3 surprising things about Costco Kirkland products

If you’re new to shopping at Costco, you might be wondering why you keep seeing the Kirkland label on so many products. Kirkland is Costco’s signature brand, and you often spend less if you buy the Kirkland version of the product you want.

If you’re a seasoned Costco shopper, you’ll be familiar with the wide selection of Kirkland products. But here are a few things that might surprise you.

1. Covers a huge variety of categories.

It’s not just baked goods and snack products where you’ll find the Kirkland name. The Kirkland brand probably covers more product categories than you ever imagined, from vitamins to batteries to baby wipes.

You can find the Kirkland name on sneakers and clothing, as well as pet beds and supplies. Kirkland also produces its own signature sangria, but it’s not available at Costco stores that don’t sell alcohol.

2. The quality is generally very high.

Store brands are often thought of as being of lower quality than well-known brands. But not Kirkland.

Now, as a new Costco shopper, I admit that at first I didn’t want to give Kirkland products a chance. But these days, you’ll buy anything with the Kirkland brand on it, from spices to over-the-counter medications. And with a few exceptions, I’ve never had any issues with quality.

You should also know that Costco stands behind every product it sells, especially its signature brands. So if you bring home a Kirkland product that doesn’t meet your needs, you can usually return it for a full refund.

If you’re still not sure, go to Costco.com and check out the Kirkland product reviews. For example, Kirkland’s Signature Coffee Organic Pacific Bold K-Cup Pods have a customer rating of 4.9 stars across nearly 1,500 reviews. Starbucks’ Veranda Blend Blonde Roast K-Cup only has a 4.7-star rating with nearly the same number of reviews.

3. Some items are not worth buying.

You can probably tell I’m a fan of Kirkland products in general. However, there are a few Kirkland items that have disappointed me in the past: paper products.

I’m at a stage in my life where I take paper towels seriously. And the Kirkland company doesn’t do the job of absorbing spills like Bounty does.

In this context, Kirkland toilet paper reminds me of items you might find in office building or mall restrooms. Although it serves the required purpose, the quality is not very high. So while buying Kirkland paper products can save you money, some items aren’t worth the savings.

But the only way to really know if a Kirkland product is right for you is through trial and error. And again, if you don’t like what you bought from Kirkland, you have some recourse.

The more often you shop at Costco, the more familiar you will become with the store’s signature brands. It’s definitely helpful to try out Kirkland products, but if your purchase doesn’t turn out as expected, don’t hesitate to bring it back to customer service.

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