Value for money

Hellmann's
€1.99 for for 235ml

This is from a one of the most recognisable brands in the dressing business and is almost certainly the most widely available one we tried. It comes in a no-frills plastic bottle with a very wide spout so the risk of over-pouring is very real, not least because it lacks the thickness of its rivals. It actually tastes surprisingly nice – the balsamic vinegar isn't half bad and there is a small amount of extra virgin olive oil in the mix. It is by no means a high-end product but then again Hellmann's makes no claims that it is.

Verdict: Well-dressed
Star rating: ****



Weight Watchers
€1.99 for 250 ml

We approached this with a heavy heart not having had the most pleasant experiences of WeightWatchers in the past. We were surprised. It was not as bad as anticipated. It did not, however, taste anything like any balsamic dressing we have ever come across – not least because all the oil has been taken out – that's how they got the fat reduction, we're guessing. It tastes weirdly like runny brown sauce – now we like brown sauce as much as the next consumer-focused page, we're just not entirely convinced we want to drown our salad leaves it in.

Verdict: Surprising
Star rating: ***



Marks & Spencer
€1.89 for 200ml

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Marks & Spencer

While we were wary of the WeightWatchers dressing, we were pretty sure M&S would deliver the goods, as it generally does. This meant the poor quality of this product was all the more crushing. It is an insipid mess of watery greasiness. There is a lot of olive oil in here – which should be a good thing – but too much sunflower oil has robbed this of flavour. It is quite thick and does coat leaves quite well but it is a long way from the top 100 M&S products we have ever tried.

Verdict: Disappointing
Star rating: **




Tesco Finest
€2.35 for 225ml

This is more like it. It has five times less olive oil than the M&S dressing, which should cause it some difficulties but it actually enhances the overall product. This is by far the tastiest of the dressings we tried – it has a lovely Dijon mustard flavour and a nice peppery kick. It has a thick and smooth texture and it clings well to everything it comes in contact with, including, sadly, a white linen shirt. If anything there are too many flavours competing for our attention and there is a real danger this dressing would move from being a side show to the main event in a summer salad.

Verdict: High end
Star rating: ****