Great pancakes are defined by both taste and texture. In our opinion, Bisquick nailed both of those elements. The pancakes were light, fluffy and not too sweet — perfect for adding mix-ins. Plus, Bisquick’s pancakes had the most desirable golden-brown color, which resulted in an impressive stack that’s perfect for a weekend brunch.

You only need water to whip up a batch of Krusteaz pancakes, which means your next stack is never far away. This mix yielded the fluffiest (and most filling!) of all the pancakes but was a tad sweeter than the Bisquick mix. You can’t go wrong with either one, but we preferred these pancakes when eaten with nut butter and fruit instead of maple syrup.

If you want a better-for-you pancake that still tastes pretty close to the real thing, Kodiak Cakes is undoubtedly your best bet. Made with whole grain flour, buttermilk powder, a protein blend and brown sugar, these pancakes satisfy your craving without upsetting your healthy eating goals. The texture is heavier than your everyday pancake mix, but they taste great and will keep you full 'til lunch.

Gluten-free pancakes are tricky to get right and can easily be too gummy or too sweet. In our opinion, Birch Benders is the best of the bunch. Their pancakes are light without being grainy and pair well with a variety of toppings. There are a few caveats for these pancakes, though — we found that Birch Benders pancakes are best when mixed with milk (or nut milk) instead of water and cooked in silver dollar size.