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Water Yacht Solutions is an established company in south Florida since 2009 that offers sales and services in the marine industry. Our company provides Marine Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Sales, Services, and Installation. For years we have developed a close relationship with manufactures, and distributors that allow us to have competitive prices in all our marines products. Our EPA certified technicians are capable to access boat situations and provide solutions for you. For your convenience, our mobile technicians will complete any installation or service at dockside. Our main goal is exceed your expectations while providing a professional, satisfying, and reliable experience. Installation and Repair Air Conditioning: Water Yacht Solutions has been in the market for over 10 years serving both South Florida and Broward communities. We offer a wide variety of services such as marine air conditioning being one of our most coveted services. We can help you with new installations from the start as well as servicing equipment already installed. All air conditioners perform with water cooling systems, as a result sea corrosion is inevitable. A regular maintenance of these equipment is crucial for perfect operation. It is extremely important to be vigilant during summer months when marine growth is most active. Strainers should be checked every few weeks and return air filters should be inspected monthly. You're just one call away from us. …

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8060 W 23rd Ave

Hialeah, FL 33016

Serving Hialeah Area

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This place is a scam folks. Took three agencies to fight for us to get our money back. Send you used AC systems and you returned back they pull a 25 percent restocking fee out blue. Look at pictures we installed AC system that failed on start up. These scammers would repackage equipment and resell. If fittings are new unit and freezers over, equipment can leak and fail and never get life.. beware buying from this scammer

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5 Best Watermakers for Sailboats

With the right Watermaker, the ocean becomes an almost immeasurable supply of fresh and clean drinking water to keep you hydrated during your offshore sailing adventures.

Many sailors do spend a lot of their time and money on various parts of the sailboat including the sails, engine, electronics, and generators especially when preparing for long-distance voyages.

While there's absolutely nothing wrong with this, they often overlook one crucial part of general human survival: having an ample supply of fresh drinking water.

Whether you have freshwater drinking tanks on your sailboat or planning to cruise in areas where you can easily access clean drinking water, the hassle involved in having to come to the dock to fill the water tanks can be quite overwhelming.

This is exactly why you need to find the best watermakers for sailboats.

Like many other nautical technologies, watermakers have significantly advanced in the last few decades to become very efficient and more reliable. They're no longer a luxury on your sailboat but a necessity. Better still, watermakers have become relatively affordable and are meant to keep you hydrated as you explore areas that do not have clean and fresh drinking water.

In this article, we'll take a look at how watermaker systems work, highlight its benefits, and highlight the best sailboat watermakers on the market right now. At the end of this read, you should be able to choose the best watermaker for your sailboat.

Table of contents

Benefits of Having a Watermaker on Your Sailboat

The freedom and security that come with having full water tanks on your sailboat are of immense importance, especially if you're cruising in an area where fresh drinking water is hard to come by and quite expensive when you do. As such, having a watermaker aboard your sailboat is no longer a luxury like it used to be in the past. With a steady supply of fresh and clean water, your life on the sailboat will be a lot better. This is because you'll have enough clean water to drink, cook, wash, and shower, which is beneficial if you want to enjoy your sailing adventures.

Honestly speaking, many sailors do not actually need a watermaker. Well, if you're planning to sail just near the shores, then there's a chance that you can easily access fresh and clean water by the dock. But this can be limiting if you've been dreaming of going off the grid and sailing to some exotic and unknown places in the world.

With that in mind, a watermaker makes a lot of sense to most sailors. You won't have to worry about having to carry aboard gallons of fresh water for cooking and drinking during your voyage. You won't have to treat freshwater as a precious commodity that must last until you can refill at the next port. With a watermaker, you can simply go ocean crossing without worrying about running out of water.

A watermaker allows you to have a steady supply of fresh and clean water to keep everybody well-hydrated and healthy. You can clean the water anytime you feel like and all you have to do is replace the filter once in a while and you'll be good to go. In essence, a watermaker is probably one of the most important equipment to have aboard your sailboat, so installing it is of great importance if you're a serious sailor.

