Taste Test: The Best Pancake Mix Brands to Buy Now

Because you're adding an egg, milk and melted butter to this batter, the results are super rich. "It's the quintessential pancake!" raved one taster. Others appreciated that it's "fluffy but still kind of hearty," and somewhat sweet, but "with a good balance of salt."

This easy, just-add-water mix produces the ideal flavorful, “fluffy” pancake, beating out many that require eggs, milk, and butter. Tasters felt that the flapjacks could stand up to toppings (think: fresh berries, whipped ricotta or pure maple syrup), but found the waffles to be “gummy.” Stock up if you’re #teampancake, and you’ll never have to run out to the store for a carton of milk or eggs on a Sunday morning ever again.

Another just-add-water option, this brand impressed tasters with its pancakes’ “super airy,” “fluffy” texture. When cooked in a waffle maker, it resulted in waffles that were crisp on the outside and “cake-y” on the inside. 

While tasters appreciated the pancakes “thick and fluffy” texture, and “almost intense savoriness,” it’s the waffles that really won them over. Many noted that these “sturdier,” not-too-sweet waffles would work well for fried chicken and waffles. P.S. The box has directions for making low-fat pancakes, too. Just sub in 0% fat yogurt or applesauce for the eggs and vegetable oil.

“Tastes like childhood,” remarked one taster —and most agreed. While many commented that they like their pancakes “super sweet,” a few others found this mix a tad cloying. Pretty much everyone agreed, though, that the texture is spot on for both pancakes and waffles, albeit a “touch dry.” That's all the more excuse to pile on the toppings, plus butter and syrup!

For anyone craving crepes, this mix delivers "super-thin," "buttery," "rich" pancakes. It's easy to imagine folding this one in half to fill with sliced strawberries, bananas and Nutella. When pressed in an iron, the result was "almost a cross-over between a popover and a waffle," exclaimed one taster: "crispy" on the outside, "light" on the inside. 

Vegans, take note: This brand makes for "super-flavorful" pancakes without a single egg, drop of milk, or slab of butter. The just-add-water mix is made with only organic ingredients you can feel good about (hello, easy-to-pronounce ingredients!). The waffles are "crispier" on the outside with a "chewy" inside. 

For those who don’t love cloying-sweet flapjacks, this option is a “bit more savory.” Tasters thought this could be a great base for sweet additions like bananas, blueberries or chocolate chips. It got crispy on the edges, but “isn’t as light and fluffy” as the others. 

If you’re looking for an allergen-friendly option, this brand delivers “sweet,” “dense” pancakes free from tree nuts, peanuts, dairy, and eggs. Add in vegetable oil, then rice or hemp milk, before pouring batter into a hot skillet. Be especially extra careful not to overmix; some tasters found the pancakes to be "a bit gummy."

Thanks to its sweetness and honey undertones, tasters were almost surprised to discover that this mix is made of 100% whole grains. Some went so far as to say that these “good even without syrup.” However, this mix lost points for its texture, which some described as “bread-like” and “doughy.”