Store-Bought Pickles, Ranked From Worst To Best

Is there anything sadder on a plate than an off-color, soggy pickle sitting limply next to your sandwich? On the other hand, a crunchy bite of delicious pickle can add a flavorful pop to your meal. While you can't control the quality of pickle you get as a side with your deli sandwich, you can make sure the pickles you eat at home have a perfect crunch and tangy flavor. However, the amount of choices when you head to the pickle aisle at your grocery store can be overwhelming. Should you buy your pickles in glass jars or plastic containers? Does a fermented pickle taste better than the traditional pickled variety? Are refrigerated pickles tastier than shelf-stable? Do smaller companies make better pickles than the larger, more well-known brands?

To find the answers to these questions and more, I went on the hunt for the most perfect store-bought pickle. I chose 12 brands from my local supermarket with a mix of shelf-stable and refrigerated jars, and one snack pouch. A few on our list pack a little bit of heat as well. Read on to find out which is the very best pickle on the store shelves.

At $8.99 for a jar, Bubbies Kosher Dill Pickles were the priciest on our list, although also one of the biggest jars at 33 ounces. You can find Bubbies in the refrigerated section of the store. Don't be surprised by the white, cloudy brine. Although it concerned me at first, the writing on the jar explained the brine is "naturally cloudy" due to the "natural fermentation process," and recommended shaking the jar before opening. A natural brand, Bubbies ingredients contain no artificial preservatives or sugar.

When I cracked the lid, the aroma was good, and I was excited to try my first taste of Bubbies. However, the pickle didn't live up to my expectations. First off, it was too soft — there wasn't a firm crunch to be had. Secondly, the flavor was off as well. Maybe it's due to fermentation, but these pickles didn't taste like a classic pickle. They were very salty with no depth of flavor. I detected a strong hint of pepper, which may have been the mustard seed listed in the ingredients, but I couldn't taste the dill. Lacking a fresh crunch and dill flavor, this pickle was no good. 

According to the website, McClure's Whole Garlic & Dill Pickles are made with fresh produce locally grown, natural ingredients, and are hand-packed. With beginnings that trace back to an old family recipe and a manufacturing plant located in Michigan, (the state that is the top producer of cucumbers), I had high hopes for these pickles. Furthermore, the packaging is appealing and artisanal, giving the vibe that you are about to crack open a jar of seriously gourmet pickles.

However, McClure's turned out to be the second biggest disappointment of the day. The pickles were mushy with no crunch. The flavor was bland with a strong aftertaste of way too much garlic. The price was on the costly side with a small 16-ounce jar costing $5.00 at my local supermarket, a price that I can't justify for a soft, soggy pickle. Unfortunately, this brand of pickles is one to avoid.

I had high expectations for Suckerpunch Deli-Style Kosher Dill Wholes. The kitschy label reminded me of something you would find at Trader Joe's, while the writing on the jar promised a "gourmet" pickle with a signature spice blend of 11 spices. You can see the spices floating in the glass jar, which gave me high hopes for the flavor. The official company website explains how it makes its pickles using fresh, organic ingredients and smaller pickles with fewer seeds. However, this pickle didn't live up to expectations. 

Although the branding gets a 10 out of 10, the actual experience of eating the pickle didn't match up. The texture was fine with a good crunch, but there was something off about the taste. The label lists garlic, spices, and dill seed but I can't quite put my finger on what flavor I tasted that ruined this pickle for me. Overall, while not terrible, this isn't a pickle brand I would choose again.

Vlasic is a classic American brand that has been around for over 100 years. At the top of the Vlasic Kosher Dill Spears jar is the slogan, "That's one crunchy pickle!" Yet, upon biting into a Vlasic pickle, I didn't get crunch — instead, it was a soft, soggy bite. The taste wasn't terrible, containing a strong vinegar, salty flavor with a slight hint of dill. In the end, it was the texture that ruined the overall pickle experience. 

