Evian Natural Spring Water
Poland Spring Water
Icelandic Glacial Natural Spring Alkaline Water
Looking for the best bottled water brands without fluoride?
In this guide, we’ve shared our top picks for the best fluoride-free bottled waters available today, based on their fluoride concentration, purity, taste, value for money, and more.
Table of Contents
- 🥇 Best Bottled Water Without Fluoride 2023
- 📊 Comparison Chart of Best Bottled Water Without Fluoride
- ⭐ Reviews – Best Brands Of Fluoride-Free Bottled Water 2023
- 🤔 What Is Bottled Fluoride-Free Water?
- 🚰 How Does Fluoride Get Into Water?
- ⚠️ What’s Wrong With Fluoride In Water?
- ✅ Is Fluoride in Bottled Water Regulated?
- 🔎 How To Know How Much Fluoride Bottled Water Contains
- 🧾 Buyer’s Guide: What To Consider When Buying The Best Fluoride-Free Bottled Water
- 🆚 Bottled Water Vs Removing Fluoride From Water At Home
- ❔ FAQ
🥇 Best Bottled Water Without Fluoride 2023
- Best Overall: Evian Natural Spring Water
- Best Affordable: Poland Spring Water
- Best Naturally Filtered: Icelandic Glacial Natural Spring Alkaline Water
- Best Distilled: Smartwater Vapor Distilled Premium Water
- Best Alkaline Water: Essentia Ionized Alkaline Bottled Water
- Best In Glass Bottles: Acqua Panna Toscana Spring Water
📊 Comparison Chart of Best Bottled Water Without Fluoride
Product | Evian Natural Spring Water | Poland Spring Water | Icelandic Glacial | Smartwater Vapor | Acqua Panna Toscana |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ranking | 1st | 2nd | 4th | 3rd | 5th | 6th |
Ratings | 5/5 | 5/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 |
Price | $ | $ | $ | $$ | $ | $$ |
Source | Cachat Spring | Spring | Ölfus Spring | British springs | Local water supply | Apennine Mountains |
Carbonation | Still | Still | Still | Still | Still | Still |
Origin | French Alps | Spring | Iceland | Morpeth, Northumberland | USA | Mugello, Italy |
Packaging | PET | PET | rPET | PET1 | PET | Glass |
TDS | 345 mg/L | 38-120 mg/L | 62 mg/L | 27 mg/l | <10 mg/l | 150 mg/l |
pH | 7.2 | 7.2 | 8.4 | 7.0 | 9.5 | 8.8 |
Fluoride | 0.10 ppm | 0.10 ppm | 0.0 ppm | 0.0 ppm | 0.0 ppm | 0.0 ppm |
⭐ Reviews – Best Brands Of Fluoride-Free Bottled Water 2023
Evian Natural Spring Water
In our opinion, the best overall bottled water without fluoride is the Evian Natural Spring Water.
Evian bottled water has two advantages: it comes from a natural spring, so it’s naturally free from fluoride, and it’s more affordable than most other bottled spring water brands.
The Evian water bottle label says it contains just 0.1 ppm of fluoride – an extremely low amount. But the lack of fluoride doesn’t mean that Evian water is low in other minerals that enhance its taste. It’s high in calcium (80 mg/L) and silica, giving it a smooth, crisp taste. Its TDS count is just 345 mg/L, and its pH is a neutral 7.2, despite the high mineral content.
Evian water is sourced from a town on the outskirts of the French Alps. It’s spring water that has been gradually filtered through glacial rocks for over a decade, resulting in pure, low-TDS, naturally-filtered water.
Pros
- Naturally very low in fluoride
- Neutral pH for a balanced taste
- High in healthy minerals
Cons
- Not the most eco-conscious choice due to being shipped from France
- Still more expensive than some brands
Poland Spring Water
You shouldn’t have to spend a fortune on fluoride-free water on the go, as proven by Poland Spring water. This popular bottled water is distilled, so it contains very little-to-no fluoride, and it’s more affordable than many of the bottled spring water brands due to its municipal water source.
Poland Spring water is sourced from 10 different locations across Maine. It has slightly different TDS counts (38 – 120 mg/L) and pH values (6.6 to 8.2) depending on the water source, but one thing that appears to stay consistent is its lack of fluoride.
The water has a light taste that may vary depending on the exact water source of the particular bottle in question.
