REVIEW OF 5 HOUR ENERGY EXTRA STRENGTH GRAPE

CAFFEINE CONTENT: ~250 MILLIGRAMS PER 2 OUNCE BOTTLE.

RATING: 7.2 OUT OF 10.

     The product I am reviewing today comes from a company that I have never really liked, despite raving about in in 2009. Yes, it is 5 Hour Energy, and my first experience with it was most likely a placebo. To be honest, it wouldn't be anywhere near my top 10 now (it is 7th on Addicted 2 Energy's Top 10 Highest Rated Energy Products). I also do not like their commercials and their marketing techniques. It is just something about their whole image that I really don't enjoy. Nevertheless, I am back for round 3, this time the bottle is sporting an extra strength label and a grape flavor. I must say, I really like the packaging, it is extremely simplistic but also quite cool. But, of course, packaging isn't everything. Let's see how it fairs in the taste department.

     When I first saw that the flavor was grape, one taste came to mind: cough syrup. Since some cough syrups are grape flavored, and some energy shots can be quite medicinal, it was only fair to think that it would not have a pleasant flavor. As it turns out, I was completely wrong. This does not, in any way, taste like cough syrup. In fact, it actually has a pretty good flavor and went down the esophagus with no problem whatsoever. So, I will give props to Living Essentials for making a tasty energy shot.

     It's been a long time since I took a gander at 5 Hour Energy's list of energy ingredients, so let's see what I got myself into today: 200 percent daily value of niacin, 2,000 percent daily value of vitamin b6, 8,333 percent daily value of vitamin b12, and 2,000 milligrams worth of taurine, glucuronolactone, malic acid, n-acetyl-l-tyrosine, l-phenylalanine, caffeine, and citicoline. The caffeine content is officially unknown, but it is estimated at being roughly 250 milligrams per 2 ounce bottle. 

     Even though this does have "as much caffeine as a 12 ounce cup of the leading premium coffee", I have to say I didn't really feel a lot of effectiveness from this drink. I had high hopes that this would be the drink that would restore my liking for 5 Hour Energy, but unfortunately that was not the case. I received a mediocre boost in energy, but nothing like the buzz people talk about when the have a 5 Hour Energy. 

     Overall, 5 Hour Energy Extra Strength Grape is not a bad energy shot by any means, even if it isn't as effective as some of the other shots I have tried. The grape flavor is pretty nice and does not need a chaser to wash it down. And the 5 Hour Energy Blend isn't bad either. Basically, it's just the kick that needs work, at least in my opinion. 7.2 out of 10.

REVIEW OF NEURO FUEL

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 128 MILLIGRAMS PER 12 OUNCE CAN.

RATING: 7.3 OUT OF 10.


     I know, I've been slacking a little bit and I haven't written a review since October 25, but honestly who cares when my last review was. The point is, I am here now and ready to give you guys and girls another energy drink review. But before I get to that, it's time for some brief site news. If you are familiar with the site Energy Fiend, please check out my review of Relentless over at that site, which is right here. I really want to thank Ted from Energy Fiend for giving me the opportunity to post a review, and hopefully this review will be posted as well, albeit in its own Energy Fiend style.


     Now, let's get started with this review. Today I have a drink that isn't your typical energy drink. It is called Neuro Fuel and it is marketed as a mood boosting energy drink, something you don't see very often. Anyway, the flavor is not described on the front of the can, so I had no idea what I was getting into. Upon taking the first sip, I noticed the drink had a traditional, impossible-to-describe energy drink taste. IT wasn't necessarily a Red Bull clone, but it just had a certain medicinal flavor to it. Personally, I don't mind the traditional energy drink flavor, but if that isn't your idea of tasty, I suggest you move on.


