7 Store-Bought Margarita Mixes, Ranked Worst To Best

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When it comes to tequila, margaritas are undeniably the most iconic cocktail of them all. Deliciously sweet, tart, and everything nice, they hit the spot every single time. It doesn't matter if you are a newbie tequila drinker or one with countless experiences regarding the spirit; classic margaritas are a mouthwatering delight. Making one from scratch isn't for everyone, though, especially if you want a hassle-free cocktail that's ready in a flash. Fortunately, the popularity of the legendary cocktail means you can easily snag a pre-made margarita mix at just about any liquor or grocery store to help you get the job done. Even so, every product won't provide drinkers with the same tasty results we all know and love. That's why I went on a mission to figure out which margarita mixes are worth your time and which ones leave you wishing you'd just made the drink from scratch.

Sorting the duds from the delicious margarita mixes was fairly simple once I got a taste. Still, just so you know, I relied on perceived quality, ability to complement tequila, overall flavor, and price to sort out my final ranking. A closer look at my methodology can be found at the end, but all in good time, my margarita-loving friend. Before we get to that, let's see how the cards fell so you never wind up with a sub-par margarita mix again.

Some recommendations are based on first-hand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer/distributor/etc.

Unfortunately for Bettergoods, the brand's Agave Lime Margarita Mixer is nothing short of abysmal. It's a shame, too, because the ingredients listed — cane sugar, agave extract, lime juice concentrate, orange extracts, no preservatives, no artificial colors — make it sound like it would be pretty good. The label also notes that it is mixologist-crafted, but after giving it a try, I fail to see how any real mixologist would endorse it.

For a nanosecond, I thought I just might like Bettergoods Agave Lime Margarita Mixer. However, once the flavor expanded on my tongue, I knew it would never live up to my expectations. It was thick and sour, but not in a good way, and it left a yucky, funky aftertaste lingering on my palate. The color was cloudy, and the smell was incredibly sour as well. So much so that I had to examine the label to make sure it hadn't spoiled. It hadn't. In fact, there were still 10 months left before the best-by date would pass. Honestly, not even a splash of tequila helped me stomach it. Better goods? More like the worst goods around.

To make matters worse, Bettergoods Agave Lime Margarita Mixer was the most expensive product I sampled. I got a 750 ml bottle for $9.87, but it was on sale for $8.87. Either way, it was the priciest of the bunch. So yeah, it is a complete and utter letdown. Next!

A 1.75-liter bottle of Jose Cuervo Classic Margarita Mix costs about $9, maybe a bit less, so it comes at an outstanding price. However, the low cost isn't nearly enough to save it from the bottom of my ranking. It may be an O.G. in the realm of tequila and margarita mix — the label proclaims it is the original margarita mixer, after all — but unfortunately, it was a far cry from a quality option.

Jose Cuervo Classic Margarita Mix is made with water, high fructose corn syrup, and a bunch of other stuff that's hard to pronounce, so even before I got a taste, I knew it wasn't even close to something you'd get from a mixologist. I mean, it doesn't contain lime juice for cryin' out loud. Regardless, I made myself a couple of miniature drinks with it, one with tequila and one without, so I could get the best feel for its potential. After sampling, I found it was excessively sweet up front with a tart finish, but it tasted more like regret than a quality margarita mix. It would definitely mask a super low-quality tequila, and it tasted way better than the product in last place, but that's about it.

Sorry, Jose Cuervo, you may have enough brand recognition to take you far, but this margarita mix isn't for anyone who prefers a quality cocktail. College kids would guzzle it by the boatload, but I recommend everyone else steer clear.

If you prefer a skinny margarita over a classic one, I get it. They serve a purpose if you are trying to limit calories. However, that's basically the only thing Mr. & Mrs. T Skinny Margarita Mix has going for it. Oh, wait, it comes at a good price, too; around $5 for a one-liter bottle. Even so, the label is quite boastful, proclaiming things like expertly-crafted and made-from-scratch taste, but I fail to see how either of those things rings true.

Mr. & Mrs. T Skinny Margarita Mix is made with Mexican agave nectar, cane sugar, and a bunch of other crap with hard-to-pronounce names. You know what's missing, though? Lime. There isn't any listed in the ingredients. Ugh, not this again. Sadly, it's true. Admittedly, it did taste like a skinny margarita should, just not a quality one. How could it without any lime? Putting that aside, it had a thinner, very smooth but almost watered-down flavor, something that's common with skinny margs, so it wasn't a complete fail.

The main reason Mr. & Mrs. T Skinny Margarita Mix ranked higher than the two picks that came before is that it could be a good option if you want to prioritize a skinnier mix. It only has 10 calories per serving, after all. Still, if it were the only option other than the two that came in last place, I'd just make my skinny marg from scratch.

Are you tired of all the complaining and bad reviews thus far? Me too. Fortunately, starting with the Master Of Mixes Handcrafted Margarita Mixer, this is where my ranking takes a turn for the better. Not by much — you'll have to wait for the top three for that — but still, we are definitely making progress. Woohoo!

