Dcoop extra virgin olive oil review

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

Best Overall Olive Oil

California Olive Ranch 100% California Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Best Overall Olive Oil

California Olive Ranch 100% California Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Credit: California Olive Ranch

Out of all of the olive oil brands available in your local supermarket, our test kitchen experts say they use this one the most. "Its balanced and mild flavor makes it an easy choice for nearly anything we are planning to cook, regardless of the method," says Kate Merker, Good Housekeeping's Chief Food Director. Our food editors like it most for topping crostini, swirling into spaghetti and mixing with salad greens.

Its larger, bag-in-box size won a Good Housekeeping 2021 Sustainable Innovation Award for its innovative packaging that helps keep oil fresher for longer.

• Tasting notes: Balanced, mild and smooth • Best for: Cooking, drizzling, finishing a dish

Best Value Olive Oil

Kirkland Signature Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Best Value Olive Oil

Kirkland Signature Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Credit: Kirkland

"If you're an EVOO lover and find yourself using it in many dishes throughout the day, Costco's bulk buy might save you some dough," says editorial assistant Samantha MacAvoy. This extra-large bottle is ideal for kitchens that use olive oil often. “It’s mild and buttery, so it’s super versatile,” she says. “You can use it in dressings and marinades or as a cooking oil.”

• Tasting notes: Mild and buttery • Best for: Cooking

Best Olive Oil for Sautéing

O-Live & Co. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Best Olive Oil for Sautéing

O-Live & Co. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Credit: Courtesy of Amazon

O-Live uses Chilean olives that have a fresh, fruity and slightly sweet flavor. O-Live's blend won't overwhelm other flavor profiles in a dish, and Merker says it can be used for sautéing veggies, grilling seafood or as the base for a warm pasta dish.

• Tasting notes: Fresh and slightly sweet • Best for: Cooking, finishing a dish

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Best All-Purpose Olive Oil

Zoe Organic Extra Virgin Oil Olive

Best All-Purpose Olive Oil

Zoe Organic Extra Virgin Oil Olive

Now 10% Off

Credit: Zoe

Olive oil stays fresh longer when it's stored in a cool place and also when it's not exposed to light, which is why this organic blend is stored in a can. Merker says it's best for home cooks searching for an all-purpose oil to use in a variety of ways, especially for sautéing on the stovetop or baking in the oven.

• Tasting notes: Smooth with a peppery finish • Best for: Cooking, finishing a dish

Best Mild-Tasting Olive Oil

CORTO 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Best Mild-Tasting Olive Oil

CORTO 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Corto harvests their olives when they're young and antioxidants are at their peak (compared to many other olive oil brands that harvest them when they're overripe), which delivers a more mild and fresh taste than you're likely used to. When we tasted it for the first time, we were surprised that it didn't linger on our tongues or make our mouths feel oily for long. It dissipated instead — the mark of young olives. This extra virgin olive oil is smooth with a slightly peppery kick, which makes it quite versatile. We like using it for cooking and in dressings.

• Tasting notes: Smooth, slightly peppery • Best for: Cooking, drizzling, finishing a dish

Best Olive Oil for Cooking

COLAVITA Extra Virgin Olive Oil, First Cold Pressed

Best Olive Oil for Cooking

COLAVITA Extra Virgin Olive Oil, First Cold Pressed

Credit: Colavita

This extra virgin olive oil boasts a rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars on Amazon. Reviewers love it for the same reasons we do: It's flavorful, but not overpowering and can be used to liven an array of dishes. We like using it for cooking or stirring into sauces.

• Tasting notes: Rounded flavor, smooth, pleasant aftertaste • Best for: Cooking, finishing a dish, salads

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Best Olive Oil for Health

kyoord High-Phenolic Olive Oil

Best Olive Oil for Health

kyoord High-Phenolic Olive Oil

Credit: Kyoord

This pungent olive oil contains potent polyphenol counts, confirmed by a certificate of analysis that the brand makes publicly available. According to the Good Housekeeping Institute's Registered Dietitian Stefani Sassos, polyphenols are a class of compounds found in a variety of plant foods, many of which work as antioxidants in the body. She says that research suggests that polyphenol-rich diets may offer protection against a variety of chronic diseases including certain cancers and neurodegenerative diseases. Try this olive oil on its own (some people drink it straight off a spoon!), with bread or in a dish where it's the star, like drizzled over whipped feta or ricotta.

• Tasting notes: Smooth and peppery with a slight kick • Best for: Dipping, drizzling

Best Olive Oil for Drizzling

Brightland Alive 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Best Olive Oil for Drizzling

Brightland Alive 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Credit: Brightland

This beautiful opaque bottle contains extra virgin olive oil that delivers on taste and helps preserve its flavor by blocking out light. It's flavorful but not too potent without any spicy or bitter notes. It accentuates leafy salads and veggies nicely.

• Tasting notes: Flavorful, but not peppery or bitter • Best for: Drizzling, dipping

Best Olive Oil for Added Flavor

Kosterina Original Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Best Olive Oil for Added Flavor

Kosterina Original Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Credit: Kosterina

This peppery extra virgin olive oil is one of Sassos' favorites; she loves its deep and bright flavor, as well as its rich polyphenol count. She says it adds character to salads and roasted veggies. For a milder flavor, the brand offers an everyday version that is still polyphenol rich and has a smoke point over 400ºF, making it great for cooking at higher temps.

