We Ranked The Most Popular Types Of Apples From A-Peeling To Crapple

For any avid fruit eater, you probably have a favourite apple that you’ve eaten for years. An apple that you decided long ago was superior, and you have never entertained another apple since.

I feel you. As a firm Fuji fanatic, I fell hard for this flirty little fruit a while ago and I always go back to it. Sure, if I’m baking (rare!) I might grab a Granny Smith, or if I’m making a salad (rarer!) a Royal Gala never disappoints, but generally, I’m Fuji or nothing.

But what about… other apples? Am I correct in my apple preference or have I been living a goddamn lie?!

It’s time to find out in the apple ranking to end all apple rankings. I selected eight of the most popular apples sold in Australian supermarkets and put them to the test aka I err… ate them!

To avoid subconscious biases I might have due to my obvious apple allegiances, I cut up all the apples into the same sized pieces in my best attempt at a blind-tasting. Melissa Leong is shaking!

I stuck each apple’s sticker under the plates so I wouldn’t know which apple I was eating while judging.

It’s called science, sweetie. Look it up.

So, how did I like them apples? Let’s find out!

We ranked the most popular varieties of apples in Australia:

8. Red Delicious

They really be playing fast and loose with the term “delicious”, hey? I guess that “Red Disgusting” doesn’t have the same ring to it. This apple is as bland as can be. It’s not that sour, it’s not that sweet, it’s not that edible.

The apple itself feels claggy on my tongue when I eat it, while the skin is way too thick and tough — trying to chew on the skin is the most physical activity I’ve done all week. Overall, it’s just a boring apple. It’s such a mild flavour that I could be eating anything? It could be a totally different fruit. Are you ashamed to be an apple?? As the incomparable Lisa Rinna would say “OWN IT!!”

7. Royal Gala

I had fond memories of Royal Gala apples, this fruit has been around for yonks so my hope were high. Mistake! This is a rather uninspired apple. It’s chalky, bland, not very sour but not overly sweet either, it’s the type of apple that after one bite, you’re done.

6. Granny Smith

There’s a lot of nostalgia around Granny Smith apples. These apples are most commonly used to bake apple pies or strudel, but unfortunately on their own, this fruit is awful. The skin is super thick and hard to chew, and it tastes so damn sour — possibly the most sour out of the bunch.

Granny Smiths lack sweetness, so are not a very nice flavour for eating on their own. The taste is so sharp to the point that these apples rely on sugar being added to them to make the flavour more tolerable. Not a vibe!

5. Jazz

OK, now we’ve arrived at the apples that are at least decent. Jazz is an OK apple, it’s nice and crisp but the flavour is A LOT. This might be controversial considering this apple’s cult appeal but this apple was too apple-ly. It’s such a strong flavour — it’s sour, and tastes like apple juice flavour. I know that doesn’t make sense, but it’s such a concentrated apple flavour that I feel like I’m chugging down an apple Pop Top.

It’s simply a bit too apple-ly for me, like calm down, there’s too much apple in this apple. More like crapple, amirite? (Please don’t exit this article, I’m sorry).

4. Modi

Modi is fine but overall this is a forgettable apple. It’s rather tart, not as tart as Jazz but I’m still not a huge fan as it lacks the sweetness needed to counteract the sour notes. The flavour itself is a bit more low-key than the overpowering Jazz, so that’s why it places slightly higher.

3. Fuji

Now we’re talking! Haters are going to say I’m boring, but Fuji is a vibe! Yes, Fuji has a mild flavour but it’s perfectly pleasant. It has a nice aftertaste, it isn’t too sour and is by far, the sweetest apple I tasted. It’s also super juicy and has a nice crunch, leaving you refreshed after every bite.

2. Kanzi

I did not expect to like this apple. This apple packs a punch but it’s super balanced. It has a strong flavour like Jazz but it’s more refined. It’s not too tart, it’s sweet enough but not overpowering, it’s juicy, and has a deliciously delicate flavour profile.

Unlike a lot of the apples I tried, Kanzi sits nicely in my mouth afterwards — no bad or sour aftertaste. Kanzi means “hidden treasure” in Swahili and it tracks! We stan.

1. Pink Lady

Pink Lady is the Instagram model of apples: it’s very attractive with swirls of red and green under dimpled skin. And luckily, it tastes just as good as it looks! This apple is sharp but not too sour, it’s more of a zing that dances on the tastebuds rather than zaps your tongue. The flavour is popping, it’s sweet enough to offset the tartness, and it’s crispy-as-hell.

This could my new apple of choice. (Don’t worry Fuji, you’re still my OG fave bb.)