8 Pickle Relish Brands, Ranked

Whether you're making a Chicago-style hot dog or you're just looking for a sweet and tangy way to add more flavor to your favorite dish, pickle relish is the perfect condiment. Depending on the variety you choose, it can be sweet, sour, or both, packing a ton of flavor with just a few dollops. But not all pickle relish brands are created equal. That's why I tried eight different brands to determine which are worth seeking out and which you can probably leave behind.

I chose these relish brands based on availability at my local grocery stores, opting to taste both sweet and dill varieties. I taste-tested them on their own with a spoon so that I could truly capture their subtle flavor and texture characteristics. After sampling a variety of brands, some stood out as winners, while others fell by the wayside.

Before you make your next hot dog, consult this list of popular pickle relish brands, and choose accordingly. These are some of the nation's most popular pickle relish brands, ranked from worst to best.

If you're looking for a pickle relish that tastes like it belongs in a dessert recipe instead of on a hot dog, this product is for you. From the outside, Cains Sweet Pickle Relish looks like it's going to taste like any other brand. But once you take that first bite, you'll understand why this relish ranked so low on this list.

Of course, this is a sweet relish, so the noticeable sweetness in the recipe was expected. Sure, it's a bit too sweet, but that's not the main problem here. The real issue is the fact that this pickle relish kind of tastes like it contains baking spices. While cinnamon is not listed among the ingredients on the back of the container, that's exactly what this stuff tastes like, which is, to put it mildly, not what most people are looking for in a pickle relish. 

Sure, everyone likes different levels of sweetness in a pickle relish, but the strange flavor profile here is definitely a turnoff. There are better ways to dress your dog.

One thing Howard's really has going for it? The packaging. The retro-looking label on this jar of pickle relish is so appealing, it feels like you're about to open a promising jar of relish. 

However, we weren't really impressed with the results once we tasted this brand's sweet relish. First of all, the balance of flavors just seems off. At first, it almost feels like you're smacked in the face with acidity — it makes your mouth pucker immediately, but not in a good way. Creeping in behind that acidity is a cloying sweetness that somehow doesn't balance the acidity at all. The result is a poorly integrated flavor that's a bit too jarring for even the most avowed relish lovers.

There's also a note of artificiality in the flavor of this relish. While it's not overloaded with unnatural ingredients, there's still an odd, almost chemical flavor going on here that's just not appealing. This relish would work in a pinch, but it's definitely not a condiment you need to keep on hand for hot dog night.

If you're looking for a budget-friendly product that'll get the job done when you want to add a layer of pickle relish to balance the richness of grilled cheese, then Signature Select Sweet Relish has you covered. It's certainly not the worst relish on this list, and it does what you need it to do: provide your dish with a balance of sweet and sour flavors. However, it's still not the best option, since that low price point comes with an ingredient list that sounds less than delicious.

Sugar is the second ingredient in this product, which isn't a great place to start. You can clearly taste that overwhelming sweetness — although if you're looking for a relish that's on the sweeter side, this brand is a good contender. Despite also containing multiple preservatives and artificial flavors, this relish does boast a nice balance of sweetness and acidity, but considering its use of questionable ingredients, it's not a brand we'd opt for if we wanted to build the finest of frankfurters. 

If you prefer a pickle relish that has a cleaner list of ingredients, then you may be tempted to try out 365 Organic Dill Relish from Whole Foods. This product truly embraces organic components, from its cucumbers to its turmeric extract. The relish doesn't contain any artificial colors, which gives it a more pale appearance that most of the other relish brands on this list, but if you can get over the strange-looking hue, that's actually a good thing — after all, there's no reason why your relish has to be fluorescent green.

The flavor of this relish definitely isn't bad, but it's not the most balanced of the bunch. The sourness is very pronounced, which can be a good thing if you prefer a bolder pickle flavor and want to stay away from those sweet notes that other relishes are known for. 

However, the texture of this relish isn't great. It's quite soft, so you don't get the snap that you'd expect from a solid pickle. Although the flavor is decent, that softness isn't ideal. This pickle relish would work best stirred into a recipe (perhaps for classic Southern potato salad?), but it's not our go-to for hot dogs. 

