Canstar Blue’s crackers review has seen popular brands like Arnott’s, Ritz, Doritos, Fantastic, Peckish, plus a dozen more, compared on taste, texture, variety, packaging design, value for money and overall satisfaction.
Aussies have rated Damora (ALDI) a cracker of a brand for taste, texture, packaging design, value for money and overall satisfaction.
Is there a more iconic snack than cheese on crackers? Dip and crackers? Or that sweet combination of peanut butter and banana on crackers? You get it. Crackers make for a cracking bite. Whether you like subtle-in-flavour water crackers, crispbreads or good ol’ buttery baked crackers, there’s a snacky delight for every person and occasion. Almost a quarter of our survey respondents (23%) generally bring cheese and crackers as an amuse-bouche to a social event, while nearly half (48%) said they always stock up on crackers on their regular grocery shop. But, with so many options available, it’s hard to know which brands stack up and which don’t. That’s where we come in.
To find out, we asked more than 2,000 Aussie consumers for their feedback on the different brands of crackers they’ve purchased from a supermarket or grocer and consumed in the last three months. Survey respondents were asked to rate brands on their taste, texture, value for money, packaging design, variety and overall satisfaction. Those which met the minimum required survey sample size of 30 responses are included in the results.
Our 2020 crackers review featured a whopping 21 brands, but only one cracked the ratings as best for overall satisfaction – Damora (ALDI)! The supermarket brand scored top marks in five of the six categories surveyed.
Here are the best cracker brands in Australia, as rated by consumers in Canstar Blue’s 2020 review:
Damora (ALDI) dominated our cracker ratings as the best brand for overall satisfaction, value for money and packaging design. It also scored five stars for taste and texture. Cheds (Arnott’s) was the only other brand to achieve full marks in the taste stakes, while Vita-Weat (Arnott’s) gave Damora a nod for texture by also scoring five stars in that category. Notably, Shapes (Arnott’s) was the only contender to receive top marks for variety.
Overall, the majority of brands featured, including well-known favourites like Sao (Arnott’s), Shapes (Arnott’s), Ritz, Sakata and Waterthins, recorded satisfactory four-star ratings for overall satisfaction. Captain’s Table, Coles, Carr’s and Doritos bottomed out on three stars overall.
Damora is ALDI’s own brand of savoury snacks and crackers, available exclusively from the discount supermarket. Damora’s crackers range includes ‘crispetts’, corn cakes, crispbreads, water and rice crackers, as well as wholegrain crackers and biscuits. Each variety comes in original and classic flavours like chicken, cheese and salt and vinegar.
An Arnott’s creation, Cheds is an original flavour of crisp crackers, baked with real cheddar and Pecorino cheese. It’s the ultimate snack for cheese lovers. The Cheds range is available for purchase at Coles and Woolworths, and from independent supermarkets.
Vita-Weat is another cracker of the Arnott’s family, made from 100% natural ingredients and packed full of seeds and grains. It’s said to be the perfect crispy, healthy addition to any entertaining platter. The Vita-Weat range offers various multigrain and sesame and poppy seed flavour options.
Sao is an Arnott’s original since 1906. It’s a crisp and flaky savoury biscuit that can be paired with cheese, vegemite, jam and basically any other type of spread. Arnott’s Sao crackers only come in one original flavour.
Everybody knows Shapes! It’s Arnott’s most popular line of savoury biscuits which first hit Aussie supermarket shelves back in the 1950s. Today, the Shapes range offers the widest variety of cracker textures and flavours such as barbecue, chicken crimpy, cheddar, pizza and cheese & bacon.
Oven-baked and made with 100% real ingredients, crackers from The Natural Cracker Co contain no artificial colours, flavours or added preservatives. They are said to taste great naturally and come in a variety of deli-style flavours such as honey soy chicken, farmhouse cheddar, sour cream and chives, sea salt and vinegar and sweet chili & sour cream.
Clix is the original buttery cracker of the Jatz range by Arnott’s. It’s the savoury snack of many childhood memories and still an Aussie favourite today. Clix crackers’ subtle flavour and texture make them the ideal snack to pair with cheese, dips and table spreads.
Arnott’s Salada crackers are baked with Australian wheat and contain no artificial flavours, colours or additives. It’s apparently the perfect crispbread for a healthy snack or to make an easy meal out of. Simply add cheese, avocado and tuna, and voila! Salada’s crackers come in three simple flavours – original, wholemeal and light (97% fat free).
Woolworths takes care of your snacking needs with its home brand line of ‘low-price’ every day essentials for the pantry. The supermarket has a range of crackers which includes baked, water and rice crackers. Flavours include original, wholegrain, sea salt and garlic.
Fantastic is an Australian-owned brand of instant noodles and crackers. It offers a range of round and square rice crackers in over 15 flavour combinations, including seaweed, chicken, cheddar cheese, honey & soy, sweet chili & sour cream, plus more. Fantastic also offers vegan-friendly crackers.
