Canstar Blue’s olive oil review has seen Squeaky Gate, La Española, Cobram Estate, Moro, Bertolli, Coles, Monini, Red Island, Woolworths Select and Woolworths compared on taste, cooking performance, packaging, value for money and overall satisfaction.
Squeaky Gate was rated best in Canstar Blue’s olive oil review, scoring five stars in all categories. These include taste, cooking performance, packaging, value for money and overall satisfaction.
Olive oil may be one of the most versatile and healthy oils to cook with. It can be used for frying your extra bacon brekkie, or as a salad dressing if you’re on a health kick. But not all olive oils are created equal. There are dozens of varieties available on the market like extra-virgin, light, pomace, cold-pressed and organic olive oil, plus more! You’ll also notice a difference in quality between the brands on the shelf. If you don’t want to waste ‘olive your time’ trying to crack the code on olive oil, we’ve done the hard yards for you!
This year, we surveyed more than 1,200 Australian consumers on the olive oil they purchased in the last six months. Brands were rated on taste, cooking performance, packaging, value for money and overall satisfaction. Those that received the minimum sample size (30 responses) are featured in our report.
Our latest ratings saw Squeaky Gate grease up Aussies with its range of olive oils, achieving five stars and rating best across the board. It was also the only brand to receive full marks in any category.
Here are the best brands of olive oil in Australia, as rated by consumers in Canstar Blue’s latest review:
Squeaky Gate was on fire in Canstar Blue’s 2021 olive oil ratings, rating best across the board. Most other brands sizzled on four stars for overall satisfaction, except for Woolworths which rounded up the scores on three stars.
Squeaky Gate says it’s opening Aussie households to ‘honest cooking’ with its range of extra virgin olive oil. Part of what makes its products popular, according to the brand, is the fact its olives are harvested and cold pressed by Aussie growers. Squeaky Gate keeps its selection simple with three versatile options:
Squeaky Gate olive oil is available in 375ml and 750ml bottles, plus in a 3L tin for The All Rounder.
La Española may have originated in Spain, but the brand has firmly established itself as the olive oil of choice for many Australian households. Exclusively stocked by Coles supermarkets, La Española offers a good range of high-quality extra virgin olive oils with a few product options to choose from, including:
A 500ml bottle of La Española extra virgin olive oil costs about $9.50 from Coles supermarkets. You can alternatively get 1L tins for $7.50, 4L tins for $27 or 100ml bottles for $3.
From tree to table, Cobram Estate says it makes top-quality extra virgin olive oils using the freshest and antioxidant-rich olives. The brand provides a wide assortment of extra virgin olive oil products across its Everyday Essentials, Meal Starters, Infusions and Ultra Premium ranges. Here are some popular products from the brand:
Prices for Cobram Estate products usually start from $6.50 for an extra virgin olive oil spray (225g) and reach up to $45 for a 3L tin.
Moro makes 100% Spanish extra virgin, cold-extracted olive oil for every home and occasion. The brand also offers grapeseed oil products and vinegars for cooking. Its extra virgin olive oil range is said to have a trademark traditional taste and quality to it, with classic and herb-infused options available. Here’s a selection from the range:
A 250ml bottle of infused garlic extra virgin olive oil will usually cost $5.50 in most supermarkets, with prices reaching up to $31.50 for a 4L tin of Moro Primero extra virgin olive oil.
Bertolli olive oils are said to have a distinct, intense, full-bodied, traditional Italian flavour and are made with quality ingredients. Bertolli organic extra virgin olive oil is exclusively stocked in Woolies supermarkets and produced using organic farming standards. Bertolli’s range offers different olive oil products for all occasions, including:
A 750ml bottle of Bertolli extra virgin olive oil can set you back $13 at Woolies.
Coles offers a variety of budget-friendly alternatives to popular olive oil and extra virgin olive oil products, most of which are available in either a 500ml or 1L bottle. For something a little different, the supermarket stocks extra virgin avocado oil in a smaller 250ml bottle. Other options on the shelves include:
The supermarket range starts from $2.15 for the Coles Extra Olive Oil spray or $3 for the 500ml bottled variety and goes up to $7 for 1L options.
Monini has come a long way since the business began in Italy in the 1920s, now offering a versatile selection of oils to households across the globe. This includes a wide offering of various products including its everyday range of extra virgin olive oil, plus 100% Italian extra virgin olive oil, regular olive oil and an organic variety. Monini also sells a number of DOP and IGP oils, described as extra virgin olive oil that features unique characteristics relating to a territory in Europe. Some products include:
Prices start from $8 for a 750ml and can go up to $12 for a 500ml alternative of Monini olive oil.
Red Island is said to be known for its premium extra virgin olive oil made from Aussie-grown olives. The brand’s products are claimed to be Australian Extra Virgin Certified, 100% natural and cold pressed without using any heat or chemicals. This apparently helps retain antioxidants and healthy unsaturated fats. Most Red Island extra virgin olive oil products are available in a range of packs and sizes. Here’s a small product selection from the Red Island range:
A 150g Red Island oil spray costs $5, with prices for bottled options starting from around $7 for 500ml.
Woolworths Select is the supermarket’s brand of mid-range household and kitchen products. Woolworths Select has a selection of various cooking oils available, including sunflower, canola, coconut and even rice bran oil. The brand offers two olive oil product options, including:
Prices for Woolies Select olive oil start from $4.00 for 500ml.
Woolworths has a small range of homebrand cooking oils available in stores and online. The supermarket giant’s range of cooking oils includes sunflower, canola and olive oil products at low prices compared to commercial brands. Woolworths has a small selection of extra virgin olive oil products, including:
Prices for Woolies’ extra virgin olive oil start from $2.20 for 150g.
Well, first work out which type of olive oil you’re most likely to use based on what you’re dishing up. Here are the main varieties of olive oils and what they’re best used for:
The difference between the varieties comes down to how the olives are harvested and how the oil is extracted using different smoke points. As a general rule, extra virgin olive oil is the least processed, which is why it’s generally considered the healthiest member of the olive oil family.
If you’re after the freshest olive oil, look at locally-produced options as they’re generally better than the imported varieties which are kept in storage for longer. And keep your eye out for the Australian Olive Association (AOA) certified logo on any product packaging, plus the harvest date which should also be displayed.
You can also use our olive oil review as a starting point to see how consumers rate different brands on the market on factors like taste and even value for money. Enjoy!
This report was written by Canstar Blue’s home & lifestyle journalist, Tahnee-Jae Lopez-Vito. She’s an expert on household appliances, grooming products and all things grocery and shopping. In addition to translating our expert research into consumer-friendly ratings reports, Tahnee spends her time helping consumers make better-informed purchase decisions on all manner of consumer goods and services, while highlighting the best deals and anything you need to be aware of.
Our latest olive oil ratings saw Squeaky Gate rated best in every category:
Canstar Blue surveyed more than 3,000 Australian adults across a range of categories to measure and track customer satisfaction, via ISO 26362 accredited research panels managed by Qualtrics. The outcomes reported are the results from customers within the survey group who have purchased and used cooking (olive oil) from a supermarket or grocer within the last six months – in this case, 1,223 people.
Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included. Results are comparative and it should be noted that brands receiving three stars have still achieved a satisfaction measure of at least six out of 10. Not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The ratings table is first sorted by star ratings and then by mean overall satisfaction. A rated brand may receive a ‘N/A’ (Not Applicable) rating if it does not receive the minimum number of responses for that criteria.
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