Drinkers tend to be brand loyal when buying spirits. They know the flavor profile of Grey Goose as opposed to Absolut. While a Belvedere guy may not be so quick to buy a cheap vodka off that bottom shelf, we can't all afford to be Belvedere Guy, can we? So what cheap vodkas are out there that will be gentle on our stomach linings in addition to our wallets? There are actually quite a few relatively cheap vodkas with both a top-shelf taste and bottom-shelf price tag.
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All prices for these Vodkas were taken from Drizly.
1. Prairie Organic Vodka
Prairie Organic Vodka
Price: $17.88 for a 750 mL bottle
There's no exact distillation formula for this small-batch vodka. Like a champagne house blending to create that specific house style, Prairie Organic Vodka is distilled in small batches and tested to maintain the flavor you expect with every bottle you buy. That's a quality control job I'd love to have.
As this Vodka has hints of melon and pear, we recommend pairing with with similar bright, fresh fruits and fruit juices. For example, we'd pick a cocktail with fresh grapefruit or cranberry juice such as a Harvey Wallbanger.
2. Seagram's Vodka
Seagram's Vodka
Price: $10.49 for a 750 mL bottle, or $18.83 for a 1.75 L bottle
Images of ginger ale, saltines, and childhood bellyaches may dance in your head when you hear the name Seagrams, but you're a grown-up now. And Seagrams wants you to think about vodka.
Seagrams have been around since 1857, so they know what they're doing. For the low price point, Seagram's is a more than decent vodka for any mixed drinks you'll be concocting at home. It's made with high-quality American grains and is surprisingly smooth. Put your money into some fancy juices and paper umbrellas instead of a higher-priced vodka when it's fancy drink time.
Because of Seagram's clean taste, we recommend making an equally streamlined cocktail, such as a vodka soda or a lime spritzer.
3. Russian Standard
Russian Standard
Price: $19.99 for a 750 mL bottle
Russian Standard is the best-selling premium vodka in Russia. That's an endorsement, for sure. Distilled from winter wheat with glacial water, it's smooth enough to drink over a few ice cubes and not too expensive to use in your Moscow Mule. Splurge on some caviar with the money you save on this bottle of vodka and throw a Russian theme party.
With a neutral flavor but a viscous body, this vodka goes great in heavier drinks that you don't want to be overwhelmed by. Think Bloody Marys on a Sunday morning.
4. New Amsterdam Vodka
New Amsterdam Vodka
Price: $13.49 for a 750 mL bottle
Distilled in California, New Amsterdam has a cool art deco look to its bottle that looks great on a bar cart. The club crowd loves the coconut, peach, and pineapple flavors of the inexpensive brand, but the unflavored vodka is also quality! Distilled five times and filtered in three stages, New Amsterdam has been around for ten years now and is gaining popularity every day.
With a crisp taste and a light smoothness to it, we recommend putting this vodka in a bright, sparkly cocktail, like a Moscow Mule.
5. Deep Eddy Vodka
Deep Eddy Vodka
Price: $19.49 for a 750 mL bottle
Deep Eddy Vodka came out as a contender in the dangerously delicious Sweet Tea vodka category, going up against the big names. Then their ruby red grapefruit-infused vodka gained speed in refreshing cocktails. Produced in Austin, Texas, this small-batch vodka is distilled 10 times from corn in a column still and is blended with water from a Texas aquifer. Pure with a touch of sweetness and richness from the corn, there's more than just Tito's in Texas.
Deep Eddy doesn't have the bite that some less expensive vodkas do, meaning it goes great in booze-forward drinks, like a vodka gimlet.
6. Luksusowa Potato Vodka
Luksusowa Potato Vodka
Price: $13.67 for 1 L bottle
Most liquor stores have a shelf dedicated to just potato vodka. The gluten-free crowd loves potato vodka since most are gluten free, but many just love the taste of potato vodka for the richer mouthfeel.Luksusowa is a Polish potato vodka distilled three times and an authentically produced Polish vodka since 1928.
