The 10 Best Electrolyte Powders (We Tested Nearly 20)

The best electrolyte powder or supplement will vary from person to person and situation to situation. Suppose you’re running a marathon in a hot, humid climate. In that case, you might want to reach for an electrolyte drink mix with a higher sodium content than, say, a severely dehydrated, hungover person just trying to get their headache to go away (in which case, a lower sodium content will be fine). I spoke with experts and tasted powders galore to narrow down your hydration options to options worth sipping, like my top pick, Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier.

Overall, you want to find something with a good balance of electrolytes, sugar, and carbohydrates. And make sure you’re drinking water on a daily basis—no magic powder is going to help if you’re just plain thirsty.

Be sure to check out our related buying guides! We’ve got recommendations for the Best Protein Powders, Best Greens Powders, and Best Fitness Trackers. Is there a particular electrolyte supplement you’re curious about? Let me know in the comments below.

Updated April 2026: I’ve added new options from Pedialyte and Vita Coco and ensured link and pricing accuracy throughout.

The Best Electrolyte Powders and Supplements

Liquid I.V. has been a staple in my household for years. I love using it at music festivals—it helps my ragged throat feel better, my dry nostrils feel better, and my pounding head feel better. And when I inevitably run out of ice on day three, it helps my water taste better, too. They’re sweet but not too sweet, and the packets are easy to open. This powder has a solid mix of ingredients in concentrations that aren’t too strong, making it a reliable option to reach for in day-to-day life. It also comes in a huge array of flavors, so you’re bound to find at least one that you like. In fact, I have yet to try a flavor that I dislike.

This hydration mix may as well be candy. But it’s delicious in a very juicy way. It’s way higher calorie-, carb-, and sugar-wise than other hydration powders on this list. But despite those higher concentration levels, it doesn’t bother my stomach, and drinking a lot of it is easy. On the contrary, some of the other powders make the process of drinking kind of a slog after the first few gulps. As mentioned, it’s high in carbohydrates, which translated to a boost in energy while working out that I noticed after just a few minutes, and it’s also a bit higher in sugar content than some others I tried. This is a good powder for athletes who are quickly running through their body’s energy stores. It’s also available in a caffeinated variety, which I haven’t tried yet.

If you need electrolytes fast or you simply don’t want to guzzle down a bottle of water, these tablets are for you. SaltStick electrolyte chews taste really good. They’re sweet, salty, and candylike, immediately making you produce a bunch of saliva. (Which is good, since the company recommends letting the chews melt in your mouth for optimal electrolyte absorption.) They’re available in large pill bottles as well as small five-serving packets, making them ideal for when you truly need electrolytes on the go. The balanced sodium and carbohydrate content makes these a good option for when you’re working out intensely and need to re-up your electrolytes every 30 minutes.

Courtesy of Amazon

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Buoy

Electrolyte Drops

$41

Amazon (Hydration Drops, 120 servings)

$101 $74 (27% off)

Amazon (Variety Pack, 280 servings)

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• Flavorless (mostly)
• Convenient
• Many different options

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• Tastes bad if you add too much

Buoy electrolyte drops come in several unflavored variations. You can get the Hydration Drops, which are just straight-up unflavored electrolytes, or opt for one of the other varieties: Rescue Drops (extra-strength electrolytes); Energy Drops (electrolytes and caffeine); Immunity Drops (electrolytes, vitamin C, zinc, and antioxidants); Digestion Drops (electrolytes, carminatives, and papaya); or Brain Health Drops (electrolytes, ginkgo biloba, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and ginseng). All of them are flavor-free, with no sugar, sweeteners, or calories. Serving sizes are a little tricky—the manufacturer suggests one “squeeze” per 12-ounce glass of fluid.

I just winged it, and most of the time they were indeed flavorless, but one time I added too much, which led to an unpleasant salty, earthy, body-fluid–esque taste. So my advice is to start with less than you think (the manufacturer recommends this too). Since the drops are unflavored and convenient, you can add them to basically any drink. And since the drops are free from so many ingredients, they might be a good choice if you want to keep things really simple, especially factoring in that the ingredient concentrations are lower than some other supplements in this guide.

The drops are also third-party tested to be free from microplastics, molds and pathogens, heavy metals, and GMO ingredients. Though I tried them all, I didn’t notice a particular uptick in focus or instantly improved digestion, but I did feel noticeably more hydrated on a particularly dry day, and I’ll keep testing them for long-term efficacy.

Electrolit has nursed me through many a hangover, and I like every flavor I’ve tried. I wish it didn’t have artificial coloring, but otherwise it’s great (and editor Kat Merck agrees with that sentiment, having tried it as well). The packets are on the larger side, and a $12 box only contains eight servings. But darn if I don’t like it anyway. It does have a balanced mix of sodium, carbohydrates, and sugars, making it a good option for rehydration outside of intensive exercise. I find that the pleasant flavor and higher sodium and carb content help my hangovers go away quickly in comparison to just drinking plain water (or something with an even higher sodium content, which can taste a bit abrasive when my head is spinning).

