‘Proof that delicious tomatoes can be grown in the UK’: the best supermarket vine tomatoes, tasted and rated
Tomatoes come into their own in summer, but which supermarket offerings are super sweet, firm and juicy and which are forgettably flavourless?
From brick-red to intense maroon, the tomatoes in this test varied greatly, with the most flavourful ones often also being the richest in tone. I measured the sugar content using a Brix refractometer, and the tomatoes’ sweetness also varied hugely, from a sometimes bland and watery Brix score of four (each point represents 1% sucrose in the juice by mass) to a satisfyingly sweet seven.
I also scored the tomatoes on overall flavour. The sweetness of the best examples is well balanced, with a refreshing acidity, a fresh and potent tomato leaf aroma, and a complex umami profile that provides an explosion of flavour in the mouth. I also awarded points for value for money, provenance, transparency and growing methods – though, disappointingly, an organic certification did not necessarily equal the flavour I’ve come to expect.
Because tomatoes are a seasonal crop, flavour and availability will change over the summer. Depending on when you buy them, you may find different varieties in shops from those tested here.
Even ripe-looking tomatoes will benefit from being left on the countertop for a few days, so they ripen further and improve in flavour. Never keep them in the fridge, because that adversely affects their texture and taste.
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The best supermarket vine tomatoes
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Best overall:
Morrisons the Best Viola Cocktail tomatoes
£2.15 for 300g at Morrisons (72p/100g) ★★★★☆
A medium-size, wonderfully deep maroon-coloured variety called Viola Cocktail, grown by Isle of Wight Tomatoes. Proof that delicious tomatoes can be grown in the UK. Quite sweet (Brix score of seven) with a low acidity and incredible, rounded umami flavour.
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Best bargain:
Ocado organic tomatoes on the vine
£2.25 for 400g at Ocado (56p/100g) ★★★★☆
A large, round, deep scarlet-red Ronvine tomato grown in Essex with Soil Association organic certification. A strong green-tomato vine aroma and noticeably fresh stalks. A firm, fleshy classic sandwich tomato with a subtle sweetness (four on the Brix scale) and a little acidity. Freshness, organic status and price make this my best bargain.
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And the rest …
M&S organic Rosa vine tomatoes
£2.50 for 375g at Ocado (67p/100g)★★★★☆
A medium-large round tomato with an intense orange-red skin, and grown in the UK. Medium sweet – Brix score of five – with a low acidity and rich umami flavour. One of the better-value entries.
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Tesco sweet vine-ripened tomatoes
£1.15 for 255g at Tesco (45p/100g)★★★☆☆
Medium-sized, orange-red Saint Anna tomatoes grown in the Netherlands. Medium sweet, these have a Brix score of five, with a simple flavour and a wonderfully lush, tomato leaf aroma.
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Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Majestic vine tomatoes
£2.05 for 300g at Sainsbury’s (68p/100g)★★★☆☆
A small- to medium-size juicy, brick-red tomato called Annico Cove, grown at Thanet Earth in Kent, the UK’s largest greenhouse. A mild flavour, but relatively sweet, with a Brix score of six.
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Asda Exceptional vine-ripened tomatoes
£2.06 for about 445g at Asda (about 46p/100g)★★☆☆☆
A large, round variety called Roterno, grown in Scotland. A mild sweetness, with a Brix score of four and a flat, one-dimensional flavour. A very standard sandwich tomato.
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Co-op Irresistible Pick of the Crop vine-ripened tomatoes
£2.65 for 420g at Co-op (63p/100g)★★☆☆☆
A medium-size, round Sweeterno tomato grown in Hertfordshire. A traditional sandwich tomato with a subtly mild sweetness and Brix score of five, and very firm flesh and skin.
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Waitrose No 1 red choice vine tomatoes
£2.70 for 300g at Waitrose (90p/100g)★★☆☆☆
A medium-size, glossy, round, scarlet-red tomato called P1, grown in the Netherlands. Firm flesh but without much substance; watery and mild-flavoured, too, with some sweetness – Brix score of five.
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Wholegood organic round tomatoes on the vine
£3.25 for 450g at Ocado (72p/100g)★☆☆☆☆
A medium-size, round organic Spanish tomato with gold-flecked skin. Firm but flavourless, with a low Brix score of four. Packaged in a tray with compostable film.
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Natoora Sicilian vine-ripened tomatoes
£3 for 350g at Ocado (86p/100g)★☆☆☆☆
A large, round, orangey-red tomato of unknown variety grown in Sicily. Disappointing, watery and mild in flavour, with a subtle but balanced sweetness, and a Brix score of five. Packed in a cardboard box in compostable film.
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