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16 of the best dairy-free milk brands for your tea, coffee and cereal
Turning your back on dairy? These are the best oat, almond, coconut, soya, pea and potato alternatives to buy
Once considered a niche health fad, or a necessity for those with a lactose intolerance, dairy free milk has now gone mainstream.
Whether you’ve chosen to replace traditional dairy with a plant-based alternative due to health concerns, as part of a vegan diet, or just because you love the taste, we’ve tasted 27 of the leading brands so you know which are worth switching for.
Best dairy free milk
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What to look out for when buying dairy-free milk
The best quality milk alternatives are those that are made with nothing but the raw ingredients you’d expect to find. So that might be almonds, water and a pinch of salt, or simply oats and water.
Keeping the recipe as natural as possible means you know exactly what you’re consuming, as well as getting the full nutritional benefit of the ingredients.
What milk alternative tastes the most like milk?
Dairy-free milk can be enjoyed in numerous ways but with each type offering various benefits and tastes, with some better suited to hot drinks and others better in delicious smoothies, we’ve broken down what you can expect from the main types.
Oat milk
Keep your iron levels up with a daily glass of oat milk, which contains 10% of your daily target. Known for its heart-healthy benefits, oats are also great for keeping cholesterol levels in check and are thought to help milk supply for those that are breastfeeding.
Oat milk tends to foam better than other alternative milks, which makes it perfect for hot drinks, particularly milky coffees. Latte anyone?
Almond milk
Low in calories and sugar, and high in calcium and vitamin E (a powerful antioxidant that protects your cells from oxidative stress), almond milk is a tasty, nutritious milk alternative. For added nutritional benefit, look out for ones enriched with vitamin D.
You can normally use almond milk in any way that you would use regular dairy milk, including in hot drinks and over cereal.
Coconut milk
Traditionally used in Southeast Asian cooking, coconut milk is now widely used in smoothies, curries, baking, poured over your morning muesli, and even in some cocktail recipes. It contains more calories and saturated fat than other milk alternatives, so is best consumed in moderation.
Soya milk
An excellent source of quality vegetable protein, soya milk was originally a byproduct of making tofu. Many are further fortified with added vitamins and minerals, and nutritionally it is probably the closest to cow’s milk, with a similar clean flavour. As such, you should find that you can use it in exactly the same way as regular milk.
How we test milk alternatives
We tested the leading brands and supermarket versions of 27 dairy-free milks, trying all alone, in hot drinks and with cereal. From creamy oat and fruity coconut, to nutty almond and smooth soya, these were the ones that came top for taste.
Score: 78/100
Designed for barista-style frothy coffees, Minor Figures is big on sustainability. Ideal for hot drinks, our panel thought this was creamy and satisfying, foaming well without curdling in tea. The well-balanced sweet and salty oaty finish wasn’t overpowering, making it just as delicious as a stand-alone drink.
Did you know you can freeze milk, including oat and rice milk? This means you can get even longer out of your purchase.
Score: 77/100
Made from organic almonds, this smooth, beautifully balanced drink is a great cow’s milk alternative. There’s just a hint of the nutty ingredients within, with a natural sweetness that adds volume.
Score: 77/100
Despite being unsweetened, our panel thought this budget buy smelt just like a Bounty chocolate bar. As such, some might find it a little too coconutty for a traditional milk replacement. However, everyone loved the naturally sweet, fresh taste of raw coconuts, enjoying it both on its own and in hot drinks.
Score: 75/100
Protein-rich pea milk is the latest innovation to hit the alternative milk aisle. Made from yellow split peas (not the green garden variety!), it has a surprisingly sweet taste and a thick, creamy consistency.
Score: 75/100
As the name suggests, this soya milk has been specially formulated for tea, but is versatile enough for all hot drinks and baking too. The thick, smooth texture was so creamy it could definitely be mistaken for real full-fat dairy milk, with testers reporting that a little went a long way, and no sign of curdling. The only downside is the extensive list of ingredients, with just 5.7% coming from soya.
Score: 74/100
Sproud's modern pea milk is designed with foaming in mind. Fantastic in all hot drinks, testers enjoyed the caramalised biscuit note and long, creamy finish.
