Crumpets are a beloved British snack, almost as good as having a warm buttered slice of toast. In fact, they’re far more interesting than sliced bread.
Back in 2023, a massive 2.3 million Warburtons crumpets were baked every week, equating to 124 million crumpets baked every year. I haven’t had a crumpet in years so obviously I have to start with the best. I put them to test against those from Aldi, Sainsbury’s and an unusual-looking one from Waitrose.
Prices ranged from 45p to £1.50, with Sainsbury’s price matching to competitor Aldi. A good crumpet should toast evenly, soak up butter like a sponge, and comfort your soul. This is how it went.
Warburtons Crumpets — six for 79p
The classic, the OG, the holy grail of crumpets. Warburtons’ name is synonymous with crumpets and always seems to be the go-to brand for anyone wanting a comforting, butter-slathered bite.
Wonderfully soft and squishy without being too firm or dense, the crumpets are just as I remember. Toasted for two minutes, I was surprised to see just how little it seemed to toast, but it was clearly cooked.
The cooking time was just enough, taking me back to younger days when I used to snack on crumpets and tea cakes. Despite my attempt to smother with butter, it didn’t absorb as best as I thought, rendering the sponge slightly flavourless and bland.
While the texture was delightful, it needed the addition of butter to add some semblance of flavour. It may not have been bursting with flavour as I’d remembered, but I understand why people keep going back to Warburtons time and time again.
Score: 7/10
Aldi Village Bakery Crumpets – six pack for 45p
Aldi is the supermarket I feel like I can trust, coming on leaps and bounds over the past few years for providing good, quality staples. However, I couldn’t be more disappointed in their crumpets.
Having tried a number of its bakery items, the Village Bakery Crumpets didn’t quite live up to the rest. Tying for the cheapest price crumpet, the quality appears to reflect it.
Its texture felt flabby and like a dense sponge, verging on tough once taken out of the packet. I worried that toasting wouldn’t magically make it light and fluffy — and I was right.
In comparison to the rest, especially Warburtons, its density is prevalent, even if it is offset a little by the toaster. The crumpet isn’t light and fluffy, the two main components I want from a crumpet.
However, there is a more even toast than Warburtons but, overall, it’s not one I would swap out for the OG.
Score: 3/10
Sainsbury’s Crumpets – six pack for 45p
Out of all of the circular crumpets, Sainsbury’s were slightly larger in circumference than the others, making it feel like you’re getting more for your money. The crumpets still felt denser than Warburtons before toasting, but that didn’t seem to matter afterwards.
Sainsbury’s had the best overall toast, beautifully crisping up the edges just enough for a satisfying crunch. It also had the best butter absorption of them all, requiring little work spreading it out and giving it that warm and slightly salty flavour. Of all the crumpets, Sainsbury’s was far superior – clinching the title from Warburtons.
Sainsbury’s also offered the option for a nine-pack of Warburtons Crumpets. These were on a Nectar Card offer for £1, down from £1.15. In comparison, Sainsbury’s regular price is 30p cheaper than what Waitrose sells the same product for.
Score: 8/10
Waitrose Toaster Crumpets – six pack £1.50, reduced to £1.25
The first thing that struck me about Waitrose’s crumptes is that the only round ones came either from its Essential line or were a posher sourdough product. What I’d consider to be its run-of-the-mill crumpets came in ‘people’ and square shapes.
I’m not entirely sure how I feel about eating ‘people’ filled with tiny holes, so I went with square. The avant-garde design feels a bit pretentious: is it a piece of toast? Is it a waffle?
You do get significantly more in one crumpet, but that’s there it immediately falls — the standard two-minute toast wasn’t enough to cook it at all, so it required more time.
But two minutes more only showed just how uneven it cooked, with one side slightly more charred and carbon-tasting than the other which made for an unpleasant bite. The rest of the crumpet was toasted fine, but not as crisp as I’d like.
One thing that was undeniable was how fluffy and light the centre is. Waitrose has the best and most pillow-like mouth feel.
However, the only flavour was the singes from the toaster, rendering the rest lacklustre. The whole idea of a Toaster Crumpet seems great, but in reality, it doesn’t quite make the cut.
Score 5/10