I tested 12 olive and avocado oils from supermarkets and independent brands.
Sophie Harris Senior Lifestyle Reporter
07:00, 07 Apr 2026
I absolutely loved the Belazu olive oils(Image: Sophie Harris)
Olive oil isn’t merely delicious — it offers significant health benefits too. It contains beneficial fats and antioxidants that support cardiovascular health, combat inflammation and may even aid brain function. Extra virgin olive oil stands out as the superior choice due to its minimal processing, which retains the majority of its nutrients and taste. It’s versatile for cooking, drizzling over salads, or simply enjoying with bread, while different varieties can vary considerably in flavour depending on their origin.
I personally sampled numerous olive oils, from both supermarket chains and smaller independent producers, to compare their qualities. The tasting experience highlighted the remarkable diversity available, and it’s rewarding to discover those that truly excel.
Belazu
Belazu Early Harvest Spanish Extra Virgin Olive Oil
This olive oil is derived from Arbequina olives harvested before full maturity, typically yielding a richer flavour. The oil proved delightful when drizzled over salad leaves and for dipping bread, particularly focaccia. This ranked amongst the more characterful oils I sampled during testing. It costs £22.50 for 1L or £11.50 for 500ml, making it fairly expensive, though quality olive oil rarely comes cheap, the Express reports.
Score: 4/5
Belazu Verdemanda Extra Virgin Olive Oil
This represents another Spanish extra virgin olive oil produced from Arbequina olives, though it’s unfiltered and flash-frozen following pressing, designed to maintain freshness and fragrance. The olives are gathered before the main harvest, resulting in a significantly reduced yield but delivering an intense colour. The result is a vibrant, bold oil that I found to be considerably more intense. It boasted a distinctly grassy taste that paired exceptionally well with bread. It proved ideal for finishing dishes such as salads, where a more pronounced flavour was desired. At £21 for 500ml, it does come at a premium.
Score: 3.5/5
Belazu Crete Gold Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Produced from Koroneiki olives cultivated on the Greek island of Crete, this variety ranks amongst Greece’s most widely used for olive oil production.
I discovered this to be a well-balanced, full-bodied extra virgin olive oil with a gentle peppery finish. Compared to the Spanish varieties, it offered a more rounded, accessible flavour profile, making it a genuinely versatile everyday oil. It tastes excellent and has become my most frequently reached-for bottle. It is currently available at Waitrose for just £8.15 for 500ml.
The principal drawback of these olive oils is that they fall outside many people’s budgets.
Score: 3/5
GOOD PHATS
I recently sampled a selection of GOOD PHATS oils, testing everything from conventional extra virgin olive oils to lighter avocado sprays.
Spanish Extra Virgin Olive Oil Spray
This is a classic, fruity olive oil with delicate peppery undertones. Incredibly versatile, I particularly enjoyed using it drizzled over salads, breads and lightly grilled vegetables. This spray bottle retails at around £6.50 for 200ml. The flavour was rich without being overwhelming, making it an excellent kitchen essential.
Score: 4/5
Spanish Light Avocado Oil Spray
Mild, buttery and surprisingly smooth is how I would describe this oil from GOOD PHATS. Its higher smoke point makes it ideal for high-heat cooking, while its delicate flavour doesn’t overpower the dishes. This spray bottle costs around £6.50 for 200ml.
Score: 5/5
Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil
This olive oil delivered everything I anticipated from an Italian extra-virgin olive oil. Bold and robust, it offered a peppery bite and a distinctive deep green hue. Currently available on Ocado at a reduced price of £12.50 per 500ml, down from its usual £15.60.
It truly excels as a finishing oil drizzled over pasta, grilled vegetables, or, as one family member discovered, alongside fish.
Score: 4/5
The avocado spray was my favourite(Image: Sophie Harris)
Spanish Light Avocado Oil
Similar to the spray but presented in a convenient drizzle bottle, this became one of my unexpected go-to choices for everyday cooking. The flavour was simply wonderful. This bottle is priced at around £6.50 for 200ml, though it frequently goes on offer.
Score: 5/5
Spanish Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Also available in a practical drizzle bottle, this extra virgin olive oil proved ideal for a wide range of dishes, including salads. The bottle is currently priced at £11.95 for 700ml, reduced from its standard £14.95 on Ocado.
The bottles vary in price but remain reasonably priced and have proved remarkably long-lasting in the kitchen. These are firmly amongst my top recommendations.
Score: 4/5
bona
The Organic Arbequina Extra Virgin Olive Oil from bona costs £22.50 for 750ml, and it’s said to combine excellent flavour, nutritional benefits and environmentally conscious farming methods.
It’s also vacuum-sealed to guarantee optimal flavour preservation and polyphenol levels upon consumption.
The packaging features a tap at the base, so as the oil is dispensed, the bag collapses, preventing air from filling the void and stopping oxidation.
I loved the packaging and thoughtfulness behind this olive oil(Image: Sophie Harris)
Fellow shoppers are also fans of this olive oil, with 52 five-star ratings. Some purchasers report that the packaging causes the oil to pour too quickly, and I concur, noting that a narrower tap would have been preferable.
That said, it was a gorgeous olive oil to cook with, and I appreciate how carefully considered everything is, along with the bona brand story.
Score: 3/5
Asda
Asda’s Exceptional Greek Koroneiki Extra Virgin Olive Oil
This £7.70 bottle of olive oil tasted lovely, with a touch of pepper and bitter, nutty notes. It proved incredibly adaptable, though I didn’t consider it particularly remarkable, and I favoured others I sampled more.
Score: 3.5/5
Asda’s olive oils were good all-rounders(Image: Sophie Harris)
Asda’s Extra Special Spanish Picual Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Picual olives rank amongst Spain’s most classic and flavourful olive types. It possessed a powerful fruity fragrance and proved more robust than I’d anticipated. Having said that, it wasn’t overwhelming whatsoever.
Its distinctive taste rendered it ideal for dipping, drizzling over salads, or finishing grilled vegetables. I thoroughly enjoyed this poured over grilled vegetables. I was pleasantly surprised by the bold, distinctive flavour of the Picual, and much like the GOOD PHATS sprays, I’ve found myself drawn to oils with robust, pronounced tastes that can transform even the simplest of salads.
Score: 3/5]
Whole Foods Market
365 by Whole Foods Market Extra Virgin Mediterranean Olive Oil came across as a reliable, well-rounded choice. It delivers a smooth, mellow flavour without any peppery heat, making it well-suited for both cooking and drizzling.
That said, it failed to truly impress, and given how difficult it is to get hold of, it’s unlikely I’d add it to my shopping basket.
Score: 2.5/5
Sampling all of these olive oils has been an absolute pleasure, and I’ve gained a genuine appreciation for the distinctions between them and their various extraction processes. While some proved more impressive than others, my unexpected standout remains avocado oil, and I’m thoroughly won over by sprays. They’re considerably more convenient, less messy and offer far greater precision.
Dining and Cooking