I bought baked beans from 5 supermarkets

Baked beans may be a humble staple, but ladled over cheesy toast or a generous baked potato, they rank amongst the finest comfort foods we crave as the temperatures begin to drop. Most households keep a few tins of Heinz tucked away at the back of the kitchen cupboard for those grey days, yet I've long wondered whether a superior alternative might exist.

Heinz are undeniably tasty but tend to carry a heftier price tag than supermarket own-brands, so I decided to put baked beans from various retailers to the test. I visited Tesco, Morrisons, Aldi, Lidl and even Marks and Spencer to determine which baked beans came out on top and whether any could dethrone the classic.

While some fared better than others, I was genuinely surprised to discover that one supermarket's beans actually surpassed Heinz in flavour — and cost less than 50p. So which British supermarket has the tastiest baked beans?

Morrisons — 60p

The Morrisons beans proved rather disappointing — quite bland and frankly dull to eat. The tomato sauce lacked depth and the rich, satisfying flavour you'd expect from baked beans.

They finished last primarily due to an unpleasant bitter aftertaste, which put me off after just one spoonful. They had an unmistakably processed, artificial quality that would make me think twice before purchasing them again.

Aldi —39p (Bramwell)

Aldi is one of my preferred supermarkets, so my expectations were reasonably high, but sadly their baked beans proved somewhat plain and lacking in seasoning. There was nothing particularly wrong with them, but their flavour struck me as rather mild in comparison to several others I sampled.

They were also notably saucy — which can be appealing — however, the sauce felt somewhat too runny, which could prove rather frustrating when eating on toast or a baked potato.

At just 39p they were undeniably affordable, yet I'd rather venture elsewhere and spend a few extra pennies on another supermarket's tinned beans.

Marks and Spencer —40p

Marks & Spencer impressed me with their consistency, as the sauce was smooth and coated the beans well without becoming overly thick. The beans delivered a rich and tangy flavour, which I found quite satisfying. My only minor criticism was that the beans felt slightly too firm for my personal preference.

I favour beans with a creamier texture, which led me to prefer certain other brands. Nevertheless, I would have no hesitation in purchasing these again.

Lidl — 39p (Newgate)

Lidl's baked beans were noticeably more savoury than the other tins, yet possessed a subtle sweetness that I particularly enjoyed. They offered a pleasing balance of flavours, without either the sweetness or savouriness becoming overwhelming.

They weren't my outright favourite from the taste test, as I could detect the salt within the sauce, but on the whole I considered them a solid choice and would gladly purchase them again.

Tesco — 43p

The first thing that struck me about the Tesco baked beans was their pleasantly sweet taste, complemented by a wonderfully rich tomato sauce. Of all the tins sampled, the Tesco beans boasted the most pronounced flavour, setting them apart from rival supermarket offerings.

The sauce was notably thick, while the beans retained a satisfying tenderness without descending into mushiness. All in all, they were an absolute winner — so much so that, upon concluding the taste test, I polished off the entire bowl for lunch alongside some buttery toast.

A 420g tin of Tesco baked beans costs just 43p, while a 415g tin of Heinz will set you back £1.40. For my money, the Tesco beans were the undisputed champion, proving that you needn't splash out to enjoy a truly delicious tin of baked beans.