These Canned Baked Beans Walmart Customers Rate Higher Than Bush's Are Imported From Britain

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

If you're American, Bush's is likely the first brand of baked bean that comes to mind. It took the top three spots in our ranking of popular canned baked beans, and it's probably all over your grocery store's dry goods aisle. But some Walmart customers enjoy a different brand from across the pond: Heinz Baked Beanz.

The Bush's product with the highest Walmart rating is its Boston recipe, which has 5 stars from all six reviewers. However, far more Walmart customers prefer the Heinz label imported from England, with 21 out of 22 reviewers giving the product 5 stars (the outlier is a single 4-star review). Before you make the switch, however, note that British and American beans vary drastically in flavor. The British version has a heavy, tangy tomato taste, often described as reminiscent of ketchup (which makes sense, considering the brand). The beans themselves are also harder than the American version, and the sauce is runnier. Meanwhile, American baked beans are sweet and dense with a barbecue flavor and smoky quality. They also have a fairly thick sauce and sometimes include meat.

While Heinz may rank higher than Bush's on Walmart's website, Heinz isn't exactly a substitute for Bush's. It's common to see American baked beans — either premade or from scratch — served as a barbecue accompaniment, bringing sweetness to a hearty plate of meat and savory sides. British beans, meanwhile, are often served with bread, like in this cheesy beans on toast recipe, or as part of a savory breakfast plate.

Heinz Beans have plenty of fans, many of whom have praised the product on Reddit. "I love them, I eat them on toast all the time," one user wrote, while another explained, "I love them and I find a can of beans very filling. I often have them with a salad." But they're not for everyone, as one person reported: "Bought them once, in the British foods section our market used to have. Turquoise can[.] They were revolting."

That said, Bush's baked beans aren't popular with English bean lovers. As one person wrote in a separate Reddit post, "The bean texture is alright but the flavour doesn't come close to British beans due to the amount of sweetness." They repeatedly emphasized how sweet the Bush's product was, comparing the beans to a candy bar. Even an American chimed in to say they "will happily accept Heinz. Either one is better than the sugar beans that are standard here in the USA."

Arguably, the two types of bean aren't comparable due to their different purposes. As one American Reddit user (who noted they enjoy British-style beans with their brisket) pointed out: "[A]lthough both cans are labelled 'baked beans', they're not the same thing." Really, your taste preference will likely come down to what you grew up eating and whether you're looking for sweet or savory flavors in your baked beans. It's definitely worth giving both types a try, but be warned that they're very different products.