Flavored water: Should you believe the hype?

Sales of bottled water are down, but you wouldn't know that from the onslaught of e-mail we've received recently from the pitchers of two pricey products. They make water sound like the greatest thing since, well, water.

Ayala's Herbal Water is infused with organic herb extracts and comes in flavors such as Lemon Verbena Geranium and Cinnamon Orange Peel. Hint Water comes mostly in fruit flavors and was created by a husband and wife who "couldn't find any healthy beverage options for their four kids." Like Ayala's, Hint has no sugar or added sweeteners. The waters cost up to $2 per 16-ounce bottle. That's more than many plain bottled waters—and about $2 more than the perfectly good stuff that comes from many taps.

Both brands boast that they have no calories (um, because they're water?). We asked tasters in our sensory department to sip a few flavors and give us their informal opinion. They said Ayala's Ginger Lemon Peel has more lemon than ginger; its Cinnamon Orange Peel tastes a bit like orange-cinnamon tea. They said Hint's flavors are very subtle: Watermelon has a candy flavor (think Jolly Rancher) but without the sweetness, and Raspberry-Lime is a question mark: Testers could perceive some fruity flavor but couldn't identify it.

Bottom line. None of the waters we tried was especially flavorful. True, they're more healthful than soda or sugary fruit drinks. But these waters seem unnecessary at best and wasteful at worst, given the tossed plastic. If you enjoy flavored water, put sliced strawberries, lemon, lime, fresh mint, or a cinnamon stick in a pitcher of tap or filtered water and chill in the refrigerator; if you're pressed for time, use a splash of a favorite fruit juice instead. Or conjure up a day at the spa with slices of cucumber, making your beverage cheap, fresh, and green.