Cook's Illustrated

The Best Unsalted Butter

In the test kitchen, we go through 30 to 40 pounds of butter a week, relying almost exclusively on the unsalted type because we prefer to control the seasoning of our food. But which unsalted butter is best? A few years ago, we decided it was Plugrá, a high-fat product with a luscious texture. At almost $12 per pound, though, it’s expensive. Although Plugrá is sometimes worth the splurge, we wanted a butter that was affordable and convenient for everyday use.

We assembled seven national top sellers, priced from $4.49 to $7.58

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