We Tried And Ranked 7 Costco Dips From Worst To Best

There's never really a bad time to indulge in a good dip. Whether eaten as a snack with crackers at school, added as a layer in your sandwich for work, or left out for guests to enjoy throughout a party, they're quick and convenient food products to have on hand. Thankfully, there's a wide variety of dips and spreads available at most grocery stores you'll find yourself in, including Costco.

From hummus and tzatziki to guacamole, the big-box store offers a small but solid lineup of fan-favorite dip types. And because I can't resist the two-pound tubs most of these come in at such affordable prices, I went ahead and purchased seven of them to see which reigns supreme. That way, fellow Costco members know which ones not to waste their veggies and pretzels (or precious fridge space) on and which are worth buying time and time again.

When it comes to choosing the best store-bought hummus, Sabra has always been on top for me. So, as a loyal fan of the brand, I knew it would be tough for the Kirkland Signature Organic Roasted Pine Nut Hummus to live up to it. And I've sadly learned it doesn't even come close after trying it.

All in all, this option is greatly lacking in flavor. While a truly good dip should shine even when its flavor is front and center, such as when it's eaten with nothing but a tortilla chip or some veggies, this product needs a whole lot more to be able to stand alone. It doesn't have enough of the usual nuttiness from chickpeas or distinct brightness from lemon juice, despite the fact that these ingredients are listed on the nutrition label. The only bites I found with prominent flavor were in the very small dollop of soft pine nuts, oil, and roasted red peppers plopped right on top in the center of the tub, which helped add sweetness. Unfortunately, though, for how big Costco's 34-ounce container of hummus is, there is not nearly enough of this topping to help elevate the rest of the dip, leaving the majority of it too plain. If it can't shine against the tortilla chip I paired it with, it would only get even more lost if used with chicken or in a wrap. The only thing this hummus ultimately has going for it is its creamy, thick consistency, but still, it's not worth it taste-wise, which automatically earns it a spot at the bottom of the list.

I went into this ranking thinking queso is a hard food to mess up because cheese almost always makes everything better. But in the case of Queso Mama White Queso, I was generally unimpressed, and it was mostly due to its inconvenient texture. After following the package's instructions and heating it in the microwave, this became such a thin, runny product that I struggled to make it work as a dip. When I plunged my tortilla chip into it, the queso started dripping right off, leaving me to rush my bites. On the bright side, I guess you could at least easily turn this dip into a cheesy soup. But if you were really set on using it to dunk some crackers or veggies into, you'll have better luck elsewhere.

The flavor was also on the sharp side, which I was surprised by, considering the main ingredient is American cheese — a variety that's usually mild. Depending on who you ask, this can be seen as a positive when eating it with something like a burrito, where the queso's sharp quality gets balanced out, but with something simpler like chips, it's a bit overpowering and jarring. Still, it at least isn't bland and wouldn't get lost in whatever you pair it with, giving it an edge over the Kirkland Signature Organic Roasted Pine Nut Hummus.

The popularity of green goddess dressing has surged again, and all Costco members know the warehouse is quick to jump on trends, so it's no shocker that it carries Good Foods Avocado Green Goddess Dip & Spread. This product is more versatile than even the best store-bought green goddess dressings, as it has a creamy yet thick texture that works not only on salads, but also in sandwiches, marinades, and atop meats and fish.

Its base is made from reduced-fat Greek yogurt, mayo, and salted egg yolks. There's also lemon juice, avocados, green onion, parsley, shallots, basil, and dill, among a few other additions. While that second set of ingredients is successful in bringing a bright and refreshing herb flavor (with the dill being particularly prominent) to this dip, the taste of mayo comes through too strongly for my liking. I'm not a fan of eggs in general, but I'd also imagine anyone else picking up a tub of this dip would want those greens to shine through the most instead. They're certainly present, though they take too much of a backseat to the mayonnaise. The balance of ingredients just isn't there yet with these lower-ranking dips.

Spinach and artichoke dip isn't just a popular appetizer found at Applebee's and other American restaurants; there are also variations of it sold at grocery stores. La Terra Fina Spinach Artichoke & Parmesan Dip & Spread is one that can be found at Costco, and even as someone who isn't typically fond of this flavor combo, I'm confident this particular product is a good pick and would be a crowd pleaser.

