3 Unusual Costco Products That Are Actually Good Buys (Spoiler: One Is a Sauna)

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You might not realize how much Costco actually sells. Read on to learn what bizarre items you can find at your warehouse. 

Not too long ago, the most bizarre store I’d ever come across was a secondhand store in Alabama that sold unclaimed airport luggage. And while that store is still unrivaled in its weirdness, Costco is starting to catch up. In fact, the more time I spend with it, the more I realize Costco sells just about everything. Don’t believe me? Here are three unusual Costco products that had me scratching my head.

1. A 4-person barrel sauna

Ever wondered what it’s like to sauna in a barrel? Costco has you covered. This four-person sauna is made of red cedar, comes with a Finnish stainless steel heater, and can be delivered right to your door.

The price? About $4,000.

That’s actually not bad. When you compare this price with other retailers for the same barrel (six feet in all directions and made of red cedar), you realize you could save between $1,000 to $2,000. Home Depot, for instance, is selling the same model for about $5,700. Buying it from Costco means you would save enough money ($1,700) to cover your Gold Star membership for the next 28 years.

2. Tom Brady’s autograph

For a limited time, Costco is selling a Michigan Wolverines uniform with Tom Brady’s signature for about $2,400. To be fair, the University of Michigan is selling the same uniforms for the same price. But whereas the University of Michigan is just selling uniforms, Costco is including the uniform in a frame.

This isn’t actually the most unusual autographed sports memorabilia I’ve seen Costco sell. Not too long ago, Costco was selling autographed Babe Ruth index cards. While it appears it has sold out of the Bambino’s signature, you can check out its “Sports Memorabilia & Collectibles” page online to see what other autographed stuff it’s selling.

3. 72 pounds of Parmigiano Reggiano

This one is kinda hilarious. For about $950, Costco will sell you a parmesan cheese wheel that weighs about the same as a nine-year old boy. The cheese is imported from Italy and has been aged for 24 months. As far as the price goes, you’re paying roughly $13.19 per pound. Compare that with Amazon ($27 per pound) and Gourmet Food Store ($22.81 per pound), and you can see you’re getting a good deal, if you can store a huge wheel of cheese.

Costco sells more than you think

All in all, Costco has a variety of unusual products. Even if you’re not in the market for saunas, sports memorabilia, or even caskets, these products could teach us a lesson: More often than not, the thing you’re looking for can be found at Costco. And it can often be found at a lower price than other retailers.

If you have a Costco membership, treat the warehouse like you would, say, Amazon. Make it your trigger reaction when you’re shopping for a product. Compare it with other retailers to see if you’re getting the lowest price, but don’t assume Costco only sells giant Nutella buckets and bags of avocados. You might be pleasantly surprised at how much you can help your finances by making one-off purchases at the warehouse.

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The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon.com and Costco Wholesale. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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