The Best Hot Dogs You Can Buy, According To People Who Eat For A Living

The Applegate beef hot dog took our top spot for one reason: It's the dog every one of our tasters wanted at a cookout. The texture is spot on—light but not too light. As for flavor, it's "a touch sweet and a little bit smoky," said one of our testers. "I'd eat that at a barbecue!" That’s really the only praise you need.

Hebrew National wins the best classic hot dog because "it tastes like a hot dog should taste," one of our testers said. There are no surprises, the snap isn't over the top, and the texture is dense, but not too thick. It's the hot dog you feed someone who has never had a hot dog—an introductory dog, if you will.

What makes this Angus beef hot dog pop is, of course, the Angus beef—which famously has extra fat compared to other types of beef. The result? A hot dog that's "a little smoky, a little buttery," Contributing Writer Allison Arnold said.

I wasn’t aware that chicken dogs existed prior to this taste test, but if the powers that be can dish out chicken burgers, well, it only makes sense that hot dogs get a chicken rebrand as well. Bell & Evans is best known for its chicken products, so it makes sense that they have the best chicken hot dog. Multiple tasters said this dog smelled like chicken—but in a good way!

"It's the chicken breast of chicken hot dogs," Director of Community & Audience Development Julia Smith said. "It'll go with any flavor."

You might be surprised to know that Oscar Mayer makes a great turkey dog. The color is not suspicious, unlike a few other gray-hued turkey dogs we encountered. Post-boil, it takes on the deep red color of a beef dog, and its flavor is strikingly similar as well. It's a great option for someone who doesn't eat beef, but still wants that classic hot dog flavor.

"It's a perfect bite," Art Director Carlos Dominguez said.

You can probably tell by the name, but Feltman's of Coney Island started in a hot dog cart in 1867 on, you guessed it, Coney Island. It claims to make the first modern American frankfurter, and while that may or may not be true, we can vouch that it offers the hot dog with the best snap.

The dogs' smoked natural casing locks in flavors, while its firm, snappy texture delivers delightful bite upon bite.

What makes these dogs so honest? Well, the ingredients are pretty simple and pack in a lot of seasoning: Pasture-raised beef, water, onion, garlic, mustard, paprika, celery powder, vinegar, salt, sugar, extractives of paprika, and natural flavors.

I guess that's what makes them the most flavorful in our book. Both Dominguez and Editorial Director Joanna Saltz described the flavor as sweet and balanced.

Look, a classic hot dog is great and all, but sometimes you want one that truly takes it to the next level. You want it to taste like a hot dog, but better. In those instances, we recommend Boar's Head uncured beef frankfurters. They're pricey at $9 for about eight links, but so worth it. The dogs boast a delightfully smoky flavor, thick casing, and a paprika-forward aftertaste.

If you're balling on a budget (and honestly, who isn’t these days?), these Oscar Mayer originals are the best cheap dogs around. You can find them in just about any grocery store for about $0.40 each and although the texture is a little mushy, the flavor is akin to my favorite type of man—really beefy.

I’ll be the first to tell you, I’m not typically a fan of plant-based meat alternatives. So color me surprised when I tried Oscar Mayer’s take on a plant-based dog, and I didn’t want to spit it out. In fact, it had me searching for the nearest bun. The texture here is the only thing that gives away the fact that it’s not real meat (a little mushier than your standard dog), but the flavor here is smoky and delicious—the only things you need when it comes to a good weenie.

Now, once you select your dog of choice, all you need is a little inspiration when it comes to cooking and topping those bad boys. Luckily, we’ve come up with a whole list of truly unique hot dog ideas.