water remains a popular product for several reasons. Many users opt for Hint as a healthier substitute for sugary drinks, like sodas. It is a healthier alternative that has no calories, additives, or sugars, which makes it a great option for people of all ages.
Some people complained that Hint water is too bland and not worth the extra cost over a regular bottle of water. To that we say, while Hint water is slightly more expensive than a bottle of plain water, it has flavor. No, it isn’t a sugary sweet pop of flavor, Hint water is more subtle, but it is a refreshing break from boring old plain water.
If you want to drink more water but can’t handle the bland taste, Hint is a viable option. It’s safe and could be a great option for people with health conditions who need to avoid sugar and preservatives.