11 Apple Cider Vinegar Brands, Ranked Worst To Best

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is one of the best ingredients you can use to use to brighten the flavor of coleslaw, give your barbecue sauce balance, and cut through the richness of smoked pulled pork. Aside from cooking, ACV is a natural household cleaner for anything from coffee pots to your hair. Additionally, research has shown that the acidic vinegar has health benefits. Healthline reports fat-free, calorie-free ACV could help with weight loss, reduce cholesterol, and help regulate blood sugar levels.

Though additional research is necessary to validate these claims, companies are capitalizing on consumer interest by offering a range of ACV liquids, tonics, and shots. Many bottle their products unpasteurized and unfiltered and include a mix of acetic acid bacteria known as the mother. This vinegar mother is comprised of web-like cellulose that converts fermented apple cider juice into vinegar. Nutritionists believe that the probiotic qualities of the liquid are the most beneficial part of the vinegar, though further research is needed to confirm this theory. 

With so many brands offering ACV, it can be confusing finding the one that is the best for you. I shopped at my local grocery store and on Amazon to gather various options. I examined the history behind each brand and assessed its production process, price range, availability, and most importantly, its taste. As an avid user of ACV for its potential health benefits, I have used my product experience to assist in ranking some of the top apple cider vinegar brands.

Sadaf is a family-owned, California-based food company founded by immigrant brothers who came to America from Iran. The brothers missed the flavors of home, so they began Sadaf in 1982. Today, the company employs over 100 people and distributes over 1,000 products nationwide. While I appreciate the company's initiative in achieving the American Dream, I did not enjoy its ACV. 

Sadaf's apple cider vinegar, the only ACV in its lineup, is labeled as unpasteurized and unfiltered, meaning it contains the mother. However, the non-organic product I sampled was crystal clear, without the haziness of the mother. Flavorwise, Sadaf tastes like a typical tart and tangy filtered apple cider vinegar. Yet, the price is three times higher than what I paid for Great Value's product. This high price, and the fact that it didn't meet expectations for flavor and consistency, meant that this product deserved the lowest spot on the list. 

Simple Truth is Kroger's organic private label brand. The vinegar is a product of Spain, though there is no indication of its production or provenance. However, the container does note that it's made with USDA-certified organic apple cider vinegar from non-GMO apples. The product is raw, unfiltered, and is diluted with water to 5% acidity. While this bottle says that it includes the mother, the creaminess of the cellulose was non-existent; the vinegar has only a hint of the web-like sediment. The taste is intense, punchy, and sour, without any natural fruity sweetness or yeasty creaminess to balance the assertive tartness. 

Another point of concern I had was how long this vinegar could last in my cabinet. Apple cider vinegar does have an expiration date, and this bottle of Simple Truth had an expiration date that was only one month away the date I purchased it. Kroger also sells the vinegar in recyclable PET 1 plastic bottles, which can, over time, leach chemicals into the bottle's contents if it's exposed to high heat or sunlight(via National Geographic). These factors, along with the overall poor flavor and texture of the vinegar, place Simple Truth close to the bottom of the list.

Mother Earth sells organic vinegar both in bottles and in ready-to-brew K-cup superfood tea pods. The brand's bottled apple cider vinegar did not live up to the expectations of a USDA-certified organic, gluten-free, non-GMO ACV with the mother. Mother Earth's apple cider vinegar did not pack a pop of fresh tangy sourness that I'd expect from ACV. Instead, the Mother Earth ACV offered a surprisingly diluted, watery taste. The product's color is a light blonde with faint haziness — instead of a deep, sediment-rich, mother-loaded amber hue. Its taste lacks the creaminess and texture the healthy bacteria and protein-rich mother should bring. 

It is also the most expensive vinegar on the list. The lack of expressive flavor and the product's high price tag meant I had to rank Mother Earth apple cider vinegar close to the bottom of the list. I'd suggest skipping Mother Earth and adding a splash of high quality ACV from one of the other brands to your cup of tea instead. 

Trader Joe's unfiltered and unpasteurized USDA-certified organic ACV is sold in a 16.9-ounce glass bottle; it's the only size and ACV option available from the grocer. The packaging notes it is also a product of Spain, like Simple Truth, but it offered no other indication of its production methods. 

While I love Trader Joe's for its other well-priced, unique items and appreciate that its apple cider vinegar is organic, unpasteurized, and includes the mother, I would still suggest skipping this one. The vinegar has a light, straw-colored hue with a slight haziness. It doesn't have the murky fog of a mother-containing vinegar. 

The flavor begins with tart apple notes on the forefront and piquant acidity on the back. However, the overall flavor was not as well-balanced as its competitors, particularly those with higher amounts of the cellulose mother. TJ's organic ACV ranks low on the list, but it's above more expensive brands like Mother Earth and Sadaf. I also ranked it above Simple Truth because it's packaged in a glass, rather than a plastic, bottle. 