The Basics of Modern Marine Watermakers

Modern marine watermakers essentially follow the principle of reverse-osmosis to produce pure, drinking water from seawater. During this process and through very high pressure, seawater is forced through a semipermeable membrane that only allows freshwater molecules to pass through it but not salt, bacteria, or any other organic material. The newly made pure, drinking water is then piped to the sailboat's water tanks while the leftover (brine) is discharged overboard.

Even though marine watermakers may differ in the type of pump that's employed and how it is driven, this is one of the most important features in every watermaker. In most cases, water can be electrically pumped or powered directly off the boat's engine. If you have an AC generator or alternator on your boat, it would make much sense to use the AC output to drive the watermaker directly. You can also choose the DC-powered models if you rely on renewable energy from solar or wind. Alternatively, you can still go for AC-powered watermakers but you'll have to buy an inverter.

All in all, DC-powered watermakers are more efficient since they integrate a power-saving energy recovery system (ERS). You must, however, keep in mind that your energy consumption levels might be quite high if you're sailing in colder and saltier areas. This is because the water purification process might be a bit slower in such areas. As such, you should consider investing in a more high-powered watermaker system if you will be sailing in colder and saltier areas than if you're planning to sail more in warm and less salty areas.

As far as an engine-driven watermaker is concerned, you should mount the high-pressure pump on the engine so that it can be belt-driven using an automatic clutch. An engine-driven watermaker should be your first option if you want large quantities of fresh drinking water. This is more productive than AC or DC-powered watermakers. Even with a relatively small engine, this setup has an automatic regulator that constantly pumps the water. With that in mind, engine-driven watermakers are ideal if you want to reduce your energy consumption. To put it into perspective, an engine-driven watermaker can lower energy consumption by an enormous 80%, especially when compared with conventional AC or DC-powered watermaker systems.

How to Choose the Best Watermaker for Your Sailboat

There are many factors to consider when looking for the best watermakers for your sailboat. Here are the most important things to consider.

Your Freshwater Needs

One of the most important things to consider before spending your money on a watermaker is your freshwater needs. What quantity would be enough to keep you going on your sailing adventure? While the quantity might differ from one sailor to the other or from one boat to the other, you should consider the number of gallons that a particular watermaker can produce per day. This will help you in choosing the ideal watermaker; a model that will ensure that you never run out of water. Do not underestimate your water needs, especially if you're planning to sail with your children or if you're planning to stay on the boat for an extended period of time.

Do you have enough space on your vessel to accommodate the type of watermaker you're looking to buy? While most watermakers are designed to fit in the smallest of space, you should consider the actual size of the watermaker and find out whether you have enough space on your vessel to fix it.

Watermakers can run on electricity, renewable energy such as wind and solar (if you have them on your vessel), or both. When looking for the perfect watermaker, you should consider how to power it and whether or not the watermaker has low-energy consumption, which is definitely a great feature. Again, there are also engine-driven watermakers, so it's important to know exactly what you're going for.

Maintenance

Watermakers have a reputation for being difficult to maintain. Fortunately, the equipment and components have improved in the last few years so you should go for a model that's easy to maintain. You should use the watermaker in water bodies that look good, You should avoid using the watermaker in dirty harbors as you may have to change the filters every so often or even damage your watermaker altogether.

Best Watermakers for Sailboats

Let's take a look at the best watermakers available on the market right now.

The Ultra Whisper

Engineered by limited electrical options that can run on either DC or AC, THE Ultra Whisper by Sea Recovery is one of the best watermakers currently available on the market. In addition to being very quiet, this watermaker features an automatic operation that requires very minimal operator adjustment.

This watermaker is ideal for small powerboats and sailboats since it can serve as an efficient water supply. This model boasts about a 75% reduction in power consumption, especially when compared to other models.

• ‍ Smooth and quiet water production
• Can produce up to 2,280 liters per day
• Ideal for small boats
• It is energy efficient
• ‍ It might not be perfect for large boats

Echotec Watermaker

If you want a watermaker model that can produce 60 liters per hour flawlessly and with no maintenance apart from changing the filters, look no further than the Echotec Watermaker. This model is designed for ultra-reliable performance and easy customer installation.

This watermaker is made from high-quality components that can withstand the continuous harsh marine environment, making it one of the most durable watermakers on the market. This is essentially a series of modular watermakers ranging from 12-volt to 24-volt DC-powered models. They bring forth energy efficiency, a computerized energy recovery system, and ultimate reliability to ensure that you never run out of fresh drinking water while out there on the sea.

