These Top-Performing Deodorants Definitely Pass the Sniff Test (2024)

In the world of men's deodorant, classics like Old Spice, Right Guard and Speed Stick have been joined by a slew of new deodorants, each with its own pitch to us lads. There’s AXE, introduced in the U.S. in 2002 for guys who like to smell as good as they look. Or Degree, whose just-for-men deodorant launched in 2005 as the go-to for serious athletes. In recent years, the deodorant aisle has become more crowded still with "natural" offerings from brands like Schmidt’s and Peach Not Plastic. It’s enough to cause a pubescent teen's (or grown man's) head to spin.

That's why the experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute scoured the market in search of the best deodorants for men available today — just as we routinely do for women's deodorants. “Ultimately, the decision comes down to personal choice, including how much scent you want and what kind,” says Birnur Aral, Ph.D, director of the Institute's Health, Beauty & Environmental Sciences Lab. Knowing that this is a not a one-size-fits-all category, we arrived at a wide range of recommendations, including sticks, sprays, gels and creams by leveraging our expertise built up over decades covering personal care products.

Though we didn't formally test these deodorants in our Labs, our chemists and engineers regularly test deodorants for aspects including efficacy (like sweat prevention and/or odor masking) as well as formulation, including each product's texture, scent and residue and feel on skin. That means they know what makes a great deodorant or antiperspirant. For this article, consumer panelists told us what they liked about each product and our pros reviewed the ingredient lists to make these selects. Here are a dozen-plus deodorant and antiperspirant picks for men to consider:

The brand best known for its moisturizing bar soap has built up a loyal malefollowing since launching its Men+Care grooming products in 2010. Our consumer panelists are particularly fond of the Clean Comfort line of deodorant, with its crisp, neutral fragrance and long-lasting protection. "I like the powdery scent and the fact that itdoesn't leave anyresidue on my shirts," notes oneconsumer panelist. "Nothing compares to this formula," another told us."I never have to worry about perspiring and it doesn't ruin my clothes."The drugstore staples are available virtually anywhere deodorants are sold at a competitive price, making value and convenience another part of Dove’s appeal.

Though the market for pricey, boutique deodorants has grown ripe, you don’t have to spend top dollar for top results.That’s why we like Degree’s Intense Sport Deodorant Stick, which costs less than one dollar per ounce, without skimping on performance.“It goes on smoothly, almost feels cooling, and I like the scent,” says Michael Diakowsky, a private chef based in New York City who works long hours over a hot stove and needs a product he can count on.

There’s a reason some products become classics — they do the job, year after year, decade after decade. That’s Old Spice Classic Scent for you: It might not be the coolest deodorant on the market, but for close to a century, the familiar blue stick with its citrus and clove fragrance has fended off body odor for generations of men. As an Old Spice ad campaign from the 1960s put it, “If your grandfather hadn’t worn it, you wouldn’t exist.”

Gel deodorants have the wet application and visual cues that some men prefer — turn the dial and up comes the gel. Of Gillette’s version, one consumer told us that “it goes on smooth and has a subtle fragrance that's not overpowering.” The gel is also a hit on Amazon, where its nearly 7,000 reviews average out to a 4.8 star rating.

If you’re the kind of guy who is still sweating thirty minutes after working out, you might want to consider a clinical strength antiperspirant, such asthis version from Degree. “Like all clinical strength products, it contains higher levels of the active ingredients than regular antiperspirants, so its sweat-blocking power will be that much stronger,” says Aral. As you might expect, clinical strength products tend to cost more than conventional antiperspirants.

Co-founded in 2018 by the late, great Kobe Bryant, Art of Sport is another deodorant line aimed at high-energy men who pay attention to what they put in and on their bodies. Our consumer panel likes that AOS is formulated without phthalates and parabens, but what they really applaud is the pro-grade odor protection, which AOS attributes in part to its moisture-wicking arrowroot powder. As one panelist noted of his preferred AOS Victory scent, “it’s super lightweight, smells great and doesn’t leave behind a residue.”

Started in 1967 in the two-room Manhattan apartment of its eponymous founder, Mario Badescu products developed a cult following over the years. “All in all, this is a great deodorant that does the job without any irritation or overpowering scents,” noted one of our male panelists. It helps that you can find Mario Badescu readily at mass retailers, including Target and Walmart.

This product from Schmidt’s is made without baking soda, a common deodorant ingredientthat may cause skin irritation. It’s marketed as “fragrance-free,” and we could not find any synthetic or natural fragrance compounds listed in its ingredient list, making it a “good option for those folks who are sensitive to strong odors and/or who have sensitive skin,” says Aral.

“Natural” is one of those marketing terms that gets bandied about a little too freely. We like thatTom’s of Maine teases out how it defines “natural” for the lay consumer in its Stewardship Model thatstates its commitment to naturally sourced materials and ingredient processing that supports human and environmental health.Panelists generally found the brand'sscented formulations to be most effective, for example this Tom’s of Maine Long Lasting Wide Stick Deodorant with a Deep Forest fragrance.

Tired of wearing your deodorant on your sleeve, literally? Unlike solid white deodorants, this invisible solid from Right Guard shouldn’t leave white scuff marks on dark tee-shirts and other pullovers as you’re getting dressed. The combination deodorant and anti-perspirant also delivers the one-two punch of odor-control and moisture protection, making it one of the more effective underarm products on the market.

Rachel Rothman, chief technologist at the Good Housekeeping Institute, often finds herself reaching for this Mitchum deodorant from her husband’s side of the vanity. “It goes on wet and dries fast, but we really like it because of its non-offensive scent and its strong wetness protection,” she says (here’s a case where despite the "unscented” claim, the deodorant does have a slight fragrance). “I’m prone to migraines so we had to try a bunch of brands before we found one that I could tolerate.”

Part of the Grove Collective, which curates more than 150 brands across a range of product categories, from personal care to pest control, Peach Not Plastic deodorant hit the market in 2020. The brand was a winner inGood Housekeeping's 2021 Sustainable Innovation Awards, thanks to its plant-based fragrances, plastic-free primary and secondary packaging, and seamless execution of its refillable cartridge design. Those virtues all apply to its deodorant, available in a variety of scents, including cedarwood eucalyptus, cucumber sage, and coconut sage.

Creams combine the odor protection of deodorants with the spreadability of skin lotion.Billed as “the world’s first whole body deodorant,” this version from Lume, launched by an OB/GYN physician in 2017, is intended for underarm use, along with any other body parts (yep, including the private ones).The aluminum salt- and dye-free deodorant is another true unisex option in our roundup, making it a good choice for his-and-her sharing.

Though the brand that put body spray on the map has grown up some since its early 2000s launch, AXE’s audience still skews younger. Our experts think anyone looking to combine the effects of cologne and deodorant will be satisfied with AXE. The fresh, fruity fragrance of its Phoenix Body Spray is a particular crowd pleaser, with 1,500 plus reviews on Amazon averaging 4.5 stars.