Taste-Off: The best canned whipped cream — and the ones that went pfft

Yes, it’s a guilty pleasure, but the pure joy that a can of whipped cream brings is a great reason to put at the top of the shopping list. Squirt it atop hot cocoa, swirl it over ice cream, make faces on pancakes — whatever your choice, a spot of whipped cream is a fun and festive treat.

Naysayers will argue that the nitrous oxide used to propel the creamy mix out of the can is a health hazard — and it can be — but among the great things about cream in a can is that it serves up creamy deliciousness for a fraction of the calories of hand-whipped cream. A generous swirl weighs in at a mere 15 to 30 calories. Another fun fact about canned whipped cream is that it can be frozen! A slow thaw in the fridge puts it back into the game. Who knew?

Store shelves are crowded with canned cream options, including traditional, extra creamy and even flavored versions. For this feature, we stuck with basic whipped cream-style toppings.

Great whipped cream tastes like lightly sweetened, naturally flavored fresh cream. It’s smooth and light straight from the can, but with enough density to hold up for at least 30 minutes on the dessert table.

Lesser canned whipped creams are candy sweet, laced with artificial flavors or melt into odd-tasting white puddles minutes after being dispensed.

Here’s the scoop on the cans of dollop-worthy whipped cream and the fluffy, flavorless duds. Nutrition info refers to 2 tablespoons of cream.

Isigny Sainte-Mere Cream with Vanilla

This buttery, creamy, authentic cream hits all the notes of freshly whipped cream. Flavors are balanced and the texture is perfection. 20 calories, 1.5 g fat, 1 g sugar. $6.99 for 7 ounces at Raley’s. (4 stars)

Natural By Nature Classic Whipped Cream

White clouds flavored with delicate hits of vanilla and sugar make this cream-in-a-can one of the best on the shelf. It begins to melt after 20 minutes — but the flavor is stellar. 20 calories, 1.5 g fat, 1 g sugar. $5.99 for 7 ounces at Whole Foods. (4 stars)

DairyStar Whipped Light Cream

Thick, dense billows of velvety cream and delicate touches of vanilla and sugar push this brand to nearly the top of the list. A pinch more flavor and it would be perfect. 20 calories, 1.5 g fat, 1 g sugar. $4.49 for 13 ounces at Trader Joe’s. (3½ stars)

First Street Original Creamy Dairy Whipped Topping

A big kick of vanilla and light, airy texture make for a yummy mouthful. As a bonus, these ribbons of cream last longer than most. 15 calories, 1 g fat, 1 g sugar. $4.49 for 13 ounces at Smart & Final. (3 stars)

Reddi Wip Original

Well-defined ribbons of marshmallow-flavored goodness make for a decadent dollop, but this popular brand is distractingly sweet and doesn’t taste a bit like whipped cream. 15 calories, 1 g fat, 1 g sugar. $4.99 for 6.5 ounces at Raley’s. (2½ stars)

Clover Sonoma Brown Sugar & Vanilla

Caramel flavor makes this a luscious, if nontraditional choice. It has a huge hit of sugar, but it’s basically a treat in itself. 20 calories, 1.5 g fat, 1 g sugar. $7.99 for 7 ounces at Safeway. (2 stars)

Sunnyside Farms Original Whipped Topping

Fans of marshmallow may enjoy this sticky sweet topping. It’s not terrible but the flavor of cream is entirely lost. 15 calories, 1 g fat, 1 g sugar. $2.98 for 6.5 ounces at Raley’s. (1 star)

Lucerne Original Whipped Topping

Sugar is the first and last flavor in this underwhelming topping. 15 calories, 1 g fat, 1 g sugar. $3.49 for 6.5 ounces at Safeway. (1 star)

Great Value Original Dairy Topping

This cloying topping is super fluffy but it’s nearly flavor-free — there isn’t even a hint of cream or vanilla. 15 calories, 1 g fat, 1 g sugar. $2.46 for 6.5 ounces at Walmart. (½ a star)