Best extra virgin olive oil

Olive oil prices have risen dramatically over the past couple of years, with extreme weather such as droughts and wildfires leading to global shortages. But our tests reveal that you can still get a brilliant budget bottle.

We asked a panel of independent olive oil experts to blind-taste and rate a selection of premium supermarket and branded extra virgin olive oils in April 2024.

They were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the supermarket own labels, uncovering two top-scoring olive oils that pack a punch for flavour and quality, plus an impressive cheaper bottle that outshone pricey rivals.

In the branded category, one clear winner stood out for its fresh flavours and delicate aroma. But we also found that some pricey brands aren't worth splashing out on.

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Best supermarket extra virgin olive oil

Only logged in Which? members can view our top-rated olive oils, full test results and tasting notes below. 

If you're not yet a member, you'll see an alphabetically ordered list of the extra virgin olive oils on test. To get instant access, join Which? today.

Aldi Specially Selected Terra Di Bari Castel Del Monte Extra Virgin Olive Oil

£5.19 for 500ml

Made with olives grown in Puglia in Southern Italy, Aldi's cheap olive oil promises an intense, fruity flavour. Did it impress our expert tasting panel?

Join Which? to unlock our test results and find out where this olive oil ranked overall.

Want to buy without reading our results? Available from Aldi

Asda Extra Special Spanish Picual Extra Virgin Olive Oil

£7 for 500ml

The only Spanish olive oil we tested in the supermarket category, it has distinct bitter and spicy notes according to Asda. Is it one of our top picks?

Join Which? to unlock our test results and find out where this olive oil ranked overall.

Want to buy without reading our results? Available from Asda.

Lidl Chania Kritis Extra Virgin Olive Oil

£6.49 for 500ml

Lidl's olive oil is one of the cheapest on test. Can it deliver on flavour and quality for less?

Join Which? to unlock our test results and find out where this olive oil ranked overall.

Want to buy without reading our results? Available from Lidl (in store only).

M&S Collection Sicilia Nocellara del Belice Extra Virgin Olive Oil

£10 for 500ml

M&S says its Sicilian extra virgin olive oil is perfect with fish, white meat and pasta with tomato sauce. Did it stand out from the crowd?

Join Which? to unlock our test results and find out where this olive oil ranked overall.

Want to buy without reading our results? Available from M&S (in-store only).

Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Kalamata Extra Virgin Olive Oil

£8.40 for 500ml

According to Sainsbury's, this olive oil has a gentle fruitiness, with hints of meadowsweet herbs. Did it win over our judging panel?

Join Which? to unlock our test results and find out where this olive oil ranked overall.

Want to buy without reading our results? Available from Sainsbury's.

Tesco Finest Sicilian Extra Virgin Olive Oil

£9.95 for 500ml

Tesco says its Italian olive oil is made by a family mill in southern Sicily. How did it fare when we pitted it against other supermarket olive oils?

Join Which? to unlock our test results and find out where this olive oil ranked overall.

Want to buy without reading our results? Available from Tesco.

Waitrose No.1 Valli Trapanesi Extra Virgin Oil

£15.50 for 500ml

Waitrose describes its Trapanesi Extra Virgin Olive Oil as fruity and aromatic, but at more than £15 a bottle it's no small investment. Is it worth paying more for?

Join Which? to unlock our test results and find out where this olive oil ranked overall.

Want to buy without reading our results? Available from Waitrose.

Best branded extra virgin olive oil

Only logged in Which? members can view our best branded picks, full test results and tasting notes below. 

If you're not yet a member, you'll see an alphabetically ordered list of the extra virgin olive oil on test. To get instant access, join Which? today.

Barbera Sicilia Extra Virgin Olive Oil

£14.85 for 500ml

This olive oil is produced with olives harvested exclusively in the provinces of Sicily. Was it a cut above the rest?

Join Which? to unlock our test results and find out where this olive oil ranked overall.

