The best glass bottled water brands

Most of the waters we sell come in glass, which raises a fair question: where to start. The answer depends on whether you want still or sparkling, light or mineral, and whether the bottle is going on a dinner table or into a fridge door. Below are eight water brands in glass bottles that we carry by the case, with where each comes from, its published mineral content, and a short note on how it drinks.

Eight glass-bottled waters at a glance

The waters, one by one

Voss

An artesian water from southern Norway, drawn from an aquifer protected beneath rock and sand. At 22 mg/L it is one of the lightest waters we sell, almost weightless and neutral. The tall cylindrical bottle is half the appeal. We carry the still 800 ml, the sparkling 800 ml and a 3 L still bottle for a large table.

Saratoga

Bottled at Saratoga Springs, New York, since 1872, with the still water in its recognizable cobalt blue glass. Light and soft at 116 mg/L, it pairs with almost anything. Sizes run from 8 oz to 828 ml, including the 355 ml still, a good single-serving size for hotel rooms and meeting tables.

Acqua Panna

A still spring water from an estate in the Tuscan hills north of Florence, bottled at source since 1880. Soft and rounded at 130 mg/L, with a pH of 8.0. It comes in glass from 250 ml to 1 L; the 750 ml is the table size. More in where Acqua Panna comes from.

Tŷ Nant

From an aquifer in the hills of Ceredigion, west Wales, bottled at Bethania and known for its cobalt blue glass. Light at 165 mg/L, with a gentle character in both still and sparkling. The still runs from 330 ml up to a 1.5 L glass bottle.

Mountain Valley

Drawn from a spring in the Ouachita Mountains near Hot Springs, Arkansas, since 1871, and bottled at the source in glass. At 220 mg/L and pH 7.8, it has a smooth, balanced body without a heavy mineral taste. The still 1 L and sparkling 1 L make a matched pair from one American source.

Evian

From the French Alps above Évian-les-Bains, where rain and snowmelt filter through glacial sand and rock for around fifteen years. At 357 mg/L it has a little more body than the lighter waters here, smooth and even. We carry the still in glass from 330 ml to 1 L, and a sparkling 750 ml.

Topo Chico

A sparkling mineral water from Cerro del Topo Chico in Monterrey, northern Mexico, bottled since 1895. At 700 mg/L, with a brisk bubble and a savory edge from its sodium, it is a favorite for highballs and for drinking over ice. The 355 ml is the classic bottle; there is also a 6.5 oz and a 750 ml.

S.Pellegrino

From San Pellegrino Terme in the mountains of Lombardy, bottled at the source. At 970 mg/L, it is full and rounded with a medium bubble and a dry finish, the most mineral water on this list. The 750 ml is the restaurant table bottle; smaller glass sizes start at 8 oz.

Why choose water in glass bottles

Glass is inert and non-porous. It does not react with what it holds or pass on any taste of its own, so the water tastes the way it did when it was bottled. That neutrality matters most with light waters, where there is little mineral character to mask anything else.

Presentation is the other reason. A glass bottle sits naturally beside wine and stemware, can be poured at the table, and looks considered on a hotel nightstand or a boardroom table. It is also why glass is so common on restaurant tables.

There are trade-offs. Glass weighs more than plastic, cans or cartons, and since our shipping is calculated by weight, a case of glass costs more to ship. It can also break, and some outdoor venues and pool areas do not allow it. For those settings, our plastic and canned waters are the practical choice.

How to choose

For a light everyday still water, start with Saratoga, Acqua Panna or Voss. For a single American source in both styles, try Mountain Valley. For sparkling with real character, Topo Chico or S.Pellegrino. To compare the mineral numbers in more depth, see what TDS in water means, or browse our full glass bottled water collection. Hotels, restaurants and offices ordering regularly can request business pricing on our wholesale page.

Frequently asked questions

Does water taste different in glass?

Glass does not add any flavor of its own, so it keeps the water's original taste. Differences between glass-bottled waters come from their sources and mineral content.

Which glass bottled water is the lightest?

Of the eight here, Voss, at 22 mg/L of dissolved solids.

Is there an American water in glass bottles?

Yes. Mountain Valley from Arkansas and Saratoga from New York are both bottled in glass, in still and sparkling.

Can I order glass bottled water by the case?

Yes. Every water on this list is sold by the case and shipped across the US from Hicksville, New York.