Store-Bought Maple Syrup Brands, Ranked From Worst To Best

Real maple syrup is one of my all-time favorite condiments. Its exquisite flavor, amber-brown color, and smooth yet sticky characteristics gives me all the feels. I use pure maple syrup for virtually everything, from layering over pancakes (or waffles, depending on which I like best that day) to sweetening my jarred homemade salad dressings. Heck, you might even see me drizzle a touch of maple syrup in my egg salad if I'm in the mood. As such, I couldn't wait to have the chance to compare store-bought maple syrup brands side-by-side to see which of them was truly the best — and the results left me surprised.

Coming up, I'll present you with many of the pure maple syrup brands you'll see at your local grocery store and compare them to see which one stands out amongst the rest. I've selected only grade A maple syrup options to keep my analysis consistent across brands. Please bear in mind that though each maple syrup is marked as grade A, there are still distinctions within the grade A category, including golden (the lightest flavored), amber, dark, and very dark (the strongest flavored).

Because I'm enamored with the robust flavor of maple, you should know upfront that stronger-flavored store-bought maple syrup is amongst the ones topping my list. With that in mind, stay tuned to find out which syrup option makes the grade for the best store-bought maple syrup on store shelves as we explore maple syrup brands, ranked from best to worst.

Sapjack Grade A Golden Maple Syrup is an organic maple syrup brand, but don't let that trick you into thinking it's among the best out there. I found Sapjack Maple Syrup at my local Walmart for $5.67 per 8-ounce bottle; every 2 tablespoons contains 100 calories, 26 grams of carbohydrates, and 26 grams of sugar. Considering its cute little label and "organic" designation, I was optimistic about this one — but alas, its taste didn't quite measure up with its appearance.

I drizzled a little of Sapjack Grade A Golden Maple Syrup onto a white board, alongside all the other maple syrups I tried, to get an idea of its color and consistency. This is the only maple syrup out of the group that had a slight olive-green tinge to it. Its consistency was also super thin, and I found my hope for its taste quickly dwindling.

Indeed, I wasn't impressed with Sapjack Grade A Golden Maple Syrup. Its flavor was so light that it was barely noticeable. Instead of the rich, warm, maple-flavored goodness I expected, I was instead met with a seemingly diluted version whose flavor vanished almost as soon as it hit my tongue. Considering its price point, I can't say this one is worth your coin. As you'll soon see, there are other options that are cheaper priced that taste far better. Sapjack Grade A Golden Maple Syrup is a hard pass for me.

Award-winning maple syrup? Ehh, I'm not so sure. Wagner's Maple Syrup comes in a 12-ounce glass bottle and goes for around $7.99 at the time of publication. It contains 200 calories, 53 grams of carbohydrates, and 53 grams of sugar per 2 tablespoons.

I found this bottle of Wagner's Maple Syrup at my local Wisconsin Pick 'n Save, and several claims on the bottle's label convinced me that this maple syrup grab was going to be delish. It claims to be an "award-winning" pick that is "something special from Wisconsin" and features a sketch of a rustic home nestled in the midst of the woods — talk about cozy. The pricing is also decent, at about $0.67 per ounce. So why the lower ranking?

Unfortunately, Wagner's Maple Syrup didn't exactly live up to its claims — at least not in my eyes. Its taste was watery and virtually non-existent, even for a delicately flavored grade A syrup. For an award-winning syrup, this isn't exactly what I had in mind. I'd rather spend a little extra and end up with maple syrup that actually tastes like something than sampling a syrup so tasteless and watery. Sorry, Wagner, but this pick simply isn't for me.

I've purchased Hamel Grade A 100% Pure Maple Syrup several times in the past but never considered it subpar until I compared it against other maple syrup varieties. It comes in an 8-ounce bottle priced at $8.36 at the time of publication and contains 100 calories, 26.5 carbohydrates, and 26.5 grams of sugar per 2 tablespoons.

After pouring Hamel Grade A 100% Pure Maple Syrup out on my white board, I could clearly see that it was lighter in color and thinner in consistency than most, both of which I consider a bad sign when it comes to robust-tasting maple syrups. I gave it a taste and grimaced at its candy-like flavor. It indeed contains more natural sugar per two tablespoons than most brands on this list, and it certainly tastes like it. Rather than having the intoxicating flavor of rich maple, it was giving cane sugar. Ick. I don't know, maybe it'll float somebody's boat but as for me, I prefer maple syrup with a little more punch.

