The Best Store-Bought Pure Maple Syrup Doesn't Come With A Huge Price Tag

It's always worth having a bottle of maple syrup on hand because it has way more uses than just topping pancakes. From adding it to marinades, salad dressings, and glazes, maple syrup is a versatile ingredient that deserves some more credit. If you buy it often enough though, you'll know that pure maple syrup is on the pricier side (which is partly due to its lengthy harvesting process). You might also assume that cheaper bottles will miss the mark on quality — but after recently ranking several maple syrup brands, our top pick is surprisingly affordable.

Anderson's Pure Maple Syrup costs around $5.28 at Walmart for an 8-ounce bottle, or $11.19 at Target for a 16-ounce bottle. This top-rated maple syrup is among the cheaper store-bought bottles, retailing for around 66 cents per ounce, compared to something like Maple Grove Farms Organic 100% Pure Maple Syrup, which retails for around 80 cents per ounce. And, aside from Anderson's being affordable, it's also damn tasty.

Anderson's Pure Maple Syrup is full of rich maple flavor, but without the overpowering sweetness some syrups have. It's also been described as having an element of earthiness, which helps balance out the syrup's flavor.  Moreover, the consistency of this syrup is spot on: not too runny and not overly thick — perfect for pouring over some fried chicken or waffles. This also makes it ideal for marinades or even as a substitute for sugar in baked goods. Just swap out the sugar with a 1:1 syrup ratio and take out a ¼ cup of your recipe's liquid ingredients.

Anderson's maple syrup also comes in a glass bottle, which is better for retaining the syrup's quality since glass is non-reactive and won't affect the natural flavors. Plastics can leach into maple syrup, which isn't ideal for the taste or for our health. Plus, with a glass bottle, you can admire the rich, dark colors in the syrup. So, whether it's for the affordable price point or the irresistible taste, it might be time to buy yourself a bottle of this pure maple syrup.