     The energy enhancing ingredients list features a potent blend of mood boosting and energy boosting ingredients. They include: 100 percent daily value of vitamin b1, 100 percent daily value of vitamin b1, 100 percent daily value of vitamin b2, 100 percent daily value of vitamin b3, 100 percent daily value of vitamin b5, 100 percent daily value of vitamin b6, 100 percent daily value of vitamin b12, and 4,765 milligrams worth of taurine, caffeine, l-carnitine, dl-phenylalanine, glucuronolactone, piracetam, choline, caffeine, and inositol. Piracetam is an ingredient that I had never seen before, so I researched a little to see what I could find. As it turns out, Piracetam improves memory and boosts concentration, and enthusiasts say it "wakes-up the brain." 


     So, does it work? Yes, and no. Yes, the drink does do its job as an energy drink and provided a decent uplift to my energy levels. On the other hand, it failed to improve my mood one bit. At first I thought it did, but throughout the course of the day I could tell that first instance was only a placebo. And that basically summarizes my experience with Neuro Fuel. Ok for an energy drink, not so good for a mood booster.


     Neuro Fuel is an interesting beverage, and I have to say I wasn't really that impressed with it. Yes, I do like the traditional energy drink flavor, but I would have loved for it to be flavored something different than that, possibly blueberry or grape. You can always tell I am not particularly fond of a drink when I am struggling to figure out what to say about it. So I will stop trying and give it a rating: 7.3 out of 10.

REVIEW OF RELENTLESS

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 197 MILLIGRAMS PER 16 OUNCE CAN.

RATING: 7.8 OUT OF 10.

     During my Big Lots Energy Drink Raid I acquired quite a special beverage. Relentless Energy Drink, from the United Kingdom. The version I am reviewing is the American version but I believe it is basically the same drink. The packaging is very creative and probably one of the best looking energy drinks I have seen in a while. I especially love the font of the word "Relentless." Just look at the photograph and you'll see what I mean.

     Now, Relentless is one of those energy drinks that do not wish to divulge the flavor on the front of the can, so I had no idea what it would taste like. Turns out, this drink is very different than what you're used to having. The first sip reminded me of a traditional energy drink, but it had something extra, something I can't put my finger on. EDJunkie says "it has that classic energy drink taste but then at the finish it has more of a citrus flavor than your typical energy drink." Possessed by Caffeine describes it as "a bit sour (not bitter) and a bit citrus....[it almost has] a citrus vanilla flavor." I do agree with the added citrus flavor, and if you are looking for something unique, I suggest you pick one of these up at your local Big Lots for 70 cents.

     Before I tell you how much of a kick Relentless gave me, let's check out what its packing under the hood. It has 200 percent daily value of niacin, 200 percent daily value of vitamin b6, 200 percent daily value of vitamin b12, 50 percent daily value of pantothenic acid, 1,888 milligrams of taurine, 197 milligrams of caffeine, along with yerba mate extract and guarana extract. 

     So it isn't quite as good of an energy blend as the Rumba Energy Juice I tried yesterday, but it does provide a more powerful kick. The only problem is, it did not last as long as Rumba, which again is most likely due to the lack of energy enhancing ingredients in Relentless. The tried-and-true Monster Energy Blend that is put into Rumba packs a lot of energy ingredients, where as Relentless only has b vitamins, caffeine, taurine, and a little bit of yerba mate and guarana. So, if you want a long lasting energy drink, go for Rumba. If you want a quick jolt, go for Relentless.

     Overall, I was fairly impressed with Relentless. I will admit I am not the biggest fan of the flavor, but I will give it a few extra tenths of a point for being unique. Also, the energy blend gets the job done and nails all of the energy drink essentials, although it could use some other ingredients. The effects also gets the job done, however its duration is not as long as some of the other energy drinks I have tried. I'll give it a 7.8 out of 10. 

REVIEW OF RUMBA

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 170 MILLIGRAMS PER 15.5 OUNCE CAN.

RATING: 8.4 OUT OF 10.


