Store-brand products as a whole don’t have a sterling reputation. They get slapped with the “generic” label. They’re cheaper in price, which leads many people to believe they’re lower in quality—and in fact, that’s sometimes the case.
Sometimes.
However, Costco’s Kirkland Signature brand is among the store brands that have flipped many shoppers’ opinions about whether to buy “white-label.” For good reason! Kirkland Signature isn’t your everyday house brand—it’s a carefully curated collection of products that often rival (and sometimes even surpass!) their name-brand counterparts in quality and value.
Grab your Costco shopping list and read along as I dive into some of Kirkland Signature’s hidden gems with ultra-high ratings. These products are widely viewed as equivalent or superior to their higher-priced, fancier-label counterparts.
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High-Quality, Low-Priced Kirkland Signature Products
The Kirkland Signature brand can be found across numerous product categories—food and drink, household goods, baby care, pet supplies, even gasoline.
Today, I’m going to focus on Kirkland Signature-brand items across several of these categories that aren’t just hits, but home runs.
Just remember: No matter how high the recommendation, you shouldn’t buy certain products in bulk (mostly fresh food and ingredients, but generally anything that has a short shelf life) unless you consume them quickly and in large volumes. Otherwise, you’re just throwing money away.
Listed ratings reflect Costco reviewers’ average star ratings. Products listed in reverse order of average star rating, from lowest to highest.
1. Paper Towels
–Rating: 4.8/5.0
Kirkland Signature Premium Towel paper towels don’t have a perfect rating, but at 4.8 stars on average, they’re pretty darn close.
One recent review states that these paper towels “Work great! Tear[s] off roll easily. Convenient to have the option of a smaller amount of paper. The whole roll last[s] a long time. Super absorbent!”
Another recent comment says “These paper towels are great, better than any other towels I’ve ever used before.”
Not only are these paper towels considered high-quality, but they’re also more affordable than other brands. Some reviews say that these are as good as Bounty paper towels, but with much better pricing. Indeed, one of my fellow Young and the Invested colleagues mentioned that he switched from Bounty to Costco’s paper towels, and he hasn’t looked back.
Paper towels can last a long time and serve a variety of purposes, so this product might be one of the best ones to buy in bulk.
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2. Baby Wipes
–Rating: 4.8/5.0
Baby wipes are great cleaning tools to always have on hand. And it’s hard to do better than Kirkland Signature Baby Wipes are fragrance and alcohol-free, hypoallergenic, clinically proven to moisturize skin, and gentle enough for eczema.
These factors have helped Costco’s baby wipes earn a 4.8 average out of 5.0 score. Reviews frequently mention that the wipes are high-quality, and several say they’re the best wipes on the market.
And apparently, as one five-star review points out, they’re mighty versatile:
“I don’t have babies in my house, but use these as facial wipes mainly. I carry a package in each vehicle to use as hand wipes too. They work very well. Definitely recommend at least for the uses I mentioned.”
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3. Organic Olive Oil
–Rating: 4.8/5.0
If you’re like many people, olive oil is a household staple—one you don’t want to be caught without. So if you always make sure you have olive oil on hand, Kirkland Signature’s Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a great candidate.
The two-liter bottle has earned a spectacular 4.8-star rating. Users describe this olive oil as delicious and many say they use it daily.
“I use this as my go-to oil,” one five-star review reads. “It has a mild flavor that works well for sauté and dressings.”
Others agree it’s great for both salads and cooking.
Just remember: Olive oil doesn’t last forever, so don’t buy it from Costco (or any other warehouse stores) if you don’t use much of it.
But if you have a daily EVOO habit, Kirkland Signature-brand olive oil should fit the bill.
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4. Dark Roast Colombian Coffee
–Rating: 4.8/5.0
A cup of coffee in the morning is a comforting daily routine for tens of millions of Americans. And if you’re consuming a product every day, I say you deserve to enjoy it.
And many people enjoy starting their days with coffee from Costco.
Kirkland Signature’s Colombian Dark Roast has a sky-high 4.8 average star rating. Recent reviews declare it the best coffee around.
“We couldn’t start our day without it,” one fan writes. “This coffee is fantastic! We use 4-5 cans/month at my job and everyone raves about [its] rich and balanced flavor,” another says.
If you’re not already drinking Costco’s java and you’re open to a change in caffeine scenery, Kirkland’s Colombian Roast might be worth a taste. (But again: Avoid buying this in bulk if you only want ultra-fresh coffee and don’t drink the stuff in large quantities.)
