Are you trying to find cold flu medicine among various brands on the market but aren’t sure where to begin? To assist you in finding the right one, we’ve put together a list of the 7 best to help you pick the perfect one!
We investigated and evaluated a number of the top-selling cold flu medicine on the market in order to create our list of the best. Making a decision among the many options available is never simple. There are an infinite number of models available, each with a distinct price. And as you’ll find out, the best options aren’t usually the ones you imagine! This comparison is rich and relevant because of the numerous factors that were employed. You will find products featured in this ranking not only based on their pricing but also on their features and other customers reviews. To write this review, we completed 30 hours of research and did 39 cold flu medicine tests. You won’t need to pick products at random any more. If you’re unsure of what to look for, browse our list and consult the buying guide!
An overview of our top picks
Table of contents
The best cold flu medicine you can buy today
- ACTIVE INGREDIENTS: Compare to the active ingredients in Vicks DayQuil Cold & Flu and Vicks NyQuil Cold & Flu
- NON-DROWSY DAYTIME COLD AND FLU MEDICINE provides multi-symptom relief of headache, fever, sore throat, nasal congestion, cough, and minor aches and pains
- NIGHTTIME COLD AND FLU MEDICINE provides multi-symptom relief of headache, fever, sore throat, sneezing, runny nose, cough, and minor aches and pains
- PAIN RELIEVER AND FEVER REDUCER: Both Daytime and Nighttime cold medicine contain acetaminophen to help relieve aches, fever and sore throat
- COLD AND FLU: Influenza (flu) and the common cold are respiratory illnesses caused by viruses. A cold medicine like Cold & Flu Relief Multi-Symptom Daytime/Nighttime can help
- 24-count combo pack of Tylenol Cold + Flu Severe Day/Night Caplets for multi-symptom cold and flu symptom relief. From the doctor recommended pain relief brand, the combo pack includes 16 Daytime and 8 Nighttime caplets for relief any time of the day
- The Daytime relief caplets are formulated to reduce fever, loosen phlegm and relieve headache, body aches, cough, sore throat, nasal congestion and chest congestion
- The Nighttime relief caplets help reduce fever and relieve runny nose, sneezing, headache, cough, sore throat, nasal congestion, sinus congestion and pressure
- Each cold & flu caplet contains 325 mg of acetaminophen, a pain reliever and fever reducer; 5 mg of phenylephrine HCl, a nasal decongestant; and 10 mg of dextromethorphan HBr, a cough suppressant
- The Daytime caplets also contain guaifenesin 200 mg, an expectorant to help loosen phlegm (mucus) to make coughs more productive. The Nighttime caplets also contain 2 mg of chlorpheniramine maleate, an antihistamine.
- THE ACTIVE INGREDIENTS are acetaminophen (pain reliever/fever reducer), dextromethorphan HBr (cough suppressant), guaifenesin (expectorant) and phenylephrine HCl (nasal decongestant); compare to the active ingredients in Vicks DayQuil Severe Cold and Flu
- SEVERE COLD AND FLU RELIEF: Temporarily relieves common cold and flu symptoms, such as headache, fever, sore throat, minor aches and pains, nasal and sinus congestion, sinus pressure, cough and chest congestion
- MAXIMUM-STRENGTH PAIN RELIEVER AND FEVER REDUCER: This alcohol-free daytime medicine temporarily eases the discomfort caused by symptoms of the common cold and flu
- NASAL DECONGESTANT: This cold medicine relieves nasal and sinus congestion and sinus pressure for non-drowsy relief
- COUGH SUPPRESSANT AND EXPECTORANT: Amazon Basic Care Severe Cold and Flu temporarily relieves cough and helps loosen phlegm (mucus) and thin bronchial secretions to rid the bronchial passageways of bothersome mucus; makes coughs more productive
