REVIEW OF RED BULL TOTAL ZERO

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 80 MILLIGRAMS PER 8.4 OUNCE CAN. 

RATING: 6.6 OUT OF 10. 


     Although I am completely aware that Red Bull has recently released three new flavors, I haven't been able to locate any of them. Fortunately, I did manage to find Red Bull Total Zero, which is essentially just a modified version of Red Bull Sugar Free. Nonetheless, I've never reviewed sugar free Red Bull, so I figured this would be an appropriate substitute. So without further ado, here's Red Bull Total Zero.

     It doesn't take an energy drink connoisseur to spot the original Red Bull from a mile away, with its signature blue and silver can design. However, Total Zero could be accurately described as dull and boring, with its gray and silver scheme. Packaging aside, I was eager to take my first sip of this somewhat new beverage. A friend of mine described the taste as a watered down Red Bull, and as soon as the liquid hit my palate, I had no choice but to agree with him. Red Bull Total Zero does remind me of a watered down Red Bull, but I also noticed the flavor from three artificial sweeteners. All in all, this concoction isn't terrible, but I will take the original Red Bull nine times out of ten.

     The Red Bull energy blend is something that has been duplicated by other energy drink companies for several years. Inside each can, you'll find 100 percent daily value of niacin, 250 percent daily value of vitamin b6, 80 percent daily value of vitamin b12, and 50 percent daily value of pantothenic acid. You also get 80 milligrams of caffeine, 1,000 milligrams of taurine, and an undisclosed amount of glucuronolactone and inositol. Although this energy blend is the epitome of average, you still can't go wrong with the Red Bull formula.

     With 80 milligrams of caffeine, you should expect the effectiveness to be identical to any other Red Bull flavor. I personally happened to notice a slight, yet adequate uplift in my wakefulness and alertness that lasted for a couple hours. It's nothing too spectacular, but I don't expect much effectiveness from a Red Bull.

     I have spoken with a plethora of individuals regarding their favorite energy drink, and they will always say Red Bull or Monster. I am perfectly content with those energy drinks as your favorites, but I  implore you to explore other energy drinks within your area and tell me what you think. Red Bull Total Zero is simply not a fabulous energy drink. It's just your basic, standard calorie free energy drink from the most successful energy drink company in the world. Their energy drinks may only be average in my opinion, but I must admit, their formula one team is immaculate. 

REVIEW OF LOADED

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 160 MILLIGRAMS PER 16 OUNCE CAN. 

RATING: 7.9 OUT OF 10. 

     Any time I arrive at the grocery store, the first place I check is the energy drink isle. Typically, I will find an inordinate amount of Monster and Red Bull along with a few other high end brands. This time, however, I was lucky enough to not only find a drink that I had never tried, but one that I had never even heard of. This drink is called Loaded, and it just happened to be voted the best tasting energy drink at International Beverage. With an award like that, I couldn't wait to get my hands on this drink.

     The packaging on this is simple, yet sleek. It comes in a black, 16 ounce aluminum can with a design on it that is reminiscent of the Jack Daniels label. There is no flavor written on the can, so I had no idea what I was getting into. At first I thought it would be a Monster clone, but that aforementioned award told me otherwise. When I took my first sip, I noticed a sweet lemon cherry flavor up front, then the cherry flavor faded leaving a sour lemon note at the end. It's sweet, sour, smooth, and deserving of the award it received. I enjoyed the lovely mixture of the initial cherry and the aftertaste of lemon. Overall, it's a refreshing energy drink that I would recommend to anybody.

     Now it's time to find out if Loaded energy drink is loaded with firepower. Starting with the b vitamins, we have 200 percent daily value of vitamin b3, 200 percent daily value of vitamin b5, 200 percent daily value of vitamin b6, and 10,000 percent daily value of vitamin b12. Then it has 2,000 milligrams of taurine, 200 milligrams of guarana, 50 milligrams of inositol, 50 milligrams of l-carnitine, 50 milligrams of l-glutamine, 50 milligrams of panax ginseng, and 160 milligrams of caffeine. I really enjoy the fact that they have quantifiable information on each of the energy ingredients. I really wish more companies used this approach.

     160 milligrams of caffeine is identical to what you may find in a can of Monster, and you can expect the effects to be very similar. I noticed an adequate increase in wakefulness that lasted a few hours. If you're looking for a solid uplift, this drink should be sufficient.

     While it is seldom that I locate a drink that I have never heard of, there is usually a reason for it. Either the drink is so awful that their sales are atrocious, or they haven't been able to market the drink properly. This is clearly not the case for Loaded energy drink. This beverage has a lovely mix of sweet and sour flavors, accompanied by a solid energy blend. The effects are also well received. If you happen to find this drink in your area, put down the Monster you were looking at earlier and purchase this instead. Unless that Monster you were holding was Monster Rehab.

