Ranking the Best and Worst Store-Bought Cheddar Bacon Burger Blends to Grill This Summer

Come summer, nothing hits the spot like a fresh-off-the-grill burger on a sweltering day just before jumping in the pool (don’t worry, the notion that you need to wait 30 minutes is a myth). Normally, I’m an advocate for freshly made patties, but there’s something to be said for the humble pre-made burger patty. Stocking the freezer full during the summer months is the best way to have an impromptu barbecue when the weather is too nice not to be having dinner outside. Plus, frozen patties can be elevated to taste even better with simple seasoning upgrades or by piling on the sauces and toppings. But, if you’re really trying for the most convenient frozen burgers you can get, go for those with fillings on the inside.

Bacon cheddar burgers give you a double dose of umami and cheesy goodness without having to whip out extra ingredients and make more room on the grill, making them a must-have for backyard grilling this summer. For this list, I got my hands on 10 different types of bacon cheddar burgers and ranked them from worst to first. I tried each one with all the classic fixings to see if the bacon and cheese were prominent enough to be worthy of the “bacon cheddar burger” designation. I also determined which were juiciest and most flavorful overall, so you can choose the best burgers for your next summertime get-together. So, grab your favorite condiments, your lucky spatula, and your best charcoal (sorry, propane fans) — let’s craft some show-stopping (and some buzz-killing) burgers.

The Bowl and Basket brand comes to us from ShopRite, a popular grocery chain in the mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. I’ve been an avid ShopRite shopper since I’ve been old enough to buy my own groceries, and I always stick with its Bowl and Basket brand — one of the better supermarket house brands, in my opinion — whenever possible. That being said, I was vehemently disappointed in the Bowl and Basket bacon cheddar burgers, although I’d hardly call them “bacon and cheddar” anything.

Right out of the frozen box, these burgers looked sad and grey, and didn’t show any hint that they were packed with bacon and cheddar. They were small but relatively thick and took a little longer on the grill than most of the other burgers. They were able to achieve a slight char that made them look a little more appetizing than the frozen grey patty implied they would be, but they didn’t lose their strange color after cooking.

One bite was enough to prove that there was barely any cheese or bacon in these burgers. I still went in for more, searching for even the slightest hint of salty bacon flavor or bite of gooey cheese. I had to search my taste buds for a tiny whisper of smoky bacon, but there was no cheese to speak of, earning it the dead-last spot in this ranking.

Weis (pronounced “wise”) is yet another supermarket chain in my locality, spanning the states of the mid-Atlantic. If you’re not from the area, you might be familiar with Weis thanks to its tendency to recall foods due to undeclared allergens. Nice one, Weis. I’m new to shopping here, but I’ve been relatively impressed with the store’s house brand products so far, excluding its bacon cheddar burgers.

I’ll be frank and admit that I noticed almost no discernible differences between ShopRite’s and Weis’ burgers, save for a slightly higher cheese content in the Weis burgers. There was practically zero bacon flavor, and the cheese was only present in about two bites, and it was extremely scarce, even when it was noticeable. On top of that, the meat was chewy and tough, and seemed to be seasoned with just salt. Before tossing them on the grill, these burgers were just as grey and sad-looking as Shop Rite’s. However, they earned a spot in close second-to-last for the tiny bit more cheese than was present in the aforementioned burger, so take the win lightly, Weis, if you can even call it a win at all.

I expected the Signature Select burgers from Acme — another mid-Atlantic-specific chain — to be subpar, since I’ve had mostly negative experiences with this brand of products. My theory was all but confirmed when I pulled the burgers from the package and saw that they were all absolutely covered in freezer burn. Although freezer burned food can’t make you sick, it’s still not a good look, as it’s usually indicative of poor quality. While these burgers didn’t wind up on the very bottom of the list, they weren’t without their flaws.

These patties were noticeably more dense than most of the other burgers on this list. They took a while to cook thoroughly, and even though I left them with a decent amount of pink in the center, they were still a little tough and chewy. There was a fairly substantial amount of sharp cheddar and savory bacon flavor, but there was almost no seasoning to speak of — not even enough salt — so they were bland outside of the cheese and bacon additions. Although the bacon flavor was decently prominent, I would have enjoyed these burgers more and been able to look past their chewiness if they had more chunks of real bacon for a bit of texture contrast.