Thorne Daily Electrolytes are super easy to drink. They’re notably sweet, thanks to the inclusion of stevia, but the flavors are pleasant and the powder dissolves quickly. My favorite was the watermelon flavor, which I could happily guzzle all day long. Honestly, it may be problematic how delicious these are, because technically you aren’t supposed to drink electrolyte water all day. I found the sweetness refreshing rather than overly sticky, and the colors were pleasant too. The manufacturer recommends using at least 12 ounces of water per stick, but it tasted the best to me if I dissolved it in around 18 to 20 ounces. I also liked that the calories were negligible—I don’t have to worry about meeting my deficit as much as I do with some other packets.

My favorite part about DryWater’s electrolyte powders is how nuanced the flavors are. They’re not overly sweet or flavorful—the sweetness level is more like enhanced water and less like an entirely different beverage altogether. They’re quite fruity, but in a “real fruit” way—probably because they’re made with, well, real fruit. If you want assisted hydration without the zip and tang of typical sports beverages, this is what you want. It doesn’t have a remarkable carbohydrate or sugar content, but there are added vitamins and minerals that make this fine to drink on a daily basis if you just want a bit of a hydration boost when you’re not exercising intensely.

Sure, Klar’s got electrolytes, adaptogens, and additives like B-vitamins and ginseng, but it’s a powdered energy drink, plain and simple. One packet mixes with 16 ounces of water and contains 150 milligrams of caffeine—more than the average cup of coffee—and you will definitely feel it. The taste won’t win any awards, as it’s sweetened with stevia, and that’s definitely the predominant flavor of all the varieties (blood orange, cactus pear, pineapple ginger, “tidal wave”). But if you’re used to energy drinks, this is a cheaper, more multifaceted way to get your fix at just under $2 per packet. —Kat Merck

Photograph: Louryn Strampe

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Plink

Fizzy Electrolyte Drink Tablets

$24

Plink (24 servings)

$45

Amazon (48 servings)

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• Tablet format
• Subtle flavor

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• Too fizzy for sealed water bottles
• Might be too subtle for some palates

Plink’s simple electrolyte tablets are fun to use. Fill up a glass with water, plink in a tablet, and your beverage will transform into a fizzy, frothy hydration drink. The flavors are subtle and light—more like a seltzer water than a syrupy-sweet juice. That said, they’re still refreshing. I like the convenience of a tablet format. Sometimes powders, whether in pouches or sticks, can get dusty or messy. I can keep these tablets in my bag or camp kitchen and plop them into water without getting my hands sticky or needing to carefully align the packaging with my water bottle spout.

One thing to note: Since Plink is slightly carbonated, it doesn’t play well with water bottles. It’s best to drink Plink in an unsealed glass, or to leave your water bottle lid slightly open so the gasses can escape.

Photograph: Louryn Strampe

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LMNT

Electrolyte Drink Mix

$27

Amazon (18 servings)

$22

LMNT (12 servings)

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• Fun flavor options
• Super-high sodium content might be great for athletes

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• Super-high sodium content might not be great for anyone who isn’t an athlete
• Low carbohydrate and sugar content

LMNT has several flavors, some of which are pretty approachable, like watermelon or citrus, and some are a little wild, like chocolate and mango chili. (Someone on Bluesky told me that they enjoy drinking the Chocolate flavor warmed up while hiking or camping, almost like a hydrating hot chocolate. I haven’t tried this yet but I’ve been curious ever since.) You can even get them unflavored. One thing I think is really cool is that LMNT has recipes for its electrolyte salts, so you can make your own if you want to. LMNT is all about the salt—in fact, it says that the World Health Organization’s recommendation to cap sodium at 2,000 milligrams per day is incorrect.

Dietitians say that, usually, very high-sodium electrolyte powders are only necessary if you’re sweating out a ton of it through intense exercise. I can’t tell you whether or not you should be consuming more sodium—only your doctor can confirm that. In any case, these salty electrolytes are still sweet (thanks to stevia), with a definite salty tang that makes me crave water as I sip. The flavors are palatable, and I did notice that I felt more hydrated. They’re high in sodium by design, and if that’s something you’re after, it’s hard to find a saltier brand of electrolytes. But they’re also low in carbs and sugars, and if you need more of either of those ingredients, another brand (or pairing the drink with a snack) may be ideal.

Photograph: Louryn Strampe

Celsius Hydration Drink Mix: Celsius is known for its (frankly delicious) energy drinks, but the manufacturer makes caffeine-free hydration packets too. The packets were sometimes frustrating to open, but upon mixing with 16.9 ounces of water, they’re tasty. This formula is distinctly saltier than others I tried. It’s sugar-free, and I appreciate the low price. It does contain artificial sweeteners, and it has lower concentrations of sodium (210 mg) and carbohydrates (1 g) than other options. It’ll give your water a little bit of a boost, but if you want to really replenish lost electrolytes, something else might be a better option.

