10 Store-Bought English Muffin Brands, Ranked

The English muffin is one of the most utilitarian of the breakfast breads. Not only is it the perfect base for a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich — dripping in hot grease, of course — but it could also be an accompaniment to a basic breakfast, especially when it's adorned with a melty pat of butter or served with a schmear of peanut butter and honey on top. 

It's one type of carb that I almost always have in my freezer for when the craving for breakfast food calls (as it frequently does in my home). While in the past I've always opted for the tried-and-true Thomas English muffin (nooks and crannies and all), I wanted to see if there were truly better brands out there. In my search for the ideal English muffin, I looked at several factors. A good English muffin should have a distinct lightness to it, though it should be able to easily support the weight of toppings, too. Moreover, it should also have its signature pockets, as this allows the butter or sauce to soak down into all of its crevices without making the underside soggy. I used these factors to review and rank the following English muffin brands from worst to best.

I have a lot of respect for Panera Bread and the carby empire that it's built over the years. However, even I have to admit that its store-bought bagels and breads have absolutely flunked almost every test that I've put them through. And I hate to say it, but these English muffins also got a big F written in red marker on the top of their paper. 

At first glance, these muffins look quite promising. They're much taller than the other selections, which gave me some hope that their flavor would be at least marginally better than some of the other brands I reviewed (with a name like Panera, it has to be good — right?). But, when I went to open one, I immediately realized that I would have a problem on my hands. These English muffins were nearly impossible to open. They were not perforated, so I had to shove a knife in to get them sliced. It didn't affect the structure of the muffin, but boy, was it annoying. 

The inside of these muffins were very bread-like and not English-muffin-like. There are no pockets for oozing butter, nor is there a lick of saltiness or sweetness to make eating them a pleasant experience. And while the slight burnishing on the outside of these muffins was enticing, the lack of flavor really pushed it all the way to the back of the ranking. These horribly bland muffins don't stand a chance among their competitors and are not worthy of being associated with the fast-casual chain.

Why on Earth would someone make an English muffin that wasn't fork-split? Obviously, Ezekiel didn't think that one through when it tried to offer its slice of bread masquerading as an English muffin to hungry shoppers. These frozen English muffins didn't come with any instructions about how to reheat them from frozen, so I stuck to the trusty minute-in-the-microwave-and-hope-for-the-best method. 

The grainy, coarse consistency resembles the Ezekiel bread products that I've added to my shopping cart in the past. Its flavor, which was dense, woody, and grossly under-salted, also reminded me of the sliced breads that I've had from this brand in the past. While in most cases, a heavy dose of seeds would really entice me into grabbing a product, in this case, it really muddled the flavor of a classic English muffin. Moreover, the seeds and grains themselves didn't offer anything by way of flavor, which really ruined this entire experience for me. 

Overall, this product marginally beat out Panera Bread because it was easier to open with a knife and had a slightly more alluring flavor. But if you're looking for nooks and crannies, stay far away from this brand. Ezekiel should stick to perfecting its regular bread products before it tries to play with other, more complicated ones like English muffins. 

Gluten-free bread products have been ones that I have avoided like the plague for many years. So, the fact that I didn't absolutely hate Glutino's English muffins was a very, very big surprise for me. If anything, it was the one brand that I sampled here that I came back for to get another bite. 

Like Ezekiel, these English muffins came pre-frozen and had to be defrosted in the microwave for a minute before they could be toasted. Right off the bat, I noticed that these were very different than the competitors; they resembled the color and consistency of cornmeal. The cornmeal was florescent yellow, in contrast to other brands that opted for white cornmeal for their products. The color choice made these muffins look like misshapen corn muffins. 

Immediately, Glutino won points over its competitors because it could be easily fork-split. Once I broke it apart, toasted it, and took a big whiff, I noticed immediately that it really was a corn muffin that was lost and confused. Its taste was an even halfway point between a piece of cornbread and a normal English muffin. It's not what you're looking for in an English muffin, but it's something that was still really tempting — and I couldn't figure out why. 

The corn-forward flavor limits the softness and lightness that I wanted from an English muffin. It also made the mouthfeel scratchy, with no crevices to soak up all that butter. While I was pleasantly surprised by how well this brand could find a funky remix of two beloved foods, I don't think that it could convince a breakfast enthusiast that it is, in fact, an English muffin — which ultimately was the nail in its coffin. 

