I used to have a pretty big apple juice problem. Not all that long ago, when I was a full-grown adult woman (still am), I had a weird aversion to drinking as much water as a full-grown adult woman should, so I made up for it by drinking as much juice as a family of four drinks. And apple juice was my favorite. It’s sweet, refreshing, and goes down smooth when you’re chugging it straight out of the bottle in front of an open fridge because your poor body is probably hopelessly dehydrated.
Alas, my relationship with apple juice is much healthier now. I drink water to hydrate, and I very occasionally drink juice as a treat, as I’m sure god and even Motts intended. Now that I’m only drinking juice once in a while, it makes sense to want to drink the best juice, right? For this taste test, the Sporked team was joined by Mythical supervising producer Chase Hilt as we set out to find the best tasting apple juice you can buy. Since all apple juice is pretty good, this one was a toughie, but I think this list truly delivers the best of the best.
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- Simply Apple
Simply juices are almost always a cut above the rest, and this pressed apple juice is no exception. The packaging advertises “fresh taste” and that’s no joke. This not-from-concentrate juice looks and tastes extremely fresh and natural (it even has floaties in the bottle), like something you’d pick up at a roadside stand attached to an apple orchard. Sporked social media manager Mark Catangui liked that it’s not overly sweet and delivers a tiny bit of tartness that stays on the tongue. My notes were: “Goddammit, it’s really good.” If you can get past the floaty stuff in the bottle, you’re in for a treat.
Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Target
- Sprouts 100% Fresh Pressed Apple Juice
The balance of sweetness and tartness in this bottle of fresh-pressed juice from Sprouts is really something. “Crisp is the first word that comes to mind with this one,” Chase said after taking a sip. “It’s got a good flavor to it and doesn’t taste super processed.” This juice is also sweet without being cloying and tastes like the fall, when grocery store produce sections spill over with every apple cultivar you can imagine. Mark thought this tasted the most like biting into an apple, and that’s a pretty good endorsement.
Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Instacart
- Martinelli’s Gold Medal 100% Apple Juice
For me, Martinelli’s has always been the treat-yourself apple juice. It’s not that egregiously expensive (although, it is more than, say, you average store brand), but there’s something about the presentation that just screams “luxury apple juice.” “This is the champagne of apple juice,” Chase said. “It’s got a smoothness and a fun richness to it.” A sip of this reminded him of toasting with apple juice as a kid on New Year’s Eve, when you could talk your parents into splurging on the good stuff.
Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Walmart
- Tree Top 100% Pure Pressed Honeycrisp Apple Juice
Yes, this juice looks like muddy water, but it really channels the flavor of a honeycrisp apple, as advertised. I’m super passionate about trying different apple cultivars, and I’m personally convinced that honeycrisps are the best for straight-up eating. That might seem boring because they’re so ubiquitous, but it’s true! (Jazz apples are a close second.) This juice came off as a little acidic for some of our tasters, but fellow honeycrisp lovers will appreciate the authentic flavor.
Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Target
- Evolution Fresh Organic Apple
We’re in the dog days of summer, folks, and I’m already pining for cooler fall weather (even though “cooler fall weather” doesn’t hit Southern California until it’s practically winter). This delicious cold-pressed juice from Evolution is pricey, but the fresh, natural taste of orchard-fresh juice is very worth it. “This one smells and tastes a little more fresh and natural—organic, farmy,” said Chase, who pointed out that you get some of the bitterness of apple skin in this bottle. “You’re not just getting the sweet sugaryness, you’re getting the balance of biting into an apple,” he added.
Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Instacart
- Great Value 100% Apple Juice
When you think apple juice, you probably think Motts. And you may have noticed Motts doesn’t make an appearance on this list. Well, that’s because I truly could not taste a difference between that name brand and this generic apple juice from Walmart. If you don’t like the cloudy, more natural-looking apple juices elsewhere on this list, give this a shot. Although, I gotta say, you should consider switching to cloudy apple juice!
Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Walmart
Best of the Best
Best Balanced
Best for a Toast
Best Tart
Best for Cider Lovers
Best Budget
Other products we tried: R.W. Knudsen Organic Apple Juice, Nature’s Nectar Apple Juice, Simply Nature Apple Juice, First Street Apple Juice, Langers Apple Juice, O Organics Apple Juice, Trader Joe’s Organic Apple Juice, 365 Organic Apple Juice, Motts 100% Apple Juice, Santa Cruz Apple Juice
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