13 Costco Items You Should Always Stock Up On, Customers Say
Picture it: you just became a Costco member (maybe it was a Christmas gift you received or a New Year's resolution you've made). And even if you've heard incredible things about the warehouse, the aisles and aisles of products ranging from electronics to groceries to tires to clothing can be a little overwhelming once you start shopping. You might benefit from hearing from more seasoned Costco members about what exactly should you be buying when you hit the store. Thankfully, your fellow shoppers have recently chimed in on what they consider to be Costco staples, recommending products that are their go-tos thanks to price and quality.
The thing that smart Costco shoppers understand is that while there are certainly great items to be found throughout the warehouse, some Costco purchases are much better than others and simply shouldn't be missed. For example, some people feel that their local grocery store is more cost-friendly for meat. Others are pretty specific about where they buy their produce. So, what are some of the Costco items you can stock up on with confidence? Read on for the top products being praised by Costco shoppers online.
1. Kirkland Signature Bottled Water
While some take issue with the environmental impact of plastic bottles, many still find them useful for events, travel, or when bringing along a refillable bottle just isn't convenient. Enter, the Kirkland Signature Water. " I buy this water every time that I am at Costco (which is a lot)," wrote one reviewer on Costco's website. "Our family of 6 (we live in the hot, hot desert) drink these every time we leave the house." At $439.99 for a 48-case pallet, you'll end up paying less than a quarter per 16.9—ounce bottle.
2. Toilet Paper
Stocking up on a huge 30-roll pack of Kirkland Signature Bath Tissue is a no-brainer—we all need and use toilet paper daily. For $23.49 you'll get 380 sheets per roll of 2-ply paper. "I like the Kirkland basic toilet paper over the Charmin/Premium," wrote one Redditor. On another Costco thread specifically dedicated to the bath item, someone noted that the Costco brand is "more than fine," which when you're talking about something that gets flushed down the toilet, is high praise.
3. Garbage Bags
We can all think of plenty of other things to spend our hard-earned money on than bags used to throw out the trash. But when it comes to Kirkland's Kitchen Bags, they're an undeniably great buy at $19.99 for 200. "I'm always surprised this isn't on more lists," one customer wrote on Reddit. "They last forever, are strong, and the price point beats anything I can get at the grocery store."
4. Canned Tomatoes
"The canned tomatoes are a staple for me," said one Redditor. "I find for San Marzano Costco blows everything out of the water," chimed in another person. YouTuber Kathy Cooks found Cento ($9.99) and Nina ($5.99) brands of San Marzanos at Costco and felt both had a place in her pantry. Not to mention, Kirkland's Signature Organic Diced Tomatoes are $7.99 for eight cans, so you definitely can't go wrong.
5. Bird Seed
While it may not be a pantry staple, many folks love to feed the birds in their backyard, so bird seed came highly recommended as something to pick up on your next trip (if you're into that sort of thing!). "Best price I can find around and the kind they have isn't just a big bag of millet. It's actually good seed that birds will eat," one person wrote on Reddit. Blogger Amber at Everyday Fun Finds found a 40-pound bag of Premium Wild Bird Food at Costco for $25.99 and considered it a great buy for attracting finches, cardinals, and chickadees to the yard.
6. Pet Food and Meds
Clearly, the great deals at Costco are not just for humans! Four-legged friends will love the store's pet food, and the savings are something that owners can't bark at. "Pet food is a great price and good quality," wrote one Redditor. "I can't afford not to buy Kirkland dog food," commented another person. Kirkland's Salmon and Sweet Potato Formula is a great buy at $52.99 for a 35-pound bag. Another poster said they saved "hundreds a year" getting their pet Rx and Costco.
7. Rao's Tomato Sauce
The coveted yet normally pricey tomato sauce is an item that smart Costco shoppers scoop up when the price is right. "I hate to admit it but when RAOs is on sale, I snatch up like 6 jars at a clip," wrote one Redditor. Fans are obsessed with the sauce, which is made with natural ingredients and no added sugar and is also keto-friendly. Blogger Cost Contessa devoted a whole post to the sauce, adding an announcement that after a hiatus, the sauce was seen on shelves again in October, for what broke down to $5.89 a jar in a 2-pack (that's nearly half the price it can be at some supermarkets).
8. Rotisserie Chicken
Costco's rotisserie chicken is a thing of beauty. You can serve it as a meal on its own, add it to soups or enchiladas, make sandwiches with it . . . the possibilities are endless. At five bucks, it's a solid purchase and the best part is that it tastes good, too. "My roommate recently bought three rotisserie chickens for the holidays and I use the carcasses to make soup/soup stock," wrote one Redditor. It's truly the gift that keeps on giving!
9. Socks
Shoppers know there are great deals to be found on clothing for the whole family, and socks are never a bad purchase. "Since my dog likes to chew on my socks, I'll buy a pack of one of the name brands they have," wrote one Redditor. "Tube and no-show! Puma and Adidas come to mind first. I got the Timberland socks to wear with boots." This hot tip was echoed on another Reddit thread. "Socks and underwear are amazing there compared to prices at a place like kohls," wrote one person. "Puma socks FTW," chimed in another. Pick up a 10-pair pack of PUMA no-show socks for ladies or men, each is just $10.99.
10. Kirkland Alcohol
Slow your roll on the Ketel One and Grey Goose because the booze at Costco is not only a great buy, but also tastes good! "If you imbibe, ALL of Kirkland's alcohol is quite decent, including spirits and wines," one person wrote. "Highly recommend." Kirkland Signature French Vodka sells for around $20, and fans think it's so good there was once even a rumor that it's actually Grey Goose (it's not). "Kirkland imported vodka (not the domestic) is IMHO indistinguishable from Grey Goose."
11. Peanut Butter
While some Redditors were divided on this one, many are big fans of buying peanut butter at Costco. Sure, you can get good deals on name brands like Skippy but most smart shoppers praise the bargain that is Kirkland Signature Organic Peanut Butter. At just $12.99 for two 28-ounce jars, it'll keep your family in PB&J sandwich mode for a while. "My family loves the Kirkland peanut butter without added sugar," wrote one Redditor. "…their organic peanut butter is just peanut butter and salt," added another fan. "Delicious."
12. Butter
Although some have reported noticing issues with Kirkland Signature salted butter, many shoppers still swear by the affordable butter in the blue box. "…the 4-pack Kirkland grass-fed butter at about 9 bucks is a steal and is better than so many other butters I've tried," wrote one Redditor. "I like it better than Kerrygold."
13. Cereal
Breakfast wouldn't be the same (or as affordable) without Costco. You'll often see shoppers stocking up on big boxes of cereal and fans agree it's a smart move. "…cereal is much less expensive than my local grocery store," wrote one shopper. "Especially if there's a sale." The best part is that you can still get the name brands your family loves, just at a better price. Most popular cereals are at around ten bucks for two big boxes. Now that's grrreat!
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