A Coffee Addict Picks the Best Dairy-Free Creamers

Photo shows Nut Pods, Ripple, Elmhurst, and Natural Bliss plant milks on a pale pink background illustration. These are the very best dairy-free coffee creamers, ranked.

Coffee is my ride-or-die. I average about two cups daily, and if the mood is right, I get a post-work oat milk latte from the bakery around the block. 

I fear and respect my co-worker for quitting coffee for a week to test out caffeine alternatives. It’s my personal nightmare. It’s something I could never do. I need that morning jolt of energy that only Sweet Lady Caffeine can deliver. And I love the toasty flavor and aroma of a cup of joe that fills my apartment during the brewing stage. Special Agent Dale Cooper, I get you.

But unlike the coffee-fanatic Twin Peaks protagonist, I rarely take my coffee black. It always needs a splash (or two) of creamer to transform it from bold to a creamy, pleasant drink that warrants immediately downing a second cup. Usually, I just use good ol’ oat milk as a creamer. But as I browsed the milk aisle at the local supermarket, I noticed that there were a lot more dairy-free creamer options than I remember there being.

As someone who used to love 7-Eleven coffee with a generous helping of flavored Coffee-Mate, I asked: Can dairy-free creamer do it better? I tried eight different options, and here’s what I liked: