9 Kirkland Items at Costco You Should Avoid In 2024
Private-label grocery brands don't always get the most fanfare, but that truth doesn't necessarily hold when it comes to Costco's very own line of products: Kirkland Signature. This house brand is arguably one of the biggest perks of paying for a Costco membership due to the wide range and reliable quality of its products. Even more importantly, the Kirkland Signature line is what allows Costco to continuously deliver great value to its customers.
In a May earnings call, Costco CFO Gary Millerchip said that the company considers adding new Kirkland Signature items whenever it can't get members the best possible value with more widely-known name-brand products.
"If we are unsuccessful in delivering ultimate value with branded goods, we evaluate the potential for new high-quality Kirkland Signature items with a goal of providing at least 20% value versus what we would sell the national brand item," he said.
That being said, not every Kirkland Signature product has garnered approval from Costco's fanbase. In fact, there are several Kirkland items that many shoppers agree just aren't up to scratch with their peers because of the taste, quality, or other issues.
Of course, it's important to note that every grocery product, Kirkland or otherwise, likely has its fans and critics. But using reviews and comments shared by Costco members online, we've rounded up the items that have garnered more complaints than praise—indicating a wide consensus that they may not be worth your money.
Read on for the nine Kirkland items Costco shoppers say you're better off avoiding in 2024.
Kirkland Signature Brisket Burnt Ends
Calories: 270
Fat: 19 g (Saturated Fat: 7 g, Trans Fat: 0 g)
Sodium: 405 mg
Carbs: 6 g (Sugar: 5 g)
Protein: 19 g
Barbecue fans might be tempted to pick up a pack of Costco's Kirkland Signature Brisket Burnt Ends, but some shoppers believe you're better off to avoid them. "Gross," "horrible," and "not worth it" are only some of the descriptors Costco members have bestowed on the pre-cooked item, which features seasoned and smoked beef brisket.
"Hands down burnt ends," a Costco shopper wrote in a Reddit discussion on the worst Kirkland products. "Tough and chewy chunks of meat cubes with [an] extreme amount of fat."
"The Kirkland brand burnt ends are the worst," another lamented.
Kirkland Signature Bar Soap
The Kirkland Signature Bar Soap is yet another cleaning item from Costco's house brand that has left shoppers disappointed. Although the product is made with shea butter and moisturizing cream, customers have complained that the product is a pain to use and leaves their skin feeling parched.
"Their bar soap is the only thing that I've tried that I've completely hated. Pulls at the skin like a needy toddler," one customer said.
"Their bar soap is absolutely awwwwwwful. Left my skin feeling so dry and I couldn't seem to rinse it off without feeling rubbery," another commented.
Kirkland Signature Colombian Cold Brew Coffee
Calories: 15
Fat: 0 g (Saturated Fat: 0 g, Trans Fat: 0 g)
Sodium: 5 mg
Carbs: 2 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 0 g)
Protein: 0 g
Before adding a case of Kirkland Signature Colombian Cold Brew Coffee to your shopping cart, you might want to consider the plethora of negative reviews these canned coffees have received.
As any coffee aficionado knows, cold brew coffee is supposed to be less acidic and smoother than classic hot coffee. While some Costco shoppers have voiced their appreciation for the caffeine boost they get from Kirkland's iteration, many say the taste and quality leave a lot to be desired. One has even gone so far as to call them "undrinkable."
"These taste like week-old coffee left on a counter," a customer wrote on Reddit.
"It's quite close to battery acid," another commented.
Kirkland Signature Bath Tissue
Out of all the Kirkland Signature items in this list, none have garnered quite as much backlash as the Kirkland Signature Bath Tissue. Shoppers have been reporting a drop in the product's quality for years, saying that tissue is extra linty, tears too easily, and is less soft.
While some have defended the quality of Kirkland item, others are so fed up with the private label toilet paper that they've stopped buying it altogether.
