To know if an avocado is ripe, use these key methods:

• Firmness test: Gently squeeze the avocado in the palm of your hand without using fingertips to avoid bruising. A ripe avocado will yield to firm, gentle pressure and feel slightly soft but not mushy. If it feels hard, it is not ripe yet; if it feels very soft or mushy, it is overripe

• Color check: For Hass avocados, the skin changes from bright green to a darker green or nearly black as it ripens. However, color alone can be misleading, so it’s best combined with the firmness test

• Stem test: Try to remove or flick off the small stem or cap at the top. If it comes off easily and the color underneath is bright green or yellow, the avocado is ripe. If it’s difficult to remove or the flesh underneath is brown, the avocado is not ripe or overripe

• Avoid bruises and indentations: Large dents or irregular shapes can indicate bruising or overripeness, which affects taste and texture

In summary, the best way is to gently squeeze the avocado in your palm to check for slight softness without mushiness, check the skin color (dark green to nearly black for Hass), and remove the stem to see the color underneath. These combined will help you pick a perfectly ripe avocado ready to eat