The 10 Best Dry Dog Food as of July 2026

How we ranked these dry dog food

Each pick earns a score out of 10 from weighted criteria:

Performance (35%) — how well each dog food does its core job.
Value (25%) — quality and features for the price.
Build & reliability (20%) — materials, longevity and warranty.
Features (20%) — meaningful extras that improve the experience.

We also weigh real-world owner reviews — star ratings and how many people left them — and whether each product has the features you'd expect in its class.

At a glance: top 10 compared

Swipe across to see all columns, including Amazon links →

#	Dry Dog Food	Score	Best for	Type	Approx. Price	Amazon links
1	Lily's Kitchen Dry Dog Food	9.0	Best overall	Dry	£12/kg	View Price
2	Orijen Original Dog	9.0	Best high-protein	Dry	£15/kg	View Price
3	Royal Canin Dog	8.7	Best for health needs	Dry	£8/kg	View Price
4	Hill's Science Plan Dog	8.6	Best vet-recommended	Dry	£8/kg	View Price
5	James Wellbeloved Dog	8.4	Best for sensitivity	Dry	£7/kg	View Price
6	Barking Heads	8.4	Best natural	Dry	£6/kg	View Price
7	Burns Original	8.3	Best simple recipe	Dry	£6/kg	View Price
8	Pooch & Mutt	8.2	Best grain-free value	Dry	£7/kg	View Price
9	Eukanuba Adult	8.2	Best for active dogs	Dry	£6/kg	View Price
10	Harringtons Complete	8.0	Best budget	Dry	£3/kg	View Price

The full ranking

Best overall

Lily's Kitchen Dry Dog Food

9.0Our number one pick.

Lily's Kitchen leads with genuinely natural recipes built around named meat, no nasty fillers and clear labelling, from a brand with a strong ethical record. It costs more than supermarket food, but the quality and transparency make it our top everyday pick.

Nutrition: 9.2Ingredients: 9.4Palatability: 8.8Value: 8.8

Pros

Named meat as main ingredient
No vague fillers
Strong ethics and labelling

Cons

Pricier than supermarket brands
Some fussy dogs need transitioning

Check price on Amazon≈ £12/kg

Best high-protein

Orijen Original Dog

9.0A superb runner-up.

Orijen packs an exceptionally high proportion of quality animal ingredients into a biologically appropriate, grain-free recipe that suits active dogs. It is premium-priced and very rich, so introduce it gradually, but the protein quality is outstanding.

Nutrition: 9.5Ingredients: 9.4Palatability: 8.8Value: 8.0

Pros

Very high-quality animal protein
Grain-free and meat-rich
Great for active dogs

Cons

Expensive
Rich — transition slowly

Check price on Amazon≈ £15/kg

Best for health needs

Royal Canin Dog

8.7Rounds out our top three.

Royal Canin is widely recommended for dogs with specific needs, with an enormous range of breed-, size- and condition-specific formulas. Ingredient quality does not match boutique brands and recipes contain grains, but the targeted nutrition is excellent.

Nutrition: 8.8Ingredients: 8.0Palatability: 9.0Value: 8.0

Pros

Vet-recommended
Huge range of tailored diets
Very palatable

Cons

Contains grains
Ingredient quality below premiums

Check price on Amazon≈ £8/kg

Best vet-recommended

Hill's Science Plan Dog

8.6A standout in the upper half.

Hill's Science Plan is a vet staple, offering carefully formulated, research-backed life-stage and condition-specific diets with consistent results. It uses grains and ingredient quality trails the premiums, but for dependable, science-led nutrition it is trusted for good reason.

Nutrition: 8.8Ingredients: 8.0Palatability: 8.8Value: 8.2

Pros

Vet-recommended
Strong life-stage and condition ranges
Consistent quality

Cons

Contains grains
Premium price for the ingredients

Check price on Amazon≈ £8/kg

Best for sensitivity

James Wellbeloved Dog

8.4A well-rounded mid-table pick.

James Wellbeloved focuses on gentle, single-protein recipes free from artificial additives, making it a reliable choice for dogs with sensitivities. It is not the most meat-rich food, but for sensitive tummies it is dependable and fairly priced.