     Good afternoon everyone, today I've got a great review for you, but before I get into that I would like to update you on some site news. First of all, Energy Product of the Month will no longer exist, but instead there will be Energy Products of the Year. Why am I doing this? It's simply due to the fact that I only get to review 2 or 3 drinks a month, and comparing only 3 drinks is way too simple. In other news, a Big Lots has opened in my city, and I have acquired 3 drinks that I will be reviewing: Rumba, Relentless, and Havoc. First up, Rumba.

     The very first characteristic you notice about Rumba is its packaging. Rumba uses bright and engaging fonts and a vivid color scheme to draw attention to itself. It also states right on the label that it is 100 percent juice. Those juices are apple, orange, peach, tangerine, pineapple, white grape, and passionfruit. Taking a sip, I get completely bombarded with a cornucopia of fruit juices, not one of them taking a front seat. It makes a lot of sense though, since this is really a bunch of fruit juices that are amalgamated together to create a unique flavor experience. And it sure is unique. In my opinion I have had energy drinks that taste better than this, but if there was an award for "This Does Not Taste Like an Energy Drink At All" this would win it hands down. If you love 100 percent juice drinks, pick yourself up a Rumba.

     When I first looked at the energy blend provided in Rumba Energy Juice, I noticing something a little interesting. I thought "where have I seen this energy blend before? Oh, I know, it is the same blend that is used in Monster." That's right, it's the same blend, and here it is: 191 percent daily value of vitamin c, 191 percent daily value of vitamin b2, 191 percent daily value of vitamin b3, 191 percent daily value of vitamin b6, 191 percent daily value of vitamin b12, 1,910 milligrams of taurine, 382 milligrams of panax ginseng, and a 4,771 milligram energy blend consisting of glucose, caffeine, guarana seed extract, l-carnitine, glucuronolactone, inositol, and maltodextrin. Not to shabby! My only complaint is that it does seem rather high in sugar, about 32 grams per 8 ounce serving (61 grams per can) compared to Monster's 27 grams per 8 ounce serving.

     With the same energy blend as a traditional Monster, the kick was pretty respectable. I chugged this in the morning while I ate breakfast and I didn't feel bad about doing it because it was a 100 percent juice drink and complimented by bowl of Mini Wheats quite well. The buzz came on about 20-30 minutes later and kept me awake through most of the school day. It is nothing too substantial, but like I said earlier, it was respectable.

     Overall, I have to say I was impressed with Rumba's performance. The flavor was fantastic and tasted like nothing I have tried before, the energy blend is from Monster so you can't go wrong there, and the effects were definitely noticeable. I'll give it a solid 8.4 out of 10.

REVIEW OF ABB DIET TURBO PUNCH

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 90 MILLIGRAMS PER 18 OUNCE CAN. 

RATING: 6.2 OUT OF 10.


     When you think of American Body Building, you tend to think of guys who eat anabolic-androgenic steroids for breakfast and have 36 inch biceps with veins that make it look like a map of San Francisco. But despite ABB's hardcore line of drinks, like this one and this one and this one, they do have a softer side with their anytime energy drinks. These drinks include Diet Turbo Tea, Diet Turbo Lemonade, and Diet Turbo Punch. Let's check out the Turbo Punch, shall we?

     Well they may downsize the caffeine content quite a bit, but this packaging still means business. What worries me is that the word "diet" is in the name, which means it should taste like a Sucralose-laden mess. Not this one though. The flavor is extremely sweet, almost like drinking a liquefied sucker. Sure it may sound unappetizing, but trust me on this. American Body Building nailed the flavor pretty nicely.

     Well since this is their non-hardcore energy drink, it shouldn't have all of those crazy ingredients, right? You bet. All it has is green tea extract, guarana extract, and Korean ginseng. The total caffeine content from all sources is a modest 90 milligrams. To be honest, 90 milligrams is nothing when you're talking about an 18 ounce drink. That means this drink is less concentrated than a Vault (my first review, enjoy).

