27% Of People Would Never Buy This Olive Oil

Of all the standard pantry items, it's hard to think of one more vital to home cooks than olive oil. This versatile oil — which can be fruity, nutty, buttery, or herbaceous (via Plant-Forward Kitchen) — is a great option for searing, sautéing, and roasting foods (via Serious Eats). It is also wonderful when enjoyed raw in salad dressings and sauces.

Olive oil is prized for its myriad of health benefits, which range from its high antioxidant content to its anti-inflammatory properties (via Healthline). Given the oil's versatility, desirability, and profitability, it's not surprising that there are tons of options for it on the market today, ranging from high-end luxury to affordable supermarket choices. Here at Tasting Table, we were curious which brands home cooks have found to be less than suitable, so we polled 515 people to ask that very question — and 27% of respondents said they avoid one particular brand.

While olive oil is overall an excellent choice for the kitchen — whether you're cooking with heat or simply preparing salad dressings or sauces — there are certainly a lot of duds out there when it comes to brands. Some of the supermarket olive oils we enjoy include offerings from Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, and De Cecco, but we were interested in what poll respondents counseled not to buy. More than 27% of the 515 respondents — 140 people, to be exact — named Badia olive oil as their least favorite. This oil, made from olives grown in Spanish groves, is available at large retailers like Walmart, but it may not be worth seeking out.

Coming in second place as poll respondents' least favorite olive oil was California Olive Ranch, a surprising response, given that we ranked the United States-produced oil as one of our favorite. 131 people, more than 25%, named the oil as a poor choice. Newman's Own, another well-known brand whose olives are grown in Tunisia, according to the brand's website, was chosen by nearly 22% of respondents as their least favorite olive oil, while Pompeian and Bertolli were named as non-favorites by 15% and 10% of the respondents, respectively. When it comes to olive oil, we humbly suggest seeking out bottles from Costco, Filippo Berio, and La Tourangelle instead.