Nutrition: 8.2Ingredients: 8.2Palatability: 8.2Value: 8.4

Pros

Good for sensitive dogs
Single named proteins
No artificial additives

Cons

Lower meat content than premiums
Contains grains and rice

Check price on Amazon≈ £7/kg

Best natural

Barking Heads

8.4Great value in the middle of the pack.

Barking Heads offers natural recipes with named meat, no artificial nasties and a fun brand personality, sitting between supermarket and ultra-premium. It is a solid, characterful everyday food at a reasonable price.

Nutrition: 8.4Ingredients: 8.6Palatability: 8.4Value: 8.6

Pros

Natural recipes
Named meat
No artificial additives

Cons

Pricier than basic brands
Limited prescription range

Check price on Amazon≈ £6/kg

Best simple recipe

Burns Original

8.3A dependable pick if the price is right.

Burns sticks to simple, hypoallergenic recipes with a short, wholesome ingredient list, recommended by many for dogs that do better on plainer food. It is not flashy, but its simplicity and consistency are exactly the point.

Nutrition: 8.4Ingredients: 8.4Palatability: 8.0Value: 8.6

Pros

Simple, gentle recipes
Good for sensitive dogs
Long-trusted brand

Cons

Plain — less exciting
Lower meat percentage

Check price on Amazon≈ £6/kg

Best grain-free value

Pooch & Mutt

8.2Solid, if outshone by pricier rivals.

Pooch & Mutt makes grain-free, functional recipes with added supplements for joints, skin and digestion at a fair price. It is a thoughtful, health-focused choice, though some dogs may prefer richer foods.

Nutrition: 8.4Ingredients: 8.4Palatability: 8.2Value: 8.6

Pros

Grain-free with supplements
Health-focused recipes
Good value

Cons

Some dogs want richer food
Smaller brand range

Check price on Amazon≈ £7/kg

Best for active dogs

Eukanuba Adult

8.2A budget-friendly option worth a look.

Eukanuba's nutrient-dense, protein-rich kibble is geared towards active and working dogs, with a focus on energy and muscle. It uses grains and is fairly traditional, but for high-energy dogs it does the job well.

Nutrition: 8.4Ingredients: 7.8Palatability: 8.4Value: 8.4

Pros

Protein-rich for active dogs
Good energy density
Widely available

Cons

Contains grains
Traditional recipe

Check price on Amazon≈ £6/kg

Best budget

Harringtons Complete

8.0Rounds out our top ten.

Harringtons offers no-artificial-additive recipes at a very low price, making it a sensible step up from the cheapest supermarket foods. It is grain-based and not as meat-rich as premiums, but it is honest value for everyday feeding.

Nutrition: 7.8Ingredients: 7.6Palatability: 8.0Value: 9.2

Pros

Very affordable
No artificial additives
Widely available

Cons

Grain-based
Lower meat content

Check price on Amazon≈ £3/kg

Frequently asked questions

What's the best of the dry dog food in 2026?

Our top overall pick is the Lily's Kitchen Dry Dog Food, which leads on our combined score for performance, value and features. The Orijen Original Dog and Royal Canin Dog are excellent alternatives depending on budget and needs.

How did we choose these?

We weight performance, value, build quality and features, drawing on hands-on use and independent testing. See the methodology box above for the full breakdown.

Are these prices accurate?

Prices are approximate UK figures at the time of writing and change frequently. Click through to Amazon for the current price.

The bottom line

If you just want the best dry dog food without overthinking it, the Lily's Kitchen Dry Dog Food is our top recommendation — it earns the highest overall score for performance, value and features. Have a look at the current price and see what you think.

Check price on Amazon ≈ £12/kg

Our top picks at a glance

Lily's Kitchen Dry Dog Food

Pooch & Mutt

Royal Canin Dog

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How we ranked these dry dog food

At a glance: top 10 compared

The full ranking

Lily's Kitchen Dry Dog Food

Pros

Cons

Orijen Original Dog

Pros

Cons

Royal Canin Dog

Pros

Cons

Hill's Science Plan Dog

Pros

Cons

James Wellbeloved Dog

Pros

Cons

Barking Heads

Pros

Cons

Burns Original

Pros

Cons

Pooch & Mutt

Pros

Cons

Eukanuba Adult

Pros

Cons

Harringtons Complete

Pros

Cons

Frequently asked questions

The bottom line

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