• ‍ Energy efficient
• Cost-effective
• ‍ Comes with a very low speed
• Not ideal for large boats

Spectra Katadyn PowerSurvivor

As a compact and energy-efficient watermaker, the Spectra Katadyn PowerSurvivor is arguably the most affordable watermaker currently available on the market. We are talking about a model that only requires 4 amps to desalinate water for your sailboat. It can produce 1.5 gallons of fresh drinking water per hour, which is an excellent return for a watermaker of its size.

It is also one of the most portable watermakers around. You can choose to either install it permanently or temporarily in case you want to take it somewhere else. This portability is also essential if you're looking for a space-saving model that can fit in the smallest of compartments. Its simple but rugged design is essential in ensuring that it can perform at its best even in harsh marine conditions. In terms of its power capabilities, this is the only model on the market that will convert to a hand-operated system or manual power if there's a power shortage.

• ‍ Portable and lightweight
• Rugged design to withstand harsh marine environments
• Efficient and reliable
• Can revert to manual power if there's a power shortage
• Perfect for off-grid sailing
• ‍ Gasoline or diesel can easily damage the semi-permeable membrane

Village Marine - Little Wonder Series

Whether you're looking for a watermaker for your small sailboat or looking for a watermaker that can efficiently serve those huge yachts, the Village Marine Little Wonder Series provides everything. This model is meant for experienced sailors who are looking for various capacity options. This watermaker weighs just about 69 pounds but can produce nearly 180 gallons of fresh drinking water each day.

Designed with a low RPM high-pressure pump, this model remains one of the most efficient and economical watermakers on the market. That's not all; this watermaker is designed with corrosion-resistant features and is one of the most serviceable watermakers in the game. It is reliable, quiet, and portable; all factors that make a watermaker great.

• ‍ Easy to operate
• Corrosion-resistant
• Easy to maintain
• Quiet and versatile
• ‍ It doesn't have automatic adjustment controls

Ventura 150 Watermaker

This is one of the most versatile watermakers on the market. It can use both electricity and renewable energy. This model is engineered to be lightweight and energy-efficient and its compact and modular design makes it a great option if you're looking for a watermaker that's easy to use and install in confined spaces.

The Ventura 150 watermaker is highly efficient as it can produce over 6 gallons of water an hour, which makes it quite perfect for small vessels. This sailboat watermaker features a controller that allows you to operate and monitor the device remotely. It also has the auto store button that will automatically flash the system after every five days.

This watermaker is quiet and surprisingly compact despite its ability to produce about 150 gallons of water per day. It also gives you the option of going for the automated manual or manual model.

• ‍ Very versatile
• Can use both electricity and renewable energy power
• It is smooth and quiet
• It is compact and lightweight
• ‍ The manual model has analog controls

To this end, it's easy to see that having an ideal watermaker aboard your vessel is one of the first crucial steps towards being self-sufficient and sustainable. With a watermaker, you'll be able to access fresh drinking water at all times when sailing even in far-flung places. Most of these models are well-constructed and incorporate some of the best technologies that make them efficient, reliable, and easy to install, use, and maintain.

So when it comes to choosing the best watermaker for your sailboat, it may all come down to what is ideal for you in terms of energy consumption, efficiency, the quantity of water produced, among many other things. With an ideal watermaker, you can remain off the grid for as long as you want without ever worrying about running out of water and this is of great importance in enjoying your sailing adventures.

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Daniel Wade

I've personally had thousands of questions about sailing and sailboats over the years. As I learn and experience sailing, and the community, I share the answers that work and make sense to me, here on Life of Sailing.

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Yachting Monthly

• Digital edition

Everything you need to know about watermakers

• February 24, 2023

An onboard watermaker will free you from ever worrying again about where your next freshwater stop will be. Andy Pag looks at the latest models available for your yacht

The feeling of autonomy that a watermaker gives a yacht is unique. It transforms that weekend-only cruiser into a go-anywhere, life-on-the-hook, adventure craft, breaking the tether to marinas.

