As we prepared for the great pre-Thanksgiving mashed potato taste test, we had a lot to consider:

Do instant (aka boxed) mashed potatoes count?

No. And no shade to instant mashed potatoes — I love them — but they’re not the same. For this test, we stuck to « pre-made mashed potatoes. » No frozen varieties, either…sorry, Trader Joe’s.

OK, but what does « pre-made mashed potatoes » mean…

Here, they’re the refrigerated, pre-mashed potatoes that just need to be gently reheated in a microwave or conventional oven. Normally, you’ll find them in those small black plastic packages, wrapped in a cardboard sleeve, near the deli counter.

Oh, like the Costco mashed potatoes!

No, but my mother-in-law makes (aka reheats) those for Thanksgiving every year with extra butter and cream, and I swear they’re the best mashed potatoes I’ve ever had. For this one, we decided to exclude brands that make store-prepared mashed potatoes — such as Costco, Whole Foods, and other grocers with prepared food operations. This isn’t a glamorous way to say it, but the mashed potatoes we focused on are all varieties that are obviously made in a factory somewhere, and readily available nationally, as opposed to being made on-site.