Johnsonville is famous for its popular store-bought sausages, but, as it turns out, the brand makes burgers, too. However, there’s a catch: They’re made of pork. Naturally, these burgers were the most unique on this list, so they were a little hard to rank. For example, I enjoyed them, but my partner was put off by their very-much-not-beef flavor and texture. That being said, if you always wished that your burger tasted more like a breakfast sandwich, then these patties might be for you. I stuck them somewhat low on the list, although I enjoyed them, since they’re not a worthy substitute for a beefy, juicy burger.

I’m a little embarrassed to admit that I had no idea that these burgers were crafted with zero beef and all pork until I took my first bite and wondered why it tasted so much like a sausage patty. These patties had the iconic squeaky texture and intensely salty flavor of sausage, plus a sprinkling of cheddar and bacon, for extra pork action in every bite. The extreme saltiness took away from the flavor, but the bacon essence was unmistakable, and the cheese offered a slight creaminess, although I would have liked a bit more. With lettuce, tomato, and onion, the taste was a little off, since sausage patties aren’t typically served with these toppings. I felt the sausage-burger patty was pining for an egg to become an epic breakfast instead of a cookout dinner.

If you’ve never heard of Cattleman’s Ranch, you’re probably not an Aldi shopper. These bacon cheddar burgers are an Aldi creation, with Cattleman’s Ranch acting as one of the chain’s many private label brands. Those of us who are diehard Aldi fans (guilty) know that there are plenty of meats to buy and just as many to avoid, but these burgers fall somewhere in the middle, in a weird frozen meat purgatory of sorts.

These patties had a very beefy flavor, like how you’d expect a quintessential, old-fashioned burger to taste, almost like it was injected with beef broth or artificial beef essence. It wasn’t necessarily bad, but it called for more seasoning to balance out the beefiness. Seasoning-wise, all I could detect was salt, for the most part, but there was at least a decent amount of cheddar to add some tangy savoriness. Any bacon flavor is completely overshadowed by the intense beef taste.

The patty was thick and extra juicy, but the meat was chewy and tough on the ends. Despite their flaws, these patties are affordable, like all of Aldi’s meat products, so they’d be ideal for feeding a large crowd without having to resort to bottom-of-the-barrel burgers — but you might want to add some extra bacon.

Marketside is one of Walmart’s lesser-known house brands, alongside Great Value, Bettergoods, and a few others (although it’s got nothing on Aldi’s extensive list of private label brands). Walmart’s house brand foods are always hit or miss to me, so I wasn’t sure what to expect from these bacon cheddar burgers. But, like most Walmart products, I wasn’t particularly impressed, but I’d still reach for these when I’m looking for a decent meal on the cheap.

The Marketside burgers were decently thick, but a little uneven, and they had that notorious grey color and just a hint of freezer burn. They cooked up quickly and established a nice sear and a subtly-pink inside that’s indicative of a well-cooked but not overdone burger. They were much softer and juicier than the Cattleman’s Ranch burgers, and they had more going for them, seasoning-wise, than the other store-brand burgers mentioned so far. I noticed a nice smoky flavor (probably from the bacon) that gave these burgers a bit of backbone, without relying on just the meat itself to give them all their flavor. Both the cheese and bacon were sparse, but I still detected a hint of each in every bite.

Bubba is one of the most popular store-bought burger brands out there. Growing up, my dad was a Bubba connoisseur — he always reached for these when making fresh, homemade patties wasn’t an option after a long day. They were the source of plenty of fond childhood memories for me, but it had been years since I gave them a try. They held up somewhat to my memories of them, and even induced a bit of nostalgia, but they were far from the tastiest burger on this list.

Like plenty of the other previously frozen burgers, the Bubba burgers were a sickly grey color that’s anything but appetizing. They were misshapen, but that was kind of appealing to me. Even though it’s clearly intentional, there’s something about food in a perfect circle or square that’s a little unnerving. These patties took a bit longer on the grill than the other frozen burgers, but they ended up being worth the wait.

My favorite thing about these Bubba burgers was the hefty globs of melty cheese inside — it was no Juicy Lucy, but it was still almost as satisfying to get a nice chunk of sharp, creamy cheddar in about every other bite or so. The bacon taste was much milder than the cheese, but it was still noticeable, albeit I couldn’t find any crispy chunks of bacon. The patties didn’t get much of a char on the outside, and they retained their strange grey color even after being fully cooked, which was disappointing.