Maple Grove Farms 100% Pure Maple Syrup is another organic maple syrup grab, and once again, I've found myself (somewhat) disappointed. Beginning with its stats, expect this maple syrup to come in an 8.5-ounce bottle for around $6.82 at the time of publication at Walmart. It has 110 calories, 27 grams of carbohydrates, and 24 grams of sugar per 2 tablespoons.

Maple Grove Farms Organic 100% Pure Maple Syrup is one of the few Grade A maple syrups I sampled that features rich color. Though not the darkest I've seen, this maple syrup sports a warm golden hue and has a thinner consistency. Upon tasting the syrup, I found myself once again met with a candy-like, cloyingly sweet flavor that I just can't bring myself to enjoy. There was very little true maple flavor, and, as a result, I found this to be one of the most boring picks taste-wise out of the bunch. Having said that, I think there's enough flavor here to allow you to still use this maple syrup in a variety of recipes, especially those that don't require strong maple flavors. For example, I could see myself using this lightly flavored maple syrup option to boost the flavor of a smoothie or as a natural sweetener for oats. No, it doesn't contain the robust maple flavor I usually go for, but that doesn't mean you won't find ways to put this natural sweetener to good use.

Packed in a sleekly attractive bottle, Spring Tree Pure Maple Syrup catches the eye when stationed next to other maple syrup options on store shelves. It comes in an 8.5-ounce bottle and runs about $5.48 at Walmart at the time of publication. It has 110 calories, 27 grams of carbohydrates, and 24 grams of sugar per 2 tablespoons.

Spring Tree Pure Maple Syrup is thinner in consistency compared to a few of the others, which, for me, isn't always a great thing. After tasting it, I noticed that the flavor was quite similar to the previously mentioned Hamel brand. Its taste was light and sweet, without much depth of maple flavor. With that said, one thing I do like about Spring Tree Pure Maple Syrup is that though its flavor is light, it isn't quite as cloyingly sweet as Hamel's offering. As such, I could see myself drizzling this over spiced meat to be used as a sticky sweet glaze or as a replacement for sugar in my morning coffee.

Since the sweetness is present without the maple flavor being too domineering, it, like the Maple Grove brand, would also make a great maple syrup to use for adding natural sweetness without the robust maple backdrop. Thus, though still too delicate for my tastes, Spring Tree Pure Maple Syrup Bottle is an okay pick, especially if you're in the market for a high-quality maple syrup featuring a lighter flavor.

Great Value Pure Maple Syrup is a decent pick, especially considering its availability and affordable price point. It comes in an 8-ounce bottle and runs about $5.48 at my local Walmart. Expect a bottle of this maple syrup to contain 11 calories, 26 grams of carbohydrates, and 26 grams of sugar per 2 tablespoons.

Though Walmart's grocery department may be shady at times, I found Great Value Pure Maple Syrup to be a breath of fresh air. While it isn't the best maple syrup on this list, compared to the maple syrup options I've tasted thus far, Great Value Pure Maple Syrup is a strong contender. What I like about this syrup is that it isn't too thin, nor does it have that bland cane sugar-like flavor. Instead, it tastes as maple syrup should, with a decently potent maple flavor that lingers on the tongue. It is light in color, but with as much flavor as it packs, that doesn't bother me much (and is honestly to be expected for certain types of grade A maple syrup).

Because Great Value Pure Maple Syrup is strong on maple flavor, I'd say this one would work best for any dish in which you'd like the maple flavor to be front and center. I'm thinking potent flavor will pair perfectly with mashed sweet potatoes, butter, and cinnamon, along with a handful of other rustic recipes that could benefit from maple's comforting flavor.

I actually had this Simple Truth Organic Maple Syrup stashed in my fridge even before the taste test; however, it's shocking how much your mind can change when comparing products side-by-side. Simple Truth Organic Maple Syrup comes in an 8-ounce glass bottle and costs around $5.99 at the time of publication. This grade A maple syrup contains 100 calories, 27 grams of carbohydrates, and 27 grams of sugar per 2 tablespoons.

To be honest, I was a bit shocked when I tasted this syrup against so many of the stronger maple flavors. Though this one has always been fine enough for my taste buds, I found it to be less robust in maple flavor than some of the higher picks on the list. Even so, Simple Truth Organic Maple Syrup still featured the medium-consistency and beautiful amber color that I love. As a result, this maple syrup isn't what I'd consider bottom of the barrel; its delicate taste is beautifully nuanced with hints of caramel-like flavor and would pair well with the likes of sheet pan pancakes or good old-fashioned waffles. Not bad.

