9 Popular Coffee Creamers, Ranked Worst To Best

I don't know about you, but I start every day with a big cup of steaming hot coffee. While I know some people like to drink their coffee black, I'm particularly fond of using flavored coffee creamers to create unique drinks — with my personal preference being something a bit sweet, but not overwhelmingly so. Of course, finding that perfect coffee creamer (or two) can feel challenging when there are an overwhelming number of choices available in every grocery store across the nation. How are you supposed to choose the best one?

I was asking myself that same question when I searched the shelves for a new option to add to my standard rotation to keep things fresh. Thankfully, I was given the opportunity to experiment by testing nine popular coffee creamers before reporting my findings back to you. Each creamer was used with the exact same brand of coffee, which was brewed the same way each time, before being ranked based primarily on taste and texture. To make my determinations, I relied on a combination of relevant past experiences totaling decades of drinking coffee. You can find my full methodology in the next section. Now, ready to see which popular coffee creamers are worth buying and which are best to skip? Let's get into it.

I chose popular coffee creamers for this list based on their availability to me at my local ShopRite in Vineland, New Jersey. Of the many options available, I opted for no more than two creamers per popular brand and aimed to select a wide variety of flavors to ensure the most comprehensive ranking possible. Each creamer was tasted with the exact same coffee (Chock Full O' Nuts Donut Shop), brewed the exact same way, for the fairest possible results. The creamers were judged primarily on their taste and texture, with smell playing a smaller role.

To make my determinations, I relied primarily on more than 15 years of experience in the food industry and several decades of extensive coffee consumption. Previous work creating rankings for Daily Meal also played a role, including this similar one ranking donut shop coffee blends. Although personal preference played a role in this ranking, I aimed to be as unbiased about product quality as possible.

I've never been a huge fan of International Delight coffee creamers, generally because I find them to be a bit too bitter for my tastes. But this specific option went beyond that small taste preference and veered into gagging territory. Yes, I actually gagged a little bit as I took my first big sip of the International Delight Hershey's Chocolate Caramel, and it was as awful an experience as you can imagine.

The very first thing I noticed was that the coffee with the creamer in it felt weirdly heavy, like it was on the edge of turning solid. As this was unexpected, I internally recoiled just a bit. Perhaps this textural weight issue could have been overlooked if the taste that registered seconds later wasn't also horrific. Since coffee is already so bitter, I don't think bitter creamers work well with it. But, this creamer was the most bitter I've ever tasted, to the point that I couldn't have told you this was supposed to be chocolate and caramel if I were blindfolded. Besides the overwhelming bitterness, there were faint artificial tones throughout that only further ruined my experience.

I will definitely not be purchasing the International Delight Hershey's Chocolate Caramel Coffee Creamer again. I strongly recommend you avoid it, too, and opt for a higher-ranking option instead.

Back when I used to drink alcohol, I adored Bailey's Irish Cream — especially adding just a little bit to my coffee. I'd heard from some other people that this International Delight Irish Crème Coffee Creamer reminded them of Bailey's, so I was eager to try it. After all, it would be great if I could experience the taste I'd so enjoyed previously without the alcohol I no longer consume (for personal reasons). Alas, this did not live up to my expectations and instead confirmed the fact that I have yet to like any of the countless International Delight creamer flavors I've tried.

The smell was actually quite nice. To me, it had a heavy, creamy dairy scent, overlaid with faint notes of cocoa and vanilla. If the smell had been indicative of the taste, this could have been a great creamer. And, the taste did have faint notes of coca and vanilla, but it was barely noticeable through the nauseatingly sweet cream and overwhelming bitterness. That bitterness has become a hallmark of International Delight creamers for me over the years, and it's the primary reason I just don't like them. Oh, and the texture was a bit too thick for my personal preferences.

I'd personally avoid this coffee creamer. Instead, opt for a higher-ranking option on this list or maybe make this homemade three-ingredient coffee creamer instead.

I'd heard amazing things about Chobani coffee creamers, but I'd never tried them before this taste test. Although I was looking forward to my first taste, the Chobani Vanilla Coffee Creamer was mostly a letdown — of course, it wasn't quite as dreadful as the two lowest-ranked options on this list, so I suppose that's at least something.

The best way I can describe this coffee creamer is that it tastes like heavy whipping cream that's been flavored too strongly with pure vanilla extract. It's not nauseating, but the vanilla flavor is a bit overwhelming. Along with that, the texture is consistent with heavy whipping cream, which is a bit too thick for me. When incorporated into the coffee, it gives the drink a moderately thick mouthfeel, which I'm not a fan of. The smell is also overwhelmingly vanilla extract, to the point where it almost burns my nose.

I'm not a fan of this vanilla coffee creamer, and I can't recommend it in any good faith. If you're looking for a vanilla-flavored creamer, there's a higher-ranking option on this list I suggest trying instead.

Although Chobani's vanilla flavor left me feeling a bit disappointed, their cookie dough option officially marks the part of the list where I began to really enjoy my tastes. Most of the time, I tend to slowly like products more as the ranking list goes up, but for this one, it was a very thick, distinct line between "gross" and "great" for me.

The scent of this Chobani Cookie Dough Coffee Creamer was mostly chocolate milk, but with the faintest buttery hints interspersed throughout. Honestly, this was a pretty good indicator of what the creamer ended up tasting like, although not exactly. A strong chocolate milk taste was laced with heavy buttery notes, light brown sugar tones, and a faint aftertaste that was surprisingly identical to fresh-baked cookies. It's a decadently sweet creamer that I could see myself enjoying occasionally, though it's a little too decadent for me as a daily indulgence.

