Top 10 Best Smokeless Tobacco Brands

List of the top 10 smokeless tobacco brands based on quality, flavor, price, variety, popularity, nicotine content, and availability among other aspects.
The Top Ten
1 Copenhagen

Sitting on the porch with my grandpa in 1973, I watched him put a dip of snuff in his mouth. He saw the curiosity in my eyes and asked if I wanted to try it. Of course, my answer was "heck yeah." I didn't much like it the first time, but a few days later I tried it again. The next thing you know, I'm digging through the sofa cushions for pocket change so I could go buy myself a can of Copenhagen, the original Copenhagen. I don't go for any of that flavored stuff. Of course, it was only about $0.25 a can back then. I was a member of the original Copenhagen Gold Diamond Club. Other than that, I just hope Copenhagen never gets away from using the original paper can!

2 Grizzly

I have always alternated between Grizzly long cut Wintergreen and Mint. The flavors of each last a considerably long time, and they are both very unique and enjoyable compared to other brands.

I can't say I agree with Grizzly topping several of the chews below it, but that is just based on personal taste preference. I started with Copenhagen, and that is one hell of a bar for any company to try to reach. I will say that the in-mouth flavor is not horrible, but the aftertaste was always nasty to me. I've tried several flavors of this brand and always got the same aftertaste. Perhaps it's the imported tobacco used in it? I'm not sure. All in all, Grizzly is not a horrid chew, but it definitely does not beat out Skoal, Redman, or Levi Garrett in my view.

3 Skoal

I started with Grizzly, and I still have to use it when Skoal isn't available. The most significant difference to me is how the can is compacted. Grizzly isn't homogeneous. When I have to use Grizzly, the plug often has clumps in it that make its flavor distribution awkward and its mouthfeel as if it needs to be moved quite often. Skoal is so much more enjoyable.

My first dip when I was 18 was Kayak Wintergreen snuff (I know, what was I thinking?). After that first can, I tried a variety of different chews including Stoker's Mint and Wintergreen short cut, Skoal original snuff and wintergreen long cut, Cope Mint long cut, Grizzly wintergreen long cut, and then Timberwolf straight pouches. Some were good. Others were just awful.

Then, I noticed my brother had been using Skoal Mint pouches for quite some time, so I tried one. Ever since, I've been hooked on them. Occasionally, I'll try other chews, but nothing has ever come close to comparing to it! I love it! I love the variety that Skoal has to offer, especially their different varieties of each flavor (like mint and wintergreen xtra vs. classic). Overall, Skoal has my heart - and my lip!

4 Levi Garrett

Levi Garrett was my grandfather's chew of choice. The iconic tan bag has not changed whatsoever since I was a very young boy, if ever, and the same goes for the quality of this chew. I tried my first chew of Levi with my grandfather when I was around 16 and had run out of snuff. It was a big change from what I was used to, but I really enjoyed it.

The chew has a very rich, sweet flavor, and the leaves seem a bit thicker to me than Redman's, which helps it stay intact a little better while you chew it. If you are a frequent dipper and are going to try chewing loose leaf for the first time, I would recommend this over Redman because it's a lot smoother. I have nothing against Redman at all, as I chew it all the time. But my preference between the two is clearly Levi.

5 Red Man

I've been chewing Red Man since I was a teenager. I'm 67 now. I've tried many other brands, including plugs, twists, and even cans of dip, which I've never cared for. They just sit there and do nothing. I want something I can taste, sink my teeth into, and work up some juice, and Red Man does it all for me. So, I always end up coming back to the best chew ever.

Some of the other LL chews might have a better texture and even fewer stems, but you just can't beat the taste of Red Man. I am now diabetic, so I have switched from the original pack to the sugar-free pack. It's a little weaker than the original but still has that great taste.

Oh, and here's a little tip: I've gotten to where I can feel them. Every once in a while, you can find a huge leaf in a bag. If you unroll it and fill it with the rest of your chew, then roll it back up, it stays together and packs great. It makes for an excellent chew. Anyway, in my opinion, Red Man is the best chew ever.

6 Red Seal

I prefer Red Seal Natural for two reasons. First, Red Seal Natural actually has that natural aftertaste that lingers around, which most other dip brands don't have. Most other natural flavors from other companies just taste really salty, and there's really no actual natural flavor to it. Second, it may be a little more expensive than Copenhagen in my area, but it's always full to the top, and the can is a little bigger than any other brand. The only downside is that it will lose its flavor pretty quickly.

