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With so many cooking oil options available to consumers today, it is understandably confusing to choose a cooking oil. Different cooking oils come from different materials, so each one has unique flavors, nutrients, and smoking point. Of these three factors, the smoking point is the most critical factor to consider when choosing a cooking oil.

Before we proceed, it should be noted that there is no one superior cooking oil. Each chef will have different habits and goals, making the choice of cooking oil quite personal. Rather, as you learn to differentiate the cooking oils, you will find that they each suit different purposes. Ultimately, the process of choosing the “best” cooking oil is subjective and, often, situational.

What Is Smoke Point?

When we use oil in cooking, we typically wait for it to shimmer, which is an indication that it is hot enough to facilitate quick and even browning. The smoke point is the temperature when the oil stops shimmering and starts to emit smoke.

It’s important to consider an oil’s smoke point in relation to the cooking style. You should choose a cooking oil with a higher smoke point than your cooking temperature to avoid burning the oil which would then release unpleasant flavors and possibly free radicals.

Factors That Affect Smoke Point

All cooking oils have a smoke point—some have higher smoke points while others have lower smoke points. Unrefined cooking oils tend to have lower smoke points while refined cooking oils have higher smoke points. Cooking oils are extracted from vegetables, seeds, and nuts. They may or may not be refined or processed. Oils that are bottled right after extraction or pressing are sold as unrefined. They retain natural flavors, minerals, nutrients, and enzymes of their source. However, unrefined oils also tend to have lower smoke points, meaning that they get burned easily. In contrast, refined oils go through a process of filtering bleaching or heating to remove volatile compounds. This allows refined cooking oils to have a neutral flavor, longer shelf-life, and much higher smoke points.

Cooking Oils And Their Smoke Points

Here is a quick guide on the different cooking oils available on the market today, what they have to offer, their smoke points, and the cooking styles they are ideal for.

Corn Oil

Corn oil is one of the more affordable cooking oils in the market, making it a popular choice in households. Most corn oil is refined so it has a neutral flavor.

Its smoke point is 450F (232C). Given its high smoke point, corn oil can be used for frying, and almost any type of cooking.

Vegetable Oil

Vegetable oil is a combination of oils extracted from various vegetables. This is another affordable and neutral-tasting oil.

Vegetable oil has a smoke point of 400F (205C). This oil is great for frying, sautéing, and other methods that require high heat.

Canola Oil

Canola oil is quite similar to vegetable oil; however, it is extracted only from the rapeseed plant. This oil is considered to be heart-healthy because it contains monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats like omega-3 fatty acids.

Its smoke point is 400F (205C) so it can be used for a variety of high-heat cooking methods.

Sunflower Oil

Sunflower oil is another popular cooking oil because of high vitamin E content and mild taste.

It has a smoke point of 450F (230C) so it’s great for sautéing and searing.  

Grapeseed Oil

Grapeseed oil is produced from the seeds of grapes. It contains vitamin E, antioxidants, but also omega-6 fatty acids which can cause inflammation, so this oil is better consumed in smaller quantities. It has a moderately high smoke point, at 390F (198C), so it can be used in medium-heat. However, its flavor also makes it great as a finishing oil.

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

Extra-virgin olive oil is unrefined olive oil. Popular for its buttery, grassy notes, this oil contains monounsaturated fat. Its smoke point is at 350F (176C), so it can be used for medium-heat cooking methods. It is best for vinaigrettes and as a finishing oil.

Pure Olive Oil

Pure olive oil is refined olive oil. It has a more neutral taste than EVOO. It also has a higher smoke point—at 465F (240C)—so it is suitable for high-heat cooking.

Avocado Oil

Avocado oil has one of the highest smoke points among plant-based oils. Its smoke point stands at 520F (270+C). It is also high in monounsaturated fat so it’s a healthy, all-around cooking oil.

Peanut Oil

Peanut oil is high in both saturated and unsaturated fats. Unrefined peanut oil has a smoke point of 350F (176C) while refined peanut oil has a smoke point of 450F (232C). The former is good as a seasoning while the latter is great for deep frying.

Coconut Oil

Both refined and unrefined coconut oil can be used in cooking. Refined coconut oil has a neutral flavor and higher smoke point, at 450F (232C), making it suitable for frying. Meanwhile, unrefined coconut oil (virgin coconut oil) has a stronger coconut flavor and a smoke point of 350F (176C). Due to its high saturated fat content, it solidifies at room temperature, making it more suitable only for baking.

Hemp Seed Oil

Hemp seed oil has a strong nutty flavor and has a low smoke point at 330F (165C). As such, it is more suited as a finishing oil.

An oil’s smoking point is the point at which oils start to break down. In other words, the smoke point is the oil’s burning point. When this happens, the oil may release chemicals that have a burnt or bitter flavor and free radicals that are harmful to your health.

Sesame Oil

Refined sesame oil has a relatively neutral taste and a smoke point of 410F (210C). So, this oil is great for high-heat cooking methods. Unrefined sesame oil, on the other hand, has a nuttier flavor and a smoke point of 350F, so this is best as a seasoning or finishing oil.

Flaxseed Oil

Flaxseed oil contains high levels of omega-3 fatty acids. It has a nutty, earthy flavor. Its smoke point is 225F (170C) so it should not be heated. It is best for salad dressings and as a finishing oil.

Learn more essential cooking knowledge at Eat Café.