Bob’s Red Mill Old Fashioned Regular Rolled Oats and Quaker Old Fashioned Oats cover much of the same ground. They’re both made with the same ingredient (100% whole-grain oats), and they’re both steamed and rolled into flakes rather than cut into pieces like steel-cut oats or processed more finely for quicker cooking.
However, these two top oat contenders have a few differences in cooking time, brand philosophy, product selection, and price that can make one a better fit for your kitchen.
So, rather than crowning an oat champion, it makes more sense to look at where each brand earns its spot in the pantry.
At a Glance
| Bob’s Red Mill Old Fashioned Regular Rolled Oats | Quaker Old Fashioned Oats | |
| Ingredient | 100% whole grain oats | 100% whole grain oats |
| Serving size | 1/2 cup (49 g) | 1/2 cup (40 g) |
| Stovetop prep | 10–20 minutes, depending on consistency | About 5 minutes |
| Best for | Specialty oat varieties and textures | Faster prep, convenience, and value |
| Beyond old-fashioned oats | Extra thick, Scottish, steel-cut, organic, gluten-free, protein, quick-cooking, and instant oats | Quick, steel-cut, instant, flavored oatmeal, cups, gluten-free, and organic options |
| Price (128 oz) | $20.44 (16¢/oz) | $16.88 (13.2¢/oz) |
Bob’s Red Mill oats vs Quaker oats: History and Brand Philosophy
Bob’s Red Mill began in 1978 with an interest in whole grains and traditional milling, and that shows in how the company has grown: oats share shelf space with a much larger catalog of flours, grains, and baking ingredients aimed at people who cook and bake from scratch.
Quaker’s roots go back further, to the late 1800s, and its growth has stayed focused on oats, expanding oatmeal itself into old-fashioned, quick, steel-cut, instant, and flavored formats rather than branching into other grains.
Comparing Oats Based on Use Case
Rolled oats don’t necessarily spend their whole lives becoming bowls of oatmeal. They end up soaked overnight, baked into cookies, scattered across fruit crisps, and transformed into granola.
Hot Oatmeal
For stovetop oatmeal, Quaker has the practical advantage in speed. Its Old Fashioned Oats take about 5 minutes to cook, compared with the 10 to 20 minutes Bob’s recommends for its regular rolled oats. The microwave narrows the gap further: Quaker recommends roughly 2 1⁄2 to 3 minutes on high for one serving, while Bob’s gives a range of about 3 to 5 minutes followed by a short rest. Quaker also has faster options beyond its old-fashioned oats, including Quick 1-Minute Oats, instant oatmeal packets, and oatmeal cups.
So if oatmeal is the breakfast you make while simultaneously packing lunches or racing the clock to get out the door, those minutes can matter.
Bob’s has quick-cooking and instant options as well, and its broader range puts more emphasis on giving oat enthusiasts different styles and textures to choose from. That includes Extra Thick Rolled Oats, steel-cut oats, Scottish oatmeal, and other variations.
Overnight Oats
For basic homemade overnight oats, this one is close to a draw. Old-fashioned rolled oats are well suited to soaking because they soften while retaining more body than quick or instant oats, and either of these products works as a straightforward base. Your liquid ratio, soaking time, choice of milk or yogurt, and add-ins will probably have more impact on the finished texture than choosing Bob’s over Quaker.
The brands do branch out differently if you want something beyond plain rolled oats. Bob’s sells dedicated Overnight Protein Oats in flavored varieties, while Quaker offers flavored instant oatmeal and other convenient formats that can appeal to shoppers who prefer their oatmeal already portioned and flavored.
Cookies, Bread, and Other Baking
For oatmeal cookies, muffins, breads, crisps, bars, and crumble toppings, both Bob’s and Quaker Old Fashioned Oats provide the rolled-oat texture most recipes are looking for, and either will get you a good result.
But in side-by-side baking tests, the two flakes behave slightly differently once they hit the oven. Quaker’s thinner flake tends to soften into the dough and produce a cookie that’s a bit softer and chewier, with slightly more spread. Bob’s thicker, heartier flake holds its shape more, giving cookies a bit more texture and bite.
Neither is “better,” necessarily; it’s more of a preference between a softer, more uniform cookie and one with more visible oat texture. But if you’ve ever wondered why the same recipe turns out a little different depending on which bag you grabbed, this is likely why.
Homemade Granola
Both old-fashioned products are equally at home in a batch of homemade granola. They’re large enough to hold up to mixing and baking, and neither brand has an inherent claim on crunchiness. Your sweetener, fat, oven temperature, baking time, mix-ins, and commitment to protecting the clusters from premature snacking matter considerably more.
However, both brands also sell ready-made granola, so if you’d rather skip the oven altogether, neither one leaves you stuck making your own. Quaker’s lineup runs from familiar flavors like Honey & Almonds and Honey, Raisins & Almonds to a Protein Granola line in flavors like Chocolate & Almonds and Maple & Brown Sugar. Bob’s flavors lean more homestyle, with options like Maple Sea Salt, Peanut Butter, and a gluten-free Honey Oat Granola alongside its Classic variety.
The Question of Price
At the time of writing, 128 ounces of Quaker Old Fashioned Oats cost $16.88, compared with $20.44 for the same amount of Bob’s Red Mill Old Fashioned Rolled Oats. That works out to about 13.2¢/oz versus 16¢/oz
A $3.56 difference may not sound huge, but it can add up if your household goes through oats by the armful. And for these particular old-fashioned oats, Quaker is the more budget-friendly option at about 18% less per ounce.
Which Oats Make More Sense for Your Kitchen?
Choose Bob’s Red Mill if you:
- Like exploring different oat textures and styles beyond standard old-fashioned oats.
- Want specialty, organic, and gluten-free oat options within the same brand.
- Also shop for other whole grains, flours, and scratch-baking ingredients.
- Don’t mind paying more per ounce for the variety you want.
Choose Quaker if you:
- Want the lower price per ounce on a staple you buy often.
- Want oatmeal ready in about five minutes on a weekday morning.
- Like plain oats, quick oats, flavored instant oatmeal, and cups in one brand.
- Want a dependable staple you can find in almost any grocery store.
It Really Comes Down to What You Do with Your Oats
Bob’s Red Mill and Quaker both give you simple whole-grain old-fashioned oats that can become breakfast, cookies, granola, bread, or whatever recipe currently has your kitchen covered in flour.
So don’t worry too much about declaring allegiance to Team Bob or Team Quaker. Look at what you actually make, how much time you have, and how particular you are about your oats. Your pantry will usually make the decision for you.
