The Best Honeys Of 2022
Honey is nothing short of miraculous. Sure, it can sweeten tea, glaze biscuits, and be paired with goat cheese — but it's also been used to help treat burns, heal wounds, and fight cancer, according to Healthline. Brought into existence thanks in part to the interaction between honey bees and their beloved nectar, honey has a wide range of health benefits and delicious culinary applications, as per the Mayo Clinic. A sticky, viscous fluid that's tasty and highly versatile, honey also has anti-microbial properties and can function as an effective preservative and natural cough suppressant (via News Medical).
Because honey comes in a dizzying array of varieties, there is no shortage of options out there. Moreover, each batch can have remarkably unique flavors, colors, and aromas. So, where to start? Whether you're hunting down one of the best deals in bulk out there, looking for high-quality honey that's raw, or you're just craving those tasty hints of citrus that come from the orange blossom variety, we have you covered. From its use in baked goods to a batch of homemade honey butter, top-notch honey is a staple that should be found in every kitchen — including yours. With so many tasty uses and a practically endless shelf life, as per Eating Well, one thing's for sure: you're bound to get your money's worth from every last delicious drop.
How we selected products
Several factors were taken into consideration during the selection process to showcase the best kinds of honey available on the market. One of the top methods we used was the careful evaluation of customer reviews. Because customer reviews provide some of the most accurate and honest insights available, we made sure to comb through feedback from verified purchases, taking note of each brand's particular strengths and weaknesses as reported by the people who actually bought the honey in question.
We also focused on variety. Honey is an incredibly diverse ingredient that's available in a wide range of styles, flavors, and sizes. Whether you're looking for tasty hot honey with a little kick or you're just on the prowl for a great deal that won't break the bank, there is a vast spectrum of high-quality options that should do the trick. So get in touch with your inner bear and be prepared to get your paws stuck in a bucket of this wildly delicious, pollinator-produced, golden elixir that's nothing less than nature's candy. Here are the best honeys of 2022.
Best overall honey
When it comes to one of the best kinds of honey on the market, this 16-ounce jar from Buzzn Bee hits all the marks. Not only is this honey 100% raw and unfiltered, but it even contains a slice of a real, edible honeycomb. Any self-respecting honey-lover will appreciate the inclusion of honeycomb for the act of generosity it truly is, considering the delicious health benefits that come from eating it. According to Healthline, honeycombs are highly nutritious in their own right, being rich in antioxidants. As such, they can reportedly boost your immune system function. Honeycombs can also contain more than just honey — there are often trace amounts of bee pollen and royal jelly scattered throughout their prismatic waxen labyrinths.
Harvested in the Deep South, this fresh wildflower honey is 100% raw, pure, unfiltered, and unpasteurized. With four-and-a-half stars after hundreds of glowing Amazon reviews, plenty of customers have praised its tasty flavor profile and subtle notes of citrus. High-quality raw honey with a complimentary honeycomb chunk at a price this reasonable is hard to come by. This is one delicious deal you don't want to miss out on.
You can buy this 16-ounce jar of Florida Raw Apiaries honey on Amazon for $13.99.
Best budget honey
High-quality honey isn't exactly cheap, but that doesn't mean there aren't good deals out there. This 16-ounce bottle of raw, unfiltered, organic honey from Nature Nate's is a steal, given that it clocks in at under eight bucks. But the good news doesn't just stop at the price.
Nature Nate's works with an organic beekeeping company that's been family-owned for over 40 years and upholds some of the strictest quality control measures in the business. It's all meant to ensure that each batch of honey is top-notch. By sourcing organic honey from hives that exist in protected areas where bees are free to roam, Nature Nate's delivers some of the very best honey around. Plus, it does that all for an unbelievably low price that won't break the bank. With no additives or preservatives and four-and-a-half stars after more than 24,000 customer reviews on Amazon, it's easy to see why this honey's one of the hottest brands currently on the market.
Purchase Nature Nate's 100% pure organic honey on Amazon for only $7.72.
Best clover honey
According to WebMD, there are more than 300 species of clover plants that honey bees patronize to make clover honey. Because clover plants are so common and grow in subtropical regions all around the globe, clover honey is one of the most widely available varieties that you can commonly find in the grocery store. With its relatively light color, clover honey tends to contain fewer antioxidants than darker varieties, though it's still high in flavanols that contain many potential health benefits.