- ACTIVE INGREDIENTS: Amazon Basic Care Vapor Ice Daytime and Nighttime Severe Cold and Flu help to relieve common cold and flu symptoms, day and night; compare to the active ingredients in Vicks DayQuil and NyQuil Severe VapoCOOL
- EFFECTIVE: Daytime relieves minor aches and pains, fever, nasal congestion, sinus pressure, cough and chest congestion; Nighttime relieves minor aches and pains, fever, nasal congestion, sinus pressure, sneezing, runny nose and cough
- COMBINATION PACK: Amazon Basic Care Vapor Ice Daytime and Nighttime Severe Cold and Flu comes in a combination pack for around-the-clock maximum strength, multi-symptom relief for your worst cold and flu symptoms
- COATED CAPLETS: Contain pain reliever/fever reducer, cough suppressant, nasal decongestant, antihistamine, expectorant (antihistamine in nighttime only, expectorant in daytime only)
- MAXIMUM STRENGTH: Get day and night cold and flu relief with these max strength coated caplets. Relieve sore throat and other cold and flu symptoms with Amazon Basic Care Vapor Ice Daytime and Nighttime Severe Cold and Flu
- Twin 2 Pack of 24-count of Tylenol Cold + Flu Severe Pain Reliever & Fever Reducer Medicine Caplets provide effective relief of multiple symptoms due to the flu and common cold
- This severe cold & flu medicine helps relieve fever, headache, minor aches and pains, sore throat, nasal congestion, and cough. It also helps loosen phlegm (mucus) and thin bronchial secretions to make coughs more productive.
- Each caplet contains 325 mg of acetaminophen to help reduce fever and relieve minor aches & pains, as well as 10 mg of the cough suppressant dextromethorphan HBr to help quiet coughs
- Each caplet also contains 5 mg of the nasal decongestant phenylephrine HCl to help relieve congestion and 200 mg of the expectorant guaifenesin to help loosen phlegm (mucus) and make coughs more productive
- From the doctor-recommended pain relief brand, this cold & flu medicine is suitable for use by adults and children 12 years and older for powerful multi-symptom relief
- MAXIMUM STRENGTH MUCINEX FAST-MAX COLD & FLU: Multi-Symptom Relief medicine; 1 dose treats 9 symptoms - get back to what’s important thanks to the fast, powerful medicine
- DAY TIME MULTI-SYMPTOM RELIEF: Maximum Strength Day Time Cold and Flu helps reduce fever, relieve cough, chest, nasal & sinus congestion that can cause mucus buildup, sinus pressure, minor aches and pains, headache and sore throat
- NIGHT TIME MULTI-SYMPTOM RELIEF: Maximum Strength Night Time Cold and Flu helps reduce fever, relieve cough, nasal congestion that leads to stuffy nose, minor aches and pains, headache, sneezing, runny nose and sore and itchy throat
- # 1 TRUSTED COLD & COUGH BRAND: #1 Cold and Cough brand doctors trust* and #1 Pharmacist Recommended Brand**
- DAY TIME ACTIVE INGREDIENTS PER LIQUID GEL: Contains Acetaminophen - Pain reliever and Fever reducer; Dextromethorphan HBr - Cough Suppressant; Guaifenesin - Expectorant; Phenylephrine HCI - Nasal Decongestant
- NIGHT TIME ACTIVE INGREDIENTS PER LIQUID GEL: Contains Acetaminophen - Pain reliever/Fever reducer; Dextromethorphan HBr - Cough suppressant; Doxylamine succinate - Antihistamine; Phenylephrine HCI - Nasal Decongestant
- ACTIVE INGREDIENTS: Active ingredients are Acetaminophen 650 mg, Dextromethorphan HBr 30 mg, and Doxylamine succinate, 12.5 mg. Compare to the active ingredients of Vicks NyQuil Cold & Flu
- RELIEVES COLD & FLU SYMPTOMS: Amazon Basic Care Nighttime Cold & Flu Relief provides multi-symptom relief by helping with common symptoms such as aches, fever, cough, sneezing and runny nose
- NIGHTTIME COLD AND FLU RELIEF: Amazon Basic Care Nighttime Cold and Flu Relief relieves cold and flu symptoms so you can rest through the night.
- EFFECTIVE: Acts as a pain reliever, fever reducer, cough suppressant and antihistamine.
- GLUTEN FREE: This product is Gluten Free. Contains 10% ALCOHOL.
