We Style-Examined 14 Oat Milks—These 2 Have been the Creamiest and Most Milk-Like

Oat milk is likely one of the hottest non-dairy milk options, probably as a result of one of the best oat milks have a milk-like creaminess, they do not separate when added to scorching espresso, and so they froth up simply as properly—if not higher—than dairy milks, making them an interesting choice for warm espresso-based drinks. However they’re additionally helpful for different functions, like including to cereal and cooking dishes similar to oatmeal or boxed mac and cheese. In brief, nice oat milk might be extraordinarily versatile. 

With oat milk’s rising reputation, the choices obtainable have ballooned. There are “unique” blends, “barista” blends, “additional creamy blends,” and even “clear” choices that tout simply two components: oats and water. So what actually makes an excellent, versatile oat milk? Is one of the best recipe the best, or do components like gums and oils actually add one thing to the combo? 

To seek out one of the best oat milk, we taste-tested 14 broadly obtainable manufacturers you are prone to discover at your native grocery retailer. We sampled them in random order, paying shut consideration to mouthfeel, sweetness, and that elusive oat taste—nutty, earthy, and heat. We then tabulated the outcomes and topped an general winner and a runner-up.

The Standards

The very best dairy options needs to be simply that: a substitute for dairy that can fulfill those that love the true factor. Although we acknowledge that oat milk won’t ever style precisely like dairy milk, one of the best oat milk ought to have all of the qualities of dairy milk, together with a wealthy, mouth-coating texture and a light-weight sweetness, with none graininess or gumminess. Oat milk needs to be candy, the best way actual dairy is—refined, with out tasting like all additional sugar has been added. Its taste needs to be freed from synthetic aromas, and as an alternative have an inobtrusive, pure, nutty taste of oats.

General Winner

Oatly Full Fats Oatmilk

This oatmilk had an oat taste that our editors loved. “It is heat and cereal-like,” our affiliate culinary editor, Laila, stated. I loved its gentle sweetness, and our senior editor, Genevieve, agreed. “It is impartial and subtly candy,” she stated. Affiliate visuals director, Amanda, gave it a excessive rating for its “good oatiness,” although affiliate editorial director, Megan, discovered this oat milk a bit chalky. 

What stood out most on this pattern was its complete milk–like creaminess. Laila described it as “thick, viscous, and ultra-smooth,” and Amanda beloved its “milky texture.” This was one of many few samples the editors may drink a glass of, with Genevieve noting that she’d be blissful to buy it.

Runner-Up

365 by Complete Meals Authentic Oatmilk

This oat milk had a pure oat taste and wasn’t overly candy. Laila thought it had a “powdery, barely gritty mouthfeel,” however took it as a constructive. “The powdery texture could also be off-putting for some, however I discovered it interesting,” she stated, explaining that it probably indicators minimal processing.

Different tasters did not pick the identical graininess Laila did. As a substitute, Amanda praised the consistency, saying, “Lastly, a milk texture.” I agreed, noting how thick and creamy it was, whereas Genevieve puzzled if it was too thick. “This has loads of physique,” she wrote. “It is perhaps too thick for some, however it will be good for cooking.” General, she decided that it was a nice choice, noting, “It is not tremendous candy or overly salty. I like this!”

Of the samples we tried, I believed this feature tasted probably the most like oats. Laila agreed, remarking that it was “clearly oat-forward, with a extra pure, much less processed style” than different samples. Amanda caught a touch of a taste on the backend that she did not love however could not fairly place, and Megan agreed, noting a bitter aftertaste and a “barely chalky” end.

The Contenders

• 365 by Complete Meals Market Authentic Oat Milk
• Califia Farms Further-Creamy Oat Milk
• Chobani Oat Authentic
• Chobani Oatmilk Further Creamy
• Good & Collect Authentic Oat Milk
• Kirkland Signature, Natural Non-Dairy Oat Beverage
• Malk Natural Authentic Oat Milk
• Oatly Full Fats Oatmilk
• Oatly Authentic Oatmilk
• Natural Valley Natural Oat Beverage
• Pacific Meals Authentic Natural Oat Milk
• Planet Oat Authentic Oatmilk
• Silk Oat Milk Authentic
• Dealer Joe’s Non-Dairy Oat Beverage

Key Takeaways and Conclusion

Most oat milks are made with water, oats, oil, sugar, and salt. Many manufacturers comprise components, emulsifiers, and stabilizers that give their merchandise a wealthy, creamy texture and/or enhance their means to foam for espresso drinks. Our winner, Oatly Full Fats Oatmilk, lists an “oat base” of water and oats as its first ingredient. It truly has a patent for its course of, which entails mixing oats with water, milling them, then including “pure enzymes” to the combination. This breaks down the grain’s starches and converts them into sugar, sweetening the beverage. As soon as the bran is filtered out, the remaining components are added, and the beverage is heat-treated earlier than being packaged.

Each our winner and runner-up are made with related components: They each have a base of oats and water, and comprise 2% or much less of an oil (rapeseed for Oatly; sunflower seed oil for 365 by Complete Meals), calcium carbonate, tricalcium phosphate, sea salt, and nutritional vitamins. 365 by Complete Meals additionally accommodates gellan gum and potassium phosphate.

Whereas sure manufacturers tout their quick ingredient listing as a promoting level, we discovered that milks made with simply oats and water had been extraordinarily skinny and watery, and our favourite oat milks used oils and different components to imitate complete milk’s richness and texture. 

It is sensible. Dairy milk has butterfat that coats the tongue, and a mix of oats and water merely will not replicate that texture. Including fats by way of oil and different components that thicken the combination creates the creamy, {smooth} physique that most individuals search for in milk. 

A number of the lower-performing oat milks use oat flour as a base, which provides the drinks a grittiness and a raw-flour taste. We additionally discovered that milks that relied too closely on gums—similar to gellan or locust bean gum—with out balancing them with fats had a gluey or slimy texture. 

It is also value noting that we most popular the full-fat model of Oatly to the unique model because it had the creamiest, most “milk-like” texture of the bunch. The complete-fat model has the next rapeseed oil content material than the unique, giving it a fuller physique.

Our Testing Methodology

All style assessments are performed with manufacturers fully hidden and with out dialogue. Tasters style samples in random order. For instance, taster A might style pattern one first, whereas taster B will style pattern six first. That is to stop palate fatigue from unfairly giving anyone pattern a bonus. Tasters are requested to fill out tasting sheets, rating the samples in keeping with varied standards. All information is tabulated, and outcomes are calculated with no editorial enter to offer probably the most neutral illustration of precise outcomes attainable.

January 2026