Consumer Reports' Highest-Rated Ice Cream Isn't Häagen-Dazs Or Blue Bell

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Consumer Reports doesn't just review appliances and cars — they compare types of food, too. And as of 2026, it says that the best option among the most popular brands of vanilla ice cream comes not from Häagen-Dazs or Blue Bell — it's a label that's usually known for wilder, more complex flavors: Ben & Jerry's. It's the only one of two companies on the list to reach a high approval score on the website, making it the best grocery store brand vanilla ice cream in existence.

What makes Ben & Jerry's take on vanilla ice cream so exciting? It's all about texture and flavor.  Consumer Reports praises its richness, denseness, and the fact that it contains real vanilla beans, giving it much more depth than versions that use artificial flavors. And one can definitely taste it when you dig a spoon in. The flavor is described as intense and very dairy-forward, which lets you know that you're getting a genuinely tasty treat. There's a reason why Ben & Jerry's is considered one of the best ice cream brands, after all.

Ben & Jerry's also boasts that its vanilla is Non-GMO, contains cage-free eggs, is fairtrade, and participates in the Caring Dairy program. It's also sold in responsibly sourced packaging, which means there won't be any excess waste.

Users posting to r/icecream agree that Ben & Jerry's vanilla is the bee's knees. "Their vanilla ice cream taste like real vanilla extract which taste much more complex than most brands that uses 'natural flavoring,'" one member said, adding that it's worth the price. "It was SO good. I think the black specks in it are actual vanilla bean," said another, a fact that's confirmed by the Ben & Jerry's website.

In second place on Consumer Reports' survey of frozen treats is Talenti Tahitian Vanilla Bean Gelato. Blue Bunny bats cleanup with their Vanilla Bean Frozen Yogurt in third place. The major difference between a hit and a miss with the tasting panel seems to be how much vanilla was included in the final mix; Breyer's boasts all-natural and simple ingredients like milk and cream, but those flavoring agents come in last on the ingredient list, and the end result was a middling score. Breyer's Delights Low Fat Vanilla Ice Cream did even worse and came in at the bottom of the survey.

Brands that sacrificed fat content for lower calories also did poorly; Halo Top's Light Vanilla Ice Cream was near the bottom of the pile. NadaMoo's! Dairy-free vanilla frozen yogurt fared only slightly better and sits one rung above it. High-quality ingredients definitely seem to be the key to success, even when it comes to this plain-jane flavor.