Ballpark is an iconic brand for when grilling season sneaks up on us like a runner rounding first. Its bacon cheddar burgers were tied with the first-place burger for most appetizing-looking. This particular package was fresh over frozen, so the patties looked pink and juicy, and not freezer-burnt and grey like a lot of the other burgers on this list.

These patties were thinner and wider than the other burgers I tried, so they cooked up a little quicker than I anticipated. In fact, I ended up burning the first one I made. This was likely because they’re made of a mix of pork and beef. This unique meat blend was soft and delicate, but not particularly juicy.

I noticed an intense bacon flavor right away, and bits of crispy bacon that added some chewy texture among the soft meat, which paired well with the crunchy lettuce and pickles. I would have preferred more cheese, especially since the cheese that was present wasn’t particularly sharp and flavorful. However, there was plenty of delicious seasoning on these patties to make up for the lack of cheesy flavor. The seasoning lent just a bit of sweetness and smokiness that would make these patties tasty with an extra-spicy burger sauce.

Rastelli’s burgers promised a slightly more elevated experience over the store-brand burgers, and it didn’t disappoint. Right out of the freezer, these patties looked extra-thick, and I could see the specks of orange cheese, guaranteeing that they would be creamy and juicy. They took quite a bit of time to cook, but I expected that, and despite the long while on the grill, they didn’t shrivel up or lose their juiciness.

These plump patties had a clean, beefy flavor that was loaded with cheese and bacon. I chalked up this clean taste to their limited ingredient list, which didn’t include much seasoning to speak of. Normally, this would be a downside, but the high-quality meat, cheese, and bacon give the patties all the flavor they need. They would be delicious as a barbecue-style burger, where the sharp-tasting, umami-loaded cheese and bacon would contrast nicely with a sweet, smoky sauce.

My only qualm with the Rastelli’s burger patties was that they cooked unevenly, possibly due to their hefty size. I had some spots in my burger that were extra pink, and some areas that were thoroughly cooked and brown all the way through. However, they stayed juicy and tasty all the same.

Wegmans is yet another mid-Atlantic-area grocery chain, and those who live near a Wegmans know that it surpasses all the others by miles in terms of quality. The chain is known for its delicious prepared foods, huge selections of specialty ingredients, and a warm, inviting atmosphere. Wegmans’ store-brand bacon cheddar burgers come fresh in a two-pack for nearly $11, so they might not be your best bet if you’re trying to feed a whole crowd. But otherwise, they’re worth a bit of a burger splurge.

The Wegmans burgers are comparable to handmade patties in every aspect. They were seasoned conservatively, but this allowed the flavor of bacon and cheddar to shine, enhanced by a touch of peppery smokiness. They weren’t excessively salty, like plenty of the frozen burgers on this list, but they still had a nice kick of zesty saltiness, especially in the added bacon. If you’re looking for a burger with a slightly-crunchy exterior that gives way to super soft, melt-in-your-mouth meat inside (a quality in a perfect burger, if you ask me), then these are for you.

The blend of bacon and cheddar wasn’t overpowering, but it was prominent. The cheese gave the patty a slight creaminess that meshed beautifully with the beef’s juiciness. This burger was a little greasier than the others, but it wasn’t the kind of grease you find at fast food restaurants — old, stale, and full of the flavors of multiple years of meals cooked before it. It made the meat silky smooth and extra juicy, and — ultimately — turned it into an explosion of flavor.

To rank all 10 of these bacon-cheddar burgers, I grilled one of each on a charcoal grill. I tried each one on its own, with no bread, condiments, or toppings, and then I tried each as a complete burger, with lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickles. I skipped any condiments on the burger, because I wanted to ensure that the flavor of each patty wasn’t convoluted and that I didn’t attribute a specific flavor to the burger when it was actually from the sauce.

I made a point to not include any of my personal preferences in burger flavor and texture in this ranking. Instead, I took an unbiased approach to ranking them, describing their taste and consistency objectively. I ranked the burgers based on their perceived quality and freshness, and whether or not both bacon and cheddar were noticeable. Those at the bottom of the list tasted like they were made from low-quality beef, were bland, lacked sufficient bacon and cheddar, or all of the above. Those at the top tasted high-quality and fresh, and were made with plenty of bacon and cheese, with enough for every bite.