"Their [toilet paper] quality declined MASSIVELY after COVID. Had to switch to Charmin," a Redditor commented.
Kirkland Signature Chicken Bakes
Calories: 540
Fat: 19 g (Saturated Fat: 6 g, Trans Fat: 0 g)
Sodium: 1,370 mg
Carbs: 58 g (Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 7 g)
Protein: 35 g
The Chicken Bake—a sort of souped-up Hot Pocket filled with chicken, bacon, Caesar dressing, and cheese—is a mainstay on Costco's food court menu and boasts plenty of devoted fans. However, the frozen version of the food court offering that's sold at Costco warehouses has developed a far less positive reputation among shoppers.
In a Reddit thread, one Costco member lamented that the bake-at-home Kirkland Signature Chicken Bakes are "not even close to the real thing."
"I really like their in-store Chicken Bakes. Got the frozen ones so I could have them any time I want, and they were awful," another Redditor wrote.
In a previous Eat This, Not That! chicken bake taste test that pitted the food court and freezer section varieties against each other, this reporter also found that the frozen Kirkland Signature Chicken Bakes were a far cry from the original, with dry filling, a bready texture, and weak flavor.
Kirkland Signature Ultra Shine Liquid Dish Soap
Shoppers' grievances against the Kirkland Signature Liquid Dish Soap are varied and plentiful. Some have complained that the soap can sometimes solidify, which makes it difficult to use.
"Their dish soap coagulates so easily that you always have to use a needle to poke through the soap clots that form in the spout," a Redditor said.
"The Kirkland dish soap congeals into lumps and blocks my dish soap dispenser," another wrote.
Meanwhile, others said that it just doesn't clean as well as they want it to and recommend opting for a name-brand soap even if it's slightly pricier.
"Pay the extra dollar or two and get the Dawn Platinum!" a shopper suggested.
Kirkland Signature UltraShine Dishwasher Detergent Pacs
It's not just the Kirkland Signature liquid dish soap that shoppers have taken issue with. Members also have serious complaints about the private label brand's dish detergent pods as well.
One common critique about the Kirkland Signature UltraShine Dishwasher Detergent Pacs is that they just don't clean as well as the name brands.
"They're okaaaay but absolutely it's worth getting the Cascade instead, cleans way better," a shopper wrote on Reddit.
Others have criticized the scent and said the pods tend to leave a "residue" on their dishes.
"The dishwasher packs [sic] are so bad. It's the only item I've ever taken the time to stand in line and return," a Redditor commented.
Kirkland Signature Sport Drink Variety Pack
Kirkland Signature Fruit Punch Sport Drink (Per Bottle)
Calories: 150
Fat: 0 g
Sodium: 250 mg
Carbs: 37 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 35 g)
Protein: 0 g
The Kirkland Signature Sport Drinks—which are sold in variety packs with fruit punch, blue raspberry, and orange flavors—may not look all that different from a name-brand version like Gatorade or Powerade. However, many shoppers have been far from impressed by them.
The chief complaint about the Kirkland beverages? According to Redditors, the sweetness levels are overwhelming.
"It's so bad. It's way too sugary. I would never want it while working out. Only thing I've found it to be decent for is when I'm hungover, but I'd still prefer Gatorade," a Redditor commented.
"[Kirkland's] Gatorade competition is … much less expensive. That's all the good things I have to say about it," another wrote.
Kirkland Signature Batteries
These Kirkland Signature batteries have faced a prolific number of quality complaints in recent years, and 2024 is no exception. Many a shopper has reported that the batteries consistently leak, rendering them useless.
"They always leak/discharge so I quit buying them a few years ago," a Costco shopper wrote on Reddit.
In some instances, the leaky batteries have even reportedly destroyed the products they were powering.
"My mom bought a round of those some time ago and it was an especially bad batch. They have all exploded and taken whatever their device was with them," a Redditor lamented.
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