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10 Best Apples You Should Buy & 10 Terrible Ones To Avoid


10 Best Apples You Should Buy & 10 Terrible Ones To Avoid


Apple Insanity

There are dozens of types of apples out there, and odds are you probably haven’t tried them all. In fact, that might be for the best, as not all apple species are made equally. To help you break down your options, here are 10 apples you definitely should try, and 10 you’ll want to keep away from.

one red applePriscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash

1. SweeTango Apples

SweeTango apples are known for their balanced sweet and tangy flavor profile. They are crisp and juicy with a refreshing burst of flavor. The sweetness and tanginess of the SweeTango apple complement each other, creating a well-rounded taste.

File:SweeTango Apples Ready for the Box.jpgStemilt Growers on Wikimedia

2. Honeycrisp Apples

Honeycrisp apples are loved for their ideal balance of sweet and tart, so clean and refreshing. Their exceptional crispness and juiciness are very satisfying as well. These attributes combined with their aromatic and lively look have helped make Honeycrisp the most popular and in-demand apple of all.

red apple fruit on brown wooden tableTerra Slaybaugh on Unsplash

3. Kanzi Apples

Kanzi apples are well known for their sweet-tart flavor. They have a crisp, refreshing taste that is not too sweet and has just the right amount of tartness. In addition to their great taste, Kanzi apples have a firm texture and a juicy bite.

File:Kanzi apples.jpgTakeaway on Wikimedia

4. Envy Apples

Envy apples are known for their incredibly sweet taste with just a touch of tartness, offering a full-bodied and flavorful eating experience.

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They have a crisp and firm texture that remains fresh and juicy for an extended period, making them ideal for snacking. The bright, glossy red skin and consistent quality also make Envy apples a popular choice among consumers and chefs alike.

File:Starr-131224-3056-Malus pumila-Envy side fruit from Foodland-Hawea Pl Olinda-Maui (24602424813).jpgForest and Kim Starr on Wikimedia

5. Pink Lady Apples

Pink Lady apples are known for their unique sweet-tart flavor, which provides a bright, refreshing taste with a hint of honey. Their firm, crisp texture offers a satisfying crunch with every bite, making them perfect for snacking fresh or adding to salads. With their rosy pink skin and long shelf life, Pink Lady apples are as attractive to look at as they are to eat.

File:Pink Lady apples.JPGZozza on Wikimedia

6. Lucy Glo Apples

Lucy Glo apples are known for their juicy, sweet taste and crisp texture. They have a balanced flavor that is mildly tart with a pleasant natural sweetness. Lucy Glo apples are great for snacking as well as for use in cooking and baking.

File:2023-12-28 20 40 40 A cross section of a Lucy Glo apple in Ewing Township, Mercer County, New Jersey.jpgFamartin on Wikimedia

7. Opal Apples

Opal apples are known for their sweet, tangy taste and very crisp, long-lasting texture. They have bright yellow skin that doesn't brown easily, making them perfect for snacking and salads. Opal apples have a juicy crunch and a balanced flavor, making them a tasty and convenient choice for apple lovers.

File:20211125 opal® 032 EN.jpgOptifruit on Wikimedia

8. Cosmic Crisp Apples

Cosmic Crisp apples are the perfect balance of sweet and tart, with a juicy and flavorful bite.

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Their crisp texture is hard to beat, and it stays fresh and crunchy for weeks. These apples are great for snacking or cooking.

File:Cosmic Crisp.jpgPVM on Wikimedia

9. Wild Twist Apples

Wild Twist apples are highly valued for their robust and tangy flavor. They provide a zestier alternative to the milder sweetness that is typical in many apple varieties. The texture of Wild Twist apples is crisp and juicy, which delivers a delightful crunch whether eaten raw or used in culinary creations.

