I tried 4 popular brands of energy drinks and ranked them from worst to best

First Impressions: I've actually never tried Red Bull before even though it's one of the oldest and most popular brands on the market.

I picked up an 8.4-ounce can with 80 milligrams of caffeine for $2.40. The drink has pretty standard ingredients, including taurine, B vitamins, and 27 grams of sugar — which are all supposed to provide a short-term energy boost.

I was eager to see how my taste buds and body would react.

Taste: This had a standout taste, but not for the right reasons. The best way I could describe it is that I thought it tasted a little like a stale, sugary soda.

Even though it was the smallest can I tried, I dreaded having to drink it all. I felt like it also made my breath smell unpleasant for the rest of the day, even after chewing gum and brushing my teeth.

Energy: The drink contained less caffeine than my usual 8-ounce cup of coffee (which has about 95 milligrams), but I did feel more energized.

After drinking Red Bull, I felt like I was doing everything faster, from answering emails to taking a speed walk around the block. Plus, I feel like it made me more focused than a cup of coffee.

By midday, however, I felt like I began to lose steam and my head hurt a little bit.

I didn't like the taste of Red Bull, and it didn't seem to keep me going for quite as long as the other energy drinks.

I definitely noticed a difference in my energy levels after drinking it, which was nice, but I don't think it's the right option for me.

First Impressions: The bold and colorful branding, with the slogan "unleash the beast," made me a bit weary to give Monster a try. I wondered how much this energy drink was going to impact my day.

The 16-ounce can has 160 milligrams of caffeine and 54 grams of sugar and cost me $2.30.

Although Monster included common energy-drink ingredients, like B vitamins and taurine, it had a lower amount than some of the other drinks, like Rockstar.

Taste: Out of all the energy drinks, this one tasted the sweetest. At times, I felt like I was sipping on a very sugary soda.

Since I'm not a regular soda drinker and try to avoid drinks with sugar in them, I could barely finish it over the course of 30 minutes.

Luckily, the drink didn't really have a strong aftertaste.

Energy: Monster has a fair amount of caffeine, around the same as two cups of coffee, but it fell in the middle of the pack in this taste test.

Immediately after finishing the drink, I felt like I couldn't sit still. I wasn't able to write emails sitting down and decided to stand up instead. I also noticed that I kept tapping my pen or bouncing my leg throughout the day.

By the afternoon, I felt so crummy when the caffeine wore off that I had to take a 30-minute nap.

I don't think I can get used to the taste of Monster, and I think the energy it gave me would only be appropriate for very specific situations — like packing up my apartment for a big move or helping my friend build a set for her theater.

If I had to pull an all-nighter, this would be my drink of choice. But for a casual workday, the energy was just too much for me.

First Impressions: What stood out to me the most was the high sugar content (47 grams) and calories (200 a serving). Since it was a 12-ounce can, this had the most sugar of all the drinks.

It cost me $2.30, contained 120 milligrams of caffeine, and also included ingredients like taurine.

Taste: It wasn't very memorable or overwhelming, even with so much sugar.

It only took me around 15 minutes to drink the entire can, and it wasn't an unpleasant experience.

Energy: For at least three hours after drinking Rockstar, I felt a lingering sense of energy. But it almost felt more like background noise than sudden and uncontrollable jolts.

By the afternoon, I was a little more tired than usual, but I didn't feel the urge to take a nap or notice a drastic change in my overall mood.

I'm not super happy about the sugar quantity or calories in Rockstar, but I'd drink it again.

The taste was smooth and the energy it gave me throughout the day wasn't much different than what I normally feel after drinking two cups of coffee.

First Impressions: I was excited to finally try Celcius since it seems to be a fan favorite among my friends. A lot of them use the 12-ounce can as a late-afternoon pick-me-up before heading to the gym.

It contains 200 milligrams of caffeine (the most of any in the taste test) and cost $2.40.

One of the first things I noticed about Celsius was that it didn't have any added sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, or aspartame.

Taste: I tried the sparkling-orange flavor (since it's the brand's original) and found it refreshing. It felt more like I was sipping on fruit juice than a traditional energy drink.

Plus, I didn't notice an aftertaste, which is always nice.

Energy: I felt like this drink gave me a boost of energy for three hours.

By midafternoon, the caffeine seemed to wear off, but I wasn't really more tired than normal.

This drink didn't make me feel like I was bouncing off the walls, but it did leave me feeling a little more jittery than my usual morning iced coffee.

Celcius was my top pick.

I liked the ingredient list, and the caffeine gave me a boost but didn't make me feel a lot different than I usually do drinking coffee.

Although I enjoyed spending a week trying energy drinks, I'm looking forward to going back to my iced coffee in the morning and hot coffee in the afternoon.

I'd pick up a Celcius or Rockstar in the future when I have an isolated need — perhaps before a long run or a night out — but probably not for daily use.

Above all, I found energy drinks can really come down to personal preference. What works (or doesn't taste so good) for me could be totally different for someone else.