How to tell if a kiwi is ripe? The definitive guide to picking the perfect fruit

November 20, 2025 •

4 min read

Did you know that kiwis are climacteric fruits, meaning they continue to ripen after they have been picked? Mastering how to tell if a kiwi is ripe is the key to enjoying its peak sweetness, as a perfectly ripe one has a juicy, tropical flavor unlike its hard, tart counterpart. Using a combination of your senses will ensure you get the best texture and taste every time.

Quick Summary

This article outlines three simple methods—touch, smell, and sight—to determine if a kiwi is perfectly ripe for eating. It explains how to feel for a slight give, what a sweet, fruity fragrance indicates, and how to spot visual cues for peak ripeness.

Key Points

The Squeeze Test: A ripe kiwi will give slightly to gentle pressure, while an unripe one feels hard.
The Sniff Test: A sweet, fruity fragrance indicates ripeness, whereas an unripe kiwi has no smell.
Visual Inspection: Look for a plump, unblemished kiwi; avoid wrinkled or bruised fruit.
Speeding Ripening: To ripen kiwis faster, place them in a paper bag with a banana or apple.
Slowing Ripening: To preserve a ripe kiwi, store it in the refrigerator away from other fruits.
Internal Clues: A cut, ripe kiwi has black seeds and soft, brightly colored flesh.
Eating and Storing: Once ripe, a kiwi can be eaten immediately or refrigerated for up to 10 days.

The Ultimate Test: Squeezing for Firmness

For many experts, the most reliable way to judge ripeness is with a gentle touch. The texture of the fruit changes significantly during the ripening process, becoming softer as its starches convert to sugars. An unripe kiwi is hard and won’t yield to pressure, similar to a firm apple. A perfectly ripe kiwi, however, will give slightly to gentle pressure from your thumb, feeling much like a ripe peach or avocado.

How to perform the squeeze test:

Use your palm. Cradle the kiwi in your palm and use your thumb to apply very light pressure.
Feel for the give. A slight give is what you're looking for, indicating it's juicy and ready to eat.
Avoid mushy fruit. If your finger sinks in easily or the fruit feels mushy, it is overripe and may have a fermented taste.

The Sniff Test: A Sweet Aroma

Beyond touch, your nose is a valuable tool for judging a kiwi's readiness. A ripe kiwi develops a distinct, sweet, and fruity fragrance, a direct result of the chemical changes occurring as it matures.

Where to smell the kiwi:

The stem end. The area where the kiwi was attached to the vine is the best spot to check for its aroma.
What to expect. A ripe kiwi will have a noticeable, pleasant smell, while an unripe kiwi will have little to no scent.

Visual Cues: What to Look For

While less reliable than the feel or smell tests, the kiwi’s appearance can offer additional clues, especially regarding its health and quality. The skin of a standard green kiwi remains a fuzzy brown regardless of ripeness, so color is not a reliable indicator. Instead, focus on the overall condition of the fruit.

What to look for on the surface:

Plump and unblemished. Choose a kiwi that looks plump and free of soft spots, bruises, or wrinkles. A wrinkled surface often indicates the fruit is overripe or has lost moisture.
Avoid soft spots. Dents or overly soft areas are often signs of damage or spoilage, so it's best to pass on these.

Speeding Up and Slowing Down Ripening

For many shoppers, purchasing a hard, unripe kiwi is a strategic move to extend its shelf life. Knowing how to manipulate the ripening process is just as important as knowing how to detect a perfectly ripe fruit.

How to ripen kiwis faster:

Use a paper bag. The fastest method is to place the kiwis in a brown paper bag with an ethylene-producing fruit like a banana or apple. The bag traps the gas, accelerating the process. It should take 1-2 days to ripen.
Keep at room temperature. Leaving firm kiwis on the counter, away from direct sunlight, will allow them to ripen naturally in 3 to 5 days.

How to store kiwis to slow ripening:

Refrigerate. Once the kiwi reaches your desired level of ripeness, place it in the refrigerator to halt the process. Ripe kiwis can last for 7-10 days in the fridge.
Keep separate from other fruits. To prevent premature ripening, store kiwis away from fruits that emit ethylene gas.

Comparison: Ripe vs. Unripe Kiwi

To help you make the right choice, here is a quick comparison of the key characteristics of a ripe and an unripe kiwi.


Characteristic	Ripe Kiwi	Unripe Kiwi
Firmness	Yields slightly to gentle pressure; feels soft but not mushy.	Feels very hard with no give at all.
Smell	Has a sweet, tropical, and fruity aroma, especially near the stem end.	Has very little or no distinct smell.
Appearance	Plump and without bruises, soft spots, or wrinkles.	Can be firm, and might appear slightly greener under the fuzz.
Taste	Sweet and juicy with a mild tartness.	Very tart and sometimes unpleasantly acidic.
Texture	Soft, with juicy flesh.	Firm, with a hard, often woody core.

Conclusion: The Ripe Kiwi Harvest

Knowing how to tell if a kiwi is ripe means you’ll never suffer a mouth-puckering, unripe experience again. By combining the simple squeeze test with a quick sniff and visual check, you can confidently select the perfect fruit every time. Remember to store them properly based on your desired eating time, using the refrigerator to preserve ripe kiwis and a paper bag to accelerate the process for firm ones. Enjoy the sweet, tangy reward of a perfectly ripe kiwi in your next salad, smoothie, or as a refreshing snack. For more information on storing your produce for maximum freshness, you can check out the guide from the California Department of Education.

Frequently Asked Questions

The best way is the squeeze test. Hold the kiwi in your palm and apply gentle pressure with your thumb. If it yields slightly, it's ripe. If it's hard, it's not ready yet.

An unripe kiwi has a very tart and acidic flavor, and its flesh is firm and sometimes unpleasantly woody. The sugars have not yet fully developed.

Yes, you can eat a hard kiwi, but it will be quite sour and firm, not sweet and juicy. Many prefer to wait for it to ripen to improve the flavor.

To speed up ripening, place kiwis in a brown paper bag with an apple or a banana. The ethylene gas from these fruits will accelerate the process.

For unripe kiwis, keep them at room temperature. Once ripe, store them in the refrigerator to slow down further ripening. Keep them away from other fruits.

A ripe kiwi stored correctly in the refrigerator can last for about 7 to 10 days, or up to 2 weeks for some varieties.

Yes, a ripe kiwi will have a pleasant, sweet, and fruity smell, particularly around the stem end. An overripe one might start to smell fermented.