Best Palm Oil for Soap Making
Updated How we research
Essential Depot Palm Oil RSPO Certified Sustainable Food Grade 7 lbs 1 Gallon Pail
Essential Depot RSPO certified sustainable food grade palm oil, 7 lbs in a 1 Gallon Pail, for hard, long-lasting bars.
Essential Depot Palm Oil RSPO Certified Kosher Not Hydrogenated 1 Gallon
Essential Depot RSPO certified kosher palm oil, not hydrogenated, in a 1 Gallon container for cold process soap.
Palm oil is a popular soap-making oil that produces hard, long-lasting bars with a stable, creamy lather, often used as a tallow alternative. Home soap makers add it to cold and hot process recipes to firm up bars and improve durability without harsh cleansing. Because of environmental concerns, sourcing is an important consideration for many crafters. When choosing palm oil, look for RSPO-certified sustainable sourcing, the grade and purity, melt point and consistency, whether it needs to be fully melted and stirred before use, and packaging that resists rancidity. This guide compares palm oils that saponify predictably, harden bars reliably, and let you make responsible choices about where your ingredients come from.
The short version
We compared 8 picks. Our scores range from 6.0 to 8.9 out of 10.
- Best overall:Essential Depot Palm Oil RSPO Certified Sustainable Food Grade 7 lbs 1 Gallon Pail. Highest overall score in this guide at 8.9/10.
- Also great value:Essential Depot Palm Oil RSPO Certified Kosher Not Hydrogenated 1 Gallon. Value score of 9/10, overall 8.9/10.
- Solid build:100% Sustainable Palm Oil RSPO Certified 2-Pack 14 fl oz for Soap Making. Build and materials score of 7/10, overall 7.7/10.
- Feature-rich:100% Sustainable Palm Oil RSPO Certified Food Grade Not Hydrogenated 14 fl oz. Features score of 7/10, overall 7.7/10.
Scores are our editorial assessment, not customer ratings. How we score
- 1.Essential Depot Palm Oil RSPO Certified Sustainable Food Grade 7 lbs 1 Gallon Pail8.9/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 2.Essential Depot Palm Oil RSPO Certified Kosher Not Hydrogenated 1 Gallon8.9/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 3.100% Sustainable Palm Oil RSPO Certified 2-Pack 14 fl oz for Soap Making7.7/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 4.100% Sustainable Palm Oil RSPO Certified Food Grade Not Hydrogenated 14 fl oz7.7/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 5.ORGANIC PALM KERNEL OIL FLAKES (2 lbs / 32 oz) Non-GMO; Premium Cosmetic Grade Palm Kernel Oil Flakes for Soap Making, Creams, Lotions & Candle Making | 2 POUND7.6/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 6.Traverse Bay Bath and Body - Palm Oil - Sustainable, Kosher - 32 fl oz Jar | Sustainable, Kosher, Resealable Jar with Lid7.2/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 7.Palm Kernel Oil Flakes Sustainable Palm 32 oz / 2 lb Soap Making Supply6.3/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 8.Soapeauty Palm Oil RBD 100% Pure Cold-Pressed Non-Hydrogenated 4 fl oz6.0/10See on AmazonCheck price
#1Essential Depot RSPO certified sustainable food grade palm oil, 7 lbs in a 1 Gallon Pail, for hard, long-lasting bars.
Fit for the job 10/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 9/10
- + RSPO certification helps address palm oil sourcing concerns
- + Palm oil adds hardness and a stable lather to cold process soap
- + 7 lbs pail supplies plenty of palm for regular recipe use
- - Some customers avoid palm oil regardless of sustainable certification
- - Solid oil needs full melting and stirring before measuring
#2Essential Depot RSPO certified kosher palm oil, not hydrogenated, in a 1 Gallon container for cold process soap.
Fit for the job 10/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 9/10
- + Not hydrogenated palm behaves as lye calculators expect for palm
- + Kosher and RSPO certified status supports ethical ingredient claims
- + 1 Gallon container is a steady supply for palm-based recipes
- - Palm stearins separate, so the oil must be fully melted and mixed
- - Palm-free positioning is popular, so some buyers may avoid these bars
#3A 2-Pack of 14 fl oz RSPO certified 100% sustainable palm oil, a small-bottle option for palm soap recipes.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 7/10
- + 2-Pack lets one bottle stay sealed while you work through the first
- + RSPO certified sustainable palm suits makers mindful of sourcing
- + Smaller bottles are easier to melt fully than a big pail
- - Two small bottles cost more per ounce than a gallon pail of palm
- - Palm must be melted and shaken well so its fats do not separate
#4A 14 fl oz bottle of RSPO certified, food grade, not hydrogenated sustainable palm oil for small palm soap batches.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 7/10
- + Not hydrogenated palm matches standard palm values in lye calculators
- + 14 fl oz bottle is a low-risk size for trying palm in a recipe
- + Food grade RSPO certified oil keeps ingredients clean and traceable
- - Single small bottle only covers a couple of palm-based batches
- - Buyers who avoid palm oil entirely may skip bars that contain it
#533rd Parallel Soap Co. Organic Palm Kernel Oil Flakes come in a 2 pound bag, in flake form that is described as easy to measure for soap making.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 8/10
- + Palm kernel oil, described as boosting lather and making a harder bar.
