Olive oil: you probably use it daily, likely multiple times a day.
And yet, shopping for extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) can be overwhelming.
How can you be sure you’re investing in a quality product and avoid shelling out for sub-par oil?
Photos: The brands. Design: Eat This, Not That!
Here’s what I found out.
What does single-origin olive oil mean?
Origin also impacts the flavor of your oil.
Photo: Lizzy Briskin, Eat This, Not That!
As with wine grapes, olives can take on different flavors and characteristics depending on where they’re grown.
Do all olive oils contain the same levels of antioxidants?
The highest-polyphenol olive varietals, including Picual, Koroneiki, and Coratina, produce some of the boldest-tasting oils.
Photo: Lizzy Briskin, Eat This, Not That!
What does “virgin” mean in olive oil?
I judged each brand based on appearance and taste.
Here are the results ranked in descending order from my least favorite to the overall best.
Photo: Lizzy Briskin, Eat This, Not That!
This bottle is best for sauteing and stir-frying, according to the label.
At about $18 for a 48-ounce bottle, this is one of the least expensive oils I tried.
The look:This oil comes in a soft plastic bottle, but not a squeeze bottle.
Photo: Lizzy Briskin, Eat This, Not That!
The look:The oil is bright and sunny yellow.
The taste:Like the Pomeian oil, this EVOO was mild-tasting and basic.
The look:This oil verges more towards green than yellow and is on the darker side.
Photo: Lizzy Briskin, Eat This, Not That!
The taste:The flavor matches the greenish tint.
This oil is verdant and vegetal, like green bell peppers.
The look:A clear, transparent, and slightly paler oil.
Photo: Lizzy Briskin, Eat This, Not That!
It’s light and mild and would be great for baking or low-heat cooking.
Can Drinking a Shot of Olive Oil Every Day Help You Lose Weight?
It’s sold in glass bottles with pouring spouts for measured dosing.
Photo: Lizzy Briskin, Eat This, Not That!
The look:This oil is a bright hay-yellow, clear, and smooth.
The taste:This bottle is a great choice for everyday use.
Bono Italian Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
This oilis made entirely from Italian-grown olives.
Photo: Lizzy Briskin, Eat This, Not That!
The look:This oil is on the greener side with sunshine-yellow undertones.
It’s herby and slightly green tasting, which gives it a pleasant freshness.
The EVOO is made from organic olives.
Photo: Lizzy Briskin, Eat This, Not That!
The taste:The oil is slightly fruity and peppery.
The look:This oil has a bright, bold, deep sunflower yellow color.
The taste:Corto’s oil is smooth and robust.
Photo: Lizzy Briskin, Eat This, Not That!
It has a rich, round mouthfeel and a full-bodied, fruity flavor.
Is Olive Oil Good for You?
It’s sold in cute, compact tin bottles.
Photo: Lizzy Briskin, Eat This, Not That!
The look:This golden oil has a deep greenish hue.
The taste:The oil tastes bright and peppery.
The look:The oil is greenish-yellow, clear, and bright.
Photo: Lizzy Briskin, Eat This, Not That!
The taste:This olive oil lives up to its promise of being a solid “everyday” oil.
It would be a great choice to keep on hand for roasting, sauteing, or baking.
It has a light floral, grassy flavor that also lends itself well to non-cooked applications.
Photo: Lizzy Briskin, Eat This, Not That!
Are Olives Good for You?
It has a medium-high heat tolerance.
It’s very dark yellow and more concentrated than other oils that I sampled.
Photo: Lizzy Briskin, Eat This, Not That!
The taste:This oil is slightly peppery and fruity.
It’s a nice midpoint in flavor between spicier oils and the more mellow, smoother oils.
This produces a more pungent, green, and high-antioxidant oil.
Photo: Lizzy Briskin, Eat This, Not That!
The look:This oil has a cool, grassy green hue.
The flavor is wonderfully piquant and bold, and the mouthfeel is smooth and satisfying.
This really is the ideal oil for drizzlingover bread, a Caprese salad, or even ice cream.
The look:This oil is lighter in color than others and more golden than green.
The taste:This full-bodied oil is delicious and well-balanced.
Otherwise, the oil is fruity and bright-tasting, almost citrusy.
It’s made from organic Koroneiki olives grown in Greece.
It has a heat point of up to 400F.
The look:Kosterina’s oil is slightly green, pure, and unclouded.
