Every Starbucks Refresh, Ranked Worst to Best - Tasting Chart (2023)

Jenny Kellerhals / Smagebord

ByJenny Kellerhals/Updated: August 1, 2022, 3:07 PM EST

Given that Starbucks is primarily a coffee shop, you'd probably expect there to be plenty of thempopular drinkslike iced coffee, cold brew and the iconic Starbucks Frappuccino. You may have even enjoyed some of Starbucks' iced teas - but have you tried any of the Fresheners? In the sweltering heat, they can be just what you need to cool off with fruity refreshment.

If you haven't heard or experienced any of themStarbucks air fresheners, here's the rundown: Basically, these are fruit drinks that are a bit lighter and smoother than fruit juice. Howfresh waterbut fancy. Three flavors are currently available: Mango Dragonfruit, Strawberry Acai and Pineapple Passionfruit. Each of these flavors consists of a similar "base" of water, sugar, white grape juice concentrate, and natural flavors and colors. Although these drinks do not contain as strong a caffeine as nitro cold brew, they all contain green coffee extract, so some caffeine is present. From there, the chosen base flavor can be mixed with one of three different drinks: water, lemonade or coconut milk, for a total of nine flavor combinations. There are also many extra combos you can make, and even somesecret menu itemscreated by wise Starbucks connoisseurs. Of every freshener we tried, we really thought they were all tasty. But to give you an idea of ​​what to order, here are some current Starbucks refreshes, ranked from worst to best.

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If you no longer see Kiwi Starfruit on the menu at your local Starbucks, there's a good chance it's been replaced byRefreshing passion fruit pineapple, which was released in late June 2022, just as intense summer heat waves began in earnest across the country. While we think of all refreshers as warm-weather drinks, there's no doubt that this bright yellow drink is a summer highlight. It certainly looks like an ice-cold cup of sunshine, but we have to admit that it didn't quite live up to our expectations.

We had visions of freshly squeezed pineapple juice that is both intensely sweet and sour, and our tongues tingling with acids and enzymes. Then the passion fruit will give a sweet, citrusy and slightly musky punch for a rich tropical flavor burst. What we got was a more platonic impression of these flavors, watered down and watered down. This is not in itself a bad thing. Walking around drinking sharp pineapple juice filled with bitter passion fruit in large quantities would probably create chaos in the stomach anyway.

This particular freshener is not only more subtle than we expected, but it's also not very sweet. It's more like a slightly more complex lemonade with not enough sugar (yes, really - a Starbucks drink that isn't super sweet). We'd consider adding a few scoops of vanilla or brown sugar syrup to this drink to sweeten it up a bit and improve the overall taste.

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We tried Kiwi Starfruit air freshener andLemonade Starfruit Kiwiside by side as we weren't sure how much of a difference the lemonade would make to the drink as a whole. We'll get to the regular version in a moment, but our first sip of the Kiwi Starfruit Lemonade was intense. Not necessarily in a bad way, just in a strong citrus way. The taste of kiwi is both sweet and sour, but the whole sweet-sour experience is enhanced by the addition of lemonade. Star fruit is also naturally sour, but any taste of star fruit is drowned out by lemonade. The bit of kiwi floating in the drink was a fun touch, but it also added another burst of tartness when you bite into it. Given all this, we didn't like this version of the drink. Next time we order it, we'll probably ask the barista to cut the lemonade in half with water or half with green tea to water it down while still retaining the sweet and sour flavor.

We ordered the tall (12oz) version of this drink which cost us $4.95. Like most other refreshing drinks, the calorie count is relatively low, especially compared to some other drinks. The versions of these drinks that contain lemonade tend to have the most calories, but this one had 110 calories—which we thought was reasonable for a drink with that much going on.

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Coconut milk is one of the drink mix options for each of the three Freshener flavors, and each Coconut Milk Freshener has a special name that is slightly different from the other Fresheners. ThatDrage drinkis based on mango dragonfruit, Pink Drink is based on strawberry açaí, and Star Drink is based on kiwi starfruit. Can it be a bit confusing when ordering for the first time? Yes, especially since all current air fresheners are listed on the Starbucks website, but not necessarily on the beverage board at your particular coffee shop - it can seem like a lot of guesswork. But make sure you don't get a completely different drink.

It almost hurts us to have such a low rating for Dragon Drink because the taste of dragon fruit mango is a delight. But with a coconut milk base, we thought it was the most boring version of this particular flavor. And it was the most boring of coconut based air fresheners. We still drank it all and it was nice but not impressive. However, the vivid fuchsia color is eye-catching. Coconut milk does not overwhelm the tropical flavors and goes well with dragon fruit and mango. And honestly, if you try other flavors and they're way too much for you, you might want to go back to this one for a more subtle option.