I wasn't surprised to see that these Great Value English muffins were rock solid and frozen when they were on the shelf at my local Walmart. After all, a brand that big has to push a ton of product through its stores. Though, by the time I got these home, I found that they warmed up quite well. 

There are some nooks and crannies on the inside of the muffin, and it has a good, classic English muffin structure. Though, I think Great Value's perforating machine could do some work, as this one was not sliced in the dead middle of the muffin. So, the bottom came out looking like a bread bowl. While this wasn't a bad thing, as the top and bottom were equally as plushy, it still would make eating them as a sandwich a bit difficult. 

The structure of these muffins wasn't as poor as the other brands that I sampled, which was a win. Though, I found that these English muffins were more fluffy and airy than they should have been. I don't think you would easily notice it if you topped these English muffins with a twist on gourmet avocado toast, but it is apparent if you plan on eating these muffins with just a pat of butter. Moreover, these muffins would not be well-suited to eating "plain" (or as "plain" as you can get) because they don't have any flavor. If anything, there's a slight sourness, but like many of the other brands on this list, these muffins are really craving salt. They're also not crumbly enough, so they lack the true satisfaction of biting into a quality English muffin. Overall, there were no big red flags with this brand — just things that I wish I could have had.

If you haven't guessed already, I hate English muffins that are distinctly bread-like. If I wanted bread, then I would have a slice of bread. Unfortunately, this Stop & Shop product has a little bit too much breadiness for my liking. These lack the distinguished pockets of classic English muffins, which means that the butter does not have an opportunity to melt down and flavor the muffin underneath. It defeats the fundamental purpose of an English muffin. 

I also found more textural woes on the inside of this muffin. It was very doughy and quick to fall apart despite the fact that it was toasted and sturdier than some of the other brands that I sampled. When I bit into this muffin, I noticed that it had a mushy consistency that balled up in the back of my mouth. It was really soft and squishy and not a pleasant thing to eat. 

While the texture of these muffins was a swing and a miss, the flavor was better than some of the other brands on this list. I found that its saltiness is one of those redeeming factors that pushes this one up the ranks. I certainly think that a topping would make this one a bit more manageable, but it wasn't one that I would add to my cart simply because there were so many other, better options out there that don't break the bank.

Old Fashion Hearth's muffins give off the impression that they're a very homestyle brand. The packaging is rustic, the muffins have burnished marks on the outside of them, and they just look like the English muffin brand that you'd find at a health foods store (though I found these at my local Walmart). 

These muffins are wheat-based, which is not the same thing as whole grain. Whatever you call them, though, you can't help but admit that these are really attractive muffins. When I opened the package, I was immediately perfumed with a strong, fresh smell of fresh wheat — almost like I shoved my whole face in a bag of whole wheat flour. As a result, I expected that these muffins would have a slightly woody and organic flavor on account that they're made with whole wheat rather than regular wheat. 

And as expected, that flavor did come through. It was slightly stale and nutty (which alone isn't unpleasant) but I think that the flavor of the wheat really eclipsed the rest of the positive attributes of the muffin. If you like things that taste "healthy," this is a product that would be a great fit for your breakfast routine. Throw some organic, grass-fed Irish butter on it or slather it with some mashed avocado, and you've got yourself a deal. But if you're looking for a base for your basic breakfast sandwich, this is not the thing you want to select, as its flavor is slightly more complex than it needs to be. 

Nature's Promise is the organic wing of Stop & Shop's brand. And as I expected, the two were neck and neck in this race. There were slightly more pockets on this Nature's Promise muffin than on the Stop & Shop brand muffin, which meant that it was a shoo-in for a higher spot. 

I wanted a little more flavor in every single one of the English muffins that I tasted for this review. However, this one was one of the few that had a little bit of flavor already there. However, I found that this muffin was overall mild and inoffensive, which was a good thing, as it could act as a great supporting role for the other components in an eggs Benedict rather than taking center stage. 

Though these muffins were quite sturdy and easy to rip into two halves (unlike some of the lower-ranked muffins), they weren't anything particularly special. Other brands have products that have a better flavor than this one, which is why it scored near the top, but not on the top. However, they didn't have some of the major flaws of the lower-ranked brands, which makes Nature's Promise truly worthy of its spot on this list.

