# Whats some good non expensive vodka brands **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** liquor-alcohol\ **Created:** [July 25, 2013, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-some-good-non-expensive-vodka-brands/664444 "2013-07-25T01:00:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jay4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f1d935/32.png) [@Jay4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jay4)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-some-good-non-expensive-vodka-brands/664444/1 "2013-07-25T01:00:16Z")
only had smirnoff and the other good brands ive heard of are expensive ---
**Author:** ![Zjestika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/8edcca/32.png) [@Zjestika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zjestika)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-some-good-non-expensive-vodka-brands/664444/2 "2013-07-25T01:06:55Z")
We get Svedka when we buy vodka. What are you using it for, mixed drinks or straight over ice or something? ---
**Author:** ![Jay4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f1d935/32.png) [@Jay4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jay4)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-some-good-non-expensive-vodka-brands/664444/3 "2013-07-25T01:08:46Z")
> [@Zjestika](#): > > We get Svedka when we buy vodka. What are you using it for, mixed drinks or straight over ice or something? mixed with like pop or orange juice or something.i never really drink hard liquior like that straight ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-some-good-non-expensive-vodka-brands/664444/4 "2013-07-25T01:14:34Z")
Then why are you wanting to pay twice as much for what is, by definition, grain neutral spirits and water? If you aren’t drinking it neat, you are wasting your money buying anything better than standard grade vodka. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-some-good-non-expensive-vodka-brands/664444/5 "2013-07-25T01:29:34Z")
Seriously, if you are mixing it you might as well be buying Bukoff. Next to it in the bottom shelf is Popov, which I cannot differentiate from Smirnoff if chilled or on the rocks (with a dash of black pepper). ---
**Author:** ![Buffalo\_Bilious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e99b99/32.png) [@Buffalo\_Bilious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buffalo_Bilious)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-some-good-non-expensive-vodka-brands/664444/6 "2013-07-25T01:50:27Z")
I’ll second Svedka. Skye is a couple bux more but less $$ than the trendy brands. Frankly, there’s nothing wrong at all with Smirnoff, especially if you’re mixing. If you want to get more bang for your buck or get bombed faster, get the Smirnoff Blue Label (100 proof). ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-some-good-non-expensive-vodka-brands/664444/7 "2013-07-25T01:59:39Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > Seriously, if you are mixing it you might as well be buying Bukoff. Next to it in the bottom shelf is Popov, which I cannot differentiate from Smirnoff if chilled or on the rocks (with a dash of black pepper). Even in mixers cheap vodka tastes noticeably different. And bad, akin to paint thinner IMO. It doesn’t bother some people, but it does me. Cheap vodka can also give you a \*much \*worse hangover, and even a much faster ‘bad’ drunk (i.e. quicker nausea, head spinning etc.). I also vote for **Svedka**. Before I found that I used to drink **Kettle One** , one of the most expensive vodkas there is. Svedka’s nowhere near as expensive as top shelf and it doesn’t give me any of the above effects and is very smooth. \*\*Smirnoff \*\*is ok, but only a little better than well vodka (and it’s \*\*\*not \*\*\*imported!) Biggest problem with Svedka is a lot of taverns don’t carry it, in which case I’ll drink **Stoli**. Although I have yet to try it rumor has it that if you run cheap vodka thru a Brita water filter twice you can turn it into the good (or at least much better) stuff. Removes impurities ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-some-good-non-expensive-vodka-brands/664444/8 "2013-07-25T02:06:36Z")
Yet another vote for Svedka. It’s as low as I can go costwise before hitting the “wince” barrier. Once in a while though, you just feel all college-y and you kind of miss that body shudder after taking a shot and you buy some plastic bottle booze and it makes you pay with your sanity the morning after. ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-some-good-non-expensive-vodka-brands/664444/9 "2013-07-25T02:11:29Z")
Smirnoff Silver label is my wife’s favorite. ---
