Value4Money: We rate and compare four seasonal favourites:

Dunnes Stores Baker's Basket Hot Cross Buns

€1.06 for 350g, €3.02 per kg

Highs: These taste pretty good but it's the price that makes them stand head and shoulders above the competition. They were the cheapest buns tried even before the buy-one-get-one-free offer running last weekend was factored in. With the special offer they cost just over 13 cent a bun or €1.51 per kg. They're also the most sturdy and hearty-looking and retain their shape well when cut and buttered. They're quite filling and, as might be expected from a brown bread bun, have a higher fibre content than the others.

Lows: If you're not partial to mixed peel then you'd be as well off steering clear of these as the chunks of it are absolutely massive. There are only four buns in the packet, which might cause difficulties unless you plan to wolf the lot alone.

Verdict: The hearty, good-value option

Star rating: ***

Tesco White Hot Cross Buns

€1.59 for 420g, €3.79 per kg

Highs: If PriceWatch's experience is anything to go by, the weekend before Easter is the time to buy your hot cross buns as major outlets seemed to be giving some away for nothing. Like the offering from Dunnes Stores, these were on special and a second packet was free, making them pretty good value (although still not as cheap as the Dunnes option). They are filled with fruit, are quite sugary and have a nice cinnamon kick.

Lows: They also have the highest calorie count, by a small margin. In fact, with the slight sugar glaze, they are more like sweet sticky buns than hot cross buns. They are prone to losing their shape quite dramatically and were next to impossible to butter.

Verdict: Cheap but trying

Star rating: ***

Sunblest Hot Cross Buns

€1.59 for 350g, €4.54 per kg

Highs: While some of the other buns are made with just 14 per cent dried fruit, these have 20 per cent sultanas, raisins and currants in the mix and taste all the better for it. They're very light and have a lovely cinnamon taste. Maybe it's the airiness but the six buns look a good bit bigger than the rest. These are the only brand tried that aren't tied to a single supermarket, so should be more widely available.

Lows: They are, however, considerably more expensive than some of the competition. And while all the light airiness is to be commended, one down side was revealed when these were introduced to butter - they almost immediately fell apart. And despite poring over the packaging for some hours PriceWatch was unable to find a net weight anywhere so had to resort to a kitchen scales to determine the weight.

Verdict: Delicate and dear

Star rating: ****

Marks & Spencer Classic Hot Cross Buns

€1.29 for 260g, €4.96 per kg

Highs: If you were to go by the buns PriceWatch ate, you'd be left with the distinct impression that M&S had been really stingy with the pieces of fruit. However, a quick look at the list of ingredients reveals a fruit count of 20 per cent, so maybe the buns we tried were at the back of the queue when the sultanas were being doled out. They were quite nice and moist and, while the other brands reviewed were perfectly fresh, these tasted somehow fresher.

Lows: The spices, while discernible, are perhaps a little bit too subtle. They're also the most expensive of the brands tried and will be hard for many people to source.

Verdict: Dear and dull.

Star rating: **