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 half of respondents (42%) generally bring cheese and crackers as an amuse-bouche to a social event, while a third (32%) said they always buy the same brand. 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 compare the top cracker brands on the market.
Canstar Blue surveyed 1,973 Australians for their feedback on the crackers they have purchased and consumed in the last three months. Note: this only refers to crackers purchased from a supermarket or grocer, and excludes homemade crackers or crackers bought from a market.
Respondents rate their satisfaction with their cracker brand(s) from zero to ten, where zero is extremely dissatisfied and ten is extremely satisfied. Brand satisfaction was rated by respondents on the following criteria:
The winning brand is the one that receives the highest Overall satisfaction rating once all the scores from the Overall satisfaction criteria are combined and averaged.
Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included, so not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The brands rated in this survey are listed below in order of best overall satisfaction.
1. Shapes (Arnott’s)
2. Cheds (Arnott’s)
3. Fantastic
4. Sakata
5. Peckish
6. Jatz (Arnott’s)
7. Fantastic Delites
8. Ritz
9. Vita-Weat (Arnott’s)
10. Salada (Arnott’s)
11. Woolworths
12. Coles
13. Captain’s Table
14. Savoy (Arnott’s)
15. Clix (Arnott’s)
16. Olina’s
17. Always Fresh
18. Waterthins
19. Doritos
Shapes (Arnott’s) crunched up a win with five stars for packaging convenience, variety & range and overall satisfaction. Another Arnott’s brand, Cheds, rated five stars for taste and texture.
Fantastic scored ‘fantastically’ for taste and value for money, while Woolworths and Coles shared a win for value for money.
Find more detailed information on our ratings methodology.
The best friend of pool parties, picnics, BBQs and those times when you don’t know what else to bring (move over Favourites), Shapes are the king of crackers when it comes to pleasing adults and kids alike. It might be the joy of geometry, as the crackers come in oval, hexagon and squares, or perhaps it’s the original flavours like BBQ, chicken, pizza and cheddar are what Aussie shoppers love. Arnott’s also claims the crackers are ‘baked not fried’ which supposedly lowers the fat content of each biscuit. You can find Shapes in most major supermarkets and grocers, and expect to pick up a box for around $3.50.
Plain and flavoured crackers without added sugar, salt or fat are generally considered a healthy and high fibre snack. However, potato chips don’t fall in that category, as they can be energy-dense (i.e. high in kilojoules) and high in saturated fat and salt. So, if you’re looking for a healthy alternative to chips and chocolate biscuits, make sure to read the nutritional information on the packaging.
Arnott’s offers a wide variety of crackers worth dipping into, with Shapes proving to be the top pick. Cheds, as well as Fantastic, are also clearly tingling Aussie’s tastebuds as some of the tastiest options to choose from. But if you’re after something cheap, supermarket Coles and Woolworths satisfy as the best bang for buck.
For extra inspiration, here are some general suggestions to seek your teeth into:
Our survey found 17% of consumers buy the cheapest brand (or whichever is on special), with the 30% alternatively sticking to ‘light’ or healthy crackers. Meanwhile, 32% of people we surveyed generally buy the same brand while the majority (57%) have ventured into trying different flavours from their favourite brand.
Megan is Canstar Blue’s Home & Lifestyle Editor, leading the team that focuses on consumer products and services, ranging from supermarkets and groceries to home and personal appliances and retail stores. She interprets Canstar Blue’s bespoke research on the thousands of brands that we compare, rate and review, to help shoppers make better purchasing decisions.
Samantha Howse is Canstar Blue’s Consumer Research Specialist, coordinating the consumer research program behind our customer satisfaction awards across Canstar and Canstar Blue in Australia and New Zealand. Sam has earned a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) from Griffith University and, with seven years in market research and 2 years in marketing, she is experienced in survey design, implementation and analysis, coupled with an understanding of marketing principles and best practice.
Picture credits: Oksana Mizina / Shutterstock.com, / Nataliya Arzamasova/ Shutterstock.com.
Here are the past winners from Canstar Blue’s cracker ratings:
• 2022: Clix (Arnott’s)
• 2021: Cheds (Arnott’s)
• 2020: ALDI Damora
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