I’m sure there are people who genuinely enjoy handling raw ground beef. I’m not one of them. The best frozen burgers may not live up to lovingly hand-pattied burgers, but they’re quick, they’re easy, and they keep your hands slime free.
Convenience aside, a lot of the frozen burgers you’ll find at the grocery store taste pretty good, too. Sure, pretty much anything tastes good when it’s cooked over charcoal and served with a side of macaroni salad, but, in a perfect world, burgers should taste like actual beef. Come on, frozen hamburger manufacturers. Don’t force us to quote an over-quoted commercial from the 1980s—give us big juicy burgers with big beef flavor.
But convenience doesn’t always mean compromising taste. We grabbed a pan, fired up the stove, and prepared more than a dozen frozen burger patties, including some that Sporked readers recommended after our first frozen burger ranking. There were a lot of acceptable burgers. There were a few really awful burgers. Below you’ll find the burgers we’d proudly bring to the barbecue.
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- Bubba Burgers Angus Beef
I was super dubious that there would be a discernible difference in quality between the Original Bubba Burgers and the slightly more expensive Bubba Angus Burgers. But after cooking both and tasting them side by side, I truly think these Angus burgers taste better—richer, beefier, cleaner. Maybe it’s just the psychology of knowing its Angus beef, but these are the best frozen burgers for dressing up. I’m thinking grilled onions, a good blue cheese, peppery arugula, and something sweet like fig jam. These are well worth the extra buck or so.
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- Moran’s 73/27 Beef Patties
Moran’s 73/27 burgers were bumped from the top spot by Bubba Angus, but it was a close call. These burgers taste great, thanks in large part to their generous fat content. They’re thick. They’re juicy. They’re beefy with a nice, fatty flavor on the end. Sporked editor-in-chief Justine Sterling described them as “gourmet,” so we were all pretty surprised to discover they were among the most affordable patties we tried. The beef is more finely ground than either Bubba or Wahlburgers, and it works for them. There’s a lot of flavor here for not a lot of money. Moran’s makes the best frozen burger if you’re looking for a good value.
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- Wahlburgers Craft Blend Burgers
Donnie was my favorite New Kid, and now he makes my third favorite store-bought burger. Nice one, Wahlberg. These burgers (which actually came fresh rather than frozen from our store) have a rich, iron-tinged flavor and come nice and thick. If you like your burger cooked to medium or even medium rare, you’ll like these. Wahlburgers burgers remind me of the patties you get at a good fast-casual restaurant chain, which I guess makes sense. If you’re looking for something (fast-casual) restaurant quality at home, these are the best burgers you can buy.
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- Bubba Burgers Original
Bubba is an old standby for a reason. These thick, beefy burgers are fat-rich, well-seasoned, and even have a sort of haphazard shape that’ll help you trick guests into thinking you made them by hand. They have a good, natural bloody sort of flavor—slap one of these on a squishy potato roll that’ll sop up all the juices and you’re in business.
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- Grass Run Farms 100% Grass Fed Natural Ground Beef Patties
Grass-fed beef can tend to have a denser texture, and that’s the case with these burgers from Grass Run Farms. They’re thick, lean, rich tasting, and have fantastic chew. I instantly fantasized about topping one of these with a load of Hellmann’s mayo and lots of fresh summer tomato. And, yes, most of my fantasies involve burgers.
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- Sam’s Choice 100% Angus Beef Burgers
If you have big ideas about how to correctly season a burger patty, these thick, juicy patties from Walmart are great blank slates. These are thick with a capital T (and maybe even an E at the end), and have lots of natural juiciness. Top these with lots of black pepper, maybe even some garlic powder, and a nice, thick slice of a salty cheese, like a sharp cheddar.
Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart
Best of the Best
Best Value to Flavor Ratio
Best to Eat Bloody
Best with Cheese
Best Grass Fed
Best with Cheese
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I had never even considered buying pre-pattied burgers, but your arguments are compelling. I’ll always favor my local butcher for any meat I purchase, but I can see many occasions when these would be handy if of acceptable quality.
Did you try wahlburgers frozen or Philly gourmet (my favorite) ?
I’m a butcher, and no offense, but if your go to for burgers is frozen, your not only lazy, you don’t really appreciate a great burger. The taste and mouth feel of a hand made patty can’t be replicated in frozen form, not to mention it is less expensive.
Dude, you could say that about anything. You got a frozen version? You’re lazy and don’t appreciate good food. For some folks who work a lot, just that little bit of extra time and easier prep can make a big difference on occasion. Sure, making your own patties is better. Let people do their thing.
Schweid & Sons available in most supermarket meat counters are the best. Usually with a choice of beef mixes.
So is #4 or #6 best with cheese?