I taste-tested 12 olive oils to find the one I liked best (Image: Sophie Harris) This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Olive oil isn’t just tasty — it’s really good for you, too. It’s full of healthy fats and antioxidants that can help your heart, reduce inflammation and even support your brain. Extra virgin olive oil is the best kind because it’s the least processed, keeping most of the nutrients and flavour. It’s great for cooking, drizzling on salads or just dipping bread, and different oils can taste very different depending on where they come from.
I tried several olive oils myself, from both supermarkets and small independent producers, to see how they compared. Testing them made me realise how much variety there is, and it’s great to find ones that really stand out.
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I absolutely loved the Belazu olive oils (Image: Sophie Harris)Belazu
Belazu Early Harvest Spanish Extra Virgin Olive Oil
This olive oil is made from Arbequina olives picked before they’re fully ripe, usually resulting in more flavour. This oil was delicious for drizzling over salad leaves and for dipping bread, such as focaccia. This was one of the more flavoursome oils I tried in the test. It’s £22.50 for 1L or £11.50 for 500ml, so it’s not cheap, but no olive oil of good quality is.
Belazu Verdemanda Extra Virgin Olive Oil
This is another Spanish extra virgin olive oil made from Arbequina olives, but it’s unfiltered and flash-frozen after pressing, which aims to preserve freshness and aroma. The olives are picked before the general harvest, resulting in a much lower yield but with an intense colour.
This results in a vibrant, punchy oil, and I found it to be much stronger. It had a distinct grassy flavour that worked incredibly well with bread. This was great for finishing dishes like salads, where I wanted more flavour and punch. It’s pricier at £21 for 500ml.
Belazu Crete Gold Extra Virgin Olive Oil
This oil comes from Koroneiki olives grown on the Greek island of Crete and is one of Greece’s most popular olive varieties for olive oil production.
I found the oil to be a balanced, full-flavoured extra virgin olive oil with a mild peppery finish. This was a more rounded, approachable-flavoured olive oil compared to the Spanish oils, so I’d say it was more of an all-purpose oil for me. It tasted great and has been one I’ve been reaching for the most. This bottle is currently on offer at Waitrose for just £8.15 for 500ml.
These olive oils wouldn’t be in many people’s budgets, which is ultimately a downside.
The avocado spray was my favourite (Image: Sophie Harris)GOOD PHATS
I recently tried a variety of GOOD PHATS oils, trying everything from traditional extra virgin olive oils to lighter avocado sprays.
Spanish Extra Virgin Olive Oil Spray
This is a classic, fruity olive oil with subtle peppery notes. It’s super versatile, and I loved using it as a drizzle on salads, breads and even lightly grilled vegetables. This spray bottle is around £6.50 for 200ml.
The flavour was rich but not overpowering, making it a great kitchen staple.
Spanish Light Avocado Oil Spray
Mild, buttery and surprisingly smooth is how I would describe this oil from GOOD PHATS. It’s great for high-heat cooking thanks to its higher smoke point, but its gentle taste didn’t overwhelm the dishes. This spray bottle is around £6.50 for 200ml.
Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil
This olive oil was everything I expected from an Italian extra virgin olive oil. It was bold and robust, with a peppery kick and unmistakable green colour. The bottle is currently on offer on Ocado for £12.50 per 500ml, but it’s usually £15.60.
This one really shines as a finishing oil on pasta, grilled vegetables, or, as my family member loved it, with fish.
Spanish Light Avocado Oil
Similar to the spray but in a handy drizzle bottle, it became one of my unexpected favourites for everyday cooking. The taste was just delicious. This spray bottle is around £6.50 for 200ml, but it’s often on offer.
Spanish Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Similar to the spray, but also in a handy drizzle bottle, this extra virgin olive oil was perfect for many dishes, including salads. This bottle is currently £11.95 for a 700ml bottle, but it’s usually £14.95 on Ocado.
The bottles range in price but are quite affordable and have lasted me a long time in the kitchen. These are definitely up there with my favourites.
I loved the packaging and thoughtfulness behind this olive oil (Image: Sophie Harris)bona
The Organic Arbequina Extra Virgin Olive Oil from bona is £22.50 for 750ml, and it’s described as balancing great taste, nutritional value and sustainable farming practices.
It’s also vacuum sealed to ensure maximum flavour retention and polyphenol content at consumption.
The bag also has a tap base, which ensures that when the oil leaves the bag, the bag contracts and the space isn’t replaced by air, preventing oxidation.
Other customers also love this olive oil, and it has 52 five-star reviews. Some customers report that the packaging causes the oil to come out too fast, and I agree, noting that a narrower tap would have been ideal.
However, it was a delicious olive oil to use, and I love how well-thought-out everything is, as well as the bona story.
Asda’s olive oils were good all-rounders (Image: Sophie Harris)
This bottle from Whole Foods Market has lasted me ages (Image: Sophie Harris)Asda
Asda’s Exceptional Greek Koroneiki Extra Virgin Olive Oil
This £7.70 bottle of olive oil was delicious, with a hint of pepper and bitter, nutty undertones. It was super versatile, but I didn’t find it anything special, and I preferred others I tried more.
Asda’s Extra Special Spanish Picual Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Picual olives are one of Spain’s most traditional and flavour-forward olive varieties. It had an intense fruity aroma and was richer than I was expecting. Saying that, it wasn’t overpowering at all.
Its distinct flavour made it perfect for dipping, drizzling over salads, or drizzling over grilled vegetables. I absolutely loved this over grilled vegetables.
I was surprised by how much I liked the Picual’s flavour punch, and just like with the GOOD PHATS sprays, I find myself really loving oils with strong, distinct tastes to elevate simple salads.
Whole Foods Market
365 by Whole Foods Market Extra Virgin Mediterranean Olive Oil felt like a solid, dependable all-rounder. It has a smooth, rounded flavour without a peppery kick and was great for cooking and drizzling.
However, it wasn’t a standout, and it isn’t easy to get your hands on, so I probably wouldn’t purchase it.
I absolutely love tasting all of these olive oils, and I can now appreciate the difference between them and their extraction methods. Some stood out more than others, and my unexpected favourite is still avocado oil, and I’m completely sold on sprays. They’re much easier, cleaner and better for control.
Dining and Cooking