No one does sugar quite as well as Willy Wonka and even in the movie(s) (and the novel), he was the unbeaten, reigning connoisseur of all things confectionary. The slightly off-kilter man who was responsible for candy that, in reality, would have changed the world would soon be immortalized in an actual candy company that would carry the same name. And, much to many a fan's delights, these candies echoed what one likely would have found being popped out of any unusual machine in Wonka's factory.
While there are no Oompa Loompas behind the scenes to go along with this incredible collection of sugary magic, there are plenty of favorites and, well... not-so-favorites, according to those who still indulge in Wonka's creations. While the world of Willy Wonka's factory was sugary-sweet and delightful (albeit a bit bizarre at times), the world of ratings is a bit sourer... especially when we get to the lower-ranking candies.
Everlasting Gobstoppers
There are many people out there who would put Everlasting Gobstoppers at the way bottom of the list of best Wonka candies, but not here. While the candy itself holds no allure and is nothing special, it is a semi-realistic representation of the candy from the film. These hard candies were designed to last longer than the average and while they won't last forever, they're no worse than sucking down a Jolly Rancher or taking forever to devour a lollipop.
Nerds
In grade school, it seemed like everyone's obsession was nerds. We're not sure if it was the funky commercials that sold them or just the fact that they were small enough to fit easily into a school bag, but they were the sugary candy of choice for many. They're one of the top-ranking Wonka candies, with their slightly tart and berry sweet (did you see what we did there?) flavors which comingle to create something glorious.
Laffy Taffy
Aside from the slightly inappropriate song that made this candy that much more famous, Laffy Taffy is something that's still handed out every Halloween which is almost comical because we're not sure anyone really likes it. However, because of its range of flavors and the fact that it's still such a popular go-to in terms of gas station counter impulse buys, it's pretty high-ranking. It's like chewing on an edible piece of gum that slowly rots your teeth as each microscopic piece gets stuck in your back molars.
Wonka Bar
A true Wonka Bar is a delicious combination of graham cracker and chocolate and, in reality, this is probably the best thing made by the company. However, it's not consistent due to the fact that it's never a permanent release, therefore, it can't be considered a top contender. If it's availability were different, this original would have been number one.
Spree
In the mid-range line of candy is the humble Spree. This was a great go-to but it was also an okay go-to. They were delicious in their own right with the perfect balance of sweet with a great boost of sour, and the difference in textures from start to finish was pretty interesting.
SweeTarts
The advanced and corrected version of Bottle Caps, SweeTarts were a cute play on words that presented individual candies that brought forth a sweet and sour flavor. These were a popular movie theater go-to and while delicious, they were on the same level as Spree without having that satisfying, chewy finish.
Bottle Caps
In terms of chalky candies, Bottle Caps, for some reason, were alluring due to their unique shape and the fact that they were, indeed, modeled after bottle caps. It was an unusual thing to want to love something so strange and while we may never know why a bottle cap was chosen, these hang down at the bottom of the list.
Fun Dip
The most appropriate thing to say about fun dip is 'why don't you just eat straight sugar,' but we'll get to that in a minute. Fun Dip was the number one cause of extended hyper outbursts in grade school with a tenacity for crashing on the bus ride home due to the significant intake of sugar. It may have seemed great in theory to have a sugar stick that could be dipped into more sugar, but it was a horrible, bad idea.
Pixy Sticks
These were often given out as rewards but to kids, they were like small bursts of temporary energy. Pixy Sticks were actually sticks full of sugar and there was no getting around it - they may have been flavored like different fruits or berries, but they were, indeed, no different than sticking one's face into the sugar bowl.