Popular Starburst Flavors, Ranked Worst To Best

We all know and love Starburst. The chewy, tangy candy most of us grew up with makes us really work for every juicy bite. Unwrapping and chewing Starburst candies is a workout in itself, but we still can't resist the "unexplainably juicy" flavor and consistency of this classic candy. The best and worst flavors of Starburst is a topic most fans of the candy have strong opinions about. So much so, that people tend to collect and stock their favorite flavor so they can avoid the rest. Not all of us are this extreme, but most of us pick out the ones we like the best and eat those first. We tend to save our least favorite flavors for last, pawn them off to friends and family, or leave them in the pantry forever. To help you put those candies in the correct order before eating them, we've ranked these 16 flavors of Starburst chews from worst to best.

If you like piña coladas, you will probably not want to get caught in the rain with this Starburst flavor. We like piña coladas on vacation, sure. But in candy, piña colada is just never a good idea. Candy Blog Breaking off a Piece, agrees with that statement and urges candy companies to stop making piña colada flavored candies altogether. 

It seems like nobody actually loves these. The idea of this flavor makes sense in the Tropical Starburst pack, but in reality, it just doesn't taste good. It has that artificial fragrance taste that we get every time a candy doesn't deliver a realistic flavor. On top of that, the coconut flavor makes the pineapple taste dull and musky. In the Tropical Starburst pack, we would have rather had a dragon fruit or passion fruit chew instead of the less than impressive piña colada flavor. The Tropical pack as a whole is actually a little disappointing, and the Summer Splash pack flavors actually rank better on this list. If it's not enough that this flavor reminds us of a fragrance, Starburst even came out with a candle with the piña colada flavor. It's a little sad when the candle is more appealing than the actual candy it's based on.

This combo of mango and melon is not a match made in heaven. Talk about a dull flavor that makes a bad first impression. If you're one of the many people who despise honeydew, you'll know what we mean. It's like eating nothing, but worse. On the other hand, fresh mango is a juicy and delicious fruit, but it just doesn't translate well into candy in our opinion. 

In addition to all that, mango is almost an acquired taste for most. It is definitely not for everyone although mango lovers tend to be loyal. However, the taste of mango isn't sour enough to give a juicy kick in a candy. According to one candy blogger, this Tropical pack member would need to be more tangy and more zesty to impress the taste buds. The Mango Melon flavor is even available in jelly beans. That reminds us a bit too much of the Harry Potter Bertie Bott's beans. Perhaps this chew would be good if it was flavored with mango only. The melon is the black sheep here. Combining the two results in a disappointing flavor that doesn't have that "unexplainably juicy" factor we've come to love from Starburst. And for that reason, we're out.

This one has a funky aftertaste. It's another long-shot flavor variation from the Starburst Tropical pack. We wouldn't take this chew with us on a plane to Bora-Bora. It doesn't match the vibe. The addition of kiwi is another attempt by Starburst to add new flavors to their line-up. Everybody wants to try the new ones, but who actually sticks to these exotic and odd combination flavors? 

All of the cherry-flavored Starburst have a tendency to taste a little like cough medicine, but add kiwi in there, and you've certainly avoided that. However, we have a totally different flavor to digest instead. Kiwi is a flavor that can be too sour for many, yet it has a dull and mild aftertaste. We hate to give the whole Tropical pack of Starburst a bad review, but unless you're someone seeking out random exotic flavors in your candy, this one probably won't be your cup of tea. One person on Reddit said that the wrapper of this chew is exactly the same color as the fruit punch chew from the FaveREDs pack, so that's a bit confusing. Look out for that. This flavor just tastes a little strange to us. We're not sure what to think about this one.

Starburst fans wished for more red and pink Starburst in their bags, and their wish came true with the FaveREDs collection that has now become a staple in stores. In addition to red and pink, the FaveREDs bag included two new flavors; watermelon and fruit punch. 

