# Impossible Burger

27 Hacker News commenters recommended Impossible Burger and 16 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 7 of 13 months.

**Verdict:** Recommended as the plant-based burger that tastes closest to beef, though critics say it still doesn't taste like meat and costs more.

## Why people recommend it

- Tastes close to real meat (5 comments): "Impossible is on a different planet in terms of being very very close to the taste of real meat." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47408708)) "the Impossible Burger often tastes better than the real beef" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47405362)) "crazy meatless burger that still feels/tastes like meat" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47420293))
- Better than other meat substitutes (5 comments): "they were the only plant-based alternative that really satisfied a craving for meat" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49834672)) "The only imitation meat product I've remotely enjoyed is Impossible Burger." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47462990)) "Impossible and Beyond satisfy the taste and craving without the nastiness." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49828662))
- Works well as a beef substitute (3 comments): "I regularly consume impossible, and use it in pretty much any recipe that calls for ground beef." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45901452)) "those are quite good with an Impossible patty subbed in" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47421721)) "now I use almost exclusively Impossible" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47408634))
- Healthier and less resource intensive (2 comments): "The fact that impossible burgers are vastly less resource intensive to produce" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49838513)) "Impossible patties are healthier and taste better." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47412880))

## What people warn about

- Still doesn't taste like meat (4 comments): "they really aren’t much like meat in my opinion" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49828692)) "Impossible burgers are getting close and I’ve had my fair share of them, but they’re not there yet." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49582460)) "They don't taste the same, they're much more expensive" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49841048))
- More expensive than beef (3 comments): "I have never _not_ paid at least $2 premium to sub in an Impossible or Beyond patty." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47421628)) "The problem with Impossible burgers were worse, more expensive, questionably "more healthy" and entirely relied upon the moral/social issues" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47359222)) "They don't taste the same, they're much more expensive" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49841048))
- Ultra-processed with high oil and sodium (3 comments): "The only troubling thing on the ingredients list is how much oil they put into it" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49837207)) "but also has a high amount of sodium" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47411351)) "Like impossible burger. Extreme ultra-processed." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46880178))
- Taste off-putting to some (3 comments): "it was replaced by Beyond or Impossible, and the bar tender was pretty open about how it was gross" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47412521)) "Impossible definitely has more of a "dead cow funk" taste to it." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47405329)) "impossible burgers are absolutely vile and disgusting" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47770890))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [Beyond Meat Beyond Burger](https://hackerapproved.com/p/beyond-meat.md): 28 recommend
- [Beyond Burger](https://hackerapproved.com/p/beyond-burger.md): 27 recommend

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Impossible Burger", https://hackerapproved.com/p/impossible-burger/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).