Vlasic produces some of the best-ranked grocery store pickles, so we had high hopes for the brand's dill relish. Overall, it wasn't a disappointment. That signature Vlasic flavor, with an intense note of dill, was very much present in this relish, and it boasts a solid level of sourness. If you tend to like Vlasic's dill pickles, this may just be one of the best options for you on this list. That being said, those who prefer a less-intense acidity in their pickles might want to steer clear of this product.

However, there is one notable element missing. Most importantly, that signature snappy texture you want from a dill pickle is obviously absent here. Although the tiny pieces of pickle aren't as soft as those of some other brands on this list, they are still a bit limp and soggy, which isn't ideal. Overall, this is one of the better relishes out there on the market, although it needs some work in terms of texture.

As one of the most iconic condiment brands out there, Heinz isn't dropping the ball when it comes to its sweet relish. This widely available pickle relish is a good option for hot dog night, particularly if you prefer a condiment that veers toward the sweeter end of the spectrum. 

The best part about this relish is the crunch. While some other brands are really lacking in the texture arena, that's not a problem with Heinz. You get that crisp snap you're looking for in every bite, which immediately earns this product a spot near the top of this list.

The flavor is great too. This relish isn't really anything special, but it is quite nicely balanced, with a good mix of both sweet and acidic notes that keeps things feeling fresh. It works well for a variety of uses, and since it's going to be available at most stores around the country, it shouldn't be too difficult to find. When you're in the market for a sweet pickle relish and want a brand that's going to be reliable, you're not going to regret buying Heinz.

Another brand that delivers on the crunch front? Mt. Olive. This brand's sweet relish is delicious, and definitely superior to most of the rest, particularly because of its texture. Those little pieces of pickle really maintain their integrity, offering an interesting textural note that can take your relish-focused recipe to the next level. 

Another aspect of this relish we love is the fact that it's not at all watery, unlike the pickle relishes you'll find from some other brands. That thick and chunky consistency means you're getting the most bang for your buck when you spoon some relish onto your hot dog.

And this brand isn't slacking on the flavor front, either. This variety of Mt. Olive relish is definitely sweet, but it doesn't contain so much sugar that it cancels out the sourness. Rather, that touch of sweetness balances the finished product, creating a condiment that's just as good on a hot dog as it is straight off the spoon. Plus, the brand adds specks of red bell pepper to the recipe, which makes it more visually appealing. 

There's one pickle relish brand that rises above all the rest, and it really isn't even a competition. Wickles Original Relish is truly the best of the bunch, beating out the other brands in pretty much every criterion used in this ranking. 

Although it's not quite as crunchy as some other brands, this relish still boasts a crisp, firm texture that makes every bite more appealing. The flavor profile is also incredibly well-balanced. There's a slight sweetness there, but it's not overwhelming, and it complements the acidity nicely, rendering a relish that you'll want to slather on everything you eat.

We also love the fact that Wickles uses high-quality ingredients in this product. Instead of high-fructose corn syrup, the brand adds sweetness to its relish by using real sugar. It also includes apple cider vinegar, which gives the condiment a more complex flavor than other relishes on this list. And although this product isn't spicy, it almost has a slight heat to it, which adds an element of interest that no other relish we tried can compete with. If you're only going to try only one brand from this list, let it be Wickles.

I taste-tested all of these pickle relishes on the same day. I opted to taste them on their own — since they all have similar flavor profiles with subtle differences between them, I didn't want their flavors and textures to be overwhelmed by all of the other typical hot dog toppings. Tasting them alone allowed me to home in on those subtler flavor profiles. I ate each type of relish with a metal spoon, and I tried them both cold and at room temperature.

These rankings are dependent on a variety of factors. First and foremost is the flavor — I prioritized pickle relishes that were bold enough to stand up to other ingredients, while maintaining a good balance of sweetness and acidity. I also evaluated texture, with crispier and crunchier relishes taking the lead. Finally, I looked at the ingredients included in these relish brands, favoring more natural ingredients over cheaper artificial ingredients.