The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission. Why trust us?
13 best supermarket butters to slather on your toast, taste-tested by a food writer
As the cost of butter rises, it is worth knowing which brands are worth their salt. Emma Henderson, Food writer, Wednesday 22 April 2026 09:38 BST
An easy way to make even the simplest dishes taste delicious, butter can be enjoyed slathered on bread like its own topping, melted over a jacket potato, or used for a delicious homemade baked treat. As versatile as it is tasty, the best slabs of butter belong everywhere from lunchbox sandwiches to the more sophisticated butter boards.
Like other food items, the cost of butter has risen around 19 per cent in the past year alone, so it is worth knowing which brands are worth their salt. These days, it is rare to find a block of butter (not counting the spreadable tub varieties) for under £2, with most hovering just a few pence shy of £3.
Butter is no longer criticised as it once was, leading to far more choice. Margarine used to be seen as the healthier choice because of butter’s saturated fat and its association with higher cholesterol, but today, butter is recognised as something that can be enjoyed in moderation within a balanced, healthy diet.
In fact, butter is reprising its role as kitchen stalwart, with Waitrose’s sales of its Essentials salted butter up 16 per cent compared with last year, while flavoured butter has also grown in popularity, with Worldpanel trend data showing a 24 per cent increase in UK sales over the past 12 months.
And, as the queen of cooking, Nigella Lawson shows, it is at its best on toast. I usually go for salted butter, but Nigella prefers unsalted, spreading it in two layers so the second leaves little un-melted blobs, and finishing it with a sprinkle of sea salt flakes. If her slightly more elaborate method works, plain salted butter works perfectly too (for simplicity, this guide focuses on salted butter).
If all this butter talk has piqued your appetite, read on for the top supermarket picks right now. After plenty of tasting and countless slices of toast, I have rounded up the most delicious options to add to your basket.
1. Sainsbury's Taste the Difference West Country farmhouse butter
Best supermarket butter overall
- Weight: 250g
- Place of origin: Somerset
- Salted: Yes
- Organic: No
- Why we love it: Made in Somerset, uses Maldon sea salt flakes, less than £3
From Sainsbury's premium range, Taste the Difference, this very bright yellow butter was the one I just kept going back to. It is made in Somerset with some equally premium ingredients, including Maldon sea salt, which gives it a great level of salty flavour. The farmhouse style refers to it following a slower churning process, usually using a higher-quality whey cream from leftover cheese production, instead of fresh whey. It has a really great tasting with a delicious savoury tang and a very obvious salting to it. It is creamy, rich and has a lovely, almost whipped-like texture without being greasy. It is a fantastic option for an indulgent slather on toast. £3 from Sainsburys.co.uk
2. Kerrygold pure Irish salted butter
Best creamy supermarket butter
- Weight: 200g
- Place of origin: Ireland
- Salted: Yes
- Organic: No
- Why we love it: Uses milk from grass-fed cows
- Take note: Slightly smaller block than most
Perhaps one of the most famous high-quality butters around, Kerry Gold is instantly recognisable for its shimmering gold wrapper and its bright Irish-green logo. It dates back to the 1960s when it was created as a flagship of quality Irish produce that was exported around the world, before it was even available in Ireland a few years later. What sets this butter apart is that it is made from the milk of grass-fed cows, and Ireland is home to some of the lushest and most fertile grass around, which gives it the creamy (almost velvety, but not greasy) texture and taste. Surprisingly, it is not the brightest yellow, but it is wonderfully moreish and not overpoweringly salty. Its only tiny downfall is that it is a smaller block than most others. £3 from Sainsburys.co.uk
3. Trewithen salted butter
Best locally-produced butter
- Weight: 250g
- Place of origin: Cornwall
- Salted: Yes
- Organic: No
- Why we love it: Delicious flavour, made in Cornwall, bright yellow, two-star Great Taste awarded
- Take note: Might be too tangy for some
One of the brightest yellow butters, this is one of the newcomers to the supermarket shelves, which you might have seen in Sainsbury’s, Tesco or Morrisons. Winner of two-star Great Taste Awards, it comes from a dairy near the small village of Lostwithiel, Cornwall, which partners with local farms, all within Cornwall and a 25-mile radius. This punches above its price tag in taste and quality. Often reduced, this is a premium butter with an affordable price tag. It is an excellent everyday option that is gently salted. It is a richer butter than some, with a complex flavour, a slight savoury taste and nice tang. Plus, it is supremely easy to spread. £3 from Sainsburys.co.uk
4. Anchor salted butter
Best spreadable supermarket butter
- Weight: 200g
- Place of origin: Wiltshire, UK
- Salted: Yes
- Organic: No
- Why we love it: Very easy to spread, farmer-owned
- Take note: Has a slight greasiness to it, only 200g
