16 Oatmeal Brands, Ranked From Worst To Best

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CORRECTION 7/19/22: An earlier version of this article stated that Bob's Red Mill was founded in California, it was founded in Oregon. The owners previously owned another mill, Moores' Flour Mill, based in California. 

Humans have been digging into breakfast cereals for centuries. Indigenous peoples of the past ate what we now call grits or hominy, and various types of porridge have long been eaten throughout Africa and Europe (via Verival).

But, it wasn't until 1856, when Ferdinand Schumacher began chopping and packaging oats in a more consumable way for his fellow Ohioans to eat, that the demand for oatmeal started rapidly growing in the United States, writes Ohio History Central. After several mergers, Schumacher's company would eventually become Quaker Oats, an enterprise known for turning oatmeal into a breakfast staple.

Per The Daily Beast, instant oatmeal can be an unexpected source of sugar — but it can also still be a nutritious option for those who need a quick, warm meal. The good news is most brands now make a wide range of oatmeal styles. These include pre-sweetened and flavored instant oatmeal packets as well as plain, old-fashioned oats in a canister. But not all packaged oats are created equal! When it comes to this grain, the texture is key. Good oats should have some chew and bounce. You shouldn't be left with a pile of mush.

We've ranked the top ready-to-cook oatmeal brands from worst to best so that you don't have to sort through every oatmeal offering on the market. As you'll see, some choices are a cut above the rest.

Oatmeal is one of the simple pleasures in life. Many common flavor combinations shine in oatmeal — like apples and cinnamon, for example. Plus, there is a general cooking rule that if you've prepared one oatmeal, you've prepared them all. Unfortunately, Bear Naked may be the exception. The brand has managed to make oatmeal preparation downright confusing. Better known as a granola brand, there are only two flavors of Bear Naked Steel Cut Oatmeal + Granola line, so it is at least simple to decide if you want to try Maple Pecan or Fruit & Nut. But, once you've narrowed that down, you'll have to identify the fill line, which is easier said than done, as it is on the outside of the cup and difficult to decipher. This results in a different consistency every time you cook.

Bear Naked reviewers recount that some oats have repelling qualities, like the odor of chemicals in place of the earthy saccharine of maple syrup. It's also not a portion that is filling enough to be considered breakfast, with one Amazon reviewer referring to it as downright "tiny." Between the taste, the quantity, and the fill line, this is an instant oatmeal that needs some tweaking before it can be recommended.

As Walmart's house brand, Great Value produces a budget-friendly version of our favorite foods and essential commodities. Being affordable is a great thing, but there are other factors to having successful oats. Great Value is available in canister form or instant oatmeal packets and comes in basic styles like old-fashioned or steel-cut oats. 

The flavors, which aren't exceptionally creative — Strawberries and Cream, Apples & Cinnamon — don't pop as they should. One Walmart customer described Great Value oats as lacking flavor entirely. In our opinion, the tastes are too subtle and the texture is oddly dry. As the brand name suggests, Great Value offers enough of a bargain to make it a better choice than other oatmeal companies, but a good deal often requires compromises.

These certainly aren't the worst oats you'll ever taste, but they also won't be the best. If you're looking for a budget-friendly oat, you can rely on Great Value. We recommend preparing plain oatmeal with your own favorite additions to make the best taste.

Bakery on Main got its start in 1992 as a gluten-free breakfast and snack food producer. Since then, gluten-free has been the backbone of their range.

The instant oatmeal cups are available in flavors like Walnut Banana and Cranberry Apple Almond. Eaters can find the instant oatmeal packets in the flavors of Apple Pie, Maple Multigrain Muffin, Strawberry Shortcake, and Blueberry Scone (along with an unsweetened pouch). There are also two high-protein flavors — one in blueberry and another with maple and brown sugar notes.

It's impressive that the assortment offers a variety of flavors in different formats, with no overlap between the cups and the instant oatmeal packets. As for taste, Baker on Main uses ancient grains like amaranth, chia, and flax in their oats. This gives a nice texture, but ultimately it feels like they oversell the intended flavor and quality of their product since the grains are paired with a lot of added sugar. 

Bakery on Main tries to offer more natural tasting oatmeal, but the sweetness levels are off — they're either too low or too high, depending on the flavor. One Bakery on Main reviewer summed it up by saying that the benefits and taste are essentially the middle of the road; This oatmeal brand isn't bad, but reviewers aren't delighted with it either. If Bakery on Main can standardize and balance its flavors, it may quickly become a more nutritious breakfast go-to.

As a popular gluten-free flour producer, Bob's Red Mill has a reputation for taking ordinary foods and making them compatible with all types of diet sensitivities. Bob Moore founded the mill in 1978 with his wife, Charlee. The gluten-free oatmeal they have produced since then is available in many forms, such as an instant cup, family-sized pouch, or instant oatmeal packets.