It's a solid choice for mixed drinks like screwdrivers, or even shooting on its own, if you're into that kind of thing.
7. Sobieski Vodka
Sobieski Vodka
Price: $10.52 for a 750 mL bottle or $19.98 for a 1.75 L bottle
This Polish rye vodka is named after a 17th-century Polish king, John III Sobieski. Spring water makes this a super clear vodka at a low price point. Polish royalty must like to party like the rest of us because Sobieski also comes in flavors like raspberry, vanilla, and orange.
With so many flavors to choose from, we recommend using Sobieski for craft cocktails, like the Bee's Nest.
8. Finlandia Vodka
Finlandia Vodka
Price: $16.99 for a 750 mL bottle
Finlandia is distilled from a special type of local barley that grows in Finland's extreme cold weather. There are more than 200 distillation steps that go into making this glacial spring water-based vodka. It's been around since the 1970s in the US and is a great choice when you need good but cheap vodka.
With a very dry and light taste, Finlandia is a great choice if you're whipping up mixed shots, such as a lemon drop or raspberry drop.
9. Pinnacle Whipped
Pinnacle Whipped
Price: $12.98 for a 750 mL bottle or $17.13 for a 1.75 L bottle
Do you remember where you were when you tasted whipped cream flavored vodka for the first time? It was actually the shot of choice at my cousin's wedding. We were all grown-ups and yet the Pinnacle Whipped vodka was delicious.
Pinnacle has come up with lots of flavors since then, some better than others, but if you're making a sweet drink that calls for vanilla liqueur flavor or just want a slightly sweet ice cold shot, this cheap vodka can't be beat.
Because of it's distinct taste, we recommend using it to fancify traditional cocktails by making an orange cream martini or an espresso martini.
10. Smirnoff Vodka
Smirnoff Vodka
Price: $17.35 for a 750 mL bottle of Smirnoff No. 21
Despite its Russian name, Smirnoff is now produced in the UK and is possibly the world's most popular vodka brand. Their flavors are solid as is their regular vodka and it comes in three different proofs for your drinking enjoyment.
Smirnoff is creative in its marketing campaigns by promoting vodka cocktails to hook you. Cosmopolitans made with Smirnoff became the only way to drink it—and we stand by that choice!
11. Svedka Vodka
Svedka Vodka
Price: $14.79 for a 750 mL bottle, or $19.98 for a 1.75 L bottle
This Swedish vodka is distilled five times from sweet winter wheat. The distillation process uses spring water and continuous distillation before being bottled. Svedka makes lots of flavors to choose from, including a pre-mixed flavor combo of mango and pineapple.
This flavored cheap vodka saves a step in making those fruity drinks for any get-together. Or, keep it simple with a classic highball cocktail like a Tom Collins
12. Tower Vodka
Tower Vodka
Price: $13.99 for a 750 mL bottle
This lesser-known small-batch Texas corn vodka is distilled six times. With its low price and larger format bottle, it's worth having on hand for all your vodka needs. Many folks think it has a similar taste to Tito's, but without the price tag.
Because of it's clean and versatile taste, we love this brand in everything from a Bloody Mary to a Moscow Mule.
13. Wódka Vodka
Wódka Vodka
Price: $16.99 for a 1 L bottle
Wódka is simply fun to say and is a great cheap vodka to keep on hand. The demand for Wódka keeps distillers busy outside Kalisz, Poland where Polish folk art rules and even a piano factory operated just until recently.
Made from rye, Wódka is authentic. The rye grain taste comes through in a pleasant, lively taste. Invite some friends over for pierogies and Wódka. After one drink, your snobby buddy won't miss his Ketel One one bit.
This crisp and extremely mixable vodka pairs well with a number of cocktails, such as a Dirty Shirley or a White Russian.