- Package contains one 8.3 fl oz bottle of Theraflu ExpressMax Severe Cold and Cough Daytime Cough and Cold Medicine, Berry Flavor and one 8.3 fl oz bottle of Theraflu ExpressMax Severe Cold and Cough Nighttime Cough and Cold Medicine, Berry Flavor
- Delivers powerful pain relief, headache relief and nasal congestion relief, along with relief from sore throat, fever and cough
- Daytime and nighttime cough syrup formulations provide a unique warming sensation and delivers fast cough, cold and sore throat relief
- Both syrups come in a delicious berry flavor
- Nighttime adult cough syrup and sore throat medicine also contains an antihistamine to relieve runny nose and sneezing
- Both cold and cough syrups contain acetaminophen 650 mg and phenylephrine HCl 10 mg; daytime syrup also contains dextromethorphan HBr and nighttime contains Diphenhydramine HCI
- Adults and children 12 years and older: take 30mL of either daytime or nighttime cold medicine every four hours as needed for cold and cough symptom relief
- The nighttime syrup formula contains Acetaminophen 650 mg, Diphenhydramine HCl 25 mg, and Phenylephrine HCI 10 mg
- HOMEOPATHIC FLU RELIEF: Oscillococcinum works with your body to help temporarily relieve fatigue, headache, body aches, chills & fever. Safe for ages 2 & up, take at the first sign of flu-like symptoms.
- HOLISTIC SUPPORT: Looking for homeopathic flu relief for the whole family? Oscillococcinum's sweet-tasting pellets dissolve quickly & easily under the tongue; no water, chewing, or swallowing required.
- SHORTEN YOUR SYMPTOMS: Oscillo has been shown in clinical studies to help reduce both the duration & the severity of flu-like symptoms when taken at the onset. Non-drowsy, easy-to-take relief!
- HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINE uses highly diluted biological, botanical, or mineral substances to relieve symptoms. Our tablets, pellets, & topical treatments work with your body without the risk of contraindications, or known drug interactions.
- THE BOIRON PROMISE: We believe there’s more than one way to feel better. Since 1932, we have been committed to providing quality medicines. As a world leader in homeopathy, our passion is your health. Our promise is your satisfaction.
- FAST, POWERFUL MULTI-SYMPTOM RELIEF: Use non-drowsy DayQuil for daytime relief and at night try NyQuil for fast relief so you can rest
- EFFECTIVE COLD & FLU SYMPTOM RELIEF: DayQuil and NyQuil Cold & Flu medicine temporarily relieve common cold & flu symptoms
- FEEL BETTER FAST: Just one dose starts working fast to provide effective cold & flu relief
- POWER THROUGH YOUR WORST COLD & FLU SYMPTOMS: Life doesn’t stop when you have a cold, DayQuil and NyQuil relieve bothersome symptoms, such as cough and fever, day and night
- WORLD'S #1 SELLING OTC COUGH AND COLD BRAND** Vicks has been trusted for over 125 years to relieve your worst cold & flu symptoms
- ACTIVE INGREDIENTS: This cold medicine contains acetaminophen, dextromethorphan HBr, guaifenesin and phenylephrine HCl to help tackle severe cold and flu symptoms. Compare to the active ingredients in Vicks DayQuil Severe+ VapoCOOL Cold and Flu
- FIND COLD RELIEF during the day with Amazon Basic Care Daytime Severe Cold and Flu Relief. This cold medicine relieves cold and flu symptoms such as headache, fever, coughing, chest and nasal congestion
- PAIN RELIEVER and FEVER REDUCER: Aches and pains can be a drag. This cold medicine helps temporarily relieve fever, minor aches and pains, headache and sore throat associated with the cold and flu
- COUGH SUPPRESSANT and EXPECTORANT: This cold medicine temporarily relieves cough due to minor throat and bronchial irritation. Also helps loosen phlegm (mucus) and thin bronchial secretions to rid the bronchial passageways of bothersome mucus and make coughs more productive.
- NASAL DECONGESTANT: This cold medicine promotes nasal and/or sinus draining to relieve nasal congestion, sinus congestion and pressure associated with the common cold and flu.
