Jetsetter and Big Beef are the only red hybrids I grow (out of 100+ varieties), they are as tasty as heirlooms.

Carla in Sac

lol, boy there sure are a lot "best tasting" threads this year.

The short answer is that taste is very subjective and unique to each individual. What variety is best will very greatly for each individual.

That being said, if you have a particular variety that you consider to be a good tasting "baseline" of sorts, then that type of information could possibly help in making a recommendation.

Even though it's not a hybrid, the only recommendation I feel safe to make, across the board, is to try Neves Azorean Red if you haven't already. It's a larger (averaged 1.25-1.5 lbs.) red slicer with great taste and the plants grew very well in a terrible year of weather - no rain, 100 degree days, etc. The fruits almost never cracked - even when we had a downpour after two weeks of no rain, they still didn't crack, even when they were fully colored.

Hope this helps.

I've grown several thousand varieties and have yet to find one that is totally crack resistant every time it's grown. it also depends on what kind of splitting you're talking about whether it's cracks around the stem or elsewhere on the fruits.

But, to answer your question there are few hybrid reds I like and the ones below are some of the earliest bred and thus, to me and I think many others, have some of the best tastes around.

Jet Star F1,Moreton Hybrid,Supersonic F1, all bred by Harris Seeds and Ramapo F1 bred by Rutgers U.

I don't usually grow hybrid cherries except for Sungold F1, so haven't grown many red hybrid cherries, but I'm very impressed with the variety Mountain Magic F1 bred by Dr. Randy Gardner, formerly of NCSU. He graciously shared some seeds with me so last year was the second year I grew it. And I can also recommend Smarty F1, a grape tomato, offered by Johnny's.

Many places are listing MM this year but the best deal money wise is with TGS in FL.

When you pick them red, keep them for a few days and they then have a much better taste. They also have lots of diseases tolerances bred in which are described at the various sites that list them this year which you can find by Googling, but as I said TGS has the best pricing on these and I hope they still have some in stock.

Hope that helps.

Carolyn

Is Jetsetter the new, improved Jet Star? thanks.

No, Jetsetter is not related to Jet Star F1.

Carolyn

Supersteak has done very well for me.

I have moreton and ramapo growing in containers right now and can't wait to try them! I hope they live up to the hype.

I'm in Florida so heat and humidity are a factor but the workhorse in my garden is Beefmaster F1, great taste, production and disease resistance. I grow Jetsetter and Big Beef every year but here they don't seem to be as consistent as Beefmaster....

Tom

I'm sure a lot of people will think this is out of left field, but I grow 20-30 varieties each year. I also try to can every year. To tell you the truth, the old canning varieties Heinz, Rutgers seem to have what I expect in a tomato, even eaten fresh. They tend to all ripen at the same time so you have a huge glut all at once. They also seem to be less prone to cracking where I am. Try a few, you wont regret it.

Momotaro is a hybrid that, for that group, stands out.

I like Big Beef.

Mulio, can you tell me more about Momotaro? I have seedlings that are up. Also would like input on Tomande (Sp?) and the heirloom Virginia Sweet. Thanks.

Weldon

Is there a particular variety of Heinz that you like? TGS lists 2 - Heinz 1350 and 1439.

I don't grow many hybrids, but always find room for some Beefmaster F1's and Super Fantastics F1 in garden. Good taste. I prefer old heirlooms though for taste. You do get some cracking but not too bad with even watering and under an organic program no disease.

Favorite hybrids are Rutgers, Jet Star, and more Rutgers. :) Any of the Heinz varieties are good but not as good IMO as Rutgers.

Favorite cherries are Sun Gold and Gardeners Delight.

Dave

I love Jet Star and I have not known them to crack.

We grow some tomatoes to sell locally here in central VA.
Best we've tried so far are...
Big Beef
Goliath
Supersonic

Parks Whopper is also good

Weldontx, in my garden Momotaro is a small tomato (maybe about the size half way between a ping pong ball and tennis ball), very meaty, red, and sweet. But the plant is one of the least prolific tomatoes in my garden, I don't think I got even two pounds of tomatoes off it so far.
The seeds are extremely expensive, about 35 cents each depending upon where you buy them. They are expensive even wholesale.

Both Momotaro and Jet Setter did very well for me last year, Both have medium and tasty fruit, Jet setter had a longer season but momotaro more uniform fruit. For hybrid paste I have to rec Super San Marzano which gave me close to 100 lbs tasty maters from 1 plant. And for cherry, hands down for Sweet 100.
I'm more interested in growing hearts this year, so only Sweet 100 made the list. So far, no regrets.:)

Hi Everyone,

It all comes down to the variety that you have success with. After trying different varieties over the years the one that is best suited for your climate is what everyone should plant.

I have had the most success with Beefmaster year in and year out in my location. So that will always be my number one plant each planting season. If it works don't fix it.

Luther

Grew Momotaro last year, smallish pinkish fruit and sweetish blandish. We were aiming for red slicer hybrids this year. Caveats: this was in coastal southern cal and just single plants (except for Big Beef).

