We Tried 10 Hot Dog Brands — And the $6 Winner Swept Them All (and Were a Huge Hit)
We’re entering peak hot dog season. (Can you hear that grill sizzle?) Whether you’re cooking your hot dogs like bacon, baking them for a crowd, or spiraling them before you grill, chances are you’re making a trip to the grocery store first — which is exactly why we’re here today.
Like many of you, we’re stocking up for holiday weekends and low-key weeknight hangs. That, of course, includes one of America’s most quintessential summer staples with a storied — and controversial — history: hot dogs. So, naturally, we wanted to know which package of links outranks the rest.
The Best Hot Dogs at-a-Glance
- Best Hot Dog: 365 by Whole Foods Market Uncured Beef Hot Dogs
- Runner-Up: Boar’s Head Uncured Beef Frankfurters
- Honorable Mention: Wellshire Farms Premium Uncured Beef Franks
We kept it simple and focused on all-beef hot dogs that are uncured. (Uncured hot dogs are preserved using naturally occurring nitrates often found in vegetables, like celery powder or juice, whereas cured hot dogs are preserved with synthetic nitrates, like potassium nitrite or sodium nitrite.)
We sourced mostly name-brand dogs and from select store brands that are widely available throughout the country. (We were unable to get our hands on A&H’s beloved hot dogs in time for this taste test.) All of the ones we did find were priced between $5 and $9 at the time we purchased them. The hot dogs were sold in packs of five, six, or seven — and even packages with the same number of hot dogs varied in overall quantity. (For example, a six-pack of dogs weighed in at 10-, 12-, or 16 ounces, depending on the brand.) To round out the list of contenders, we looked at recent sales data, past taste tests, and new launches.
After eight team members spent a sunny afternoon tasting and tallying, one store brand shocked us all. The $6 winner will now be the only hot dogs we’re buying this summer.
Best Hot Dog: 365 by Whole Foods Market Uncured Beef Hot Dogs
These mighty dogs are proof positive that sometimes, yes, bigger is better. Roughly the circumference of a quarter, the 365 by Whole Foods Market Uncured Beef Hot Dogs instantly stand out for their large girth and mild smoky scent. While one taster says, “Too big!” the rest of the group gave these franks fours and fives (even the one taster gave it a solid three).
Beyond style, the squat hot dogs are “very plump” and “firm,” says Greg, our people operations manager. The hot dogs have a “nice, even texture inside,” says Spencer, our food stylist. “You can see the spices,” he adds. Although a small few feel it’s a little too firm/chewy. The “sweet smoky flavor is enticing,” says Brian, our director of people operations. More than half of all tasters ranked this their number-one dog. Venus, our project manager, sums it up perfectly: “Classic, but better.”
What’s So Great
- Large and in charge
- Plump with an “enticing” smoky flavor
Good to Know
- Sold six to a pack
- Available for purchase at Amazon
Buy: 365 by Whole Foods Market Uncured Beef Hot Dogs, $6.49 for 6 hot dogs (16 ounces) at Amazon
Runner-Up: Boar’s Head Uncured Beef Frankfurters
Funnily enough, our second-favorite hot dogs are the polar opposite of the winner, with a long and lean look that Spencer calls “an ideal hot dog.” They’re “light in color, nicely plump,” and the “skin isn’t too thick,” he adds. Two tasters say they’re a little on the salty side, but overall the group really responded to these “kielbasa-esque” franks, as Venus calls them, with a nice snap. “It tastes like meat is actually in there,” adds Spencer. Half gave it the silver, and one taster even ranked Boar’s Head as the best of the bunch.
What’s So Great
- “Tastes like a ballpark dog”
- Long and lean with a nice snap
Good to Know
- For some, a little salty
- Less readily available, depending where you live
Buy: Boar’s Head Uncured Beef Frankfurters, $8.99 for 7 hot dogs (14 ounces) at Target
Honorable Mention: Wellshire Farms Premium Uncured Beef Franks
Wellshire Farms Premium Uncured Beef Franks are the Goldilocks of hot dogs. Not too thick or too thin, too long or too short — they are very middle of the pack (in the best way). They have a noticeable dark red hue (although it doesn’t quite show up in the photo above) that tasters like even better than our runner up. Similar to Boar’s Head, the salt level overwhelmed a few palates. Still, it has the most natural-tasting smoke flavor, which in a word, Mara, our senior groceries editor, says, is “STELLAR.”
What’s So Great
- Best smoky flavor
- Budget buy
Good to Know
- For some, a little salty
Buy: Wellshire Farms Premium Uncured Beef Franks, $5.99 for 6 hot dogs (12 ounces) at Amazon
How We Tested the Hot Dog Brands
We held a blind taste test of 10 different hot dogs — focusing on all-beef — and recruited seven “pretty big” hot dog fans who work in our office, plus one very enthusiastic “friend of” (so you know they’re qualified) to participate in an afternoon of tasting.
To ensure hot dogs were cooked evenly (and avoid a visit from the fire department), Maya, our studio assistant, baked them together on sheet pans in the oven. She pre-sliced the hot dogs into bite-sized pieces, for ease of sampling, and set each brand out on its own white paper plate. The hot dogs were each assigned a letter to conceal the brands’ identity.
Tasters were instructed to sample the hot dogs in random order, to avoid giving any one preferential treatment over the others. We also had ketchup and mustard on hand for dipping, plus cut-up hot dog buns and water on hand for palate cleansing.
Tasters rated each hot dog on a scale of one to five (1 = No, thanks; 2 = Meh; 3 = Pretty good; 4 = Really like; 5 = Yes, Please!) across four criteria — look, smell, texture, and flavor — and included any specific observations, tasting notes, and general opinions worth mentioning. They were also asked to answer, arguably, the most important question of all: Would you buy these hot dogs?
Why You Should Trust Us
This was a blind taste test, which means tasters had no knowledge of the brands being evaluated ahead of or at the time of the tasting. It was held over one day and tasters were instructed to sample the hot dogs in random order (to stave off palate fatigue and not give any one brand an unfair advantage). The group of tasters included a combination of food professionals and hot dog fans who work at Apartment Therapy Media, our parent company, plus one “friend of” an employee. All participated in the taste test voluntarily, and we thank them for being so generous with their time and feedback.
Speaking of, each taster filled out a score sheet (without discussion or influence) ranking the hot dogs across several criteria (listed above). The results were also tabulated without any visibility into the brands. Only after the numbers were finalized did we reveal which brands corresponded to the winners.
Did your favorite hot dog brand make the list? Tell us about it in the comments below.