Anchor is perhaps one of the most recognisable butter brands from the supermarket shelves that everyone will have bought at one point, especially as the brand has been around since 1886. It is made in the UK, specifically Wiltshire, and what sets this butter apart is that it has been double churned, which gives it a creamier taste. Plus, it is farmer-owned too. It is very easy to spread, has a creamy richness to it, is subtly salted, and is one of the more affordable in the list. £3 from Sainsburys.co.uk
5. Yeo Valley organic salted butter
Best ethical supermarket butter
- Weight: 200g
- Place of origin: Somerset
- Salted: Yes
- Organic: Yes
- Why we love it: Organic, the brand is famous for its high welfare standards
- Take note: Slightly smaller block
Based in Somerset, Yeo Valley has made a name for itself as the UK's go-to organic dairy producer, which has been running since the 1970s. Its name comes from the river that runs through the farm, and the brand's USP is not only being organic, but also that it follows excellent ethical and sustainable practices, such as having very high animal welfare standards and using renewable energy. The milk comes from cows that roam freely across the farm and graze on clover-rich pasture. This gives it a great yellow hue, plus it is creamy, well salted without being over the top and is an excellent all-rounder. And for the price, at just over £3 (though it is 200g, not 250g), I think considering it is organic, and its high standards, it is a very good buy and is one to bulk buy when it is on offer. £3 from Sainsburys.co.uk
6. Sainsbury's British butter
Best everyday supermarket butter
- Weight: 250g
- Place of origin: UK
- Salted: Yes
- Organic: No
- Why we love it: One of the lowest prices
- Take note: Quite mild and pale, not a huge amount of flavour
Sainsbury's British butter is one of the milder butters on the list. It does not have a huge noticeable flavour, which might sound like a negative, but it certainly will appeal to some who prefer something plainer. It is the cheapest on the list, beating M&S’s own salted butter by a single penny, which means it is a great go-to for everyday use, especially if you are a household that uses a lot of butter for sandwiches or just has a generous butter-user among you. £2 from Sainsburys.co.uk
7. Waitrose No.1 French butter with sea salt crystals
Best French supermarket butter
- Weight: 250g
- Place of origin: Brittany, France
- Salted: Yes
- Organic: No
- Why we love it: Creamy, tangy, made with sea salt crystals
- Take note: Expensive
One of the best things about going to France is the butter. And it is even better when you can get that at home. French butter differs not only in geographical location, but also in that it usually has a higher butterfat content (meaning more richness and less water), creating more of a tangy flavour. It is also usually slower churned, and creates a more artisanal product. Waitrose’s No.1 French butter has been made following a traditional Breton recipe and is perfect for spreading over crusty baguettes, layering with gooey brie or dipping into homemade minestrone. Waitrose’s No 1 range consistently creates excellent products, and any butter that has ‘crystals’ in the name is highly likely to be very, very good. This one was quite pale compared to some others, but undeniably very French – it is obviously creamy, with a slight tang. It is very indulgent and is absolutely one to slather on toast on slow mornings to fully enjoy it. £4 from Waitrose.com
8. Waitrose Duchy organic English salted butter
Best subtly salted supermarket butter
- Weight: 250g
- Place of origin: Cornwall
- Salted: Yes
- Organic: Yes
- Why we love it: Organic, subtle salt
- Take note: The most expensive on the list
This Waitrose butter is organic and supports the Duchy, which means the money you spend has real buying power to do good. The company supports important causes both environmentally and humanitarian, which totals around £3m each year. It is very lightly salted and is best for those who like a subtle butter. It is the most expensive on the list, and while it is a nice and balanced butter, there is not any overt difference in taste that makes it stand out from other similar organic and priced butters, bar from its worthy Duchy connections. £4 from Waitrose.com
9. Sainsbury's slightly salted so organic butter
Best slightly salted organic supermarket butter
- Weight: 250g
- Place of origin: UK
- Salted: Yes
- Organic: Yes
- Why we love it: Organic, good for people who like lighter salting
- Take note: Not overly salted, on the more expensive end
For those who like salted butter, but only a touch of salt added, Sainsbury's slightly salted so organic butter is a great option. As it says on the packet, this butter has just been slightly salted, so there is just a hint of it. It is very delicate, has a pretty mild taste, but is still creamy. It is not overly complex and is slightly sweet, too. It is Soil Association certified organic, and is made using milk from organic British cows, which the brand says are reared to high welfare standards. £3 from Sainsburys.co.uk
10. M&S British salted butter
Best cheap supermarket butter
- Weight: 250g
- Place of origin: UK
- Salted: Yes
- Organic: No
- Why we love it: Affordable price, great for everyday and large families
