The Ultimate Ranking Of Canned Tomato Brands, According To Customer Reviews
Canned tomatoes are a pantry staple that just about every American is familiar with. Perhaps because of the product's ubiquity, far too many people don't pay attention to the brand of canned tomato they're cooking with. This is a mistake, as, whether you're making pasta with Bolognese sauce or pizza, the quality and type of canned tomatoes directly affects the final dish. Given that the quality of canned tomato products is far from self-evident, we've created a ranking of the best canned tomato brands, according to customer reviews. You can read more about how we determined our ranking at the end of the article.
Each canned tomato brand offers something different from the next, be it in terms of taste, texture, or appearance. To further complicate matters, each brand mentioned in this article produces an abundance of product types, ranging from peeled whole tomatoes to finely chopped ones. Some even sell exclusive tomatoes, including the much-lauded San Marzano tomatoes, produced in Campania. While the type of product varies, every brand included in this article has something in common: They are loved and used by scores of Americans. That's why, if you pick a product from this list, you won't go far wrong.
12. Good & Gather
Good & Gather's canned tomatoes are affordable — one 28-ounce can of Whole Peeled Tomatoes costs $1.89. Given that this a Good & Gather product, a relatively low price is expected. What's more surprising is how good these canned tomatoes taste. All Good & Gather canned tomato products boast a flavor that's well-balanced between sweet and acidic.
As a quality, affordable option, these canned tomatoes are used as a staple by many people. They are well-suited to this role, and their versatility allows them to be used to make a variety of dishes. This was highlighted by a review posted on Target: "These are whole tomatoes in a thick juice and they always taste ripe, sweet but with a pleasant acidity. They are a staple in my kitchen. I use them for everything from soup to chili to Indian dishes." Customers make similar comments about Good & Gather's Diced Tomatoes, which are seen as a solid, fairly priced product.
While the reviews for Good & Gather's canned tomatoes are positive, they're far from effusive. As such, we'd happily recommend keeping a few cans of Good & Gather's canned tomatoes in the cupboard, but if you're aiming to impress, we'd suggest choosing a different brand.
11. Del Monte
Del Monte is another canned tomato brand which marries quality and affordability. The brand produces a variety of 14.5-ounce canned tomato products complete with a range of additional ingredients, including herbs, peppers, and onions. Often, these are sold for just over $1 each. Many customers enjoy these products for reasons highlighted by a reviewer posting on Del Monte's website: "The diced format offers convenience, saving time in meal preparation. The tomatoes are reliably ripe and flavorful, making them a versatile ingredient for a wide range of recipes."
There is one major drawback to the Del Monte brand, however: Several customers complain that Del Monte's diced tomatoes are far too large. This makes them difficult to cook with and ensures that several dishes turn out lumpier than desired. It's extremely time-consuming to dice these pieces further, leaving cooks with little choice but to use them as they are or blend them into a fine paste. Due to these gripes, Del Monte ranks toward the bottom of our list.
10. Carmelina
Carmelina is a brand that specializes in canned tomato products made from Italian-grown San Marzano tomatoes. These tomatoes are grown outside from May through to harvest time, with all tomatoes ripening on the vine. Once picked, the tomatoes are pasteurized and packaged without any additives or preservatives.
As imported, specialist products, Carmelina canned tomatoes do not come cheap. A 28-ounce can of the brand's whole peeled tomatoes retails at around $6. Given this price, and the brand's credentials, customer expectations are high. Usually, these expectations are met. Many customers rave about Carmelina's products, enjoying the tomatoes' natural taste, appearance, and texture. In fact, the lack of additional ingredients, additives, and preservatives forms a huge part of the brand's appeal, as it gives cooks complete control over their dish.
That being said, there are several customers who have been underwhelmed by Carmelina's canned tomatoes. For them, Carmelina's products do not match the quality of other brands' canned San Marzano tomatoes. This was highlighted in a review left on Amazon: "There is nothing bad about these tomatoes, but nothing great either. I have an expectation of what San Marzano tomatoes should taste like, and these did not have that richness. There are better brands out there."
9. Hunt's
Hunt's has been producing tomato products since 1888. The tomatoes used in the brand's products are predominantly grown in California and are allowed to ripen on the vine prior to being harvested. These practices have a direct impact on the finished product; Hunt's canned tomatoes are celebrated for their firm texture and bright, fresh flavor. These characteristics are especially apparent in Hunt's Diced Tomatoes, as a review posted to Hunt's website, reveals: "I am a regular user of Hunt's diced canned tomatoes. The texture of the tomatoes is excellent. I like the nice big chunks. The flavor is excellent, and they taste so fresh."
