We take our job as reviewers of the world’s best bubble gums very seriously! For every gum tested, you’ll see three overall ratings:
- Official Bubble Bunch rating – This is the “official” average rating from our trained testing committee, based on 4 criteria, following the methodology detailed below.
- Website Visitors’ Review – Anyone visiting this site can submit their own review on a gum review page! Pretty sweet, huh? The average of these reviews are provided at the top of each gum review page. Detailed reviews from each visitor can be found at the bottom of each review post.
- Amazon – Amazon collects reviews from hundreds of customers, so when available, we include the average Amazon customer review for the gums we test.
Bubble Bunch Review Methodology
The Bubble Bunch is a committee of 10 people, composed of different ages, genders, and bubble blowing experience. The diverse make-up of this group is intentional. Every member of the Bubble Bunch follows the methodology below when testing a gum. Bubble gums are judged in 4 categories:
- Taste ? – This is subjective, based on the reviewer’s “enjoyment of the flavor.”
- Flavor Duration ⏲️ – This is a measure of how long the flavor lasts.
- Texture – This is a measure of how the gum feels in one’s mouth. Is it too soft, too hard, or just right?
- Bubble Making Ability – How suitable is the gum for blowing bubbles, measured by how large of a bubble can be blown.
Each of the criteria above are rated on a 5 point rating. The overall rating for each review is an average of the 4 items, each with equal weighting in importance. Let’s go into a little more detail on each of these criteria:
Taste ?
Of all the criteria, taste is the most subjective. The Bubble Bunch committee is asked to rate their enjoyment of the flavor on a 5 point scale. This measure is not based on intensity of the flavor, although intensity can play a role in one’s enjoyment. Taste is judged within the first 3 minutes of a tasting.
Flavor Duration ⏲️
All taste tests are timed, from the moment of the first chew. Testers are asked to take note of the moment “that most of the flavor is gone.” This is somewhat subjective, but with a sufficient number of samplers we are confident it is a fair assessment. The duration is then converted to a 5 point scale, as follows:
- 0-2:59 min = 1 star
- 3 min – 5:59 = 2 stars
- 6 min – 8:59 = 3 stars
- 9 min – 11:59 = 4 stars
- 12 min + = 5 stars
Texture
Texture is all about how the gum feels in your mouth. We offer each reviewer 5 choices:
- “Way too hard” or “way too soft” = 1 star
- “Too hard” or “too soft” = 3 stars
- “Just right” = 5 stars
Bubble Making Ability
The most fun of all the criteria! How big of a bubble can you blow with this gum, using the recommended serving size of the manufacturer (typically 1 piece)? The size is determined according to the following guidelines:
- “Tiny” is worth 1 point. This is a pitiful bubble about the size of a marble or no bubble at all.
- “Small,” about the size of a ping pong (or table tennis ball), is worth 2 points.
- “Medium,” is where most bubble gums tend to fall, is 3 points. This is about the size of a tennis ball.
- “Large” is worth a solid 4 points. These bubbles are big, about the size of a softball.
- “Huge” is rare, at least when using only the recommended serving size. These are bubbles about the size of a table tennis paddle, which is also about the size of a face. When these pop, you have some face clean up to do. Huge is worth 5 points!
A couple of notes on this “bubble gum size” category:
- Portion Size: Initially, we were using the same serving size for every gum (usually 8.5 grams as measured by a kitchen scale). This way, every gum was fairly measured with no variability in portion size; however, we decided it was better and more practical to review each chewing gum based on how it is packaged, sold, and recommended by the manufacturer. These are the portions people will be eating! It’s not likely that typical gum customers are going to be weighing and cutting gum slices. So, testing is done with the recommended serving size as noted on the package.
- Measuring Methodology: How to measure a bubble is trickier than it sounds. We started by using an augmented reality app to dynamically measure the bubbles being blown, but we found those apps weren’t accurate and were difficult to use. Next, we attempted to measure the longest diameter with a partner holding a string (as suggested by the folks at Copley Fairlawn), but even that approach was challenging because some bubbles only exist for less than a second. Finally, we decided the most practical methodology was to use the above scale, giving people common references (sports items) to determine the size of their bubbles. It’s been working pretty well!
Other Considerations
Our review team makes sure to cleanse the palette before beginning a taste test. This usually means rinsing the mouth with water, but most importantly it means not to do a taste test when other strong flavors were recently in the mouth.
Suggestions?
What do you think? If you have suggestions on how to improve our testing methodology, we are all ears! We strive to offer the most definitive reviews of the world’s best bubble gums right here on this site. Drop those ideas in the comments below!