     So with that lack of caffeine, the effectiveness of the drink should be pretty lackluster right? Once again, you bet. American Body Building Diet Turbo Punch is in no way a powerful drink. I don't think I noticed hardly anything after I consumed the contents of the bottle. They need to make this into an energy shot so the caffeine is more concentrated. I mean, a bottle of Speed Stack has 250 milligrams of caffeine, now that is what I am talking about. This thing though, not so much.

     Overall, this new member of the anytime energy line-up has a great flavor, albeit it is very sweet. It also stays true to its promise of being an anytime energy drink by not putting in crazy ingredients. However, due to its low caffeine content, the kick is not up to par. Personally, I'd go for one of their hardcore energy drinks. Just make sure you consume it wisely, those drinks can be pretty powerful. 6.2 out of 10.

REVIEW OF COCAINE ENERGY SHOT

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 280 MILLIGRAMS PER 2 OUNCE BOTTLE.

RATING: 8.8 OUT OF 10.


     Goodbye procrastination, and hello review time. To put it simply, I've held off this review for too long, but at least I had a good reason: I was ill. Yes, the common cold swept through my veins for a few days, depleting my energy sources. I waited to review the product I tried until I was feeling better, like today. The product I am reviewing is the new Cocaine Energy Shot, brought to you by Redux Beverages. I would not be surprised if Redux got back into the news with their new energy shot. The packaging is all white and looks very pharmaceutical. No flavor is posted. Hmmm, so what does it taste like? Read on and find out.

     With no flavor posted, I expected it to taste like an energy shot version of the regular Cocaine Energy Drink. After struggling to open up the bottle, I finally was able to take a sip. It starts off as a berry flavor, typical for energy shots, and then it has a peppery kick at the finish, but it is not as pronounced as the drink. Overall I was rather pleased with the flavor and I did not need to chase it with anything.

     So what do we have for energy ingredients? We've got some good stuff, here's the full list: 280 milligrams of caffeine, 250 milligrams of d-ribose, 250 milligrams of taurine, 100 milligrams of inositol, 50 milligrams of l-carnitine, 300 percent daily value of vitamin b6, and 850 percent daily value of vitamin b12. Not to shabby, but what especially blows my mind is the incredible amount of caffeine. 280 milligrams in a 2 ounce bottle. This makes Cocaine Energy Shot the 3rd most potent 2 ounce energy shot ever made.

     Certainly then, with that much caffeine it should have quite the effect. I tried this drink multiple times and each time I got something a little bit different. One day I was jittery and could really feel the effects, the other day I didn't feel much, and today I got a boost that was big enough to get me out of the doldrums, but not insane enough to blast me to outer space. While I did not receive as big of an effect as ED Junkie did, I was still pretty satisfied with the kick.

     The energy shot installment of the Cocaine Energy Drink is not quite a masterpiece, but it gets the job done. It's main highlights are the great amount of caffeine and it's pleasant but unique flavor. Overall. I'd give it an 8.8 out of 10.

REVIEW OF CELSIUS PACKETS BERRY

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 200 MILLIGRAMS PER 0.19 OUNCE PACKET.

RATING: 8.6 OUT OF 10.


     The drinks that Celsius offers really do impress me. They have a nice flavor with a great buzz, now let's see what their mix can do. The Celsius Drink Mix is a powder that is added to water or your favorite non carbonated beverage. I have reviewed other energy mixes in the past, like Helix and Crave and they both did pretty well, especially Crave. Anyway, the Celsius Packets are berry flavored, so let's see if they nailed down the flavor.

     I took a 16.9 ounce bottle of water, drank one sip out of it, and then proceeded to add the pink powder. The powder mixes quite well, but there are still some pink chunks floating around. Nothing a little strainer can't handle. Unless you prefer the pink chunks in your drink, then you can just forget about using a strainer. As for the actual flavor, it is quite delicious and refreshing. Despite using Sucralose, there is hardly any artificial sweetener flavor to be detected. It is definitely a nice, subtle berry flavor.