• Tasting notes: Deep and bright • Best for: Salads, drizzling, finishing a dish

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Best Olive Oil for Salads

Gaea Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Best Olive Oil for Salads

Gaea Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Now 12% Off

Credit: Courtesy of Amazon

Olive oil that's been "hand pressed" might not be impressive upon first glance, but every bottle of Gaea's EVOO contains the juice of approximately 2,300 early harvest Koroneiki- and Athinoelia-variety Greek olives, according to the brand. It's these regions that produce oil with a deliciously spicy and fruity flavor. This blend is perfect for creating a one-of-a-kind homemade dressings for fresh, colorful salads.

• Tasting notes: Big olive flavor, peppery • Best for: Salads, dipping, drizzling, finishing a dish

Best Olive Oil for Dipping

Barbera Frantoia Sicilian Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Best Olive Oil for Dipping

Barbera Frantoia Sicilian Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Credit: Frantoia

Former Senior Food Editor Catherine Lo admits that Barbera's Frantoia blend is a splurge for most home cooks. But it's worth its weight in gold, she says: "This rich gold-green oil is a bit pricey, but we love the fruity flavor and slightly spicy aroma, which finishes with a kick."

• Tasting notes: Deep flavor; fruity and slightly spicy • Best for: Drizzling, dipping, salads

How we chose the best olive oils

The pros in the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen and the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances Lab and Nutrition Lab teamed up to create this list of best olive oils based on their experiences cooking with and tasting many olive oils. Each expert has been trained in how to taste olive oil and what to look for in a good olive oil.

The most important factors they consider when choosing the best olive oil are quality and versatility. All of the oils on this list are extra-virgin olive oils, which means they're made purely from olives with no additives or refinements. They also each have a distinctive taste that can be used in array of dishes from cooking to salads.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

What to look for when buying the best olive oil

✔️ Type: Olive oil falls into different types, also known as grades, that are based on how the oil is processed. Here are the most common you’ll find in American supermarkets:

• Extra virgin: All of the picks on our list are extra virgin; it’s flavorful and versatile. It's the least processed and made solely of the juice from olives that are crushed without the use of heat or chemicals. It’s typically low in acid and high in antioxidants. Very technically, according to the USDA, it has an “excellent flavor” and “a free fatty acid content, expressed as oleic acid, of not more than 0.8 grams per 100 grams.” It’s an all-around smart choice for cooking, making dressings and sauces and finishing dishes.
• Virgin olive oil: This grade also refers to oil processed without heat or chemicals; it just doesn’t meet the high standards for extra virgin. Its oleic acid level cannot exceed 2.0 grams per 100 grams of oil. It’s a good choice for cooking or dressings.
• Pure olive oil: This might also be labeled as light olive oil or just olive oil. It is usually a blend of virgin and refined olive oils (refined meaning it undergoes heat or chemical treatment to remove flaws). It has little flavor but is suitable for cooking. It's less expensive than virgin olive oil and extra virgin olive oil.

✔️ Flavor and aroma: Some olive oils are robust and peppery; some are bright and fruity; some are mild and buttery. They also have different levels of bitterness or astringency. Experiment to find what works for you and the foods you like to cook most. And the aroma should be of olives or fresh, verdant notes; never use if it smells rancid or off in some way.

✔️ Packaging: Exposure to sunlight can damage olive oil, which can make it taste rancid. You can, of course, store any bottle of oil out of sunlight, but our experts like packaging that gives you freedom when it comes to storage. Oils sold in tinted or opaque bottles, in cans or bag-in-box protect the oil from all light, helping your oil stay fresher longer. You also want a good seal on the container, as exposure to oxygen can also affect the flavor. Once you select helpful packaging, be sure to store the oil in a cool place; research has shown that shelf life is improved when olive oil is stored below 72˚F (22˚C) and generally above 54˚F (12˚C).

Why trust Good Housekeeping?

Nicole Papantoniou is the director of the Kitchen Appliances and Culinary Innovation Lab, where she's constantly testing new kitchen products and food items that come her way. She's a trained cook and published recipe developer and grew up using olive oil almost exclusively in her Greek and Italian family. She has a grand diplome in classic culinary arts from the former French Culinary Institute and a certificate in culinary nutrition from the former Natural Gourmet Institute, now both known as the Institute of Culinary Education.

Zee Krstic is a health editor for Good Housekeeping, where he covers health and nutrition news, decodes diet and fitness trends and reviews the best products in the wellness aisle. Prior to joining GH in 2019, Zee fostered a nutrition background as an editor at Cooking Light and is continually developing his grasp of holistic health through collaboration with leading academic experts and clinical care providers. He has written about food and dining for Time, among other publications.

What are some good brands of extra virgin olive oil?

Best Overall: Brightland The Duo at Amazon. ... .

Best Value: Graza Drizzle & Sizzle Extra-Virgin Olive Oil at 177milkstreet.com. ... .

Best Splurge: Branche No. ... .

Chef's Pick: Corto Truly Extra Virgin Olive Oil at Amazon. ... .

Best Gift Set: Kosterina Extra Virgin Duo Gift Set at Kosterina.com. ... .

Best Gift Capsule: ... .

Best Tinned: ... .

Best Everyday:.

How do I know if my extra virgin olive oil is real?

Fake olive oil might taste greasy, rancid, flavorless, or just not pleasant. Good olive oil—real olive oil—should smell and taste green, bright, peppery, earthy, grassy, or any combination thereof. "If it tastes good, it's probably good," says Olmsted.

Is Aldi extra virgin olive oil any good?

With a rich fragrance and bitter undertones, Aldi's inexpensive olive oil is lighter on the palate than expected. However, testers found it clean and fresh, with notes of tomato and herbs — making it great quality given the price.

What is the difference between medical olive oil and extra virgin?

But the main difference is the state of health of the fruit. If the fruit is affected by pests and diseases, the oil extracted from it cannot be classified as an extra virgin olive oil.