CLEVELAND, Ohio – At the beginning of the year, no one knew we’d all be home for months and looking for quick and easy meals or snacks while working or feeding the kids between classes.

Before we had even heard of the coronavirus, cleveland.com’s Yadi Rodriguez, Brenda Cain and Kristen Davis dove into the frozen pizza market since it’s such a popular grocery staple.

We conducted a taste test of 136 frozen pizzas. Who knew local grocers would soon begin selling out of the pies?

According to Statistica, an August study showed Americans spent approximately $5.47 billion on frozen pizza in 2020, up from $4.98 billion the previous year.

Whether you prefer cheese, pepperoni, gluten-free or cauliflower crust, we determined the best frozen pizzas in 12 categories. The 12 winners are featured and pictured below.

We originally samples 130 pizzas for our overall ranking: We ate 130 frozen pizzas and ranked them, worst to best; Nos. 1-2 made by same company

Based on our discovery of Outsiders Pizza Company we then tried their two Chicago-Style pizzas: Outsiders pizzas take top 2 spots in 130 Best Frozen Pizzas contest, so how do its new Chicago-style pies rank?

But we couldn’t stop there. We loved the brand so much, we decided to try all of their offerings 2 Outsiders pizzas swept Best Frozen Pizza contest so we had to sample and rank all 6 flavors

Overall Winner

Bacon and Jalapeno, Outsiders Pizza Company

Where we bought it: Target, $8.99. Note: This pizza is widely available at Northeast Ohio grocery stores.

Nutrition per serving:

Calories 400 | Fat 15g | Sodium 570mg | Carbs 49g | Protein 16g

Box says: “Damn good pizza! Jalapeno, applewood smoked bacon, mozzarella, cheddar, roasted garlic, bourbon barbecue sauce and malt crust”

We say: The box says it all -- this is damn good pizza. The unique pairing of toppings was so tasty we went back to the store for another pizza! One of us talked about this pizza so much, her husband wanted to try it so a third pie was purchased. The crust was just as thick as the Outsiders 3-cheese, but had a nuttier flavor. The BBQ sauce is smokey-sweet and there’s plenty of thick-cut, crispy bacon pieces and jalapeños, which deliver real heat. This pizza was, according to Davis, “a real flavor bomb.”

Bacon

Bacon Lovers, Sam’s Choice

Where we bought it: Walmart, $4.98

Nutrition per serving:

Calories 440 | Fat 25g | Sodium 1220mg | Carbs 36g | Protein 17g

Box says: “Double bacon – creamy cheese sauce, whole milk mozzarella cheese, strips of smoked bacon and crumbled bacon”

We say: Bacon lovers unite! You get both thin-sliced and crumbled meats. No imitation bacon bits here. The creamy sauce and mellow cheese enhance the flavor and allow the bacon its rightful place as the star of this pizza.

Cauliflower Crust

Margherita Cauliflower Crust, Mama Cozzi’s

Where we bought it: Aldi, $4.99

Box says: “Made with real cauliflower. Good sources of protein. Gluten free. 0g of added sugar. Made in Italy.”

We say: This crust is paper thin, so the cauliflower is barely detectable. A nice option for those seeking a healthier pie, but are not big fans of the vegetable. Plenty of fresh tomato taste and cheese.

Cheese

Three Cheese, Outsiders Pizza Company

Where we bought it: Target, $8.99

Nutrition per serving:

Calories 430 | Fat 23g | Sodium 590mg | Carbs 37g | Protein 18g

Box says: “Damn good pizza! Thick, pillowy crust. Light and airy on the inside. Caramelized cheese around the outside. Real Wisconsin brick cheese, white cheddar and fontina.”

We say: While we had never heard of Outsiders Pizza Company before this journey, we are now big fans. You need to be hungry if you are going to indulge in this pizza. The crust is thick and filling, yet not so heavy you will be weighed down. The tangy sauce shines through despite the thick crust. Did we mention the cheese? There is lots of blended cheese and it overflowed the crust once it melted. This is a great “stay at home for pizza and a movie” night.

Buy it on Instacart $9.99

Chicago-Style

Chicago-Style Pepperoni

Nutrition per serving:

Calories 410 | Fat 22g | Sodium 690mg | Carbs 41g | Protein 13g

Box says: Sliced Pepperoni, Chopped Pepperoni, Whole Milk Mozzarella, Tomato Sauce, Deep Dish Cornmeal Crust. Damn good pizza can come from anywhere. At Outsiders, we’re giving the best regional pizzas their moment. These pizzas come from great American cities like Detroit and Chicago, where crust is king and the cheese flows like champagne. We pay these local pizza styles tribute for one reason: They taste damn good.

We say: The two pepperoni cuts -- sliced and cubed -- save this one. There is still a lot more crust than toppings. As you can see in the picture, it isn’t “deep” all the way, just around the edges. The middle lacks that substantial filling and, again, a thin layer of cheese. We wished there was more to it. In addition, the sauce was salty and a bit reminiscent of the sauce used on the company’s French Bread pizzas.

Chicken

Buffalo Chicken, Table 5

Where we bought it: Fresh Thyme, $8.99

Nutrition per serving:

Calories 620 | Fat 35g | Sodium 1340mg | Carbs 56g | Protein 20g

Box says: “White meat chicken topped with tangy-spicy buffalo wing sauce, mozzarella & provolone cheese over a ranch-style sauce.”