     All right, so the flavor is quite good, but can the energy blend make that same accomplishment? Well, it has 100 percent daily value of riboflavin, 100 percent daily value of niacin, 100 percent daily value of vitamin b6, 100 percent daily value of vitamin b12, 100 percent daily value of biotin, 100 percent daily value of pantothenic acid, 41 percent daily value of chromium, and the MetaPlus Proprietary Blend consisting of taurine, green tea leaf extract, 200 milligrams of caffeine anhydrous, glucuronolactone, and ginger extract. Oh, and did I mention it also has 100 percent daily value of vitamin c? And so do all the other Celsius drinks. Not too shabby!

     Well we know it has the same exact blend as every other Celsius product out there, so it should provide a nice kick. Well, it certainly didn't have me bouncing off the walls, but I definitely noticed an uplift in my energy levels. I would say the kick was somewhere between medium and medium-high. Overall, I was pleased with the effects.

     The Celsius Packets are a nice, well-developed product. They executed the flavor quite well, and if you strain your solution, you will get rid of the pink clumps. The kick is also pretty nice. You can buy these online at www.celsius.com . 3 boxes of 7 sell for $29.97, making each packet cost only 70 cents. Final rating: 8.6 out of 10.

Save 10% on Celsius online by using coupon code: addicted2energy

REVIEW OF CELSIUS APPLE ORCHARD BLEND

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 200 MILLIGRAMS PER 12 OUNCE CAN.

RATING: 8.8 OUT OF 10.

     Believe it or not folks, but this is the last review I have until summer vacation ends and I am back pursuing the educational endeavors that lie ahead. This year will be my senior year in high school, so if I ever was excited about a school year, which I'm not, this would be it. But I digress, the drink I will be reviewing for you today is the brand new flavor of Celsius. The first thing I can point out is the change in packaging. Instead of using the sophisticated blue color they went with a subtle white color, which makes the drink seem like it's the diet version. The flavor is given on the can as Apple Orchard Blend. So, did they get it right?

     Well, when I cracked open the can and took a sip I noticed a non carbonated apple flavor, but not necessarily apple juice. It's pretty simple, when you add energy ingredients to what is basically an apple juice drink, it won't really taste like apple juice anymore. Still, Celsius did do a great job with the flavor, and it is one of the drinks high points.

     Now for the energy blend. Well, here we go again: 100 percent daily value of riboflavin, 100 percent daily value of niacin, 100 percent daily value of vitamin b6, 100 percent daily value of vitamin b12, 100 percent daily value of biotin, 100 percent daily value of pantothenic acid, 41 percent daily value of chromium, and the MetaPlus Proprietary Blend consisting of taurine, guarana extract, green tea leaf extract, caffeine anhydrous, glucuronolactone, and ginger extract. It is sweetened with erythritol and stevia extract. Caffeine content as always is 200 milligrams per can.

     Probably the main reason why this is one of my favorite energy drink companies is simply because it works, even on someone like me. It's rather deceiving, because I am pretty skinny and yet something like a Monster will not give me a substantial buzz. But this Celsius definitely did the trick by kicking me out of my sleepy shoes and getting into my oh-my-goodness-I-can't-wait-for-my-friend-to-come-over shoes. I wasn't hyper, but the drink certainly provided a noticeable uplift in energy.

     So, what about this new flavor of Celsius? I like it, actually. I love non carbonated drinks because they go down much smoother than their fizzy counterparts. Celsius is a great energy drink and I recommend you give it a try. Prices start at 36 dollars for a 24 pack, not bad at all. Or you could just pick one up at the store for 2 dollars. 8.8 out of 10.

Save 10% on Celsius online by using coupon code: addicted2energy

REVIEW OF CELSIUS GREEN TEA PEACH MANGO

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 200 MILLIGRAMS PER 12 OUNCE CAN.

RATING: 8.8 OUT OF 10. 

