The 10 Best Hot Dogs at the Grocery Store

The best hot dogs are snappy, beefy, and substantial. No matter what you call ‘em—franks, frankfurters, wieners, meat logs—they are an essential summertime food. Seriously, don’t bother inviting us to the cookout if you don’t have dogs for the grill. 

But what are the best hot dogs for cookout season? Over the course of two taste tests, we tried a truly upsetting number of hot dogs, some regional favorites (we took your suggestions after our first taste test), and some big national brands. We looked for three things in a good hot dog: snap, flavor, and size. Ideally, a good hot dog casing adds some extra texture. Being loaded full of spices isn’t always a plus, but if it adds to the overall experience without taking away from the beefiness, we like spice. Finally, the size: Hot dogs should fit inside of a standard hot dog bun comfortably, perhaps even extending past the bun just a touch. We don’t want more bun than dog, okay? Here are the best store bought hot dogs from the best hot dog brands, including the best beef hot dogs.


best hot dogs

Best Classic

Oscar Mayer Original Uncured Wieners

These are classic. Also, this whole time I thought it was spelled Oscar Meyer. Not Oscar Mayer like John Mayer. Anyway, Oscar Mayer Original Uncured Wieners are squishy, spongey, salty, and have that classic hot dog taste. There is a bit of piquancy to an Oscar Mayer hot dog that sets it apart from other cheap, casing-free hot dogs. Personally, I love Oscar Mayer hot dogs for their ability to meld into other dishes. They’re the best hot dogs to cut up and put into mac and cheese or do what South Texas does: Cook them with scrambled eggs and then stuff it all inside a taco. —Danny Palumbo

Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Amazon

Rating:

7/10

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best less fat hot dogs

Best Less Fat

Wellshire Premium All-Natural Uncured Beef Franks

I probably wouldn’t have bought these dogs if I had just seen them at the store (the packaging isn’t very appealing; in my notes I wrote “too many words”), but don’t judge this hot dog by its cover. These dogs are really thick and beefy, and the texture is dense and high quality. They aren’t as fatty and juicy as some other dogs, but they have 30 percent less fat than other dogs and they are still some of the best tasting hot dogs. —Gwynedd Stuart

Credit: Liv Averett / Whole Foods

Rating:

7.5/10

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best hot dogs

Best for a Cookout

Nathan’s Skinless Bun Length Beef Franks

Nathan’s hot dogs have good snap, in addition to being well balanced and tasty all around. They can taste just a tad bit rubbery, but I think that’s okay in a hot dog. You definitely want to grill a Nathan’s hot dog to get the most out of it both in terms of flavor and texture. The dogs themselves are sizable and the flavor is good without being overpowering. I like Nathan’s, and think that their combination of size and agreeable flavor make them a great choice for any cookout or, of course, the best hot dog brand for a hot dog eating contest.—Danny Palumbo

Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Amazon

Rating:

7.5/10

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best store bought hot dogs

Best Gourmet

365 Uncured Beef Hot Dogs

Whole Foods hot dogs are loose and deliciously tender. The skin on these hot dogs has a great texture that creates an added barrier to keep juices in. These also have a lot of spice for a hot dog, so they border on gourmet territory. But I love gourmet hot dogs. This is the best hot dog brand to load up with fancy fixings. —Danny Palumbo

Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Whole Foods

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

best hot dogs

Best Snap (Runner-Up)

Boar’s Head Beef Frankfurters

These might be too fancy for some; Boar’s Head hot dogs come wrapped together like links of sausage hanging in a butcher shop. The taste and texture, though, is incredible. Boar’s Head hot dogs have some extra spice and flavor, but they still maintain the true I-don’t-actually-know-what-this-is spirit of a hot dog. They have a great, natural flavor and a hard snap that plays well with a soft, squishy hot dog bun. The length is great, too, so your first bite won’t be mostly bread. And they’re the best store bought hot dogs to buy if you want people to think you got fancy and bought your dogs at the butcher.  —Danny Palumbo

Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Instacart

Rating:

8.5/10

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best all beef hot dogs

Best Spice

Vienna Beef Franks

I lived in Chicago for a handful of years and definitely got down on some Vienna Beef hot dogs during that time. But prior to this taste test, I honestly couldn’t say whether I liked them or not because they’re always served with so much stuff—sport peppers, neon relish, dill pickle spears, tomato slices, and loads of celery salt. “Dragged through the garden,” so to speak. Tasting these plain for the first time was such a delight. They’re so uniquely spiced—I couldn’t put my finger on exactly what those spices are, but I’d describe them as “warm,” not to mention complementary to the delicious beef flavor. (According to Vienna Beef’s site, they’re made of “rich, red bull meat, sweet brisket trimmings, and spiced according to [their] original 1893 recipe”—it’s a good recipe.) These hot dogs don’t have a natural casing, but the snap is incredible all the same. Chicagoans know meat and these dogs are proof. They’re certainly the best all beef hot dogs to make Chicago dogs, but feel free to have them simply on a bun with ketchup and mustard, too.  —Gwynedd Stuart

Credit: Liv Averett / Albertsons

Rating:

9/10

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best hot dogs

Best for Camping

Oscar Mayer Natural Angus

I didn’t expect Oscar Mayer dogs to rank this high on the list, but here we are! These Angus dogs are surprisingly delicious and undeniably some of the best hot dogs to buy. They’re not at all like the Oscar Mayer wieners you grew up on (although, we like those, too; see #10). These are firm and juicy and have excellent snap. My favorite thing about these? They’re so smoky! They kind of taste like they have bacon fat in the meat mix. These taste like camping even if you aren’t cooking them over fire (we cooked them in our trusty office toaster oven and they were still so good). —Gwynedd Stuart

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

9.5/10

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best big hot dogs

Best Big

Kirkland Beef Hot Dogs

These are gigantic hot dogs and they are absolutely wonderful. Every single one of us liked them. Kirkland hot dogs are triple the size of normal hot dogs and triple the taste, as well. I absolutely love how egregiously thick these hot dogs are. Something about them feels like Texas State Fair food; I’m in love with the meatiness of these big boys. I like how they protrude from both sides of the hot dog bun, so your first bite of the hot dog is just a giant hunk of salty, well-spiced meat. Kirkland is the best brand of hot dogs to load up with toppings, too—onions, ketchup, relish, cheese sauce and chili, whatever. The Kirkland hot dog can withstand any amount of pressure. This is a whole damn meal. A dinner dog. —Danny Palumbo

Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Instacart

Rating:

9.5/10

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best hot dogs

Best Snap

Sabrett Natural Casing Beef Frankfurters

When it comes to hot dogs, East Coasters have it good, and Sabrett is proof. I am not being hyperbolic when I say these are among the best tasting hot dogs I’ve ever tried. They’re incredibly juicy, the flavor is bold and beefy, and the casing is snappy without being tough. The snap is so excellent that Boar’s Head got downgraded! (It took the number two spot in our initial taste test.) Honestly, these might have ranked #1 if they were easier to find at the store nationwide (sadly, West Coasters have to order them from Sabrett or from Amazon, where they’re kinda pricey). But if these are widely available in your region, buy them! And pick up a jar of their onion sauce while you’re at it. —Gwynedd Stuart

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

9.5/10

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hot dog ingredients

Best of the Best

Hebrew National Beef Franks

Hebrew National’s dogs are salty and meaty, and their girth (sorry) is absolutely perfect. These don’t have a huge amount of snap, but they have enough so you can still tell they’re made with a natural casing. The biggest score, though, is the spice blend. Hebrew National’s dogs are dense with wonderful flavor. Salt, spice, garlic powder, and paprika combine to create a juicy bite of beef (they’re all-beef dogs) that’s so good the hot dog starts to flavor the hot dog bun itself with its deliciously spiced beef juices. Maybe the snap could be better, but it’s damn near a perfect hot dog. It’s the best beef hot dog we tried in two separate taste tests. —Danny Palumbo

Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Amazon

Rating:

10/10

Sporks

Wagyu Beef Hot Dog from Snake River Farms

During a Good Mythical Morning blind taste test, Rhett got fancy with his pick, ya’ll. “For people who have class, like me, you can get a wagyu beef hot dog from Snake River Farms,” he said half jokingly. In the end, they both agreed that the Snake River Farms hot dog had a great snap and incredible flavor. Link argued that it’s got too pure of a flavor for a hot dog (he prefers mechanically separated). But, there’s a place for fancy food sometimes. Case in point: Snake River Farms wagyu beef hot dogs.