Pros
- One of the most affordable bottled water brands with sub-detectable fluoride levels
- Widely available in most stores across the US
- Distillation process removes all other impurities
Cons
- pH and TDS levels aren’t consistent
- Doesn’t taste as good as naturally filtered spring water
Icelandic Glacial Natural Spring Alkaline Water
If you’re looking for the best naturally filtered fluoride-free bottled water, we think the Icelandic Glacial Natural Spring Alkaline Water can’t be beaten.
This premium bottled water product is sourced from Iceland’s Ölfus Springs after it has traveled through the region’s lava rocks for more than 5,000 years. The result is clean, pure, natural spring water that’s naturally free from impurities including fluoride.
Icelandic Glacial water has a pH of around 8.4, making it naturally alkaline, despite its low mineral content and TDS (62 mg/L). It has a pure, smooth, and refreshing taste, with no artificial flavorings or additives.
Pros
- Undetectable fluoride levels
- Naturally purified for thousands of years
- High alkalinity & pH for improved taste
Cons
- Not the most environmentally friendly water due to the need to be shipped to the US
- Lower levels of healthy minerals
Smartwater Vapor Distilled Premium Water
The Smartwater Vapor Distilled Premium Water distilled is our top choice for anyone who wants the reassurance of fluoride- and impurity-free distilled bottled water.
This purified water product is sourced from British springs before being treated with vapor distillation – a process of boiling the water until it evaporates, separating it from all dissolved impurities, including fluoride. Smartwater bottled water is said to be “fluoride-free” and contains undetectable levels of fluoride.
Distilled water is known to have a “flat” or “plain” taste due to its lack of minerals, but Smartwater contains added electrolytes, giving it a fresh, crisp, alkaline taste and the health benefits of added minerals, including calcium chloride, potassium, chloride, and magnesium. The water has a neutral pH, and it’s also sold in an alkaline option with a pH of 9.5.
Pros
- Free from fluoride and all other dissolved impurities
- Enhanced with electrolytes
- Widely available
Cons
- Quite expensive
- Little evidence that water with electrolytes is better for you than other water
Essentia Ionized Alkaline Bottled Water
If you’re looking for an alkaline fluoride-free bottled water that has a high pH and mineral content, we think you can’t go wrong with Essentia Ionized Alkaline Bottled Water.
This electrolyte-rich water is entirely fluoride-free. It’s also free from chlorine, heavy metals, microbiological contaminants, and other harmful impurities. It has a high pH of 9.5, which enhances its taste and gives it a silky feel and refreshing flavor.
Essentia is said to provide hydration more effectively than normal tap water. It’s purified with reverse osmosis, a process that removes up to 99.99% of all total dissolved solids (including fluoride), before being remineralized with a blend of magnesium, calcium, potassium, and bicarbonate.
Pros
- Completely fluoride-free
- Also free from the majority of other TDS
- Enhanced with minerals & electrolytes
Cons
- Expensive
- Not a natural water source
Acqua Panna Toscana Spring Water
We think the best premium fluoride-free bottled water in glass bottles is the Acqua Panna Toscana Spring Water.
Sourced from an underground spring in Tuscany, Italy, this bottled water travels on a 14-year journey through layers of high-mineral sandstone rock before being bottled at the source. This process naturally filters the water, and the local geology is naturally fluoride-free, so there’s no risk of fluoride leaching.
The water is packaged in glass bottles, not plastic, so it’s safe from BPA and other bisphenols, and its natural filtration gives it a soft, light, velvety taste. As a premium water, the Acqua Panna Toscana Spring Water is often served at fine dining establishments. It has a naturally alkaline pH of 8.8 and low TDS levels of 150 mg/L.
Pros
- Naturally fluoride-free
- Sold in glass bottles to preserve taste and prevent contribution to single-use plastic waste
- High alkalinity and great taste
Cons
- Shipped from Italy, so not the best eco-friendly product
- Too expensive to drink daily
🤔 What Is Bottled Fluoride-Free Water?
Bottled fluoride-free water is any type of bottled water product that’s free from fluoride.
That could mean one of two things:
- The water is sourced from a spring or a well aquifer, and is free from naturally-occurring fluoride.
- The water comes from a municipal water source, and is purified (usually with distillation or reverse osmosis) to reduce or eliminate its fluoride content.
In both cases, the water shouldn’t be enhanced with artificial fluoride before being bottled.
How much fluoride a bottled water product contains depends on the water source, and how (if at all) the water has been treated.
The good news is that most bottled water brands are fluoride-free. However, don’t assume that your favorite bottled water definitely lacks fluoride – check the bottle label or search online to confirm this if you want to avoid drinking this controversial mineral.
