If you’re interested in some of my other vegan food taste tests, I’ve also tried:
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The best vegan cheese for grilled cheese
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The best vegan vanilla ice cream
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The best vegan mac and cheese
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The best vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe
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The best vegan cheese for pizza
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The best vegan chicken nuggets
Testing Methods
Every creamer was taste-tested with decaffeinated American coffee prepared in a standard drip coffeemaker. Separately, I also tested each creamer to see how well it would foam. I heated each creamer until it was steamy, then used a milk frother to foam it. I used 1/4 cup of each creamer in all of the foam tests so that the foam volume could be easily compared. I also allowed the foam to sit out for ten minutes to find out how stable the foam is.
I attempted to get an unflavored or vanilla variety wherever possible to keep the competition even (and focused mainly on the texture). However, two creamers were only available to me in flavors (Starbucks and Elmhurst), so those are also included.
Vegan Creamer Similarities and Differences
I included coconut, oat, and almond milk creamers in this test. I didn’t include soy milk creamers because they are known to separate in hot coffee. There are two barista milks, and the other nine contenders are creamers. Four of the options are unsweetened, while the other seven were sweetened varieties (ranging from 1-5 grams of sugar per tablespoon).
These creamers came in only two types of packaging: a fully plastic bottle, or a cardboard container with a plastic spout. The sizes ranged from 16 fl. oz. to 32 fl. oz. I’ve noted these details in the description of each creamer since they might play a factor in deciding which brand to try.
Taste Test Results
Please keep in mind that these results are based on our own personal preferences; your opinion might vary!
1. Winner: Sown Unsweetened Oat Creamer
Despite some of the others having added sugar and flavor, this unsweetened creamer was the unanimous winner in our taste testing group. The Sown had the absolute best texture out of all the creamers we tried, adding a richness that is the most similar to dairy creamers.
Our taste testers appreciated that because it’s unsweetened, you can add sugar to taste. However, the texture of the Sown Oat Creamer was so rich that we all enjoyed it without any sugar at all. It also comes in a sweetened variety if you prefer that.
There was no discernable flavor to this creamer when it was mixed in with the coffee. It allows the full flavor of the coffee to come through.
The foam from this creamer was excellent, producing a nice volume of foam with a mostly smooth texture and a few larger bubbles. The foam was pretty stable, losing only about 20% of its volume after 10 minutes.
The Sown creamer is also organic and comes in a cardboard container. However, it does contain canola oil as its second ingredient. So if you’re not a fan of canola oil, you might want to try one of the other creamers on this list (such as Elmhurst).
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Overall rating: 9.5/10
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Texture: 9.5/10 (best)
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Flavor: 10/10* (unflavored and neutral)
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Foam volume: 6.5/10
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Foam texture: 6.5/10
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Foam stability: 8/10
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Price (US): $5.49-5.79**
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Packaging: cardboard container with plastic spout
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Package size: 32 fl. oz.
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Price per fl. oz.: $0.17-0.18** (average)
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Per 1 tablespoon:
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Calories: 20 (average)
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Fat: 1 g. (average)
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Sodium: 10 mg. (lower than average)
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Sugar: 0 g. (lowest)
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Potassium: 20 mg.
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Calcium: 20 mg.
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Organic: yes
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Ingredients: oatmilk, canola oil, calcium carbonate, potassium citrate, gellan gum, baking soda.
2. Runner-up: Elmhurst Caramel Macchiato Oat Creamer
Although no other vegan creamer came close to the texture of Sown, the Elmhurst is a nice option that complements your coffee nicely without overpowering it. It has just a hint of sweetness and a subtle caramel flavor.
This creamer is also a great option for those who want to avoid oils and gums, since it doesn’t contain any of those. The Elmhurst is, however, the most expensive option per fluid ounce out of all the creamers we tested.