Aldi Vs Costco Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Which Is The Better Value?

Some people might think olive oil is just olive oil, but there really is a difference from one brand to the next. Some authentic Italian olive oils, for example, have a balance of fruitiness, a touch of bitterness, and a smooth finish that's quite different from more basic store-brand olive oil. While these store-brand oils aren't as high quality as imported Italian olive oil, some stand out more than others.

Two of the more popular store chains these days are Costco and Aldi, and wouldn't you know it, they both have their own olive oil. But which one is better in terms of value? We set out to answer that question by digging into the quality, sourcing, price, and customer feedback for each, and found that Costco's olive oil is the better value. Let's break it down.

We compared Aldi olive oils before and did the same with Costco olive oils. Aldi's best is the Specially Selected Sicilian Extra Virgin Olive Oil while our favorite from Costco is the Kirkland Signature Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Starting with price, the Specially Selected oil costs $12.35 for a 16.9 ounce bottle, which comes to 73 cents per ounce. Meanwhile, the Kirkland Signature oil comes in a 2-liter bottle (67.6 ounces) and sells for $20.99 online. It's significantly larger than the Aldi product, but the value here is a home run at just 31 cents per ounce.

Costco has the better value in terms of price, but Aldi's Specially Selected EVOO is sourced from the Val Di Mazara region of western Sicily. Where the Kirkland Signature oil originates is a little foggy, but it appears to be multi-origin, so there's no PDO certification.

Both brands receive overwhelmingly positive reviews. Aldi doesn't share customer reviews on its website, but customers routinely praise the oil on Reddit, using terms such as "legit," "high quality," and saying it's a great value. Costco's version also has plenty of solid feedback, demonstrated by its 4.8 rating on the Costco website with more than 6,500 reviews. Consumer Reports gave the Aldi bottle a four out of five, making it better for finishing dishes. The Costco oil received three out of five, making it more ideal for cooking.

Again, we give the nod to Costco when factoring in all the variables to determine which brand offers the best value. Aldi's olive oil is definitely more authentic, and scores slightly better from professional reviews, but Costco's offering isn't that far off in quality — and the price is just out of this world in terms of value. At $21 for 67 ounces, you can cook with the same bottle for quite a while. You can't go wrong with either brand, but based on overall value, Costco's Kirkland Signature Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil slightly outshines Aldi's Specially Selected Sicilian Extra Virgin Olive Oil.