9 of the Best Bartesian Pods for Summer, Ranked
We tested every pod...twice
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When it comes to cooking (and by extension, bartending), I’m about as lazy as they come. Sure, that layered drink may look delicious, but when I start to dig in and see 15 steps to get to the finished result or 700 ingredients that will cost me more than $100 on my next grocery run, it starts to look a whole lot less yummy. I want simple, I want fast and I want cost effective. Which led me to a the Bartesian ($330): the adult appliance wonder that churns out cocktails like my beloved Nespresso Vertuo ($147) churns out my morning cup of joe. But as I’ve discovered, just like K-Cups, not all Bartesian pods are created equal.
Considering that they’re not exactly cheap (a six-pack will run you about $15), you'll want to know which ones are actually worth the spend before adding them to your cart. Which is why I’ve done the hard, hard work of testing—or should I say, tasting—out nine boxes to determine which ones you’ll love the most this summer. Looking for a capsule that will cut right to the buzzy chase? The whiskey sour has you covered. Want something that tastes more like a cup of juice? Say hello to the rum breeze. Find out more about each type of pod, its merits and its shortcomings below.
The Best Bartesian Pods for Summer at a Glance
How We Tested the Best Bartesian Pods
For a quality mixed drink in the Bartesian, you've got to do more than pop the capsules into the machine and press mix.
- The machine features chambers for each type of liquor you'll be using. After getting it wrong the first time, I looked for the "duckbill" on the spirit bottle lid the second time around and made sure it was fully open to dispense the liquor, lest I wind up with a cup full of mixer (which is an option, by the by, if you’re a mocktail drinker, though given the high sugar content of many of the pods, I wouldn’t recommend it—they need the alcohol to balance out the taste).
- A pro tip? Choose your liquors wisely. With a spot for vodka, tequila, rum and whiskey (and an extra bottle for gin), I chose the spirits of my choice, though some were better suited for drink-making than others.
For instance, while my tests were done using Whistle Pig PiggyBack whiskey ($50), Corazon reposado tequila ($25), Malibu rum (from $7) and Ketel One vodka (from $12), I found myself wishing that I had used a darker rum, as the sweetness of the Malibu increased the sweetness of some of my beverages.
- I then placed the pods into the designated capsule area.
- Next, I selected whether I'd like the drinks to be made with a light, regular or strong amount of booze (I chose regular for all).
- Finally, I hit the "mix" button. Solely for research purposes, I then drank each cocktail in its entirety (and in some cases, I had another—just to make sure I had it right).
How We Chose the Best Bartesian Pods
In addition to taste, I also took into account how strong the drinks made with the pods were and looked at factors such as sugars and calories. (For reference, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans for 2020 to 2025 suggests consuming no more than 50 grams of sugar a day, and some of these pods equate to half of that quota.) I also factored in how summery each one was and how easy it was to throw back, ie, the drinkability (note that this is different than taste).
Below, nine of the best Bartesian pods for every cookout, party and cocktail-savoring moment of summer.
- Strength: 19
- Nutrition: 12
- Taste: 16
- Drinkability: 17
- Summer Factor: 18
Total: 82
- Liquor Pairing: Vodka
- Flavor Profile: Lemon
- Sugars: 16
- Calories: 70
Of all of the pods, this is the one that I thought tasted most true to the classic drink we all know and love: It’s sugary and lemony with a sharp (and I do mean sharp) hint of vodka. With less sugar than most of the pods, the tartness is allowed to shine through. Though I liked other flavors better (see: the Apple Pie below), this had the highest collective ranking across all categories, tying it with the Long Island below for the top spot. It falls in the middle of the pack as far as nutrition goes, would work well in a pitcher for a backyard BBQ, upping its summer-ready points (particularly with a sugar-rim garnish) and went down the hatch OK despite its high booze content.
- Strength: 19
- Nutrition: 13
- Taste: 17
- Drinkability: 18
- Summer-Ready: 16
Total: 82
- Liquor Pairing: Rum, tequila
- Flavor Profile: Citrus, coconut
- Sugars: 14
- Calories: 60
Long island iced teas aren’t called “[hangovers] in a glass” for nothing, and the Bartesian version lives up to the rep. This thing is sweet—14 grams of sugar sweet (even more if you’re using Malibu)—but between the tequila and the rum mix, it also gets you tipsy unexpectedly fast. While it doesn’t taste like you’re sipping juice, it goes down dangerously easily. It's got less sugar than the Rum Breeze and the Sex on the Beach, making it a slightly healthier way to satiate your sweet tooth in, but is slightly less summery, so pair it with Malibu if you’re looking for a more tropical taste.
- Strength: 17
- Nutrition: 11
- Taste: 18
- Drinkability: 18
- Summer-Ready: 17
Total: 81
- Liquor Pairing: Tequila
- Flavor Profile: Citrus, cinnamon
- Sugars: 18
- Calories: 80
I won’t lie—I had low expectations for the Bartesian Margarita. Since margs tend to be hit or miss when homemade, depending on the mix that's used to make them (some are sugary-sweet while others have far more of a citrusy kick), I fully expected this to lean heavily in one direction or another—and not in a good way. But not only did I find the pod’s mix of juice to be not too tart or too syrupy, it had an unexpected cinnamon flavor that took me by surprise in the best way possible. I liked it so much, I could see myself asking for a dash of the spice in a marg at the bar. It was fun, summery and tasted great too, earning it high overall marks.
