Tested
ICE QUEEN
I tested supermarkets’ versions of classic Cornetto – winner was a bargain buy packed with taste & all important finish
And why you need to avoid the Classic Cornetto
JUST one Cornetto, give it to me – except if you buy a box now, you might notice they are more pricey.
With our mini heatwave there’s nothing quite like a nutty choc cone from the freezer to cool you down.
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But prices for a pack of six from big brand Wall’s, which make the Italian-inspired classic ice cream, have risen steeply this summer, now coming in at a whopping 35 per cent higher at the tills compared to two years ago.
But do you really need to splash out on the originals, or are supermarket-own options just as good?
Laura Stott tried a selection of alternative and cheaper classic cones and gives her verdict on which are best to help you avoid ice cream inflation while the temperature is high.
Choc and Vanilla (4)
£2.50, M&S/ocado.com, 62p each
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THESE dinky-sized cones are cheaper than a classic Cornetto but won’t give the best own-brand bang for your buck.
But when it comes to the quality, the taste of the ice cream is top rate.
With a mix of chocolate and vanilla, rippled with yummy, gooey choccie sauce, additional cocoa and hazelnut pieces, every element tasted great.
The ice cream was very dense and creamy, which didn’t melt too quickly, and I liked the slightly more savoury, crisp, golden brown crunch of the waffle cones.
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Delicious and very indulgent, this ice cream is rich and filling so you don’t notice the smaller portion significantly.
It is a shame they aren’t a bit cheaper – but I would still keep a box in the freezer for a treat or even to enjoy whatever the weather.
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RATING: 3/5
Choc and Nut (6)
£1.45, Iceland, 24p each
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SAVE yourself a fortune on freezer treats by bagging a box of these cracking cones, perfect for feeding the family whatever the weather.
These are exceptionally good value for money and won’t let you down for taste.
Lovely crunchy waffles were filled with tasty ice cream.
It had a decent dairy flavour and a smooth texture, as well as plenty of choccie bits on top and a smothering of nutty niblets.
The ice cream plus the chunk of chocolate in the tip of the cone when you reach the bottom really delivered a good mouthful to finish off with.
A super price, a satisfying taste – a box of these was impossible to beat when it comes to getting bargain cones.
A good buy for a hot day that will keep everyone happy.
RATING: 5/5
Bon Gelati Vanilla (6)
£1.99, Lidl, 33p each
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GREAT value for money at well under half the price of the big-name brand and each individual cone is far larger too, at 120ml versus 100ml for the market leader.
So you get far more in the freezer to lick for much less lolly, and they taste pretty good.
Made with swirls of cocoa-flavoured ice cream, as well as the classic vanilla, there is more to enjoy than many of the alternatives.
It had a nice, crunchy waffle wrap which wasn’t overly sweet and didn’t go soggy, and I loved the chocolate chunks and sauce on top.
These cones tasted like a summer treat, and are generously topped like a sundae.
You could almost eat one with a spoon.
A top ice cream price with a cracking cone.
RATING: 4/5
Vanilla and Toffee (4)
£1.65 Tesco 41p each
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FOR those who like a sweeter pud, these own-brand offerings taste pretty scrumptious – but I was surprised that for a supermarket-own freezer option they weren’t better value for money.
While these are still far cheaper than a classic Wall’s Cornetto, they are almost 10p more per cone than many equivalent own-make ices.
You will still save on cash, but they certainly aren’t the cheapest alternative ice creams.
Price point aside, the toffee-flavoured dairy dessert with caramel swirls and chewy pieces on the top were tasty.
These would definitely appeal to those with a syrupy tooth, but they were a little sickly for me.
It was a shame that the cone went a bit soft as I scoffed and that the ice cream melted quickly.
RATING: 3/5
Cadbury Dairy Milk Buttons (4)
£3.00 Asda 75p each
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IF you love the classic taste of Dairy Milk ice cream you can now buy it frozen and encased in a cone – but the Cadbury trademark creaminess with its distinctive flavour in a cold version also comes at a high price.
The ice cream gets good marks – it was smooth, dense and tasted like a traditional scoop of proper vanilla.
The biscuit cone was a bit different in texture so it was more crumbly, but certainly not unpleasant.
Then of course there is plenty of Cadbury chocs on top, with a swirly sauce and some Cadbury Milk Chocolate Buttons.
No nuts on these, which I missed, and I thought the wrap of chocolate around the ice cream could have been more generous, considering the makers and the price.
Nice as a change but dare I say it, almost a bit bland and boring.
I’m not sure they are worth the expense.
RATING: 2/5
Chocolate and Nut (4)
£1.25 Sainsbury’s, 31p each
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DON’T be fooled by the plain box these come in as the own-brand, Cornetto-style cones are belters.
Exceedingly good ice cream and great value for money, these cost less per cone than both of the discounter brands of Aldi and Lidl.
At 110ml they are 10ml bigger than the Wall’s offerings, and for my money these are far nicer to wolf down on a warm day.
They boast a proper vanilla flavour that was soft without being too whippy-like, plus half of the cone is choccie ice cream too, with a decent taste.
One of the most generous amounts of chocolate topping, with plenty of casing for the dairy around the edge.
A good dusting of hazelnuts and a crunchy cone, too.
Definitely the one to go for if chocolate is your favourite flavour.
Only drawback is that they don’t come in a bigger box, so will run out quick.
RATING: 4/5
Cornetto Classico (6)
Morrisons £3.50 58p each
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A RECENT consumer report from Which? magazine revealed that the price of these freezer favourites has skyrocketed in the past two years, with the costs surging from £2.57 for a box of six in 2022 up to a huge £3.50 currently.
Wall’s has been making these cones since 1976 and they are a nostalgic treat.
But despite that, the taste when I tried one certainly wasn’t as good as I remembered.
The waffle cones were noticeably small and a bit soft and the ice cream seemed aerated and weightless, instead of smooth and creamy.
A good amount of ice cream but the nuts and chocolate on top could have been more generous.
Overall, unimpressive and hardly great value.
RATING: 1/5
Gianni Vanilla (6)
£1.99 Aldi, 33p each
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THIS dupe of the classic comes in a remarkably similar-looking box, which is good enough to fool the kids into thinking you have bought the real deal.
And as well as saving you a fortune at the till and being bigger, they taste similar – if not better.
These weren’t the best I tried, but they were still very tasty and will do the job if you want those classic vanilla, chocolate and hazelnut flavours for summer.
Very nice waffle cones on these – crisp, crunchy and with a lovely snap that didn’t go soggy or lose their bite.
The ice cream was fine, not much vanilla flavour but a pleasant, milky taste and plenty to enjoy.
Nice chocolate too, although the cocoa was extremely sweet.
Larger than the originals by a noticeable 20ml and much cheaper.
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These were not bad at all.
RATING: 3/5
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