Filling your water tanks at the fuel jetty will always be a cheaper alternative to the eye-watering cost of buying and installing a watermaker, but there will be times when your plans are limited by having no access to a tap or if the only source available doesn’t look particularly appetising. And in the event of a burst pipe or accidentally draining your tank mid-passage, it means you’ll be able to keep sailing at the flick of a switch, rather than having to reroute to refill.

Watermaker desalination process

Watermakers – technically known as desalination units – use a process called reverse osmosis (RO) to make drinking water. By forcing salty water at a high pressure against one side of an RO membrane, fresh water will slowly seep through, leaving the salt and bacteria behind. The output is notably devoid of minerals, but the taste can be a little strange at first. Think of the membrane as a filter so fine that even bacteria and salt molecules can’t get through it.

But as well as the pressure, a membrane also needs to have the water flowing over it to flush away all the stuff that didn’t pass through as it would otherwise block the membrane’s pores. In this way it’s different to a filter because a membrane has a salty inlet, a freshwater output, and a saltier discharge outlet.

Much of the cooking done onboard needs fresh water. Photo: Tor Johnson

High pressure pumps

Creating high-pressure water, which is also flowing at speed, takes a lot of energy, and there are two methods watermakers use to achieve this. One is simple: a high-pressure pump. This can draw a lot of current but it creates the speed of flow needed, and the forceful pressure too. The saltwater is directed to the membranes and the pressure is created by closing down a tap, called a needle valve, at the discharge to build up pressure on the membrane while still allowing water to flow out through the needle valve at the required speed.

High-pressure pump watermakers are fast, but they aren’t the most energy- efficient way of creating clean water. They are usually tuned to produce 60 litres per hour or more but can draw upwards of 500W and while there are 12V versions, they typically use mains voltage pumps and are better suited to being run from a generator than a battery bank.

They’re designed to fill your tanks quickly so you don’t have to run the generator for long. Mechanically, they’re simple, and apart from the high-pressure pump there are no moving parts to go wrong.

A watermaker and its many parts.

Energy recovery

The alternative method is a Clark pump watermaker, also known as an energy recovery device (ERD). This uses a fast-running but much lower-pressure pump which needs less power. To obtain the high pressure required, the pressure in the discharge water is harnessed by a couple of reciprocating pistons and used to boost the inlet pressure. It takes a few minutes to build up pressure and during that time the output is slow and not very clean.

Watermaker running costs

An ERD unit will typically produce 20-60 litres per hour. The lower demand on the pump means it can be reasonably powered by 12V with as little as 9A, and can produce a litre of water with just 4-5Wh of energy. High-pressure units need between two and three times that energy per litre. If you run your boat from solar panels or don’t have a generator, this is the type of watermaker to go for.

Devoid of minerals, the taste can be a little strange at first

In fact, your boat’s power source is the first thing to look at when considering which type of watermaker to get. But it’s also worth remembering that the extra complexity of ERD units make them expensive to buy and more prone to breakdowns.

When choosing an ERD watermaker it’s therefore really important to consider the availability and costs of spare parts because sooner or later they will need servicing.

Most manufacturers have a dealer network that can provide advice, but don’t count on them stocking parts or offering servicing. These machines are notoriously fiddly to repair, and one dealer told me discreetly it’s not financially viable for him to offer a repair service as the time it takes can spiral into hours. That leaves you with the option to send the machine back to the manufacturer at great expense, or do it yourself.

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After-sales service

Spectra has one of the best reputations for after-sales service. In most places you’re more likely to find Spectra and Schenker dealers, but that doesn’t guarantee they’ll have parts in stock, and all manufacturers will ship parts to you. Spectra also offers rebuild kits which come with step-by-step instructions and special tools to get to those hard-to-reach O-rings. They feel like a lot of money for a bag of O-rings, but are a cheaper option than sending the unit back to the factory.

If you’re buying new, a warranty is highly valuable but once it runs out you’ll find out how pricey the parts really are. Some manufacturers give longer warranties if a certified technician installs the system.

Most ERD units are made out of engineering plastics such as Delrin which can split around fittings if over-tightened or if warm water is used during cleaning.

One leading UK dealer who sells all brands told me that since Spectra changed the type of plastic used a few years ago he’s had no returns, unlike rival brands. Spectra were tight-lipped on the material they use when Yachting Monthly asked them for details.

An average-sized watermaker will easily squeeze into the space under a bunk

Watermaker instillation tips

A bad installation can render a good machine useless, so there are a few key points to know. Use dedicated through-hulls for the saltwater intake and brine discharge. Make sure the intake is low enough that it won’t be exposed when heeling or in big waves to prevent air bubbles entering the system. Don’t install the intake where there will be turbulent flow, behind the keel, for example, or near the props and rudders. The discharge should be above the waterline.

To give the pump the best chance of producing the pressure needed, install it as low as possible in the boat. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations on hose diameters and avoid long hose runs and tight turns that restrict flow.

Finally, use correctly sized wiring as the 12V pumps will underperform if there are voltage losses in the wiring.

Monitoring quality

A Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) meter measuring impurities in the output water coupled to a diverter valve can automatically protect the purity of your tank. Anything under 500ppm is fine to drink but a well-installed system should deliver 200-300ppm.

You can buy inline TDS meters, or stick meters that you dunk into a sample cup to monitor it manually. You’ll see it slipping over time if there’s a problem developing with the pump or membrane.

It’s important to flush or ‘pickle’ your watermaker if you decide to not use it for any period of time

Membrane care

The membranes will produce more output and cleaner output in warmer and less salty seas. For the best lifespan, use them every few days. Drying them out, or running chlorinated water through them will do irreparable damage.

According to Dupont, which makes the widely used Filmtec membranes, they should not be left unused for more than 24 hours, but in practice they can be left for around five days before organic growth risks building up on the membrane, which blocks it and reduces performance. This can sometimes be remedied with an alkaline flush if caught early.

The other thing that can block them is carbonate deposits. In this case, an acid flush will restore some of the membrane’s performance.

If idle for a few days, it’s worth flushing the membrane with fresh water. Some manufacturers recommend doing this after every use, but that’s to protect other components in their systems.

If the machine is going to go unused during the off-season, the membrane can be pickled in propylene glycol. Most manufacturers offer branded pickling solutions and restorative solutions which conform to their warranty and don’t react with other materials in the system.

Avoid using the watermaker in anchorages where other boats aren’t using holding tanks. Although the membrane will sift out e.coli, the pre-filters will become a nasty Petri dish of bacteria.

Pickling tablets will be less aggressive on internal metal components

Don’t leave me this way

Different manufacturers have different recommendations, but, as a general guide, here’s what to do if leaving your watermaker unused for any period of time.

1-5 days: In practice, leaving the membrane sitting in saltwater won’t do too much harm, even though the membrane manufacturer warns against more than 24 hours. Check your watermaker manufacturer’s recommendation though. For instance, Spectras suffer from dramatic internal electrolysis if left soaking in sea water.

1-2 weeks: Definitely flush it through with fresh unchlorinated water. Use a carbon filter to remove chlorine if you are flushing with tap water.

More than a month: Pickle it.

They used to recommend using acid (hence the term pickling) but now manufacturers recommend propylene glycol, which is less aggressive on O-rings and other metal components. Buying the branded solution for your machine will give you peace of mind.

If your boat lives in relatively clean water, think about setting a timer so the machine runs automatically every few days for 10-15 minutes. That’s long enough to flush the membrane and prevent organic build-up.

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8 Popular Cutwater Canned Cocktails, Ranked Worst To Best

Although I love making cocktails as an experience at home, there's something extra special about having someone make a drink for you. Easy access to a canned version of your favorite cocktail is a pretty close second to some professional mixes. This is why I was so eager to taste and rank Cutwater's canned cocktails.

Cutwater is one of many canned cocktail brands that offer an impressive array of canned cocktails in many different varieties from margaritas to martinis. There are even a couple of unexpected ones, like a Long Island iced tea and Cutwater's Tiki Room Mai Tai. I tested some of the brand's popular drinks, so to rank these drinks firsthand. When sampling, I looked for cocktails that were enjoyable to sip and tasted like something I might purchase at a lounge during a night on the town. The ones that scored highest ended up with a nice balance of flavors that had some strength to them without tasting overpowering. 

Recommendations are based on first-hand impressions of promotional products provided by Cutwater.

