My initial reaction came from opening each can. Just about all of them had very strong, distinct aromas (not all pleasant). The cans were heated on the stovetop, transferred to small glass bowls, then I tasted them individually, sipping milk and taking bites of bread in between each sample. I also tried each with tortilla chips to see how they tasted as a topping. Sour cream, cheese, diced onions, and other standard chili toppings were left off for this test.
10th Place: Dollar General’s Clover Valley Chili With Beans
Go ahead and skip this one. Seriously, just get any other chili on this list and you’ll be satisfied. This Dollar General canned chili has an incredibly strong, off-putting flavor, odd chunks of white something (perhaps beans?), and no beef, just pork. I do appreciate that the ingredient list is pretty minimal, but there’s literally no beef in this chili—and the white mystery globs turned my stomach. I really can’t find anything positive to say about this one, so let’s move on.
9th Place: Armour Chili No Beans
That’s because the texture was so smooth it was almost like refried beans. The spice flavor (not heat) was just OK, as I found it slightly bland. But I can see why some people may like this brand as a topping for chili dogs, as it’s not overly bold, it has very small bits of meat throughout, and it isn’t very tomato-forward. For my preference, however, it was my least favorite of the bean-free options.
8th Place: Kroger Original Chili With Beans
This Kroger chili had a very mellow flavor, which is not really something I want in a chili. What little flavor it has, however, is a bit metallic. It is saucier than I prefer, yet it is still packed with creamy beans and big chunks of meat. This, along with the rest of the cans in the middle of this list, is perfectly acceptable—yet not terribly interesting.
7th Place: Walmart’s Great Value Chili With Beans
Next page: