6 Piña Colada Mixes, Ranked Worst To Best

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Making cocktails from scratch can be great — that is, if you have the time to gather all of the ingredients, measure them precisely, and stock up on all the tools you need. If not, buying pre-mixed cocktails can be the easiest way to enjoy your favorite drink in a jiffy. While there are a lot of brands that create cocktail mixers, some are much better than others. Today, we're going to take a look at several different brands that sell piña colada mixers, and rank them from worst to best.

Piña coladas usually have a cream of coconut and pineapple juice base. After the rum is added, they are either blended with ice or served over ice. Most of the mixers that I bought had directions for both options, depending on what type of drink you're in the mood for. Ultimately, I decided to taste each mixer completely on its own, without rum (which is arguably the best alcohol for piña coladas), so I could just focus on its flavors. I kept the mixers cold and served them over ice.

When tasting each piña colada mix, I focused on a few key things: the texture (which shouldn't be too thick or too thin), the balance between the coconut and pineapple flavors, the amount of sweetness, and the aftertaste. Overall, the key here was finding a perfectly balanced drink in all categories. Now, grab your favorite cocktail glass and let's get tasting!

In last place we have Master of Mixes — not because it's bad, but because it doesn't quite deliver the classic piña colada experience. When I poured it into the glass, I immediately noticed that it had a thicker consistency. I went ahead and sipped it, and while I thought that the texture was smooth and rich, it was more dessert-like than refreshing, like a tropical cocktail should be. Coconut is definitely the star here, and thankfully, it tastes natural rather than overly artificial. The sweetness from the cream of coconut felt appropriate.

Where this mixer fell short was the lack of pineapple flavoring. As I ranked these piña colada mixers, I kept in mind that the best mixer should have a clear and balanced profile of both creamy coconut and bright, juicy pineapple. Master of Mixes unfortunately felt one-dimensional. Instead of transporting you to a beach vacation, it comes across more like a coconut beverage with just a hint of pineapple in the background.

That isn't necessarily a bad thing if you prefer richer, more coconut-forward drinks or want something that tastes almost like a frozen dessert. In all honesty, I would drink it again (I'm also a huge lover of pure coconut). However, when compared with the other mixers in this ranking, it simply didn't live up to the pure piña colada flavor that I was ultimately looking for.

I was excited to try the Skinny Mixes Piña Colada Mix, because I'm a huge fan of its margarita mix. This one ended up landing in fifth place. The first thing I noticed was that it didn't look like a traditional piña colada mixer. Instead of being velvety and slightly thick, it looked much thinner and resembled the margarita mix I'm used to. Surprisingly, once I sipped it, I actually felt that it had a balanced texture.

The flavor of the first sip was surprisingly enjoyable. Pineapple took center stage right away, delivering a bright and refreshing tropical flavor. As the drink lingered, the coconut did gradually come through. Instead of both flavors working harmoniously, it was almost like eating a piece of pineapple and then washing it down with coconut water (which our taster tried and ranked). As for the sweetness, I liked how it was more restrained than many of the other mixers in this list. It didn't overwhelm the palate with sugar and kept the drink nice and light.

Unfortunately, the finish is where this mixer lost major points. After swallowing, there was a noticeable artificial sweetener aftertaste that insisted on sticking around. I was almost totally on board with the drink, leaning into it as a more refreshing version of a classic piña colada. However, that lingering aftertaste distracted from the fresh pineapple flavor that made it so enjoyable in the first place.

Finest Call comes in an air-tight bottle with a convenient pouring cap, making it nice and easy to preparing poolside. Unfortunately, it ranked in the middle because it was a little too sweet. The first thing I noticed was the consistency. It was one of the thickest mixers I tried. It had a creamy, almost frozen-drink texture that felt substantial. Its yellow, slightly opaque color makes it look like a traditional piña colada.

