Highly carbonated and acidic – this is typical of classic water. Stiftung Warentest has currently tested 29 waters of this type. All test results – including the test winners – are available in our Data base. There you will also find results for medium water and still mineral water. The comparison is worthwhile: the best thirst quenchers of the 68 thirst quenchers also include some of the cheapest ones.
Why the mineral water test is worth it for you
Test results
You will receive ratings from Stiftung Warentest in general 68 waters – including Classic, Medium and Still varieties. The test includes inexpensive retail brands such as Aldi, Rewe and Edeka for 19 cents per liter, as well as more expensive traditional brands such as Gerolsteiner, Vilsa and Volvic, as well as organic mineral water. A quarter of the products tested have a very good test quality rating, but there are also waters with surface impurities.
The best mineral water for you
With just a few clicks you can, for example, filter water particularly… many minerals have, are very cheap or are suitable for the Baby food preparation suitable. Also practical: you can only list very good mineral waters.
Buying advice
If you are looking for a regional mineral water, you can Products from your state show. You will also find out what calcium, magnesium or sulfate do and what the terms mineral water, spring water and drinking water mean. And we explain how you can Buy bottled water in an environmentally conscious way and what distinguishes disposable and reusable bottles.
Journal article in PDF
Once unlocked, you will have access to three PDF test reports, including the current Classic Water test, the 2023 Medium Water test, and the 2021 Still Water test.
Test results for 68 natural mineral waters
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Not all mineral water is originally pure
Mineral water must be noisy Regulations on mineral and table waters come from underground water sources protected from contamination, are originally pure and bottled directly at the source.
Can you trust it? We tested the water for 134 trace substances. In some, for example, we found traces of pesticide degradation products or sweeteners. Such residues are not harmful to health. But they do question the purity of the mineral water.
Almost no critical substances in sparkling water
Critical substances such as arsenic, nitrate or uranium can pollute mineral water. We analyze the contents and evaluate them based on legal limits and official recommendations.
We do not check for microplastics that may migrate from bottles or caps into mineral water. We explain why not and how Stiftung Warentest deals with microplastics in other areas Microplastics FAQ.
Rich in minerals? This does not apply to all water
Calcium, magnesium, sulfate – all mineral water contains minerals. But it doesn’t have to be rich in minerals. Legally, this is a good thing: a minimum mineral content has long since been disregarded for mineral water.
We determine the minerals and calculate the total content of each water. Some waters in the mineral water comparison offer a total of one high mineral content of more than 1,500 milligrams per liter. But some also stand out because they contain a particularly high amount of calcium or sulfate, for example.
Tip: So mineral water can help individual mineral needs cover. In any case, it is important to drink plenty. In our special Drink correctly We give tips – also for anyone looking for a change in the water.
Prefer mineral water from the region
Producing the packaging, transporting the water from the well to the store and home, recycling and disposing of the bottles – all of this consumes resources and energy. The transport route plays a particularly important role in ensuring a good environmental balance: the closer the source is to your home, the better. This applies to all three types of water. Still, average It is Classic. The type of bottle also influences (see our article Packaging, environmental and climate protection).
Tip: Our Font Finder helps you find regional mineral water brands.
The alternative: tap water
Drinking water in Germany is of good quality. Each Tap water in the testwhich we examined in 20 German cities and municipalities in 2019, met the strict requirements. However, the tap can affect the water quality. Some Kitchen taps tested release metals into the water. By the way: Filtering water is usually unnecessary. The Water filter in the test soften only moderately.
Tip: Good Soda maker in the test make tap water even carbonated individually.