We Tried Every Peanut Butter We Could Find—Here Are Our Unfiltered Thoughts

"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."

Peanut butter is one of the hardest working ingredients in your kitchen. It's a reliable, affordable source of protein. You can use it in savory recipes and in sweet, nutty desserts. And it does the majority of the heavy lifting in a classic PB&J.

Just like there are many ways to use peanut butter, it comes in many forms. There's smooth and creamy, crunchy and chunky, and a whole spectrum of textures in between. Some peanut butter brands have a sweet and nostalgic flavor, while others are made from pure, unadulterated peanut. And don't even get us started on the "stir vs. no stir" debate.

Many peanut butter lovers are fiercely loyal and refuse to deviate from their favorite brand. But the market has grown, and there are so many different types of peanut butter out there—and one of these might become your new go-to.

That's why we decided to do the hard work for you to determine which peanut butter brands are the best. We sampled over a dozen brands, and our team of food experts ranked them from worst to best. We considered everything—texture, sweetness, ease of use, and versatility. So if you're looking to expand your peanut butter horizons, you can choose the right brand for you.

Want to stock the rest of your kitchen with the best of the best? Check out our favorite tortilla chips, barbecue sauces, and frozen chicken nuggets.

Fix and Fogg

Fix & Fogg talks a big game: their high-oleic peanuts are sourced from Argentina, steel cut, and seasoned with New Zealand sea salt before going in the jar. But sadly, the finished product is pretty disappointing.

One of our editors said the "actual flavor isn't great," while another said it tasted vaguely like plastic. And from a purely practical perspective, the neck of the jar is way too small to properly stir the peanut butter.

Once Again

The "salt free" label on this peanut butter told us all we needed to know. This peanut butter is super bland.

Our tasters absolutely hated the texture, with some saying that it "coats your mouth like mud and sticks to the back of your throat." Another one of us said that it has a "gummy and strangely gooey texture."

Smart Balance

You may know Smart Balance for their alternative butter spreads, but you probably haven't heard of their peanut butter. And there's a reason why: it's gross.

Something about it is just off. We're not sure if the flaxseed oil has something to do with it, but this peanut butter tastes like it shouldn't even be edible.

Peter Pan

Peter Pan has overcome some tough PR in its nearly 100-year history, yet it's still the worst legacy PB brand on the market. Don't get us wrong: we don't have a problem with the added sugar.

What we do have a problem with is that the peanut flavor is overwhelmed by the other ingredients. There are other nostalgic peanut butter brands that are better.

Brad's Organic

At their peak, no-stir peanut butters taste like a pure expression of peanut. But at their worst, they're greasy and bland. Brad's Organic hovers somewhere in the middle—but it's closer to the latter.

Their peanut butter doesn't lacks the right amount of salt that highlights the natural flavors of the nut. The nuts themselves could also benefit from a darker roast.

Smucker's Natural

The king of jelly also has their own line of peanut butter (how else are they going to make Uncrustables?). Their no-stir peanut butter is relatively easy to combine and have a deep, peanut-forward flavor.

But just like with Brad's Organic, this peanut butter is in dire need of some salt. Even adding a pinch would take this PB to the next level.

Reese's

When it comes to Halloween candy, Reese's is king. So it's only natural that they'd expand their peanut-based products to come in jar form. We absolutely love how creamy and rich this peanut butter is.

The salt and sugar level is also pretty intense in this jar. We think it's perfect peanut butter to use for baking projects (buckeyes, anyone?), but we wouldn't want to spread this on a stalk of celery.

PB2

The brand PB2 is a pioneer in the recent innovation of powdered peanut butter. You can rehydrate it, use it in shakes and smoothies, and even incorporate it into your baking.

We love that it's naturally lower in fat than traditional peanut butters, and we love the many possibilities for using it. But on its own, it still doesn't compare to the real thing.

Skippy

You can't have a peanut butter taste test without including Skippy. It's ubiquitous, it's accessible, it's affordable, and it just tastes like childhood. There will always be a special place in our hearts for Skippy—but we have some notes.

We love that it's cheap, but as one tester says, "it tastes like it." We love to use it when we're baking or when we want to enjoy a spoonful of peanut butter as a treat, but it's just not the best brand out there.

Peanut Butter & Co.

Peanut Butter & Co. is basically like Skippy's fancier cousin. This brand technically sells "peanut butter spreads," so you can expect more of that sweet and salty flavor that you'd normally find with legacy PB brands.

But something about it also just feels more elevated. You taste more of the peanut butter, and you have the extra peace of mind knowing that they use higher-quality ingredients.

Justin's

Since first launching in 2004, Justin's has grown to become one of the most recognizable peanut butter brands. They also offer a wide variety of products using different nuts and flavorings.

Justin's strikes the ideal balance between a traditional peanut butter and a natural recipe. You don't have to stir it, yet it still tastes like peanuts. Our only gripe is that it's on the expensive side.

Crazy Richard's

Crazy Richard's is another brand offering a natural peanut butter with a pure peanut-y taste. In fact, everything about it just screams peanut. Their creamy offerings still have some texture and heft to them to remind you of what actually went in the jar.

There's a solid amount of seasoning that draws out the best possible flavor too. Our only gripe is that it's kind of pain to stir—but not impossible.

Jif

Of all the old school peanut butters on the market, Jif is the GOAT. Just like with other nostalgic brands, there's enough sugar and salt to make the peanut butter taste like a special treat.

What sets it apart from competitors, however, is the balance of flavor. It's more neutral and less salt-forward than similar brands, which makes it infinitely more versatile.

Teddie

This is the best natural peanut butter on the market. Beyond the adorable bear on the label, Teddie's recipe is seriously solid. The texture isn't too thick, which means it's super easy to stir and eat.

Most importantly, Teddie tastes like pure, unadulterated peanut. It's intense and super concentrated, and it comes with just the right amount of salt to let the flavors sing. It's like eating a pack of airplane peanuts in the best way possible.

Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz has a lot of different peanut butter options, and they're all very solid choices. Their natural varieties are reliable and well-seasoned. They offer both light and dark roasted recipes so everybody's happy. But one jar in particular swept the entire competition: their dark roasted, no stir peanut butter spread.

It's arguably the best peanut butter of all time. Santa Cruz's no-stir version is perfectly creamy, perfectly seasoned, and has the most intense peanut flavor of all the brands we tried. Do yourself a favor and buy a jar (or three).

You Might Also Like

• Insanely Easy Weeknight Dinners To Try This Week

• 29 Insanely Delicious Vodka Cocktails