Dramatically increase the amount of protein in your daily diet and watch your gains skyrocket - the best mass gainers are the ultimate gym supplements for rapidly building massive muscles, even if you've got a particularly swift metabolism.
They are loaded with calories, carbs and above all - protein. Because of this, mass gainers can be an absolute necessity when trying to bulk and retain muscle mass. Unrivalled by protein powders, carb supplements and high-protein meals alike, mass gainers contain upwards of 60g of protein, which is simply incredible for intense post-workout repairs.
The best mass gainers of 2024 at a glance:
• Best overall mass gainer: USN Hyperbolic Mass Chocolate - View offer on Amazon
• Best tasting mass gainer: Optimum Nutrition Serious Mass Protein Powder Mass Gainer - View offer on Amazon
• Best pre or post-workout mass gainer: USN Muscle Fuel Powder Shake - View offer on Amazon
With hundreds of options online from various brands, picking the downright best mass gainers on the market can be a significant challenge for some - there are some great budget options available, some great flavours, and of course - those with the most macronutrients, but what's the best for you?
At What's The Best, we're going to break down the absolute top-tier options for you - regardless of whether you're looking for great protein, a competitive price, or delicious flavour.
The best mass gainers of 2024:
Best overall mass gainer
Description
USN has been one of the top fitness supplement contenders for decades now, and its ultimate mass gainer is quite possibly the best the fitness market has to offer.
Each serving of chocolate mass gainer contains over 60g of protein, over 200g of carbs and 5.5g of creatine - giving you all the essential proteins and energy you need after a back-breaking gym session.
When it comes to flavour, you really cannot beat chocolate - it's simple, delicious, and makes for an excellent post-workout treat - and USN's chocolate mass gainer hits the mark when it comes to taste - but for the perfect consistency, you'll need a particularly large blender.
For each drink, you'll need six scoops of mass gainer alongside 900ml of water - making it one troublesome powder to thoroughly mix together, so maybe prep your drink before you head to the gym.
Pros
- Incredible protein content
- Huge amount of carbohydrates
- Great flavour
- Plenty of calories
Cons
- Only 20 servings per 6kg bag
2.
Optimum Nutrition Serious Mass Protein Powder High-Calorie Mass Gainer - Cookies and cream Flavour
Best tasting mass gainer
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Description
Optimum Nutrition is a mainstay on fitness supplements roundups simply because its supplements are second to none, and few mass gainers can truly compete with Optimum Nutrition's Serious Mass Gainer - one of the most nutrient-heavy mass gainers on the market with little-to-no fat or added sugar.
Refuel and develop muscle mass quicker than ever before by introducing Optimum Nutrition's Serious Mass into your diet - 50g of protein, over 250g of carbohydrates, and a whopping 1,263 calories with an extremely low-fat content to deliver some truly epic mass cultivation. What's more, unlike most mass gainers, Optimum Nutrition's mass gainer is packed with over 24 different vitamins - making it one of the healthiest mass gainer choices out there.
Alongside the terrific nutritional goodness of Optimum Nutritition's Mass Gainer is the wonderful variety of flavours available - cookies and cream being the star here. This post-workout delight boosts morale almost as much as muscle gain - an important and often overlooked factor of breaking into the world of fitness.
Our only gripe with Optimum Nutrition's otherwise fantastic mass gainer is the rather meagre amount of servings for the price. A 2.7kg tub of ON's mass gainer contains a total of eight servings - which is particularly low compared to its competition.
Pros
- Incredible flavour
- Bursting with nutrients
- Incredible mass gain
Cons
- Expensive for the amount of servings (eight)
Best pre or post-workout mass gainer
Description
USN's Muscle Fuel mass gainer is, while not as intensely carb-packed as our other alternative, still remarkably high in protein and other essential vitamins and macronutrients - making it fantastic for muscle building throughout the day.