8. Tequila Paloma

When it comes to a paloma cocktail , the mixture of tequila, grapefruit juice, lime, and soda water leads the way. However, Cutwater does it a little differently with its canned Tequila Paloma, choosing grapefruit soda instead of juice and soda water. This combination of tequila and grapefruit soda is very mild. The primary reason this one ranks at the bottom of my list is that I found the grapefruit soda to be far too subtle. I would have loved to have seen more grapefruit flavor come through and mix with the tequila.

When it comes to serving, the instructions on the can recommend rimming a glass with salt to enjoy this one. I opted to try something a bit different: I put salt on just a small section so the whole rim wasn't impacted. To make this one a little more flavorful, I highly recommend adding in some grapefruit juice and even a squeeze of lime to make this one much more enjoyable.

7. Vodka Mule

You just can't enjoy a Moscow mule without a copper mug. Okay, of course you can, but especially when sipping a cocktail from a can, I love jazzing it up whenever possible. So, for this one, I got some of my crunchy ice into a cooper mug.

Cutwater calls it a vodka mule, but this one is essentially a Moscow mule because it's made with ginger beer, vodka, and lime. The mix is quite light and made for very easy sipping. Where vodka can be very strong, the main flavors happening here are lime and, most notably, ginger beer. While I enjoy the mix as it stands for drinking causally, it feels far too easy going to be a cocktail. This can was one of my lesser favorites because I felt it should be stiffer, even if the flavor was a bit more enjoyable than the grapefruit. If you leave your expectations for a cocktail aside, it is well balanced to enjoy like a seltzer or wine cooler.

6. Long Island Iced Tea

When I cracked open the can of Cutwater Long Island Iced Tea, immediate visions of a crowded college bar came washing over my memory. This Long Island iced tea is identical to the ones bars in my college town would make in huge batches. As Andy Bernard from "The Office" calls them, they're sometimes known as a "bad decision in a glass." Even still, they make for a refreshing beverage on a warm summer day, and living in Florida, we get plenty of those.

Although I'm not a fan of Coca-Cola or Pepsi, I like it when it accompanies other things, and in a Long Island Iced Tea, it acts as both a nice coloring and just a little bit of extra sweetness and flavor. Unfortunately, I did find that the cola flavoring feels a little flat, even though it does seem to play its role overall. The rest of the flavors are certainly present as well with the tequila, gin, rum, and vodka meshing together to create that combination of brightness and bite. Although a Long Island Iced Tea isn't something I've ordered at a bar in a very long time, sipping one from Cutwater is definitely an enjoyable experience. The cola aspect did impact my overall preference, leading to a lower ranking on this drink versus some of the other citrus or coffee-forward drinks on this list.

5. Lemon Drop Martini

Though I enjoy martinis, they always verge a little on the too strong side for me, so I poured this one by Cutwater with a bit of trepidation. The first sip, however, proved that this was wholly unnecessary.

The lemon drop martini has a balance of sweetness, tart, and strength to create a drink that is sippable while also being widely enjoyable — just not for those who like a strong martini. I poured my chilled martini into a coup glass and found it tasty and easy drinking. It does feel a little like a lemonade as you continue drinking, so stanch martini fans may not enjoy this one. The casual drinker, however, will likely enjoy this one quite a lot. If you're concerned about whether the drink may be strong enough, consider having some vodka on hand to strengthen it and bring it to a level you're happy with — one of the major reasons this is a middling option. 

Though this one wasn't my favorite, I rank it in the middle of the pack because I can imagine many could find this enjoyable. Cutwater's Lemon Drop Martini probably wouldn't be the first can I'd pull from the fridge, however, especially if I wanted something with more substance, like the brand's take on classic cocktails. 

4. Lime Margarita

The drinks I tried from Cutwater explain there are either one or two shots of liquor in mix, according to symbols on the cans, but many of them still tasted too light even with "two shots." However, the lime margarita, which has two shots of liquor, went an impressively long way to making it taste much stronger than the other canned cocktails from the brand. The Cutwater margarita actually tastes much closer to a drink that you might enjoy at a bar or lounge. At 12.5% alcohol, compared to the 7% of the paloma, it certainly should be.