Heinz is one of America's leading condiment producers. It crafts a variety of sauces, spreads, and vinegars. The company began in 1869 when Henry J. Heinz bottled his first product — pure grated horseradish — in a clear bottle to display its purity and authenticity. These are two areas that have been a focus for Heinz since its start. While Heinz vinegars are not organic, the company focuses on sustainability by investing in regenerative agriculture, recyclable packaging, water conservation, and renewable energy. It even aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

Heinz all-natural apple cider vinegar is highly filtered, which products a crystal clear, golden vinegar that contains only apple juice and water. It is diluted to 5% acidity. If you are using ACV for general household uses, like for cleaning anything from floors to countertops, Heinz is a solid choice. It is clean, pure, and inexpensive.

However, the ACV product options within the brand are limited. It lack a range of products, like tonics, teas, and shots, that other brands on this list offer. Heinz delivers the expected punch of sour, tangy acidity. However, it does not differentiate itself from other non-organic store brands. Other filtered apple cider vinegar competitors with lower prices, like Walmart, Target, or Kroger brands, keep Heinz lower in the overall ranking.

Walmart is a leader in offering affordably-priced products via its private label Great Value brand. Its offerings include organic and non-organic apple cider vinegar. The organic vinegar's pricing is slightly less than some name brands, though it offers a similar profile; it's unfiltered, unpasteurized, and includes the mother. Great Value's filtered non-organic vinegar is kosher, gluten-free, and is a simple, streamlined, inexpensive AVC diluted with water to 5% acidity. It's also sold in recyclable plastic bottles of various sizes. The filtered, non-organic bottle has bright and tangy flavor, with the tart zingy taste I'd expect in straight ACV.

If you are buying ACV for use around the house, like for cleaning or using for a soaking bath, Great Value is a solid brand, as it is inexpensive and readily available. There are over 4,600 Walmart retail stores across the country, each carrying Great Value brands.

Suppose you are using ACV as a tonic for the health benefits. In that case, the organic option is the better bet. Great Value's USDA-certified organic, raw, unfiltered product includes the enzymes and proteins that the mother offers, all packed inside of a glass bottle.

The lack of additional options, like supplements or tonics, and the plastic PET 1 packaging keeps Great Value's non-organic ACV from climbing any higher. But, all Great Value products include a money-back quality guarantee, which ensures that you can return this product to the store if you don't like it. This guarantee bumps Great Value up in the ranking.

Since the 1880s, the Fear family has been crafting apple cider from British-grown apples. In 2005, Andrew Fear took his cider knowledge, passed down from generations before him, and opened Thirsty Farmer Cider in Nottinghamshire. In addition to making hard cider, the company crafts ACV from Fear's dry fermented apple cider. It's barrel-aged, which helps give it a deep, rich, tawny color. Thirsty Farmer apple cider vinegar is raw, unfiltered, and includes the mother. 

When I tasted the kosher, non-GMO vinegar, I was hit with a bright pop of sharp sour apple tartness on the front palate. It lacked any hint of fruity sweetness. This product has an acidic bite that needs to be tamed if you drink a shot of it. I recommend diluting it in a large glass of water to soften the flavor. While the taste is punchy, it does have a distinctly clean, bright, fresh apple flavor, which suggests that there are no artificial additives inside of it. The pure taste of Thirsty Farmer makes it perfect for cooking; it could easily brighten an autumnal butternut squash and sweet potato tarte tatin or a fresh kale slaw. 

The brand only makes one ACV product instead of a range of options and varieties. It is available for sale in two-packs and is well priced. While I found other brands to have more balance and a better overall taste, I enjoyed the purity of Thirsty Farmer's ACV and ranked it in the middle of the pack.

If you don't care for overly sour flavors, Kevala's organic apple cider vinegar is for you. It is balanced and well-rounded with more fruity sweetness than I found with other brands. This is impressive, considering the brand doesn't taste diluted or watered down at all. The product is USDA-certified organic and non-GMO. It contains only ACV from American-grown apples and purified water to dilute the vinegar to a 5% acidity. It is unfiltered, unpasteurized, and contains no additives or preservatives. The brand uses zero chemicals in the vinegar's production, too.

This pure vinegar that is available in a range of sizes, from 8 ounces to a whole gallon, on the brand's website. It uses recyclable HDPE 2 plastic containers. HDPE 2 plastic, also known as high-density polyethylene, is one of the safer types of plastics. The packaging is thicker than PET 1, which means it can be reused and withstand high heat or freezing without fear of the plastic's chemicals leaking. 