Arnott’s Jatz crackers (or ‘Jatz’) are an Aussie favourite thanks to their crunchy, buttery taste. They’re the perfect snack to accompany any cheese or delicatessen board, so we’re told. Jatz crackers come in an original flavour, as well as cracked pepper, Clix and ‘light’ (97% fat free).
With their tasty base and great crunch, Arnott’s Savoy crackers are versatile enough to be paired with any spreads or toppings, or to simply enjoy on their own. Savoy crackers are baked and not fried, making them a healthier snack option.
Whether you stack them, dip them, or top them with your favourite spread, nothing beats Ritz. The brand offers a wide variety of crackers from original oven-baked biscuits, to crispy thins, fresh stacks and Ritz bits.
Sakata is marketed as the perfect work break snack. It’s also the iconic rice cracker behind one of the most famous jingles in Aussie advertising history, ‘Sa…ka…ta’. The Sakata range includes traditional and wholegrain rice crackers which contain no artificial flavours, colours, preservatives or added MSG.
Unlike traditional water crackers, Waterthins are baked lightly to create a melt in your mouth texture and subtle taste, so as not to overpower the flavours of your favourite toppings. The brand’s mission is to help you entertain with confidence. Waterthins crackers come in natural and cracked pepper flavours, with cheese sticks also available.
Fantastic Delites are crinkle cut rice crackers, seasoned with gourmet flavours to suit any occasion or mood. These include barbecue, cheddar cheese, honey-baked ham, pizza, traditional chicken, cheese and French onion, plus more. Fantastic Delites are gluten free.
Peckish rice crackers are thinner, lighter and crispier than other run-of-the-mill crackers. That’s what makes them the perfect snack if you’re feeling, you know, peckish. The brand offers traditional rice crackers, rice ‘snackers’ and snack packs to share. Some flavour options include cheddar cheese, herb & garlic, tangy barbecue, wasabi, sweet chili, and salt & vinegar.
Captain’s Table premium water crackers are claimed to be ideal to serve with any cheeses, dips or accompaniments. Captain’s Table crackers only come in a natural and cracked pepper flavour. The brand has also recently expanded its product offering to dips.
Coles’ own brand is the supermarket’s line of ‘great-value’ household and pantry essentials. The private label offers a small range of crackers including crispbreads, cheese twists and water and rice crackers in classic flavours like natural, cheese and cracker pepper.
From big celebrations to casual get-togethers, everything is better with Carr’s crackers on a platter, so the brand thinks anyway. They’re made from natural ingredients and contain no artificial flavours or colours, so nothing can interfere with the taste of your favourite toppings and pairings. The Carr’s range offers subtle flavour options like sesame, cracked pepper and rosemary.
If you like full volume and full flavour, then you’ll like Doritos! The brand may be renowned for its Mexican-style corn chips and salsa dips, but it also has a range of baked crackers, with flavours like nacho and supreme cheese, garlic bread and pizza topping flavours to choose from.
This will depend on the occasion, mood and your personal preference, but here are some general suggestions to seek your teeth into. Baked and water crackers tend to work well when paired with cheeses and cured meats, on a party platter, for example (wine is also strongly recommended). If you’ve got dips as your antipasto, rice crackers and cheese twists can make an ideal accompaniment as they hold their integrity for longer when you dip them into spreads. If you plan to make a meal with crackers, with some avo and tuna for example, then crispbreads should be your go-to for keeping hanger pans at bay.
If you’re still unsure which way to go, check out the types of crackers our survey respondents recently purchased:
Lastly, our survey found that taste, texture and value for money are the main drivers of satisfaction for shoppers when we buy crackers. Something to keep in mind when you’re next down the cracker aisle at the supermarket.
This report was written by Canstar Blue’s home & lifestyle journalist, Tahnee-Jae Lopez-Vito. She’s an expert on household appliances, grooming products and all things grocery and shopping. In addition to translating our expert research into consumer-friendly ratings reports, Tahnee spends her time helping consumers make better-informed purchase decisions on all manner of consumer goods and services, while highlighting the best deals and anything you need to be aware of.
Picture credits: Oksana Mizina / Shutterstock.com, / Nataliya Arzamasova/ Shutterstock.com.
Canstar Blue surveyed more than 3,000 Australian adults across a range of categories to measure and track customer satisfaction, via ISO 26362 accredited research panels managed by Qualtrics. The outcomes reported are the results from customers within the survey group who have purchased (from a supermarket or grocer) and consumed crackers in the last three months– in this case 2,100 people.
Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included. Results are comparative and it should be noted that brands receiving three stars have still achieved a satisfaction measure of at least six out of 10. Not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The ratings table is first sorted by star ratings and then by mean overall satisfaction. A rated brand may receive a ‘N/A’ (Not Applicable) rating if it does not receive the minimum number of responses for that criteria.