I Tried 6 Store-Bought Buffalo Sauces and the Winner Was a Total Surprise

What would a platter of wings be without Buffalo hot sauce? Chicken wings, on their own, aren’t necessarily a delicious food. They only become delicious when slathered with sauce. That’s why the sauce matters. You can take your chance and buy anything labeled “Buffalo sauce” or similar, but wouldn’t it be helpful to know which one was the best, so you can always have finger-lickin’ good wings?

We thought so. That’s why we collected every bottle we could find, rolled up our sleeves, grabbed a bunch of napkins, and got to work. Here are the results.

How We Chose the Sauces

To be a contender, the Buffalo sauces needed to be readily available. For that reason, only brands that could be found at large retailers were selected. The label had to say “Buffalo” somewhere on it, but other than that, there were no other specifications. 

How We Tested the Sauces

Each sauce was served two ways. The first was in an unlabeled bowl with a spoon. The second was tossed with a fried chicken tender. Taste testers were encouraged to comment on the heat level and overall flavor, and, of course, rank them from favorite to least favorite.

The Best Buffalo Sauces, Ranked

6th Place: 365 Whole Foods Market

This is less Buffalo sauce and more hot sauce. There was definitely heat, but not much in the way of seasonings. It was thin, vinegary, and basic. It would be a good choice if you’re trying to appease many palates at once.

5th Place: Primal Kitchen

Primal Kitchen’s version is very vinegar-forward. It isn’t aggressively hot, which disappointed testers who went so far as to claim it “fairly mild.” The sauce was notably thicker than the others on the list and clung to the chicken somewhat firmly, resulting in an unpleasantly over-coated chicken tender.

4th Place: Hot Ones

We all agreed that we loved the heat of this Buffalo sauce. The viscosity was also lovely. It was tangy and punchy, which was also appreciated. The only issue was the dairy flavor aftertaste, which some of us found unpleasant. That was less noticeable when tossed with chicken, so perhaps it’s more enjoyable when tossed with something versus used as a dip.

3rd Place: Sweet Baby Ray’s

This sauce differed from the others in that it had a bit more spice, almost like a Buffalo-style ranch. Most testers liked that, but others noted it didn’t have enough heat. Even though it was tangy and had good flavor, it just didn’t quite hit the spice level we were after.

2nd Place: Frank’s RedHot

Several testers reported that Frank’s Red Hot’s flavor was “balanced,” with good heat. It had a good amount of tart vinegar flavor and a fun hint of celery. Even though the sauce consistency was a bit thin, it turned out to be perfect for lightly coating chicken tenders.

1st Place: Buffalo Wild Wings

“It’s your classic Buffalo sauce,” said one tester. Everyone enjoyed the heat level of Buffalo Wild Wings’ sauce, which was enough to make us cough occasionally, but not cry. It also contained a punchy vinegar kick that wasn’t overwhelming. Like Primal, this sauce was thick, but unlike Primal, no one found it unpleasant. There wasn’t a single negative thing said about it. So, it appears the brand is staying true to its slogan as “Your Home for Wings.”