Mass-Market Olive Oil

Best olive oil at the supermarket

Regardless of these about-faces, we did find enough positive comments about Colavita -- a widely available, mainstream, supermarket brand -- to merit inclusion in ConsumerSearch Fast Answers. Cook's Illustrated praises this extra virgin olive oil for its "full-bodied and bold flavor," Men's Health likes its "dark-green color" and it's a particular favorite of olive-oil enthusiasts posting to Chowhound.com; one poster calls it "the best of the easily accessible brands." As stated above, Choice praised this olive oil in 2004, but later criticized it for "bitterness and a hint of rancidity" in its 2007 update.

If you're not comfortable with Colavita, a good, widely available alternative is Da Vinci Pure Olive Oil (*est. $7 for 17 ounces). In its 2005 roundup of plain (not extra virgin) olive oils, Cook's Illustrated put Da Vinci ahead of Colavita, calling it "the most like good extra-virgin olive oil," and Da Vinci also finishes on top of the magazine's 2005 roundup of extra virgin oils (partly for its "rich, deep and beautifully green" color), again beating out Colavita (which is described as "a little too harsh.") Because it's recommended by sources other than Cook's Illustrated, we chose to include Colavita Extra Virgin in ConsumerSearch Fast Answers, but it's clear that Da Vinci Extra Virgin or Pure Olive Oils are solid choices as well.

Most experts tout extra virgin olive oil for everyday use, as opposed to "pure" or non-extra virgin varieties. Extra virgin oil comes from the first press of olives and must not contain any chemicals; non-virgin olive oil can be chemically treated (called refining) to neutralize strong or off tastes. Olive oil labeled as "pure olive oil" consists of a blend of extra virgin and refined oils. Some experts say it's fine to use a blended oil for everyday sautéing or sauce-making, but since there's usually only a small price difference between extra virgin and pure olive oils, most recommend going with extra virgin.

Not everyone is willing to spend $10 (much less $30) for a 16- or 17-oz. bottle of olive oil, especially if it's being used for dishes that don't demand the finest oil in the store. Unfortunately, since the degree of reviewer interest in olive oils seems to be directly proportional to their price, reviews of budget olive oils are thin on the ground. For example, we were unable to find a single reliable review of Crisco Olive Oil (*est. $5 for a 16.9-oz. bottle), which was recently introduced.

In this case, fortunately, Good Housekeeping steps in with a good roundup. In her March 2007 article, writer Susan Westmoreland recommends Whole Foods 365 Extra Virgin (*est. $5 for a 17.9-oz. bottle): "The house brand of the Whole Foods Market chain has an intensely robust olive taste -- and a much lower price than most top-grade oils." However, she also points out that 365 is "almost astringently peppery," and is best used in foods that can stand up to its robust taste.

Visitors to the foodie site Chowhound.com (who also praise Colavita) concur with Good Housekeeping's opinion. One poster raves that Whole Foods 365 "tastes MUCH better than it costs," while another says that it "has a light, balanced flavor that works well raw in vinaigrettes and cooked in nearly everything else." Based on these two recommendations, we decided to include Whole Foods 365 Extra Virgin in ConsumerSearch Fast Answers as a good budget pick.

Another low-priced olive oil that has received some attention is Goya (*est. $5 for a 17-oz. bottle). Goya is a well-known brand name, especially in Hispanic communities, and its olive oil is exported from Spain. It's the top pick of one major consumer magazine in the U.S., which prefers cheaper olive oils to more expensive brands like Bertolli, Filippo Berio and Colavita, and also receives a warm mention from The Washington Post. Once again, though, Cook's Illustrated demurs; editors call Goya Extra Virgin "shockingly yellow," with a flavor "reminiscent of bitter lemons."