Why You Should Avoid Amazon When Buying Olive Oil

There is no denying that Amazon is a convenient way to get just about anything you can think of delivered right to your doorstep. But perhaps there is a reason that things are said to move a bit slower in the Old Country, where the really good olive oil comes from — because what Amazon is bottling just isn't it. In our ranking of grocery store brand olive oils, Amazon's Grocery Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil came dead last, with some deeply off-putting tasting notes.

According to our taste tester who took on this olive oil ranking for Tasting Table, the second you open the bottle, the shortcomings of this Amazon olive oil begin to show. For starters, it is a pale-yellow color, which some believe to be indicative of a lower quality oil or a later pressing. Beyond the uninspiring hue, the oil also has little aroma, another black mark. But it isn't until the taste test that things really go downhill.

The light bitterness that one expects of a decent olive oil — preferably with floral or peppery notes in the background — just isn't there. All that you'll find in its place is an acrid blandness that seems to linger on the tongue longer than it should. Our taste tester wrote that the mouthfeel was every bit as bad as the flavor, reminiscent of a much lower quality olive than what the packaging claimed it to be. Instead, it may be better to use this olive oil to polish furniture than to mix it into a vinaigrette.

If you already have a bottle of the Amazon Grocery Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil waiting in your mailbox, we aren't going to tell you to toss it — and we won't tell you that you shouldn't use it either. While it is certainly not the high-quality oil that you might have hoped for upon adding it to your online cart, it isn't totally useless. In fact, plenty of folks on Amazon seem to be quite happy with it. On average, this oil is scored at 4.7 stars out of 5, with many glowing reviews attached. Really, before passing any serious judgment, you'll have to try it for yourself.

If, after a little sample, you find the oil to taste alright, then you're in business. You'll probably still want to pick up a bottle of the good stuff for places where flavor really matters, like dipping bread in olive oil or dressing greens. However, this lower-quality stuff will work just fine for frying eggs in the morning. But even if your taste buds react to this oil as negatively as our taste tester, you aren't completely out of luck.

There are plenty of ways to use olive oil in your life that doesn't involve taste. The self-care uses for olive oil include everything from employing it as a hair mask or makeup remover to a lip balm or even for shaving your legs. Alternatively, you can use it around the house to oil a creaky door hinge or refresh your cast iron collection. You may not want to buy a second bottle of the stuff, but at least these tricks keep the first one from being a complete waste.