If you’re a pickle person, you probably think you know what the best dill pickles are—and you probably have a jar ready to go in your fridge. But have you tasted 37 different types of dill pickles? We have. And that’s why we’re confident in our list of the best dill pickles.
There are 12 on here that will satisfy all your dill pickle cravings, whether you’re looking for the best garlic dill pickles, the best dill pickle chips, the best spicy dill pickles, the best dill pickle spears, or even the best pickles for burgers. We found the best dill pickles if you only get your pickles from the refrigerated section, as well as the best dill pickles if you want to stock up on shelf-stable jars for the apocalypse.
While everyone has slightly different preferences when it comes to pickles, we can all agree that the best dill pickles should meet certain criteria when it comes to flavor, taste, and juiciness. Dill pickles should actually taste like dill (obviously), along with some other complementary flavors like garlic, peppercorns, and chile peppers if we’re talking spicy dill pickles. They should be crunchy and never mushy. Lastly, they need to be super juicy—the kind of juicy where you have to suck in the juice while you bite the pickle so the juice doesn’t get all over your clothes. If a dill pickle can fulfill all those requirements, it’s not just a good dill pickle, it’s the best dill pickle. Over the course of multiple taste tests, we tried some of the top dill pickle brands on the market in order to find the best dill pickles out there. (If you’re looking for the best bread and butter pickles, we can help you out, too.) Here are the best dill pickles we found to be absolutely dill-icious.
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- Bubbies Baby Kosher Dill Pickles
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I was slapped in the face by salt when I took my first bite of Bubbies Baby Kosher Dill Pickles. At first, I thought, “These are too much.” But after a few more bites, I was hooked. My mouth puckers just thinking about these. They might be a little too potent for most people to eat alone, but they are the best dill pickles to dice and mix into a tuna, egg, or potato salad. The brininess cuts through and complements the creaminess of any mayo-based salad. — Jordan Myrick
Credit: Ryan Martin / Amazon
- Wickles Dirty Dill Baby Dills
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If you’re looking for the best spicy dill pickles that are actually spicy and still whole, you need to get Wickles. These miniature whole pickles are crunchy, dilly, and just a touch sweet—perhaps from the apple cider vinegar in the mix. But most of all, they’re spicy. They have a great heat that keeps building the more you eat. They’re not so hot that you can’t eat a couple, but if you’re at all sensitive to spice, you should steer clear. — Justine Sterling
Related: All the Wickles Pickles, Ranked
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
- Great Value Whole Kosher Dill Pickles
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love a small, whole pickle. Like, a pickle the size of a pinkie finger. Something about the size makes the texture totally different than a pickle spear or chip. It has a crunchier crunch and Great Value Whole Dill Pickles are no exception. Their flavor is specifically pickle. It’s not exclusively dill. It’s not garlic or peppercorns or even vinegar. It’s all the ingredients coming together to make a unique, store-bought pickle taste that I love. And I don’t know if it’s just me, but holding a pickle this tiny feels very cute. Want to feel like a giant? These are the best crunchy dill pickles for you. — Jordan Myrick
Credit: Ryan Martin / Walmart
- Signature Select Pickle Chips Hamburger Dill
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I tried a few pickle chips specifically sold as hamburger pickles in our most recent dill pickle taste test, and these Albertsons brand pickle chips were by far the best pickles for burgers. They are mouthwateringly tangy and spiced. They are super savory. But what set them apart from the others was their crunch. These are crunchy! And, in my opinion, the best pickles for burgers need crunch—you want them to add both flavor and texture. You can make one heck of a McDonald’s cheeseburger dupe with these. — Justine Sterling
Credit: Liv Averett / Albertsons
- Signature Select Zesty Dill Pickle Spears
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Thank you, Albertsons, for the wonder that is the Signature Select Zesty Dill Pickle Spears. They pack so much crunch and flavor for so little money. These definitely make a tasty little snack, but they’re also the best dill pickles to pair with a homemade tuna melt. Alternate bites of the fatty, rich sandwich and bites of this zesty, spiced pickle for a symphony of flavors. — Jordan Myrick
Credit: Ryan Martin / Albertsons
- Dietz & Watson Kosher Pickle Chips
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Dietz & Watson makes some of the best dill pickles (spoiler: You’ll definitely be seeing the brand again on this list), and that includes the best dill pickle chips. They taste super fresh and they’re extremely crunchy and thick. Plus, they’re tangy without being too tangy. You can top the hell out of a deli sandwich with these pickle chips. They’ll add flavor and crunch without stealing the show. — Justine Sterling
