The best store-bought ranch dressing creams the competition — and it's a classic brand

Score: 14.5 (out of 20)

Hidden Valley is a big dill in the ranch dressing market, and for very good reason. The brand was invented about 70 years ago by a former plumber, Steve Henson, who, yes, lived on a ranch in California (you can probably guess its name). Clorox bought the brand in 1972, and the rest, shall we say, is salad history. Hidden Valley is now the most popular ranch dressing brand in the country — and our testers' favorite by far. 

It scored the highest in flavor and overall enjoyment and had a strong showing in the texture and appearance categories. Multiple testers called it the quintessential ranch dressing, highlighting its pleasant bite and tanginess. "Classic ranch taste — exactly what you expect!" noted one panelist.

Its dippable texture also got high marks: "Creamy, but not TOO creamy. Clings onto a carrot, not super runny," wrote one tester. Added another, "The texture on this one is near-perfect. It's thick enough without being gloopy, and it's not drippy."

Score: 13.4 (out of 20)

Looking for a ranch with a milder taste that is perfectly pourable for salads? Bypass your supermarket's dressing aisle and get thyself to the refrigerated section. There, you'll find this "pleasantly creamy and buttermilky" dressing from Litehouse. Made without artificial flavors or preservatives, it tasted healthy — in a good way, say most of our testers.

Tasting primarily of pepper and herbs, it lacks some of the tanginess you might want from a ranch. That said, it ranked very high in flavor and aroma. "This tastes more like homemade ranch than the others. I would put it on fries, pizza, wings, salad, even broccoli," raved one panelist.

Marketed as a dressing and dip, it's thick but on the runnier side of thick. Most of our testers appreciated the texture.

Score: 13 (out of 20)

Another refrigerator-case find, Chick-fil-A's ranch didn't blow anyone away, but when all was said and done, it scored well compared to the competition. Most testers thought it tasted just the right amount of strong, with a vinegary tang.

"Light and airy mouth feel. Good cling," commented one tester, with another raving, "Creamy but not too thick. I'd put this on pizza." In fact, a couple of people said they'd drizzle this on a pie — its robust flavor would hold up well to sauce and cheese.

Score: 12.8 (out of 20)

Although regular ranch dressing can contain buttermilk, it is often made with other ingredients like sour cream and mayo. As a result, it's usually thicker than buttermilk ranch. Hidden Valley's Buttermilk Ranch shares almost the exact same ingredients as the original version, and yet it didn't fare quite as well. That said, it still made a solid showing in the flavor and texture categories. "It has a great texture that's not too thick, but not so drippy that it doesn't cling to food. It's easy to get the right amount — buildable, if you will," praised one tester.

Some thought it tasted salty and garlicky (whether that's a good thing is up to you!). It might be best used in smaller amounts, like lightly dressing a salad.

Score: 12.8 (out of 20)

The iconic chain restaurant claims this dressing "brings the tradition of authentic Italian flavor to your salads." We're not sure if that's totally accurate, but we did enjoy this pick, especially when served alongside crudités.  

Testers described the flavor as "punchy," "very tangy," and "sharp," and a few said they thought the dressing contains a lot of vinegar. They also noted that it clung well to the dippers we served (baby carrots and crackers). "Good with greens and veggies, but I wouldn't put it on anything salty, like pizza or wings or crackers," explained one panelist.

Coffee, tea or ranch? All would work equally well as a morning pick-me-up. We're not judging!

Wear your love for ranch dressing on your, ahem, feet. With their heathered navy background and spiffy stripes, these unisex socks are, dare we say, kinda classy?

Even if you'd rather buy than DIY ranch dressing, it's hard to resist this dip bowl. The outside of the glass features an illustrated recipe for making homemade ranch, and the included spoon, well, says it all.

When a bottle just won't cut it, you need a restaurant-size container of ranch. This gallon-size vat ensures you never run out of your favorite dressing — plus bulk-buying is almost always more budget-friendly! Just think of all the salads, pizza and wings you'll be able to smother in tangy goodness.

This canvas bag is totes adorable, and is the perfect way to show off your obsession at the grocery store. At 15.7 inches by 13.4 inches, it's big enough to fit half a dozen bottles of dressing, I'd wager.

Meet your new favorite party trick: a ranch dressing fountain! While they're mostly popular at weddings these days, who says you can't dazzle guests with your own version? This would make a big splash at a Super Bowl party ... and lucky for us, the big game is this Sunday.

Didja know Hidden Valley makes its own line of merch? The simple design of this baseball cap nods to the dressing icon while keeping things subtle.

If you need your ranch fix on the go, these little containers are the solution. They clip onto your car air vent to make dipping while driving easy and mess-free.

Sure, you love ranch, but I'm willing to bet you haven't tasted it in cotton candy form. This is the perfect novelty gift for the diehard ranch fan in your life, because they're certainly not buying this treat for themselves!

When you major in ranch dressing, you need the duds to prove it. This colleagiate-style hoodie is just the ticket, and it comes in nine colors and five sizes, up to XX-large.