Delicious flavour while retaining a low-fat content, USN's Muscle Catalyst comes in a good variety of flavours (all of which are available now), each of which is bursting with protein - so don't miss out on your ultimate fitness goals this year.
As with many mass gainers, due to the sheer amount of scoops per serving, even a 4kg tub doesn't last long at all - this one, in particular, lasts nearly a month if taken every day, which isn't amazing, but in hindsight is a foot above the competition
Pros
- Explosive muscle mass catalyst
- Packed with nutrients
- Good amount of servings
- Fantastic protein
Cons
- Some reviewers reported the container wasn't as full as they'd hoped for the price
Best clear mass gainer
Myproteinwww.myprotein.com
Description
Myprotein Clear Weight Gainer offers a refreshing, juice-like alternative to traditional shakes, designed for effective muscle mass gain with high-quality protein and carbs without the heavy feel. This potent formula is low sugar and low fat, we only wish there were more flavours and more servings.
Pros
- Light and refreshing
- Potent formula
- Little added sugar
Cons
- More flavours would be great
- Only 15 servings
Best super-value mass gainer
Bodybuilding Warehousewww.bodybuildingwarehouse.co.uk
Description
The Bulk Protein Company's 5kg Serious Gainz is a powerful mass gainer blend designed to support muscle growth and recovery with high protein, complex carbs, and minimal sugar for serious athletes. It's an epic value option, and it's available in so many flavours. We only recommend you have a blender handy because Serious Gainz does not mix well by hand.
Pros
- Whopping 5kg tub
- Plenty of flavours available
- Terrific value for money
Cons
- Requires a blender to mix best
Best vegan mass gainer
Description
For vegan gym-goers, there are a gradually expanding array of fantastic supplements to help you build a fantastic physique, but not many can truly compete with ProteinWorks' Mass Gainer Extreme.
From the flavour and consistency to the staggering 50g of protein, 740 calories (which is basically unheard of in a vegan mass gainer) and a good amount of carbohydrates - give you a top-tier muscle mass builder.
As you can expect, the rather expensive 2kg bag doesn't really go far - with about ten servings inside, it's pretty awful for the price.
However, if the price is no object, and you're looking to reach the ultimate muscular physique - there are few options that can really compete.
Pros
- Highest protein in any vegan mass gainer
- Great flavour
- Packed with vitamins and nutrients
Cons
- Only available in vanilla creme flavour
Best mass gainer nutritionally
Description
When it comes to supplying yourself with the best high-quality nutrition, you can't put a price on quality - Reflex Nutrition's Vanilla Ice Cream mass gainer is derived from grass-fed cows, using four different types of protein to help your gym journey reach even greater heights.
With a blend of fantastic vitamins and minerals, among some particularly hard-to-come-by probiotics such as LactoSpore, which boosts digestion - Reflex Nutrition has truly nailed this amazing mass gainer, from its flavour to its intensely high protein content - you really cannot go wrong.
Pros
- Packed with high-quality protein
- Tonnes of flavour
- Ultra-rich in vitamins
Cons
- Small serving size, as one reviewer stated, the actual product only filled half the packet
Best Bulk vegan mass gainer
www.bulk.com
Description
Natural ingredients, sustainable, and utterly potent - Bulk's Vegan Mass gainer is the perfect alternative for non-vegetarians - and is far and beyond one of the best high-protein vegan supplements on the market.
From a selection of great, naturally derived flavours such as Strawberry, Banana Caramel, and our favourite - Chocolate Peanut; Bulk has successfully delivered deliciousness, high protein and price.
Of course, there are some cutbacks when it comes to Bulk's vegan alternative - some users have complained about some graininess in the mass gainer, which is an unfortunate trade-off when trying to pack in as much protein as possible.
What's more, you simply cannot pack as much protein into a vegan mass gainer as its whey alternative (not quite yet, anyway) - so you'll probably get through your 2.5kg bag in no time.
