17 March 2026
CHOICE has conducted a blind taste test of 14 unflavoured beef burger patties from the major supermarkets, including Coles, Woolworths, and Aldi, to determine which ones win on flavour.
“If you need an easy meal that doesn’t require a lot of preparation, a pack of beef burger patties with some buns and salad will do the trick. To help you decide which beef patty deserves a spot in your bun, CHOICE experts taste-tested different options to find the most flavoursome option,” says CHOICE Editorial Director, Mark Serrels.
“The most expensive per kilogram beef patty in our test, the Coles Finest Coarse Ground Angus Burgers, took the top spot with a score of 77%. Two out of the three frozen patties we tested received the lowest score – the Coles Simply Beef patties and the Woolworths Beef Burgers both did particularly poorly with a score of 10%,” says Serrels.
“CHOICE tests sometimes reveal that price is not always an indicator of performance, but in this taste test, there was some correlation. I would advise shoppers to avoid the three frozen varieties in our test, which were also the cheapest products we included, and stick to the fresh options,” says Serrels.
CHOICE experts blind taste-tested each beef patty, and assessed them on appearance (both cooked and raw), flavour, texture and aroma. We recommend patties with a CHOICE Expert Rating of 70% or more.
The best tasting beef burger patties:
1. Coles Finest Coarse Ground Angus Burgers
CHOICE Expert Rating: 77%
Price per 300g pack: $9.00
“The judges praised these beef patties for their balanced, mild beef flavour and pleasant aroma,” says Serrels.
2. Woolworths Chuck & Brisket Quarter Pound Beef Burgers
CHOICE Expert Rating: 70%
Price per 454g pack: $9.00
“The judges noticed the raw beef patty had visible mince strands and lots of herbs. When cooked, the judges enjoyed the beefy flavour and the balance of seasoning throughout the patty,” says Serrels.
The worst-tasting beef burger patties:
1. Coles Simply Beef patties
CHOICE Expert Rating: 10%
Price per 800g pack: $9.30
“The judges noted the raw patty had a grey appearance. The cooked product was unfortunately no better, with the judges saying it was incredibly mushy, contained no beef flavour and tasted unnatural,” says Serrels.
1. Woolworths Beef Burgers
CHOICE Expert Rating: 10%
Price per 800g pack: $9.30
“Judges noted that these patties had a greyish white colour, tasted very unbalanced, and felt more like consuming binder than meat,” says Serrels.
Images available: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1TaufIZIQAkfcjI8UsCD9XGbUsiTgFvum?usp=sharing
Editors notes:
Our expert tasters:
Andrew Bligh – has more than 25 years’ experience at Bringelly Pork and Bacon, where he is currently manager. He has served as a judge through the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW (RAS) and holds a Certificate III in Meat Retail. He has also completed advanced training in smallgoods and charcuterie production, food sensory evaluation and food safety.
David Stössel – has had a long career in hospitality and has worked closely with leading Australian Chef, Matt Moran, working as general manager at the two-hatted Aria Restaurant Brisbane before moving on to become director of food and dining for Chef Matt Moran and the Solotel Hospitality Group, working across venues including Aria Restaurant, Chiswick Restaurant, and Barangaroo House. He now leads Feather and Bone, Sydney’s leading ethical and sustainable butcher and providore.
Yiota Papanicolaou is a butcher and owner of Dulwich Hill Gourmet Meats in Sydney. The family-owned business has been running since 1984. An expert in smoking and curing meats, Yiota, along with her husband George and children, provide award-winning products including traditional and modern charcuterie.
