The Best Oat Milks, Ranked
Since 2018, one non-dairy drink has absolutely dominated the grocery store aisles and coffee shops: oat milk. And if you’re unfamiliar with it or haven’t found one that you love, we’re here to help. We’ve tried just about every kind of oat milk we’ve come across over the past year and decided that the most helpful way to rank them is according to how you would use it. (I.e.: Are you primarily pouring it into your cup of coffee or over a bowl of cereal?) Here, the four we love the most—and one to skip.
RELATED: How to Make Ultra Creamy and Super Delicious Oat Milk at Home
Best for Coffee Lovers: Oatly Barista Edition
For the coffee nerds out there, this is—hands down—the best alternative milk for all of your cappuccino and latte needs. It’s made from liquid oats with no added sugars and is rich in unsaturated fat, so it simulates all of the best qualities of a full-fat whole milk. Yes, it’s on the pricier side, but if you appreciate the nuances of a quality cap in the morning, this will give you that velvety micro-foam that coats the tongue nicely and goes down easy. If this sounds like a sensual experience, make no mistake: It is.
Best for Smoothies: Planet Oat Oatmilk Extra Creamy Edition
Planet Oat’s oat milk is what Goldilocks would describe as "just right." Not too sweet and not too oat-y, it adds body to a smoothie without muddling the flavors of whatever else is in your blender. Note: We’d go for the extra creamy edition over the original one. The latter tasted fine but had a watery consistency that reminded us of skim milk.
Find it at most local grocery stores.
Best for Casual Drinking: Thrive Market Organic Oat Beverage
We love the simplicity of this blend. It has just two ingredients: water and organic oats, and yet it retains a subtle sweetness that makes it pleasant to drink on its own. While we found it to be a tad too thin for frothing, it blended beautifully into our iced coffee without separating like most almond and soy milks tend to do.
Best Overall: Oatly Original
Disclaimer: We have absolutely no affiliation with Oatly (though, if someone from the Oatly team is reading this, please email us). It’s simply the best. It’s delightfully creamy and not too sweet. You can just as easily pour it into your smoothie as you can use it to cook or bake. We like it plain; we love it in coffee. And though the barista edition above ranks slightly higher for its frothing capabilities, the OG Oatly produces a quality foam as well. Bottom line: If you’re new to the oat game, start here.
One to Skip: Quaker Oat Beverage Unsweetened
We had high hopes for this guy considering its heritage. (It’s from an oat company, for Pete’s sake!) Alas, we were disappointed by the flavor—or lack thereof. Still, the low-cal beverage might be a good option for someone who is watching their sugar intake, as this clocks in at zero grams. However, we feel it’s our civic duty to warn you that this has an oddly gummy and viscous texture (which can be attributed to the artificial thickeners found on the ingredient label). Your call.
Find it at most local grocery stores.
RELATED: Starbucks *Finally* Has Oat Milk (but There's One Catch)
