The Worst Instant Mashed Potatoes Taste More Like The Box They're Sold In

Instant mashed potatoes are an awesome pantry staple for those moments when you need to whip up a quick carby side at lightning speed. But not all varieties are made equal, which is why we ranked 10 instant mashed potato brands from worst to best to help you avoid spending your pennies on the saddest spuds. The result? We found Walmart's Great Value Instant Mashed Potatoes to be the worst brand because they taste more like the box they're sold in; dry and lacking in flavor with an unappetizing mouthfeel.

These mashed spuds were the blandness of all the batches we tried and were lumpy with an almost doughy consistency. They simply didn't taste anything close to a homemade serving of mashed taters and were far removed from the texture of a classic mash made with a potato ricer or masher. Having said that, their insipid flavor could be attributed to the fact that the recipe on the back of the box called for only ⅛ teaspoon of salt for every ⅔ cup of flakes (half the amount of salt required in the winning brand, Idahoan Original Mashed Potatoes).

In our opinion, you might be better off repurposing your box of mashed potatoes in its dry form as a coating for deep fried dishes (like chicken fingers) instead of using it to make mashed spuds. All you need to do is dip your protein in egg before dredging your dried potato flakes to create a super-crispy crackly crust.

While we strictly followed the package instructions on all the instant mashed potatoes we tasted (to ensure each brand could be tested fairly) it's likely you've tried to elevate a batch of lackluster spuds with extra butter, a touch of cream, or grated cheddar in your home kitchen. Customizing your taters with fancier extras, such as roasted garlic and herbs, sour cream, or even French onion dip, is a fuss-free way to upgrade your mashed potatoes and imbue them with layers of aromatic flavor. So, if you do find that your mashed potato isn't passing muster, you can always gussy it up with a select few pantry essentials.

The top spot in our list of the best instant mashed potato brands, on the other hand, was claimed by Idahoan Original Mashed Potatoes. We found the texture to be light, soft, and smooth. While some varieties of instant mash can be heavy and overly dry, Idahoan was fluffy with just the right amount of moisture, which explains why its such a popular choice and is easily available in grocery stores across the nation. We prepped it according to the package instructions by heating the water, butter (or margarine), and salt until boiling before adding a dash of milk and the recommended serving size of the potato flakes.