The 2021 Reader’s Digest Most Trusted Brands in America
Updated: Sep. 17, 2021
Nature Made, Aveeno, and Listerine are just a few of the top-notch brands that made the list.
For the seventh year in a row, Reader’s Digest has teamed up with the global market research firm Ipsos to identify the product brands that Americans say they trust the most. The winners in 20 health and wellness categories include some new ones, including in the CBD and health insurance categories. And in this most unusual year, we expanded the criteria to factor in how well Americans think the brand has responded to the pandemic and also supported diversity and racial justice.
The results this year also presented a clear winner among the 20 brands. The 4,000 Americans surveyed by Ipsos chose Listerine as the single most trusted brand in their medicine cabinets. Read more about how the famous brown mouthwash became such a credible household name below.
To get a glimpse of all the winning brands from every year starting in 2015, check out the full list of Reader’s Digest’s Trusted Brands.
Note: Prices listed were accurate as of press time; pricing fluctuations may occur.
Nutritional Drink/Meal Replacement: Ensure
Doctors recommend specialized Ensure immunonutrition shakes to help your body prepare for and recover from surgical procedures.
Why Americans Love It: “I love the way it tastes and provides me with all the meal nutritional values I need.”
Multi-Vitamin: Centrum
Because they are made with all-natural, plant-based colors, Centrum Multigummies may appear to darken over time while still being safe to take.
Why Americans Love It: “Centrum Womans Multi vitamin is my favorite because it is a brand that I have been using for years and hasn’t given me any issues. I’ve also used their prenatal vitamins while pregnant as well.”
Herbal Supplements: Nature Made
Virtually all of their vitamins and minerals come in a variety of forms: dissolving tablets, chewable tablets, gummies, and liquid softgels.
Why Americans Love It: “I use several products from this line and they do the job at a fair price.”
Body Lotion: Aveeno
Aveeno is known for its oat-based skin care, and continues to produce new products with the hero ingredient oat to nourish and soothe skin.
Why Americans Love It: “I have used it for years and it works great. It’s fragarence free and long lasting.”
Contact Lens Solution: Acuvue
The company works hard to find innovative ways to help people around the world see better.
Why Americans Love It: “They are the most comfortable for the longest amount of time—even during allergy season.”
Eye Care: Visine
Called Vispring in some countries including Greece and Spain, their drops remove redness by shrinking blood vessels on the eye.
Why Americans Love It: “It comes in many formulas, is gentle, and is reasonably price. It is also available almost everywhere.”
Mouthwash: Listerine
Listerine started off as an antiseptic used during surgery and is now a household name mouthwash. They offer many different lines of mouthwash including Ultraclean, Restoring, and Naturals. Here’s how brown listerine became America’s most trusted health product.
Why Americans Love It: “Because it’s affordable and effective. My teeth are healthy, clean, and white.”
Sun Protection: Coppertone
There are no excuses to skip sunscreen, especially now that Coppertone offers one with a built-in shimmer and a lotion designed to help you tan safely.
Why Americans Love It: “It is the [sunscreen] I grew up with. It is easily accessible and does what it is supposed to do.”
Toothpaste: Crest
Crest has a toothpaste for every need to help people maintain a healthy smile.
Why Americans Love It: “I’ve used it since I was a kid and I’ve had very few cavities.”
Allergy Relief: Benadryl
The company offers a variety of allery and anti-itch products.
Why Americans Love It: “It works well for me and my dog. It is also very affordable and easy to take.”
CBD (cannabidiol): Charlotte’s Web/Purekana/Nulife CBD/Verma Farms (four-way tie)
CBD products are becoming increasingly popular these days. We found not one, not two, but four trusted brands that you can try if you’re looking for a CBD product to enhance your life. To learn more about CBD and to see if it’s a right fit for you, check out our ultimate guide to CBD.
Why Americans Love It: “I’ve tried many different brands of CBD and this has worked the best! Definitely worth the price.” (Charlotte’s Web)
Cold + Flu Remedy: NyQuil
Manufactured by Vicks, maker of vapor rubs, Nyquil Severe with Vicks VapoCOOL is liquid medicine with the added effect of soothing vapors.
Why Americans Love It: “It always works when I need it to.”
Cough Remedy: Robitussin
The honey in their Honey Cough and Chest Congestion is certified as ethically sourced. They also offer a sugar-free variety specially formulated for diabetics.
Why Americans Love It: “It soothes the throat and makes it easier to breathe when I get sick.”
Headache/Pain Reliever: Tylenol
With redesigned packaging, the bottle caps are now easier to open while also generating minimal plastic waste.
Why Americans Love It: “Tylenol is a well established company with a history of experience in their field.”
Heartburn Antiacid: Tums
Some women experience heartburn for the first time during pregnancy. Tums is the #1 OB/GYN recommended brand of antacid.
Why Americans Love It: “I know that I can take one or two Tums tablets and my heartburn will go away quickly.”
Sleep Aid: NyQuil
NyQuil is part of the Vicks family of brands, a trusted brand that has been helping people feel better, sleep better, and find relief from the common cold and other ailments since the late 1800s.
Why Americans Love It: “It works well and doesn’t make me sleepy the next day.”
Healthy Cereal: Cheerios
This delicious cereal is made from whole grain oats, which contain a soluble fiber that can help lower cholesterol.
Why Americans Love It: “Tastes good, priced right, and easy to find.”
Health Insurance: Blue Cross/Blue Shield
Blue Cross/Blue Shield provides insurance to more than 100 million people in the United States.
Why Americans Love It: “Because they cover more expenses than other health insurance companies I have used in the past.”
National Pharmacy/Drugstore: CVS Pharmacy
Through their “Pharmacists Teach” addiction-prevention program, CVS has provided 300,000 teens with free information about drug abuse.
Why Americans Love It: “The stores are clean, the people are very polite and helpful, and they almost always have what I am looking for.”
Natural Sweetener: Splenda
When a researcher was asked to “test” Splenda, she misheard the request and tasted it instead. Now the company makes Stevia with no preservatives and only non-GMO ingredients.
Why Americans Love It: “It is very simple and I like the taste. I have been using Splenda for over ten years now and really am happy with it.”
