There’s not much quite like a drizzle of good olive oil over pasta, soup, or even a slice of crusty bread. If you have one olive oil for cooking and another for finishing (in other words, adding a flourish of flavor and color before serving), it’s a special experience. Special olive oil should have a special container. Enter the olive oil dispenser.
To help you find the best olive oil dispensers to up your kitchen game, we sent top-rated dispensers to our experienced product tester. Each one was carefully tested during hours of home kitchen testing and used to drizzle while cooking, assessed on the freshness of olive oil, and cleaned thoroughly. The dispensers were then all rated on design, capacity, ease of use, ease of cleaning, and overall value.
Best Overall
Emile Henry Oil Cruet
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- Beautiful and durable
- Lots of color choices
- Clay exterior keeps light from spoiling oil inside
- Cork on spout breaks easily
Emile Henry has been making olive oil dispensers in France since the 1850s and the quality of this ceramic bottle shows it. It has a clean, classic silhouette, and there are many color options available, from shades of red and pink to earth tones to bright springy hues.
Furthermore, the high-fired Burgundian clay this is made from is extremely durable. It promises not to scratch or crack, and it’s dishwasher safe. Not only does the clay keep the bottle itself safe from harm, but it helps preserve the taste of the olive oil inside.
We noted that the cork on the spout tends to be delicate, so it’s important to take caution when pulling it in and out of the bottle. Luckily, it seems if you reach out to the manufacturer about a broken spout, they’ll send you a new one with no issues.
Capacity: 15.2 ounces | Material: Ceramic | Cleaning: Dishwasher safe
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Best Budget
Zulay Olive Oil Dispenser Bottle
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- Will protect your olive oil from light
- Easy to use
- Excellent spout flow
- Not as distinctive as others
At first glance, this bottle may look like a regular store-bought olive oil bottle without a label, but that’s a good thing. The thick, dark glass, which is shatter-resistant, will protect the liquid gold inside from UV rays, keeping it fresh for longer. When we tested this bottle, we loved that the olive oil tasted fresh and flavorful after being stored in this bottle for a few days. This bottle also comes with interchangeable accessories, including one plain pouring spout, one pouring spout with a dust cap, one funnel, two black caps, and two inner cork pieces.
It’s designed for minimal hassle, no drips, and no fuss, and our tester confirmed this to be true. The spout flow is perfect for both drizzling and pouring smoothly pouring olive oil into a bowl or pan with control. It’s also easy to clean: Just pop it in the dishwasher.
Though it has a subtle design, if you’re looking for a quality and minimalistic dispenser you can depend on for all of your oil needs, that’s pretty easy on your wallet; this is your bottle. Overall, this olive oil dispenser won us over as one of our favorites for its quality and versatility.
Capacity: 17 ounces | Material: Dark glass | Cleaning: Dishwasher safe
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Best Ceramic
3 Points Pottery Ceramic Olive Oil Cruet
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- Handmade and easy to customize
- Large capacity
- Spout has a great flow
- May take a while to arrive if customized
If you’re looking for something beautiful and handmade for your kitchen, you probably already know that someone on Etsy has your back. This ceramic olive oil cruet is hand-thrown in Utah and is available in both a standard design and several customized options. It comes in a range of primary colors: white, grey, bronze, and matte black. You also get to choose the type of spout you prefer, including a weighted spout or a more traditional flip-top spot.
We enjoyed this ceramic bottle that kept the olive oil safe from harsh sunlight and noted how well the spout worked without letting too much oil out at once. When the bottle needs a clean, it’s easy to throw in the dishwasher to wash away any oil residue. This bottle preserves oil well and pulls off both a rustic and modern look flawlessly that’ll have your friends asking you where they can purchase one for themselves.
If you choose to create a custom-made model, it will take longer to deliver than something from a big warehouse, but it will be an item that you cherish for a good while.
Capacity: 18 ounces | Material: Ceramic | Cleaning: Dishwasher safe
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Best Stainless Steel
Flyboo Olive Oil Dispenser
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- Large capacity
- Easy to clean
- Lid for the spout avoids accidental spills
- Shows smudges easily
- Spout flow is a bit too fast
Sometimes simplicity is key, especially with kitchen appliances and accessories. If you’re a fan of stainless steel in your kitchen or are just looking for a reliable and versatile dispenser that can hold a large volume of oil, Flyboo’s Stainless Steel Olive Oil Dispenser is your best bet.
This dispenser comes in three sizes: 17 ounces, 24 ounces, and 34 ounces. It also has a lid to cover the spout when you’re not using it to prevent dust from getting inside the bottle. We noted since the spout is bigger than many of the other ones tested, a larger volume of oil comes out at once, so you’ll need to be careful, especially if you’re using it to drizzle vegetables.
As might be expected with stainless steel, we also noticed a very slight change in the taste of the olive oil after storing it in this dispenser, but it wasn’t a negative flavor. Also, given the material, it does tend to smudge and show fingerprints. The bottle is dishwasher-safe. When tested, it came out of the dishwasher glistening with no watermarks. All in all, if stainless steel is your jam, then this is a solid dispenser to have on hand.