REVIEW OF WIRED WAFFLES

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 200 MILLIGRAMS PER WAFFLE. 

RATING: 7.6 OUT OF 10.

     Since its installation in 2009, Addicted 2 Energy has reviewed some very unique products. We've tried caffeinated almonds, caffeinated cookies, caffeinated gum, and a plethora of other miscellaneous caffeinated goods. However, we have never had the pleasure of consuming a caffeinated waffle. That is all about to change today with this review of Wired Waffles. Wired Waffles are waffles that are laced with 200 milligrams of caffeine, perfect for someone like myself. So without further ado, let's check out this sugary treat.

     These waffles are about the size of a coaster and are individually wrapped in plastic. After speaking with someone from Wired Waffles, I was notified that these waffles taste best when microwaved. Therefore, I stuck one of these in the microwave for 45 seconds and it came out very warm and moist. After wiping off the excess moisture from being frozen, I was ready to take my first bite. First of all, these waffles aren't like ordinary waffles. They actually have maple flavor and bacon salt baked right in. This sounds fantastic on paper, but when I took my first bite I found that the waffle was much too dense. It did taste good and was easily palatable, but the density level was just too great. They would be better off making a caffeinated pancake/waffle batter so that the consumer could create their own waffle. If you're going to eat this waffle purely for its taste, you might want to grab an Eggo instead.

     Of course, and Eggo waffle isn't packed with 200 milligrams of good ol' caffeine. Not to mention, it also has 2,000 percent daily value of vitamin b6, and 5,000 percent daily value of vitamin b12. With b vitamins, and as much caffeine as 5 Hour Energy Extra Strength, you really are getting an energy shot in a waffle. And in case your wondering, each waffle contains 200 calories, 5 grams of total fat, and 17 grams of sugar.

     While it may not taste all that great and be extremely dense for a waffle, it certainly does work. After consuming this coaster sized waffle, I noticed a medium increase in alertness and wakefulness. I suppose if you really want to eat a waffle to get your caffeine fix, Wired Waffles are the best (and only) way to go.

     Wired Waffles is a product that has its highlights and downfalls. I admire their fortitude to create a waffle with maple flavor baked in, but it isn't great. No, it isn't disgusting and unpalatable, but the density of the waffle is much too high for my taste. The caffeine content is beyond acceptable, and they even throw in a large amount of b vitamins. If you really want to try a caffeinated waffle, please try this product. It's actually the only caffeinated waffle that exists. Go figure.

REVIEW OF ETERNAL ENERGY BERRY

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 222 MILLIGRAMS PER 1.93 OUNCE BOTTLE.

RATING: 8.4 OUT OF 10. 

     Two days ago, I took a closer examination of the Michigan-based company, Eternal Energy. In that review, I decided to test out the grape variety and was not disappointed with the results. Today, I'm going to put the berry flavor under the reviewing microscope. It seems as if every energy shot company has a berry flavored drink, so let's see if Eternal Energy can pull it off.

     This particular flavor of Eternal Energy comes in a blue and black 1.93 ounce plastic bottle that is identical to just about every single energy shot on the market. I must admit, I do prefer this color combination over the grape flavor I recently reviewed. After I gave it a few shakes, I twisted the bottle open and gulped down the contents inside. The flavor is a sweet and smooth amalgamation of berries, and as always, it was impossible to discern which berries I was tasting. I will say that this flavor isn't nearly as harsh on the palate as the grape version. Overall, this is a solid berry flavored energy shot from Eternal Energy.

     As I explained in my last review of Eternal Energy, this is one of the best energy blends I've seen on an energy shot. To begin, it has 166.67 percent daily value of vitamin b3, 2,020 percent daily value of vitamin b6, 101 percent daily value of folic acid, and 8,416 percent daily value of vitamin b12. Then you have this massive energy blend worth 2,100 milligrams. This consists of taurine, caffeine, l-theanine, quercetin, maltodextrin, green tea extract, d-glucuronolactone, guarana extract, elderberry extract, d-calcium pantothenate, n-acetyl l-tyrosine, garcinia combogia, grape seed extract, yerba mate extract, beta alanine, dl-phenylalanine, l-phenylalanine, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, and folic acid. My only complaint, and it is an infinitesimally small one, is that they don't give the amounts on every ingredient. Other than that, this is an impeccable energy blend.

     Each bottle of Eternal Energy contains 222 milligrams of caffeine, which is approximately the same as putting 2.75 Red Bull's worth of caffeine into a bottle less than 2 ounces. This indicates that this product should definitely provide you with a solid increase in energy and alertness. When I tried the grape flavor, I didn't receive much of a boost, but thankfully this flavor had a better result. I noticed an adequate increase in focus and alertness that lasted for a few hours and tapered off without a crash.

