We’ve revealed the best quality frozen potatoes on offer in supermarkets this year, so you can save time without compromising on flavour.

Fries from well-known brands Aunt Bessie’s and McCain were sampled by our 65-strong panel in a blind taste test alongside eight supermarkets including Aldi, Asda, Morrisons and Tesco.

Aldi and M&S were at the top of the rankings; Aldi’s gorgeous potatoes are also the cheapest in test, making them a great budget buy.

Aunt Bessie also performed well, finishing third, but McCain failed to impress and finished last overall.

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Best prime french fries

Aldi and M&S were the two highest-scoring brands in our taste test, so we’ve made them both Best Buys. Aldi’s cheap-as-chips offer also won our Great Value award.

Best Buy and Great Value: Aldi Specially Selected Beef Dripping Fries – 74%

£2.49 for 1kg (25p per 100g)

The taste of these good-looking top-ranked potatoes impressed our testers.

Three-quarters were fans of the soft interior, while two-thirds liked it crispy on the outside.

A great crowd-pleaser, Aldi’s affordable fries come in large 1kg bags.

Available from: took.

Best Buy: M&S Maris Piper Roast Potatoes – 74%

£3 for 800g (38p per 100g)

Nice looking potatoes that hit the mark in terms of texture for most of the panel. Three-quarters liked the fluffy insides, while just under two-thirds liked the crispy outside.

Flavor was also generally praised, although a stronger flavor could have made these potatoes even more popular.

These M&S potatoes are pricier than Aldi’s offering, but compared to other potatoes we tested they’re around the average price.

Available from M&S (in store only) and Okado. These are currently out of stock on Ocado (we’re investigating), but M&S ​​say they’re in stores.

Aunt Bessie’s Duck Fried Potatoes – 72%

£4.50 for 700g (64p per 100g)

An impressive 80% liked the appetizing color of these fries.

The crispy exterior and good consistency of the interior were also praised.

However, the flavor didn’t score as highly as our top picks. Some felt it was too weak and others noted that the insides were a bit dry.

Aunt Bessie’s potatoes use duck fat, while the rest of the potatoes tested use beef fat. They are expensive, so keep an eye out for special offers to get the best value.

When comparing prices, look out for smaller bags; these are just 700g, while Aldi comes in a 1kg bag.

Available from: Amazon, asda, Iceland, Morrisons, Okado, Sainsbury’s, Tesco And Waiter.

Cheapest supermarket food and drink – from fish fingers And tomato ketchup with daily tea And hot chocolateOur blind taste tests reveal the best options

How do fries from McCain, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and other brands compare?

Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and Tesco were rated marginally lower than Aunt Bessie’s. McCain came in last place overall in this year’s taste test, losing points in terms of appearance and taste.

• Morrisons Best Beef Fat Fries – 71%. Two-thirds liked the texture of the inside and half liked the crispy outside. A crispier bite and stronger flavor would have raised the score for these potatoes. £2.75 for 800g (34p per 100g). Available from: Morrisons.
• Sainsbury’s Maris Piper Fries with Beef Dripping, Taste Difference – 71%. Nice looking potatoes with a generally pleasing texture inside and out. Just under half thought the flavor was just right, while some wanted a stronger taste. £2.95 for 1kg (30p per 100g). Available from: Sainsbury’s.
• Tesco Best Roast Potatoes with Beef Dripping – 71%. He’s a good all-round player. More than half liked the flavor and crunchiness of the outside, and about two-thirds liked the texture of the inside. Some found it a little lacking in flavor. £3 for 800g (38p for 100g). Available from: Tesco.
• Co-op Irresistible Beef Dripping Fries – 70%. Good-looking potatoes, with 60% of our panel scoring them well for taste, while a similar proportion liked the interior texture. More than half approved of the crispy outside, while just over a third felt they could have made it more crispy. £3.40 for 750g (45p per 100g). Available from Co-op (in store only).
• Waitrose Beef Fat Frozen Roast Potatoes – 70%. Two-thirds liked the look and texture of the inside of these potatoes. But they fell down due to the strength of the flavor and the non-crispy exterior. £2.75 for 800g (34p per 100g). Available from: Waiter.
• Asda Extra Special Beef Dripping French Fries – 68%. It pales in comparison to the other potatoes in the test. Tasters felt the outsides were not crispy, and nearly half wanted a stronger taste. £2.75 for 800g (34p per 100g). Available from: asda.
• McCain Triple Bake Roast – 60%. An unappetizing pale exterior and weak flavor dragged these potatoes down. More than half liked the crispiness levels, but 43% felt they weren’t crispy enough. £3 for 700g (43p per 100g). Available from: Amazon, asda, Partnership, Iceland, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s And Tesco.

How to make french fries: Expert tips on how to make the crispiest and most tender homemade fries

Can you buy ready-made french fries for vegetarians?

Ready-made fries that use vegetable oil and are suitable for vegetarians and vegans are widely available in supermarkets.

The potatoes in our test are premium fries that typically use beef fat or goose fat to enhance their flavour, so they’re not suitable for veggies or vegans.

Can you cook french fries in an air fryer?

Yes—an air fryer makes a great low-energy option for fries, especially if your oven isn’t on to cook other foods or you don’t have room for everything in there. More brands are now including air fryer instructions on packaging as it becomes an increasingly popular way to cook.

Most people still recommend the oven as the standard cooking method, which takes 30 to 35 minutes for fries. You’ll usually bake them from frozen in a hot oven (220°C (gas mark 7) or 200°C if the oven has a fan), but check individual package instructions for manufacturer’s recommendations.

Whether you want a small air fryer or a large dual model, air fryer reviews, Highlight the best products to buy based on independent laboratory testing

What’s in fried potatoes?

Potatoes are mostly carbohydrates, but all frozen french fries tested receive an amber traffic light label for fat content.

Co-op, M&S and McCain also get a yellow light for saturated fat, although most fats are of the healthier, unsaturated variety. Excessive consumption of this can cause high blood pressure and heart disease.

Most potatoes get the green light for their salt content; Seven of them contain approximately 0.2 grams of salt per 100 grams. Two brands — McCain and Aunt Bessie’s — have more, pushing them into amber territory.

How we tested roast potatoes

All potatoes tested were blind tasted and rated by a panel of 65 in our specialist testing laboratory in October 2024.

We assembled a panel of people who regularly buy and eat french fries and are broadly representative of the demographic profile of UK adults (age range, gender breakdown and more).

The taste test was blind, so our testers didn’t know which brand they were trying. They tasted the potatoes in a different order, completely rotated, to avoid any bias. Each tester had a private tasting booth so they couldn’t argue about what they were tasting or be influenced by others.

Tasters evaluated the taste, texture, aroma and appearance of each fry and told us what they liked and didn’t like.

The overall score was based on:

• 50% flavor
• 20% view
• 15% aroma
• 15% texture

These weightings are based on what people rank as the most important attributes when tasting french fries.

Price and availability checked: 24 October 2024