The Worst Olive Oil On Aldi's Shelves Is Also The Cheapest

Aldi has some of the most unbeatable prices of any grocery chain, and many of its private-label products are just as good as name brand counterparts. Unfortunately, not every product is up to name-brand par. This rings true especially when it comes to olive oil, as the cheapest option tends to equate with a drop in quality. We sampled six olive oils at Aldi, ranking each one according to ingredients, production, packaging, and price.

The worst olive oil on Aldi's shelves is also the cheapest bottle from Carlini. Carlini olive oil is a blend of refined olive oil and extra virgin olive oil. Refined olive oil undergoes a heat-treated process that rids the oil of impurities, and in doing so, also removes many of the nuanced flavors, aromas, and healthy antioxidants and polyphenols characteristic of unrefined, or extra virgin, olive oil. While refined olive oil has its place as a cooking oil for high-heat methods like deep-frying, Carlini olive oil is very bland with no discernible aroma. The oil blend is sourced from multiple countries, which is a red flag that indicates a lack of freshness, as olive oils in different countries are harvested at different times of year. An even bigger hazard to the flavor and benefits of Carlini's olive oil is its clear plastic bottle packaging. Your olive oil bottle color matters more than you might expect. Clear plastic exposes the olive oil to light and leaches harmful chemicals into the oil, degrading its taste and health benefits.

Many of the issues we've raised with Calini's olive oil blend should serve as red flags, informing you what not to look for in a bottle of good olive oil. Now that you know what to avoid, you should also know the cues that indicate the best bottle of olive oil. The first thing to look out for is the packaging. Instead of clear plastic, you'll want to look for olive oil in aluminum tins or dark green glass bottles. The label should also display a harvested date as well as an expiration date. The harvest date should be within the past 18 months for the freshest taste.

Whether you're using olive oil for bread dipping or to blend into your next vinaigrette, any high-quality olive oil should be extra virgin — that is, unrefined. Upon opening the bottle, there should be a discernable aroma, ranging from fruity to peppery to grassy. This aroma will translate into an earthy depth of flavor with a slightly bitter finish characteristic of any high-quality olive oil. While some of the best olive oils are pretty expensive, you can find plenty of budget-friendly olive oils on our list of the 20 best olive oils for cooking. Of course, store-brand olive oils will almost always be cheaper than name brands, and we've got plenty of recommendations for tasty store-brand olive oils, with Trader Joe's taking our top spot.