     Even though I still have 3 more flavors of Eternal Energy left to review, this version definitely takes the top spot of my favorite flavor. The berry flavor is sweet, smooth, and easy on the palate and throat. The energy blend, as I have already mentioned, is one of the best I have seen on an energy shot, and the hefty amount of caffeine provides a nice amount of energy. I must admit, I am extremely eager to review those other 3 flavors.

REVIEW OF SLAP CRISP APPLE

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 220 MILLIGRAMS PER 16 OUNCE CAN.

RATING: 7.8 OUT OF 10. 

     As Addicted 2 Energy closes in on 350 product reviews, It's always nice to take a break from the uncommon items and take a closer examination of a mainstream product. This product I'm reviewing today, called Slap, can accurately be considered mainstream, since it is readily available at the largest retail outlet in the world: Walmart. I located Slap while I was desperately trying to locate one of the new Red Bull flavors, but to no avail. Fortunately, I managed to purchase the Crisp Apple version of Slap Energy, and I was eager to test it out.

     This particular flavor comes in a green and silver sixteen ounce aluminum can. The design is simple, yet clean and free of superfluous text. I have had the pleasure of reviewing two other flavors of Slap, which are named Frost and Lemon Ice. Both of those flavors were well received, so I had high expectations for this Crisp Apple version. With that said, I cracked open the can and took my first gulps. I noticed a smooth and crisp apple flavor that was unlike any other energy drink I've tasted. As a matter of fact, this is probably the only apple flavored energy drink I have tried, and it is quite satisfying. As you would expect, it doesn't taste like carbonated apple juice, but instead it is an artificially flavored green apple beverage. In summary, Crisp Apple is a fine addition to the Slap line-up.

     Slap markets itself as a multi-stage energy supplement, so does that indicate that we will see some unique ingredients? Well, for starters there's 200 percent daily value of vitamin b3, 200 percent daily value of vitamin b6, and 200 percent daily value of vitamin b12. It also has an energy blend worth 3,138 milligrams. This contains maltodextrin, taurine, fructose, caffeine, isomaltulose, vitamin b3, vitamin b6, and vitamin b12. The only unique ingredient I notice is isomaltulose, which is essentially a sugar substitute. Other than that, this is quite an ordinary energy blend.

     Slap also indicates on their label that their products have 25 percent more caffeine than other energy drinks. Based on the fact that a can of Monster Energy contains 160 milligrams of caffeine, Slap must contain  200 milligrams. Yet, if you take a closer look at the label, it clearly states that the caffeine content is 220 milligrams of caffeine. This means that Slap Crisp Apple has about 37 percent more caffeine than a standard Monster. That being said, this energy drink should provide a high level of effectiveness. Even for somebody such as myself, this beverage provided a solid uplift in alertness and wakefulness that lasted a few hours.

     This flavor of Slap is probably my favorite out of the three I've reviewed, simply due to its uniqueness. I cannot recall ever seeing an apple flavored energy drink, let alone a green apple flavor. Not to mention, they manage to do it correctly and avoid unnecessary tartness and sourness. The effectiveness is also high, with its 220 milligrams of caffeine. The energy blend is the only sour note in this otherwise great product. I recommend you stop by your local Walmart and purchase a can or two. I think you'll be quite satisfied.

REVIEW OF ETERNAL ENERGY GRAPE

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 222 MILLIGRAMS PER 1.93 OUNCE BOTTLE. 

RATING: 7.7 OUT OF 10.

     Addicted 2 Energy is a pretty neat website. However, it only receives approximately 350-400 page views per day, which means that I seldom receive requests to review new products. This next review marks one of those requests. I have received a few comments on this site asking for a review of Eternal Energy, and I kept telling them that I had already reviewed it right here. However, when I checked their website I noticed a completely different looking product. I contacted the company and they clarified that Eternal Energy Inked is what I had reviewed previously, and this other version has a different formula. That indicated that it was good enough to review, so without further ado, let's check out Eternal Energy.

     Eternal Energy comes in 4 distinct flavors: grape, pomegranate, berry, and tropical punch. I decided to try out the grape flavor first. This particular flavor comes in a purple 2 ounce bottle that looks very professional and clutter free. It is not uncommon to find an energy shot that is absolutely impossible to open, due to its incomprehensibly stubborn shrink wrap. This was certainly not the case for Eternal Energy. With one hard twist, I screwed off the top and chugged the liquid inside. The flavor is respectable for an energy shot, with a sweet grape flavor and a bitter aftertaste. The aftertaste is actually the worst part of the flavor experience, but it still didn't require a chaser, as some energy shots do.

