10 Of The Best Drinks You Can Buy At Dollar Tree
Dollar Tree may not be the first place that comes to mind when you're shopping for drinks to stock your cooler for summer or fridge for a party. After all, the chain is better known for bargain snacks, party supplies, and seasonal decorations. But anyone who's spent time browsing the beverage aisle knows it can be surprisingly rewarding. From regional craft sodas to trending fruit juices, Dollar Tree has a lot of great beverages to offer, and often at a considerably lower cost than you'd find elsewhere.
Picking a favorite can be tricky, but the nice thing about Dollar Tree prices is that you can try a bit of everything and not sink a large amount of money into sampling a variety. The key to a great Dollar Tree experience is knowing what to look for. Online, some drinks have developed a cult following, with people recommending everything from nontraditional soda flavors to video-game-themed energy drinks. To find which drinks are worth tossing into your basket, we did the work for you and turned to customer recommendations, product reviews, and Dollar Tree's current offerings to find what's worth buying. Prices may vary.
1. Sprecher Cream Soda
Sprecher may not be a brand you're familiar with unless you're well-versed in the Dollar Tree soda aisle. This Wisconsin-based craft soda company has built a loyal following thanks to its old-fashioned brewing process and premium ingredients, making it the kind of beverage shoppers are genuinely surprised to discover sitting on Dollar Tree shelves. Among Sprecher's lineup, Cream Soda consistently receives some of the highest praise, with many shoppers recommending it before nearly every other beverage in the cooler.
The taste of Sprecher Cream Soda, and in fact all of the brand's sodas, stands out because of its brewing method. Rather than relying solely on carbonation and sweetness, Sprecher fire-brews its sodas using Wisconsin honey, creating a richer, smoother flavor than many mass-produced cream sodas. Because of its unique taste, shoppers have claimed that Sprecher is some of the best soda they've ever tried. You can also find Root Beer, Orange Dream, Cherry Cola, and other Sprecher flavors at Dollar Tree.
2. Jarritos Mandarin
Jarritos is the peak of imported sodas. While the Mexican brand produces flavors like tamarind, pineapple, and guava, one flavor consistently rises above the rest in customer discussions: mandarin. Across the internet, Dollar Tree shoppers and longtime Jarritos fans repeatedly single it out as the bottle they'd recommend to someone trying the brand for the first time.
Unlike some American orange sodas, Jarritos Mandarin tastes less like orange candy and more like actual citrus. It's made with a blend of real mandarin extracts and cane sugar, so it's not overly sweet like many American sodas and has a more authentic fruit flavor. The drink has become something of a staple at Mexican restaurants, but Dollar Tree offers shoppers a chance to grab individual bottles without paying restaurant prices. Online discussions frequently rank Mandarin ahead of nearly every other Jarritos flavor, with some fans calling it "the best 'orange' soda flavor out there". If you're looking for something sweet and summery, you don't need to pay more than $1.25.
3. Faygo Cotton Candy
In a world where carefully balanced wellness drinks are trying to pack each bottle with vitamins and minerals, Faygo Cotton Candy is popular for exactly the opposite approach. It leans fully into its carnival inspiration, delivering an absurdly sweet flavor that somehow tastes similar to real cotton candy. With its electric blue coloring, it's certainly not subtle, but this bold flavor is exactly why the soda has developed such a devoted following.
Fans often describe Faygo Cotton Candy as more of a candy than a soda, but they still grab one every time they see it on the shelves. True fans surpass more traditional Faygo flavors like orange, cherry, and pineapple and head straight for this sugar rush in a bottle. Reddit discussions are filled with people calling it their favorite Faygo flavor, saying it is ridiculously tasty and sweet. While a classic lemon-lime or cola soda may be a safer choice, Faygo Cotton Candy is a fun option if you want to try something totally out of left field.
4. Pure Kick electrolyte powder
Not every great Dollar Tree drink comes in a bottle or can. Electrolyte powders have become extremely popular in fitness culture and beyond, with people trying to drink their vitamins and minerals. But these drink mixes can get expensive quickly. Another hidden gem at Dollar Tree is the Pure Kick brand; customers can pick up these drink mixes packed with electrolytes in a handful of enticing flavors. Instead of paying higher prices for smaller bundles elsewhere, you can get a box of six Pure Kick mixes for $1.25. Not only is it a great value, but customers love the flavors; many claim they'd buy it by the case if they could.
Electrolytes are essential to proper hydration, but it can feel overwhelming to try and get enough. Pure Kick gives shoppers an accessible way to drink a bit more water throughout the day and stay hydrated. Whether you're working out, doing something outdoors, or just need a bit of flavor in your water to help you reach for it more, Pure Kick drink powders are one of the more practical options on Dollar Tree shelves.
5. Arizona Iced Tea
Arizona Tea is an icon of affordably priced beverages. Thanks to founder Don Vultaggio, this brand has famously not raised its prices in over 30 years, with a classic iced tea costing just around a buck. This, coupled with a large serving size, has made Arizona teas a staple at places like Dollar Tree. Shoppers on Reddit frequently mention trying out different flavors at their local stores, noting that they hear the "gates of heaven open" upon entering the Arizona section. This tea is one of the safest purchases in the beverage aisle because it combines a recognizable brand with excellent value. Even as grocery prices have climbed in recent years, customers stock up on Arizona teas because they've continuously been a great deal.
Among the many flavors available, Arizona Green Tea with Honey and Ginseng is a standout. The combination of green tea, honey, and citrus creates a lightly sweet drink that feels refreshing instead of syrupy. While there are plenty of flavors like watermelon, pineapple, and grapeade, many shoppers prefer to stick to a classic or come back to it after trying something new.
