What generic product do you buy that works as good or better than the name brand?

[of the seas]

I read in Consumer Reports that they tested many dishwasher detergents and they thought that the Walmart powder was the best at cleaning and getting off dried-on foods. I thought I would try it. They were right!! It works better than Cascade to me! I even use less and it still cleans good. The box lasts a long time for our family.

So what do you use that's generic but works really well? Or what off-brand food tastes as good as the name brand? I'm looking for some other great products to try and save money.

 

[Chickysmom]

I have not been disappointed yet with the Walmart brands....Great Value and Equate.

 

[tink2dw]

Anything with the Favorite name brand is really good.

But just recently the low fat string cheese tastes go yummy!! I want it instead of Chocolate. It tastes so good. Dd and I are eating it for a snacks
instead of sugary snacks

 

[Laurajean1014]

Hmm. I usually buy by brand. But Equate (Walmart) does have great alternatives. I just don't go to Walmart that often.

I do love going to Costco and stocking up on the brands I love.

I have been using less detergent than specified in the wash and in the dish washer.

Also, Costco sells those towels (yellow) that clean your home without detergents. They work terrific! I love to clean my granite countertops with them and even detailed the car last week with one. All the dirt comes off with/out having to use deterents.

Sorry, not too much on the generic side.

 

[virginiamama]

Also, Costco sells those towels (yellow) that clean your home without detergents. They work terrific!

Where can I find these yellow towels at Costco? Do you wash them or are they disposable?

 

[travelbug]

I use the store brand (Meijer) contact lens solution. It's considerably cheaper to start with, plus it comes up on great sales occasionally. It works just fine.

 

[carone0318]

I use Target brand body wash, it is compared to the Dove brand. I think it works just as well as far as moisturizing my body and for half the price.

Dd uses the CVS brand contact lens solution. She used to use the Bausch & Lomb moisture lock stuff until that whole fiasco went down.

 

[nbodyhome]

I don't tend to consider store brands generic anymore - they are often as good as, or better than, name brands. I think a lot of store brands are almost considered name-brand now.

I am not sure if you mean food also - but I am eating Market Pantry oatmal right now, 10 packs is $1.52 (much cheaper than Quaker, and I prefer it). I buy Market Pantry on a number of things - as well as Archer Farms from Target. Publix also has great items, they may be my favorite as far as store branded items.

I don't really like Wal Mart as a store so much - so I'm surprised on the Equate. But I may just try it then!

 

[jillyjoey]

I buy both Target brand and Walmart brand. The only thing in "generic brand" I will not ever buy is pop. Sorry -- there is nothing like Coca-Cola products. When my kids were in diapers, I also stayed away from the store brands, I never had any luck with them myself-- although others swear by them, JMHO.
Also, maybe TMI here, but I have even bought the generic feminine products when they were out of my type of Tampax -- absolutely no difference but the $2.00 in price.

 

[sammielynn]

We love the Wal-mart instant breakfast. The boys will not even drink Carnation now.

 

[mommiepoppins]

dollar general has 12 pack oat meal varity package for 1 $ my kids love it
also they have generic pop tarts that my kids and dh love

 

[BeccaGrace]

I always bought name brand toilet paper and paper towels but now I use Wegmans brand and no one noticed the difference.

I tried Target brand pasta when it was on clearance for 19 cents a box and it was just as good as Barilla.

One thing I CANNOT use generic on is Q-tips! They are so much better than all the generics.

And now I am dying to go buy some Wal-Mart dishwasher detergent and instant breakfast!

 

[nbodyhome]

Also, maybe TMI here, but I have even bought the generic feminine products when they were out of my type of Tampax -- absolutely no difference but the $2.00 in price.

I prefer Kotex, I haven't found a store brand I liked yet. Maye sometime!

I bought dental floss picks also from BJ's - much cheaper than I found anywhere else, that was their own brand.

 

[IWannaBeAPrincess]

If you like frozen lasagna (we usually do homemade) the Wal-mart brand lasagna was fantastic! Much better than other frozens that I've tried... I mentioned it to my mom, who never buys generic, and she goes "Oh you are right!" One of her friends also recommended it. It's really good!

 

[NancyIL]

I like the Member's Mark private label brand from Sam's Club for some things. I especially like their toilet paper and paper towels, and I am using their liquid laundry detergent, too. But no one likes their shampoo and conditioner in the HUGE pump bottles. I also buy Member's Mark OTC medications and vitamins...MUCH cheaper than name brands.

 

[sconnell]

DIAPERS! This was a big leap for me one time, but I have tried all brands and I've found that the Sam's brand, Smiles, and the Walmart, White Cloud, are great! They tend to fit my babies' slinder, long torsos the best. And the guard against leaks. I haven't tried Target. I normally buy Sam's because it's convient to just buy them every 6-8 weeks.

 

[momof1princess]

let's see...we buy the equate brands (wal-mart) of listerine and act fluoride rinse and i find them to be no different than the brand names, aside from the price difference. my DH drinks sam's cola (wal-mart) at work, and says the difference from coca-cola is so slight, only a die-hard coke drinker like himself could tell. i use the equate brand contact lens solution (which is comparable to the renu no-rub) and can tell no difference.

i wouldn't hesitate to try a store brand, especially at wal-mart. the quality seems to be quite good. (i know wal-mart isn't a popular store on this board, but we don't have a target, and probably never will)

 

[Hillbeans]

The Target brand Apple juice was always my choice over the brand name juices. It had 20% of the RDA of Calcium and I always look to buy calcium fortified products for my kids.

Unfortunately in the last few months they changed around the product and it no longer has calcium in it - .

I actually sent Target an e-mail to put the calcium back in! I sure hope they do.

 

[curlybop]

I have recently tried Aldi's brand of foods, and they are fairly good too. I LOVE the double stuff "Oreo" brand they have. Those are the closest to the 'real' stuff I've ever tried. Much cheaper too! Their pancake syrups & ice creams are good too.

 

[jmms1224]

Any of the Publix brand seems just as good if not better than the brand name.