Flavor-wise, this one definitely favored coconut. While the pineapple was present, the standout feature was the strong, lingering coconut finish that coated my tongue after each sip. If you're someone who loves coconut as much as I do, that's definitely a plus. It was noticeably sweeter than most of the other mixers in the lineup, and after a few sips, it started to overpower the fresh and enjoyable flavors of the coconut and pineapple. It's still a solid mixer with a rich texture and satisfying coconut flavor, but compared to the top mixers, it lacked the balance that makes a truly great piña colada feel refreshing instead of heavy and indulgent.

Zing Zang finds itself in a solid third place in my ranking. At first glance, it was surprisingly thin and bright white in color, which made me wonder if it would taste watery. Thankfully, that wasn't the case. Even though it poured lighter than some competitors, it still had enough body to coat my tongue. Its texture was enjoyable and pleasant without feeling overly rich.

The flavor is where this mixer really shone. Unlike some brands that let either coconut or pineapple dominate, Zing Zang was able to keep the flavors nicely balanced. The tropical sweetness of the pineapple blended well with the creamy coconut. The flavor was mellower, less sweet, and less intense than Finest Call, which worked in its favor.

The only reason this mixer doesn't rank higher is because I felt that it played things a little bit safe. While everything was well-balanced and enjoyable, it didn't have quite the "wow" factor that the top two offered. Still, it's an excellent all-around mixer that gets nearly everything right, even if it doesn't quite stand out as the very best.

The Collins Piña Colada Mixer earned itself second place and came incredibly close to delivering the perfect piña colada. From the first sip, it was obvious that this is a high-quality mixer with a flavor profile that's well-thought-out. The pineapple was the first thing I noticed. It brought a fun, bright, and fresh tropical taste. The coconut jumps in almost immediately, adding creaminess without becoming overpowering.

What ultimately impressed me most was how balanced everything felt. The sweetness was right where it should be — not too sugary, not too subtle. The aftertaste was also clean and enjoyable, making me want to take another sip immediately. It showed how refreshing a piña colada can be, especially on a hot day.

Collins just misses the top spot due to a few very small details. The consistency was just slightly thicker than I'd ideally want, and while the coconut flavor was present, I found myself wishing for just a little more of it to match the pineapple. Those are incredibly minor criticisms, though, and they're only noticeable because the top-ranked mixer was so good.

Lava, which was the most expensive mixer in this list, earned itself the top spot for good reason. It was honestly exactly what I look for in a piña colada mixer. It tasted less like something poured from a bottle and more like a freshly made piña colada you'd order at a beachside resort. The texture, sweetness, and flavors all felt carefully balanced, creating a drink that was rich, refreshing, and perfectly tropical.

The consistency was one of the biggest strengths of this Lava mix. It was creamy enough to feel indulgent, but it wasn't so thick that it felt heavy. Instead, it had just enough body to give the cocktail that classic frozen piña colada texture while still remaining smooth and easy to drink. Flavor is where Lava truly separated itself from the competition. The coconut and pineapple arrived at exactly the same time, and they didn't overpower one another. The sweetness was also spot-on, allowing both fruits to shine without becoming syrupy. As I was drinking it, I literally thought to myself, "This is the perfect piña colada."

As I finished the drink, I noticed that the aftertaste was subtle, clean, and left behind just enough coconut and pineapple to make me want another sip. I kept looking for something to critique, but I honestly couldn't find much. It's the closest thing to a resort-quality piña colada in bottled form, making it an easy choice for the top spot.

I focused on a few key things when tasting these various piña colada mixers. First, I paid attention to the consistency and texture. A good piña colada should be slightly creamy, but not so thick that it feels heavy on the tongue. I looked for both pineapple and coconut flavors, and searched for a mix with a nice balance of both. In an ideal world, both flavors should appear at the same time and not outshine one another.

Then, I noted the sweetness, which should complement the flavors of the fruit. Lastly, I paid attention to the aftertaste, which should be subtle, enjoyable, and encouraged me to take another sip. With all of this considered, I was able to order these mixers easily from worst to best.