I don't like to spend a ton of money on groceries if I don't have to — which is why I was instantly impressed by Aldi's L'Oven Fresh's English muffins. When I first sliced into these muffins, I was very excited because I audibly said, "Yep, this is exactly what I came here for." These muffins had a perfectly airy texture with tons of pockets. Each bite was fresh and light, yet still sturdy enough to eat without it falling apart. Moreover, the flavor was slightly sour, but I think that this would be easily subdued by a lovely, large, and melty pat of butter. And, it was the cheapest product that I sampled — which makes L'Oven Fresh even better.

The only major downside to the Aldi English muffins was that they were a little dry. I suspect this may be because they were pre-frozen and thawed before being stacked on the shelves; my package was cold to the touch when I added it to my cart. However, there is no doubt in my mind that these would easily soak up butter, peanut butter, or whatever spread you choose to top them with. Did it have as excellent of a flavor and consistency as my top-ranked brands? Not necessarily — but if you want a relatively inexpensive and still high-quality English muffin, this is the brand you'll want to add to your cart.

Thomas is the people's English muffin. It's the brand that you can turn to when you want a quality muffin — or at least, it's the brand you've been told that you can turn to when you want a quality muffin. While I will admit that Thomas offered some pretty tasty English muffins, I can't say that they were the best. 

The aroma of these muffins was reminiscent of a preferment that you would use for bread. It's yeasty and fresh, which is something that pulled me in for yet another whiff. When I touched the raw muffin, I noticed that it was sticky — almost like the dough was raw. Its light color and softness also make it seem like this muffin is sold par-baked — like it needed to be finished in the toaster. Another big issue was that the cornmeal came off the muffin instantly. I like a little crunch from the cornmeal, so this was very unfortunate. 

Although I toasted this muffin the same amount as the other brands, it was still underdone. As a result, its yeasty sweetness was amplified and seemingly took over with every single bite. But, each bite of the muffin was still reminiscent of the classic English muffin that I grew up on. It's soft, adorned with the most nooks and crannies out of every brand, and has a relatively neutral flavor that could be topped with sweet, savory, and everything in between.

I wish that Thomas offered just a little more flavor than my top-ranked brand. But, if you want that classic English muffin consistency and flavor, then this is the brand that you opt for. 

Dave's Killer Bread is always one of my one of my go-to sliced bread brands. However, its high price tag has been the primary reason why I've had to opt for other brands. Its English muffins are one of the most expensive brands that I sampled for this review, though after sampling this product, I can confidently say that its flavor is worth the extra dough. 

Dave's Killer Bread managed to get the perfect balance of soft, bread-like bite and the characteristic English muffin crispness in its muffins. Its nooks and crannies are perfect and would easily capture melted butter, which was not the case with other wheat brands like Ezekiel and Old Fashion Hearth. The only thing more enticing than its texture is its aroma — which is filled with yeastiness and wheatiness. I also found that its flavor, despite being made with five different kinds of grains, was the perfect balance of nutty and complex and still approachable. It didn't have the same blandness as L'Oven Fresh or Thomas, which was ultimately the reason why it inched ahead. You could use it as a base for sweet or savory toppings — or just butter — and not think twice about it. 

Is the hefty cost of these English muffins worth it? I think it depends on who you're asking. Since this ranking is done just on flavor and consistency, I would have to say that these are my top pick. But really, you can't go wrong with any of the top three muffins on this list. 

I purchased bags of English muffins from several different grocery stores in southern Rhode Island for this review. I also wanted to encompass a range of price points and different draws (like being gluten-free, made with sprouted grains, or wheat-based). 

I defrosted each of the frozen brands before popping them in the toasted for a minute and a half each. I figured that most people eat English muffins toasted, so this would be the best way to assess the flavor and texture of each. Moreover, I (begrudgingly) avoided adding any butter to the muffins, as I wanted to assess each one for its flavor and consistency without having any other factor involved. 

The predominant factor that I looked for in this ranking was the taste of the muffin. A high-quality muffin should have a balanced flavor and slight saltiness to it that's inoffensive, yet sets itself apart from other brands. Moreover, it should have the characteristic pockets that set it apart from just a plain, round roll. Lastly, there should be a good balance between a bready interior and a crispy shell, in turn ensuring a satisfying and memorable bite.