The best hamburger buns are pillowy, squishy, and flavorful. They shouldn’t fall apart or have too big a crumb. Good hamburger buns should also be fairly firm, not too fluffy. We prefer an almost dense consistency that’ll smoosh with the burger patty, fusing the two together. Ideally, the bun should contain a hint of sweetness, too. Most of all, a good hamburger bun doesn’t distract from the star of the show, aka the meat.
We care about your cookout needs. That’s why each year when summer rolls around, we update our burger bun ranking to make sure all of the Grill Dads (a decidedly gender-neutral term) are working with the most up-to-date recommendations. We’ve got some really great finds on here, from classic buns to seeded buns to pretzel buns—and we’ve even included the best gluten free hamburger bun we’ve tried to date. After three separate taste tests, we’re proud of this list and we stand by it. Which buns cracked the top 13? Let’s find out.
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- Ballpark Burger Buns
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As the best hamburger buns go, these are pretty standard. But the price for an eight-count bag is hard to beat. Whether you go seeded Ballparks or plain, you’re still getting fluffy, sweet, sizable buns. Say you’re having a party for more than ten people and you just want reliable consistency—this is where Ballpark comes in. If you’re churning out burgers and hot dogs on a grill and are looking for an inoffensive, good quality bun, Ballpark makes the best burger buns for you. These buns make me think of cheap beer and a standard burger, which is never a bad thing. Plus, they won’t cost you $30. —Danny Palumbo
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
- Udi Gluten Free Burger Buns
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Even the best gluten free hamburger buns are going to taste a little different to anyone who regularly consumes gluten, and that’s okay. Udi’s gluten free burger buns are a little more grainy and dry than standard burger buns, but the gluten free fam knows the deal. Believe it or not, these are softer, springier, and more moist than everyone’s typical favorite GF bread brand, Schär. With their shiny tops, even proportions, and larger size, they also look more like regular burger buns. I know that might throw some of you for a loop, but it’s true! We were very impressed by these. —Ariana Losch
Credit: Liv Averett / Target
- Kroger Carbmaster Classic White Hamburger Buns
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With a soft, springy texture and no trace of the bitterness you might typically associate with keto bread, Kroger Carbmaster keto-friendly burger buns taste almost too good to be true. They only have 4g of net carbs per serving, but their balanced flavor and squishy texture make them the best low carb hamburger buns by a mile. If you’re cutting carbs, you no longer have to pretend iceberg lettuce counts as a bun—you’re welcome! (Possibly worth noting: Kroger is being sued for allegedly misrepresenting the calorie count in some of its Carbmaster products, so if cal count is important to you, just be forewarned.) —Ariana Losch
Credit: Liv Averett / Kroger
- Alfaro’s Artesano Bakery Buns
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These buns look and taste like they’re bakery fresh. They’re fluffy, sweet, and just a little bit doughy. Quite honestly, these satisfied our indulgent, fancy food cravings more than any brioche buns we tried—none of which ended up making our list of the best hamburger buns. These probably aren’t the best burger buns for a plain or meagerly topped burger, but if you’re adding some bacon, sharp cheddar, or flavored mayonnaise, these buns will complement those ingredients well. They’re meaty and doughy in a way that works with a lot of toppings. Buy Alfaro’s when you want to step up your burger game, while not venturing too far into gourmet territory. —Danny Palumbo
Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Amazon
- Oroweat Premium Golden Seeded Sliced Buns
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These Oroweat buns might be thick, but they condense nicely if you squish your burger and all its fixings between your palms. They’re soft, flavorful, and have a good amount of sesame seeds on both the top and the sides of the bun. The extra texture from the seeds is a welcome addition and earns these buns a spot on the best hamburger buns list. These are the best burger buns if you want to make at-home Big Macs. —Danny Palumbo
Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Amazon
- Wonder Classic Hamburger Buns
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Wonder is a reliable, all-American product with great brand recognition. Wonder’s instantly identifiable squishy, sugary bread is a great addition to anything meaty. Their buns are so soft, they practically become one with the burger. We had a feeling Wonder would do good work here, and they did. If you want a burger bun to just stay out of the way and let the meat do the talking, this is the best burger bun for you. —Danny Palumbo
Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Walmart
- Dave’s Killer Bread Burger Buns Done Right