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Kiwis have an enzyme called actinidin in them, he notesNational Library of Medicine, which is also found in pineapple and papaya. Some people may experience a tingling sensation in the mouth when they eat these fruits, which is partly due to this particular enzyme as well as the acid content. Given that kiwi and star fruit already lean a bit towards the sour end of the spectrum, we thought a mixed water drink for this flavor was a good choice. It almost tastes like kiwi green tea, even though we know there is no tea in it. It is slightly tropical and easy to drink. The freeze-dried kiwi pieces have a nice crunchy and pop flavor as soon as you manage to get hold of them.

The color of this particular drink is a fun light green on par with one of those lime flavored ice creams you had as a kid. Thatnutritional informationfor this particular air freshener, he lists watermelon and huito fruit juices for color along with turmeric. Huito fruit gives a blue tint, she saysADM, which was probably turned green by yellow turmeric. As the color is natural and playfully light, we could not help but feel that it contributed a little to the enjoyment of the drink. A 12-ounce Kiwi Starfruit air freshener had 70 calories, which is great for those who want a fun summer drink but are calorie conscious.

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As already mentioned, the so-calledStar drinkit's just a kiwi star fruit flavored base mixed with coconut milk. Interestingly, where we thought adding coconut milk to Dragon Drink would dilute the flavors (making it a bit boring), adding coconut milk to Star Drink seemed to provide a good balance of Kiwi Starfruit flavors, which we appreciated . There is still a lot of sweet and sour, but some of the greener botanical notes are toned down by the coconut, where the neon green becomes a nice pastel. It's also worth noting that the coconut milk it contains isn't heavy or particularly creamy like traditional dairy. This makes the whole drink light and easy to drink with a well-rounded finish. Out of all the star kiwi drinks, we think the mix with the coconut drink is the best.

The biggest problem with the Kiwi Starfruit Refresher is that it was often out of stock. After talking briefly with our barista, we found out that some places get a smaller amount of Kiwi Starfruit flavor than other flavors. Kiwi Starfruit Refreshers were not listed on any of the menu boards we reviewed, although they are listed online and in the app. But while the online menu may indicate that Kiwi Starfruit is out of stock, it wouldn't hurt to ask the barista in store. Sometimes, if stock is low, it is removed from the online ordering system to prevent it from being completely sold out.

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While the water-based Pineapple Refreshing Passion Fruit left us a bit underwhelmed in the sunshine, this version reignited our enthusiasm for the taste. You might not think that adding sour lemonade to an already sour drink would be a good idea, but it turns out that the lemonade base generously fills the gaps where the pineapple and passion fruit flavors have escaped. The sweetness of the lemonade instantly enhances the pineapple flavor, while the citrus notes elevate the passion fruit flavor to a pleasant level.

Now the drink still doesn't taste like it's made from fresh pineapple and passion fruit juice. And that's because it wasn't. ThatRefreshing pineapple and passion fruit lemonadeis made on the same basis as other refreshers, including sugar, white grape juice concentrate, natural flavors, citric acid and beta-carotene for coloring. None of these ingredients are unusual or unnatural, so don't let that put you off - just know before you order that this drink is passion fruit pineappleflavored.

Of course, this drink has already received a secret menu on TikTok. baristaTre Meullionesuggests mixing the Freshener with ice and pouring it over strawberry puree for "Derek's Pineapple Sunrise," a refreshing take on a tequila sunrise cocktail.

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So many strawberry drinks have a synthetic strawberry flavor that never tastes like the real thing. ThatRefreshing strawberry acai, on the other hand, tastes as close to fresh strawberries as possible without getting your own strawberries and making this drink yourself. Not only were we pleasantly surprised, but we immediately fell in love. Considering it's the lowest-ranked strawberry açaí drink on this list, that says a lot about the flavors yet to come.

When we think of the Mexican agua fresca essential, we think of Strawberry Açaí Refresher - a delicately sweet, ultra-hydrating and satisfyingly fruity drink. The strawberry isn't overly syrupy or thick like a drink made with strawberry puree can be, and the açaí isn't overdone. We were a little surprised at how mild the flavors are, based on the drink's vibrant color. Although not as intense as the color of Mango Dragonfruit, it is still a bold reddish pink. At this point, we realize that Starbucks knew exactly what they were doing, making refreshing drinks in fun summer colors, and we're here for it. The freeze-dried strawberry pieces floating in the drink rehydrate quickly and add nice little strawberry pieces to the experience. The 12-ounce version of this drink cost us $4.45 before tax, though we wish they sold it by the liter for particularly hot days.

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One sip was enough to convince us of the newsParadise drink, which is similar to Pineapple Passion Fruit Refresher, but contains a dairy-free coconut milk base instead of water or lemonade. After hearing "Oh, that's nice!" we immediately realized that the combination of pineapple and coconut was better than any piña colada mix we've ever had (no rum, of course). The coconut flavor wasn't as pronounced in the other drinks we tried, but along with the pineapple and passion fruit flavors, it was unmistakable.