Capacity: 17, 24, and 34 ounces | Material: Stainless Steel | Cleaning: Dishwasher safe
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Best Copper
Olipac Chic Olive Oil Dispenser
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- Beautiful color
- Good spout flow for drizzling
- Compact size
- Surface scratches easily
Copper is having a moment, and with its beautiful color and shine, it’s easy to understand why. Olipac’s Chic Copper Olive Oil Dispenser is an excellent option if you’re looking for a copper accent for your kitchen or dining room.
This sleek dispenser holds up to 16.9 ounces of oil or dressing and will add a chic pop of color to your dining room table. The spout is slower at dispensing the liquid inside, so it’s best used for drizzling, but a higher volume comes out with a bit of shake. The bottle itself is very lightweight, even filled with olive oil. Since it’s tall and thin, it’s easy to fit on countertops with limited space.
One downside is that it’s prone to scratching due to the design, so make sure to take extra care when handling and storing. Luckily, it’s dishwasher safe, and we noted no new scratches after the dishwasher cycle ended.
Capacity: 16.9 ounces | Material: Stainless Steel | Cleaning: Dishwasher safe
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Best Glass
Symple Stuff Oil/Vinegar Cruet
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- Unique and fun design
- Holds both oil and vinegar
- Easy to fill
- Clear glass won’t protect oil from light
For those who love an old-timey Italian American restaurant aesthetic, you’ll love this Single Oil/Vinegar Cruet. The outer chamber holds 8.5 ounces of liquid, and the grape-shaped inner chamber (ostensibly for vinegar) holds 2.7 ounces. The bad news is that clear glass will not protect your olive oil, and if you don’t use it quickly, it may go rancid. The good news is that the bottle is cute, budget-friendly, and practical if you use olive oil with vinegar more often than not. If you love it and aren’t fussy about your olive oil, we say go for it.
Capacity: 8.5 ounces outer, 2.7 ounces inner | Material: Clear glass | Cleaning: Hand wash
Final Verdict
Our top spot goes to the Emile Henry Oil Cruet thanks to the durability, protection, and wide range of beautiful colors. If you’re not sold on the whole olive oil dispenser thing but would like to try it out, the Zulay Olive Oil Dispenser Bottle is inexpensive and will serve you well.
How We Tested
We tested the selected olive oil dispensers for hours in a kitchen the most authentic results. We rated these dispensers based on design, capacity, ease of use, ease of cleaning, and overall value. Testing was conducted by drizzling oil while cooking, assessing the freshness and flavor of the oil after storing in the dispenser, and cleaning the bottle according to manufacturer instructions.
What to Look for in an Olive Oil Dispenser
Price
Because olive oil dispensers aren’t strictly necessary, it’s really up to you how much you want to spend. As such, you may want to go with something especially budget-friendly. Most olive oil dispensers start at around $20, though you can find them for even less.
Or, because it’s not strictly necessary, you may want to go the opposite route and spend some time and money finding a piece that fits your aesthetic perfectly. You can spend as much as $100 on a special vintage or handmade olive oil dispenser—or even more.
Ease of Use
You may be thinking, “How hard could an olive oil dispenser be to use?” Well, hopefully not at all. All of our picks were chosen because they are simple to use, but if you’re considering another type, make sure to read the reviews. If a spout or top is poorly designed, you may find that drizzling olive oil becomes a more complicated task than it should be. It’s also worth considering the capacity and whether it will fit in whichever nook of your kitchen that you intend to stash it in.
Protection
Light, heat, and oxygen degrade olive oil, so it’s important to find a dispenser that will protect it from all of the above. If you prefer a clear glass dispenser, that’s fine. Just know that your olive oil won’t stay fresh for as long as it would in something darker or opaque.
We don’t recommend keeping your olive oil on (or near) your stove, as the heat will degrade it much more quickly. That said, if you do plan on keeping your dispenser on your stove, make sure that it’s heat-safe. The best place for storage is in a cool, dark place.
Aesthetic
This is, of course, totally subjective. Ideally, your olive oil dispenser will be something that you enjoy looking at and using. There are a wide range of options at varying prices, so it’s worth making sure that you’ve found something you love.
FAQs
How do you clean an olive oil dispenser?
Most of our picks are dishwasher friendly, but some you will need to hand wash.
If you’re washing by hand, your approach will depend a bit on how often it’s cleaned. If you clean it often, a grease-cutting detergent, like Dawn, and warm water should do it. Just put a few drops of soap in, and then let it sit for five minutes or more. Hold your finger on the top and shake.
If it’s a more heavy-duty job, add a few drops of distilled vinegar into the shaken mixture. Some recommend throwing a few grains of rice in as an abrasive when shaking. There are also thin brushes that may work. Check on the size of your dispenser, but many recommend the Desin Long Straw Brush.
How often should you clean an olive oil dispenser?
This depends a bit on whether you’re using the same olive oil each time or if you switch between different brands/origins for your olive oil. If you’re switching types, clean your dispenser. If you’re using the same type of oil, just make sure to sniff it between uses. If it smells like fresh, aromatic olive oil, you’re fine. If it’s smelling a little rancid, it’s time for a cleaning.
Why use an olive oil dispenser?
You could just use your olive oil bottle, sure. If you choose a dispenser that’s darker or sealed more effectively than your original oil bottle, though, your olive oil could stay fresh for longer. If you’re using a clear glass dispenser, that won’t be the case, but, if you enjoy the aesthetic of your dispenser, it’s worth it.