- MAXIMUM STRENGTH MUCINEX FAST-MAX DAY COLD and FLU and NIGHTSHIFT NIGHT SEVERE COLD and FLU: Fast Release, Powerful Multi-Symptom Relief medicine. 1 dose treats 9 symptoms - get back to what’s important thanks to the fast, powerful medicine
- DAY TIME MULTI-SYMPTOM RELIEF: Maximum Strength Day Time Cold and Flu helps reduce fever, relieve cough, chest, nasal and sinus congestion that can cause mucus buildup, sinus pressure, minor aches and pains, headache and sore throat
- NIGHT TIME MULTI-SYMPTOM RELIEF: Maximum Strength Nightshift Severe Cold and Flu helps reduce fever, relieve cough, nasal congestion that leads to stuffy nose, minor aches and pains, headache, sneezing, runny nose, sore and itchy throat and allergy symptoms
- TRUSTED COLD and COUGH BRAND: Mucinex is the Cold and Cough brand doctors trust and Pharmacist Recommended Brand
- DAY TIME ACTIVE INGREDIENTS PER CAPLET: Contains Acetaminophen - Pain reliever; Dextromethorphan HBr - Cough Suppressant; Guaifenesin - Expectorant; Phenylephrine HCI - Nasal Decongestant
- ACTIVE INGREDIENTS: Contains acetaminophen 650 mg, dextromethorphan HBr 20 mg, doxylamine succinate 12.5 mg, and phenylephrine HCl 10 mg, which compares to the active ingredients in Vicks NyQuil Severe
- MAXIMUM STRENGTH: Amazon Basic Care Nighttime Severe Cold and Flu Relief provides maximum strength relief of headache, fever, sore throat, minor aches and pains, sinus congestion and pressure, sneezing, runny nose and cough
- NIGHTTIME RELIEF: Provides cold care through the night; this cold and flu medicine relieves cold and flu symptoms so you can rest; does not contain pseudoephedrine
- EFFECTIVE: Each dose contains a pain reliever, fever reducer, cough suppressant, antihistamine and nasal decongestant
- MIXED BERRY FLAVOR LIQUID: This liquid cold and flu medicine comes in tasty mixed berry flavor and provides multi-symptom relief; alcohol free, sugar free and gluten free
- COLD & FLU RELIEF - Get fast, temporary relief from cold & flu symptoms, including nasal and sinus congestion, runny nose, sore throat, coughing, and sneezing
- DISSOLVING TABLETS - Take at the first sign of symptoms — the quick-dissolving tablets melt quickly in your mouth with no water needed! Works in combination with our syrups, gummies, and lozenges
- NON-DROWSY HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINE - Sambucol Black Elderberry tablets are non-drowsy cold and flu relief tablets that are perfect for the whole family. Less than 1g of sugar per tablet
- PREMIUM BLACK ELDERBERRY - You deserve the best, so we make our cold and flu remedy with some of the best berries grown in Europe
- THE ORIGINAL ELDERBERRY BRAND - Sambucol has decades of experience making high-quality black elderberry supplements you can trust. Take on every day with the goodness of Mother Nature's favorite berry
- GREAT-TASTING HONEY FLAVORED DAYQUIL AND NYQUIL: Get the same cold & flu relief you expect from DayQuil & NyQuil SEVERE in a great-tasting honey-licious flavor
- POWERFUL, MAXIMUM STRENGTH 9-SYMPTOM RELIEF DAY AND NIGHT: Use non-drowsy DayQuil SEVERE Honey for daytime and at night try NyQuil SEVERE Honey for fast relief so you can rest
- POWERFUL COLD & FLU RELIEF: DayQuil and NyQuil SEVERE Honey formulas are flavored with real honey & temporarily relieve common cold & flu symptoms
- PROVEN RELIEF FOR YOUR WORST COLD & FLU SYMPTOMS: Life doesn’t stop when you have a cold, NyQuil and DayQuil SEVERE Honey tackle your most bothersome cold & flu symptoms taking you from 9 to none
- WORLD'S #1 SELLING OTC COUGH AND COLD BRAND** Vicks has been trusted for over 125 years to relieve your worst cold & flu symptoms
- ACTIVE INGREDIENTS: The active ingredients in Severe Cold, Flu and Cough are acetaminophen 650 mg, pain reliever/fever reducer; diphenhydramine HCl 25 mg, antihistamine/cough suppressant; phenylephrine HCl 10 mg, nasal decongestant which compares to Theraflu Severe Cold and Cough active ingredients.
