The Mayo We Pick Over Every Other Store-Bought Brand

Mayonnaise is one of the most versatile condiments in the kitchen (and also one of the most divisive). You can use it in a multitude of ways, but it's only worth the effort if the mayo is good — which is why we once conducted a taste test of 13 different store-bought mayonnaise brands to see which one is worthy of keeping in your pantry. Our least favorite mayo came from an incredibly surprising brand, Kraft (it was tasteless and oddly puffy). But our favorite is one that many people love: Hellmann's.

This isn't likely to be a surprise. Hellmann's mayonnaise was beloved by Julia Child, and our taste tester had nothing but glowing things to say about it. They noted, "Hellmann's juggles richness, tang, and smoothness with remarkable precision. The flavor showcases egg yolk creaminess tempered by just enough acidity from vinegar to keep the taste lively; plus a bit of lemon juice to add citrusy brightness." We also found that its creamy and thick texture held up to spreading, and everything about it was well rounded when compared to other brands. (By the way, Duke's fans, don't hate us — we found that brand to be rich but otherwise lacking in complexity.)

We think Hellman's is the mayonnaise you need to use on your BLTs, in your potato salad (Ina Garten has a secret addition to hers), and to dip in with your fries, like the Belgians do. However, there's a chance that you might have some difficulty finding Hellman's at your grocery store. That's because the brand goes by different names, depending on where you're located.

If you ever find a jar labeled "Best Foods" with a color scheme that's suspiciously similar to Hellman's, that's not a coincidence. When founder Richard Hellmann began formulating our favorite mayo in 1920, the Hellmann's brand was acquired by another popular mayo purveyor, Postum Foods, which would later be renamed Best Foods. Best Foods' mayo had historically been popular west of the Rocky Mountains; since the brand already had its own following, the company decided to sell the same product under two different brand names. In territories west of the Rockies, the products carry the Best Foods label, while stores east of the mountains sell Hellman's. 

That being said, the Hellmann's and Best Foods mayonnaise lines are now both owned by the food manufacturing conglomerate Unilever. It purchased the company in 2000, so it's now all under the same roof. But whatever moniker you prefer, we think Hellman's is the mayo that belongs in your home.