9 Store-Bought Taco Shells, Ranked Worst To Best

Craving tacos at home? Then it always comes down to the same, age-old question: hard or soft shell? A soft taco arguably does the trick in most cases, making for a more flexible, easy-to-eat taco experience. But it's hard to resist the craveable levels of crunch that hard shells provide. Today, I'm taking a closer look at the latter by tasting — and ranking — nine different store-bought taco shells. These are brands that you'll likely find on store shelves at your own local grocery store and that you can incorporate into your next taco night spread.

From plain, yellow corn crunchy taco shells to varieties that are perhaps unconventionally seasoned, I've tasted nine different taco shells to give you the 411 on what they have to offer. I've evaluated these hard taco shells by texture (namely, how good is the crunch?) and flavor, considering both freshness and overall flavor. Sometimes, shape also came into play in determining where a specific variety of taco shell ended up in this ranking.

Whether you're a diehard hard shell person or you're just looking for a way to incorporate more variety in your taco nights (without making your own taco shells at home), these store-bought taco shell finds are sure to deliver new levels of flavor and crunchy texture. And soft shell people? Don't worry. You can check out our ranking of corn tortillas and flour tortillas.

When you're at the grocery store trying to pick out a package of taco shells, it can be tricky to decide what to get. After all, so many of the products look basically exactly the same between brands, and that's definitely the case when it comes to these Ortega Yellow Corn Taco Shells. They seemed like every other generic yellow corn taco shell out there (several also appear on this list). But once I actually started tasting these different taco shells side by side, I soon realized that Ortega's take on this classic just doesn't hit the spot.

My main issue with these taco shells is their bitterness. They have an off, stale flavor to them that made me question whether I even wanted to finish my taco. To accompany that strange flavor, I also found these shells somewhat lacking in crunch, featuring some slight softness that made them doubly unappealing. Perhaps I just got a less-than-fresh package of these taco shells — that can happen with any product. But, as it stands, compared to the other taco shells on this list, this Ortega variety just can't compete, not even with the better tasting takes on a plain yellow corn taco shell.

Listen, I don't hate the idea of blue taco shells or blue tortilla chips. After all, naturally blue foods are quite rare, and these shells definitely have a visual appeal to them. Plus, it's always fun to change up your favorite dishes, even if it's something as small as the color of the taco shell you use for your go-to taco recipe. But just because you're going for a new look on taco night doesn't mean you have to sacrifice flavor, which unfortunately seems to be the case if you opt for O Organics' Blue Corn Taco Shells. These shells also have a bitter edge to them that, while not as extreme as the Ortega variety, just isn't very pleasant. In my opinion, a good corn taco shell should have a slightly sweet, almost nutty flavor to it, and you're not getting any of that subtle flavor complexity here.

These taco shells also have a strange thickness to them that doesn't allow easy crumbling, which some of the better-ranked taco shells have. This thickness isn't ideal, and I definitely prefer a thinner shell. However, these particular shells rank higher than the lowest-ranked variety on this list because at least they do have some serious crunch to them, despite other flaws.

If you're trying to cut down on grains in your diet for whatever reason, it may be difficult to find crunchy taco shells for your next taco night. Siete, which is truly one of my favorite brands when it comes to canned beans, has you covered on that front with its Grain Free Taco Shells. They're made with cassava flour, along with a few other limited ingredients, and they're completely corn free. Personally, I love corn flavor, so these are definitely a downgrade from standard hard taco shells in my mind. I found them to be slightly bitter, though not as bad as lower-ranked varieties. What I appreciate from this brand, though, is plenty of salt, which helps cut down on the amount of bitterness you get on the palate.

I also found these taco shells too thick, but they at least have a nice crunch to them. While I certainly wouldn't choose this kind of taco shell over the more traditional corn selections that appear on this list, I can understand how it might be a good choice for those with specific dietary concerns.

I have to admit that Ortega's Cheez-It Flavored Taco Shells were the product I was most excited to try in this lineup. I love unconventional and nostalgic comfort food mashups, and that's just what this Ortega offering seemed to promise. I'll be honest, though: The execution isn't quite as impressive as the concept. Like Ortega's plainer and more conventional take on a crunchy taco shell, I found this flavor to have that same bitter, stale taste that made the yellow corn variety fall flat for me. That being said, the recognizable Cheez-It-like and cheddar-reminiscent flavor tempered that bitterness and added an interesting new level of flavor into the mix.

I think that these taco shells have a nice crispness to them, with more crunchiness than I noticed from the other Ortega selection. However, I found these shells a bit thin, and they didn't hold up to the taco fillings as well as I hoped they would. Ultimately, I won't buy these again, but they're definitely fun for a taco that's a bit different from the standard hard taco.