Some of Bob's oatmeal styles come with delectable additions. In particular, the types with flaxseed add a nice chewy texture. Overall, this is pretty standard oatmeal. The Oatmeal Cups have good, authentic flavors on their own. There's no need to add anything, like additional fruit or sweetener (unless your palate is craving it). There are, however, some consistency issues. A common oatmeal complaint is that the food is either too sugary or bland, but here, reviewers report tasting excessive salt.

Bob's Red Mill oatmeal is a reliable breakfast option for nearly 3.2 million Americans who live with Celiac disease. Though, if you don't need to avoid gluten, this oatmeal isn't flavorful or memorable enough to knock your socks off. For these reasons, it lands firmly in the middle of our list.

Andrew Aussie founded San Diego-based Earnest Eats as a way to reflect the colorful array of superfoods. Sure enough, the company sells things like freeze-dried avocado as well as baked snack bars. Even so, their product assortment is mainly made up of various types of oatmeal. There are instant oatmeal packets, individuals cups, and bags infused with superfoods, protein, and probiotics.

A unique aspect of Earnest Eats is that the bags of oatmeal come completely unsweetened so that the diner can adjust it to their preference. For example, if you're someone who likes the tanginess of a cranberry, you'll likely need to add more to find this enjoyable. Nevertheless, that may well be the best solution to ensure everyone can have their oatmeal at their desired sweetness level. It's a simple decision that catapults this oatmeal brand high on our list.

Additionally, Earnest Eats works well as a muesli/granola snack, giving it extra points for versatility. While the superfood combination so proudly boasted on the package lacks originality (quinoa, amaranth, and flax seeds are common ingredients for many companies), Earnest Eats packages are mainly oats, so dress them how you like.

It might come as no surprise to see Quaker Oats on this list. They're easily one of the most recognizable brands in the oat category. Quaker's high-profile and commercial farming methods have resulted in the brand taking heat for containing low levels of the weed-killer ingredient glyphosate (via The New York Times). However, according to reporting by Health, Quaker Oats claims that levels of glyphosate in their products are trace amounts allowable under EPA limits.

The oat brand makes canisters of old-fashioned and quick oats, instant oatmeal, steel-cut oats, oatmeal cuts, gluten-free oatmeal, and organic oatmeal. The flavor of the oats supports the brand's prominent reputation. The steel-cut oats, for example, are organic and have a nice chewy texture that comes out the same no matter how you cook them. For example, some reviewers suggest that you can prepare them effortlessly in the pressure cooker. Additionally, Quaker Oats are as easy on the wallet as they are to cook. With concerns about trace contaminants, it is understandable to be skeptical of big-brand products. That said, Quaker Oats delivers on the promise of great-tasting grains if you're willing to give them a try.

Nature's Path Organic Foods is yet another family-owned oatmeal company to make the list. The brand was founded in 1985 in Vancouver, Canada (a place where hardy, warm breakfasts are needed). According to the company story, co-founder Arran Stephens opened the first vegetarian restaurant in Canada in 1981, so it's clear he has a passion for encouraging others to live a life filled with nourishing food.

The oatmeal is sold as instant oatmeal packets, superfood oatmeal cups, steel-cut, grain-free, and old-fashioned styles. It makes our list for a few reasons; It's got a great consistency, easy preparation, and pleasant flavors. It's hard to be wowed by oatmeal, but we can say that you might feel this way after trying Nature's Path. Their product is full of straightforward flavors and the bonus that it has tasted this way for years. Gluten-free reviewer, The Celiathlete, reports a love for the reliability of Nature's Path oatmeal between their several different flavors. Some reviewers have lamented that there aren't enough add-ins in each pack, so bits like nuts or freeze-dried berries are lacking. Those complaints are few and far between.

Leave it to an Irish oatmeal brand to make it to the top of the list. As we've mentioned, the country has a long history with oats, which McCann's Imported Irish Oats credits to the unique climate conditions of the region. Plenty of coastal rain has left the isle with fertile soil primed for grain growing. According to McCann's, this enables Ireland to produce some of the world's best oatmeal, which the country has been doing since 438 A.D. 

McCann's Imported Irish Oatmeal is a brand with more than 150 years of history. To this day, the brand uses oats that are grown in Ireland. The range of products is vast — from flavored microwaveable oatmeal cups to instant cook packets and steel-cut oatmeal.

The entire range of products delivers quality and flavor, but the brand's flagship Steel Cut Oats are full of taste and bouncy texture. No mushy, watery oats here, only firm flakes by the spoonful. We are fans of how unique the texture is from regular instant oats. McCann's is the best option for those who want a nutty and interesting breakfast bowl.