Vita Coco Coconut Water: Coconut water can be a good source of electrolytes if you’d rather get your fix in the form of a beverage that’s not H₂0-based. It contains potassium, magnesium, and calcium, and there’s some sodium, but not quite as much as what you’d find in a sports drink—a quality that helps it go down a bit easier, in my opinion. It isn’t very sweet or strong-tasting. I’ve started adding some to my smoothies and keeping it around the house for after workouts on hot days when I don’t want to drink something intensely flavored.

Pedialyte Advanced Care Plus Electrolyte Drink: Some Pedialyte flavors are, frankly, disgusting (grape), and some taste perfectly fine (kiwi berry mist). This is subjective, of course, but be warned. I also found the bottles difficult to open—and trust that I tested them sober. Once you get it dialed in, though, this sweet and salty beverage can help effectively rehydrate you when you’re sick, hungover, or especially thirsty. I wouldn’t reach for it on a day-to-day basis because it’s expensive and has a high sodium content (490 mg).

Bodyarmor Flash I.V. Hydration Booster Packets: Bodyarmor has a few caffeinated flavors that contain 95 milligrams of caffeine per serving. It also offers caffeine-free options. Its color is basically neon, and the flavors are concentrated enough that I found them most palatable when mixed with nearly 30 ounces of water. They’re also quite salty at 510 milligrams of sodium per packet. The powder made me thirsty long after it was gone, which could be a blessing or a curse depending on how you look at it. I don’t love the mix of ingredients—it has a high sodium and potassium content, but it’s very low in carbohydrates, so pair this drink with a snack if you can.

Quince Recovery Zero Sugar Hydration: Quince’s Recovery Electrolytes are quite affordable, and despite being sugar-free, the raspberry salt and citrus salt flavors I tried were pleasant (though sometimes I noticed an aftertaste I didn’t love, which thankfully faded away quickly). The stick packaging is convenient and easy to open and the powder dissolves quickly. The ingredient concentrations are comparable to LMNT, and the saltiness is on par with that brand as well. Thus, it carries the same mention that these high-sodium powders might be best for intensive workouts or athletes in the middle of a hard training session. If you want something this salty, Quince is an accessibly priced option. Quince also has other products in its electrolyte lineup with less sodium and more sugar.

Shaklee Electrolyte+ Hydration & Focus: I quite liked the light blood-orange flavor I tested of these caffeine-free electrolyte packets, as well as the fact there are no artificial colors or off-tasting chemical notes. (It’s also available in a raspberry melon flavor, but I can’t vouch for that one.) They’re 20 calories each, sweetened with cane sugar, and have added potassium nitrate and beet powder for cognitive function. The science to back up these claims is actually decent, but subjectively, the jury is still out. I drank a packet while writing this article and some other guide updates, and while I did feel sufficiently hydrated, I don’t think I’ll be winning a Pulitzer anytime soon. One packet is enough for 8 ounces of water, though more often than not I used 16 ounces and could still taste enough of the flavor. In fact, the only thing I don’t like about these is that Shaklee is an multilevel marketer. One of the oldest, in fact—around since the 1950s. If that doesn’t bother you, you can buy directly online without a rep, and your purchase is FSA- and HSA- eligible. —Kat Merck

IQBar IQMix Electrolyte Powder: IQBar is known for its protein bars, but I tried its electrolyte powders and I was into them. The peach mango flavor is my favorite, but blueberry pomegranate was good too (and I’m on the hunt to get my hands on piña colada). Each stick has a blend of electrolytes, in addition to lion’s mane mushroom (which can support brain health) and magnesium L-threonate (which is a form of magnesium that can cross the blood-brain barrier). The electrolyte drink doesn’t taste like mushrooms, but it does have a very slight earthiness to it that I found pleasant. The flavors aren’t over the top. I do wish this mix contained some sugar, per my conversation with dietitians (below), but otherwise the nutritional profile is solid, and I really like knowing that I can actually absorb the ingredients.

Only Hydration Electrolyte Drink Mix: On paper, Only’s flavor options sound fantastic. Asian pear? Lychee? Yuzu citrus? White peach? Sign me up. But in practice, they just didn’t taste that great. They weren’t overtly bad or gross, but they leaned too floral and soapy for my palate (which I like to believe skews refined). There are simply too many other great-tasting electrolyte powders out there with similar nutritional profiles for me to say that Only is a top pick.

Tailwind Nutrition Rapid Hydration: This powder has a solid nutritional profile, with added vitamin C and calcium, but I tried three flavors before realizing it wasn’t going to be a top pick. Lemon lime, raspberry, and strawberry lemonade were just … meh. Lackluster. Even when using less water than recommended on the package, in an effort to make them more concentrated, the flavors were too subtle to taste good (but still altered the taste of my water enough for my brain to know it wasn’t plain water). Confusingly, the mixed drink smells great and fruity, but because it doesn’t taste as so, I was left feeling disappointed. At 45 calories per package, I was hoping it would taste good, and instead it tasted like nothing (in a bad way). The final decision point came from the sachet packaging, which was a bit difficult to open. Taste differs from person to person, and if you find other powders too flavored, Tailwind might be your favorite of the bunch. But it wasn’t the mix for me.

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