- Strength: 18
- Nutrition: 11
- Taste: 19
- Drinkability: 18
- Summer-Ready: 14
Total: 88
- Liquor Pairing: Whiskey, vodka
- Flavor Profile: Apple
- Sugars: 19
- Calories: 80
This was by far my favorite cocktail of the bunch. Never mind the fact that I’m typically not a whiskey gal (sans for the occasional whiskey lemonade) or that it had a higher sugar content than most. The extra kick of whiskey served to balance this cocktail out perfectly, so I didn't feel overwhelmed by the sweetness, nor did I feel like my throat was on fire after taking a sip. It’s one of the only pod drinks that I felt like I might ask for a refill of rather than save for a special treat—though with the addition of a delicious cinnamon garnish (sold separately), it is a special treat. While it lost points for its less-than-summery vibes (in a list of the best drinks for summer, my favorite tastes like Christmas in a cup), this thing is delicious, plain and simple.
- Strength: 15
- Nutrition: 13
- Taste: 17
- Drinkability: 17
- Summer Factor: 17
Total: 79
- Liquor Pairing: Vodka
- Flavor Profile: Tart cherry
- Sugars: 13
- Calories: 60
It’s not hard to figure out why Carrie Bradshaw and the rest of the Sex and the City gang was so obsessed with the Cosmo (or why it’s making a serious comeback). It tastes good, if tart (this one had me puckering my lips without the addition of vodka before I fixed the duckbill situation), it’s decently strong and it’s one of the better cocktail options for you nutritionally at 13 grams of sugar and just 60 calories a pop. I would call this a solid middle-of-the-road pod, and one I plan on partaking in frequently (and without guilt).
- Strength: 20
- Nutrition: 10
- Taste: 17
- Drinkability: 15
- Summer-Ready: 14
Total: 76
- Liquor Pairing: Whiskey
- Flavor Profile: Bitter
- Sugars: 20
- Calories: 80
If you're the type who likes your drinks strong, the whiskey sour is sure to put some hair on your chest. Despite being loaded with 20 grams of sugar, the spirit comes through in a big way, making it nearly impossible to throw the beverage back quickly. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy it—the taste was definitely up there, and I could see myself sipping it on a hot summer’s evening, lack of fruitiness be damned…I just might have to cut myself off after one.
- Strength: 12
- Nutrition: 8
- Taste: 16
- Drinkability: 16
- Summer Factor: 20
Total: 72
- Liquor Pairing: Rum
- Flavor Profile: Peach
- Sugars: 25
- Calories: 110
One sip of this and you’ll be mentally drifting off to a deserted island where you can sway the day away in a breezy hammock with a good book in one hand and a strong painkiller in the other. This is the tropical respite you seek mid-summer, with flavors of peaches and coconuts that dance around on your tongue. And sure, it’s not exactly a health-conscious choice (it encompasses half your daily sugar intake in a pint-sized pod) but screw it—you’re on “vacation,” right?
- Strength: 12
- Nutrition: 9
- Taste: 15
- Drinkability: 19
- Summer-Ready: 17
Total: 72
- Liquor Pairing: Rum
- Flavor Profile: Coconut
- Sugars: 23
- Calories: 110
If you've tried coconut juice, you've tried the Bartesian Rum Breeze. Try as I might, I could not pick up on the liquor in this, which on the one hand, made it super easy to drink, but on the other hand, felt like I was just throwing back empty calories that weren’t necessarily worth it (and at 23 sugars and 110 calories, I was drinking empty calories). To be fair, I suspect that when paired with a darker rum, the flavor profile might change a bit, as I think the sweetness of the Malibu upped the drink’s overall sugary profile.
All in all, it was pleasant enough for the four minutes it was around and fit my summer vibes, but wasn’t something I’d necessarily seek out, particularly with such a low nutrition ranking.
- Strength: 12
- Nutrition: 8
- Taste: 15
- Drinkability: 15
- Summer Factor: 18
Total: 68
- Liquor Pairing: Vodka
- Flavor Profile: Fruit punch
- Sugars: 25
- Calories: 110
Of all of the Bartesian pod drinks, this was probably my least favorite. It was super fruity, making it the perfect companion for your next pool party, but so sugary, it was difficult for me to finish, exponentially lowering its drinkability. (My boyfriend, on the other hand, who loves sugary treats, cited this as his favorite.) I see myself pulling this pod out on holidays (I'm looking at you, Memorial Day) but will likely change the liquor-to-mix ratio setting on my machine to “strong” for this one to mask a little of that syrup.
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Nicole is PureWow's Commerce Director. With a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Michigan State University and more than 15 years of experience writing and editing shopping content, she has made a career for herself covering her favorite topics: fashion, lifestyle, travel and rock 'n' roll. She lives in Florida with her boyfriend and two cats, and she can usually be found stalking hairless animals on the internet. Check out her blog at nicolebjean.com. (You can also follow her on Twitter or Instagram.)
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Commerce Director
Nicole is the former commerce director at PureWow. With a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Michigan State University and more than 15 years of experience writing and editing shopping content, she has made a career for herself covering her favorite topics: fashion, lifestyle, travel and rock 'n' roll. She lives in Florida with her boyfriend and two cats, and she can usually be found stalking hairless animals on the internet. Check out her blog at nicolebjean.com. (You can also follow her on Twitter or Instagram.)