To serve this one, I rimmed my glass with salt to try to  make the perfect margarita . The Cutwater canned margarita with a salt rim definitely has the feel of a the classic recipe. I would recommend pouring this one out of the can and into a more appropriate glass to give him a full effect. While certainly enjoyable, this is still a middle flavor for me when compared to Cutwater's coffee-infused options. I found that a greater lime flavor might have made the lime margarita more of a standout. That said, because the tequila was more pronounced, this drink is a solid option.

3. White Russian

This Cutwater canned cocktail is much more milky than I was expecting. In a word: yum. The flavor of the brand's  white Russian recipe really comes from the coffee liqueur. While the coffee flavor is certainly present here, the main piece you're going to notice is just how smooth it is, especially pouring from a can. This drink could easily go down too quickly, so do proceed with some level of caution! 

I enjoyed mine poured over ice, but it could certainly be drunk right from the chilled can. If you like your white Russians a little more on the strong side, have some Kailua ready to amp up the drink. I could easily forget this version of a white Russian is from a can, however, and if it were served to me at a lounge, I'd have no idea the bartender just poured it right into my glass. Although I enjoyed this one, I still wish it were a bit stronger with the liqueur, even if that flavor was quite tasty. Due to its overall nod to the original and the feeling that it came from somewhere fancier than a can, I found Cutwater's White Russian to be one of my favorites on the list.

2. Espresso Martini

With as much as I enjoy coffee drinks every day, it was only a matter of time before I fell in love with the most delicious espresso martini . Thankfully, there are canned cocktail brands that are coming out with versions that you can drink right from the comfort of your own home. Cutwater's Espresso Martini can says it has two shots of vodka, coffee cream liqueur, and some kind of cold brew coffee flavoring. 

The mix amounts to a very smooth flavor that tastes closer to chocolate milk at first sip than anything else. Subsequent drinks allow the flavors to come through, and this is where you'll get your coffee taste. While the espresso element is definitely on the more mild side, but the notes of the coffee liquor do a lovely job of building over time. As one of my favorite in Cutwater's canned cocktail lineup, I appreciated the balance and subtle strength of the blend. I also appreciated that shaking the can before pouring also added a nice foam to the top as you get when enjoying an espresso martini in a lounge. Sure I'm currently loving espresso martinis, but this drink was certainly one of the most delicious and smoothest drinks in the bunch and why it earned one of the top spots. 

1. Tiki Rum Mai Tai

Mai tais are one of those drinks that are easy to fall in love with. Cutwaters' Tiki Rum Mai Tai is a blend of rum, coconut, pineapple, and some other unnamed citrus. Even though the can said it has two shots of rum in this martini, the drink tastes something closer to juice than an alcoholic drink.

To enjoy mine, I opted to pour it into crushed ice in my Star Wars tiki mug to really gather the full effect of a tiki style drink. Although this one certainly did not have a strong alcohol taste, the flavor of the drink itself was sippable and definitely reminded me of other mai tais I've had in restaurants and bars. The overall balance made this my favorite flavor among the bunch. If you're used to a more citrusy mai tai recipe , you'll find this one to be a little sweeter with a strong pineapple taste — but that's what made this canned cocktail quite enjoyable. Of all the drinks I tried, this was the one that earned itself a finished can and rightly earning that top spot.

Methodology

Although I love beer and wine, I am more of a cocktail girl at heart. The ability to have easy cocktails on hand for a drink as I settle down in the evening is definitely a huge draw for me. With that in mind, over the course of several nights, I enjoyed each of these canned beverages as I typically do when I enjoy homemade cocktails at home. 

After sipping each one, I ranked them according to their overall enjoyment factor, including important aspects as balance between the different elements in the drink and overall taste of alcohol since I like to know I'm sipping something more than just mixer. I found that flavor was the deciding factor between many of the choices, with the coffee liqueur-infused cocktails ranking above some of the fruit-forward options. I also noticed that if a drink was too weak, as in made with "one shot" of alcohol versus "two shots," the drink (generally) didn't fare as well. As a result, I searched for drinks without unnecessary sweetness that sometimes covered up the taste of liquor — something some readers might prefer. Overall, the drinks would, ideally, taste like similar cocktails I've previously enjoyed from a skilled mixologist. Some of the top contenders proved that a canned cocktail could hold up to the mixology test.