Want to buy without reading our results? Available from Waitrose.

Belazu Verdemanda Extra Virgin Olive Oil 

£19.50 for 500ml

It's the most expensive olive oil we tested, but does splashing out get you a superior tasting bottle?

Join Which? to unlock our test results and find out where this olive oil ranked overall.

Want to buy without reading our results? Available from Ocado and Waitrose.

Gaea Kalamata Extra Virgin Olive Oil

£12 for 500ml

Gaea says it uses fresh, green Koroneiki olives to produce a well-balanced oil with a unique pepper and almond aftertaste. Was it one of our panel's favourites?

Join Which? to unlock our test results and find out where this olive oil ranked overall.

Want to buy without reading our results? Available from Ocado and Waitrose.

La Espanola Extra Virgin Olive Oil

£14.20 for 500ml

Made with Hojiblanca olives grown in southern Spain, this olive oil promises distinct flavour notes of ripe fruit, avocado and almonds. Is it the perfect oil for drizzling over summer salads?

Join Which? to unlock our test results and find out where this olive oil ranked overall.

Want to buy without reading our results? Available from Ocado.

Odysea Greek Kalamata Extra Virgin Olive Oil

£13.50 for 750ml

Odysea was the cheapest branded olive oil we tested. Was it any match for pricier rivals?

Join Which? to unlock our test results and find out where this olive oil ranked overall.

Want to buy without reading our results? Available from Amazon and Sainsbury's.

All prices are correct as of 10 June 2024 

What is extra virgin olive oil?

Both virgin and extra virgin olive oils must be obtained from olives solely by mechanical means, without heat or chemicals, to be labelled as such. This produces a better-quality olive oil but a smaller yield, which makes it more expensive.

The difference between virgin and extra virgin oils comes down to quality. Both types have to pass a sensory and chemical test. Extra virgin olive oil must have an acidity level of no more than 0.8%, while virgin olive oil must have an acidity level of no more than 2%. 

The lower the acidity, the better the olives have been cared for while on the tree, and during harvesting and processing.

Blended vs region-specific olive oil

We tested region-specific extra virgin olive oils, which are usually pricier and have a more distinctive flavour compared with blended extra virgin olive oils, which combine olive oil from multiple regions. 

In a similar way to vintage vs non-vintage champagne, the taste of region-specific oils changes each year depending on the harvest, whereas producers of blended oils aim to maintain a balanced flavour profile with wide appeal. 

What you do with each oil will differ. There’s little point using a premium oil to cook with as the heat will destroy any unique flavours. 

Our experts recommend using a cheaper everyday blended olive oil for cooking tasks, such as roasting vegetables, and saving premium extra virgin oil for dipping, drizzling and dressing dishes, where you can truly savour the flavour.

Looking for more expert taste test recommendations? Check out our guides to the best gin and the best champagne

How healthy is extra virgin olive oil?

Olive oil contains polyphenols – naturally occurring organic compounds linked to a wide variety of health benefits. These include improved heart health, reduced inflammation and improved brain function.

Extra virgin olive oil is a form of unrefined oil as it hasn't been treated by heat or chemicals. These retain more of their natural polyphenols compared to refined olive oils that have been extracted using heat. 

Early harvest olive oil, which is made with younger olives, typically contains more polyphenols than oil made with ripe olives. According to our experts, the health benefits are more prevalent in fresher olive oil too, so it's worth checking the best before date when buying.

Extra virgin olive oil jargon decoded

Olive oil marketers uses all sorts of buzz phrases to make their product sound more special than rivals, but it's worth knowing what's a real selling point and what's just smoke and mirrors. 

