Value4Money

Cranberry Sauce

Ballymaloe Cranberry Sauce €2.79 for 310 grams €9 per kilo

Highs: This is probably the most widely recognised and widely available of the well-to-do offerings. It is made in Ireland and is surprisingly good value. It comes in a good-sized jar so if you're feeding more than a few people or have an unusually big appetite for this most festive of condiments, this is the one for you. Even if you're not a huge fan, it has the longest shelf life and you could probably get this Christmas and next out of it. Despite its longevity it is preservative free and has a reassuringly natural and short list of ingredients. It has a good strong taste of fresh cranberries and a nice tart kick.

Lows: The kick might be a little too exuberant for some tastes, however. Compared with some of its rivals, it has a jam-like consistency which is just a little too solid.

Verdict: Tastes good, good value.

Star rating: ****

Baxters Cranberry Sauce €1.75 for 155 grams €11.29 per kilo

Highs: This is a recognisable and easy-to-source brand which is pretty reliable. The whole berries are nice and the balance between the sweet sugary flavours and sour cranberries is about right. The jar is perfectly proportioned (or quite small) and will just about see you through the hot and cold turkey days ahead.

Lows: There is nothing remotely interesting about this sauce and while the berries are grand, the sauce is made with just 27 per cent of them. It's not as cheap as you might expect either.

Verdict: A little ordinary.

Star rating: ***

Janet's Country Fayre Cranberry Sauce €3.70 for 180 grams €20.55 per kilo

Highs: This looks and tastes like it was made on a farm in Co Wicklow which, by an amazing coincidence, it was. It is filled with whole berries untouched or undamaged by machines, has a lovely taste of whole natural fruit and smells wonderfully fresh and fruity. It looks pretty great, too. In fact, were you of a duplicitous bent, you could very easily decant this into a bowl and pass it off as your own.

Lows: While it is the nicest of the sauces tried, it is also the most expensive by a fairly substantial margin. It is the hardest of the sauces to source and PriceWatch wasn't convinced about the ye olde English spelling of Fayre.

Verdict: Deliciously home-made.

Star rating: ****

Marks & Spencer Cranberry and Port Sauce €2.99 for 250 grams €11.96 per kilo

Highs: This looks a whole lot posher than the competition, both in and out of the packaging. The sauce, which has a lovely rich colour, isn't jarred and requires reheating before it can properly adorn your Christmas dinner. The port adds a nice dimension to it.

Lows: A less nice dimension is the fact that this needs to be cooked (or heated up at the very least) adding what seems to be an entirely unnecessary task to the pre-Christmas dinner moments. Who, after all, really needs hot cranberry sauce? Its shelf life is comparatively short and you'll really have to eat it all in one sitting.

Verdict: Hot fuss?

Star rating: ***