In a taste test of six instant porridge pots from major UK supermarkets, Aldi's Original Porridge Pot emerged as the clear winner, scoring 8/10 for its satisfying texture and flavour. The 37p pot outperformed more expensive brands including Quaker Oats, M&S and Waitrose.
Sophie Harris, Senior Lifestyle Reporter, purchased six individual supermarket pots and prepared each one following the instructions provided, using boiling water instead of her customary milk. She then assessed them based on flavour, texture, creaminess, consistency and overall eating experience.
How the Supermarket Pots Ranked
Tesco's Instant Oats Original porridge pot delivered a decent overall result and was pleasant from the initial spoonfuls. While the container felt very flimsy, it produced a reasonably thick consistency. The taste was satisfactory, though it was slightly too sweet, given that no sweeteners had been added. It was a solid choice, scoring 6/10.
Sainsbury's Porridge Pot Original proved quite challenging to finish, with the oats remaining hard even after leaving them for the recommended duration, and developing a somewhat gloopy texture. Scoring 4/10, it was described as genuinely disappointing, particularly as the reporter generally adores their own-brand offerings.
Premium Brands Disappoint
The Quaker Oat So Simple Original Porridge Pot, priced at £1.30, was ready in roughly two minutes and was perfectly pleasant to eat, though it was clear it had been made with boiling water rather than milk. The suggested fill line was appreciated, as several of the other pots lacked this feature. However, the price wasn't quite justified by the flavour and texture alone, scoring 6/10.
M&S's Traditional Porridge Pot, at £1.10, finished last with a score of 2/10. With no fill line provided, it was difficult to gauge how much water to add. The oats were incredibly claggy, and despite being creamy, the pot fell well short of the mark.
Waitrose's Original Porridge Pot came as something of a disappointment, ending up near the bottom of the rankings with a score of 3/10. It was somewhat creamy, but lumpy and rather unpleasant to eat, and being amongst the priciest in the taste test, expectations had been considerably higher.
A Surprising Winner
Aldi's Original Porridge Pot proved to be a surprising standout. On first inspection, it doesn't look particularly impressive, yet the resulting porridge boasts a satisfying texture and sufficient flavour to enjoy without added sweeteners. It carried a subtle creaminess and came closest to replicating the porridge typically made at home with milk, scoring 8/10.
