Which Ice Cream Brands Truly Deliver?
Not every pint in the freezer aisle is worth your money. While some ice cream brands use inventive flavors and premium ingredients, others have sadly decided to coast on name recognition alone. So, before your next dessert run, check out 10 ice cream brands you should avoid because they often disappoint, and 10 fan favorites that freezer staples for years to come.
1. Great Value
Walmart’s Great Value ice cream is widely available and affordable, appealing to families on a budget. However, many flavors rely on artificial ingredients and corn syrup over cream, resulting in an overly sweet taste. Its dense texture often comes from stabilizers rather than traditional dairy fat.
CTC Review #289 - Great Value Unicorn Sparkle Ice Cream (Walmart-Brand) by Consumer Time Capsule
2. Breyers (Modern Formulas)
The brand features recognizable ingredients and uses sustainably sourced vanilla and fruit. Yet newer formulations often include gums and corn syrup solids. Some pints no longer qualify as real ice cream, with reduced milk and cream creating a noticeably less creamy and satisfying texture.
Breyers Ice Cream - Chocolate Waffle Cone Unboxing by The Ice Cream Channel
3. Halo Top (Certain Flavors)
Known for its low-calorie promise, Halo Top uses stevia and erythritol instead of sugar and cream. While it's a go-to for calorie counters, the lighter formula often feels icy and airy. Many fruit and dough-based flavors fall flat and lack an indulgent mouthfeel.
Halo Top Introduces Exciting New Mix-In Flavors by Eyewitness News WTVO WQRF (MyStateline)
4. Baskin-Robbins (Pre-Packaged Grocery Pints)
Baskin-Robbins has decades of ice cream shop heritage, but its pre-packaged grocery store pints often disappoint. These mass-produced versions can lack the creaminess found in their scoop shop counterparts. Many customers report a waxy texture and overly sweet base, suggesting a reliance on additives over dairy richness.
Tatsuo Yamashita from Tokyo, Japan on Wikimedia
5. Turkey Hill (Select Products)
Though Turkey Hill’s classic lines are a nostalgic staple in America, its lighter products often swap cream for stabilizers and water. The result is less flavor and an icy finish. While the brand excels in quantity, balance isn't always part of the deal.
Turkey Hill Butter Pecan Ice Cream Review by Matt's Ice Cream Show
6. Enlightened
Enlightened targets health-conscious consumers with high-protein, keto, and dairy-free options. The trade-off is texture—without enough fat, pints often turn crumbly or icy. Some flavors also leave a cooling aftertaste from sugar alcohols. While innovative, it misses the creamy satisfaction that defines ice cream treats.
Enlightened Kookie Dough Ice Cream Taste Test by The Ice Cream Girl
7. Blue Bunny (Budget Lines)
With playful products like Bunny Tracks, Blue Bunny appeals to kids and families. Still, its more affordable lines use airier textures and flavor syrups instead of real cream. These choices make the ice cream feel fluffy, and the artificial aftertastes often overwhelm its flavor.
Blue Bunny Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream Review by FoodzFolkz
8. Skinny Cow
Skinny Cow offers portion-controlled frozen treats that appeal to calorie-conscious consumers. However, the ice cream itself often sacrifices creaminess and flavor, relying on thickeners and sweeteners that leave an artificial aftertaste. Many reviewers on Amazon criticize products like the Vanilla Gone Wild cone for being icy.
Skinny Cow: Snickerdoodle Ice Cream Review by Tami Dunn
9. Nick’s Swedish Style Light Ice Cream
Nick’s stands out for using Swedish-style formulations. But the brand’s unusual blend of plant-based fats and sugar substitutes sometimes results in an overly soft texture. While flavors are ambitious, several lack the balance or creaminess that traditional ice cream lovers expect.
NICK'S Ice Cream Review || HONEST Taste Test & Review.... by Miss Sarah E K
10. Kroger Deluxe
This supermarket staple is known for its generous container sizes and traditional flavors. Its undoing, however, is its reliance on corn syrup and artificial flavoring that lowers overall quality. The ice cream base tends to be flat and overly sweet, while mix-ins like cookie bits can taste artificial.
