I Tried 11 Lemonade Brands—This One Was So Much Better Than All the Others

As soon as the weather warms up, I make sure there’s always a jug of lemonade in my fridge. Whether I’m gardening, hiking, or just trying to beat the heat, few things are more satisfying than a cold glass of that citrusy, refreshing drink. I usually stick to brands I trust—ones that strike the right balance between sweet and tangy. But lately, every trip to the grocery store reveals even more options lining the shelves.

To figure out which one is actually worth stocking all summer long, I spent a month taste-testing 11 different lemonades. 

So, which one is truly a squeeze of bliss? Keep reading to find out.

How I Chose the Store-Bought Lemonade Brands

Picking out a variety of lemonades from different brands was the easy part, since most big-name stores are packed with options. For this taste test, I stuck to classic flavors, skipping anything with add-ins like strawberry or mango syrup. I also passed on the sugar-free varieties to maintain consistency while judging the beverages.

How I Tested the Store-Bought Lemonade Brands

I tapped into nostalgic memories of sipping refreshing lemonade from a Dixie cup at a neighborhood stand, paying close attention to the qualities that matter most, such as the balance between sweetness and citrusy notes. I gave higher marks to those that weren’t cloying or overly sugary, and even more praise to the ones that avoided an artificial lemon flavor. Each lemonade was tasted chilled to appreciate it at its best. To keep the flavors from blending together, I sampled only three at a time during each testing session.

The Best Store-Bought Lemonades, Ranked

11th Place: Dole Lemonade

This lemonade hits hard with artificial and medicinal flavors. I couldn’t finish more than one glass and left the rest of the bottle untouched. Dole leans heavily on sugar, so if you dislike overly sweet beverages, skip this one.

10th Place: Carlson Orchards Gourmet Lemonade

Many grocery stores on the East Coast carry Carlson, but after drinking it for a few weeks, I suggest leaving it off your list. The flavor disappoints. It tastes less like lemonade and more like water with a faint hint of lemon and a trace of sugar. It lacks tartness and comes across as bland overall.

9th Place: Great Value Original Lemonade

After weeks of trying lemonades, I tested this one from Walmart’s house brand and immediately noticed an artificial taste with every sip. Its ingredient list is longer than the other picks, and the lack of real lemon juice explains its disappointing flavor.

8th Place: Santa Cruz Organic Lemonade 

Similar to higher-ranked Newman’s Own, this one leans watery, which flattens the overall flavor. The bright lemon aroma hits nicely, but the citrus doesn’t deliver enough sourness to round it out. That said, the sweetness is well-balanced, striking a profile that is neither too sugary nor too bitter.

7th Place: Organics Lemonade 

I appreciate that this store brand avoids the pitfalls of being overly sweet, watery, or sour. But beyond that, it delivers a pretty basic lemonade experience without anything truly spectacular. The combination of lemon juice and lemon flavor, along with the added lemon extract, creates a slightly artificial aftertaste, too.

6th Place: Newman’s Own Old Fashioned Roadside Lemonade  

I appreciate how Newman’s Own avoids high-fructose corn syrup, which helps keep the lemonade from tasting too cloying. However, the ratio leans too heavily on water, muting the flavor and leaving the drink tasting flat rather than crisp and sour like the winners. That said, the subtle sweetness still offers a pleasant, refreshing option.

5th Place: Tropicana Lemonade 

Tropicana relies on the classic blend of water, cane sugar, lemon juice, and natural flavors. Its addition of pulp sets it apart, giving the beverage a truly homemade feel, as if I juiced it myself. The flavor strikes a nice balance by avoiding excessive sweetness that makes you reach for water, while delivering a satisfying tang.

Worth noting: This won our Allrecipes Golden Cart Award for best new lemonade in 2025.

4th Place: Del’s Lemonade

Del’s uses the same ingredients as our other winning lemonades but adds ascorbic acid, also known as vitamin C, to bring a bright tartness to the recipe. I appreciated the tanginess because it balances the sugary flavors and highlights the citrus-forward character of the drink.

3rd Place: Florida’s Natural Premium Lemonade

Florida’s Natural surprised me. I’ll be honest—whenever I spot this brand on the shelf, I usually pass it over since I don’t enjoy its orange juice. But the lemonade tells a different story. Using the same ingredients as Simply, which narrowly beat it out, Florida’s Natural delivers a punchy, crisp flavor without tipping into cloying territory, offering a hydrating, flavorful option for those hot days.

2nd Place: Simply Lemonade 

Simply Lemonade blends just a few ingredients—lemon juice, cane sugar, water, and natural flavors (whatever that means!)—and delivers the mouth-puckering effect you’d expect from a homemade batch. I loved every sip. I paired it with a few hearty lunches: one day, barbecue leftovers; another, a cheesy panini. The drink’s punchiness hit perfectly, offering a cool, crisp contrast. Whenever I host a cookout this summer, I plan to toss a few jugs of this one into the cooler.

1st Place Winner: Natalie’s Natural Lemonade 

This citrusy beverage is made with just three ingredients: lemon juice, water, and pure cane sugar. Natalie’s nails the ideal ratio, creating a lemonade that delivers both sweetness and tang. A jug disappeared from my fridge in under a day because I kept going back for refills.

It captures the nostalgic flavor of homemade lemonade from a neighborhood stand. From now on, I can’t imagine a grocery run without tossing Natalie’s lemonade into my cart.