Waitrose seriously chocolatey dark chocolate Easter egg
Average mark: 3.66/5
250g, £9 (£3.60/100g)
Not only did this egg take the laurels in the under a tenner category, it scored more highly than all those costing between £10 and £20 and was beaten by only two eggs in the most expensive, over £20, category. Tasters called it "classy and delicious," loved the "good colour and shine" of the chocolate and praised the flavour as "very good - slightly bitter and not too rich". The cocoa content means this egg is probably one for the grown-ups, but if you know a younger person who likes well made dark chocolate they won't be disappointed Photograph: Sarah Lee/Guardian
Montezuma's organic milk chocolate and butterscotch free-range eco-egg
Average mark: 3.38/5
150g, £8.99 (£5.99/100g)
This egg rated more highly with our tasters than all but one in the £10-£20 category and also beat all but two of the most expensive £20+ eggs into a cocked hat. Tasters enjoyed its "nice balance of cocoa and sweetness" and "delicious, light, crunchy" butterscotch, with one going so far as to label it "the biz!". The eco-friendly packaging came in for criticism, being described in once instance as "drab", but if that doesn't put you off this is very good egg and being milk chocolate should be one children will enjoy Photograph: Sarah Lee/Guardian
Cocoa Loco marbled Easter egg with milk chocolate buttons (available via Abel & Cole)
Average mark: 3.1/5
225g, £9.99 (£4.44/100g)
Our tasters thought this egg the "best of all worlds from light to dark" with its "well balanced taste" making it appealing to young and old alike (that said, a child would struggle to break into the magnificently thick shell unaided). Some thought it "appealing but not decadent enough" and it copped some stick from other quarters for "trying to do too many things at once". Overall, though, a good egg. Photograph: Sarah Lee/Guardian
Marks & Spencer luxury Belgian creamy white chocolate Easter egg
Average mark: 2.93/5
250g, £6 (£2.40/100g)
The more highly-placed of the 2 white chocolate eggs tasted in this category, this is also the cheaper. The egg's appearance went down well and "nice nutty undertones" were detected in the flavour, but the shell lacked the satisfying snap so hard to attain with white chocolate. Overall it seemed doomed to be damned with faint praise: "very good for white chocolate" Photograph: Sarah Lee/Guardian
Co-op Fairtrade hot cross bun Easter egg
Average mark: 2.86/5
270g, on offer at £7 (£2.59/100g)
This innovative egg combines two sweet Easter treats in that it really "tastes of hot cross bun!" although whether you'd want it it remains another matter. While one taster said they "thought it might be a bit weird but it's really nice!" for others it was "too sweet", "too jazzy" (whatever that means) and "way too heavy on the spices" Photograph: Sarah Lee/Guardian
Green & Black's thick shelled organic dark chocolate Easter egg infused with peppermint oil
Average mark: 2.49/5
180g, £6.59 (£3.66/100g)
In summary, this is a mint chocolate egg which "starts out like a posh After Eight" but is "very, very bitter." It lost marks with many members of our panel due to a "way too heavy" hand with the peppermint oil, which, in combination with the darkness of the chocolate, was too much for some. That said, others felt the peppermint "works well with dark chocolate - makes it sharp", that that the flavours were "well balanced" and overall the egg was "rich and satisfying - and not too expensive" Photograph: Sarah Lee/Guardian
Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Belgian stripy white chocolate Easter egg
Average mark: 2.46/5
220g, £6.99 (£3.18/100g)
While the presentation of this egg attracted some positive remarks, it's much sweeter-tasting than the other white chocolate egg in this price bracket. Overall, tasters felt it would be "all right if you like white" Photograph: Sarah Lee/Guardian
Tesco Easter felt bucket and chocolate Easter eggs
Average mark: 2.38/5
204g, £7 (£3.43/100g)
While packaging up some small eggs in a bucket which can then be used (and reused) for Easter egg hunts is a good idea, the quality of the chocolate let this one down. While some thought it was "surprisingly acceptable" others felt it tasted "cheap" and contained "too much sugar". This being a product aimed squarely at the children's market, though, that's not going to be a truth universally accepted, and while the price isn't rock bottom, you are getting a felt bucket thrown in too Photograph: Sarah Lee/Guardian
Dubble (from Divine) Beano Easter egg
Average mark: 2.38/5
110g, £4 (£3.43/100g)
With its Beano branding, Fairtrade credentials and extra bar of chocolate thrown in this egg appears to tick a lot of boxes, but our panel weren't impressed. One nailed it, however, pointing out the "basic simple taste" is "sweet! Kids will love it" Photograph: Sarah Lee/Guardian