      Today I will be reviewing another flavor of Celsius Energy Drink. This one is called Green Tea Peach Mango. I have enjoyed the first 3 flavors of Celsius, so let's see if this one delivers as well. The packaging is professional, but a bit overcrowded, with claims of it burning up to 100 calories per can, that's almost 3/4 of a can of soda. I have heard that they got into some trouble for making these weight loss claims, but I won't get into that. But like I said before, in one review, it's the insides that count. So, onward to the taste.

     As mentioned earlier the flavor is Green Tea Peach Mango, which is quite an interesting flavor combination. Anyway, it seemed to work because the drink went down very smoothly and was quite refreshing. Unlike the Sparkling Ginger Ale flavor, I could not taste the Sucralose. I have yet to try all of there flavors but for now, this is one of my favorite offerings from them. 

     On the ingredients side of things, here's what this packs: 100 percent daily value of riboflavin, 100 percent daily value of niacin, 100 percent daily value of vitamin b6, 100 percent daily value of vitamin b12, 100 percent daily value of biotin, 41 percent daily value of chromium, and a 1,810 milligram energy blend consisting of taurine, guarana, green tea leaf extract, caffeine anhydrous, glucuronolactone, and ginger extract. Caffeine content as always is 200 milligrams per 12 ounce can. 

     So, does this work as well as the others? Well, there are many variables to determine the effectiveness of an energy drink, and some of the variables weren't with me on this one. However, I was extremely tired, because I went to bed at 5:00 AM. I was woken up by the dog 2 and a half hours later. I then went back to bed and slept until noon. I was so exhausted that I find it remarkable that this drink could still wake me up. And that's why I love Celsius so much, it just works. 

     Overall then, this Green Tea Peach Mango version of Celsius has me sold on flavor alone. It also provides a nice amount of caffeine and it works like a charm without being overpowering (although sometimes it can be overpowering on an empty stomach). I cannot wait to try the other flavors and there shots. Final rating is an 8.8 out of 10.

Save 10% on Celsius online by using coupon code: addicted2energy

REVIEW OF CELSIUS SPARKLING GINGER ALE

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 200 MILLIGRAMS PER 12 OUNCE CAN.

RATING: 8.7 OUT OF 10.

So today we have another review of one of my favorite energy drink companies: Celsius. Yesterday I received a cooler full of drinks, shots, and a mix. It also came with lots of paper work and a disc. The first flavor that I will be trying out from the samples is Celsius Sparkling Ginger Ale. This will be my first time trying a ginger ale flavored energy drink, let's see if they can pull it off. Nope, not really. Since this uses Sucralose, the ginger ale flavor is ruined by the artificial sweetener. What a pity, because I like ginger ale. Unfortunately Celsius had to ruin it by putting in Sucralose. All right, so the taste isn't great but let's see if it can redeem itself by having a great energy blend. Well, it has 100 percent daily value of riboflavin, 100 percent daily value of niacin, 100 percent daily value of vitamin b6, 100 percent daily value of vitamin b12, 100 percent daily value of biotin, 100 percent daily value of pantothenic acid, 41 percent daily value of chromium, and the 1,810 milligrams MetaPlus Proprietary Blend which has taurine, guarana extract, green tea leaf extract, caffeine anhydrous, glucuronolactone, and ginger extract. The caffeine content is a staggering 200 milligrams per 12 ounce can. In fact, before Rockstar 2X came out, this was the most powerful 12 ounce energy drink you could buy. Its caffeine concentration of 16.7 milligrams per ounce is higher than NOS Energy Drink, one of the most powerful readily available drinks. Anyway, enough about caffeine content, you just want to know if this thing works. Good news, it does. I mean, it has been a long time since I have gotten a serious jolt from an energy drink and this beast delivered. I was jittery and wired for maybe 4 hours or so. Celsius has never disappointed me in the kick department and they certainly didn't disappoint this time. Overall, I truly wish the ginger ale version of Celsius had a better flavor. But despite having the poor flavor, it still manages to get an 8.7 out of 10.

Save 10% on Celsius online by using coupon code: addicted2energy