The Fruit Punch chew is our least favorite from the FaveREDs pack. It just didn't impress our taste buds. The dark magenta Fruit Punch chew is flavorful to say the least. There are many different flavors swirling around in your mouth with this one. What is actually in this fruit punch? We can't tell, but it tastes a bit like artificial fruit punch mix from a bottle that you get at a lame party. It just doesn't taste authentic enough. 

For grape lovers, this chew might be a yummy choice. The deep purple chew has that tart intensity that the cherry flavored chew has, but with a mix-match of other flavors wrapped into it. If we had to guess, there's a hint of grape in there, probably passion fruit, and perhaps cranberry and guava? There's really no telling. We'd even go as far as to say that the Starburst Fruit Punch chew is more suited for kids than adults because, what adult really reaches for the fruit punch at a party unless it's spiked?

This flavor screams out creamy, fruity goodness. But it doesn't quite deliver. It tastes too mild with the banana in there compared to the strawberry flavor that everyone loves. This chew is disappointing just like the Piña Colada was. Who actually likes banana flavored candy? We love strawberry with our whole hearts, but banana is an odd, mushy flavor that is difficult to reproduce in a candy. It always ends up tasting artificial. This strawberry Banana Starburst chew is no exception and was labeled "fake" by candy blogger Breaking off a Piece. 

Sadly, this attempt at a strawberry variation for all of the pink Starburst lovers out there is a failed quest. It just can't keep up with the other Starburst flavors we know and love. Only one of these flavors actually belongs here, strawberry. This combo chew from the Tropical Starburst pack doesn't result in that strawberry banana smoothie freshness that the name implies. Let's save the bananas for the banana splits and smoothies. The artificial-tasting banana flavor ruins the strawberry deliciousness for us in this chew, ultimately tainting the whole experience of this Tropical pack member.

This Starburst Duo flavor doesn't taste all bad. But it misses the mark for being the less impressive flavor in the Duo pack. And since this Starburst Duo chew really only appeals to blue raspberry fans, it didn't place higher on this list. The Blue Raspberry Lemonade is an interestingly confusing flavor. On the one hand, we have blue raspberry, which is a hard-to-pin-down flavor to begin with. It doesn't taste like raspberry at all, but reminds us more of an ICEE Slushie which is actually where the blue raspberry flavor originated in the 1970s. Now, add lemonade to that and you have a more tart, more mellow taste of blue raspberry with a very sweet aftertaste.

Have you tried the Starburst Duos yet? The Blue Raspberry Lemonade chew is a part of this new concept from Starburst. Instead of flavors being fused together into one unique flavor, like we are used to seeing in the Tropical and Summer Splash packs, we now see a chew split in half by a line with one flavor on each side. It looks like a color block Starburst chew and we've got some fresh new combinations here. In this pack, we have Blue Raspberry Lemonade Duo flavor as well as the Strawberry Watermelon Duo flavor (more on that in a minute). 

This cherry cooler has been labeled "overly sweet" and "lacking in authentic flavor" in a review. The Summer Splash pack flavors all rank middle of the road on this list but the Cherry Cooler flavor comes in at last place of the four. Inside of the Summer Splash pack you've got Lemon Lime, Grape Slushie, and Strawberry Watermelon to eat first. On the bright side, if you thought the original red cherry flavored chew tasted like cold medicine, this should eliminate that problem and give the cherry more of a fresh summer spin. Coolers usually have a little lemon and sugar added to them to balance out the tart cherry, and this chew makes a decent attempt at that.

It's another one of the many cherry variations Starburst has come out with, only now it has a summer spin. This Cherry Cooler flavor is oddly fresh, and puts a fun spin on the original cherry chew. Compared to Cherry Kiwi, the Cherry Cooler definitely tastes better, much better. But we can't seem to get fully on board with this one. However, if you're a die-hard cherry fan, this may be like Christmas for you, and we definitely support you.

