My family tried 5 brands of jarred pickles from the grocery store. One beat the others by a landslide.
In a delightful exploration of jarred pickles, Ted Berg and his family embarked on a taste test of five popular brands to determine their favorite. With a family of four that shares a love for pickles, Berg aimed to make more intentional choices when selecting this tangy snack. The family ranked the brands from least to most favored, revealing some surprising results along the way.
The tasting began with Vlasic kosher dill baby pickles, which unfortunately landed at the bottom of the list. Priced at approximately $6 for a 16-ounce jar, these pickles initially impressed with their crunch and mild briny flavor. However, an unpleasant aftertaste overshadowed the experience, prompting Berg to purchase a second jar from a different store, only to find the same disappointing flavor. Following Vlasic, the Whole Foods 365 organic kosher baby dill pickles also failed to impress. Although they were slightly less expensive at $5 for a 16-ounce jar, their lack of crunch and an overwhelming garlic flavor made them less appealing, despite being a favorite of Berg’s 7-year-old son.
Moving up the rankings, the Trader Joe’s kosher dill pickles offered a satisfying snap for just $3 for a 24-ounce jar. While enjoyable, their mild vinegar flavor and unique seasoning made them feel more suited for a cheese board rather than a classic burger accompaniment. Berg found them acceptable but not memorable. The Mt. Olive dill pickle spears, purchased for $4, evoked nostalgia for Berg, reminiscent of a beloved deli from his college days. Though they lacked crunch, their tangy flavor won him over. Ultimately, Claussen’s kosher dill pickles emerged as the clear winner, costing $7 for a 32-ounce jar. Their crisp texture, vibrant dill flavor, and bright vinegar tang made them a standout choice for the entire family, justifying the higher price tag. Berg concluded that Claussen would be his go-to brand for pickles in the future, proving that sometimes, a little extra investment can lead to a much more satisfying culinary experience.
My family and I tried five brands of jarred pickles.
Ted Berg
My family and I tried and ranked five brands of jarred pickles to see which one we liked best.
We didn’t like the
Vlasic pickles
and thought they had an unpleasant aftertaste.
We thought Claussen’s kosher dill pickles were the best option by far.
Everyone in my family of four enjoys pickles, but I don’t normally give much thought as to which brand to buy.
However, in an effort to be more intentional about my purchases, I recently bought and tasted five brands of supermarket
dill pickles
to see which ones we liked best.
Here’s how they stacked up from worst to first.
We ranked the Vlasic pickles last due to their aftertaste.
Ted Berg
The Vlasic kosher dill baby pickles at my local supermarket cost about $6 for a 16-ounce container, making them the most expensive per ounce of the pickles I tried.
They had a nice crunch to them, and although they initially had a mild and pleasant briny flavor, there was an off-putting aftertaste. As a result, my entire family placed these at the bottom of the list.
In fact, the taste was so unpleasant that I bought a second jar from a different supermarket to see if the first one was an anomaly. It was not.
I wouldn’t seek out the 365 pickles from Whole Foods again.
The Whole Foods 365 organic kosher baby dill pickles weren’t as crunchy as the others.
Ted Berg
I grabbed a 16-ounce jar of 365 organic kosher baby dill pickles from
Whole Foods
for $5.
When I took a bite, however, I didn’t think these pickles were as good as some of the others I tried. They weren’t especially crunchy, and I didn’t love the flavor. I also thought they were heavy on garlic and lacked the crisp, vinegary bite I seek in good pickles.
I’d eat them again if someone served them to me, but I’d opt for other brands if I were shopping for my family.
To be fair, these were my 7-year-old’s favorite, but he’s by far the most averse to spicy foods in our family.
Trader Joe’s kosher dill pickles were OK, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to buy them again.
Ted Berg
The
Trader Joe’s
kosher dill pickles were the least expensive of the group, at $3 for a well-stuffed 24-ounce jar.
These pickles had a satisfying snap with each bite but a fairly mild vinegar flavor and some seasoning resembling caraway, which felt unfamiliar. They also didn’t have the palate-cleansing zest I sometimes want.
Overall, they tasted like something you’d serve on a
cheese board
rather than with a cheeseburger.
I’d buy these again — especially considering the price — if I were
shopping at Trader Joe’s
and needed pickles. However, they’re not something I’d go out of my way for.
I’d buy the Mt. Olive pickles again for the sake of nostalgia.
Ted Berg
I took home a 24-ounce jar of Mt. Olive dill-pickle spears that was on sale for $4 (about $2 off the supermarket’s usual price).
I wasn’t sure if I’d ever bought a jar of Mt. Olive pickles before, but when I opened it, I recognized the smell immediately — these were the pickles that came with every sandwich at a popular and delicious deli near where I went to college.
They were a touch mushy and didn’t have much crunch, but they won me over with their assertive, classic pickle flavor, which was so tangy it was almost spicy.
I might buy them again if I start feeling nostalgic for that sandwich shop or am looking for a budget-friendly option.
Claussen is my new favorite pickle brand.
Ted Berg
Claussen’s kosher dill pickles cost $7 for a 32-ounce jar at my local supermarket. These pickles were the only of the five brands I tried that came from the grocer’s refrigerated section.
Having to refrigerate the Claussen pickles made them slightly less convenient to store, but they were so much better than the other pickles we tasted. Vibrant with dill, they were crunchy without being heavy and had a bright vinegary tang.
My wife, our 4-year-old, and I all ranked this as the best pickle by far — so far superior to the others that the extra cost was easily justified.
I’ll definitely seek out Claussen whenever I’m buying pickles at the supermarket in the future.
This story was originally published on January 7, 2025, and most recently updated on November 19, 2025.
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