My Final Recommendations
For most people, I recommend going with one of the top 2: Mae Ploy and Aroy-D. Maeploy is preferred if it’s available, but Aroy-D was also good. You can also add your own shrimp paste to Aroy-D for that extra umami.
If you’re vegan or allergic to shrimp, then Aroy-D or Maesri would be 2 great options. But always check the ingredient list because it’s common for there to be multiple formulas of the same Thai product on the market.
Important notes on packaging: Over the years I have seen that the same brand would come out with different packaging for the same product. For example, I have seen pictures of Aroy-D in little cans à la Maesri. You should not assume that the product inside is the same if the packaging is different!
Different types of packaging may also require the food inside to be processed differently, and sometimes moisture content, acidity, and other things have to vary due to the different processing requirement. Companies also sometimes have different formulas for different markets, for example domestic vs export markets.
