Carmen Varner/Tasting Table

Show of hands if you've ever cooked a frozen pizza . That has to be most of us, right? There are loads of pizza options on the market, from more budget brands to somewhat higher-end picks. There's an array of toppings, sizes, and crust types, so it's a pretty hefty part of the grocery store aisle. I wanted to focus on the basics and was keen to see how the current selection of frozen cheese pizzas looks.

It's so classic, so finding the best one from stores meant it had to have the most interesting, flavorful cheese, sauce, and crust. I was looking for an all-star with well-rounded flavor and a chewy, crisp crust; price was somewhat factored in but wasn't a primary consideration. Though a wood-fired-style crust is usually my favorite, I was open to finding something delicious no matter what. To get more comprehensive results, I tested the cheesy options both fresh from the oven and again as cold leftovers.…