Best Cheap Gin Under $20 for Martinis, G&Ts, and More

I wouldn’t call myself a gin snob—but I certainly have opinions on the best gin. I will happily ask you probing questions and talk your ear off about the best gin for you depending on your preferences. I’m great at parties. But typically my gin selections, while not outrageously expensive, certainly cost more than $20. So, in order to find the best cheap gin, the best affordable gin that costs less than an Andrew Jackson, I simply had to taste a whole bunch. 

Along with my good friends and colleagues Gwynedd Stuart and Emily Fleming, I sipped gins on their own and mixed them with tonic in order to evaluate them. And, in the end, we found four bottles that I think truly are some of the best budget gin you can buy. 

What we looked for in the best cheap gin: 

• Under $20. When we say cheap gin we mean cheap gin. We only considered gins that cost under $20 for 750ml. 
• Crisp flavor. Whether the gin had a juniper forward flavor profile or leaned more citrusy, we wanted zesty, bright, zippy flavor that left our tongues tingling. 
• Mixability. We wanted gins that could be used in Martinis, Gin & Tonics, and beyond. 
• Smooth finish. If you can’t sip it on its own, you shouldn’t sip it in a cocktail. 

Best Cheap Gin, Ranked

This article contains affiliate links that may generate a small commission to us when you make a purchase through the link. Learn more about how we work with affiliates here.

Best Gin for Dirty Martinis

Taaka Extra Dry London Dry Gin ($14.50 for 1.75L)

Instacart

This extra dry gin really is extra dry. Instead of citrus and juniper, this Kentucky gin has subtle flavors of baking spices like mace and white pepper. It’s very crisp with really no fruit flavors whatsoever, which makes it a good candidate for the best cheap gin to use in a Dirty Martini. Briny olive juice often clashes with fruitier, more floral gins. But Taaka’s dry flavor profile can easily blend with some brine. Want the best Martini olives to use? We found those, too.

Credit: Merc / Instacart

Rating:

7.5/10

Sporks

Best Gin for Beginners

Seagram’s Extra Dry ($14.50 for 750ml)

Instacart

Seagram’s is a backbar classic for a reason. This gin goes light on the juniper, but heavy on the orange peel, which makes it one of the best gins for beginners who might not have developed a craving for soapy juniper quite yet. It’s also the best cheap gin to buy if you regularly buy Nolet’s but don’t feel like spending upwards of $40. It doesn’t have quite the same vanilla-tinged flavor profile, but it’ll get you close.

Credit: Merc / Instacart

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Best Big Ol’ Plastic Bottle

Banker’s Club ($15.50 for 1.75L)

Instacart

We were skeptical of this massive plastic bottle of cheap gin—but it’s pretty darn good. It smells and tastes like fresh tangerines with just a bit of a juniper backbone. It’s definitely on the sweeter end of the gin spectrum (don’t use this one in your Dirty Martinis) and you can definitely tell it’s a budget gin. But it’s cheap, it’s smooth, it’s tasty, and it’d be damn good in a G&T or a Martini with a twist. 

Credit: Merc / Instacart

Rating:

8.5/10

Sporks

Best of the Best

Kirkland London Dry Gin ($20.50 for 1.75L)

Costco

Costco’s gin has been likened to Beefeater—but I think it could also be a dupe for Tanqueray, if slightly less juniper heavy. It really punches above its weight with a lovely heft and complex flavor profile that hits all the classic notes of a London dry gin. (Or, as I wrote in my notes, “real classic London dry gin s*it.”) It’s a little bit bitter—like lime zest—it’s a little bit sweet—the way tonic water is sweet—and it’s a lot junipery. Plus, you get a ton of it in a decent glass bottle for just over $20. Use it in whatever gin cocktail you want—this is the best cheap gin around.

Credit: Merc / Costco

Rating:

10/10

Sporks

Other cheap gins we tried: 

Miles’, Classic Club, New Amsterdam, Greenall, Gilbey’s Club, Kavlana, Burnett’s