We Ranked Every Trader Joe's Juice From Worst To Best - Tasting Table (2024)

Grocery Stores And Chains Trader Joe's

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ByJulia Duda/May 27, 2024 3:15 pm EST

Forget about the best snacks from Trader Joe's — the beverages are where the fun is. The popular grocery chain offers a vast assortment of drinks, ranging across vast spectrums of beer, wine, coffee, tea, flavored water, and of course, juice.

It's likely that most people aren't shopping at Trader Joe's for the juice alone, but if you were to venture into the store with a list consisting only of different juices, you'd hit a treasure trove of options. Whether you enjoy a classic orange juice in the morning or want something a little more adventurous — like tangerine juice or spiced lemonade— all of your sweet beverage dreams can easily become reality, thanks to Trader Joe's impressive lineup of juices.

Now, just because Trader Joe's has a stacked juice lineup doesn't necessarily mean that they're all worth your money and precious space in the fridge. We've sampled 18 varieties of Trader Joe's juices to narrow down which options are worth it and which ones are worth skipping entirely. Since juices can be quite similar, even when they're made from different fruits, flavor is the most important factor in this ranking. I also considered each juice's versatility and my likelihood to repurchase it when compiling this list.

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Peaches are a lovely fruit, offering a juicy sweetness that tastes just as good alone as it does mixed into a dessert. Since peaches work well in many contexts, I understand why turning them into juice might seem like a good idea ... but unfortunately, the execution isn't quite so good. Trader Joe's country peach juice suffers a similar fate as many juices: It's way too sweet.

Now, it's normal to expect a juice to be sweet, but country peach reaches new territory of sugar overload. It's almost syrupy, which makes it less than appealing for sipping and pretty much negates any chance of it being considered refreshing. Though the peach flavor isn't bad, the sheer syrupy sweetness of this juice has earned country peach the very last place in this ranking.

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Let me start out by saying that I don't dislike cranberry juice by any means, and I actually happen to love the tartness that cranberries bring to the table. That said, cranberry juice simply isn't the most exciting thing out there, so in a lineup of Trader Joe's juices that can get pretty interesting, plain old cranberry juice just doesn't stand out enough to make the top ranks.

I do appreciate that this is real cranberry juice, not made from concentrate, so as far as cranberry juice goes, this is good stuff. It's nice and tart, not too sweet, and would be worth getting when you plan on playing bartender and whipping up a few vodka cranberries. Otherwise, for those who can take or leave cranberry juice (or have no reason to seek out cranberry juice unless it's something truly special), this one is an obvious leave.

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Much like the cranberry juice, Trader Joe's apple juice is a case of "what you see is what you get" — it's apple juice, nothing more, nothing less. I do think that apple juice is a little more versatile than cranberry juice — there for you when you're feeling sick, and helpful for kiddos who need a healthy boost— so it ranks a little higher than its predecessor for that reason.

The pros of this juice is that it does taste good, and it provides nutrients. This juice didn't do anything wrong, but it didn't do anything to wow me either, hence its lower ranking. Also, this is the type of juice that you could find at just about any grocery store or even gas station, so it's certainly not worth it to go out of your way to a Trader Joe's just for this apple juice.

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Cherry juice isn't an obscure beverage, but it's also likely not the first thing you think of when it comes to juice. Trader Joe's cherry juice is perfectly fine — it's a little bit sweet, a little bit tart, and is certainly far from offensive. But could I see myself wanting to sip on this cherry juice at any point in the day? No, probably not.

Unless you happen to be a big cherry juice fan (or enjoy using it for co*cktails and mocktails), there's really not anything worthwhile to be found here. I do find the flavor to be a little more enticing than cranberry juice (in terms of comparing sweet-tart flavor profiles), but that really comes down to personal preference more than anything else. Trader Joe's cherry juice is a safe bet if you're after such a flavor, but a skippable one if you're indifferent.

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Trader Joe's offers an impressive array of juices in general, though its range of orange juice-adjacent flavors is pretty stacked as well — one of the flavors in such a lineup is none other than the orange-peach-mango juice. I will say that this juice is a nice in-between for those who enjoy orange juice but want a little more flavor complexity, and perhaps a little more sweetness, too.

Unfortunately, loading three fruits with very distinct flavors into one beverage is overdoing it, and the result is a juice that leans heavily toward a sugary concentrate range and less so in the fresh citrusy range. There's just too much going on with this juice, and you'd be much better off going with plain OJ instead, or trying one of Trader Joe's other orange juice flavor varieties to find one that strikes a little more of a harmonious flavor balance.

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If you thought that Trader Joe's To the Power of Seven juice blends were a mouthful to say, you're in for an even bigger mouthfeel once you start sipping. Of the four juices that grace the store's To the Power of brand, the purple variety ranks the lowest on this list. The biggest reason isn't because it's necessarily a bad juice, but that its red, green, and vitamin C counterparts were able to beat it out flavor-wise.

