Frissons in a tub

Our team of highly trained tasters report on the hottest - and nastiest - summer flavours, from E-filled lollies to the latest luxury lines.

Ben and Jerry's Chocolate Fudge Brownie, from pounds 3.25 for 473ml

"Delicious and sickly."

"Heaven."

"Yum."

Ben and Jerry's Rainforest Crunch. from pounds 3.25 for 473ml

"Subtle and creamy."

"The best ice-cream in the world."

"Stupid title. I don't care where they buy their nuts - ice-cream is ice-cream."

Big Bang, 35p

"Frozen angel dust; asbestos tongue required."

"It really does explode - quite frightening."

Bounty, 85p

"Coconut heaven."

"Not a distinguished eat, but pleasant enough."

"I was expecting bits of coconut, which it doesn't have."

Donald, 42p

"Duck-flavoured ice-cream?"

"Frozen angel delight."

"Quite tasty."

Fab, 43p

"Much fruitier than I remember. Thumbs up."

"The chocolate is tasteless, the black gelatinous. And it tastes full of E numbers."

Haagen-Dazs Bailey's, pounds 3.49 for 500ml

"Completely over-rated coffee ice-cream with ideas above its station."

"Too synthetic."

"Yardley perfume - disgusting."

Haagen-Dazs Strawberry and Banana Frozen Yoghurt, pounds 3.49 for 500ml

"Gorgeous: light but surprisingly rich taste."

"Really sickly - and where's the yoghurt?"

"Yuck."

Heidi's Gourmet Blueberry Frozen Yoghurt, pounds 2.99 for 473ml

"Bubble-gummy."

"As synthetic as the packaging."

"Like eating soap."

KitKat, 65p

"Thick and chewy; no wafer at all; overall, a bit gooey."

"Not at all like the real thing."

"I can't eat that - it might put me off KitKats for life."

Mint Magnum, 90p

"Tastes like a cold bar of chocolate, not ice-cream."

"Tastes like it's covered in Bendicks chocolate."

"Should have been heavier on the mint."

Skittles, 45p

"Gives you a little wave of nostalgia."

"Really synthetic and watery. Kids would love it."

Spangles Blackcurrant Ice Lolly, 40p

"Delicious - Ribena on a stick."

"Weird."

"No nonsense, no frills."

Steve's Blueberry Thrill, pounds 42.65 for 9.67 litres (not yet available in small tubs)

"Artificial-tasting, over-sweet, disgusting."

"The biscuits are soggy; tastes of chemicals."

"Barely blueberry, no thrill."

Steve's Chocolate Peanut Butter Chunk, pounds 3.35 for 473ml

"Really good - big nuts and slabs of chocolate."

"Synthetic: a big disappointment."

"All chocolate, no nut."

Steve's Continental Chocolate, pounds 3.15 for 473ml

"Fabulous."

"Superb."

"Like chocolate ice-cream should taste: concentrated chocolate."

"Surprise: a decent Steve's flavour."

Steve's Monster Cookies, pounds 3.35 for 473ml

"Watery, flavourless."

"Not a patch on Haagen-Dazs Cookies and Cream."

"Tastes of soggy sponge."

Steve's Strawberry Frozen Yoghurt, pounds 2.99 for 473ml

"Nice and fruity."

"Concentrated aftertaste."

"Wonderfully creamy, wonderfully strawberryish."

"Very natural."

Wall's Cream of Cornish, pounds 3.39 for 2 litres

"Incredibly artificial; the yellow colour is disgusting, too."

"Could be used as an emetic for medical proceedings."

Wall's "Too Good to be True" Vanilla, pounds 1.89 for 750ml

"The low-cal ice-cream you can't eat."

"Slimey, like mud from the bed of the Thames."

"Frozen margarine with custard powder thrown in."

"Horrible: tastes like butter."

"Concentrated lard - and it's supposed to be fat-free."

ice-cream: the hazards

Sugar, fat and air - the magical ice-cream combination - are as irresistible to bugs as to humans, according to a 1994 Holiday Which? report, in which 26 out of 60 vanilla ice-cream samples taken in London, Rome and Barcelona failed microbiological guidelines. So remember:

Soft ice-creams can be more contaminated than hard ice-creams served with a scoop, because dispensing machines can be difficult to clean. Don't buy ice-cream that has melted and refrozen - you can spot this by the "river" patterns on the surface, the large ice crystals and a dry, glassy appearance.

Don't buy from outlets where staff have dirty overclothes, hands or nails,

or smoke behind the counter.

Don't buy if the ice-cream scoop is left lying around on a worktop or kept in cloudy water.