🚰 How Does Fluoride Get Into Water?
Fluoride is a mineral that occurs naturally in the ground. It’s also produced artificially and added to many municipal tap water supplies for its dental health benefits.
Fluoride might enter a natural water source, like an aquifer or a spring, as the water flows through rocks and soils that contain this mineral.
In most cases, however, synthetic fluoride is introduced into public drinking water supplies due to its ability to reduce tooth decay and support dental health.
The type and amount of fluoride in a water supply depends on its source. Many city water supplies contain trace levels of naturally occurring fluoride as well as synthetic fluoride.
⚠️ What’s Wrong With Fluoride In Water?
While fluoride has a few health benefits (including the ability to prevent tooth decay and support the health of the tooth enamel), there are possible risks of drinking fluoridated water, which is why so many people don’t like to drink tap water that has been enhanced with this mineral.
Here are the most common health risks of exposure to fluoride in drinking water:
- Dental fluorosis – A condition that causes the tooth enamel to develop white streaks and specks, especially in children.
- Skeletal fluorosis – A bone disease that causes bones to lose their elasticity, leading to pain, an increased risk of fractures, and impaired joint mobility.
- Impaired thyroid function – Caused by damage to the parathyroid gland, leading to excess calcium in the blood and increasing the risk of bone fractures.
- Other health effects – Including neurological problems, cardiovascular effects, skin problems, and reproductive issues.
✅ Is Fluoride in Bottled Water Regulated?
Yes. Fluoride in bottled water is regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
This is different from municipal water, which is regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
According to the FDA, all brands of bottled water sold in the US must contain less than 0.7 milligrams per liter (mg/L) of fluoride – not ideal if you want to drink as little fluoride as possible in your water.
Thankfully, most manufacturers have picked up on the public’s overwhelming hesitancy to drink fluoridated water, so many bottled water products are very low in fluoride or completely fluoride-free.
🔎 How To Know How Much Fluoride Bottled Water Contains
There are three ways to learn about the fluoride content of a bottled water product:
- Check the bottle label
- Search for this information online
- Test the water with a fluoride meter
Only a few brands share their water’s fluoride levels on the bottle as this isn’t a legal requirement from the FDA. (The only exception is if a manufacturer adds fluoride to the water – in that case, the water’s fluoride content must be listed).
The second-best option, as recommended by the Environmental Protection Agency, is to search online or contact the manufacturer if this information isn’t available. Many brands share water quality reports that allow you to learn about the different contaminants tested for, and the concentrations of these contaminants, in the water.
🧾 Buyer’s Guide: What To Consider When Buying The Best Fluoride-Free Bottled Water
While you’re comparing brands of bottled water without fluoride, make sure to consider the following things:
Your Budget
Start by considering how much you can afford to spend on fluoride-free bottled drinking water.
Your budget will likely depend on how much water you plan to consume.
For instance, if you avoid tap water at all costs and need a bottled water that you can drink exclusively, you’ll probably want to spend less money per bottle. Or, if you just like to enjoy a bottle of water with your evening meal, you might be happy to stretch your budget to a more premium product.
In the US, the average cost of a 1.5L bottled water product is $0.81. Generally, if you want to exclusively drink bottled water throughout the year, the average annual cost will range from $200 to $500.
There are ways to save money, including bulk-buying multipacks of bottles and taking advantage of offers and deals. However, buying water bottles will always be more expensive than filtering your water at home.
The Water Source
You might have a preference when it comes to the water source of your fluoride-free bottled drinking water.
There are two water sources that are commonly used for bottled water:
- City or municipal water
- Groundwater (usually water from a spring, sometimes from an aquifer)
Bottled city water is usually treated to make it purer and cleaner than normal tap water. However, you might personally prefer the novelty of drinking from, say, a spring that naturally filters water over a period of years or decades.
You might assume that filtered tap water in bottles contains more fluoride than natural spring water. However, this isn’t always the case.
Many brands of bottled water use an extremely thorough filtration process, like reverse osmosis or water distillation, to remove trace amounts of nearly all impurities, including fluoride.
On the other hand, some spring waters might be sourced from a region with naturally occurring fluoride in the ground, so (unless they have been filtered before bottling) they may contain higher levels of this mineral than purified tap water.
We’ve discussed filtration methods in more detail later.
Fluoride %
Also consider how much fluoride (if any) you’re happy to drink in a bottled water product.