While Kevala boasts that its vinegar includes the mother, the amount of it in the liquid was minimal. The vinegar lacked the velvety texture a dense mother can and should bring. It is also one of the few ACV brands that needs refrigeration after opening, which is something to keep in mind if fridge space is a concern. This ACV is also only available as a vinegar, rather than in a tonic, shot, or supplement. These factors keep it from climbing any higher on the list. Still, Kevala's organic ACV has a clean, fresh, and appealing flavor with a subtle sweetness, which makes it one of the best options on the market.

Nonna Pia's is an Italian producer of balsamic glazes and organic apple cider vinegar. Its ACV has a significant amount of murky cloudiness, with a rich, amber color that I can appreciate. Its texture indicates that the brand uses a good amount of the mother, which could potentially increase the health benefits of drinking this unfiltered ACV. 

Each bottle of Nonna Pia's ACV is USDA-certified organic, non-GMO, gluten-free, and contains only raw apple cider vinegar. It has a shelf life of four years when stored at room temperature. The company is a part of Ocean Brands, a B-Corp certified business  that meets certain standards for employee welfare, the environment, and business operations.

Nonna Pia's ACV, which is available in 16.9-ounce glass bottles, balances the tart, biting sourness of vinegar with a pleasing, juicy, fruit-forward sweetness. The palate has richness without feeling weighty, which is surprising given the thickness of the mother. The product has exceptional flavor, is of high quality, and is available for a reasonable price compared to other, similarly-sized organic options. 

While I wish Nonna Pia's offered more products in its ACV portfolio, the one it has is delicious whether you use it for cooking or drinking, which earns it a spot in the top three. I suggest using the apple cider vinegar to enhance a marinade, as it will give the meat a proper hit of bright tanginess and natural sweetness.

Bragg is one of the largest and most widely-available brands in the ACV category. Founder Paul Bragg began the Bragg Live Foods in 1912. Bragg was passionate about healthy living and started making products that helped his customers attain a balanced lifestyle, like various supplements, teas, and liquid aminos. 

In the early 2000s, Bragg's adopted daughter and eventually the company CEO, Patricia Bragg, introduced apple cider vinegar to the brand's portfolio — thanks to growing consumer interest in the healthful properties associated with ACV. Initially, the company offered organic apple cider vinegar in liquid form only. Over the years it has added an entire lineup of AVC shots, capsules, dressings, and drinks. Some of its products come with additional vitamins and minerals, like Bragg's ACV capsules with B6 vitamins to help with energy and Bragg ACV with phytoceramide to support healthy skin. Today, Bragg is a leading producer of organic ACV and is a B Corp business.

Bragg's ACV is raw, unfiltered, and unpasteurized. It contains non-GMO, USDA-certified organic apples with the mother, and every bottle has a shelf life of over four years. The flavor is zesty, but not overpowering; it provides a natural sweetness that keeps the vinegar's sour tartness in check. While the unfiltered product is diluted with water, it still retains a lively, fresh flavor. The amount of mother in Bragg is not as substantial as in other brands, so it lacks some of the creaminess the yeasty bacteria offers. However, the quality of the product, its widespread availability, the range of options within the brand, and Bragg's commitment to sustainability earn it in the number two spot on my list.

White House Foods have been growing apples in Virginia since 1908. The family-owned business produces a range of apple products, including sweet cider, juice, butter, sauce, and vinegar. Its non-GMO vinegar is available in organic or non-organic form. You can also purchase an organic detox drink that includes lemon, honey, cinnamon, and the mother. If you prefer to drink your ACV on the go, the brand also pre-packages its organic ACV and ACV detox drinks in convenient 2-ounce grab-and-go shots. They're both priced competitively compared to the competition. 

White House's USDA-certified organic ACV transforms Shenandoah Valley hard cider into raw, unfiltered, and unpasteurized vinegar. The brand's vinegar is very cloudy and murky, which is a good thing, as it is an indication that there is a large amount of the mother and its healthy proteins, enzymes, and probiotics in this product. These components give White House a creamy, yeasty, and textured richness. While other products touched on these characteristics, White House does it the best. The producer marries this creaminess with a sweet, balanced apple flavor and a punch of vinegary, tangy tartness to create a harmonious product that will liven up a pot of red beans and rice or give a well-rounded zestiness to your next vinaigrette. 

White House is available in retailers across the country and online. Its price is lower than many competitors and the company has a long history of producing high-quality products from non-GMO, American-grown apples. While each of these factors is important, it is the brand's overall taste is the major consideration that gave it the top spot. 

I began by researching the top brands of apple cider vinegar available across the country to prepare for this ranking. In addition to availability, I considered each brand's production and provenance, additional health benefits, the range of products within the brand's portfolio, overall price, and most importantly, its taste. 

To accurately perform the taste test, I tried each brand side by side. I first took a straight sip of the vinegar, then diluted each with a splash of water to get a better indication of its quality. As a Certified Sommelier who has spent the past 20 years tasting and reviewing fermented fruit beverages, being able to taste test each product and assess the brand as a whole allowed me to rank these apple cider vinegar brands.