Red Bull energy drink
Energy drink
People like its taste and marketing, and call it the least bad energy drink. Critics warn of sugar and caffeine effects, including poor sleep and diabetes risk.
People like its taste and marketing, and call it the least bad energy drink. Critics warn of sugar and caffeine effects, including poor sleep and diabetes risk.
26 people gave an opinion
- recommend it
- 13
- criticize it
- 13
- approval share
- 50%
Recommended in 4 of 13 months
- November 2025: recommended
- December 2025: not recommended
- January 2026: not recommended
- February 2026: not recommended
- March 2026: recommended
- April 2026: not recommended
- May 2026: not recommended
- June 2026: not recommended
- July 2026: recommended
- August 2026: not recommended
- September 2026: recommended
- October 2026: not recommended
- November 2026: not recommended (month in progress)
Why it doesn’t carry the badge
- 13 people recommend itNeeds 10 or more, met.
- 1 recommender for every criticNeeds 2 to 1 or better, not met.
- Recommended in 4 of 13 monthsNeeds 4 or more, met.
The same three rules apply to every product, and the badge can’t be bought. How the badge works
What people say about it
The reasons people give, with the number of comments that give each one. Open a reason to read what they said.
Why people recommend it
Each mark is one comment
Likeable taste, including peach flavor
“A peach red bull tastes just better in my opinion.”
Comment from 31 Jul 2026 in “Dubious research tied to Red Bull has shaped energy drink policy” “they taste better than bitter dirt water”
Comment from 31 Jul 2026 in “Dubious research tied to Red Bull has shaped energy drink policy” “I personally like the taste of redbull”
Comment from 23 Sep 2026 in “PDF Forgeries Are Surprisingly Rare (2022)” - Comment from 31 Jul 2026 in “Dubious research tied to Red Bull has shaped energy drink policy”
Strong marketing and sponsorship
“Their business is basically selling poison but creating such absurd quantities of great free entertainment”
Comment from 26 Nov 2025 in “Someone at YouTube Needs Glasses: The Prophecy Has Been Fulfilled” “Red Bull really ran the marketing playbook that GoPro should have done”
Comment from 18 Jul 2026 in “Is this the end of the once-mighty GoPro?” “Red Bull doesn’t just market, they bankroll and support.”
Comment from 18 Jul 2026 in “Is this the end of the once-mighty GoPro?”
What people warn about
Each mark is one comment
Sugar and caffeine health concerns
“its real energy come from the massive amount of sugar it contains”
Comment from 13 Jun 2026 in “US Government directive to suspend access to Fable 5 and Mythos 5” “Sugar and Caffeine. Diabetes and poor sleep, great stuff.”
Comment from 4 Jan 2026 in “UK company sends factory with 1,000C furnace into space” Taste not enjoyed by some
“I dont particularly enjoy red bulls drinks, but their ads are often cool enough to be considered content.”
Comment from 26 Nov 2025 in “Someone at YouTube Needs Glasses: The Prophecy Has Been Fulfilled” “no it don't. A strawberry or a cherry from the tree tastes good but not RB.”
Comment from 31 Jul 2026 in “Dubious research tied to Red Bull has shaped energy drink policy” “red bull doesn't taste great personally”
Comment from 31 Jul 2026 in “Dubious research tied to Red Bull has shaped energy drink policy” Stimulant side effects for some
“Stimulants set me off really badly.”
Comment from 8 Mar 2026 in “Tinnitus Is Connected to Sleep” “felt awful for days afterwards”
Comment from 1 Aug 2026 in “Dubious research tied to Red Bull has shaped energy drink policy”
What people recommend instead
The same counts for each, so you can compare like for like. The tick on each bar marks the 2 to 1 line the badge needs.
| Product | Recommend | Criticize | Approval | Months | Owned | Badge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Bull energy drinkThis page | 13 | 13 | 50% | 4 | — | — |
| Monster Energy drink | 10 | 9 | 53% | 8 | — | — |
What people said
23 of the 26 comments that mention it, newest first. Each links to the original comment.
“But it does give taurine, and for some people it is problematic.”
“I personally like the taste of redbull”
“felt awful for days afterwards”
“Red Bull is a triumph of marketing over... well, everything else.”
“as someone who is super sensitive to bitterness, coffee has never worked for me”
“red bull doesn't taste great personally”
“Energy drink company slyly changed energy drink policy!”
“They are consistent. They are cold. They are fast.”
“I love the taste of taurine.”
“the real problem with Red Bull is that it's caffeine-spiked Gatorade”
“they taste better than bitter dirt water”
“A peach red bull tastes just better in my opinion.”
“no it don't. A strawberry or a cherry from the tree tastes good but not RB.”
“Red Bull doesn’t just market, they bankroll and support.”
“Red Bull really ran the marketing playbook that GoPro should have done”
“its real energy come from the massive amount of sugar it contains”
“Red Bull also didn't give me actual angel wings”
“Stimulants set me off really badly.”
“The same thing happened to me right now with energy drink such as Redbull or Monster.”
“Sugar and Caffeine. Diabetes and poor sleep, great stuff.”
“Redbull is probably the least awful of the bunch”
“Their business is basically selling poison but creating such absurd quantities of great free entertainment”
“I dont particularly enjoy red bulls drinks, but their ads are often cool enough to be considered content.”
Counts come from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026. How we count. Report a mistake.