Friday, December 9th
2022 Olive Oil Club Reviews
Kosterina
- Priced from $57.50 per delivery
- All olive oil is from southern Greece
- Free shipping
- Choose deliveries every month, every other month, or quarterly
- Available for addresses in the continental US
- In business since 2016
Kosterina got its start in 2016, the brainchild of Katerina and Kostas Mountanos (hence the name "Kost-" and "-terina" ). Inspired by the freshness and flavor of the EVOO pressed from their families' olive trees in southern Greece, the couple decided to partner with farmers in that area to bring a premium Greek olive oil to the US marketplace.
Early harvest Greek olive oil
All of the oil you'll get in this club is an early harvest Koroneiki EVOO, with a polyphenol content of 400 mg/kg (or more) at the time it was produced. That's almost eight times higher than the 55 mg/kg threshold required for an oil to receive the "extra virgin" label.
How do you use olive oil?
There are two olive oil options in Kosterina: Original and Everyday. What's the difference? You'll want to choose Original if your main use of olive oil is dipping and finishing, while the Everyday option is best for cooking, baking, roasting and grilling.
No variety from month to month
Unlike most olive oil clubs we reviewed, your Kosterina subscription won't bring a new variety to sample every month. Whichever type you choose - Original, Everyday, or both - that's what will come each time (but always with the newest available harvest, of course).
Subscription options
Here are Kosterina's subscription options:
- Three 500 mL bottles of Original: $79
- Six 500mL bottles of Original: $149
- Three 500mL bottles of Everyday: $57.50
- Six 500mL bottles of Everyday: $112
Monthly, bimonthly, or quarterly shipments
You can decide if you want your deliveries to come every month, every other month, or quarterly. That also lets you mix and match your oils by choosing two different subscriptions and lengths: maybe you want the higher-end oil less frequently because you tend to use EVOO most often for roasting vegetables and not for dipping. No problem. Just be aware that this club currently ships within the continental US only (not Alaska or Hawaii).
Free shipping in the continental US
You can save 10% on your first order of $50+ if you enter your email address when the pop-up offer comes up as you visit the Kosterina site. However, most of the time, that discount applies to an a la carte purchase and not to a club membership - but go ahead and give the code a try at checkout. Shipping is free on all configurations of this olive oil club.
Not for gift-giving
Also, during checkout you'll see options to add extras like crushed fruit or balsamic vinegar. What's missing from the process is any opportunity to send the olive oil club as a gift. Yes, you can enter one address for billing and another for shipping, but Kosterina doesn't have any obvious way to hide the cost, add a gift note, or any other common gift-giving feature.
Plenty of perfect ratings
The biggest question is "how does it taste?" With Kosterina being so new, it's a fair question. No worries there: at the time of our evaluation, the Original Olive Oil alone had nearly 700 reviews averaging a perfect 5/5 stars. People complimented the fruity-yet-peppery flavor, described it as the perfect enhancement to many foods, and said that it's one of the best EVOOs they've ever had.
Good impression of customer service
Customers also have good things to say about Kosterina's customer service. While the company doesn't spell out a specific satisfaction guarantee, they want their clients to be happy and invite them to reach out for any reason. Based on all of the positive feedback from Kosterina buyers, we doubt you'll have any issues (unless something gets broken in transit or some other one-off problem).
Best suited for those who only want Greek olive oil
If you're a big fan of Greek olive oil and want to make sure you always have some high-quality oil on hand, Kosterina is an easy, affordable way to keep it coming. For that type of customer, Kosterina will probably be the best olive oil club out there. On the other hand, for people who like to sample a variety of oils from different producers, multiple regions of the world, and so on - or for gifting a membership to a foodie like that - Kosterina won't be the right fit.
More Olive Oil Club Reviews
The 10 Best Olive Oil Clubs
Which Olive Oil Club is the Best?
Stop for a moment to consider the olive itself: it's a fruit! Would you want fruit juice that traveled for months on a cargo ship, sat on shelves for even longer, only to finally reach your breakfast table? Of course not. Why, then, are we surprised when we get olive oil from our local grocery store and it doesn't exactly taste fresh? Do we even know what truly fresh olive oil tastes like?
Olive oil clubs are an excellent way to find out. These clubs source the best varieties from California to Calabria, and they eliminate many of the steps in the delivery process so that this year's harvest can be on your pasta, salad, and breadsticks within a few months of production. Just be prepared: first-timers are often shocked at the difference in flavor. The fresher the olive oil, the more likely it will feel peppery in the back of your throat, often with a noticeably grassy taste. That's how you know it's good!
Olive Oil Club FAQ
Continued from above...
How does an olive oil club work? It's easy: you choose how much olive oil you want, where you'd like it to come from, and how often you want to receive it. It's as simple as that. Whether you're buying it for your own pantry or giving it as an amazing gift to your favorite foodie, you can find a membership that's just the right fit.
You might be surprised to see just how many olive oil clubs are out there. Which one should you pick? Here are some things to think about as you decide:
- Origin. Do you have a strong preference for olive oil from a particular place? You could have ancestral ties to Greece, or be a devoted Italian food-lover. Or maybe you like your oil to come from olives grown right in the USA. Some clubs include oils from various parts of the world, while others focus on just one country of origin (or even a specific region within a country).
- Variety. Do you want different olive oils to sample? If so, do you prefer to have one different selection with each delivery, or to get multiple flavors in the same box?
- Quantity. How much olive oil do you use in a month (or in the timeframe you plan to subscribe)? If you're not a big home chef or you're just dabbling in olive oils for the first time, you might not want to choose the club that sends you a 3L pantry pack. You don't want to get more olive oil than you'll use before it loses its freshness.
- Extras. What comes with your olive oil subscription? This is a good question if you're giving the club as a gift. Some clubs include a fun-and-factual newsletter with each delivery, and a few come with perks like a dipping plate, breadsticks, or even exclusive access to tasting parties and cooking classes.
- Satisfaction guarantee. You'll see it all when it comes to olive oil clubs. On one end of the spectrum, there are companies that give you a no-questions-asked refund or reshipment if there's a problem. On the other end, there are olive oil clubs that have a firm "all sales final'' policy, or that make you pay for package insurance to get your money back if your delivery is lost, stolen, or damaged. How well does the membership provider take care of its customers?
There are lots of olive oil clubs out there, and TopConsumerReviews.com has evaluated and ranked today's most popular subscriptions to help you get the one that's right for you. Bon appetit!
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