     This company manages to pack quite a plethora of ingredients in this minuscule bottle. Starting with the vitamins we have 2,020 percent daily value of niacin, 101 percent daily value of folic acid, and 8,416 percent daily value of vitamin b12. Then we have an energy blend with a combined 2,100 milligrams of taurine, caffeine, l-theanine, quercetin, maltodextrin, green tea extract, d-glucuronolactone, guarana extract, elderberry extract, d-calcium pantothenate, n-acetyl l-tyrosine, garcina cambogia, grape seed extract, yerba mate, beta-alanine, dl-phenylalanine, l-phenylalanine, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, and folic acid. That is an absolutely unfathomable amount of ingredients to cram into a bottle less than 2 ounces. There aren't many energy shots out there that have more than 20 ingredients in their energy blend.

     Yes, 20 ingredients is quite a substantial amount, but its no secret which ingredient is the most important. Caffeine. Inside each bottle of Eternal Energy, you can expect to find 222 milligrams of caffeine. This would put it in the top 3 most caffeinated 2 ounce energy shots on the market. With that said, you can expect a lot of effectiveness from this product. As for myself, I received a decent increase in wakefulness and alertness that lasted for a few hours. As I have mentioned several times before on this site, my caffeine tolerance is rather high. That being said, this should have no trouble giving you a solid kick in the pants.

     It is only natural to conclude this review by comparing Eternal Energy Grape to 5 Hour Energy Extra Strength Grape. First of all, both products are manufactured in my home state of Michigan, which is something I am quite proud of. Second, this flavor experience of this product is actually a notch below 5 Hour Energy Grape. As for ingredients, Eternal Energy absolutely destroys 5 Hour Energy, and just about every other shot on the market. Finally, with 222 milligrams of caffeine compared to 5 Hour's 207 for the extra strength, this should be more effective. Taking everything into consideration, I would put Eternal Energy Grape just slightly above 5 Hour Energy Extra Strength Grape. But do not be disconcerted if you just bought that 5 Hour Energy. Both Eternal Energy and 5 Hour Energy are solid energy shots.

REVIEW OF MONSTER IMPORT LIGHT

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 186 MILLIGRAMS PER 18.6 OUNCE CAN. 

RATING: 7.7 OUT OF 10. 

     With a whopping 35% market share, Monster Energy is the most popular energy drink in the United States of America. Of course, the nine billion dollar company cannot keep up with the worldwide sales of Red Bull, which sold an astronomical 4.6 billion cans in 2011. I've always preferred Monster because they have the audacity to add new flavors to their lineup. Just recently, they have added Zero Ultra and Cuba Lima to their expanding product line. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to track down either of them. However, I did manage to find Monster Import Light, and I didn't hesitate to purchase it. I reviewed the original Import back in 2010 and enjoyed it, so I was interested to see how this one would perform.

     Monster Import Light comes in a unique 18.6 ounce aluminum black can with a giant crest on the front. Even the tab is unique on this can, and it sort of reminds me of the top of a coffee mug. After gazing at the can for a more seconds, I took my first sip. I've always liked Monster Light better than Monster Original, and this is no exception. The flavor is smooth, sweet, and pleasing to the palate. Monster successfully masks that bitter, exceedingly sweet flavor of artificial sweeteners. Although this is not as phenomenal as Monster Rehab, this flavor still receives a solid thumbs up from me.

     The ammunition for Monster Import Light is basically the same as the original Monster flavors. Each can contains 232.5 percent daily value of vitamin b2, 232.5 percent daily value of vitamin b3, 232.5 percent daily value of vitamin b6, 232.5 percent daily value of vitamin b12, 2,325 milligrams of taurine, and 465 milligrams of panax ginseng. There is also Monster's Energy Blend, which is measured at 5,812.5 milligrams. This blend contains l-carnitine, glucose, caffeine, guarana, inositol, glucuronolactone, and maltodextrin. This isn't the best energy blend that Monster can offer, but it still gets my seal of approval.

     Although the caffeine content is undisclosed, the fine folks at Energy Fiend tell us that it has 186 milligrams per 18.6 ounce can. That's only slightly higher than the original, and the effectiveness is basically identical. You can expect an adequate increase in wakefulness and alertness that lasts for a few hours and tapers off without a crash.

     With a staggering nineteen reviews including this one, Monster Energy drinks are the most reviewed products on Addicted 2 Energy. Sometimes they produce immaculate drinks, like Monster Rehab, and sometimes they fail to hit the mark, like Monster Assault. Monster Import Light is definitely on the positive side of the fence, with its smooth and sweet flavor profile. The energy blend is just typical Monster, bold and in your face. Unfortunately, the don't add any extra ingredients like yerba mate. All things considered, I would recommend this over Import Original. Let me know if your agree or disagree in the comment section below.