Labeled as both a dip and a spread, this formula is chunky, coming with very generous amounts of both spinach and artichoke pieces throughout the entire cream cheese and mayo base. It's also made with Parmesan cheese and Monterey Jack, whose salty, tart flavors are easy to make out with every bite. As such, the detectable flavor of all this dip's many elements, from the veggies to the cheeses, does a great job at keeping the whole thing from tasting too eggy, putting it over the green goddess dressing.

It's also worth mentioning that the La Terra Fina Spinach Artichoke & Parmesan Dip & Spread can be eaten either chilled or warm. I tried it both ways and found that, as expected, the flavor is more potent when it's been heated.

The Good Foods Buffalo Style Chicken Dip may have changed buffalo-flavored things for me forever. Buffalo is quite low on the list of condiments, sauces, and seasonings I like, but this product was a no-brainer when it came to choosing the top dips.

It's meant to be served warm. However, I enjoyed it more straight out of the fridge; even then, I could taste how bold it was. This dip is made of rotisserie chicken blended with cream cheese, sour cream, hot sauce, and Monterey Jack, along with a couple of other seasonings. Its chunky consistency is very comparable to cottage cheese (which makes it great for dipping purposes), though, obviously, with a lot more savory flavor. The hot sauce and cayenne pepper lend a gentle heat. It's present enough that this product can clearly be identified as "buffalo-style," but the cooling cream cheese and sour cream make it so that the spice-averse crowd can likely tolerate it, too. Even as someone who prefers everything I eat to have a little kick without going overboard, I thought this was the perfect balance.

If you had told the version of me years ago that hated avocado that Kirkland Signature Organic Chunky Guacamole would be runner-up in this list, I would have laughed in your face. But the me that would ask for avocado to be taken out of all her sushi rolls is long gone, and now, guacamole — specifically Costco's — is a staple in so many of my day-to-day meals.

Far before this taste test, the chain's chunky guacamole has been a go-to for me. It's already great enough that it comes in single-serve cups, which is extremely convenient for portioning and avoiding that pesky browning that so often occurs with opened, larger containers of day-old guac, but it also just tastes plain great. The ingredient list is nice and short, consisting of tomatoes, lime juice, onions, jalapeños, and, of course, avocado, in addition to some seasoning. Together, these create a fresh, bright flavor with a very tangy quality to it.

The aforementioned chunks of tomato and avocado pieces are what make this guacamole "chunky," adding a nice contrast against the otherwise creamy and smooth base – a.k.a. the best of both worlds. Both the complex flavor and texture of Kirkland Signature Organic Chunky Guacamole make it a top candidate for dipping or even making the absolute best avocado toast.

Once I got a taste of the Hannah Tzatziki Greek Style Yogurt Dip, I knew I was in trouble. To give you a sense of how much I love it, I'll confess that I ate two-thirds of the 2-pound container within just three days (with no help from anyone). Thankfully, it's on the healthier side, consisting of yogurt, sour cream, cucumbers, vinegar, garlic, and spices.

And, boy, does it taste as clean as it sounds. Every bite of this dip is extremely refreshing and cooling. I initially tried it with just tortilla chips, but became so impressed with it that I eventually sampled it with crackers and chicken tenders, too. Each time, I found it to be consistently bright and fresh in flavor, thanks to the cucumber, yogurt, and sour cream, but also with the slightest hint of savoriness to it because of the vinegar, garlic, and other spices. The combination of it all makes it so that this tzatziki pairs well with anything. I even tried a spoonful of it completely on its own and found it to be almost good enough to eat as a normal yogurt (although I wouldn't suggest that since this is meant to be a dip). Either way, there are plenty of creative ways to use tzatziki, and now I know Hannah is the brand to experiment with.

I picked up seven different types of dips from Costco and ranked them based on taste and texture. Taste-wise, I focused on the overall flavor of each product as well as how well-balanced its ingredients were. Dips in which one ingredient was too overwhelming were placed lower on the list, for example. In terms of texture, I took into consideration whether it felt accurate to call the product a "dip" or "spread," meaning it wasn't too liquidy and was actually able to be scooped up using the Costco tortilla chips I had also purchased. Overall, the dips that had good taste and consistency, both on their own and with the chips, were ranked higher.