Mmm, mmm, mmm! My taste buds are finally beginning to detect true maple flavors in the upcoming pure maple syrup finds. Private Selection Maple Syrup is yet another Pick 'n Save find (it can also be found at your local Kroger), and boy, is it delicious. Find it in a 12-ounce bottle for around $9.49 at the time of publication. It contains 100 calories, 27 carbs, and 27 grams of sugar per 2 tablespoons.

Private Selection Maple Syrup gets it right in terms of consistency, with its not-too-thin and not-too-thick texture being spot on. Though the taste of this maple is slightly lighter than the maple syrup options that have stolen the first and second spots on the list, it's still worth noting that this is an excellent grab. Expect to really taste the maple in this one — no bland non-existent flavor here, just a lighter and more delicate version of it than the upcoming two.

So, if you're in the market for a light-tasting yet very high-quality maple syrup, I highly recommend Private Selection Maple Syrup. By keeping the taste discreet without obliterating its core maple flavor, Private Selection Maple Syrup is the best of both worlds.

Welp, Target certainly doesn't get points for presentation on this one, but wow, I wasn't expecting this flavor. Good & Gather 100% Pure Maple Syrup is a Target-branded pure maple syrup option that comes in a plastic 12-ounce bottle. I'm not sure I've ever seen pure maple syrup sold in a plastic bottle before, and I'd be lying if I said it didn't cause me to raise an eyebrow. Even so, it could be that skipping the glass bottle helps the Target-owned brand to cut down on costs; it sells for only $7.89 at the time of publication, making it one of the most affordable options on this list at $0.66 per ounce. As for its stats, expect Good & Gather 100% Pure Maple Syrup to contain 110 calories, 27 grams of carbohydrates, and 24 grams of sugar per 2 tablespoons.

Good & Gather 100% Pure Maple Syrup might come in plastic packaging, but don't let that fool you. The syrup is medium consistency and has a warm golden brown color, which I always love to see. Most importantly, the taste of this Target-branded maple syrup is very rich. When compared to some of the lower-ranking maple syrup options on this list, Good & Gather 100% Pure Maple Syrup packs significantly more flavor and would pair impeccably with a fluffy stack of hot buttered pancakes or as a flavorful component to a maple-flavored cocktail. Yeah, the bottle isn't my fave, but the product within? Near perfect.

Isn't it interesting that the best-tasting store-bought maple syrup is also one of the cheapest? From among the pack, Anderson's Pure Maple Syrup stands out in multiple ways. Costing a meager $5.28 at Walmart for an 8-ounce bottle at the time of publication, Anderson's Pure Maple Syrup is a winner. As far as stats go, expect 110 calories, 27 grams of carbohydrates, and 24 grams of sugar in every 2 tablespoons.

To be honest, I didn't expect to like Anderson's Pure Maple Syrup as much as I did. I've sampled it before and don't remember thinking it was much different than other maple syrups I've tried. However, by sampling each store-bought maple syrup option one after another, it's so much easier to see the differences between them, thus allowing Anderson's Pure Maple Syrup's exemplary characteristics to shine.

First of all, Anderson's Pure Maple Syrup's consistency is thicker than all the others, and this, by a long shot. The syrup is also remarkably darker than all the syrups I sampled. A quick taste of Anderson's Pure Maple Syrup had me hooked. Its flavor was intense and full of maple-y goodness, very similar to the Good and Gather maple syrup pick previously mentioned. There's no odd spout to have to deal with, plastic bottles, or off flavors. Rather, Anderson's has churned out a maple syrup that encapsulates everything it should: rich, robust maple flavor without being overbearingly sweet. Thanks, Anderson's.

The sampling of each store-bought maple syrup was conducted using a side-by-side comparison for taste, consistency, and overall color. All maple syrups featured in the post were grade A, however, many of the maple syrups tested were of different grade A categories, whether golden, amber, dark, or very dark. Because I love rich maple flavors, maple syrup offerings that were more potent were (usually) my bottle of choice. Of course, this is a matter of personal preference, and which maple syrup is truly "best" will depend on preference and what culinary purposes you're using the maple syrup for.

Hopefully, this analysis of the best and worst store-bought maple syrups helps. Thanks for reading.