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Costco Kirkland Signature products are legendary for their high quality, low price, and immense variety.
In fact, although they're considered a generic brand, many Costco Kirkland products are actually well-known brands in disguise. For example, Duracell produces Kirkland batteries, and Starbucks supplies its House Blend coffee.
While it's not hard to find Kirkland Signature products, it can be difficult to know which are the best savings opportunities. To help you decide which Kirkland products to try next, here are 10 I've never regretted buying.
1. Paper towels
Online price: $22.99
Costco's Kirkland Premium Towels are thick, sturdy, and cheap. I use them for minor spills and accidents, like cleaning up our cats' hairballs, as well to pat-dry fish and chicken. They're not as strong as some brands, like Bounty, but they can get the job done at a good price. You'll pay about $1.20 for 100 sheets of Kirkland paper towels, which is cheaper than Kroger Paper Towels ($1.30 for 100 sheets) and Amazon's Presto! Brand ($1.77 per 100 sheets).
2. Kitchen trash bags
Online price: $19.99
Nobody likes taking out the trash only to realize they don't have another garbage bag to replace it. Thankfully, Costco's Kirkland Kitchen Trash Bags are packaged with 200 bags, helping you cut down on the trips to the grocery store to buy this essential product. Plus, the price is a steal. At $19.99 for 200, you're paying about $0.10 a bag. If you were to buy the same kind of trash bag at Walmart (13 gallons), you would pay between $0.17 and $0.20 a pop, plus you'd get fewer bags per package.
3. Gasoline
Price varies by location
There's almost no competition with Kirkland Gasoline. If you're looking for the cheapest gas prices (at the highest quality), 9.9 times out of 10, you'll find it at Costco (Sam's Club drives a hard bargain, too). Not only that, but Costco also offers TOP TIER™ gasoline, which, according to AAA research, is said to be cleaner and more efficient than brands that do not fall into that elite category.
4. Shelled pistachios
Online price: $16.99
This has long been one of my favorite Kirkland products. You can buy a 1.5-pound bag of these emerald delicacies for $16.99, or roughly $11.33 per pound. For comparison, Walmart sells pistachios at about $13.31 per pound, Kroger sells them at $12 a pound, and Amazon also sells them at $12 per pound.
5. Adult multivitamin gummies
Online price: $16.99
The Kirkland Signature Adult Multivitamin has 160 gummies per bottle and are sold in packs of two. The price is decent -- $0.05 per gummy -- which is the same as Amazon but slightly more expensive than Walmart ($0.046). That said, pay close attention to the dosage of vitamins in each vitamin package, as Costco's brand typically has higher values. For example, the Kirkland Signature gummies have 750 mcg of Vitamin A, 30 mg of Vitamin C, and 20 mcg of Vitamin D, while Walmart's brand has 390 mcg, 60 mg, and 10 mcg of the same vitamins.
6. Almond butter
Online price: $7.99
Don't even get me started on the Kirkland Creamy Almond Butter. I use this for toast, smoothies, toppings for carrots and celery, and just as a snack off the spoon. The quality is excellent. It's creamy but doesn't leave you with that fatigued feeling that some heavily sugared peanut butters induce. Combine this with some Kirkland Strawberry spread, and you'll have yourself a good AB&J.
7. Bacon crumbles
Online price: $10.99
No "best-of" list would be complete without mention of Kirkland Signature bacon. And while most loyal Costco fans are familiar with the company's bacon strips (deemed the overall best-tasting bacon by Consumer Reports), its Bacon Crumbles also deserves an honorary mention. Not only do they taste good, but the price is deliciously low: $10.99 for a 20-ounce bag. Use them for salads, baked potatoes, casseroles, or just as a snack.
8. Organic raw honey
Online price: $17.99
Another Kirkland classic, Costco sells organic raw honey in packs of three 24-ounce jars shaped like cute, harmless bears. As a regular consumer of this honey, I can testify that it's Grade-A and can excite the taste buds like some fancier, "straight-from-the-hive" products. Plus, at $17.99, you're paying about $0.25 an ounce, which is cheaper than Amazon ($0.56 an ounce) and Walmart ($0.40 an ounce).
9. Extra virgin Italian olive oil
Online price: $21.99
This is by far one of my most-purchased Kirkland Signature products. I'm pretty snobby when it comes to what oils we use when we're cooking, but none of Costco's olive oils -- including its Spanish and Organic Olive Oil -- have disappointed me. Truthfully, the price difference between this and Walmart's Great Value olive oil isn't substantial ($0.325 per fluid ounce at Costco versus $0.326 at Walmart), but I like the taste of Costco's olive oil more (like I said, I'm a snob).
10. Variety snack box
Price: $32.99
For about $33, you can buy a box of 51 single-serving snacks, like granola bars, trail mix, almonds, cashews, peanuts, and nut bars. This can be perfect for kids' lunches or your own snacks during the day. Although this would probably be lethal if you're allergic to nuts, it's definitely worth the price if you count them as one of your favorite snacks.
All things considered, you're going to find a lot of great Kirkland Signature products at Costco, many of which can help you plan for your personal finances. Next time you're at Costco, check out these 10 products and see if they don't make it on your list of personal favorites.
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