Here's what common marketing terms really mean – and whether they matter:

• PDO/PGI Look for the PDO label (Protected Designation of Origin) which certifies the olive oil has been grown, produced and bottled in a specific region. PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) is also a good indicator of quality, although the requirements are not quite as strict.
• Cold extracted To be classed as 'extra virgin', an olive oil must be extracted at low temperatures (below 27°C), so terms such as 'cold pressed' or 'cold extracted' are meaningless when comparing between bottles, as this applies to all extra virgin oils. 
• Solely extracted by mechanical means Again, under EU law, all extra virgin olive oil must have this label, which simply confirms that chemicals are not used in the extraction process. 
• Filtered vs unfiltered Olive oils are typically filtered to remove residual olive fruit particles. While the cloudy appearance of an unfiltered oil might look more authentic, our experts warned they don’t keep as well and will go off more quickly compared to filtered oils. Plus, they don't necessarily taste any better.
• Early harvest Olive oils that are described as ‘early harvest’ are extracted from young, green olives, as opposed to riper olives. They tend to contain more antioxidants than regular olive oil, and usually have an astringent, peppery flavour, so they could be worth trying if you enjoy strong, punchy olive oils.

How to store extra virgin olive oil to keep it fresh for longer

Don't let your olive oil hang around for years. Unlike wine, it doesn't get better with age. Our experts shared their top tips on how to keep your olive oil at its best for longer:

• Store in a cool, dark place Keeping your olive oil in a cupboard away from light, heat and oxygen will help to prolong its life and prevent it going off too quickly.
• Don't let it linger Once the bottle is opened it's exposed to oxygen, which causes the oil to deteriorate. For maximum taste and health benefits, use within a couple of months.
• Pay attention to packaging Our experts recommend avoiding oil sold in clear plastic bottles, which can negatively impact the flavour of the oil. Ideally, opt for a tin or a dark-coloured glass bottle rather than a clear one. This helps to block out light and prevent the oil from deteriorating, both on the shop shelves and when you get it home.
• Don't store it in the fridge You might have heard that keeping your olive oil in the fridge will help it last longer, but our experts don't recommend this. Keeping it in a cool, dark cupboard is best.

Unusual ways to use extra virgin olive oil

Olive oil isn’t just for drizzling over salads and soups – from desserts to cocktails, there are plenty of delicious pairings worth exploring. It has power as a flavour enhancer. 

Here are some of the combinations our experts recommend:

• Ice cream For an indulgent summer treat, try pouring a little extra virgin olive oil over ice cream to add richness, and finish off with a sprinkle of sea salt. Dark chocolate sorbet works particularly well according to our experts, and pairs nicely with a full-bodied olive oil.
• Steak Elevate a barbecued steak with a drizzle of olive oil before serving to maximise flavour. The heat of the steak brings out the aromas and flavours of the oil, while the bitterness of the oil enhances the sweetness of the meat. Our experts recommend using a grassy, early harvest oil.
• Cocktails If you’re after a twist on a classic tipple, adding a few drops of olive oil creates a velvety mouthfeel and enhances herby flavours. It works best in drinks with a more savoury flavour, such as martinis, or in acidic, salty cocktails such as margaritas.

How we tested extra virgin olive oil

In April 2024, we asked a panel of independent olive oil experts to rate five branded and seven supermarket own-label extra virgin olive oils.

The taste test was blind, so they didn't know which olive oil they were trying, and each expert tried the olive oils in a different order to avoid any bias. After all the samples had been tasted and rated, the panel discussed any discrepancies in score and agreed which bottles deserved to be Best Buys.

Our expert panel included:

• Charles Carey – Oil importer for the The Oil Merchant
• Maria del Mar Fernandez-Garcia – Oil importer for Mardeolivos
• Marco Peri - Head Chef at Wild Tavern
• Holly Warren – Olive oil buyer for Fortnum & Mason

How to recycle olive oil bottles

Glass and plastic bottles can usually go in your household recycling bin. If your council doesn’t accept them, you can take them to a local bottle bank.

The recycling process can vary depending on where you live, so make sure to check with your local area if bottles require rinsing first and whether metal screw caps should be replaced or recycled separately.