This Summer Splash pack flavor makes it to the top 10 on this list for its juicy grape flavor. This Summer Splash flavor can be described as more subtle than the traditional grape flavored candies we know, and a little more sweet and balanced. Given that the average American grew up eating grape flavored candies like Jolly Ranchers, Nerds, and Grapeheads we expected this flavor to have a following of loyal fans. But judging from the Facebook page made specifically for this flavor, it's not attracting people by the masses. Grapes are wonderful but grape-flavored candy never really tastes like real grapes, does it? It has its own artificial flavor that is quintessentially American and we've all come to love it since we were kids. Kool-Aid comes to mind when we chew on this grape flavored Starburst slushie. It was about time Starburst came out with a grape flavor for the grape fans out there. We don't mind this flavor but it's just not for everyone. 

Like the mean sister in a fairy-tale, we have yet to find someone who thinks orange is the best flavor of Starburst. It tastes pretty fresh, and for yellow Starburst lovers, the orange isn't bad at all. It's actually much better than many of the Tropical pack flavors and other variations. We feel indifferent about this one. It's not bad, but it's definitely not good either. It's just there in the original pack. Everyone eats the orange Starburst but it's nobody's favorite. 

Out of the original bag of the four original flavors, the orange Starburst has been voted second to last in a survey done by Mashed. The four original flavors; cherry, orange, lemon, and strawberry are debatably the best and most popular flavors of Starburst and people have strong opinions about the ranking of the four. Orange and lemon are the less popular half of the bunch and the people of Reddit have voted orange as the second to last of the four which is consistent with our survey. The people have spoken, and they say t's just not good enough, not juicy enough, not tangy enough, and not sweet enough to compete with the popular pink strawberry Starburst. 

For those of you who say the original lemon flavored Starburst chew isn't sour enough, this one's for you. Add lime to lemon and you've got double the juicy and double the tart. There are two types of lemon fans in this world. Those who love the tart and sour freshness of lemons and will squeeze lemon in their water and order lemonade at a restaurant. And then there are those who want to water it down by baking with it. This one is definitely not for the latter of those types. 

It doesn't taste like key lime pie, and it doesn't taste like a lemon bar or a lemon cake at all. It tastes more like sour lemonade or lemon-limeade. This Summer Splash flavor obviously isn't as popular as the classic lemon Starburst, but it is a fun spin-off for those who love citrus but aren't quite satisfied with the original lemon. The lime also adds a summer vibe to this flavor, making it extra fresh. Hence the Summer Splash pack it's featured in. Considering how controversial the original yellow lemon flavor is, this one ought to be just as infamous.

Sweet and mildly sour. This one tastes simple and fresh but not as sweet as many other Starburst flavors. The yellow Starburst has been labeled as one of the worst of the four original Starburst flavors. But it's up here on this list because it is still way more popular than many of the special edition variations that Starburst has rolled out. Some of us love the fresh, tart, and sour taste of anything lemon. It leaves no room for overly sweet, so to a lot of people, it's the perfect flavor to give you that freshly sweet candy fix. But not everyone agrees with this. In fact, many people completely disagree and eat the yellow lemon flavored Starburst last, or leave them in the bag for someone else. 

The controversy around the lemon Starburst chew is interesting. People either love it or hate it. Given that this is a classic flavor and there are many lemon lovers out there, we are thoroughly happy with the yellow Starburst, as it's frequently called. Despite often ranking last in surveys and polls, the lemon Starburst chew still has die-hard fans and they are not afraid to comment and speak their truth.

This yummy red candy makes you think of sweet, tart cherries while you eat it. It tastes like the cherry on top of your ice cream. Extra tangy. It's super juicy and it holds its place up here in the top 10 with pride. We've talked about the repetitive cherry variations on this list, but here is the original cherry flavor that started it all. In a red wrapper, this red cherry chew tastes a little bit tangy, a little bit tart, not too sweet, and a little intense to be honest. It's part of the Originals pack as well as the FeveREDs bag which means it is grouped with the loyal FaveREDs cult following. 