It is not often you think of M&S and think ‘cheap’ when it comes to food or any essentials, but at £2, this is about as affordable as it gets for decent blocks of butter. Lightly salted and not too overpowering, this is a great everyday butter that is not too salty or sweet, and is 'just right'. It is made using milk from M&S selected farms, it is creamy, balanced and is great for your pre-work morning round of toast. £2 from Ocado.com
11. Tesco finest butter with sea salt crystals
Best butter with chunky salt
- Weight: 250g
- Place of origin: UK
- Salted: Yes
- Organic: No
- Why we love it: Sea salt crystals are great, less than £2
- Take note: Crystals could be too salty for some
From Tesco’s Finest range, this butter certainly looks the part with its sophisticated silver and blue wrapper that could easily pass off as a French butter, and inside is pretty good too. It is a nicely balanced butter, made in the West Country, that is elevated with chunky salt crystals (as chunky as salt crystals get, that is), giving it an excellent little zing when you come across a crystal. £3 from Tesco.com
12. M&S Cornish gold butter with sea salt
Best luxurious supermarket butter
- Weight: 250g
- Place of origin: Cornwall
- Salted: Yes
- Organic: No
- Why we love it: Made in Cornwall, includes Cornish sea salt
- Take note: On the more expensive end
Reliable M&S has some of the best products on the high street, and the gold butter with sea salt butter is one of them. It is incredibly delicious and indulgent, and once you know that it is made by the producers of one of Cornwall's most famous exports, you will understand why. It comes from Rodda's, where arguably the best clotted cream is made, and was the brightest yellow butter on test. The butter is traditionally churned in small batches and given the final touch of adding in Cornish sea salt, so it is full of salt crystals, which I love. Not only is this ultra creamy, but its supreme Cornish sea salt gives it an excellent touch of luxury too. This is a butter to savour – especially as it is one of the more expensive. It also looks great as it has the traditional ridges that make it look like butter pats (traditional wooden tools) have been used to shape the butter. £4 from Ocado.com
13. M&S salted Jersey butter
Best Jersey supermarket butter
- Weight: 250g
- Place of origin: Jersey
- Salted: Yes
- Organic: No
- Why we love it: Delicious flavour
- Take note: Could be too salted for some
The little island of Jersey is well-known for its creamy milk and rich dairy products. And this M&S butter is made on the island – and is literally a taste of the island too, specifically in the parish of Trinity, where it is churned. It is well salted (quite generously so), but it is still balanced. And owing to its creamy milk, there is a complexity and a slight tang to it. It is another fantastic butter for slow weekend breakfasts and multiple rounds of toast. £3 from Ocado.com
Your questions about supermarket butters answered
What is the best supermarket butter?
Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Farmhouse butter is the best supermarket butter. It was the one I kept going back to time and time again, and throughout my testing, it was clear this was my favourite. It ticks many boxes – it is made in Somerset, uses Maldon sea salt, has been slowly churned and comes in at £2.80. Unexpectedly, M&S’s own range of butter is an excellent budget buy (not usually a budget go-to supermarket). But at £2, it is a fantastic buy and is well worth stocking up on. For a luxurious choice with chunky salt crystals, I adored the Waitrose No.1 French butter with sea salt crystals for its French style, which is made with a higher butterfat content and addition of indulgent sea salt crystals.
How I tested supermarket butters
I tested 16 salted butters, first by slathering a decent amount on toast, and then tasting them on their own over a couple of days. I used the same bread (my favourite non-sourdough loaf, the Sainsbury’s multiseeded loaf) throughout the test. I tested supermarket’s basic own-brand butter, where it was available (as not all supermarkets do it), the more luxurious own-brand butters and well-known brands available at supermarkets. During my testing period, I considered the following:
- Taste and creaminess: A full, rich and creamy flavour. Some butters can be slightly sweet or have more savoury notes, or they might be milder, depending on the amount of salt added and how it has been made. Flavours can also be grassy and tangy, if the cows have been grass-fed, or if the butter has been slowly churned. French butters have a higher milk fat content, and usually result in a richer and more complex flavour.
- Texture: The best butters are churned slowly, and should be smooth but not thin and greasy.
- Value: As butter prices have soared recently, like many essentials, I wanted to test a range of butters to find decent everyday butters and more luxurious numbers.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Emma Henderson is a foodie. She was also the editor of IndyEats, The Independent’s monthly digital food magazine, and was twice shortlisted for “best food magazine” at the Guild of Food Writers Awards. She has sampled everything from the best supermarket sourdough to olive oils for IndyBest, so she knows what is worth putting in your trolley.
After more food swaps? I taste-tested supermarket olive oils – these are the best bottles.