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About the Author

Sporked Staff

The Sporked Staff tastes everything and anything. They are obsessive about groceries and finding the best of any type of food or drink, from frozen fried shrimp to Dijon mustard to gummy candy. And they're always on a hunt for the best new products. When they aren't eating professionally, they're eating recreationally. And often they're browsing grocery store aisles, just for fun.

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  • You should have Jordan’s Beef Franks in the top 10. Oscar Meyer actually aren’t that good. They just promote a lot.

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  • Gwynned Stuart, you should never put ketchup on a Vienna Chicago hot dog. If you lived in Chicago for a few years, you should know that!

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  • The Aldi German brand wieners should definitely be on this list!

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  • Kayem is a New England brand of hot dog that is awesome. It’s my go to at the grocery store. You guys should taste them if you can get them in California.

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  • I feel so privileged to have Thumann’s branded dogs available to me. I’ve tried most of these dogs and you all are missing out of they aren’t available in your region

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  • I feel so privileged to have Thumann’s branded dogs available to me. I’ve tried most of these dogs and you all are missing out of they aren’t available in your region 🙁

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  • Nice to see Chicago well represented with Vienna and Hebrew National. Vienna gets dragged through the garden, and Hebrew National gets the Maxwell Street treatment with mustard, grilled onions, and sport peppers.

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  • Anyone else here strongly dislike beef hot dogs? I currently get the Oscar Mayer uncured wieners on this list. Also, a hot dog IS a sandwich.

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  • Wow. It’s Vienna, always and forever. Chicago Dog: “Run it through the garden!” The fact that both Chicago MLB parks choose Vienna speaks volumes. Over the years, they tried Ball Park and Hebrew National, only to field the complaints and go back to Vienna. Be sure to watch FX’s “The Bear”.

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  • These are wieners, not hotdogs. A hotdog consists of a wiener and bun.

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  • Sabrett’s are # 1. I can’t get ANY natural casing in the town I live in. If I travel a couple of hours I can find Boar’s Head ! That’s it. Leave it to the West not to know hot dogs.

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    • oh good lord stop crying about Sabrett’s. Yes yes – YOUR regional hot dog is obviously number one.

      Sabrett’s isn’t available nationwide. We literally didn’t list any regional hot dogs here.

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  • Nathan’s Coney Island hot dogs wrappee in a bagel are a disaster. It’s like a dried out, taste deprived hot dog wrapped in a wet sock. The bagel, no longer how long you heat it, is gummy, Awful idea

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  • A hot dog 🌭 is not a sandwich 😐

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  • The Signature Select Jumbo Uncured Beef Franks from Albertsons/Safeway blow all these out of the grill. They are incredibly meaty and juicy, and the texture is a lot less processed and homogeneous. And the flavor is so complimentary to any combination of toppings, it never gets drowned-out like so many others do.

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  • Shocked to see that Abeles and Heymann are missing from this list. They specifically mentioned them as one of their favorite on their podcast.

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  • Where are Zweigles they are the best.

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  • Sabretts are the best all around HOT DOG BOILED OR FRIED ON GRILL

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  • Omaha Steaks Hot Dogs are the bomb over any of those!

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  • I love hot dogs. The best I had was Morrell New York style beef. And I live in Wyoming but from northeast of Pittsburgh. The spices in these are delicious. I forgot to mention, in 1970 I worked at Old Timer pa king house in Loveland Colorado, they also had a good spice in their beef hot dogs.

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  • I love hot dogs. The best I had was Morrell New York style beef. And I live in Wyoming but from northeast of Pittsburgh.