We say: The toppings shine atop this crispy cornmeal crust. Chunks and shreds of white meat chicken, rich tomato sauce mixed with buffalo sauce to punch up the flavor and covered by a thin layer of cheese. The entire team was big fans of this pizza.

Gluten-Free and Vegetarian double winner

Nut-Free Pesto, Against the Grain

Where bought it we: Heinen’s, $10.99

Nutrition per serving:

Calories 490 | Fat 34g | Sodium 350mg | Carbs 32g | Protein 13g

Box says: “OK, peek through the opening. No mystery in here. You can see the premium cheese blend. The real pesto sauce, and the puffy golden crust. This is the real deal, and it’s gluten-free.”

We say: This pizza won in two categories -- gluten-free and vegetarian. It was, by far, the best gluten-free crust we sampled out of 130 frozen pizzas. It was light, flaky and buttery -- more of a crescent roll texture. The pesto was a real game changer and melded well with the abundant cheeses. A delicious alternative to the run-of-the-mill frozen pizza.

Buy it on Amazon | Buy it on Instacart $10.99

Margherita

Margherita, Table 87

Where we bought it: Whole Foods, $4.99

Nutrition per serving:

Calories 280 | Fat 8g | Sodium 550mg | Carbs 40g | Protein 14g

Box says: “As seen on Shark Tank. 100% awesome and hand-made. Just heat and eat! It’s so easy!”

We say: One bite into this oversized slice, Cain was confident it would score well with everyone. Vacuum-packed, this pizza slice offers the freshest basil we encountered on a frozen pizza. The sauce was thick and tasted natural and as much like a true pizzeria sauce as we came across. This could pass for fresh in a New York pizzeria.

Meat Lovers

Pulled Pork + Bacon + BBQ Sauce, Outsiders Pizza Company

Where we bought it: Target, $8.99

Nutrition per serving:

Calories 440 | Fat 21g | Sodium 700mg | Carbs 45g | Protein 18g

Box says: “Legend has it that this style was forged by Detroit autoworkers who used deep industrial pans as cooking equipment. Which just goes to show you that American ingenuity lives on - sometimes in the form of amazing pizza. All praise Detroit.” Smoky Sweet BBQ Sauce, Pulled Pork, Diced Ham, Applewood Smoked Bacon, Green Onions, Mozzarella, White Cheddar, Wisconsin Brick Cheese, Thick Pillowy Crust.

We say: The flavors really shined through on this pork lovers dream pie. There was no searching for the meat, as the pieces were visible with plenty of chunks and strips in every bite. Everything worked well together, from all the delicious varieties of meats to the cheeses and the sauce. The green onion was a nice, fresh addition. The cheese caramelized perfectly. Outsiders has perfected the BBQ sauce it uses on these pizzas, with just the right amount of sweetness to balance the spice.

Buy it on Instacart $9.99

Pepperoni

Pepperoni, Archer Farms

Where we bought it: Target, $4.99

Nutrition per serving:

Calories 350 | Fat 13g | Sodium 720mg | Carbs 42g | Protein 14g

Box says: “This pizza, classically topped with flavorful pepperoni, mozzarella, parmesan and romano cheeses, features a self-rising crust that bakes up crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. For pizzas with deep rich flavor, Archer Farms delivers.”

We say: The generous layer of stretchy cheese coves this pie edge to edge. But it is the thick – not doughy and dense – crust, with plenty of air pockets to keep it springy, that captured our collective hearts. This is a great lower-priced option for families.

Sausage

Beer Cheese Sauce & Sausage, Great Value

Where we bought it: Walmart, $5.98

Nutrition per serving:

Calories 350 | Fat 15g | Sodium 1040mg | Carbs 38g | Protein 15g

Box says: “Beer cheese flavored sauce, sausage, mozzarella and cheddar cheese on a pretzel crust”

We say: There was plenty to savor. The crust crisps nicely and was tasty, and the mild and creamy beer cheese sauce was a delicious change of pace. Best of all was the two kinds of sausage, one mild and one with a decided kick. But we were disappointed this pie did not deliver an overwhelming pretzel flavor, which we were really looking forward to.

Supreme

Creamy Garlic Supreme, Devour

Where we bought it: Meijer, $6.99

Nutrition per serving:

Calories 360 | Fat 18g | Sodium 770mg | Carbs 34g | Protein 15g

Box says: “All food should be mouth-watering. Period. End of story. So, in each of our meals, we dial up the taste. Max out the flavor. Turn up the texture. Tender meats and creamy sauces. Crispy crust and gooey cheeses. Spicy, smoky or savory, sometimes sweet. Always ridiculously good.”

We say: One of our favorite crusts with herbs mixed and baked into the dough. There was plenty of rich garlic sauce with a mild kick -- “unnecessary calories,” according to Davis, “but worth it.” Generous toppings allowed for plenty of pepperoni, sausage and peppers in every bite.

About our pizza cooker:

We used the Presto Pizzazz Plus Rotating Pizza Oven ($54 from Walmart) to cook more than 130 frozen pizzas -- not to mention a few other convenience foods like appetizers and cookies. It’s also available at Amazon for $54.

Watch the time-lapse video below to see how a frozen pizza goes from freezer to steaming hot at the kitchen table in less than 15 minutes.