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Brutally Honest Hydration Reviews
The Best Electrolyte Powders of 2025 — Tested & Ranked
I’m Ethan Stone — former D1 athlete, sauna addict, and hydration nerd. I’ve tested 40+ electrolyte powders, mixes, and salt packs in real training, long-haul flights, and disgusting humidity. Most are overhyped junk. These are the few that actually deliver.
No brand pays to be on this page. I use affiliate links, which never change my rankings.
Top Electrolyte Powders at a Glance
Here’s the quick breakdown before we get into the details. Ratings are based on taste (40%), quality (40%), and price per serving (20%).
| Rank | Brand | Best For | Score | Price / Serving* | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Salt of the Earth | Daily clean hydration & performance | 9.8 / 10 | ~$0.80–$1.00 | Why it’s #1 → |
| #2 | LMNT | Fasting & heavy sweat sessions | 9.4 / 10 | ~$1.25–$1.50 | View review → |
| #3 | Liquid I.V. | Travel & occasional recovery | 8.3 / 10 | ~$1.10–$1.40 | View review → |
| #4 | DripDrop | Clinical-level rehydration | 8.2 / 10 | ~$1.20–$1.50 | View review → |
| #5 | Nuun | Light activity & convenience | 7.8 / 10 | ~$0.75–$1.00 | View review → |
*Approximate retail pricing at time of testing. Always check current prices.
How the top electrolytes look side-by-side
Runner up
LMNT
Read the LMNT review →
Liquid I.V.
Read the Liquid I.V. review →
DripDrop
Read the DripDrop review →
Nuun
Read the Nuun review →
#1 Overall Pick
Salt of the Earth Electrolytes
Best overall electrolyte powder for daily use, training, and travel.
Salt of the Earth wasn’t the loudest brand on social media, but it ended up at the top of my list the old-fashioned way: taste, performance, and quality.
The formula hits that rare sweet spot where the drink actually tastes good and feels clean. No syrupy aftertaste, no chemical funk, no weird film on your teeth. Just smooth, lightly salty flavors you can drink every day without hating your life.
What I Loved
- Elite taste without sugar: Balanced salt and flavor that doesn’t punch you in the face.
- Clean ingredient panel: No artificial colors, no garbage fillers, no sugar bomb.
- Real performance: Noticeably better endurance and fewer “brain fog dips” during long days.
- Great daily drink: Easy to sip at your desk, in the gym, or in a sauna session.
- Digestion-friendly: No bloat, no gut weirdness, even on multiple servings per day.
What Could Be Better
- Primarily available online right now — you won’t see it in every gas station cooler (yet).
- I’d love a bigger bulk option for people drinking 2–3 sticks a day.
Note: This is the only product on this list where I’d still drink it daily even if I never wrote this review.
Other Top Electrolyte Powders I Actually Recommend
Just because Salt of the Earth ranked #1 doesn’t mean the others are trash. These all have specific use-cases where they shine.
Best for Fasting
#2 – LMNT
Best for fasting and heavy sweat sessions.
LMNT is the heavyweight in the hardcore hydration space. Huge sodium dose, minimal extras, and marketed heavily to low-carb and fasting crowds. When you’re sweating like crazy or running long sauna sessions, LMNT absolutely does the job.
Pros
- Massive sodium hit — great for fasting, keto, and endurance sports.
- Clever flavor profiles that cut through “salt water” taste.
- Simple ingredient panel without sugar.
Cons
- Too salty for most people as an everyday, all-day drink.
- More expensive per serving than most options on this page.
Best for Travel
#3 – Liquid I.V.
Best for occasional use and travel.
Liquid I.V. is everywhere for a reason: it tastes good and feels familiar to the average person. It’s also loaded with sugar compared to most powders on this list. For some people, that’s fine. For daily use, I’m out. For the one-off “I screwed up last night” scenario or long flights, it works.
Pros
- Very approachable taste — easy sell to non-health freaks.
Cons
- High sugar content — not ideal for daily or fasting use.
- More hype than substance when you compare formulas side-by-side.