File:Wild Twist apple cultivar.jpgRelspas on Wikimedia

10. SugarBee Apples

SugarBee apples are highly prized for their extraordinary sweetness and crisp, juicy texture. These apples have a perfectly balanced flavor with a hint of honey, making them ideal for snacking and desserts. With their bright, eye-catching skin and consistent quality, SugarBee apples have become a favorite among apple enthusiasts.

Now that we talked about some of the most popular apples out there, here are 10 that just don’t work, whether it comes to taste or texture.

red round fruits on brown wooden tableCraig Pattenaude on Unsplash

1. Newton Pippin Apples

Newton Pippin apples are often viewed as inferior because they can be very tart, which is often too strong for the modern palate. The flesh can be softer and less crisp than that of more popular apple varieties, making them less desirable for fresh eating. They can also have an inconsistent flavor profile.

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File:Newtown pippins (8167963860).jpgLeslie Seaton from Seattle, WA, USA on Wikimedia

2. Golden Russet Apples

Golden Russet apples are not very popular because their fine-textured, dense, dry insides feel mealy rather than crisp. The flavor is strong and complex but may be too sharp for those who like sweet, juicy apples. The rough skin can also be unappealing to some consumers.

An apple tree filled with lots of ripe fruitAlly Griffin on Unsplash

3. Arkansas Black Apples

Arkansas Blacks have the reputation of being difficult apples. They are very hard and dense, and difficult to bite into when fresh. The flavor is extremely tart and not to mention the look is a bit unappealing.

File:Pomological Watercolor POM00001619.jpgAmanda Newton on Wikimedia

4. Red Delicious Apples

Red Delicious apples have several flaws that make them unappealing to many people. They can be mealy, which means they have a dry, soft, and powdery texture instead of being crisp and juicy. They also have a bland and overly sweet flavor that lacks acidity and depth.

File:Red Delicious Apple Mexico.jpgDoggo19292 on Wikimedia

5. Rome Apples

Rome apples are often considered to be of low quality. The taste is often described as mild, bland, and lacking in both sweetness and tartness. The texture is often soft and mealy, which can make them unappealing to eat raw. They are fine for baking, but their flavor and texture don't make them a favorite for snacking or salads.

File:Morgenduft (Rome of Beauty) (apple) jm179369.jpgjoergens.mi on Wikimedia

6. Crimson Gold Apples

Crimson Gold apples are often considered an unpopular apple variety. The reasons for this include their sometimes tart and sharp flavor, which some find unpleasant.

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They also tend to have a softer and less crisp texture compared to other popular apple varieties.

File:Cheerful-Gold (apple) jm122883.jpgjoergens.mi on Wikimedia

7. Sweet Orin Apples

Sweet Orin apples are often seen as undesirable due to their overly soft and mushy texture. They can also lack the depth of flavor found in other more popular apple varieties. Additionally, their limited availability and relative obscurity make them less appealing to many consumers looking for a well-known and reliable apple.

File:Cross section of Orin, National Fruit Collection (acc. 1981-117).jpgNational Fruit Collection, Brogdale. on Wikimedia

8. Golden Delicious Apples

Golden Delicious apples have a very weak point. Many find them to be disappointing because they lack a crisp texture, which some find too soft or mealy. They can have an insipid sweetness and also bruise pretty easily.

File:Golden Delicious apple 2021 (2).jpgCommonists on Wikimedia

9. Silken Apples

Silken apples have a reputation for being less desirable for several reasons. The very soft, almost mealy texture is often unappealing to those who prefer the crisp, juicy bite of a traditional apple. Their flavor can also be somewhat mild or bland, lacking the complex sweetness and tartness that make other apple varieties more popular.

red and white apple fruitsFranco Antonio Giovanella on Unsplash

10. MiApple Apples

MiApple apples are generally disliked because of their inconsistent texture and flavor, which can be soft, mealy, or both. This makes them less enjoyable for fresh eating and less predictable than other apple varieties. Their flavor can also be bland or very mild, lacking the sweet, tangy, or rich taste that many apple lovers seek.

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red apple fruit on gray textileCorina Rainer on Unsplash