Overall, Master Of Mixes blows the lower-ranking picks out of the water. For starters, it actually contains lime, something the second and third-to-last products can't claim. It also features agave syrup, cane sugar, and filtered water, so it has all the ingredients needed for a quality mix. Additionally, a 1.75-liter bottle costs around $8, so no complaints there. As for flavor, though, it was incredibly sweet and had a weird aftertaste. Despite what the label said, it tasted quite artificial. I liked how smooth it was, but we can do much better, as is evident by the three mixes that rank higher.

Honestly, I was a bit surprised at how high Master Of Mixes Handcrafted Margarita Mixer ranked in my list because the brand came in dead last in a ranking of old-fashioned mixes (conducted by yours truly). Regardless, a firm middle-place spot was where it had to land. As noted, it's significantly tastier than everything that came before, but the ones yet to come are the real bangers. So, without further ado, let's get to the good stuff.

Coming in third place is Agalima Organic Authentic Margarita Mix. Made with Jalisco Blue Agave lime juice, agave, cane sugar, sea salt, and lime flavor, it's got all the makings of a top-notch mix. Luckily, unlike some of the lesser brands that ranked lower and still seemed to have the right ingredients, this is a mix that anyone could love. Finally, am I right?

As the name suggests, Agalima's margarita mix is organic, and you know what? I don't typically put a ton of weight behind that label, but this one really hit the mark on all fronts. At about $10 per one-liter jar, it isn't attached to an exorbitant organic price tag, either, so nicely done, Agalima. Now that we have the details covered, this mix was a true delight. It was sweet and tart, as a margarita should be. However, it was more saccharine than anything, so you can forget about a puckering effect. It also had a round mouthfeel that I enjoyed. Basically, it tasted like a premium product and had a smooth taste that left me wanting more. I guess that's proof that good ingredients lead to better flavor.

After all that praise, you're probably wondering how Agalima Organic Authentic Margarita Mix didn't clinch first or second place, and really, it's by no fault of its own. The products that did simply had it beat regarding price and flavor. No love lost, though. It's a margarita mix I would happily purchase again.

I frequently sit around thinking about how much I love Trader Joe's. From gems in the frozen section to delectable salsas and more, the store really has it going on. However, one product I wasn't prepared to fall so hard for is none other than Trader Joe's Organic Margarita Mix. Oh man, did it blow me away. With this in mind, it more than earned its second-place spot on my list.

Trader Joe's Margarita Mix is made with lime juice, agave syrup, cane sugar, natural flavors — all of which are organic — citric acid, and sea salt. That's it, so there's nothing artificial about it. Fortunately, the taste reflected this beautifully. It was sweet but not too sweet, and it featured lots of tartness to balance it out. I also picked up on a subtle saltiness at the finish. With or without tequila (although I recommend it with), it was deliciously smooth and tasted phenomenal.

Once again, Trader Joe's showed up in full force for its Organic Margarita Mix, and it did not disappoint. It tasted like a quality product, and you sure can't beat the price. A 32-ounce container costs just $3.99 plus tax, making it the most affordable product I sampled. Score! All that being said, Trader Joe's Organic Margarita Mix still got beat out by one product regarding overall quality and flavor. However, if you're looking for a budget pick that doesn't taste like one, I can't recommend it enough.

There could only be one margarita mix to rule them all, and for me, it just had to be Fever-Tree's Classic Margarita Mix. Not only did it excel in all of my ranking criteria — quality, flavor, etc. — but it is the only product I sampled that tasted like a real margarita, not a pre-made mix. Seriously, if I were served this in a bar, I would have never known it came from a store-bought mix. A 750 ml bottle was less than $10, too, so it won't break the bank.

Crafted with Mexican limes, sea salt, agave, cane sugar, and orange extract, Fever-Tree Classic Margarita Mix has all the fixings of a premium margarita, minus the tequila, of course. Ingredients be darned, it was a true showstopper in the flavor department. It boasted a potent lime taste with a beautiful balance of sweet and tart elements. I also detected a subtle salt and orange flavor at the end that truly made it stand out from the competition. I also enjoyed its nice puckering effect that begged for a dash of grassy tequila, so I happily obliged. Once I did, it was game over. There was no doubt in my mind that it was my number one. Sugar, spice, and everything nice, Fever-Tree Classic Margarita Mix will be my go-to pick forevermore. Yum! Give it a try, and I'm sure you'll have no qualms deeming it your favorite as well.

To ensure I gave all of the products above a fair shake, I sampled them with and without tequila. After all, I couldn't have tequila swaying the vote, something we all know it could easily do. I mean, how could a mix not be better with tequila? Regardless, I wanted to make sure the mix could stand up to the competition without any help.  So, even if you enjoy a margarita mocktail, my ranking will serve you well. In case you are curious, I chose to mix them with Espolón Blanco because it's one of the best tequilas for a margarita, and, well, it's my personal all-around favorite affordable bottle.

As for how I determined my final ranking, I based it on perceived quality, ability to complement tequila, overall flavor, and price. The margarita mixes with the best balance of flavors and the highest quality mouthfeel came out on top. The ones that tasted artificial and lacked a premium flavor came in last. In the end, I recommend avoiding the bottom three products like the plague, opting for fourth place if there aren't any better options, and honing in on the top three — they are really where it is at.