Speaking of flavor, there is indeed a lot going on with this purple juice blend, with ingredients like cherries, purple carrot, blueberries, and cranberries making up some of the seven fruits and veggies in the mix. This juice is ultimately a little too cranberry-forward to really come across as a cohesive blend, so it doesn't seem particularly worth buying a juice blend when it tastes so strongly of only one ingredient.

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Carrot juice can be somewhat polarizing, considering that it's vegetable-based instead of fruit-based and has a strong, earthy flavor to it. As someone who enjoys carrot juice, I find Trader Joe's organic version to be quite tasty; it definitely has that palpable earthiness you'd expect, though it is actually quite sweet despite being vegetable-based. (For what it's worth, one bottle does contain 28 grams of sugar, though none of it is added sugar.)

The biggest downfall of this juice, like so many that have come before it, is that there isn't much complexity in a bottle. When the only ingredient is organic carrot juice, you can't really ask for too much — so I appreciate this for what it is, but I ultimately can't rank it any higher when there are so many tastier juices out there.

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I went in with pretty low expectations for Trader Joe's grapefruit juice, but Icame out pleasantly surprised by how tasty it was. Now, don't get me wrong — there's no secret potion in this bottle, and it is indeed just plain grapefruit juice. That said, there were some really invigorating flavors at play, including sour, tart, and sweet notes.

Grapefruit has such a distinct flavor that translates really well into juice form. In fact, this juice tasted like someone squeezed a ruby red grapefruit right into the bottle, then sealed it up. The only reason I'm not ranking this juice higher is because it does lean on the sour side, which may not be the most enjoyable experience once you get halfway through the bottle. This grapefruit juice would, however, be worth picking up as a one-off if you're looking to make bright, zesty co*cktails in the near future.

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Trader Joe's To the Power of Seven juice strikes again, and this time, the red blend is up to bat. There's nothing offensive about this juice, but with the competition getting stiffer and stiffer, there just weren't enough standout qualities in this juice to dignify a higher ranking. I did appreciate the juice purely based on its appearance, and my palate was intrigued by the allure of a beverage that contains watermelon, strawberries, apple, cranberries, and even hibiscus.

While this juice does indeed taste good, I found that, much like with the purple blend, the cranberries really overpowered the entire drink. Unlike with the purple blend, it was easier to distinguish between the various fruits that make up this juice, so I did also get hints of watermelon and even beets, though the hibiscus (unfortunately) didn't shine through.

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Trader Joe's cold-pressed green juice blend is perhaps the easiest to distinguish from the rest of the lineup because it almost doesn't taste like juice. This is the type of blend that you'd want to reach for if you're interested in getting in a hefty dose of veggies in one go, and less so if you want something with an amazing flavor. Every sip of this cold-pressed juice felt very green and earthy — not a bad thing if you like those flavors, but it really doesn't come across as juice.

Something that's interesting about this juice is that it combines both vegetables and fruits along with mint tea. Does any mint flavor shine through? Not really, but that could be because flavors like celery, spinach, and kale are so overpowering.

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Unlike the other To the Power of juice blends in Trader Joe's lineup, the vitamin C rendition doesn't feature quite as many fruit or vegetable inclusions. Instead, you'll find orange, pineapple, mango, and lemon juices in this mix, a blend that works quite well together. The pineapple juice shines through the strongest at first, but once you get sipping, this vitamin C juice blend strikes a surprisingly balanced harmony of fruity flavors that few juice blends manage to do.

The only real con to this juice is that it is very sweet, which is somewhat expected considering the nature of the fruits at play. If you like orange juice, this one is a solid option — it's like orange juice, but more complex without being muddled by too many flavors.

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It's hard to beat cool, refreshing, citrusy orange juice, and fortunately, Trader Joe's has some pretty good OJ options. While you could go for something that has another flavor alongside the orange, I've found that the fresh squeezed orange juice is about as good as it gets. This juice packs a bright, acidic punch, though it manages to not lean too heavily on the sour or sweet side. It's balanced, and with something as simple as OJ, that's about all you can ask for.

If you're someone who doesn't like pulp in their orange juice, then you're in luck, as this fresh squeezed variety is pretty smooth. I could easily see myself reaching for a bottle of this orange juice to help brighten up a busy morning, and simple as it may be, it's a classic for a reason.

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Is there anything better than a scrumptious, ripe, juicy pineapple? If your answer to that question is no, then Trader Joe's cold-pressed pineapple juice is exactly what you want to reach for on your next shopping trip. This is a bottle of pure tropical goodness — much like with the grapefruit juice, it tastes about as fresh as juice can get, and that alone makes this a worthy contender among some less-than-fresh options.