- + Flake form is described as easy to weigh and melt.
- + Listing says it is for cold and hot process soap, with resealable packaging.
- - 2 pounds is less than the 32 fluid ounce jar format some soap makers use for pourable oil.
- - Sold as a flaked solid, so it must be melted before measuring into a recipe.
#6Traverse Bay Bath and Body Palm Oil is a 32 ounce jar sold as soap making supply, listed as sustainable and kosher, with an 80 to 82 F melt point.
Fit for the job 7/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 8/10
- + Listing says palm oil adds hardness and lather to soap.
- + Sustainable and kosher listing, in a resealable jar with a lid.
- + Melt point of 80 to 82 F is stated, so it can be planned into a recipe.
- - Plain palm oil rather than palm kernel oil, and much smaller than the 7 pound original.
- - The listing says it must be fully melted and stirred before each use.
#7Palm kernel oil flakes, 32 oz / 2 lb of sustainable palm, a solid flake form that is easy to weigh for soap recipes.
Fit for the job 5/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 7/10
- + Flake form scoops and weighs cleanly without melting a whole tub
- + Sustainable palm kernel adds hardness and bubbly lather to bars
- + 2 lb supply is a practical middle size for hobby soap makers
- - Palm kernel flakes are often hydrogenated, so check the lye value used
- - Not a substitute for regular palm oil despite the similar name
#8Soapeauty 4 fl oz RBD non-hydrogenated palm oil, a tiny bottle better suited to testing than full soap batches.
Fit for the job 6/10 · Features and specs 6/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 5/10
- + RBD refined palm is neutral in color and scent for pale bars
- + Non-hydrogenated oil behaves predictably in cold process recipes
- + 4 fl oz bottle is enough for a tiny test batch or two
- - Far too little palm for a standard loaf, so it suits testing only
- - Very high cost per ounce compared with palm oil in gallon pails
Before you buy: trade-offs we flagged
No pick is perfect. These are the main compromises we noted for the top products in this guide, so you can check they will not matter for you.
- Some customers avoid palm oil regardless of sustainable certification (Essential Depot Palm Oil RSPO Certified...)
- Palm stearins separate, so the oil must be fully melted and mixed (Essential Depot Palm Oil RSPO Certified...)
- Two small bottles cost more per ounce than a gallon pail of palm (100% Sustainable Palm Oil RSPO Certified...)
- Single small bottle only covers a couple of palm-based batches (100% Sustainable Palm Oil RSPO Certified Food...)
- 2 pounds is less than the 32 fluid ounce jar format some soap makers use for pourable oil. (ORGANIC PALM KERNEL OIL FLAKES (2 lbs / 32...)
- Plain palm oil rather than palm kernel oil, and much smaller than the 7 pound original. (Traverse Bay Bath and Body - Palm Oil -...)
Frequently asked questions
›What is the best choice among palm oil for soap making?
Essential Depot Palm Oil RSPO Certified Sustainable Food Grade 7 lbs 1 Gallon Pail is our top overall pick. Essential Depot RSPO certified sustainable food grade palm oil, 7 lbs in a 1 Gallon Pail, for hard, long-lasting bars. It earns our score of 8.9/10, based on fit for the job, features, build and value.
›What is a good budget option?
Essential Depot Palm Oil RSPO Certified Kosher Not Hydrogenated 1 Gallon is the strongest low-cost pick in this guide. Essential Depot RSPO certified kosher palm oil, not hydrogenated, in a 1 Gallon container for cold process soap.
›How much should I expect to spend?
Picks in this guide span See on Amazon price bands (roughly: $ = under $30, $$ = $30 to $100, $$$ = over $100). We never display exact prices because they change constantly, so the buttons above always show Amazon's current price.
›How were these products chosen?
We shortlist products that fit the job this guide solves and compare their published specifications, such as size, capacity, materials and what is included. Each pick gets an editorial score out of 10 for fit, features, build and value, and we write the pros and cons from those details. Our score is not an Amazon customer rating. We earn a commission if you buy through our links, which never affects the ranking.
Soap Making Nest independently selects every product; we may earn a commission from links above.
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