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5. Ultra Clean Premium Laundry Detergent
–Rating: 4.8/5.0
Laundry: It’s a boring chore for some, and a therapeutic task for others. But regardless of your preference, it’s important to keep your clothes and bedding clean and fresh.
If you’re a Costco member, you can do that with Kirkland Signature’s Ultra Clean Premium Laundry Detergent. This liquid detergent is hypo-allergenic and marketed as being tough on stains.
It’s also another 4.8-out-of-5.0 product. Reviewers love its lack of fragrance, its ability to keep clothes clean, and its value proposition—and they commonly mention they’ve been using it for years.
“I have used this laundry product and my clothes come out perfect,” one reviewer raves. “No discoloration, no perfume smell and colors don’t fade. [I] have sensitive skin and I have no itch or discomfort.”
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6. Walnut Halves
- Rating: 4.8/5.0
Are you nuts about walnuts?
Costco carries 3-pound bags of this healthy, crunchy snack. Specifically, Kirkland Signature Walnut Halves are U.S. #1 Grade walnuts. But despite the name, they’re actually just 20% halves, and the remaining 80% is broken pieces—common among many brands of walnuts.
Still, this is another Kirkland Signature product that Costco shoppers can’t get enough of. The walnuts have earned a 4.8-star average rating, with reviews frequently mentioning freshness, good value, and the fact that bags feature big pieces and not too much dust.
One enthusiastic reviewer said she loves using the walnuts in salads, as toppings for ice cream sundaes, or just on their own as a snack for guests.
7. Kitchen Garbage Bags
–Rating: 4.8/5.0
Buy something you didn’t enjoy? Unless it can be tossed in a recycling bin, you’ll need a sturdy trash bag to dispose of it.
That’s not a problem if you have Kirkland Signature’s Flex-Tech 13-Gallon Kitchen Trash Bags stored somewhere closeby. Costco’s drawstring bags, which come 200 to a box, are reinforced at the top, and the flexible plastic lets it expand without a high risk of tearing.
The bags currently garner a 4.8-star average review, with reviewers frequently lauding their durability.
“I really like using these Costco kitchen trash bags,” one reviewer says. “Very strong and durable. Don’t know that I’ve had any holes or tears in these bags. I appreciate that these Kirkland bags are tough and hold up well, are strong and durable. I highly recommend! Glad the bags are odor-less. A very satisfied customer!”
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8. Aller-Flo Allergy Spray
–Rating: 4.9/5.0
Ah, springtime. The sound of birds chirping. The earlier sunrises. The constant urge to cut one’s nose off to stop the sniffling.
OK, no one looks forward to that last point, but that’s what Kirkland Signature Aller-Flo—a generic version of Flonase that shares the same active ingredient (fluticasone propionate)—is designed to combat. The nasal spray offers 24-hour relief for itchy or watery eyes, runny or itchy noses, sneezing, and nasal congestion.
Based on its incredible average rating of 4.9 stars, it seems to deliver.
Many reviews (and another Young and the Invested colleague) insist that Aller-Flo is just as effective as Flonase while being much less expensive. And several reviewers claim they’ve been happily buying this product for years.
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9. Maple Syrup
–Rating: 4.9/5.0
Good news, breakfast lovers: Costco offers a highly-rated maple syrup for your pancakes and waffles. It’s organic, 100%-pure Grade A amber, and it’s kosher.
Kirkland Signature Organic Pure Maple Syrup has a nearly perfect rating of 4.9 stars. Users love the taste and the price.
“We don’t eat pancakes without Kirkland syrup. It’s that good,” one reviewer insists. “The syrup is consistently delicious and always the same viscosity. If you love genuine maple syrup, this is the product for you,” another says.
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10. Almond Flour
–Rating: 4.9/5.0
Do you love baking macarons? Do you bake desserts for your gluten-free friends? Well, for these and other reasons, you might keep almond flour in your pantry.
And shoppers who buy Kirkland Signature Almond Flour tend to be very happy with the results.
“I always use this flour in my recipes,” says a review by “Lisa C.” “Wouldn’t be without it. It’s a great brand of almond flour.” One of my Young and the Invested colleagues adds that his wife frequently used this flour in her macarons, which were a hit at his previous workplace before everyone shifted to work-from-home.
One bit of bad news, however: Many comments claim Costco has stopped carrying the flour in some of its stores. Fortunately, even if it’s not at your closest location, you can still order it online.
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