Planet Organic Unsweetened Gluten-Free 16% Oat Drink 1L
Score: 74/100
Made with a generous 16% gluten-free organic oats, this drink tastes like a sweet oaty milkshake, despite containing no added sugar. Smooth and light, like semi-skimmed cow’s milk, it’s excellent for coffee as the sweetness combines very well. A brilliant choice for those that want total transparency of ingredients.
Score: 74/100
More in line price-wise with a litre of semi-skimmed milk (if not cheaper!), Aldi’s longlife oat drink offers a clean, natural flavour, balanced by a little salt. Sadly, it curdled a bit in hot drinks (particularly tea), but foamed well. With a thick mouthfeel similar to that of full-fat milk, we’d probably save this one for pouring over cereal or using in smoothies.
Score: 74/100
Crafted from Japanese soy beans, Bonsoy’s stripey carton contains a fairly neutral-tasting drink — in fact, we reckon you’d be hard pressed to realise it wasn’t regular dairy unless you were really looking out for it. The clean, subtle sweetness (from tapioca syrup), completely won the panel over, with many saying they’d make the switch permanently.
Score: 74/100
Alpro’s coconut drink was another hit from the B-corp-certified brand. It has a very slight natural sweetness and fruity note, with a well-balanced coconut flavour that doesn’t overpower. The pleasing creaminess would make a great addition to a pina colada — and although some found it a little chalky, most agreed it was incredibly smooth.
Score: 73/100
Cashews provide the base for Plenish's all-natural milk alternative. Containing just organic nuts, spring water and a pinch of sea salt, testers felt this neutral-tasting milk wouldn't overpower other ingredients.
Score: 73/100
Another strong contender from the Alpro range, this time with an oaty base and no added sugar — hurrah! It's fortified with added calcium and vitamins, so it's a healthy option, with a well-balanced flavour, similar to semi-skimmed milk.
Score: 73/100
MOMA's unsweetened milk is made using healthy whole grain oats, and the rich, natural flavour really impressed the panel. Although designed for coffee, the taste reminded some of creamy porridge and the delicious thick texture makes it a great choice for cereal.
Score: 72/100
Just when we thought we'd seen everything, along comes this milk made from potatoes! Sweet, smooth and creamy — this spud-based drink can be used like any other milk alternative.
Score: 72/100
For those serious about recreating barista-style coffee at home, you’ll need a frothable milk. Oatly has come up with the perfect recipe — a sweet and salty formula with the consistency of good quality double cream. As you’d expect, it’s fantastic in hot drinks, but some testers felt it might be a bit much on its own.
These milk alternatives also passed...
Alpro Unsweetened Soya Milk 1L, £1.80, 72/100
Plenish Organic Almond M*lk 1L, £2.49, 72/100
Tilda Organic Classic Rice Milk 1L, £2.20, 71/100
Sharpham Park Organic Spelt Barista Drink 1L, £2.50, 70/100
Jord Organic Oat and Hemp Drink 1L, £1.40, 70/100
Rebel Kitchen Dairy Free Organic Mylk 1L, £18.33 for case of 8, 70/100
Califia Unsweetened Almond Milk 750ml, £1.68, 70/100
Innocent Coconut Drink Dairy Free 750ml, £1.75, 70/100
Koko Dairy Free Original + Calcium UHT Milk Alternative 1L, £1.60, 70/100
Stacey looks after all food and drink reviews — from coffee pods and veg boxes, to natural wine and tequila. Stacey is also founder of Crummbs, where she’s written nearly 2,000 restaurant and hotel reviews since 2013. Prior to this, Stacey wrote hundreds of in-depth buying guides for the Independent, i newspaper and BBC Good Food, as well as reviewing restaurants and interviewing celebrities in her column at Balance Magazine. Stacey has also appeared in BAFTA-nominated BBC documentary Blood, Sweat & Takeaways, where she investigated South East Asia's food production industry, appearing on both Newsnight and BBC World Service to share her findings. Regularly checking out the latest restaurants, bars and product launches, Stacey also loves experimenting with recipes at home, and is a WSET-certified wine and spirits expert, with over 10 years of experience in the business. You can follow Stacey on Instagram @crummbs_uk
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