Best Fresh Pickles: Grillo’s Pickles Classic Dill Pickle Spears
You’ll find most pickle options in the condiment aisle of your supermarket, but don’t forget to take a look in the fresh and deli section of your grocer. That’s where you’ll find Grillo’s Pickles.
Unlike many pickles, Grillo’s manages to retain a lot of that refreshing cucumber taste. Of course, layered on top of the cucumber was the taste of fresh dill—the most dill flavor of any pickle brand our Test Kitchen sampled. Testers also found that Grillo’s perfectly balanced the salty, sour and vinegary tastes that we associate with pickles.
But these pickles were more than fresh cucumber and dill flavor. They looked just like a good homemade pickle and they had a satisfying bite: crunchy with a snap.
Because these pickles are fresh, they don’t have as long a shelf life as traditionally canned pickles, but believe us when we say not a single spear will go to waste. These rank among the best pickles anywhere.
Crunchiest Pickles: Milwaukee’s Kosher Dill Pickles
Is there anything more satisfying than a cool, crunchy pickle? We think not! In this test, our kitchen pros discovered that Milwaukee’s Kosher Dill Pickles were the absolute crispiest and crunchiest.
These whole pickles were generous in size, but not so huge that you wouldn’t want to finish one (in fact, our testers were happy to go back for seconds). Biting into these mellow green pickles, our Test Kitchen samplers got a distinct snap. Along with the satisfying crunch, testers found Milwaukee’s dills have a pleasant vinegar bite with a nice balance of dill and other pickling spices.
In short: These were the perfect picnic pickle. Several testers said they could imagine cracking open a jar to enjoy alongside summer picnic recipes like macaroni salad and turkey sandwiches.
Most Complex Flavor: Boar’s Head Kosher Dill Pickles
If you’re a pickle aficionado, you’ll appreciate a spear that’s more than just dill and vinegar. Boar’s Head Kosher Dill Pickles fits the bill.
This jar was packed with generously sized pickles as well as carrots, garlic, mustard seeds, peppercorns, dill sprigs and other spices. Our testers thought the flavor combination was lively. Plus, a selection of pickled carrots are always welcome on your relish tray alongside pickles. Besides packing a flavorful punch, these pickles were also pretty darn crunchy thanks to the cold pack pickling process. Like Grillo’s, these Boar’s Head pickles are found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store.
Best Pickles for Garlic Lovers: Mt. Olive Kosher Dill Spears
We know: Dill pickles should taste prominently of dill. But garlic is a must-have in many pickle recipes—especially in Mt. Olive Kosher Dill Spears. These bright green pickles served up major garlic flavor. Our tasters got hints of mustard and dill too, but garlic was the primary seasoning in this jar of pickles. While these spears were definitely on the large size (picture those giant pickles you see at the deli cut into four wedges), our testers still got some crunch from the outside of the cucumber. Overall, we’d recommend these pickles served up alongside your favorite sandwich, like a Reuben or turkey club.
Worst Overall Pickles: Simple Truth Organic Dill Pickle Spears
Kroger's Simple Truth Organic line offers an option for pickles made with organically grown ingredients. And while that sounds great, you can tell you're not in for a winner with these pickles just by looking at the jar. The color of these pickles is incredibly pale yellowish-green, which doesn't lend itself to an appetizing pickle.
There's a freshness to the brine when you open the jar, perhaps from the organic cukes selected to make these pickles. But organic doesn't always mean better. Biting into this pickle doesn't offer much. There's barely any crunch, and the interior side of the spear is mushy in texture. There's an incredible imbalance of sweet and salty with the flavor, leaving much to be desired. Sure, the addition of garlic adds a nice hint of flavor, but the vinegar is too over-powering to make these pickles even remotely enjoyable.