1Check the color, but know your variety

Verdict: a useful hint, not a verdict. The California Avocado Commission says a Hass avocado turns dark green or black as it ripens, but warns that color alone may not tell the whole story, because some other varieties keep light green skin even when ripe. UC Davis’s postharvest center describes the same shift, from green to black in some cultivars such as Hass. So if you’re buying Hass, a dark skin plus the gentle press below is a good sign. If the fruit is a green variety, rely on feel.

2Press gently with your palm

Verdict: the most reliable check. The California Avocado Commission advises squeezing the fruit gently in the palm of your hand, and says ripe, ready-to-eat fruit will be firm but will yield to gentle pressure. Utah State University Extension’s fruit shopping guide says the same: firm to the touch, but yielding when pressed, and not mushy. Our practical advice is to use your whole palm, not your fingertips, since poking can bruise the flesh and leave dark spots.

3Try the stem-cap test, with caution

Verdict: a popular kitchen tip, but not one we could source. The idea is to flick off the small cap at the stem end. Green underneath is said to mean ripe, and brown is said to mean overripe. We didn’t find it in the California Avocado Commission, Utah State or UC Davis guidance we checked, so we can’t say whether it works. If you try it, our practical advice is to do it at home on fruit you plan to cut that day, since you can’t put the cap back.

4Look for red flags

Verdict: skip the bruised, the loose and the very soft. The California Avocado Commission says to skip avocados with dark blemishes on the skin or oversoft fruit. Utah State Extension adds that skin that seems loose from the flesh is a sign the fruit is likely brown or rotten inside. Our guide to whether avocados go bad shows what spoiled flesh looks like once you cut one open.

5Use the paper bag trick

Verdict: it works because of ethylene. UC Davis notes that avocados don’t ripen on the tree and that exposure to ethylene triggers ripening. A closed paper bag keeps more of that gas around the fruit. The California Avocado Commission’s guide to ripening faster suggests pairing the avocado with an ethylene-releasing fruit such as a red apple or kiwi in a paper bag. Our reading is that a banana works on the same principle, although the Commission doesn’t list one. Check the avocado daily, because the bag speeds things up and it’s easy to overshoot. Utah State Extension says avocados left on the counter typically ripen in about 2 to 5 days, so plan ahead if you need one for a particular meal.

6Skip the microwave and the fridge

Verdict: neither ripens the fruit. The California Avocado Commission says microwaving will not ripen your fruit, but simply cooks it. Cold isn’t the answer for unripe fruit either. UC Davis reports that mature-green avocados held at 37 to 41°F for more than two weeks may develop internal browning, fail to ripen or become more vulnerable to pathogens. Keep unripe avocados at room temperature, and move them to the fridge once they’re ripe. Our guide to whether avocados need to be refrigerated covers how long a ripe one keeps.

• Buy firm if you won’t eat it for a few days. Utah State Extension recommends buying avocados unripe and letting them ripen at home.
• Move ripe ones to the fridge to hold them a little longer. UC Davis lists 36 to 40°F as the storage range for ripe fruit.
• Freeze only ripe avocados. Our guide to freezing avocados explains that an unripe avocado won’t ripen after it’s frozen, so freeze it when it’s ripe.
• Got one that’s too soft? If it’s still good inside, mash it and use it quickly. Our guide to how long guacamole lasts covers how long guacamole keeps.