Mustard is the most diverse condiment with a wide range of variations. Because it’s a vehicle for so many different flavors and styles, the most classic type of mustard — yellow mustard — can be forgotten. Around here, we appreciate all that yellow mustard does. There would be no backyard barbecue without it.
Which brand wears the crown? Who makes the best yellow mustard? I put together a yellow mustard taste test and ventured to find out, like any sane person does. Here are the six I tried, ranked.
Prices and availability are subject to change.
Best: French’s Classic Yellow Mustard
$1.87 from Walmart
Obvious? Yeah, it is. Cliché? Probably. French’s didn’t luck its way into the hearts of the entire country by accident. This is the gold — uh, yellow — standard of what yellow mustard needs to be. The tang is just right, making me instantly crave relish. The kiss of garlic is a guardian angel, balancing out the vinegar. The consistency couldn’t be better, shooting out in wavy little lines that are begging to be spread across a hot dog.
I have nothing but the utmost respect for this product right here.
2. Sir Kensington’s Yellow Mustard
$4.19 from Amazon
Sir Kensington’s, makers of some of the only mayo I’ll consider touching, has put together the most robust flavor experience of any mustard on this list. There’s a lot of complexity, and I really like the spirit of what’s going on here. Flavors like clove and cinnamon are very welcome in my mustard. I am fully on board.
3. Plochman’s Chili Dog Yellow Mustard
$7.90 from Amazon
I can explain. It’s not much of a mystery. I grabbed this without fully reading the bottle. When I saw “chili dog,” I thought it meant “for a chili dog.” I entirely missed the word “seasoned.”
This is yellow mustard with chili flavoring. That spiced, curry-ish flavor is mildly present here, and it’s a huge winner. Gone is the bright yellow color; instead, we’ve got something more like the color of a spicy brown mustard. It’s probably not fair to consider it for this list since everything else is just plain yellow mustard, but look, Plochman’s is innovating. None of the other brands has a chili variation. There are great minds over at Plochman’s.
4. Annie’s Organic Yellow Mustard
$13.50 for a two-pack from Amazon
This tastes the most like homemade mustard out of any of ‘em. If you’re looking to top a hearty Italian sausage, this is a great choice. If you’re just jamming on some Hebrew National hot dogs, look for a more classic yellow mustard.
5. Woodstock Organic Yellow Mustard
Available from Instacart
You’ll never believe this, but here’s the truth: These all mostly taste the same. Mustard flavor is mustard flavor. Every last one of these contains the same base ingredients: distilled vinegar, salt, turmeric, paprika, black mustard seeds, and yellow mustard seeds. Shocking, I know.
The other thing I know is that when I tasted these, I said “mmmm” out loud for almost all of them. Woodstock didn’t, well, cut the mustard for that one, and I think that’s quite telling. This brand is good, but when you can score a bottle of French’s for under two bucks, it’s not worth the price.
Trending on Cheapism
6. Heinz Yellow Mustard
$1.76 from Walmart
This is the most watery, bland mustard I have tasted by far. Honestly, I’m a little steamed that it even exists. Stay in your freaking lane, Heinz. It’s not good enough that you’ve got a monopoly on ketchup? You’ve gotta come for mustard’s corner, too? You’ve got a lot of nerve.
More Condiment Taste Tests
- We Tried 25 Popular Hot Sauces — This Is the Best — With hot sauce sales topping a billion dollars, this taste test pitted 25 supermarket bottles against each other to crown a fiery champion.
- We Ranked 13 Ketchups, and These Are the Best (and Worst) — From sugar‑free to organic, 13 ketchup brands were lined up and dunked with fries to see which tomato sauce really deserves a spot on your table.
- Pickle Lovers: These Are the Only Dill Pickles You Should Be Buying — Eight jars of dill pickles went head‑to‑head; the top pick delivered deli‑style crunch and tang, while others fell flat.