- FAST RELIEF: Severe Cold, Flu and Cough offers hot liquid therapy for fast relief of nasal and sinus congestion, cough, runny nose, sneezing, body ache, sore throat pain, headache and fever.
- CONVENIENT PACKETS: Dissolve powder into 8 oz. of hot water and sip while hot for nighttime cold and flu relief. Take every four hours while symptoms persist.
- COMFORTING WARMTH WITH GREAT TASTE: This flu medicine relieves pain with soothing honey lemon infused with white tea flavors.
- ALCOHOL-FREE COLD AND FLU POWDER: This product contains no alcohol or gluten.
- POWERFUL, MAXIMUM STRENGTH 9-SYMPTOM RELIEF: Use non-drowsy DayQuil SEVERE for daytime relief and at night try NyQuil SEVERE for fast relief so you can rest
- POWERFUL COLD & FLU RELIEF: DayQuil and NyQuil SEVERE temporarily relieve common cold & flu symptoms
- NOTHING WORKS FASTER: Just one dose starts working fast to provide effective cold & flu relief
- PROVEN RELIEF FOR YOUR WORST COLD & FLU SYMPTOMS: Life doesn’t stop when you have a cold, NyQuil and DayQuil SEVERE tackle your most bothersome cold & flu symptoms taking you from 9 to none
- WORLD'S #1 SELLING OTC COUGH AND COLD BRAND** Vicks has been trusted for over 125 years to relieve your worst cold & flu symptoms
- Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold & Flu daytime medicine for adults and children 12 years and older provides relief from multiple cold and flu symptoms, including headache, fever, cough, and nasal / sinus congestion.
- Maximum strength day + night time relief from your cold and flu symptoms *Use as directed.
- Night time multi-symptom cold relief of runny nose, nasal / sinus congestion, cough, headache, sneezing, body ache, sore throat and fever.
- Fast cold relief so you can get back to your busy life
- ASP Maximum Strength Cold & Flu medicine for adults and children 12 years and older that helps relieve nasal congestion, sinus congestion / pressure, and headache due to cold and flu.
- ACTIVE INGREDIENTS: This cold and flu medicine contains acetaminophen (pain reliever/fever reducer), dextromethorphan HBr (cough suppressant) and phenylephrine HCl (nasal decongestant) which compare to the active ingredients in Vicks DayQuil Cold and Flu
- MULTI-SYMPTOM RELIEF: Temporarily relieves headache, fever, sore throat, minor aches and pains, nasal congestion and cough due to the common cold and flu
- NON-DROWSY: Each dose is designed for daytime use, so you can get through the day
- MAXIMUM STRENGTH: When a cold or flu strikes, you need powerful relief
- FOR AGES 6 AND OVER: For adults and children ages 6 and older; take as directed for cold and flu medicine that is alcohol, antihistamine and gluten free
- The #1 doctor recommended brand that gives fast powerful cold symptom relief that's specially designed for people with high blood pressure.
- Powerful cold medicine with maximum strength formula for people with high blood pressure
- Coricidin provides daytime cold and flu relief of sore throat, chest congestion, fever, body aches & pains, and headache.
- Provides nighttime cold and flu relief of sore throat, cough, fever, runny nose, sneezing, body aches & pains, and headachee relief of sore throat, cough, fever, runny nose, sneezing, body aches & pains, and headache
- Cold medicine comes in a concentrated liquid gel form
- Do not take the Day and Night products at the same time
- HSA/FSA Eligible -- Check your plan for coverage.
How to choose a good cold flu medicine
Does the idea of finding a fantastic cold flu medicine make you anxious? When it comes to purchasing this product, specifically when deciding which model to select, has your head been spinning between options? You are not alone if that is the case. We are aware of the pressure involved in the purchasing process!