If you want to limit your fluoride consumption as much as possible, look for brands that completely remove fluoride from their water products.
There’s no need to drink water with trace amounts of fluoride when many brands sell water with non-detectable levels of this mineral.
Look for a water quality report online for your favorite bottled water. The manufacturer should have tested the water for fluoride and noted the concentration detected (even if this amount is 0).
Water Purity
Fluoride probably isn’t the only contaminant you’re concerned about in your bottled drinking water.
When deciding between water bottles, also consider other impurities that you want to avoid, and learn about the purity of different products before you click “buy”.
Many spring waters are purified with a natural filtration process that takes place over several years. However, they may still contain trace amounts of naturally occurring groundwater contaminants, depending on the area.
Filtered tap water in bottles often has a more reliable purity, especially if the filtration process is particularly thorough (see below for more information).
While we think purity is important in any type of drinking water, our advice is to not look for water that’s 100% pure. Ideally, even if the water has been purified, it should be enhanced with minerals or electrolytes to improve its taste, pH, and health benefits.
Water Treatment Method
Make sure to read up on any water treatment methods that have been used to filter, enhance, or artificially alter a water source in any way before bottling.
Some of the different water treatment methods are:
- Distillation – a purification process that removes virtually all impurities
- Reverse osmosis – a similar purification process that eliminates up to 99.99% of TDS
- Remineralization – the process of adding healthy minerals and electrolytes (calcium, magnesium sulfate, potassium and sodium bicarbonate, etc.) to the water to enhance its pH and taste
- Flavoring – infusing natural or artificial flavors into a water source to give it a distinct taste or flavor
Some water treatment methods are more appealing than others – it depends on the situation.
For instance, if your bottled drinking water is filtered naturally in a spring, additional methods of purification aren’t usually necessary and will typically just compromise its taste by removing its natural minerals. These minerals would then need to be reintroduced to the purified water.
Purification processes usually only make sense for municipal tap water, which otherwise has no value because it’s essentially the same as the water that comes out of our taps.
Flavoring is a process that’s usually favored by folks who think water alone has a “plain” or “boring” taste. It’s also a good option for parents who want to keep their kids hydrated with something healthier than soda.
Brand Reputation & Customer Feedback
Finally, take some time to read customer reviews and learn about a bottled water brand’s reputation to see if the product is worth your money.
Customer reviews will tell you what people like you think about the taste, quality, cost, and overall value for money of a particular bottled drinking water product.
If a product has a lot of negative reviews relating to water quality, look elsewhere. Keep in mind that some review elements (such as taste and price) are subjective, which is why it’s important to read reviews rather than simply glancing at the star rating.
🆚 Bottled Water Vs Removing Fluoride From Water At Home
You’re here because you’re interested in bottled water – but have you considered producing filtered or purified water at home? It’s not as difficult as you might imagine, and comes at a much lower annual cost than sustaining a bottled water habit.
There are pros and cons to both solutions:
- Bottled water brands are either naturally free from fluoride or are purified in advance to remove this mineral. You don’t have to put in the work to remove fluoride from the water, and you get the advantage of being able to choose between a variety of water sources.
- Filtering fluoride out of your own water at home gives you the flexibility of choosing exactly how your water is treated. There are plenty of affordable filtration processes that’ll eliminate fluoride and many other negative health effects, including water pitcher filters, faucet filters, and countertop filters. You can also upgrade to a purification process to eliminate all impurities from your own water supply.
Filtering your own water is cheaper, better for the environment, and more convenient, so definitely consider the alternative of water filtration if your goal is to avoid fluoride in your drinking water.
❔ FAQ
Is Fiji Water fluoride-free?
Fiji Water is as close as it gets to being free from fluoride, containing around 0.2 ppm of fluoride (according to the bottle label). It might not be completely free from fluoride, but it’s still a healthy choice if you want to avoid all the negative effects of added fluoride in your drinking water.
Which bottled water doesn’t contain fluoride?
Most bottled water brands don’t contain fluoride. Our favorite fluoride-free bottled drinking waters are Evian, Poland Spring, Icelandic Glacial, Acqua Pana, Essentia, and Smartwater.
Is there fluoride in Aquafina?
No, there’s no fluoride in Aquafina water. The water has been treated with a purification that removes all dissolved solids, and there is no fluoride added to the water after purification.
Is Nestle Pure Life water fluoride-free?
Yes, Nestle Pure Life water is free from virtually all fluoride. This bottled water product contains very low trace amounts of fluoride – nowhere near enough to pose a health risk.