I know, I know - comparing two of the most popular online Asian grocers is a tough job. But I selflessly took up the mantle of website reviewer and food critic so that I could help readers in the Northeast decide which website offers the best quality, selection, and service. The fact that Laoganma chili crisp is my favorite thing in the entire world just happens to be a coincidence. I’m doing this to help all of the Asian food lovers out there who are fed up with H Mart and believe there must be a better option.
I decided to review two of the most popular online Asian grocers - Weee! and relative newcomer, UmamiCart, which launched in 2021. Here’s what I thought after spending time on both websites, placing orders, and receiving my deliveries.
UmamiCart
From the start, I really liked the UmamiCart website. The design is really fun and made for a great shopping experience. They offered tons of fruits I’ve never been able to find outside of Asia, and I loved the Asian American section, which highlighted brands led by inspiring Asian American founders (Fly by Jing, anyone?). The site also offers a great recipe section with delicious, easy-to-follow meals. With just a click of a button, you can add all of the ingredients for a particular meal to your cart! I ordered the Cantonese Pan-Fried Noodles and was impressed that there was even a YouTube video with instructions on the page. They really make it easy for non-chefs like myself.
When I got to the seafood section, I was shocked (pleasantly!) to learn that they offer tons of fresh seafood and sashimi grade fish. This could be a gamechanger. I really went for it and ordered the Sashimi Grade Atlantic Salmon, Bluefin Tuna, and Chu-Toro Kit (I told you, this was a tough job). I placed my order using the $5 code for first orders and waited semi-patiently for my delivery to arrive.
When my order arrived, I ripped open the box and went straight for the sashimi. I’m pleased to report that it was perfectly fresh and delicious. I am ashamed to report that I ate all 2 pounds of it in one sitting. Once I had come out of my sushi coma, I carefully inspected the rest of my order and was really impressed with the quality and freshness of everything I had ordered. I also have to highlight that everything came so well packaged, and most of the wrapping was plastic-free and very easy to recycle.
Weee!
Next up was Weee! Despite having a very fun name, my shopping experience wasn’t exactly what I would call fun. Weee! seems to carry more products than UmamiCart, but I actually found it difficult and really time consuming to sort through everything to find what I was looking for. I was only able to find one fresh fish item, but multiple reviews mentioning that it didn’t seem fresh made me steer clear.
I decided to order some fruits and veggies and stock up on some frozen pork buns and dumplings. One thing Weee! offers that UmamiCart does not have is self care items, so I picked up some of my favorite face masks as well. When the delivery arrived, I noticed that the veggies came straight in the cardboard box with no wrapping, which caused some bruising. Overall the perishable items were fresh and … that’s really all there is to say. I guess after my sashimi binge, my expectations were too high.
The Verdict
Without a doubt, UmamiCart came out on top in this review. From the experience on the website to the quality of products, there was just no contest. Weee! is available in more places than UmamiCart, but if you live in one of UmamiCart’s delivery areas, I can’t recommend it highly enough. Full disclosure, I may order some more face masks from Weee! but when it comes to groceries, I’m sticking with UmamiCart.
Offer For UmamiCart First Time Purchasers: $15 off your first 2 orders and FREE delivery over $49+!
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