Kroger Dragon's Dream Ice Cream (Reed Reviews) by casualgamerreed
Despite the disappointment from these brands, some others consistently deliver scoops worth savoring. The following ice cream brands are crowd favorites and nail the balance of flavor, texture, and quality ingredients.
1. Haagen-Dazs
Luxury meets simplicity with Haagen-Dazs. Real cream, sugar, and eggs yield a rich, dense texture. Vanilla and Coffee remain timeless favorites, and unlike many brands, it avoids stabilizers entirely. This allows the pure ingredients to shine through with every scoop, noticeable in their velvety Chocolate flavor.
Haagen-Dazs Vanilla Ice Cream | Back To Basics! by Matt's Ice Cream Show
2. Ben & Jerry’s
Chunky mix-ins and bold flavors define Ben & Jerry’s style. Social advocacy and ethical sourcing distinguish the brand. All pints use milk and cream from Vermont farms that meet rigorous animal welfare and non-GMO feed standards. Fan favorites include Cherry Garcia and Half Baked.
Hybrid Storytellers on Unsplash
3. Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams
Jeni’s takes a culinary approach, using grass-grazed milk and small-batch, scratch-made ingredients. Each recipe is crafted in-house, including handmade marshmallows and sauces. This results in cohesive, gourmet pints with excellent texture and flavor. Brambleberry Crisp and Brown Butter Almond Brittle showcase inventive taste profiles.
Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams - Jeni's Makes it Better by Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams
4. Tillamook
Tillamook ice creams feature a high butterfat content and creamy texture. All milk is sourced from co-op member farms that do not use artificial growth hormones or antibiotics, which ensures consistency from dairy to freezer. Flavors like Old-Fashioned Vanilla reflect the brand's commitment to quality.
We made pie better. | Extraordinary Dairy by Tillamook
5. McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams
Since 1949, McConnell’s has used Central Coast milk and cream. Artisanal flavors like Eureka Lemon & Marionberries combine boldness with balance. The company pasteurizes its base in-house and churns in small batches. This yields superior consistency in every scoop, particularly in their Sea Salt Cream.
6. Ample Hills Creamery
Brooklyn’s Ample Hills blends nostalgia with craftsmanship. Options like Ooey Gooey Butter Cake and It Came From Gowanus use scratch-made mix-ins. All bases are made in-house using hormone-free milk and cream. Despite past bankruptcy, the brand retains its creative soul with small-batch flavors having an interesting backstory.
Ample Hills Creamery: Nonna D’s Oatmeal Lace and PB Wins The Cup Ice Cream Review by Tami Dunn
7. Van Leeuwen
The brand’s French custard base, made with extra egg yolks, delivers a silky, thick texture. Its vegan line uses cashew or oat milk but mimics the same dense creaminess. All recipes, including non-dairy pints, avoid gums and stabilizers, while unconventional flavors like Honeycomb win loyal fans.
Van Leeuwen® Limited Edition Ice Cream Review! by SongByrd's Eating Show
8. Salt & Straw
Salt & Straw thrives on seasonal, chef-driven flavors like Pear & Blue Cheese or Arbequina Olive Oil. Founded in Portland, the company sources locally, using region-specific ingredients like Oregon strawberries or California goat cheese. Monthly flavor rotations keep menus fresh, all while honoring small producers and local food communities.
National Ice Cream Day in South Florida; top flavor in state is Neopolitan, survey says by CBS Miami
9. Blue Bell Creameries
Though largely regional, Blue Bell maintains a passionate Southern following. All production happens in Texas using time-tested techniques. Family-owned and rooted in tradition, it still hand-packs many pints—something few modern producers do at scale today. Its Homemade Vanilla and Cookies ‘n Cream evoke nostalgic comfort.
10. Talenti (Gelato Line)
Each Talenti batch is slow-cooked and uses real ingredients, like Belgian chocolate. Its iconic clear containers and visible mix-ins also let you preview what’s inside, making the experience more indulgent. Talenti’s gelato line wins most hearts with its dense textures and layered flavor blends.
Talenti Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip Gelato Review by Matt's Ice Cream Show
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