13 Canned Fish Brands, Ranked Worst To Best

Trends may come and go, but canned fish, or conservas, will forever be a classic. Though canned, or tinned, fish may be at the height of its popularity right now (at least during this century), the fact is, it's always been a fantastic way to take a boring, basic meal and transform it into something really special. It's easy to handle and prepare, and it's shelf-stable, meaning that you can keep it in your pantry for whenever the mood for seafood strikes. It's easy enough to take on a camping trip, yet somehow, it still feels elevated and special. There's so much to love.

But as canned fish rises in popularity, consumers have access to more and more brands than they ever had in the past. Whether you want to buy your canned fish at your local grocery store or you're willing to go online and order the best of the best, you have so many options at your disposal.

That's why we're here to make the canned fish-picking process a little easier. We've compiled a list of popular canned fish brands, and we've ranked them from worst to best. In a pinch, all of these brands will do. But read until the end to find out what our favorite brands of them all are, and you might just make a discovery that will change the course of your snacking sessions.

If you're looking for a widely available brand that has a few more options for seafood lovers to choose from, then you may be interested in checking out Chicken of the Sea. Chances are, you're going to be able to find this brand at your grocery store, so it's a solid option for when you need to grab something quickly on the go. But if you're trying to get the very best quality, we think you'll probably be disappointed.

Like StarKist, you can find canned tuna and salmon from this brand, but Chicken of the Sea also sells crab, sardines, and shrimp. As you can probably guess, the canned shrimp is nothing to get too excited about, but that's to be expected — it's never going to taste as good as fresh. The crab meat isn't bad, but we wouldn't go out of our way for it. And the tuna and salmon and just kind of lackluster. Chicken of the Sea products will work in a pinch, but there are better canned fish brands to explore.

There's a good chance that you're also going to find a lot of Crown Prince products in your grocery store as well. And if you're looking for something that's easy to get but has a bit more to offer than the brands we've covered so far, you're in luck. Crown Prince actually carries all kinds of canned fish and seafood, including tuna, sardines, clams, crabmeat, and oysters. If you ask us, though, the anchovy paste is the best of the best. You can add this ingredient to all kinds of dishes for a rich, umami flavor that takes your food to the next level. (And don't worry — it doesn't even have a distinctly fishy taste to it.)

Is this the best canned fish brand out there? Definitely not. We don't think the quality is the best, and you're definitely going to sacrifice a bit when it comes to flavor. However, this brand's products will do when you're in a pinch.

A lot of tinned fish lovers adore seafood but are worried about eating too much of it due to the high levels of mercury found in some fish. And it's true that getting too much mercury in your diet can cause serious health consequences. If it's something you're worried about, then you may want to opt for canned fish from Safe Catch. They claim that their fish has the lowest levels of mercury of any brand out there, so this is a great option if you have certain medical conditions that may make you more vulnerable to mercury.

Safe Catch sells mostly tuna and salmon, so you're not going to get a ton of variety. They also sell sardines and mackerel, but you don't have many options on that front. Because of the limited selection and the fact that the fish is just okay, we can't put Safe Catch at the top of our list. However, their commitment to offering high-quality canned fish that has as little mercury as possible? That's something we can get behind.

The first thing you'll likely notice about Ortiz tinned fish is the packaging. It looks nostalgic, maybe like something your grandmother would keep in the pantry. And that throwback look is just a small part of the reason why we like this brand so much. First of all, Ortiz carries products that you know are going to be reliably high-quality. They seem to really care that they deliver a top-notch experience, and that comes through in every bite. We also love the fact that they carry some types of canned fish that may be difficult to find from other places. Where else can you get hake roe?

And the best part? This higher-end brand can often be found in grocery stores or specialty stores, so you may not have to order online. Considering that it's of better quality than most of the canned fish you'll find on store shelves, this one is definitely a winner.

Even the most devoted seafood lover can acknowledge that large-scale fishing is bad for the environment. And even if we're viewing it totally selfishly, if humans aren't careful about how we source seafood, we could lose these species altogether. That's why we love a company that goes above and beyond to put sustainable fishing practices in place. Enter Wild Planet. By pole and line fishing and being choosy about which species to fish for, Wild Planet attempts to limit bycatch and cause less environmental harm.

There's also the fact that they sell a wide range of fish. Choose from tuna, sardines, salmon, mackerel, and anchovies when you opt for Wild Planet canned fish. It's not our absolute favorite as far as flavor goes, but their products are still delicious. And because you know that this fish is caught sustainably, you can feel better about every meal you prepare using Wild Planet products.

What's not to love about Jose Gourmet? This is one of the most exciting brands in the tinned fish space. First of all, the packaging is absolutely beautiful. Every single product looks like a work of art — so much so that you may not even want to open it. When you do, though, you're going to be blown away.

Before that happens, though, you have to pick out what you want from the brand. The tuna filets are some of the best canned tuna we've ever had, but we also love the more out-of-the-ordinary options like the spiced calamari in ragout, razor clams in brine, and fried mussels in marinade. You can also get classics like sardines and mackerel with interesting added flavors that take them all to the next level. Basically, you're not going to be disappointed with anything you get from Jose Gourmet. This brand should definitely be on your must-try list.