The Best American Cheese for Your Next Grilled Cheese Sandwich

The best American cheese probably isn’t the American cheese that you’ve been eating since childhood. Believe me, I went into this taste test positive that Kraft Singles would win, place, or show, but there are way better options out there. Trust me! I know my way around pasteurized cheese food products. 

When we taste test cheese (which we do a lot), we don’t always investigate meltability, but it seemed essential for this taste test. So in addition to tasting these American cheese brands fresh out of the fridge, we nuked a slice of each for a few seconds in the microwave to find out how they taste when they’re all warm and gooey. We take this job seriously and no one can ever say otherwise. Whether you’re looking for the best American cheese for burgers or the best American cheese to eat on a cold bologna sandwich (don’t knock it!), we’re proud (as Americans) to bring you this ranking of the best American cheese. (And if you want to learn more about the science behind American cheese, we have the answer to the question: What is American cheese?)

Best Hot or Cold

Organic Valley Organic American Cheese

Instacart

It would never occur to me to buy American cheese from a fancy brand like Organic Valley. American cheese hardly seems like an organic substance, let alone one that could conform to organic food certification standards. If you want American cheese that’s actually cheese-like, Organic Valley is the way to go. It’s a lot like cheddar in taste and texture (minus any sharpness the aging process might contribute), but it still melts like American. According to the package, it’s made with butter so you get that nice, creamy melt. If you like American on both hot and cold sandwiches, this is the American cheese you want to have in the fridge. It may not scratch that American cheese itch for people accustomed to Kraft Singles, but it sure tastes good.

Credit: Merc / Instacart

Rating:

8.5/10

Sporks

Best to Eat Cold

Boar’s Head American Cheese

Instacart

One of my favorite things about visiting my parents (besides, you know, seeing my parents) is that they always keep deli-sliced bologna and American cheese in the fridge, and both are usually Boar’s Head. If you crave American cheese on a cold ham sub or a cold bologna sandwich—or you like standing in front of the fridge with the door open shoving slices of American cheese directly into your maw—this is the best American cheese at the grocery store. Boar’s Head sells this presliced (as pictured), but I recommend getting it sliced at the deli counter instead and asking for it extra thin.

Credit: Merc / Instacart

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Best Singles

Horizon Organic American Singles

Instacart

I grew up on Kraft Singles, but, honestly, they aren’t as good as I remember. When you eat them cold, that slick, plasticky texture still slaps, but when you heat them up, they tend to get a little bit grainy. These Horizon Organic Singles are the best American cheese for people who are now grown up and want a better grilled cheese sandwich, but not so much better that it doesn’t resemble the comfort food their moms served alongside canned tomato soup when they were sick. These say “delicious classic taste” on the package and they aren’t lying. They have everything you love in a classic Kraft Single (they’re even wrapped in plastic), but they taste and melt better.

Credit: Merc / Instacart

Rating:

9.5/10

Sporks

Best of the Best

Kraft Deli Deluxe American

Target

Don’t worry, Kraft didn’t get shut out altogether. Seriously, if you’re still buying Kraft Singles, I insist you start spending the extra dollar or so (at our local Ralphs, the price discrepancy was about $1.60) and buy Deli Deluxe instead. It’s a small price to pay for way better quality. The slices are thicker cut. The consistency is smoother (these don’t get grainy when you cook them). They are fine cold, but wow they are so, so good melted. This is the best American cheese for burgers and the best American cheese for grilled cheese sandwiches. They aren’t individually wrapped, but that’s a good thing! Enough with the plastic trash, dudes. If you’re a Kraft Singles devotee, you have to give these a shot. 

Credit: Merc / Target

Rating:

10/10

Sporks

Other products we tried: Great Value Singles, Velveeta Slices, Kraft Singles, Simple Truth Organic