Few store cupboard standbys have gone up in price over the past few years the way olive oil has.
So, if you’re breaking out a bottle of extra virgin to dress a winter salad, drizzle on a bowl of soup, or just dunk some bread into to provide a taste of summer as the nights draw in, you want to know you’re getting your money’s worth.
We compared five own-brand bottles to see which came out on top.
Lidl (750ml, £6.29 – 84p per 100ml)
A hugely fruity, almost floral, aroma, this is the cheapest of our picks but the best. The fruit’s still there when you taste it, with just a little kick of pepper at the end balancing things out. Lovely. 4.5/5
M&S (500ml, £6.50 – £1.30 per 100ml)
The sweetest of the lot, but not overly so, with a gentle smoothness that’s pleasant, if a bit too polite. 3/5
Tesco (500ml, £6.50 – £1.30 per 100ml)
It feels less substantial than the rest and tastes it too. Closer to something you’d fry an egg in because there’s not much flavour going on. 2/5
Sainsbury’s (500ml, £6.50 – £1.30 per 100ml)
At first sniff it’s almost as fruity as Lidl’s, but there’s a grassy, even level of gentle bitterness in the taste, which does wonders with a hunk of bread. 4/5
Centra (500ml, £4.50 – 90p per 100ml)
Packs the most peppery hits of the bunch, but not to the point of being overwhelming. A little behind Lidl in price but well clear of the rest by that measure and well worth it. 4/5
