The Best Cooking Oils: 15 Kinds and Their Uses
Every cooking oil has three things to know: a smoke point (the temperature at which it starts to break down), a flavor profile, and a best use. Choosing the wrong oil ruins a meal in two different ways. Too low a smoke point and the oil burns, off-flavors the food, and produces unhealthy compounds. Too neutral a flavor where you want a strong note and the dish loses character. Here are the 15 most useful kitchen oils.
Quick Reference
- For high-heat frying: avocado oil (500°F), ghee (485°F), refined safflower (510°F).
- For sautéing: olive oil, canola, avocado, grapeseed, sunflower.
- For salad dressings: extra virgin olive, walnut, sesame, flaxseed.
- For baking: melted butter, vegetable oil, coconut oil, light olive oil.
- Avoid for high heat: extra virgin olive (375°F), flaxseed (225°F), butter (350°F).
- Storage: all oils degrade with light and heat. Store in dark glass or metal, away from the stove.
15 Cooking Oils and Their Best Uses
1. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Smoke point ~375°F. Strong, fruity, peppery flavor. Best for finishing, salad dressings, low-heat sautéing, drizzling. Do not deep-fry; the flavor cooks off and the high cost is wasted.
2. Light/Refined Olive Oil
Smoke point ~465°F. Neutral flavor, milder than EVOO. Good for general cooking, baking, frying.
3. Avocado Oil
Smoke point ~500°F. Light, slightly buttery flavor. Excellent for high-heat searing, roasting, frying. Premium price but worth it for high heat.
4. Canola Oil
Smoke point ~400°F. Neutral. Common kitchen workhorse for general sautéing and baking. Inexpensive.
5. Vegetable Oil (usually soybean)
Smoke point ~400°F. Neutral. Same role as canola; widespread, cheap, all-purpose.
6. Sunflower Oil
Smoke point ~440°F (high-oleic ~450°F). Light, neutral. Good for frying.
7. Safflower Oil
Smoke point ~450-510°F (refined). Very neutral, high smoke point. Good for high-heat cooking, frying.
8. Grapeseed Oil
Smoke point ~420°F. Light, neutral. Good for sautéing, salad dressings, mayonnaise.
9. Coconut Oil
Smoke point ~350°F (unrefined), ~400°F (refined). Distinct coconut flavor unrefined; neutral when refined. Excellent for baking, sautéing, and curries.
10. Butter
Smoke point ~350°F. Rich, dairy flavor. Best for finishing, sautéing low and slow, baking.
11. Ghee (Clarified Butter)
Smoke point ~485°F. Deep nutty butter flavor without the milk solids. Excellent for high-heat cooking, Indian recipes, finishing.
12. Sesame Oil
Smoke point ~410°F (toasted ~350°F). Toasted sesame oil has strong, nutty flavor; use as finishing oil for Asian dishes. Plain sesame oil has high smoke point for stir-frying.
13. Peanut Oil
Smoke point ~450°F. Slightly nutty. Excellent for deep-frying (especially turkey and Asian dishes).
14. Walnut Oil
Smoke point ~320°F. Deep, nutty, distinctive. Finishing oil only. Refrigerate after opening.
15. Flaxseed Oil
Smoke point ~225°F. Strong, almost grassy flavor. Never cook with flaxseed oil. Use as a finishing drizzle for cold dishes or salad dressings. Refrigerate; rancid quickly.
Storage and Shelf Life
- Light, heat, and air degrade all oils. Store in dark glass, metal containers, or the original packaging in a cool, dark cabinet.
- Refrigerate: walnut, flaxseed, and any nut oil. Most others stay fine at room temperature.
- Shelf life: sealed olive oil 2 years, vegetable oils 1-2 years, nut oils 6 months refrigerated. After opening, most oils degrade faster; use within 6 months.
- Smell test. Rancid oil smells like paint, putty, or cardboard. Trust your nose.
Related Articles
For deep dives, see our guides on ghee (the clarified butter that’s healthier than butter) and lard (the old cooking fat that’s making a comeback).
Join the Discussion!
What is your kitchen workhorse oil? Tell us in the comments.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the highest smoke point cooking oil?
Refined safflower oil (~510°F) and avocado oil (~500°F) top the list. Both work for very high-heat cooking.
Should I cook with extra virgin olive oil?
For sautéing at low to medium heat, yes. For deep-frying or high-heat sear, no; the flavor cooks off and you waste the EVOO premium.
Is coconut oil good for cooking?
Yes. Unrefined coconut oil has a coconut flavor that works well in curries, baking, and tropical dishes. Refined coconut oil is neutral and works for sautéing.
What’s the difference between refined and unrefined oils?
Refined oils are filtered, deodorized, and processed; they have higher smoke points but less flavor. Unrefined oils are cold-pressed; they keep their flavor but have lower smoke points and shorter shelf life.
Can I reuse cooking oil?
Yes, with care. Strain after use, store in a sealed jar in the fridge, and check for off-smell before reusing. Most cooking oils can be reused 2-3 times for frying before discarding.
Melissa Mayntz
Melissa Mayntz is a writer who specializes in birds and birding, though her work spans a wide range—from folklore to healthy living. Her first book, Migration: Exploring the Remarkable Journeys of Birds was published in 2020. Mayntz also writes for National Wildlife Magazine and The Spruce. Find her at MelissaMayntz.com.
- Melissa Mayntz
- Melissa Mayntz
- Melissa Mayntz
- Melissa Mayntz
Canola (rapeseed) oil is horrible for your health. If you use corn oil, it better be organic or it’s GMO. Vegetable oil contains both of these, so you don’t want to use it. Please do your own research from reliable natural health sources!
How about cotton seed oil?
A printable version of this article would be great.
I’m sorry, I feel that your article is not very informative. Additionally, you left out some of the most common oils. Soybean oil, for instance (you grouped it together with a blended Vegetable oil). I use soybean oil as my “go to” general purpose oil. It has a very neutral taste, a fairly high burn temperature, it is trans fat free, cholesterol free and contains ALA Omega 3 fatty acids. You gave Canola oil praise, yet I feel that it is used often because it is one of the cheaper oils, and has a fairly high burn temperature. My experience with it is that has a noticeable viscose after effect on the mouth and tongue.
You forgot lard and tallow.
Hi David,
We do have a great story on lard – https://www.farmersalmanac.com/what-lard but not tallow. Thanks for your suggestions.