Honestly, while I enjoyed the taste a lot and would definitely drink it again, I found the texture just a bit too thick for my preferences — hence why it ranked a little lower on this list. But, if you don't mind thicker creamers and are looking for something sweet, you might like this option just fine.

I've had the caramel macchiato offered at Starbucks locations and really enjoyed it. So, I had little doubt that I'd enjoy this, also — and, thankfully, unlike my many dashed hopes along this taste test journey, this didn't turn out to be a complete letdown.

My primary note here is that the Starbucks Caramel Macchiato Coffee Creamer does a good job of being very similar to the in-store version, albeit not exact. The scent was heavily caramel with faint sugary sweet notes, which was nice. What I really enjoyed was the smooth, creamy texture, with a nice light mouthfeel. My first taste offered a thick caramel taste that bordered on overwhelming but not quite so, strewn with faint vanilla notes and rich, buttery overtones.

I could see myself enjoying this again, but not every day. Besides the fact that this doesn't feel like an everyday cup of coffee, I didn't have anything really negative to say about this creamer. It simply ranked lower due to sheer personal preference.

Although I strove to only choose two creamers from each brand, I made the decision to consider the "Natural Bliss" line from Coffee Mate as its own thing. I thought this was appropriate since this particular line is crafted to be as natural as possible, whereas the standard line is created from various ingredients that some health-conscious people may avoid. Before this ranking, I hadn't tried one of these Natural Bliss options, but since I prefer healthier products whenever possible, I hoped I might enjoy it.

The Coffee Mate Natural Bliss Chocolate Caramel Truffle is a very dessert-like creamer that feels decadent in the best possible way. I imagine this is something I would reach for after supper on a night when I didn't have a traditional dessert. That being said, this manages to feel indulgent without being sickly sweet, with notes of silky chocolate and rich caramel intertwined on a creamy dairy base. A lingering aftertaste like the ghost of the primary flavor remains long after you swallow, but I found it really enjoyable — like the creamer gave me an opportunity to really savor it.

I can definitely see myself buying this again, specifically as a sweet treat. Despite a glowing review, the reason this ranked lower is that I just can't see it as an everyday option. It's more like a dessert than a coffee accompaniment.

I've never been a huge fan of French vanilla coffee creamers, despite this being one of my favorite ice cream flavors. But Coffee Mate has always come through for me with creamers that exceed my expectations, so I was excited to give its French Vanilla Coffee Creamer a shot. I'm glad I did.

The flavor of this French vanilla coffee creamer is very sweet and creamy, with vanilla overtones and an almost marshmallow-like undertone. Truthfully, this would be a little sweeter than my personal preference, but since I'm not the biggest fan of this type of creamer to begin with, I had two others taste it — my daughter and a friend. Both agreed that this was the best French vanilla creamer they'd ever had, so I dutifully moved it up a few spots from where I'd had it to account for my own slight bias. What I personally really enjoyed is the lightweight and smooth mouthfeel, which I've appreciated in nearly all Coffee Mate creamers.

I likely won't purchase this again, simply out of personal preference. However, if you're a big fan of French vanilla, you'll likely enjoy this and should grab a bottle on your next shopping trip.

If you're not a flavored coffee enthusiast, this will be your go-to creamer. In fact, I think this is an excellent representation of the perfect everyday coffee creamer. Basically, the idea is that it contains "extra extra" cream and sugar. Although I usually order my Dunkin' coffees with extra, I was worried this might be too sweet for me. But, of course, based on its ranking, you can rightfully assume that was an incorrect assumption.

There wasn't a huge defining smell to this creamer, although it did lend light, creamy notes to the hallmark coffee scent. When I took my first taste, I noted that despite the "extra extra" label, this creamer actually has a perfect balance of cream and sugar. I like my coffee a little on the lighter side, so that's what I poured for, but you could easily use just a little less or a little more to customize. The sugar isn't gritty or overwhelming, and the cream aspect is, well, creamy.

I will definitely be keeping a container of this Dunkin' Extra Extra Coffee Creamer in my refrigerator from now on. Not only will it be a good option for those days when I'm not feeling up to flavors, but it'll also be perfect to keep on hand for company. If you're looking for something basic and unflavored but absolutely delicious, this is your new favorite creamer.

As a full disclosure, Coffee Mate Hazelnut Coffee Creamer is my favorite option, one I already knew I liked and use most of the time in my morning cups of coffee. However, I entered into this taste test with every hope of finding a new favorite, but none quite surpassed this go-to. Of course, there's a good reason for that.

The flavor of this hazelnut creamer is sweet with a moderate nutty profile that pairs perfectly with the bitterness of coffee. It's an excellent everyday option since it's not too sweet nor too bitter in its own right. The texture is smooth with a light mouthfeel — which is fantastic since some coffee creamers have an unnecessary heaviness that I find repulsive. The smell is also nice, featuring a light nutty aroma that still allows the natural coffee scent to shine through. I have nothing negative to say about this popular creamer.

I strongly suggest grabbing a container of the Coffee Mate Hazelnut Coffee Creamer to try for yourself on your next grocery shopping trip. Once you try it for yourself, you'll have zero doubts as to why this coffee creamer achieved the top spot in our ranking.