Gently press the avocado near the stem end
It should yield slightly to pressure without feeling mushy
Check the skin color for the variety you have
Hass avocados usually turn dark green to nearly black when ripe
Look for a small stem cap that comes off easily
If the cap comes off and the flesh underneath is green, it is ripe
If the cap does not come off easily, it needs more time
If the flesh underneath is brown, it is overripe
Hold the avocado in your hand and feel for a slight softness
Avoid avocados that feel very hard
Avoid avocados that feel overly soft or have sunken spots
Check for wrinkles in the skin
Use avocados soon after they reach ripeness
Store unripe avocados at room temperature
Refrigerate ripe avocados to slow further ripening