The Best Plain Bagels From the Grocery Store, Ranked

Bagel Bests

We all know that bagels are probably better off fresh-baked from your local shop, but not everybody has access to a gift that wonderful. Some of us have to get grocery store bagels, and it's only reasonable that we should know which ones are worth our money.

To find out, I hit some local supermarkets and grabbed every brand I could find. Here are five popular bagels you can find in grocery stores, ranked.

Prices and availability are subject to change.

Best: Whole Foods Plain Bagels

Buy from Whole Foods

$6.49 at Whole Foods

Shop Now

These came fresh out of the Whole Foods bakery, so this probably shouldn't be a surprise. While Whole Foods bagels don't have the depth of flavor or perfect chew that an East Coast bagel might get you, they are leagues better than the others I tried. It really wasn't even close – these are toothsome, eggy, and delightful.

2. Dave’s Killer Bread Plain Awesome Bagels

Buy from Walmart

$6.48 at Walmart

Shop Now

It seems that Dave's is trying to convince us these bagels are somehow healthier than others. They've got some good protein I guess, but it's hard to get a straight answer out of the packaging as to why you should pay $6 for a bag of bagels.

Maybe they're healthy, maybe they're not. They have a lot more flavor than other brands, despite a slightly more crumbly texture. But look, they're pre-sliced, and I sincerely appreciate that.

3. One Mighty Mill Mighty Stone-Milled Classic Plain Bagels

Buy from Instacart

Available on Instacart

Shop Now

Love the bite, love the chew. Don't love the strong flavors of wheat you're left with at the end, but if you dress this up nice enough as a sandwich or cream cheese, you might be able to avoid it. The real issue is that I paid over $7 for a four-pack. Yeesh.

4. Thomas’ Plain Bagels

Buy from Walmart

$4.18 at Walmart

Shop Now

Is there any brand more easy to find? Thomas' has shelf-space everywhere, and for good reason: This has to appeal to the masses in a way most things don't. It's squishy and just about devoid of any flavor, but Thomas' bagels toast up nicely and will always get the job done.

For more taste tests and fun food stories, sign up for our free newsletters.

5. Trader Joe’s Plain Bagels

$2.69 at Trader Joe's

Available In-Store

Truly, these taste like nothing. If Thomas' is "just about" devoid of flavor, these are legitimately devoid. You really never expect a clunker like this from Trader Joe's, but the bread aisle has never been where TJ shines. Pay the extra two bucks for Thomas.