Short answer: there’s no single “best” bottled water — the right one depends on what you care about (taste/minerality, purity/safety, carbonation, price, or environmental impact). Below are clear recommendations by priority plus important safety and sustainability notes.

If your priority is flavor/mineral character (restaurant / tasting water)

• Still mineral/spring waters: Evian, FIJI, Acqua Panna, Antipodes (premium picks frequently recommended by water sommeliers and tasting awards). (foodandwine.com)

If your priority is very low-contaminant purity (least added minerals / treated water)

• Purified or distilled: Smartwater, LIFEWTR, and generic/distilled labeled waters. These use distillation or reverse-osmosis and have low TDS. Purified/distilled bottles are the safest choice if you want few dissolved minerals. (nsf.org)

If your priority is sparkling (bite and effervescence)

• Top picks: Topo Chico, Perrier, San Pellegrino — Topo Chico is a cult favorite for sparkling mineral bite. (Note: some carbonated brands have shown detectable PFAS in recent tests—see “Safety” below). (en.wikipedia.org)

If your priority is cost / convenience

• Large-volume purified or store-brand spring water (e.g., Aquafina, Dasani, Costco/Kirkland, store-label spring waters) give the best value-per-ounce. Aquafina and some Coca‑Cola/PepsiCo brands are among the most widely purchased. (foodandwine.com)

Safety notes you should know

• Bottled-water types and labeling (mineral, spring, purified, artesian) are defined by FDA/NSF rules — “mineral” must meet a TDS threshold and come from a protected underground source; “purified” indicates treatment like distillation or reverse osmosis. Those definitions matter when you pick for safety or taste. (fda.gov)
• Testing by Consumer Reports found detectable PFAS (“forever chemicals”) in many bottled waters and flagged several brands (including some sparkling waters) for higher PFAS levels; heavy-metal findings were rare but not impossible. If PFAS exposure is a major concern, choose purified/distilled waters or check the latest lab results from reliable testers before buying. (consumerreports.org)
• The EPA has moved to set enforceable drinking-water limits for some PFAS; keep that in mind because regulatory limits and brand testing are changing. (theguardian.com)

Environmental / sustainability considerations

• Single‑use plastic bottled water has significant environmental impact. Better options: large refillable jugs, glass-bottled water, or filtered tap water (with a good home filter) and a reusable bottle. Many brands also publish recycling info and plastic-reduction initiatives. (fda.gov)

How to choose in practice (quick checklist)

• Decide priority: taste, purity, carbonation, price, or environment.
• For purity: choose “purified” or “distilled” labels and look for third‑party certifications (NSF/ANSI testing).
• For taste/minerality: try small bottles of a few mineral/spring waters (Evian, FIJI, Acqua Panna).
• For sparkling: try Topo Chico (sparkling mineral) or Perrier/San Pellegrino.
• If you care about contaminants (PFAS): consult recent Consumer Reports or lab-test results before buying the brand regularly. (nsf.org)

If you want, I can:

• Recommend 3–5 specific bottles to try based on your budget and whether you want still or sparkling, or
• Look up the latest lab tests (Consumer Reports / state advisories) for any specific brands you’re considering.