What kind of Gooseberry is the best? What kind of currant is the best?

Choosing a Gooseberry variety? Choosing a currant variety?

I've combined here is a list of currant varieties and a list of gooseberry varieties with their attributes.

There are a lot of options to choose from when you are considering different varieties and cultivars of Gooseberries and Currants. I've put some of the popular varieties in this spreadsheet with specific details like the size of the bush, color and size of the berries, disease resistance, ripening time, hardiness, and other details to help you choose the variety that will work best for you. 

Sun and soil requirements seem to be the same for all cultivars so I haven't included those categories. Currants and gooseberries prefer full to part sun, and well-draining soil. 

Here is a spreadsheet containing many varieties and several attributes that can differ among the varieties. The details are incomplete. A copy of a lot of the variables in the spreadsheet are included here:

Currant and Gooseberry Varieties	Scientific Name	USDA zones	Plant Size	Fruit Color	Fruit Size	Taste	Ripening Time
Amish Gooseberry	Ribes grussularia	4-8	2-3 ft height, 4-6 ft width	Deep red	Medium		July
Amos Black Black Currant	Ribes spp.			Black	Medium to Large	Good
Baldwin Black Currant	Ribes spp.		"Medium"	Black	Large	Mild flavor
Bar-Le-Duc White Currant	Ribes rubrum	3-8	3-6 ft high and wide	Translucent	Large	Very Sweet	June-July
Belaruskaja Black Currant				Black
Ben Connan
Ben Nevis Black Currant	Ribes nigrum			Black	Large	"Well-flavored"	Mid-season
Ben Sarek Black Currant	Ribes nigrum	3-8	3 to 4 feet tall, 2-3 ft spacing	Black		"Good flavored"
Black September Black Currant	Ribes nigrum	3-8		Black	large	Sweet	Later than most
Black Velvet Gooseberry	Ribes grossularia	3-7	3-5 ft height, 3-5 ft width	Dark red	large	Sweet, dessert quality	June-July
Blackdown Black Currant	Ribes nigrum	3-8	4-5 ft tall	Black	large	Best for fresh eating
Blacksmith Currant	Ribes nigrum			Black		Tart, somewhat sweet	Mid-season
Blanca White Currant	Ribes rubrum	4-9	5 ft tall	White/translucent	Large	Sweet	Late
Boskoop Black Currant	Ribes nigrum	3-8	4-5 ft tall	Black	Large to very large	Sub-acid and sweetish	Early to mid-season ripening
Brodtorp Black Currant	Ribes nigrum			Black
Captivator Gooseberry	Ribes spp.	3-8		Red
Captivator Red Gooseberry	Ribes grossularia	4-7	3-5 ft height, 3-5 ft width	Red	1 inch, teardrop shape	Sweet, fresh eating	June-July
Cascade Red Currant	Ribes rubrum	3-8		Red	large	Sweet
Chamagne Pink Currant	Ribes rubrum			Pale red		"Delectable"
Oregon Champion Gooseberry	Ribes spp.		3 to 5 feet tall	Yellow-green		Tart	Ripens early
Champion Black Currant	Ribes nigrum		Large	Black with yellow flesh		Nearly sweet	Ripens late over long season
Cherry Red Currant	Ribes rubrum		Medium to large	Red	Large	Sub-acid
Clark Gooseberry	Ribes spp.			Red	Very Large	Sweet and mild flavored	Mid-season
Consort Currant	Ribes nigrum	3-7	4-5 ft	Black	medium	Sweet-tart musky	late summer
Coronet Black Currant	Ribes nigrum			Black
Crandall Black Currant 'Clove Currant'	Ribes aureum	3-8		Black	very large	Sweet, one of the best black currants	August
Crusader Black Currant	Ribes nigrum x R. ussuriense	3-8		Black	Medium to large	Tart
Delindmoi Black Currant				Black
Ebony	Ribes nigrum			Black	Large	The sweetest of black currants	Early
Elk River Flowering Currant	Ribes sanguineum
Friend Red Thornless Gooseberry	Ribes uva-crispa	3	2-3 ft height	Red/pink	Medium to Large	Sweet	July
Fuchsia Flowered Gooseberry	Ribes speciosum	7b	6-8 ft height, 3-6 ft width			best for birds or jam
Glendale Gooseberry	Ribes Missouriensis X		8 ft tall	Dark red/purple
Glorie des Sablons Pink Currant	Ribes rubrum	4-8	5 ft tall	Pink striped	large	Good
Golda Gooseberry	Ribes spp.			Golden yellow blushed with red	large
Golden Currant	Ribes aureum
Goliath Black Currant	Ribes nigrum			Black	Large	Best for fresh eating and desserts
Heros Red Currant	Ribes grossularia			Red
Hill's Kiev Select Black Currant	Ribes hybrid	3-8	4-5 ft tall	Black	Large
Hinnomaki Red Gooseberry	Ribes uva-crispa	3	2-3 ft height	Dark red		Very sweet	July "early"