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- OH SNAP! Dilly Bites
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These are what I would categorize as “snacking pickles.” You don’t make tuna salad with them. You don’t put them on a charcuterie board. You definitely don’t put them on a burger. A snacking pickle exists solely to be fished out of the jar with your bare hands and eaten over the sink as a midday treat. OH SNAP! Dilly Bites are snacking pickles minus the mess! They are small pickle chips that come in a bag and are surrounded by almost no liquid. They’re salty, dilly, and completely drip-free. If you are specifically looking for pickles to eat while you drive, these are the best dill pickle chips to buy. — Jordan Myrick
Credit: Ryan Martin / Amazon
- Grillo’s Hot Pickle Spears Classic Dill
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While they aren’t quite as good as the Grillo’s Classic Dill Spears (more on those in a second), Grillo’s Hot Pickle Spears are definitely the best spicy dill pickles in spear form. They are super crunchy and pack a ton of heat. They have a bit of that sushi bar pickled ginger flavor, too. But really, seriously, they’re spicy. You take a bite, you say yum, you say ouch, but you take another bite, because yum. — Justine Sterling
Credit: Liv Averett / Ralphs
- Grillo’s Pickles Classic Dill Spears
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Grillo’s Pickles are elite pickles. If you are a pickle person, you already knew that. But, for those who didn’t, this is your heads-up. You can tell that they’re next level as soon as you peer through the clear container. Big chunks of garlic and whole sprigs of dill swim around each perfectly placed green (not neon) pickle spear. They give you a sour vinegar kick while maintaining a light, cucumbery flavor and classic cucumbery crunch. Plus, the cartoon pickle on the container is cool as hell. They might not be the number one best dill pickles on this list, but they are the best garlic dill pickles and certainly worth buying—especially if you like half-sour pickles. And don’t look for them on the shelf, they’re some of the best refrigerator dill pickles, so you’ll find them chilling. — Jordan Myrick
Credit: Ryan Martin / Walmart
- Claussen Kosher Dill Halves
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Claussen’s Kosher Dill Halves are the best dill pickles according to my colleague Gwynedd Stuart, so she yelled at me for not having them on the original list. I’ll admit when I’m wrong, and I was wrong. I bought the wrong Claussen dill pickles for the initial test. These kosher dill halves are incredible. They are the best crunchy dill pickles straight out of the fridge. They have impeccable flavor, and delicious brine. You’d be thrilled if you got this pickle from a sandwich shop or on your plate at a diner. Luckily, you don’t even have to leave your house to enjoy them on a regular basis. Make sure you look for them in the refrigerator section, though! They are not shelf stable. — Jordan Myrick
Credit: Liv Averett / Target
- Bubbies Spicy Kosher DIll Pickles
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If you’re looking for the best spicy dill pickles that aren’t actually that spicy, then Bubbies makes the best dill pickles for you. These dill pickles don’t taste like any other pickle on this list. They are zesty and spiced in a way that reminds me of pastrami. The heat comes through as more of a lip tingle than a lip burn, so you can keep on eating and eating in comfort. Even if you buy the best dill pickles in the number one spot on this list, you should buy these too. They’re so different, and they deserve to be tried. — Justine Sterling
Credit: Liv Averett / Sprouts
- Dietz & Watson Kosher Pickle Spears
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I’ve become a big fan of Dietz & Watson while working at Sporked (their Swiss cheese tops our list of the best Swiss cheeses and their deli turkey is our fave, too). Their products are consistently good, and these dill pickles are another great example. This gigantic tub features the best dill pickles we tried in our dill pickle taste test. They’re crunchy, flavorful, and juicy. They’re briny without being too salty. These are classic dill pickles in the best way possible. I brought these home after our taste test and have been snacking on them all week. — Jordan Myrick
Credit: Liv Averett / Vons
Best for Salt Lovers
Best Spicy Whole Pickles
Best Small Whole Pickle
Best Pickles for Burgers
Best Zesty
Best Dill Pickle Chips
Best Snacking Pickle
Best Spicy Spears
Best Fresh Pickle Flavor
Best Halves
Best Not Too Spicy
Best of the Best
Other dill pickles we tried: Vlasic Purely Pickles, Good & Gather, Good & Gather Spears, Claussen Kosher Dill Pickle Spears, Vlasic Kosher Dill Pickles, Mt. Olive Kosher Dill Pickle Spears, Open Nature Dill Pickle Spears, Vanholten’s Big Papa Pickle, 365 Kosher Baby Dills, Suckerpunch Pickle Spears Gourmet Classic Dill, Market Pantry Kosher Dill Spears, O Organics Pickles Kosher Dill, Trader Joe’s Dill Pickle Spears, Best Maid, Claussen Kosher Dill Pickle Chips, Suckerpunch Bold Burger Kosher Dill Chips, Open Nature Pickle Chips Hamburger DIll, Famous Dave’s Spicy Dill Pickle Chips, Mt. Olive Hamburger Dill Chips, Kroger Hamburger Dill Fast Food Style Chips, Vlasic Xtreme Heat Chips, Vlasic Frank’s RedHot Kosher Dill Chips, Dietz & Watson Spicy Garlic Dill, McClure’s Pickles Spicy Spears, Gedney Whole Dill Pickles