Hunt's also produces San Marzano Style canned tomatoes, but these are not authentic San Marzanos. For one, they're grown in the United States, not Italy. However, customers often claim that these canned tomatoes are superior to the authentic San Marzano tomatoes sold by several leading brands. To make matters even better, Hunt's San Marzano Style tomatoes cost a fraction of the price of the real ones.
8. Colavita
Colavita is a company known for its range of canned tomato products. Aside from the fact that the products are from Italy, one of the brand's main appeals is that it cans several varieties of Italian tomatoes, including datterini. The prevalence of smaller varieties in the brand, such as datterini and cherry tomatoes, is particularly arresting, offering shoppers something they aren't used to. One review posted on Walmart reads, "The texture on these was so great — why aren't canned cherry tomatoes more popular?! It provided all of the texture of blistered cherry tomatoes with less skins to get stuck to your teeth. The tomatoes tasted amazing."
Aside from these smaller varieties, Colavita also sells canned San Marzano tomatoes that boast Italy's Protected Designation of Origin certification. This certification guarantees that the San Marzano tomatoes are the real deal, unlike so many other San Marzano tomato products on the market.
Some customers note that one drawback of Colavita's canned tomato products is that they tend to be quite tough and have a more acidic flavor than other brands. This makes them well-suited to cooking; when simmered down, the tomatoes slowly soften and sweeten. However, when eaten raw or only briefly cooked, the texture and taste of Colavita's canned tomatoes can be overwhelming.
7. Mutti
Mutti is a brand that's based in Parma and exports around the world. It is one of the leading canned tomato brands and has become known for its high-quality products. Mutti's finely chopped tomatoes, known as Polpa, are perhaps the most popular of these. This product is made from rotondo di Parma tomatoes that are crushed using a patented technique to create a fine blend of tomato pulp and juice. Due to its fine texture and high liquid content, this product is well-suited to long cooking times, and many customers celebrate it as being the perfect base ingredient for an exceptional tomato sauce.
So good are Mutti's products that they often transform how customers view canned tomatoes altogether. This is highlighted in comments a reviewer left on Ocado: "Honestly didn't realise there was a difference in the quality of tinned tomatoes until we tried these. Definitely worth paying a few pennies more for as the eating experience is completely different."
Mutti's prices, which can be three times more than that of other brands, do put some customers off. Others complain that the brand's chopped tomato products are too finely diced. However, none seem to contest that Mutti produces exceptional canned tomatoes.
6. Tuttorosso
Tuttorosso has gained a lot of popularity thanks to its huge range of products. These are split into three groups: Italian Inspirations, San Marzano Style, and Classic Tomato Products. While inherently different, the products in all three groups share a similarly fresh taste that remains untainted by the can. This is highlighted by a customer's comments on Amazon: "What I like about this brand of crushed tomatoes is that it tastes fresh to me. I do not detect even a hint of the metallic taste that lower quality canned tomatoes have. It tastes slightly sweet and acidic of course as you would expect from a tomato."
Many customers also appreciate Tuttorosso's prices, which are lower than those of other leading brands. Yet more customers are attracted by the reputation of the brand's parent company Red Gold. As such, it is little surprise that Tuttorosso's products feature in the upper half of our ranking.
5. Red Gold
There is a general notion that the very best canned tomatoes are imported from Italy — Red Gold proves this is not always the case. The brand sources its tomatoes from family-owned farms in the United States' Midwest and uses them to make exceptional, award-winning canned tomato products that are renowned for their fresh, balanced flavor.
Aside from an impressive taste, customers also favor Red Gold because of the brand's consistency. Products nearly always taste the same, and the brand rarely produces batches of insipid or tin-tainted tomatoes. This is vital to the brand's appeal, as one Walmart customer highlights: "With some brands, when you open the can, they may be mostly liquid, or mushy, etc. With Red Gold, I know exactly what will be in the can every time."
Customers also like Red Gold because its products are cheap. Some people report buying a 28-ounce can of Red Gold tomatoes for as little as $2, far less than some of the brands featured in this article. That being said, the brand is not as emphatically celebrated as several others, meaning it only just cracks the top five of our list.