Traditional blendpina colada recipecontains coconut cream, which is thicker and sweeter than coconut milk. A couple of them drinking a big enough rum in the hot summer sun will have you well on your way to a hangover. Paradise Drink, on the other hand, is light, smooth, predictably tropical and truly refreshing. After a few sips, the coconut flavor begins to fade, giving way to a lighter pineapple and subtle passion fruit flavor. We also noticed that the coconut milk itself looked a little broken in the cup, which may have been due to the acidic nature of the drink. But its taste was still smooth and slightly creamy. We also liked the addition of floating pineapple chunks, which really bring the whole relaxing vibe of the mixed drink together.

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It's easy to get excited just looking at itRefreshing mango fruit. It's a beautiful fuchsia color, with dragon fruit cubes floating in the air that look like little red-purple cubes. The taste of mango and dragon fruit combine perfectly, giving the drink a juicy and tropical taste. Freeze-dried dragon fruit pieces are slightly crunchy and sweet, and the seeds blend into the fruit pieces without being annoying. It might turn your tongue a little pink, but if you like it as much as we do, you probably won't mind.

We like the Mango Dragonfruit Air Freshener as it is, but we're also tempted to try it outsecret menu changecalled Rose Gold Refresher. The drink is made on the basis of mango-dragon fruit, but without inclusions of dried fruit. Instead of water, have them mix it with peach juice, then add a pump each of vanilla and raspberry syrup. It's hard not to love the resulting jewel-toned drink, and customizations are also super easy to make online or on the Starbucks app if you're worried you might forget part of the recipe when you get to checkout.

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It was hard to choose which of the other Strawberry Açaí Refreshers we liked the most. Bothpink drinkand the Strawberry Açaí Lemonade was excellent, but for completely different reasons. But for now, we'll start with the Pink Drink, although our opinions may fluctuate depending on the day.

Think back to your first bite of strawberry ice cream. Or rather, the first sip of a perfect strawberry milkshake. If that memory makes you happy, but the thought of drinking a rich, thick strawberry milkshake in 95 degree heat is unappealing, you'll definitely want to grab a pink drink instead. The fresh and sweet strawberry flavor from the strawberry açaí base blends beautifully with the delicate creamy texture of coconut milk. It's a lighter version of a great strawberry milkshake – and it's so satisfying that we were amazed at the speed at which we drank it. If you're looking for a smooth and light refresher that still tastes like a beloved summer treat, then this air freshener is for you. A 12-ounce pink drink also has 110 calories, which you likely won't find in any milkshake.

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Taste the regular Strawberry Açaí Refresher alongsideAcai strawberry lemonadeit's hardly fair. The regular version of the drink is perfect in its simplicity, while the lemonade version is perfect in its boldness. If you've ever had a strawberry or pink lemonade that you thought was amazing, wait until you try strawberry açaí lemonade. It's bright and bold, but not overly sweet or painfully lemony. The clumps of strawberries floating in the drink really give it a truly homely summer vibe, provided the homemade lemonade is freshly squeezed and flowing with ripe strawberries. No matter what age you are, a cup of this is easy to drink when you think about inviting your friends over for an impromptu game of soccer in the backyard.

Now, depending on how much you like lemonade, it might actually be too much. We think this drink also tastes great after slicing lemonade with water or even tea (Arnold Palmer strawberry sounds delicious to us). Considering how popular these drinks are, it's no surprise that the Strawberry Açaí flavor is also on the secret menu. The rule that caught our eye is the so-calledGummy Bear air freshener. It's made with peach juice instead of lemonade and comes with two pumps of raspberry syrup. We ordered the tall one, but trust us when we tell you to order the venti.

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At this point, you might be wondering how each drink gets better, but we think once you try them, you'll understand. Although you should know once you haveLemoniada Mango Dragonfruit, you may never drink another fresher flavor combination again. There is no other way to say it than simplyso tropical. The mango and dragon fruit flavors are already such a winning combination, but the addition of lemonade brightens the combination to a whole new level of juiciness and refreshment. While each of the flavors are great on their own, together they are more than the sum of their parts.

A 12-ounce size of Mango Dragonfruit Lemonade is 110 calories, and a 30-ounce size is 280 calories. Of course, there are a few secret menu variations of this Freshener, but one of the most popular versions circulating on TikTok seems to be the Sunset Drink. According toCoffee at threeThe sunset drink consists of Mango Dragonfruit Lemonade (excluding fruit) and peach juice, which goes into the cup first. After peach juice and Starbucks flavored lemonadePassion Tango Iced Teait pours over the top and creates a wonderful sunset effect.