When you're just looking for basic, store brand taco shells, Stop and Shop's Crunchy Taco Shells aren't the worst option out there. Did I find these to be particularly delicious? Maybe not. They didn't have the sweet, fresh corn flavor I look for in a good hard taco shell, but they also lacked the bitterness I found in some other brands. The neutral flavor of these taco shells makes them a fine option when you're mostly after texture instead of flavor. Apparently, they contain a trace of lime, but I couldn't really pick up on that when I tasted them. That being said, I wouldn't necessarily choose these if you were trying to make the best homemade hard-shell tacos possible.

Something I do appreciate about these taco shells, though, is the texture. They're neither too thick nor too thin, and they have a nice, crispy crunch to them that makes for a satisfying bite. There are definitely better options out there to choose from, but if you're already stopping at Stop and Shop, I don't think you necessarily need to go out of your way to find a different brand or variety.

Old El Paso is a brand that I've been buying for ages, and I think it offers some solid crunchy taco shells. This is an example of a really basic shell. It's made with yellow corn, and it doesn't feature any wild or unconventional flavors or seasonings. Something that I really appreciate about these taco shells, though, is the presence of salt. You can actually taste a decent amount of saltiness on every shell, which helps highlight the corn's sweet flavor, making the overall experience much more flavorful. After all, you don't want a bland taco shell clashing with the intense filling.

On the crunch front, I found these taco shells to be pretty solid. That being said, they weren't quite as fresh as some of the other varieties I tasted, which is why this brand's most basic taco shell offering isn't higher in the ranking. Still, Old El Paso's Crunchy Taco Shells aren't a bad choice, and because they're so widely available, they could be one of your best bets depending on what other brands you have available at nearest grocery stores.

Often, I find that Signature Select's products can't quite stand up to name brands, so I assumed that would also be the case when it comes to yellow corn taco shells. However, I was surprised to find that Signature Select's Yellow Corn Taco Shells actually happened to be my favorite basic option of the bunch. Perhaps I just got an especially fresh box, but the ones I tried had a really fresh corn flavor to them. They showcased sweetness and nuttiness I was looking for, without any of those bitter or stale notes that made the other varieties taste less than delicious. Plus, they deliver on crunch with a crisp freshness that makes you want to reach for yet another taco.

If you're looking for a budget-friendly option that you don't have to go out of your way for, Signature Select has you covered on the taco shell front. Now, if you want to indulge in a taco shell that can offer more than structure and the basic corn-forward flavor, there are a few better shells on the market to check out. But when it comes to a classic corn taco shell, this store brand dominates.

Say what you want about Taco Bell, but it's a brand that really knows how to pull off a flavored taco shell. While you can find a wide variety of unconventionally flavored shells at the brand's drive thru, you can now capture some of those same flavors at home with Taco Bell's Hot Taco Shells. These corn taco shells are dusted with a spicy seasoning mixture that adds a blast of flavor to your tacos, providing an extra boost of flavor that makes you feel like you're indulging in your favorite fast food meal (just at a fraction of the price). Try to get your hands on some Taco Bell sauces if you really want to try to recreate the flavors you love at home.

The seasoning blend offers saltiness and an overall savory flavor profile, although I admittedly don't find it very spicy at all. The actual quality of the shell seems to be good — it has just the right amount of crunch to it. Does it feel a bit like you're eating junk food? Sure. But that's really a part of the appeal here. If you're ready to embrace that extra bit of flavor, then you're likely to find these taco shells just as tasty as I think they are.

Now, if you're looking for the tastiest possible taco shells — and you don't mind deviating from the classic style — then you should absolutely try to find Old El Paso's Bold Nacho Cheese Taco Shells at your local grocery store. I thought that these had potential before opening the box, but after taking that first bite, I realized that these could easily outshine all other options in this lineup. The seasoning blend on these tacos truly is bold; with a salty, savory flavor that can make a good taco even with bland fillings (let alone those that are similarly seasoned). I really enjoyed the level of saltiness here. These shells aren't spicy, though, which means you can still pile on as much hot sauce as you want. Overall, I think that these taco shells have a Doritos-like flavor to them, albeit a bit milder and cheesier.

To make these taco shells even better, Old El Paso gave them a flat bottom, so they're easy to fill with toppings. Although shape may not be the most important factor to think about when selecting taco shells, that extra ease of use is definitely a selling point for me.

No, these taco shells might not be ideal for every use. When you're looking for a more classic, milder base, the bold flavor of these taco shells probably won't be the right fit. But if you're simply looking for the tastiest taco shells available, these might just be your best bet.

I tried to select a wide variety of different flavors and varieties of taco shells based on availability at several grocery stores in my area. I tried these shells alone (so as to hone in on their basic flavors without any flavor distractions) and with taco fillings, including ground chicken, chopped white onion, and cilantro (to better understand how the shells hold up under the weight of actual taco ingredients). I considered the flavor of the base and any additional seasonings, freshness, and texture, i.e., how crunchy each variety was, in determining where each of these products landed on this list.