4. Pastene
In 1965, Pastene introduced Kitchen Ready Tomatoes. This product, which is made from a mixture of crushed fresh tomatoes and tomato puree, quickly became the brand's most popular item. Since 1965, over 275 million cans of it have been sold. As with all Pastene canned tomato products, customers love the Kitchen Ready Tomatoes for their rich flavor. Customers also enjoy the brand's relatively low prices; one 28-ounce can of Kitchen Ready Ground Tomatoes only costs $2.79.
Pastene stocks many other canned tomato products, including canned San Marzano D.O.P. tomatoes. This product is deemed exceptional and, once again, is more than fairly priced. A reviewer on Amazon writes, "Great value for a genuine San Marzano Tomato that is certified D.O.P. by the Italian Authorities [...] Having lived in Italy for over 6 years I always look for and use the best canned tomato I can purchase. These so far have been the best I have found in the U.S." Great quality and better prices mean Pastene ranks toward the top of our list.
3. Bianco DiNapoli
Bianco DiNapoli is an American brand that uses organic tomatoes grown in Northern California. This excellent produce is used to make a variety of canned products, including Fire Roasted Chopped Tomatoes and Whole Peeled Tomatoes. Each Bianco DiNapoli product is extremely well-reviewed with customers celebrating the tomato's flavor and texture, both of which are deemed superior to many other products on the market, including canned San Marzano D.O.P. tomatoes.
Bianco DiNapoli was co-founded by Chris Bianco, a James Beard Award-winning chef with a lifelong obsession with pizza. Consequently, it's no surprise that Bianco DiNapoli products work exceptionally well for pizza sauce. While many customers splash out on the product when making pizza specifically, others are just as happy to eat the tomatoes uncooked. An Amazon review states that "these really are some of the best canned tomatoes out there. They have a delicate and sweet flavor and taste great even if you eat them straight out of the can. They work great in sauces, soups, etc."
Naturally, such a high-quality product does not come cheap. Bianco DiNapoli's 28-ounce cans of tomatoes are often priced around the $8 mark, which does put some customers off the brand. That being said, if you've got the money to spend, you'll be hard-pressed to find better canned tomatoes than those produced by Bianco DiNapoli.
2. Muir Glen
Muir Glen is another canned tomato brand that grows and packages its products in the United States, specifically California. As with other American brands on this list, Muir Glen proves that canned tomatoes produced in the U.S. are as good as, if not better than, those produced in Italy. This is most readily demonstrated through Muir Glen's range of fire-roasted canned tomatoes. Customers find these tomatoes to be incredibly flavorful — a customer on Amazon raves: "These are simply the best canned tomatoes on the grocery store shelf. Muir Glen's other tomato products are also excellent — the organic growing methods make for richly flavorful tomatoes. The fire roasting gives a pleasant smoky/caramel edge to the tangy tomato."
Regardless of whether they're fire-roasted or not, Muir Glen canned tomatoes are widely celebrated by customers for their perfectly balanced flavor. Equally suited to cooking or serving raw, the canned tomatoes also carry the added benefit of being certified USDA Organic, something many customers appreciate. For these reasons, Muir Glen is one of the top brands featured on our list.
1. Cento
At the top of our list is Cento, a famed brand that many people will be familiar with. This iconic brand sells canned tomato products produced in Italy and is known as being one of the most trusted, high-performing brands around. Many enthusiastic home cooks name Cento as their brand of choice, and for good reason — these tomatoes are so good that using them will instantly elevate any dish. A review on Walmart reads, "I have been using these tomatoes to make all my basic Italian red sauces with. I have always received rave reviews on anything I have made with them. San Marzanos are the best and make a difference in taste."
Cento boasts a fully traceable supply chain that allows customers to identify where their products came from, right down to the specific plot of land. This provides assurance that customers are getting what they are paying for, something that's not always a given in today's world. As an added bonus, Cento canned tomatoes are widely stocked and are thus much easier to find than many other competing brands; Cento canned tomatoes can even be found in Costco. This accessibility makes them the first choice of Americans up and down the country.
How we determined the best canned tomato brand
When putting together this article, we only included canned tomato brands that are available to purchase in the United States. We ranked these brands based on customer reviews from a variety of sites, including the websites of major retailers, the brands' own websites, and message boards such as Reddit. The number of positive reviews influenced how the brands were ranked, as did the enthusiasm of the reviews. For example, reviews that raved about the brand and its product did a lot more to boost the brand's standing than a wordless five-star review did. Negative reviews that pertained to how the product was shipped and delivered did not affect a brand's standing.