Our rankings:
1. Big Beef: incredibly prolific, largish and very tomatoey. Not too sweet, which works for us.
2. Jetsetter: not as prolific, about the same size Big Beef and again very tomatoey, especially with salt. A bit more sweet than Big Beef.
3. Jet Star: not very prolific compared to Jetsetter, similar size but sweeter and blander than those above, but the taste improved with salt.
4. Bear Creek: not a red hybrid slicer, but recommended from a forum member. A bit larger than above and less prolific that Jetsetter and definitely Big Beef, low acid. Great tomato for my uncle who cannot eat acidic tomatoes.
5. Clint Eastwood's Rowdy Red: much smaller later tomato than the rest. Taste was not that impressive as the name: not so rowdy, not so red. :)
6. Dona: smallest (larger than ping pong ball size) earliest tomato. Prolific, but the taste has not been interesting. Tastewise, it was better less ripe than fully ripe, where it became watery and bland.

IMO, Big Beef is the best hybrid tomato there is, but in your location have you considered Hamson DX-5-12 from MVS?
Yes, their website is cumbersome and their prices seem out of line, but for the hybrid bred for your area you'll get many years worth of seed for $6

Here is a link that might be useful: Mountain Valley Seed Co. Hamson

Jet Star, Moreton Hybrid, and Supersonic for red slicers.
Sungold and Gardener's Delight for cherries.

Responding to an old thread. For informational purposes for West of the Cascades gardeners: I live in the Willamette Valley, Oregon and don't have the space to grow large numbers of tomato plant and the full sized heirlooms I've tried were not very productive in this cool climate.

Jet Star is a rock star for me, I've been growing it now for about 18 years and it's never failed to to provide a good crop. They taste good too.

None of the OSU varieties developed by Dr. Baggett can hold a candle to this tomato. I buy the plants at Bimart in the gallon size for 2.50 each.

My grandparents are very particular about flavor in a tomato, and they will only grow Jet Star.

I am having good luck with "Beaver Lodge" and like the taste for a slicer. I also like the boring old Early Girls for flavor.

I am growing Beefmaster for the first time this year. Can't wait to taste them.

Ramapo F1 is one of the best tasting, productive varieties be it hybrid or OP. Ramapo F1. (period).

another vote for ramapo.

Dona F1, hands down, but you won't find any.

I find Dona mentioned earlier in the thread and assert that the person was NOT growing and tasting a genuine Dona F1 hybrid. If you want to know more, search for keyword Dona on this forum.

So yesterday I picked my first two BEEFMASTER and I ate one for lunch today. Oh yummy, yummy, yummy. Made tomato sandwiches. I LOVE tomato sandwiches. They were soooo good. BEEFMASTER tomato is deffinately going to be planted again next year. I have tried a few beeefsteak types the past few years to find one that is outstanding and I have finially found it! Yumm, Yumm, Yumm.

Oh, come on, newyorkrita, don't be shy. Tell us how you really feel :-)

Hee, hee, hee. I am happy I have six plants of these planted! Lots of tomatoes comming.

The descriptions of Momotaro are not quite what I've seen in my garden. This is the second year that I've grown it (from seed). Both times, in the garden (and not in a container). For me, it it a medium sized, indeterminate plant, 4 to 5 ft. tall. Tomatoes are dark pink, and medium-sized. Biggest this year so far is 10 oz. I'd say they average 6-8 oz. It is one of the best tasting tomatoes that I grow. It is even sweeter than Golden Girl, yet still tangy. They are not prone to cracking, at least until late in the season when the hours of daylight have waned and the rains (what is that?) have taken over. If you like a sweet tomato, it is worth trying.
-WC2K8

Drainage, drainage drainage. If you have really good drainage, you don't have to worry about selecting varieties that are resistant to cracking (or BER either). My preference is to deal with root causes (no pun intended), rather then having to select varieties based on a cultural problems.

Jet Star. Jet Star. Jet Star.

of the best I've tried- super fantastic is a nice good tasting tomato,i like lemon boy, I also like a burpee hybrid called orange wellington which lasts longer into the season. I have yet to taste a decent early hybrid, for early tomatoes I still prefer the open pollinated, I still like new Yorker. another tasty non hybrid for me personally is campbells 1327. I once tried a French hybrid I believe called olimpyc or something like that from the Italian seed company ingegnoli. though for decent production I found that the further you plant the plants apart makes a big difference no tomato is going to do well crammed in the middle of a row. they say tou can plant 18 inches apart. which I find ok for some smaller determinates but for larger plants. plant them 2 ft or more between plants and a little more than 3ft for the rows. the more sun and air circulation the better. don't worry about planting less plants. ps two good mainstrays are also jet star and supersonic.

Big Beef, Jet Star and Better Boy. Celebrity used to be good but the last (2) times I grew it, it was not good at all. We also like 4th of July but I don't know about best tasting .... it is a great multi purpose performer. We also like Skyway, Valley Girl, Tycoon and Defiant.

Shell