6. Martinelli's Gold Medal Apple Juice
Apple juice isn't usually something to get excited about, but Martinelli's breaks that mold. The California company has built its reputation around producing premium apple juice made from apples grown right in the U.S., and its signature glass bottles have become nearly as recognizable as the drink itself. Over the past several years, Martinelli's has even enjoyed viral fame thanks to its plastic apple-shaped bottles that make a satisfying crunch when bitten. This fun party trick has introduced a new generation of shoppers to a drink that's been around since the 1800s.
Martinelli's has a crisp, clean apple flavor that tastes remarkably close to biting into a fresh apple. Many shelf-stable juices end up on extreme ends of the flavor spectrum, either tasting watered-down or sickly sweet. This brand has a fresh taste, which makes it an even more surprising favorite Dollar Tree find. There's a reason it was ranked our No. 1 apple juice, after all.
At a moment of peak popularity during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, this juice was difficult to find, as people were stocking up and buying it clean off the shelves. Now that the hype has died down a bit, it's easier to find, but you never know when a product could go viral once again.
7. Jumex Mango Nectar
Jumex Mango Nectar is not your typical fruit juice. Unlike other juices, this nectar contains fruit puree, giving it a thicker, smoother consistency that's closer to blended fruit, almost like a smoothie. So many juices and beverages taste artificial and overly processed, but if you want to feel like you're drinking the real thing, Dollar Tree customers would definitely point you in the direction of Jumex. Even people who are mango snobs and incredibly particular about mango flavor find that they really enjoy this drink. It's smooth with just the right amount of sweetness, and has real pulp that enhances the texture.
Beyond drinking it on its own, Jumex Mango Nectar would be a great base for smoothies, mocktails, or frozen popsicles. There are several different possibilities to make the same drink taste different every single time. It can be hard to find something that tastes fresh and authentic, especially at a bargain store, but Jumex can provide a bit of variety in your drink selection.
8. G Fuel Sonic Peach Rings
Energy drinks are an absolute Dollar Tree staple. Whether you're stopping in before a long shift, on your lunch break, or you need an afternoon pick-me-up, Dollar Tree's selection of energy drinks is enviable. There's truly something for everyone in every flavor imaginable. One of the flashier flavors is G Fuel's Sonic Peach Rings. This flavor is inspired by the classic peach candy, but contains none of the sugar. Even people who aren't familiar with the Sonic the Hedgehog collaboration often pick it up simply because of the flavor, and many discover it's one of the better sugar-free energy drinks available.
Fans frequently compare it to liquid peach gummies, making it especially popular among people who enjoy sweeter beverages but don't want the calories that usually come with them. Dollar Tree shoppers mention grabbing several cans at a time because G Fuel products typically cost considerably more elsewhere, making the discount chain one of the cheapest places to try the brand. With so many energy drinks to choose from, Sonic Peach Rings is one of the better bargains hiding on Dollar Tree shelves.
9. J79 Pulpy Watermelon Juice
One glance at J79 Pulpy Watermelon Juice tells you this isn't your typical fruit drink. Instead of being perfectly smooth, the beverage contains real fruit pulp suspended throughout, giving it a texture that's much closer to fresh fruit than many shelf-stable juices. The texture change might be an adjustment to some juice drinkers, but the switch-up is what draws Dollar Tree shoppers to this brand.
Perhaps the biggest draw to J79 juices is that they only contain one ingredient. They are made up only of the fruit advertised on the can, whether it be watermelon, mango, or pineapple. Many parents especially love this because they can be sure about what they're giving their kids in a world of fruit juices that are full of artificial ingredients. This short ingredient list also ensures the juice is sweet without being overpowering, so you get only the natural, pleasant watermelon taste with every sip. You can drink it on its own, or add some bubbles for a fun mocktail. This juice is available year-round, but trends show that fruit juices sell better during the summer months, so make sure you keep checking your shelves before others buy out the supply.
10. Boylan Black Cherry
Long before the craft soda boom made premium soft drinks trendy, Boylan Bottling Company was already doing things the old-fashioned way. Founded in New Jersey in 1891, the company has built its reputation on glass-bottled sodas made with cane sugar and classic flavors. The simpler ingredients and authentic flavors make the drink taste like something from a vintage soda fountain. While Boylan offers select flavors like Creme Soda and Shirley Temple, Black Cherry consistently ranks among the company's most beloved varieties.
The glass bottle makes the drink feel a bit more elevated, so finding it at your local Dollar Tree feels like a steal. Many black cherry sodas lean heavily on sweeteners and artificial flavors, but Boylan accomplishes the black cherry flavor with real cane sugar and hints of vanilla. You can drink it as is or add your favorite vodka for a fruity summer cocktail.
Boylan is known for high-quality products, reflected in its over-century-long business history. Finding craft soda at Dollar Tree is a treat, especially if you're only used to the same brands and low-budget items from dollar and convenience stores. Boylan Black Cherry is one of Dollar Tree's most impressive hidden gems, and arguably one of the best beverage bargains in the entire store.
Methodology
To find the best drinks available at Dollar Tree, I looked through Reddit discussions, Facebook groups, product reviews, and Dollar Tree's online catalog to identify beverages that shoppers consistently recommend buying. I looked at the drinks with the highest star ratings and prioritized these along with drinks that received praise across multiple websites.
Because Dollar Tree drinks can vary by store and location, I focused on those generally stocked year-round in a wide range of locations. The list includes energy drinks, juices, sodas, teas, and powdered drink mixes.