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  • If your going Nathan’s you have to go with the Coney island natural casing. It’s all about the right spice and the snap. I’ve never had the boars head but of the rest Nathan’s is my #1 seed.

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  • You definitely haven’t tried Zwiegles Hots from Rochester,NY. They are The Bomb !!!

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  • Help low salt what is best hot dog

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  • Now here’s the thing. I know the whole crew isn’t from NC, but you gotta include the Leafy Bright red dogs on here as a shoutout to the ol stomping grounds. Even if they’re in last place, you just gotta do it.

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  • I think your full of it nothing like a natural cased dog nest from the butcher but I’ll do an ambassador dog all day long the nest but any natural skin is better than any of this shit hands down sorry but true

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  • Justice for the city of Rochester and our Zweigle’s brand!!! I think you tried the white ones (which require an advanced palate, I understand) but the red ones are next level.

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  • The original NY pushcart style frankfurters that are famous for the snap are called Natural Casing but is difficult to find those in stores much anymore, but sometimes still direct from the company. Now people mostly find skinless (without the casing) franks at the stores which are sometimes a step down, and finally there are now “healthier” versions called all natural or uncured, but recommend to try the healthier versions only after the original to see if it retains the original taste you enjoy. My favorite so far after trying dozens are Sabrett Jumbo skinless and hofmann german franks natural casing hot dogs. For example Nathans makes a coney island natural casing as well as the skinless you generally find in the store and an all natural uncured. Brands I recommend include Sabrett, Glazier, Nathans, Hummels, Hoffman, Zweigle, Snake River Farms, Koegels, Boars Head, Vienna Beef, and perhaps some may enjoy Hebrew National as you did but this is just a partial list. (Didnt really like Sahlens).

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  • No Duesmacher

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  • I completely disagree. I have been in many hotdog manufacturing plants in North America and the dogs they have chosen don’t even come close to the best!!

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    • Two people with different names, two minutes apart, Commenting the exact same thing Word for word. Why?

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  • I completely disagree. I have been in many hotdog manufacturing plants in North America and the dogs they have chosen don’t even come close to the best!!

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  • How do you leave out Farmer John? You guys are obviously not familiar with the west coast, namely California!!!

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    • I mean they live in California so I don’t know, They usually start with more than what’s on this list and narrow it down to make the list.

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  • How do you possibly leave Farmer John off of this list?
    You guys must not know much about the west coast, namely California!!!

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    • Too bad Farmer John sold their company to Smithfield, Chinese-owned, in 2017 and this year, 2023, they closed the plant in Vernon and fired almost 2,000 people. They will probably move to the South where they can pay really low wages.

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  • At Last……..you have done so much for the lowery Hot Dog… I will go to a grocery tomorrow and buy several brands and will eat and enjoy every bite !

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  • I don’t see Feltman’s Cooney Island beef hot dogs on this list which I think is the best grilling hot dogs of them all

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  • Have you ever tried Sahlen’s hot dogs from Buffalo NY?

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    • Wardynskis or Sahlens blow all these away… Oscar Mayer??? Lol

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    • Yes there great

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    • Buffalonian here, Sahlens are the only hot dog I’ll eat

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  • The greatest hot dogs are Vienna Beef.

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  • My favorite is Ball Park beef franks. I’ve tried a couple of those you listed b ut they can’t beat ballpark. A couple of those I’ve seen don’t sell around here.

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  • You never had a Smith’s Dog from Erie,PA

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    • Have you tried Sahlen’s?

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    • I actually might have, but can’t remember. I’m from New Castle, PA. Love Erie!

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    • You need to try a Smith’s, boiled and grilled!

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  • Where’s the Sabrett’s Hot Dogs?

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    • Uncle Joey ate them all.

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  • You are totally wrong! None of these can compare to a Chicago All Beef Vienna Hot Dog!

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    • Facts

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    • 10000000%

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    • Then as a Chicagoan, you should be aware that Bobak’s Frankfurters are vastly superior.

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  • if you want a “more” Hebrew National experience, try their “Specials” – much girthier, same flavor profile.

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  • No sabretts?

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