Oat milk, that trendy and now ubiquitous plant-based dairy alternative, is a $2 billion industry worldwide, poised to balloon to nearly $6.5 billion in 2028. But we don’t need to tell you how popular oat milk is because it’s everywhere. And with that popularity has come a bevy of oat milk brands: Oatly, Chobani, Planet Oat, Califia, Silk … the list goes on. We tested the most popular oat beverages at three grocery stores to cut through the noise and find the best oat milk to drink in 2022.
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The Best Overall: 365 Everyday Value Oat Milk
Price: $4
Creamy: Yes
Calories: 120
Overall Rating: 4.5/5
Companies forget that shoppers buy oat milk — and not pistachio, soy, or almond — because they like the taste of oats. Whole Foods seems to understand this, however. The posh retailer’s 365 oat milk is creamy, nutty, and most importantly, it tastes like real oats! Compared to, say, Silk, 365 oat milk tastes real while also being rich, thick, and a joy to drink on its own. It’s also cheaper than the other top-rated oat milk brands on this list, making it a clear winner in Cheapism’s eyes.
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Best for Coffee: Oatly Oat Milk
Price: $5
Creamy: Yes
Calories: 120
Overall Rating: 4/5Shop Now
From Medium thinkpieces to online reviews, Oatly has transformed itself from a small Swedish company to a (partially) Blackstone-owned vegan giant. Beyond dominating the market and earning more than half a billion dollars in yearly revenue, Oatly also tops “best oat milk” lists across the web. And that reputation is pretty well deserved. Oatly’s beverage is super thick and creamy without being grainy, oversweet, or artificial-tasting — common oat milk pitfalls. While I don’t have a milk frother at home, baristas and taste testers also give Oatly high marks for how well it foams (there’s also a barista blend). The only downside? Oatly costs $1 more than its top competitors.
Best Oatly Alternative: Chobani Oat Milk
Price: $4.79
Creamy:Yes
Calories: 100
Overall Rating: 4/5Shop Now
If you’ve soured on Oatly (or Amazon-owned Whole Foods), consider Chobani’s oat milk, which was nearly just as good in every way. Maybe Chobani’s product isn’t as creamy, and it could be that the oat flavor is more pronounced than its competitors; otherwise, it’s a cheaper (and low-cal) competitor that I’d enjoy drinking every day.
Best Low-Calorie Option: Trader Joe’s Non-Dairy Oat Beverage
Price: $4
Creamy: Yes
Calories: 90
Overall Rating: 3/5In-store Purchase Only
Don’t let its less-than-sexy name deter you from Trader Joe’s “oat beverage.” It’s creamy and has a pleasantly light oat flavor, though it isn’t as delicious as our top three choices. Trader Joe’s oat milk is also grainier than other brands — you can see specks of oat — but this shouldn’t be a deal-breaker. Its stand-out quality is that it’s the lowest calorie oat milk on our list.
Best for Sweet Tooths: Silk Oat Milk
Price: $4
Creamy: No
Calories: 120
Overall Rating: 2/5Shop Now
Most Silk milks taste the same. They’re sweet, watery, and taste artificial, like they’ve been laced with vanilla flavoring (“natural flavor” makes an appearance on its ingredient list). Silk’s oat milk follows the same pattern with its saccharine, caramel flavor, which tastes exactly like Jell-O’s instant vanilla pudding. It might appeal to kids and sweet tooths, but I’ll pass.
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