This five-pound jar of clover honey comes from Sue Bee, a co-op of beekeepers that have been in business for over 100 years. All of Sue Bee's honey is produced and harvested in the United States, which means that your support does more than just score you some amazing honey — it also supports American crops and beekeepers. This honey goes through several testing processes to ensure that you're getting the very best stuff possible. Did we happen to mention this honey has a perfect five-star rating on Amazon?
You can buy this 5-pound jar of Sue Bee pure clover honey on Amazon for $34.00
Best orange blossom honey
Orange blossom honey is known for its warm color, thick consistency, and subtle notes of citrus (via Bees Wiki). As with other types of honey, to reap the maximum health benefits, it's best to enjoy orange blossom honey raw. This deal comes with six pounds of raw orange blossom honey that's unfiltered and unpasteurized. It's all produced by bees that roam orange groves located throughout the beautiful, subtropical climate of Florida's peninsula. A state famed for its legendary shorelines and picturesque orange groves, you may be surprised to also learn that Florida is the fifth largest honey-producing state in America, cultivating about 15 million pounds every year (via St. Augustine Record).
This honey is produced by the McCoy family, who have been making honey since the 1940s, building years of experience that makes this a brand you can trust. Tasty and complex, this floral orange blossom honey has hints of citrus that pair perfectly with tea, cheeses, and baked goods. All things considered, this bucket of honey is a great deal that's bound to get gobbled up in no time. Once you give it a taste for yourself, we think you'll never look back.
Purchase this McCoy's raw orange blossom honey on Amazon for $46.99
Best raw honey
According to WebMD, the US government has no official definition of what exactly constitutes raw honey. In general, the production of raw honey typically involves fewer steps. In short, it's usually just strained before it's bottled, according to Healthline. Pasteurized honey goes through a long process that involves, of course, pasteurization and heavier filtration. Some companies even add sugar and other sweeteners to maximize both taste and their profit margins. Because this filtering process potentially removes healthy nutrients and antioxidants, raw honey is often preferred by consumers.
This three-pound jar of raw honey comes from Y.S. Eco Bee Farms, which has been in operation since 1985. Unpasteurized, unfiltered, and nearly unprocessed, this raw honey is about as close as you can get to honey in its most natural state without licking a wild hive. With a perfect five-star rating on Amazon after thousands of reviews, there's no doubt that this raw honey is the real deal as far as consumers are concerned. Take advantage of its deliciousness which comes with a wide range of health benefits. One thing's for sure: Being healthy never tasted so good.
You can buy this three-pound jar of raw honey on Amazon for $26.99
Best hot honey
If you haven't heard of the relatively recent phenomenon of hot honey, we have a top-notch bottle lined up for you. Hot honey is just what it sounds like: honey that's been infused with chili peppers to produce a flavor profile that's rich and sweet with pleasant hints of spice. The inclusion of chili peppers adds complexity that's bound to be adored by fans of hot sauce and honey alike.
This particular brand started up through a pizzeria in Brooklyn that drizzled its signature hot honey on pizzas (via Mike's Hot Honey). When customers wanted to buy bottles of the hot honey, the owner decided to start up Mike's Hot Honey to deliver it to the masses. It sparked a hot honey craze that's still reverberating in kitchens across the country. This bottle of Mike's Hot Honey comes with 10 ounces of the good stuff. For anyone wondering what to put this on, the sky's the limit. Drizzle this over fried chicken, pour it on buttermilk biscuits, or whisk it into salad dressings, for starters. No matter how you use it, we think that you can't go wrong. If you're a fan of sweet heat, Mike's Hot Honey is a dream come true.
Purchase Mike's Hot Honey on Amazon for $13.49.
Best tupelo honey
Contrary to popular belief, tupelo honey doesn't have much to do with Tupelo, Mississippi, as Saratoga Tea & Honey reports. Tupelo honey can only be produced in a very specific region of the southeastern United States, between southern Georgia and the Florida panhandle. More specifically, tupelo honey is only produced in two places: the cypress swamps of the Okeefenokee Wildlife Refuge and the Apalachicola River basin. Thanks to the color of local tree pollen, tupelo honey is often tinged with subtle shades of green.
This batch from Honey Feast comes as three pounds of tupelo honey. There are a few things that set Honey Feast apart from the pack. For starters, Honey Feast donates some of its profits to urban beekeeping and pollinator garden initiatives (via Honey Feast). The company teams up with landowners in urban areas and puts hives on their properties. Not only do pollinators get some more hives to call home, but extra honey is also shared with the landowners, all while producing high-quality honey for the rest of us. We love it when everyone wins — and victory has never been so delicious.