Pros
- Perfect vegan alternative
- High in protein
- Great flavours to choose from
Cons
- Not as high protein as non-vegan alternatives
Best budget mass gainer
Description
When it comes to working out and building muscles, the gym is practically the least of your expenses. Among protein powders, creatine, BCAAs, carbohydrates and eating fresh, healthy foods - your monthly dietary costs become astronomical.
Enter, Warrior's Mass Gainer - an affordable method of getting all the protein you could ever need, with greater calories and even greater protein at a reasonable price.
We'll be the first to admit that Warrior's Mass Gainer certainly isn't cheap, but for the number of servings you get, alongside the sheer amount of protein, carbs and nutrients per serving - it really does give a variety of supplements a run for their money.
Pros
- Powerful 61g of protein
- Affordable
- Fantastic number of servings
Cons
- Not many additional nutrients
- Many reviewers found the smell of the product a little off-putting
Best mass gainer flapjack bars
Description
If you have far too many supplements to drink, why not eat some of them? Suplex's Heavyweight Mass Gainer flapjack bars contain an impressive 30g of protein and with over 500 calories - it's one of the most effective alternatives to standard mass gainers and protein shakes available anywhere.
Suplex mass gainer combines huge, delicious flavours with a huge amount of protein to create what is an all-around fantastic, filling snack that's perfect for vegetarians and vegans alike.
Pros
- An incredible amount of protein
- Fantastic 500-calorie bar
- Delicious flavour
Cons
- Not as calorie-rich as mass-gainer drinks
FAQs
Why use the best mass gainers?
In order to gain muscle mass, you must meet a couple of dietary prerequisites; you must digest a significant amount of protein (between 0.7-2.2g per kilogram of body weight, according to some studies), and you must intake more calories than you burn per day.
High protein and high calories are essential for rapid muscle growth - but bulking on clean foods can quickly become expensive, difficult to maintain, and, if anything - a little dull.
Mass gainers are a wonderful way to retain the clean bulk routine, while also treating yourself with an irresistible mass gainer drink as a post-workout treat.
Why are mass gainers so effective?
Mass gainers are brilliantly designed to avoid bulkers from gaining body fat by using easily digested starchy carbs, a huge amount of protein and very low fat - making them perfectly ideal for gaining muscle.
Despite the reputation that carbohydrates have in the dieting community - they're an essential fuel required for a powerful workout - so don't skip out.
You can also replenish your energy with the most incredible iron supplements for battling fatigue, boosting cognitive function and fighting the cold season. You can also give yourself the muscle-building edge with the best BCAAs - packed with nutrients, perfect for post-workout repairs.
Are mass gainers healthy?
You might be wondering, considering the huge amount of calories most mass gainers have; are they healthy?
Mass gainers can be consumed in a healthy manner and, despite their high calories, are a fantastic way to get your daily dose of carbohydrates - but therein also lies the problem with mass gainers.
They aren't particularly safe for individuals who have diabetes, or carbohydrate digestion difficulties - so they're best avoided if this is the case for you.
Make sure you're getting plenty of the most essential vitamins, and pick yourself up the ultimate B12 supplements - defeat fatigue, have healthier-looking skin, and crush your gym PBs.
Can I take mass gainers every day?
You absolutely can - they make a great meal substitute and act as an excellent quick-fix protein solution, which is usually a little more difficult to come by.
However, just because you can take a mass gainer every day doesn't mean you should. Mass gainer supplements, while brilliant for huge muscle growth - are also very expensive, with most gainers topping out at around 20-30 servings maximum.
So, if you're really looking to make some huge gains - it might be worth drinking a mass gainer every day, but if you're on a budget - perhaps consider alternating with a standard whey protein shake.
Are mass gainers okay to use for women?
Women are absolutely safe to use mass gainers, they can contribute to healthy weight gain and muscle growth when paired with an effective diet and regular exercise.
Ryan Houghton is a tech product writer and reviewer for What's The Best, specialising in PCs, smart tech, televisions and gaming. He also writes for Empire Online.