7 Timberwolf

TimberWolf Peach is a very good flavor, but they tried changing it to Strong Peach. That killed the good flavor of regular peach, and TimberWolf has somewhat disappeared around my area.

Timberwolf is a very cheap dip with flavors such as cool wintergreen, mint, peach, and straight, among others. It is pretty good for its price.

My husband loves this brand of peach. It has become hard to find. I've been told it has been discontinued. He is very disappointed and is trying to find another brand or type.

8 Kayak

One of the cheapest dips out there, the quality is fairly shabby. However, it makes up for that with its low price and wide variety of flavors. It is one of the only smokeless tobacco companies that makes a grape flavor.

If you don't want to get caught in class, this is the brand for you.

It had the best wintergreen flavor out of any brand out there.

9 Gold River

Great for those new to dips. It has a stringy, super-long cut and packs and pinches well. The nicotine hit is weak. Seasoned dippers will need to experiment and mix this with another dip for more nicotine. I mix this with Copenhagen Straight for a wonderful dessert-style dip. It smells like waffles with butter and syrup, or maybe a bit like Stokers Butternut Chew.

While this will not give you a buzz, it is great for beginners. Sadly, it is not being produced at this time. I will wait patiently for it to come back to the market. It has a truly amazing taste with honey and vanilla notes. Once you dip it, you won't quit it.

10 Kodiak

Another brand that I don't understand being this low on the list is Kodiak. Kodiak has been around for a little while now. Back when I was a young boy, it was very cheap. I think you could get a free can with the purchase of a can of something else, though I can't remember which brand. Their wintergreen flavor is much better than Grizzly's, in my opinion, and the cut of the tobacco isn't bad either. It is easy to pinch, and the flavor lasts for a reasonable amount of time.

The only problem I had with Kodiak was that, from time to time, you would buy an in-date roll and it would be completely dry. However, that was far and few between.

The Contenders
11 Beechnut

I'm kind of surprised that Beechnut is this low on the list. It is a great long-leaf chew and has been around for a long time. Around here, it is reasonably cheaper than Levi or Redman, which is kind of weird since I've always thought of it as just as popular - but considerably harder to find. It was another brand my grandfather used to chew and was his honest preference over Levi, but where we lived made it difficult to find any - or at least any that was still fresh. Beechnut, to me, is like a cross between Redman and Levi, with a little bit more bite than Levi and sweeter than Redman. I would honestly rank it between the two rather than way down here.

12 Stoker's Mint

Some lovely-smelling Grizzly Mint on a golf course got me back on the chew-chew train. Copenhagen/Grizzly always offer a good deal. Longhorn/Kayak are unimpressive. Then there's Stoker's at $2 a can or less. It's moist enough to last over an hour, cheap enough not to cut into my beer money, and as good of quality as any woman I've ever known! My honest advising guy opened my eyes to non-tobacco insurance for chewing tobacco users. I'm saving money and riding that Stoker's chew-chew train for the long haul! It goes well with Busch, Miller Lite, or Yuengling, but real men don't drink Coors!

13 Longhorn

I've always dipped cope. When cope mint came out, I switched to that. Then, a few weeks ago, I saw Longhorn Wintergreen Chill and got interested enough to try a can. It's all I've been dipping, and probably all I will dip from now on, given the price. Straight Longhorn is pretty good too. Great nicotine content as well.

I like it. It's good all around, especially if it's fresh. It won't tear up my mouth like the others do. I don't particularly like the fact that 35% of the tobacco is imported, but people in Malawi need to eat, just like people in Turkey.

Good taste, good texture, and great nicotine buzz. I started chewing this because it was cheap and ended up really enjoying it. I haven't been chewing for a very long time, but I think this deserves a #4 spot behind Copenhagen, Skoal, and Grizzly.

14 Stokers Wintergreen

I was a tried-and-true Copenhagen wintergreen guy. You couldn't convince me otherwise. When you're in the middle of the woods for military training and run out of snuff, you take what you can get. My chief had his Stokers tub. We gave him hell for dragging it around, but I got a pinch and haven't looked back. The hardest part is finding locations that carry Stokers as an over-the-road trucker.