Something I particularly like about this juice, aside from its freshness, is that it has a palpable pineapple flavor that isn't bogged down by any other additions or concentrates. This juice is pretty simple, really, but it does taste good enough to earn a fairly high ranking nonetheless.

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The green juice blend is without a doubt the tastiest of the whole To the Power of lineup, with notes of juicy apple shining through nicely and adding a subtle sweetness to the beverage. The green apple flavor juxtaposes well against more earthy flavors from the likes of spinach and kale, making for a drink that's somewhat similar to the cold-pressed green juice blend, but much tastier.

Unlike with the red and purple blends, there isn't any one flavor that's overpowering this green juice. Yes, you'll easily pick up notes of individual ingredients, but I appreciated the balance in this blend, and the fact that it's neither too sweet nor too earthy. Other flavor notes present in this juice include hints of cucumber, lemon juice, and ginger — so not all strictly green ingredients, but certainly enough for this to feel like a veggie-loaded juice.

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Sure, you could pick up a bottle of plain lemonade from Trader Joe's— one of the best store-bought lemonade brands — or you could do yourself a huge favor and pick up a bottle of the spicy mango lemonade instead. This stuff isn't messing around with its spicy claim; there is a palpable spiciness that hits the palate immediately, and continues on even after swallowing. If you aren't a fan of spice, then it's almost guaranteed that you won't like this lemonade. If you are, however, then this is a delicious option, with strong hints of jalapeño and cayenne making themselves known with every sip.

Spice aside, this juice also balances the flavor of mango and lemonade very nicely. It tastes like a spicy lemonade at first, but notes of juicy mango become more apparent as you sip. This juice is delicious on its own, though it would also work wonderfully as a co*cktail mixer.

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Watermelon and cucumber are two types of fruits that consist mostly of water, and though they have distinct tastes, they aren't exactly boasting bold, strong flavors. With this in mind, I really couldn't picture how two tasty-but-mild ingredients could come together to create a juice that's any good, but my assumptions were proven very wrong thanks to Trader Joe's watermelon cucumber juice beverage.

I got a strong waft of watermelon just from opening up a bottle of this juice, and that was also the first flavor profile that I picked up when I took a sip. The aftertaste is where the cucumber comes into play, offering up a subtle flavor that dances nicely with the lingering notes of watermelon. Served chilled, this watermelon cucumber cooler makes for a great summer beverage, and I do think it's worth stocking up on this stuff to last all season.

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Imagine a beverage that has all of the citrusy goodness of orange juice, but it's somehow just better ... and now prepare for such a beverage to become reality. Indeed, Trader Joe's tangerine juice manages to surpass orange juice in terms of tastiness, edging out the breakfast beverage go-to in terms of unparalleled tanginess. There's also something so refreshing about this tangerine juice, more so than OJ, or any other citrus-based juice, for that matter.

Since I wasn't expecting much from this tangerine juice, I found myself particularly intrigued by the complexity of its flavor, considering the only ingredient is liquid from tangerines. The initial flavor is very citrus-forward, followed by a sweet-tart taste, with just a hint of subtle sourness that is surprisingly mellow instead of pucker-inducing. I would absolutely see myself buying this tangerine juice again, and in fact, I'd even see myself reaching for it instead of classic OJ.

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Summer after summer, Trader Joe's graces us with its jalapeño limeade, and we all owe the grocery chain a collective thank you for such a divine juice. Even if you don't typically like spice, there's a good chance you would still enjoy this beverage. The limeade itself is perfectly balanced, not too sweet and not too tart, while the jalapeño kick adds an irresistible heat that burns so good. The spice is quite palpable, but it's one that somehow still feels incredibly balanced and not at all overbearing. It's more of a tingly burn type of spice than a "my mouth is on fire" spice, and it makes for a surprisingly refreshing sip, especially when served over ice.

While you can duplicate Trader Joe'sjalapeño limeade in the off-season, the original drinkreally leads the grocery store pack in terms of creative and tasty juices. While I typically enjoy this limeade all on its own, it would be absolutely superior in terms of spicy margaritas or other fun co*cktail/mocktail concoctions, and in terms of sheer deliciousness and versatility, it easily takes the throne as Trader Joe's best juice.

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Since juices are all pretty similar in terms of serving convenience — all you need to do is pour some out or take a swig — the main ranking factor here came down to flavor. Naturally, ranking something based off of flavor is a subjective process, though I did try to keep in mind more objective factors, like whether or not a juice is simply overly sweet (like the peach juice), or whether a flavor might be more universally enjoyed, like the tangerine juice. Finally, I also factored versatility, considering that many people might seek out these juices to use as mixers for co*cktails or mocktails instead of enjoying them on their own.