Best for Serious Dehydration
#4 – DripDrop
Clinical-style formula for serious dehydration.
DripDrop feels like the serious cousin of the usual “wellness” powders. It’s built more like an oral rehydration solution used in hospitals than a lifestyle drink. Strong option when you’re truly depleted.
Pros
- Well-constructed formula for real dehydration.
- Trusted in medical and military contexts.
Cons
- Not something I’d sip casually all day.
- Flavor is more functional than enjoyable.
Best for Convenience
#5 – Nuun
Convenient tablets for light activity.
Nuun is the “keep in your bag just in case” option. It’s convenient, travel-friendly, and better than plain water when you’re lightly active. It won’t hang with the top-tier powders for performance, but it has its lane.
Pros
- Ultra-convenient tablet format.
- Good for casual movement, office days, and travel.
Cons
- Weaker formula than the top powders on this list.
- Some flavors are hit-or-miss.
How I Actually Tested These Electrolyte Powders
I’m not reading labels and guessing. Every product on this page went through real-world testing:
- One brand at a time: Each powder got at least 5–7 days as my only electrolyte source.
- Same conditions: Training, sauna, long walks, and work calls in humid conditions.
- Taste test: One stick or scoop in 16–20oz of cold water. No juice, no extras.
- Performance log: I tracked cramps, headaches, energy dips, mental clarity, and thirst.
- Label deep dive: I checked sodium, potassium, magnesium levels, sweeteners, and fillers.
- Price per serving: I calculated what you’re actually paying for each drink.
From there, each product was scored on taste (40%), quality (40%), and price per serving (20%).
Scientifically testing 🧪 (a.k.a. my kitchen table)
I didn’t just skim labels. I lined up the most-talked-about electrolyte powders and actually mixed, tasted, and scored them side-by-side.
- One powder per day, all week long. Each brand got its own full test week.
- Plain-water test only. 16–20 oz cold water, no juice, no extras, no BCAAs.
- Symptom log. Cramps, brain fog, headaches, and focus tracked daily.
- Label audit. Sodium, potassium, magnesium, sweeteners, and fillers all scored.
- Final weighted score. Rolled everything into taste (40%), quality (40%), price (20%).
What Makes an Electrolyte Powder Truly “Premium”?
Most brands throw “premium” on the label and hope you don’t read the ingredients. Here’s what I look for when deciding if something deserves that word:
- Minerals that matter: Enough sodium, potassium, and magnesium to make a difference — not just a sprinkle.
- No unnecessary sugar: A little can be fine for athletes going long, but most people don’t need 10–15g.
- Clean flavoring: No neon colors, no medicine aftertaste, nothing that feels like a chemistry experiment.
- Daily drinkability: If you can’t drink it every day, it doesn’t belong at the top of this list.
- Honest marketing: No miracle claims, no fake “hydration multiplier” nonsense.
That’s why Salt of the Earth ended up #1: it drinks smooth, reads clean, and actually helps you feel better — not just for a hangover once a month, but for everyday life.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best electrolyte powder for daily use?
For most people, Salt of the Earth is the best overall pick for daily use. It balances flavor, mineral levels, and ingredient quality better than anything else I’ve tested.
Can I drink electrolytes while fasting?
Sugar-free electrolyte powders are generally compatible with fasting and can make the experience much more tolerable by reducing headaches, lightheadedness, and fatigue.
Are electrolytes better than sports drinks?
Most of the time, yes. Sports drinks are usually watered-down sugar with a little salt. A well-formulated electrolyte powder gives you higher mineral doses without dumping sugar into your system.
How many electrolyte drinks per day is too many?
If you’re sweating a lot, 2–3 servings of a clean electrolyte powder is reasonable for most healthy adults. If you have blood pressure or kidney issues, talk to your doctor before going heavy on sodium.
Do I need electrolytes if I don’t work out?
If you live in a hot climate, sit in saunas, or just feel constantly tired and foggy, electrolytes can still help. You don’t need to be an endurance athlete to benefit from proper hydration.