As for appearance, Vlasic pickles have an odd, yellowish tinge, although I do appreciate it's colored by turmeric without artificial dyes. However, I was sorry to see the addition of Polysorbate 80, an emulsifier that could use more research to determine its long-term safety, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest. Overall, my taste test of the Vlasic pickle was underwhelming, lacking a crunchy texture and short on flavor. The vinegar overpowered the other seasonings, such as dill or garlic. Despite Vlasic being a well-known and popular pickle brand, I can't justify moving it any higher up the list.

Wickles has been making pickles with its old family recipe for nearly 100 years. Aside from pickles, the company also makes relish, pickled garlic, and spicy pickled okra. With the logo on the jar as a pickle dancing with a chili pepper, I expected Wickles Original Pickles to be spicy. While there was a small kick, there wasn't nearly the amount of heat in some of the other spicy pickles on our list. The flavor was good, although a little too sweet for my preference, but the pickle slice had no crunch at all.

These slices were fairly sweet, which makes sense because sugar is the second ingredient listed on the package. I could taste garlic and dill, although the sweetness overpowered the other flavors. Due to the soft texture, these would be best paired with food, such as topping for a burger or chicken sandwich where the softness wouldn't be as noticeable. This isn't a bad pickle as long as you like your pickles sweet pickle with a little heat, but the texture was its ultimate downfall. These pickles would probably be great in a sweet, spicy pickle relish, which may be a better buy from the Wickles brand.

Mt. Olive Kosher Dill Spears, made with sea salt, had a nice crunch and weren't soggy in any way. However, they didn't have the nice firm snap some of the fresher-tasting pickles on our list offered. If you like salty and sour, you will find these pickles enjoyable, but they don't have the classic cucumber flavor seasoned with dill and other pickling spices. It is hard to know what flavors they include because the ingredients simply list, "natural flavoring." Beyond the briny flavor, I tasted garlic as well. Overall, I found these pickles to be tasty, but if you're looking for a traditional pickle, you would want to skip Mt. Olive.

As for the ingredients, these pickles do contain the questionable ingredient sometimes seen in pickles, Polysorbate 80. This substance is used in cleaners and personal care products, but is also allowed in limited amounts by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a food additive. If you're looking for a product with more natural ingredients, there are plenty of other options in the grocery aisle. Overall, Mt. Olive is a decent pickle with a satisfying crunch and salty flavor.

When I bought the jar of Milwaukee's Dill Pickles, I assumed they were from a small company making pickles in Milwaukee. After all, the jar's branding states, "Wisconsin's Hometown Favorite." However, by reading the small print at the bottom of the label, I discovered that Milwaukee's Dill Pickles are owned by Conagra Brands. Conagra owns in immense amount of products including Vlasic Pickles. As far as I could tell, Milwaukee's Pickles aren't made anywhere in or around Milwaukee, and Conagra is headquartered in Chicago. Further research did not reveal where Milwaukee's pickles are made today.

Despite my confusion with the labeling, I found Milwaukee's Dill Pickles to have a nice crunch. The whole pickle was a good size for snacking with a tangy vinegar bite. I could also taste the pickling spices, the dill, and a hint of onion. Overall, these are a solid choice for a pickle and would go well alongside a sandwich and chips.

Sechler's Sweet Heat Mixed Pickles are not your typical pickles. The jar not only contains cucumbers, but cauliflower, banana peppers, pepperoncini, onions, and bell peppers. I can also see whole garlic gloves floating around in there. In breaking all my rules regarding crunchy pickles, Sechler's makes the front of the list despite a soft texture. This jar of pickles is less like a typical pickle and more of a pickled veggie side dish. However, the flavor was addictive and kept me wanting to go back for more.

Although these are on the spicy side, they aren't too hot and the heat combines well with the sweetness. Unlike other spicy pickles I sampled, the heat didn't stay with me after I ate the pickle. These would be good topped on a burger or sandwich, but also as a side dish with a grilled meal. These sweet and spicy pickle spices are tasty and addictive.