I have dipped for 30 of my 45 years of life. I used Skoal for about 20 years, Grizzly for about 5 years, and now I buy Stokes by the tub. It is cheaper but juicier and has more flavor. I'm past the point of anything giving me a buzz. Skoal didn't even give me a buzz, and I haven't spit in about 25 years.

15 Hawken

I liked it for a snack. It was like candy in tobacco form.

Tastes like minty sweet tea. I love it.

16 Stokers Straight

I started with Grizzly, then Copenhagen (both were wintergreen), and then I discovered that I could get Stokers straight dip for $2.65. I realized I could get two for the price of one. For me, that wasn't a bad choice. Every tin I buy of Stokers is completely full and tightly packed, so they seem to be consistent. The dip is always fresh and good quality because it doesn't fall apart when I pinch it.

I almost took half the tin with one pinch because it was so well-packed. It is very strong. I can't say I particularly like the flavor or crave it, but I suppose it's one of those things you acquire a taste for. It smells terrible because it's so strong, but overall, I feel like people aren't giving Stokers enough credit.

I once tried a tin of rum-flavored Skoal that I got for a very low price. It was loose and not as tightly packed as my Stokers, and it tasted terrible. I don't know how to describe it other than to say I couldn't dip it. It was that bad. It may have been a bad tin, but until a quality Skoal tin proves me otherwise, I'm sticking with Copenhagen and Stokers dip. Happy dippin!

17 Copenhagen Mint

Cope Mint is the best to me. I've tried about every mint dip. It is smooth and not crazily priced. It and Cope Wintergreen are my favorites by far.

I'm a mint guy, first off. I switched from smoking a pack a day to dipping Cope, and it's the only chew that provides the amount of nicotine to actually keep me from smoking. It has great flavor and high nicotine content. In my opinion, it's the only chew worth dipping.

It's the best dip I've ever tried. It's moist and always satisfies my cravings.

18 Southern Pride

It's like a drier version of Levi Garrett.

19 Taylor's Pride

This is a good-tasting chew with a little more of a ribbon cut. It has a fairly unique flavor that, to me, has more of the tobacco tones of fine cigars and not so much sweetener. It's hard to find at times.

I think Taylor's Pride is by far one of the best-tasting loose leaf tobacco flavors. Tilt doesn't have as harsh a taste as Levi Garrett. I know because when I first started, I frequently accidentally swallowed a little bit every now and then.

All others seem to make my heart race. Maybe too much nicotine?

20 Tough Guy Dip

Very good cut and very juicy. This brand is hard to find unless you order it online. If it were easier to find, it would be my everyday dip.

Best cut - juicy and flavorful! So much different from any other brand. It really stands out.

It's a fat cut, and the flavor lasts forever. It's juicy and tastes good. #vanilla

21 Lancaster

This is my everyday chew. I get two bags for around $6. It has great, long-lasting flavor. It's the most bang for your buck. Also, it doesn't have the raisiny taste that Red Man does.

22 Husky

Husky is the only brand I've had that doesn't burn in my mouth!

Way too underrated. (Try the peach.)

They should not be down towards the bottom with these weird-ass dips.

23 Starr Chewing Tobacco
24 Camel

I know a lot of people do not like snus. Personally, I really enjoyed the flavors of Camel Snus, but the fact that they only make it in spitless pouches is what deters me from this product. If they were to package it in loose grain cans like other snuff companies, or at least put more packets in their tins, I believe they would be a bit more successful with this product. It was not a horrible idea, and as I said, I liked their flavors. Robust was the one I enjoyed the most. Frost was also on the same page for me. There's just not enough tobacco for the price. Plus, I always had to put in like three packets just to get a feel for it. The nicotine content is so weak, needless to say. It's kind of surprising, coming from a company that produces one of the strongest cigarettes on the market.

25 General

This is the best snus I've come across. It's harder to find but definitely worth it. It's not really a chew. It comes in portioned pouches and just sits in your lip, but you can swallow normally. If people are not tobacco-friendly, I just tell them I have gum in my mouth. I can use it all day at work. Personally, I go for the Mint (blue can), but the other flavors are either too potent or nonexistent. I like the mint flavor a lot. It complements the snus flavor well.

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