The One Kirkland Product I Think No One Should Buy at Costco

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Costco’s Kirkland brand products can be very high in quality. But this is one Kirkland product I’d skip. Read on to find out why. 

As someone who shops at Costco on an almost weekly basis, I’ve purchased my fair share of Kirkland products over time. If you’re not familiar with Kirkland, it’s Costco’s signature brand. And often, buying Kirkland products means racking up a smaller credit card tab than you’d have when buying products from heavily marketed brands.

Now, through the years, I’ve heard rumblings from friends that Kirkland products can be inferior to name-brand ones. And I’ve largely found that to be untrue.

Whether it’s food, tissues, or other household essentials, I’ve generally been more than satisfied with the Kirkland items I’ve brought home. There is, however, one exception in my book.

I just don’t love Kirkland paper towels

As a mom, I’m no stranger to having to clean up spills, whether it’s a knocked-over cup of juice or an entire pitcher of water. And so I’ve become rather particular about my paper towels.

I need a paper towel that’s super absorbent. And to me, Costco’s Kirkland paper towels don’t quite get the job done.

To be clear, I wouldn’t call these cheaply made, and they definitely work better than other, more flimsy paper towels I’ve tried. But are they as good as the Bounty paper towels that have become my go-to resource for spills? In my book, no.

You may be drawn to Kirkland paper towels due to the price point. You can buy a 12-roll pack of 160 sheets each for $22.99 online. The price per square foot there is $0.02. Meanwhile, a 12-roll pack of Bounty paper towels with 101 sheets normally costs $29.99 when purchased online. That amounts to $0.0373 per square foot. (These prices may be different in your local market, or at your local warehouse club store rather than online.)

So Kirkland is clearly the less expensive option. And if you’re trying to reduce your spending and boost your savings account, you may be inclined to choose Kirkland over Bounty. But despite the higher price, Bounty paper towels will always beat Kirkland ones in my book because I’ve found that they do a much better job.

A rare exception

I’m the sort of person who buys $8 leggings and $5 t-shirts on Amazon and doesn’t think twice about it, so I’m certainly not the type to overpay for a recognized brand. That extends to my Costco and general supermarket shopping, too.

Kirkland products are generally very high in quality, and I make a point to buy as many as possible to keep my bills to a minimum. But because I rely on paper towels so much, I’d rather, in this one instance, spend more for what I feel is better quality. And I also can’t, in good faith, recommend Kirkland paper towels to the masses.

That said, you may find that Kirkland paper towels get the job done for you. And if so, you might as well save the money. But I think the average person is better off skipping this one specific Kirkland product and spending a little bit more for Bounty.

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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. Maurie Backman has positions in Amazon.com. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon.com and Costco Wholesale. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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