12 Most Effective Cough Drops to Soothe Your Cold, Flu and COVID Hacking

With 7.5 mg of cooling menthol and a honey-lemon flavor that nicely blunts the menthol so it's not overwhelming, these individually wrapped drops are a reliable way to quell a cough and sore throat, and also soothe nasal passages. Some users note that these are smaller than they used to be, which may be why the company does not recommend them for children under age four.

These diabetic-friendly sugar-free drops net out to around 4 cents each, which is less compared to a major brand's equivalent product. They have a medium amount of menthol (5.8 mg as compared to 20 for a "severe cough" product), and many satisfied users say it is “equally good as the name brand.”

Most menthol cough drops have around 7 mg of menthol, while Fisherman's Friend clocks in at 10, meaning you'll feel more intense cooling and throat numbing. These are a lot less sweet than most — sugar is the second to last ingredient, not first or second as in many cough drops. Plus these are small, flat wafers rather than smooth, glossy drops, so they are all business, not even pretending to baby your mouth. “Looks nasty but they work, tastes nasty but they work,” one Amazon five-star reviewer said.

Some people find menthol irritating or just want a little more friendliness in their cough drop. Honees gets a 4.9 out of 5 for flavor, and users like that the goopy center of this hard drop coats and soothes the throat. While these are a little more expensive than many cough drops, the drops themselves are bigger than most. One thing to note: These are entirely sugar (with water as the last ingredient), so if you're watching your added sugar intake, be aware.

People with chronic dry mouth and nighttime cough really appreciate these because they don't have to get up out of bed to brush the sugar off their teeth. This sugar-free version of the famous Swiss herbal cough drops has 1.5 mg of menthol and also contains peppermint, thyme and lemon balm, for a slightly medicinal but not overwhelming mouth feel.

If you're looking for a candy-like drop, scroll on by. Vicks VapoCool Severe contains a whopping 20 mg of menthol, plus eucalpytol, and especially in winterfrost flavor is super cooling and numbing, making a painful chest cough easier to bear. One reviewer, saved from his “man-fluenza” by these, would have given them more stars if possible. Another said they are so strong that it's smart to save the wrapper so you can take it out and pop it back in later.

Cēpacol is your go-to when your cough decided to bring it's hateful cousin throat pain to the party. With the numbing agent benzocaine quelling a sore throat, coughs hurt less, but this formulation also contains the cough suppressant dextromethorphan, which temporarily calms the cough itself.

This medium-strength menthol drop “reminds me of a Christmas peppermint candy,” says one reviewer, who says it also noted that it helps her GERD. Another said that the cough-suppressing “benefit outlasted lozenge.” The drops are certified organic, and the company that makes them also has a commitment to sustainability.

Ginger can be polarizing, but for those who love it, these honey-ginger drops are just the thing. There is a "very gingery" taste, according to one reviewer, which creates a warm sensation, followed by the sweetness from the honey inside. New Zealand's Manuka honey (this drop is 9%) has antibacterial properties, and ginger does as well, along with antiviral properties, although it is not clear that there is enough of either in this drop to truly help with what ails you. Either way, users find it soothing and that it temporarily relieves their coughs.

Remember these? You had them as a kid — they're not soft like gummy bears, but they're not hard either, and they dissolve to a throat-coating goop that feels really nice, and so keeps throat-clearing coughs to a minimum. The main ingredient is plant glycerin, which when combined with gum acacia, explains the softish texture. These taste more like candy than medicine, and are not for hard-core flu or chest coughs.

So here's the thing: A strong immune system depends on a lot of factors, including how you eat and sleep, exercise and manage stress, and simply taking a cough drop with ingredients that have been shown to be supportive of immune function will not speed your cold or cough away. That said, these lozenges contain vitamin C and zinc, both of which you need enough of to keep your immune system functioning optimally. Plus they taste great and coat your throat, which helps a cough relax.

Cough drops are a choking hazard for little kids (and bigger kids who run around with them in their mouths), so the lollipop formulation of Lolleez is helpful (though please note that these are for ages 3 and up). These do not contain any medicine or painkiller, but they do have pectin, which coats the throat and temporarily relieves irritation, which can lead to coughing. These are organic and made from honey and lots of juice concentrates. They come in three flavors, insuring that your children will argue over them, just as when they're feeling healthy!