How to reload the current state?

That would be the final solution. (inspired by @Hollan_Risley's post)

'use strict';

angular.module('app')

.config(function($provide) {
    $provide.decorator('$state', function($delegate, $stateParams) {
        $delegate.forceReload = function() {
            return $delegate.go($delegate.current, $stateParams, {
                reload: true,
                inherit: false,
                notify: true
            });
        };
        return $delegate;
    });
});

Now, whenever you need to reload, simply call:

$state.forceReload();

This solution works in AngularJS V.1.2.2:

$state.transitionTo($state.current, $stateParams, {
    reload: true,
    inherit: false,
    notify: true
});

I found this to be the shortest working way to refresh with ui-router:

$state.go($state.current, {}, {reload: true}); //second parameter is for $stateParams

Update for newer versions:

$state.reload();

Which is an alias for:

$state.transitionTo($state.current, $stateParams, { 
  reload: true, inherit: false, notify: true
});

Documentation: https://angular-ui.github.io/ui-router/site/#/api/ui.router.state.$state#methods_reload