**Author:** ![miss\_elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-some-good-non-expensive-vodka-brands/664444/10 "2013-07-25T02:25:23Z")
New Amsterdam is good. And there’s a very very good vodka sold around here that is always cheap, but tastes like the best stuff. But I can’t remember the name… aren’t I helpful? ☹ It has a gold top. Does anyone know what I mean? It’s someone’s name… eh fuck it. New Amsterdam is good. ---
**Author:** ![Top\_Hat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b487fb/32.png) [@Top\_Hat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Top_Hat)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-some-good-non-expensive-vodka-brands/664444/11 "2013-07-25T02:26:42Z")
Stolichnaya. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-some-good-non-expensive-vodka-brands/664444/12 "2013-07-25T02:40:51Z")
Buy Royal Gate, and run it through the Brita a few times with strawberries in the filter. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-some-good-non-expensive-vodka-brands/664444/13 "2013-07-25T02:52:27Z")
Tito’s Handmade Vodka! > **[Tito's Vodka](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tito%27s_Vodka)** > > Tito's Handmade Vodka is a vodka brand made by Fifth Generation, founded by Tito Beveridge in 1997 in Austin, Texas – specializing in vodka made from yellow corn, rather than potatoes or wheat. It is distilled 6 times and unaged. > Marketing its brand as Tito's Handmade Vodka, the company originally craft-distilled its products in copper pot stills at Texas' first legal distillery. By 2001, the brand was no longer a micro-distillery, having surpassed the industry standard of 40,000 cases for a ... ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-some-good-non-expensive-vodka-brands/664444/14 "2013-07-25T03:59:46Z")
[Luksusowa](http://www.proof66.com/vodka/luksusowa-potato-vodka.html) potato vodka from Poland. At $12-$14 a fifth, it’s about as good a vodka deal as you’re going to get. [Sobieski](http://vodkaonly.com/sobieski-vodka-review/) is a bit cheaper ($10-$12 a fifth), made from grain, and also great bang-for-buck. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-some-good-non-expensive-vodka-brands/664444/15 "2013-07-25T04:09:58Z")
> [@pancakes3](#): > > Yet another vote for Svedka. And yet another. Nice big bottle. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-some-good-non-expensive-vodka-brands/664444/16 "2013-07-25T04:33:12Z")
Spec’s Liquor Warehouse often has different beer, liquor & wine reps offering free samples. One afternoon, a vodka salesman was handing out half-shots of his product. Not seriously chilled, in little plastic cups–and I’m not a big vodka drinker, anyway… It was surprisingly good. And it was Svedka! ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-some-good-non-expensive-vodka-brands/664444/17 "2013-07-25T05:31:30Z")
> [@Hail\_Ants](#): > > Before I found that I used to drink **Kettle One** , one of the most expensive vodkas there is. Seriously? Grey Goose is hardly the most expensive, and is e.g. $18 more expensive for a handle. Ketel One is upper mid. Smirnoff or Stolichnaya are the standard midrange. Smirnoff Triple/Red Label seems a tiny bit harsh to me. Skyy seems to get a better reputation but isn’t a whole lot more in price. But I’m a philistine; Gordon’s works for mixing, and is classier than Popov. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-some-good-non-expensive-vodka-brands/664444/19 "2013-07-25T10:54:29Z")
\*\*Fris \*\*is a very good, reasonably priced vodka. Try it. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-some-good-non-expensive-vodka-brands/664444/20 "2013-07-25T10:59:50Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Seriously? Grey Goose is hardly the most expensive, and is e.g. $18 more expensive for a handle. Ketel One is upper mid. > > Smirnoff or Stolichnaya are the standard midrange. Smirnoff Triple/Red Label seems a tiny bit harsh to me. Skyy seems to get a better reputation but isn’t a whole lot more in price. But I’m a philistine; Gordon’s works for mixing, and is classier than Popov. In terms of the stuff you can buy at your average liquor store, Ketel One (I always spell it wrong) is one of the most expensive here in NY state. With tax it’s close to $50 for a big bottle! Svedka is less than half that. > [@krinlee](#): > > Grey goose is the best vodka brand and available in reasonable price. _ **French** vodka?!?!?_ Call me a snob, or a Franco-phobe, but no. Just, no. Be like Russian Champagne… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-some-good-non-expensive-vodka-brands/664444/21 "2013-07-25T11:09:28Z")
Has anyone here tried the vodka in the glass skull? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-some-good-non-expensive-vodka-brands/664444.md?page=2)