Why Costco's Kirkland Signature Olive Oil Isn't Fit For Drizzling

Costco's Kirkland Signature extra virgin olive oil is so overwhelmingly popular, you might not know that the warehouse chain also sells regular olive oil under the Kirkland name. While not as fancy as the EVOO, this product has its own merits, including a lower price — but don't be tempted to swap it in for drizzling or dipping, or you'll be unpleasantly surprised. In our taste test of Kirkland olive oils, we found the regular Kirkland Signature olive oil has a very tame character that wouldn't do much as a finishing drizzle on your dishes.

The best finishing olive oils vary in their tasting notes, but all boast a fresh and fragrant aroma; rich but not greasy texture; and complex flavors ranging from fruity to peppery and grassy. Our taste tester thought Kirkland Signature olive oil completely lacked these traits with a runny consistency, lack of fragrance, and mild taste that landed it in second-to-last place. With a pale color instead of a rich, golden hue, this product won't even look that appealing when drizzled onto salads, pastas, or meats. At about $6.50 per liter, it's the cheapest Costco-branded olive oil, but you get what you pay for in terms of complexity.

To be fair, Kirkland Signature olive oil is a refined olive oil, which is much different than unrefined, extra virgin types that have the best flavor. This puts it at a fundamental disadvantage when evaluated for drizzling. However, it's far from useless and actually beats the Kirkland EVOO in some applications.

Contrary to what some cooks believe, extra virgin olive oil isn't the best to use 100% of the time. While it is a huge olive oil myth that cooking with EVOO is dangerous, heating up a high-quality product can destroy its finer tasting notes, not to mention it's a waste of money to use it in dishes where the flavor won't stand out.

This is why products like the Kirkland Signature olive oil aren't necessarily a bad buy. Our taste tester noted that its affordability and neutral flavor can be a plus when you want to use lots of oil, use it in high-heat applications, or allow the other flavors in a dish to shine. With its lower price, you won't feel bad about using a lot for frying, and it forms a versatile base for marinades and sauces that already use flavorful ingredients. And while it might not be ideal for recipes that need a strong EVOO taste, like dark chocolate olive oil cake, this Kirkland Signature product would work in other ways to bake with olive oil.

Still looking for a finishing oil? The Siurana extra virgin olive oil is a Kirkland olive oil that's better for drizzling than cooking, with a deliciously complex taste to savor by the spoonful. By learning how to cook with different types of olive oil instead of only using expensive EVOO, your dishes will taste better and you'll save money in the long run.