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These buns look appetizing. They’re dusted with flour as if they just came out of the oven. And they come cut all the way through, so you don’t have to worry about ripping into the bun too much. They’re a little sweet, wonderfully chewy, and sturdy enough to handle a couple of smash burger patties. I do think they could use some toasting (but I’m a toasted bun kind of gal). They’re made without bleached flour and they tout 6 grams of protein. Want to feel a little better about scarfing down a greasy burger? These are the best burger buns for you. —Justine Sterling
Credit: Liv Averett / Target
- Oroweat Country Potato Sandwich Buns
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These buns are thick and sizable, which makes them the best burger buns if you’re prepping gourmet burgers at home. The potato flavor is great, and they are quite soft, too. Oroweat’s Country Potato hamburger buns are dusted with flour for that bakery-fresh aesthetic, and the sweetness here is really great. Again, these buns are huge and can withstand a whole lot of toppings. If you love a fried egg on top of your burger, these would hold that slippery yolkiness well. Some commenters on Amazon mentioned that these buns don’t last very long if they’re left out at room temperature since they’re free of preservatives, so that’s something to keep in mind. —Danny Palumbo
Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Amazon
- King’s Hawaiian Sweet Hamburger Buns
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Naturally, King’s Hawaiian burger buns are much sweeter than the other burger buns on this list. It could be too much for your average burger eater. But the sweetness makes these the best hamburger buns to pair with spice—so if you like chili peppers, sriracha mayo, pickled jalapeños, and the like on your burgers, these buns provide a good balance. Overall, these are incredibly squishy, soft, and delicious. We’re talking about King’s Hawaiian Sweet Rolls in burger bun form. What’s not to like? —Danny Palumbo
Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Target
- Dave’s Killer Bread 21 Whole Grains and Seeds
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Whole grain burger buns are often very dry and sad. But not this one. It’s pillowy and soft and it looks incredible with its wide array of seeds scattered like a textured galaxy across the top of the bun. (That’s how good these burger buns are, they inspired that level of poetry.) It’s definitely not too wheaty, either. If you’re opting for a slightly healthier bun, this is the best burger bun to buy. It just further proves that Dave’s (makers of the best store bought bagels) really know what they’re doing in the bakery. —Justine Sterling
Credit: Liv Averett / Target
- Arnold Country Potato Sandwich Buns
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Arnold’s buns have that wonderful potato bun squishiness and flavor, plus a really shiny and buttery exterior that’s quite alluring. The chew is incredible, and the buns are dense enough to soak up all that delicious burger juice. You might see online that Oroweat and Arnold are actually the same company, and their products do, in fact, look identical, but they both make products we liked for different reasons. —Danny Palumbo
Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Amazon
- King’s Hawaiian Pretzel Hamburger Buns
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These pretzel buns are an unconventional pick for number two, but the flavor here is undeniable. They check every box you want to check when you’re looking for the best hamburger buns: The squish factor is great, the texture is wonderful, and the flavor is sweet. Combine that with the toasty, salty flavor of a pretzel, and this is a damn winner. The sweet and salty flavors play off of each other really, really well, and the soft texture is a damn delight. King’s Hawaiian rolls are iconically squishy and sweet, and the burger bun version only confirms their stellar reputation. (They’re also the only pick when it comes to the best slider buns.) These were the buns we couldn’t stop eating. They may be too unconventional to be #1, but they’re definitely the best pretzel buns. —Danny Palumbo
Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Target
- Francisco Deli Hamburger Buns
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A list of adjectives to describe these burger buns: Sweet, squishy, dense, tangy, and buttery. A friend recommended these a while ago, and once we got a hold of them, we absolutely fell in love. Instacart says these are $4.47 for 16 (sixteen!) hamburger buns, and that’s a huge reason they are the best hamburger buns. That’s incredible value for a really good product. If you’re looking for a utilitarian hamburger bun for a cookout, Francisco is your guy. This is the most affordable, practical recommendation for your cookout needs. —Danny Palumbo
Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Instacart
Best for a Big BBQ
Best Gluten Free Hamburger Buns
Best Low Carb Hamburger Buns
Best Bakery Buns
Best Sesame Seed Bun
Best Crossover
Best Organic
Best for a Gourmet Burger
Best Sweet
Best Whole Grain
Best Potato Buns
Best Pretzel Buns
Best of the Best
Other burger buns we tried: Sprouts Hamburger Buns, Kirkland Artisan Hamburger Rolls, Nature’s Own Brioche Buns, Marketside Brioche Hamburger Buns, Signature Select, Signature Select White Artisan Hamburger Buns, St. Pierre Brioche, Trader Joe’s Seeded Hamburger Buns, Pretzilla Soft Pretzel Bread, Great Value, Authentic Pretzel Bun, Carbonaut Gluten Free Hamburger Buns, Shar Hamburger Buns, Three Bakers Gluten Free Brioche Sandwich Rolls, SOLA Keto Certified Hamburger Buns Golden Wheat, Keto Culture Hamburger Buns, Carbonaut Original Hamburger Buns