Hinnomaki Yellow Gooseberry	Ribes spp.	3	2-3 ft height	Yellow green		Sweet, apricot flavors	July
Honeywood Red Currant	Ribes rubrum	3		Red	Large	Sweet mild
Houghton Gooseberry	Ribes spp.			Dark red	Small	Rich delicous flavor
Invicta Gooseberry	Ribes spp.			Green	Large	Sweet
Jahns Prarie Gooseberry	Ribes spp.	3	2-3 ft height	Red/pink	Large	Tart sweet	July
Jeanne Gooseberry	Ribes grossularia	3-7	2-3 ft high, 4-6 ft wide	Red	Medium	Full and sweet	July
Jewel Gooseberry	Ribes spp.			Peach		Sweet, intense flavor
Johnkeer Von Tets Currant	Ribes rubrum	3-8		Red	Large	Best flavor among red currants	Early
Josselyn (Red Jacket) Gooseberry	Ribes spp.			Pale red	Large	Sweet juicy fragrant
Jostaberry	Ribes x nidigrolaria	3-8		Dark purple, almost black	Large	Sweet, mild black-currant flavor	June
Jostaberry Currant	Ribes nigrum
Kantata 50 Black Currant				Black
King Edward Ornamental Currant	Ribes sanguineum
King Edward VII Flowering Currant	Ribes sanguineum
Kosmicheskaya Black Currant	Ribes nigrum			Black
Laxton's Giant Black Currant	Ribes nigrum			Black	Very large	Sweetish, juicy, thin skinned	Early
Laxton's No. 1 Red Currant	Ribes rubrum			Bright red		One of the best for fresh eating0	Early
Lentaj Black Currant				Black
London Market Red Currant	Ribes rubrum			Red	Large	Tart
Minaj Smyreu Black Currant	Ribes nigrum			Black	Large		Early
Minnesota 71 Red Currant	Ribes rubrum			Red	Large	Good	Late
Missouri Giant Clove Black Currant	Ribes odoratum	3-8	4-5 ft tall	Black	Large	Sweetest of black currants, no aftertaste
Mulka Currant	Ribes rubrum					Good quality	Late
Orus 8 Gooseberry	Ribes grossularia x ingram	3-8	3-5 ft high, 3-5 ft wide	Purple	Medium	Sweet "the best"	June-July
Pixwell Gooseberry	Ribes spp.	3-8	3-5 ft high, 3-5 ft wide	Purple	Small to Medium	Sweet-tart	July
Pixwell Pink Gooseberry	Ribes grossularia			Pink
Pomona Red Currant				Red
Poorman Gooseberry	Ribes grossularia	3-8	3-4 ft high, 3-4 ft wide	Pink	Large (3/4 - 1 inch)	Sweet-tart juicy, somewhat thick skin	June-July
Primus White Currant	Ribes rubrum	4-9	5 ft tall	White		Sweet excellent flavored
Red George Gooseberry	Ribes spp.	3-8		Dark red, almost black		Sweet and delicious
Red Jade Red Currant	Ribes rubrum	3-8		Red translucent		Flavorfull, hint of tartness
Red Lake Currant	Ribes rubrum	3-8		Red		Good, juicy
Red start Red Currant	Ribes rubrum	3-8		Red	Medium		August
Rovada Red Currant	Ribes rubrum	3-8		Red	Large		Later
Rosetta Red Currant		3-8		Red	Large
Rubina Red Currant				Red
Selby Gooseberry	Ribes uva-crispa	3-7	3-5 ft height, 3-5 ft width	Purple red		sweet	June- July
Shefford Gooseberry	Ribes uva-crispa	3-7	3-5 ft height, 3-5 ft width	Golden yellow		sweet	June-July
Slitsa Black Currant	Ribes nigrum			Red purple	Large	Sweet	Early
Swedish Black Currant				Black
Swedish White Currant	Ribes rubrum	4-8		White translucent		Sweet delicious
Titania Black Currant	Ribes nigrum	3-8	4-5 ft tall	Black	Large
Viking Currant
Welcome Gooseberry	Ribes grossularia	3-7	2-3 ft height, 4-6 ft width	Red skin, pink flesh	Medium-large	sweet-tart	June July
White Grape White Currant	Ribes rubrum		Medium	White	Large	Sub-acid
White Imperial Currant	Ribes rubrum			White		Sweet, low acid, one of the best for fresh eating and dessert
White Pearl Currant	Ribes rubrum	3		White translucent	Large	Swee flavorful
White Transparent Currant	Ribes rubrum	3		White translucent	Large	Sweet
Wilder Red Currant	Ribes rubrum		Large	Red	Medium to Large	Sub-acid	Late ripening
Zitava White Currant	Ribes rubrum	3		White		Sweet

As a note: the "taste" and "fresh eating" columns are subjective. Some people will enjoy any type of currant or gooseberry (except maybe wild berries) if they like tart-sweet flavor, while others will only enjoy sweet berries fresh. I've tried to indicate which berries are purported to have the very best fresh-eating quality in each variety (red currants, black currants, gooseberries, and hybrids). Again, it is subjective and the differences in taste may not be significant. 

White Pine Blister Rust (WPBR) is a fungus that is hosted by some currants and gooseberries. WBPR is the reason that gooseberries and currants were not allowed to be sold for several decades in some parts of the United States.