You can buy Honey Feast tupelo honey on Amazon for $35.77.
Best bulk honey
Since you love honey so much, we're willing to bet that you like the idea of buying honey in bulk. After all, there's no need to be on the precipice of running low on the sweet stuff when there are great deals like this out there. What we have here is a 12-pound bucket of raw, unfiltered clover honey from Cox's Honey. Open for business since 1927, Cox's Honey started as a humble operation and has since grown into a successful family-run company that specializes in creating batches of raw and creamed honey.
Imagine what you can do with 12 pounds of honey over time. That's quite a few tasty, golden spoonfuls in morning cups of tea, or else many batches of homemade honey butter that you can spread on a fresh, warm piece of toast. Or maybe you enjoy just a straight spoonful from the bucket when your throat needs a good coating of honey to help you push through a cold. In short, you could find nearly endless uses for a bucket of this size. Treat yourself to a big helping of mother nature's liquid candy. You won't regret it.
Purchase this 12-pound bucket of raw honey on Amazon for $72.00
Best buckwheat honey
Known for its exceptionally dark hues that can range anywhere from dark purple to nearly black, buckwheat honey is often celebrated for its extensive health benefits and medicinal value (via Healthline). In fact, according to one study published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, it was more effective than over-the-counter cough medicine at helping manage the coughing symptoms of some respiratory afflictions (but still with a doctor's supervision, of course). Buckwheat honey is also typically less sweet than other types of honey and is higher in antioxidants.
This 16-ounce bottle of buckwheat honey from Winter Park Honey is raw and fresh from the honeycomb. Everything about the production of this honey, from the bees to the bottling, is made in America. If buckwheat honey isn't your jam, then Winter Park Honey has plenty of other styles that might be up your alley. With flavors like lavender, key lime, cinnamon, and ginger, you can't lose.
You can buy this 16-ounce bottle of buckwheat honey on Amazon for $16.95.
Best manuka honey
Manuka honey comes from the manuka plant, which is native to Australia and New Zealand, according to Kew Gardens. Manuka honey has antibacterial and antiviral properties and is known to help with inflammation (via Healthline). Manuka honey may also help with issues like irritable bowel syndrome, gastric ulcers, and upper respiratory infections. The bottom line: you may want to keep manuka honey on hand for both its delicious taste and purported health benefits.
Like buckwheat honey, manuka honey is well-known for its dark color. This 16-ounce jar of raw manuka honey comes from New Zealand, where honey bees produce manuka honey for only six weeks. With an assertive flavor, manuka honey is also exceptionally tasty and teeming with health benefits. To ensure optimal freshness, every bottle of Wedderspoon's raw manuka honey is sourced and sealed in New Zealand. Once you take a taste, you'll be a fan for life.
Purchase this 16-ounce bottle of raw manuka honey on Amazon for $39.94.
Best acacia honey
Native to North America and Europe, acacia honey is produced from the flowers of the black locust tree and has a very light, nearly translucent color (via Healthline). Beloved for its floral notes and delicate sweetness, acacia honey may also help treat minor skin conditions, thanks to its antibacterial properties.
This 16-ounce jar of acacia honey comes from hives deep within lush Hungarian forests (via Hungary Bees). Organic and GMO-free, this acacia honey is bottled raw to help maximize its natural health benefits. This honey's lighter consistency makes it ideal for glazes since it tends to be on the thinner side. With no added sugar, this acacia honey has more than enough natural flavor to stand on its own. If you've never tried this light and unique honey, what better time than now? The stars have aligned to bring you to this moment. Do the right thing and hook yourself up with this honey.
You can buy this 16-ounce jar of acacia honey from Amazon for $23.53.
Best eucalyptus honey
Known for its warm, reddish color, eucalyptus honey comes from the eucalyptus plant and has a distinctive taste that balances between tart and sweet (via Bees Wiki). As may well imagine, most eucalyptus honey is made in Australia or South Africa, though it can be produced anywhere there are honey bees and eucalyptus plants.
This batch of eucalyptus honey from Honey Pacifica is celebrated for its rich notes of butterscotch. Raw, thick, and creamy, this eucalyptus honey is unfiltered and unheated. While it may taste somewhat less sweet than other kinds of honey on the market, this still boasts a robust, satisfying flavor that will keep you coming back for more. Those of you who enjoy the finer nuances of flavors present in different types of honey will appreciate the unique taste of this particular variety.
Purchase this one-pound jar of eucalyptus honey from Honey Pacifica for $11.00.