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'I hosted baked beans tasting party to find the best - and own brand option won'
Reach Daily Express | January 22, 2026 9:40 PM CST

When you want something quick, easy, and tasty, baked beans are just the ticket. As good on toast as they are with a baked potato, as part of a cooked breakfast, or as a component of any number of other meals, it's no wonder they're a staple of the British diet. But, with so many brands out there, it's hard to know which is the best.

One Reddit user decided to put the question to bed once and for all by hosting a blind taste test with no fewer than 23 different types of baked beans. They got together eight friends and asked them to try each type and rate them out of five, with the results tallied up to determine the best and worst.

Posting a picture of the full selection as well as some creative decor laid out for the party, including baked beans bunting and a poster saying "We've bean waiting for you", they said: "People have very strong opinions about beans. This was a blind taste test so my friends had no idea what beans they were trying, please be mindful of that in your comments.

"I refrained from scoring as I cooked them and I didn't want to skew the results. I did however try all of them and I have to admit, quite a lot of them had a unique taste and texture."

Explaining their method in the comments they said: "The selection of beans was made by guests. I had strips of paper, folded then and people picked the beans (so I don't put any bias into selecting the order of beans). I gave each bean a letter and [they] were served in alphabetical order."

While some brands were highly applauded, they said their friends described others as tasting like "animal feed". "The sole reason for this party was because my partner loved Branston's so much," the user said.

They added: "I think by the last round, everyone was fed up with beans and would not be able to eat any more as we tried 23 different brands!"

Commenters were astonished by the effort put into the study. One said: "I'm a mixture of impressed and bemused at how far you took this. Bunting, posters, charts and a party for the humble baked bean. I'm clapping and frowning, and slightly jealous of your quirky creative thinking. Well done."

Another said: "And people say Britain has no culture."

How they ranked
  • Sainsbury's
  • M&S
  • Heinz
  • Newgate (Lidl)
  • Bold Bean Co
  • Bramwells (Aldi)
  • Aldi Everyday Essentials
  • Branston
  • Asda
  • Lidl
  • Morrisons
  • M&S organic
  • Essential Waitrose
  • Holland and Barrett
  • Stockwell (Tesco)
  • Tesco
  • Morrisons Savers
  • Dutchy organic (Waitrose)
  • Asda Just Essentials
  • Tesco organic
  • Stamford Street Co (Sainsbury's)
  • Suma organic low sugar
  • Classico

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