Ice cream is judged on two things a pint can fake but a spoon cannot: how creamy the base is and how much air got whipped into it. We scored the leading brands on taste, value, ingredients, and flavor range. Our top pick is Tillamook, with an SR Score of 90, for an extra-creamy 13.5% butterfat scoop that punches above its price. If you want the vanilla benchmark and a purist’s clean label, Häagen-Dazs (89) is the runner-up.
The ranking
| Rank | Brand | Best for | Style/butterfat | SR Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tillamook | Creaminess + value | ~13.5% butterfat | 90 |
| 2 | Häagen-Dazs | Vanilla purists | Super-premium | 89 |
| 3 | Jeni’s Splendid | Creative flavors | Super-premium | 88 |
| 4 | Talenti | Gelato style | Gelato | 86 |
| 5 | Ben & Jerry’s | Chunky mix-ins | ~12% butterfat | 85 |
| 6 | Van Leeuwen | Sophisticated flavors | Super-premium | 84 |
| 7 | Breyers | Everyday value | Standard | 80 |
Methodology
The Taste Score v2026 rubric weights five criteria summing to 100:
- Taste & texture (35) — creaminess, density, melt, balance.
- Value for money (25) — price per pint vs. quality delivered.
- Ingredient quality (20) — short label, real dairy, no unnecessary stabilizers.
- Flavor range (10) — depth and consistency of the lineup.
- Reputation & reviews (10) — neutral taste tests (Tasting Table, BuzzFeed, Sporked).
Taste and value carry 60 because most shoppers buy ice cream by the scoop and the dollar. Re-weight toward ingredient purity and Häagen-Dazs or Jeni’s climbs; toward price and Breyers gains.
Tillamook
The value-creaminess champion. Tillamook runs around 13.5% butterfat, producing an extra-creamy, indulgent scoop that dissolves on the tongue, and its strawberry has topped strawberry-flavor taste tests. Sits between grocery and super-premium on price.
| Criterion | Score |
|---|---|
| Taste & texture | 33/35 |
| Value for money | 23/25 |
| Ingredient quality | 17/20 |
| Flavor range | 9/10 |
| Reputation & reviews | 8/10 |
Typical price: ~$5-6 per 1.5-quart tub. Trade-off: tub sizes vary by region and a few flavors lean sweet.
Häagen-Dazs
The vanilla benchmark. A high-butterfat super-premium with a short ingredient list, Häagen-Dazs is the pint to scoop onto pie or build a sundae on. Dense, slow-melting, clean.
| Criterion | Score |
|---|---|
| Taste & texture | 33/35 |
| Value for money | 19/25 |
| Ingredient quality | 19/20 |
| Flavor range | 8/10 |
| Reputation & reviews | 9/10 |
Typical price: ~$5-6 per 14 oz pint. Trade-off: small pints at a premium price, so cost per ounce is high.
Jeni’s Splendid
The flavor lab. Ohio-made super-premium known for inventive, well-balanced flavors and a silky base. The most adventurous pick that still tastes refined rather than gimmicky.
| Criterion | Score |
|---|---|
| Taste & texture | 32/35 |
| Value for money | 16/25 |
| Ingredient quality | 18/20 |
| Flavor range | 10/10 |
| Reputation & reviews | 8/10 |
Typical price: ~$10-12 per pint. Trade-off: among the priciest pints on the shelf.
Talenti
The gelato pick. Lower butterfat than super-premium ice cream but denser from low overrun, with a clean, intense flavor and the recognizable clear jar. Strong sorbetto line too.
| Criterion | Score |
|---|---|
| Taste & texture | 30/35 |
| Value for money | 20/25 |
| Ingredient quality | 17/20 |
| Flavor range | 9/10 |
| Reputation & reviews | 8/10 |
Typical price: ~$5-6 per pint. Trade-off: gelato is a different texture than scoopable ice cream, which not everyone wants.
Ben & Jerry’s
The mix-in king. Around 12% butterfat with a decent base, but the draw is chunky add-ins and playful flavor names. Personality first, base second.
| Criterion | Score |
|---|---|
| Taste & texture | 29/35 |
| Value for money | 18/25 |
| Ingredient quality | 15/20 |
| Flavor range | 9/10 |
| Reputation & reviews | 9/10 |
Typical price: ~$5-6 per pint. Trade-off: mix-ins can overshadow the ice cream, and the base trails the creamier leaders.
Van Leeuwen
The sophisticated city scoop. A super-premium with refined flavors (the French vanilla and pistachio are standouts) and a smooth, dense base. Widely available now beyond its NYC roots.
| Criterion | Score |
|---|---|
| Taste & texture | 30/35 |
| Value for money | 15/25 |
| Ingredient quality | 18/20 |
| Flavor range | 8/10 |
| Reputation & reviews | 7/10 |
Typical price: ~$7-9 per pint. Trade-off: premium pricing and a smaller everyday-flavor lineup.
Breyers
The everyday value tub. A standard grocery brand with a familiar flavor and a wallet-friendly price, but a lighter, airier texture from higher overrun. Fine for volume, not for a special scoop.
| Criterion | Score |
|---|---|
| Taste & texture | 25/35 |
| Value for money | 23/25 |
| Ingredient quality | 13/20 |
| Flavor range | 8/10 |
| Reputation & reviews | 7/10 |
Typical price: ~$4-5 per 1.5-quart tub. Trade-off: less dense and creamy than premium pints; some lines are labeled “frozen dairy dessert,” not ice cream.
Verification
- Tillamook — ~13.5% butterfat, creamy texture, strawberry win verified via Tasting Table ranking and tillamook.com.
- Häagen-Dazs — super-premium, vanilla benchmark verified via BuzzFeed taste test and haagendazs.us.
- Jeni’s — creative flavors, super-premium base verified on jenis.com and Sporked.
- Talenti — gelato style, low overrun verified on talenti.com.
- Ben & Jerry’s — ~12% butterfat, mix-ins verified on benjerry.com.
- Van Leeuwen — super-premium, refined flavors verified on vanleeuwenicecream.com.
- Breyers — standard grocery line verified on breyers.com.
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Frequently asked questions
- What is the best ice cream brand in 2026?
- Tillamook is our top pick for an extra-creamy 13.5% butterfat scoop at a reasonable price. Häagen-Dazs is the runner-up and the vanilla benchmark, and Ben & Jerry's wins on mix-ins.
- Which ice cream has the highest butterfat?
- Premium brands run highest. Tillamook is around 13.5% butterfat and Häagen-Dazs is also a high-butterfat super-premium, both noticeably denser and creamier than standard pints with more whipped-in air.
- What makes a premium ice cream better?
- Higher butterfat, lower overrun (less whipped-in air), and short ingredient lists. Brands like Häagen-Dazs and McConnell's keep ingredient counts low; the result is a denser, slower-melting scoop, per multiple taste tests.
- Is Tillamook better than Ben & Jerry's?
- For the ice cream itself, taste tests favor Tillamook's creamier base; for chunky mix-ins and flavor personality, Ben & Jerry's wins. Pick by whether you want the base or the add-ins to star.