The cherry Starburst has been ranked the second best Original flavor more than once. We suspect, however, that it is probably the last flavor people eat from the FaveREDs bag, despite liking it. It still has that cold medicine cherry taste that holds it back from the top spot. When it comes to the original pack, the red Starburst holds the silver medal as the second best original Starburst flavor. The cherry chew has many loyal followers and is one of the flavors sold in bags of one color only. 

Swirlers are the newest and most innovative spin-off Starburst has come out with and we are beyond excited about it. Swirlers are made with two flavors of Starburst Original chews wrapped together in a long stick of swirly, chewy candy. The best part about this is that there are no new exotic flavors added that have the potential to disappoint us. Just your OG four flavors from the original starburst pack from the 1970s. The strawberry, orange, lemon, and cherry we all know and love, but in different combinations. This is brilliant. 

Who doesn't want their starburst in a stick? It's much more convenient with less unwrapping and less jaw-clenching. Die-hard candy fans might attempt to eat two Starburst chews at one to get a unique flavor combination. Wow, what a mouthful. Well, now these loyal fans don't have to work up a sweat to combine their favorite flavors. Swirlers are here to the rescue. The flavor options are cherry-lemon, strawberry-orange, and cherry-strawberry. They look so fun and inviting, and give you more to chew on without having to unwrap another square chew. These chewy sticks are the new generation of Starburst.

Similar to the pink strawberry chew, this deep pink watermelon flavor is sweet and delicious and definitely won't disappoint all the pink Starburst lovers out there. Generally, watermelon candy tends to be green and has an intense artificial watermelon flavor that is almost too much for most of us. This one, however, doesn't have that problem. You can trust that it is sweet and oh, so subtle. Some might even call it pink Starburst's little twin. It tastes like a sugary watermelon on a hot day. It promises all that you look for in a watermelon, mild, fresh, and juicy. 

Some might say it tastes too much like the pink strawberry chew but we could all use a little more of that pink Starburst goodness. Even the wrapping is almost identical to the pink strawberry wrapping. So don't be surprised if when you're digging through your FaveREDs bag, you might sometimes grab the wrong pink. We're good with that because they go hand in hand somehow and neither of them disappoints. The only thing better than this pink watermelon Starburst would be a combination of strawberry and watermelon Starburst. So look no further than the watermelon strawberry duo flavor which is next up on this list.

The other half of the two flavors featured in the Starburst Duos pack is the strawberry watermelon. If you ask us, it's pink strawberry upgraded. This one tastes a little more like strawberry than it does watermelon so it still has that sweetness that the original strawberry does but it gives an extra tropical feel to the taste. This Duo flavor is definitely the better of the two from the Duo's pack. Sorry, Blue Raspberry Lemonade fans. With how popular the pink strawberry Starburst chews are, we think this one is a fun variation. It is right up our ally as a FaveREDs companion. Instead of a combined flavor, this one is literally half watermelon, half strawberry and you can see the colors split in half by a line, like a pretty color block square. 

For pink Starburst lovers and FaveREDs lovers alike, this Duo pack is worth buying, even if you only eat one of the two flavors and leave the rest for your kids to snack on, not knowing what they are missing. The watermelon side of this is actually green and not deep pink like the plain watermelon chew, but they taste the same. The two best FaveREDs flavors have now been morphed into one and we couldn't be happier.

This original pink strawberry chew is not just our favorite, but also the favorite of presidents and reality stars. If you still haven't tried one, the strawberry flavor tastes very sweet and just a tiny bit tart. It's subtle and less intense than the rest of the flavors, but it is somehow just the very best one that we all want to eat first out of the bag.

This flavor is the queen of Starburst chews. People are picking them out of the bag and collecting them. It has become so popular that a single flavor bag was released as a limited edition in 2017. It's that good. Celebrities and politicians alike have been seen eating only the pink starburst. Kim Kardashian has been seen stashing pink only starburst, Donald Trump only eats the pink and the red chews, and Paris Hilton wants us to treat everyone like a pink Starburst, not a yellow one. The pink strawberry Starburst chew was also the inspiration behind the FaveREDs collection. Trust us and the army of pink Starburst fans on this one — this flavor is perfection.