A new way to package pickles is in a pouch. Pickles in a pouch don't have messy brine, are easy to throw in a lunch bag, and make the perfect mid-day snack. If you love pickles and are wondering if pickles in a pouch hold up in texture and taste, you may want to give it a try. I sampled OH Snap! Sassy Bites, which according to the package are "sweet pickle bites with a little kick." 

I typically prefer a sour pickle to a sweet one, but the heat of this balances out the sweetness for a satisfying bite. The pickle slices have a good crunch, and with no brine spilling out when you open them, make an easy snack for on the go. Even better, the Sassy Bites pack was on sale for only $1 at my supermarket. Admittedly, this costs more than buying a jar of pickles for what you get, but you are paying for convenience. Although these aren't packed with brine, the pickle slice was soaked with it. Overall, this was a tasty treat and convenient snack.

Famous Dave's Spicy Dill Pickle Chips pack some serious heat. If you like your pickles on the spicy side, these are the ones for you. Famous Dave's is a Midwestern barbeque restaurant known around the country for its line of barbecue sauce sold in grocery stores. It's unsurprising that a Midwest barbecue joint would know how to make a good spicy, pickle.

The pickle had a good crunch for a slice, which can often end up soggy in other brands. The spice comes from a dried arbol chili pepper, which really packs a kick. Arbol chilis are about as hot as a cayenne pepper, which left a spiciness on my tongue long after I finished the pickle slice. And yet, I wanted more. These crunchy little pickle slices would make a great side for a hearty, barbecue meal. Overall, these pickles had a nice sour flavor with hints of dill making it a good choice for a pickle if you can stand the heat.

The Grillo's Pickles container claims to have "crisp, clean, fresh ingredients" on the container. Indeed, the ingredients list is short and simple with just cucumbers, brine, garlic, dill, and grape leaves. You can find Grillo's in the refrigerated section of the grocery store, and because they are fresh, they have a shorter shelf life than some of the others on our list. The company began in 2008 in Boston when founder Travis Grillo started selling jars of pickles made from his family's 100-year-old recipe out of his car. Today, Grillo's Pickles can be found in supermarkets around the country.

To find out if the 100-year-old recipe and fresh ingredient claims lived up to expectations, I opened up the jar of Grillo's Pickles. On first bite of the pickle spear, I noticed a satisfying crunch and a very sour flavor. The pickle tasted fresh, almost homemade with the flavor of the cucumber still present among the vinegar, garlic, and dill flavors. These pickles stand up to their marketing and are one of the freshest tasting of the bunch. However, if you prefer pickles on the sweeter side, you may want to skip Grillo's, as it has a strong sour kick.

Although I enjoyed sampling pickles that I had never heard of before today, in the end, the tried and true pickle brand made it to the top. Claussen Kosher Dill Pickle Spears are not only the pickles I ate growing up, but remain my number one choice today. While making pickles at home is always the tastiest choice, if I don't have homemade pickles on hand, my first choice for a classic pickle is Claussen. Sold refrigerated, these pickles have a fresh, bright flavor of dill and vinegar with a lovely snappy crunch.

Claussen beat out the other brands with its tangy bite, tasting just the way you'd expect a classic pickle to taste.  There were no surprises with this pickle, just a clean, classic dill pickle flavor. Claussen doesn't try to be fancy but makes a classic pickle with traditional dill, vinegar, and garlic flavors. A sandwich with chips just isn't complete without a Claussen pickle spear sitting next to it. 

The brands I tested were limited to availability at my local grocery stores. I chose a wide variety of pickles with some in the refrigerated section and some sold as shelf-stable. When I got to tasting I used the following criteria: appearance, aroma, flavor, and crispness. A good pickle should have a nice crunch, a good color (not dull or gray), and a nice aroma when you pop open the lid. Soggy, limp pickles were downgraded for texture. The flavor should be sour, salty, and maybe some sweetness or spiciness, depending on the variety. 

As I munched on each pickle I contemplated the overall appeal based on crunch, flavor, and appearance. The pickles with a satisfying snap and delightful blend of pickling spices made their way to the top of the list. Dull, floppy, lackluster pickles were at the end of the line.