Your presence here indicates that you are interested in cold flu medicine. Before choosing which product would be the best for your needs after being inundated with information, locate a reliable source with genuine selections. You can get that information from a variety of sources, including buying guides and rating websites, word-of-mouth recommendations from friends and family, online discussion forums where users can share their own experiences, product reviews that can be found all over the internet, and YouTube channels. You can only get the right product through exhaustive analysis. But you realize that’s not always simple. In order to ease your concerns, we have taken the time to develop a list of the top cold flu medicine products available right now. You might be wondering how we came up with the list. How was this buying guide developed?
First, we used our algorithms to gather as much reliable data as we could about these products. To verify all the data gathered, we used both artificial intelligence and a lot of algorithms.
Then, our experts used criteria that are recognized in the business to evaluate them according to their quality to price ratio, allowing us to choose the top cold flu medicine on the market right now!
The selection of the goods is not arbitrary. Before creating a list, we take into account a number of factors. Below are some of the criteria discussed:
Brand Value: What happens if you choose a dubious brand just because it appears to be a good deal? So the likelihood of receiving a product with a short shelf life increases. That is due to the fact that well-known brands have a reputation to uphold, while others do not. Top cold flu medicine brands strive to provide some distinctive traits that set them apart from the competition. So, hopefully one or more of the items on our list will be perfect for you.
Features: Useful features are all you need, not tons of them. We consider the important aspects and select the top cold flu medicine based on those.
Specifications: Numbers always help you measure the quality of a product in a quantitative way. We try to find products with higher specifications, but with the right balance.
Quality: A product’s quality may always be quantified with the aid of numbers. We look for goods with better standards that strike the proper balance. The best quality product that gets highly appreciated and recommended by experienced users.
Customer ratings: Would it be accurate to suggest that the cold flu medicine were used by hundreds of customers before you? Superior ratings indicate that many customers had better service.
Customer Reviews: Like ratings, provide you with accurate and reliable information about the product from genuine customers. Customer ratings are very important to all of us because they contain accurate and reliable information about the customer service we received from several hundred customers.
Seller Rank: This is very intriguing! Not only do you need a good cold flu medicine, you also need a product with rising sales that is trendy. It accomplishes two goals. First, the expanding user base proves the quality of the product. Second, given that number, producers must be able to offer greater quality and after-sales support.
Value: You get what you pay for, they say, so consider the value. Cheap isn’t always good and expensive isn’t always bad. However, that does not imply that spending a lot of money on a product that is flashy but underwhelming is a good idea. Before adding them to the list, we make an effort to evaluate how much value you can get for your money from your cold flu medicine.
Durability: Durability and reliability are closely related concepts. You will benefit from a strong and long-lasting cold flu medicine for months and years to come.
Product availability: Products come and go, and new ones replace the old ones. Most likely, a few new features and required changes were made. What use is it to use a supposedly good product if the maker no longer supports it? We make an effort to highlight products that are current and offered by one or more trustworthy sellers, if not more.
Negative Reviews: Yes, we do take that into account as well! The goods with the majority of bad reviews are filtered out and disregarded when we choose the best-rated one on the market.
These are the standards by which we selected our cold flu medicine. Do we end our process there? Hell no. The most crucial fact about us that you should be aware of is that we regularly update our website with current and pertinent information. We have one more layer of filtration since we place the greatest importance on reader satisfaction. Please let us know if any product included here is incorrect, irrelevant, subpar, or simply out of date. We always value your opinions, and we’ll work hard to make any necessary corrections to our list in response to them.
Why should you believe us?
There are now thousands of possibilities for these products on Amazon, but choosing the best one can be difficult and time-consuming. And what cold flu medicine should you purchase in 2022?
This guide is the result of more than 10 years of experience in researching, testing and writing about many topics. Each member of our team is an authority in their area. We read every article we could find online and every consumer review on every retail website for seven hours. Additionally, we discovered a ton of websites that offered helpful resources, including buying tips and thorough information on cold flu medicine.
