Costco’s Kirkland Signature brand consistently offers high-quality products at a lower price point than you’ll find pretty much anywhere else. The value of the Kirkland Signature brand is actually part of the reason we recommend Costco over Sam’s Club. Some Kirkland products so closely resemble their name-brand counterparts that you can’t even tell the difference.
You might already know you can find name brand Costco clothes at ridiculously good prices, but did you know some of the same manufacturers also make Kirkland Signature products? Companies like Starbucks and Keurig are behind the Kirkland brand coffee — so why pay more for the exact same thing?
If you’re already a Costco member (or trying to decide if a Costco membership is worth it), use this as your guide to the Kirkland Signature brand. Learn who makes Kirkland vodka (no, it’s not Grey Goose, but it tastes just like it) and whether Kirkland dog food can replace the popular name brand stuff (spoiler alert: it can).
We’ve also included a list of our favorite Kirkland brand products that offer significant savings over the name-brand version.
For more smart shopping tips and savings hacks, download the KCL app or text HACKS to 57299.
Is Kirkland a good brand?
The Kirkland Signature store brand is known for being high-quality and sold exclusively at Costco.
Costco partners with reputable manufacturers to create nearly the same products as name-brand competitors — but since they sell the products in bulk, they can undercut the prices.
In fact, many Kirkland brand items get manufactured in the same plants as the top brands, which means the only difference is the label on the packaging.
TIP: While you may find some Amazon listings for Kirkland products, don't be fooled. Third-party sellers on Amazon will often mark up the prices on Costco products to make a profit.
Who makes Kirkland Signature products?
We already talked about how Starbucks and Keurig make the Kirkland Signature coffee offerings, but you might not realize how many other Costco-brand items come from well-known manufacturers.
For example, you can buy Duracell batteries at Costco — but Duracell actually creates the Kirkland Signature AA and AAA batteries, so why not opt for the Costco brand?
And if you have kids in diapers, think twice before you shop name brand: Kimberly-Clark (the same company that manufactures Huggies) makes Kirkland brand diapers.
In some cases, the manufacturer logo appears on the packaging along with the Kirkland logo. You can see this on products like Kirkland cranberry juice, where the Ocean Spray brand name gets printed right on the label.
Diamond Pet Foods: This brand produces some of the highest-quality dog food on the market, and they also produce Kirkland Signature dog food.
Duracell: Kirkland Signature batteries are made by Duracell, and you can buy a 48-pack of Kirkland AA batteries for $14.99 (vs. a 40-count pack of Duracell AA batteries for $20.99).
Ocean Spray: Whether you buy Craisins or bottled cranberry juice, consider that many of the Kirkland Signature versions are made or bottled by Ocean Spray.
Reynolds: Never buy name-brand aluminum foil or plastic wrap again. Both Kirkland Signature and Reynolds’ logos are featured on the packaging — at a lower price point than Reynolds Wrap.
Starbucks: The Kirkland Signature Espresso Blend Coffee or Regular House Coffee gets made by Starbucks, but with a much easier-on-the-wallet price tag.
Best Kirkland Brand Deals at Costco
1. Kirkland Signature Purified Water
You can buy 40 bottles of Arrowhead brand bottled water at Costco for $7.49, or get the exact same number of Kirkland-branded bottled water for $3.99.
That means you’ll save $0.09 per bottle when you buy Kirkland bottled water instead of Arrowhead. And we dare you to blind-taste test them to tell the difference!
2. Kirkland Signature Hard Seltzer
Kirkland Hard Seltzer tastes just like White Claw Seltzer, but for $0.32 less per can.
You can pick up a 24-pack of 12 oz Kirkland Hard Seltzer cans for $21.99 at Costco, or a 24-pack of 12 oz White Claw cans for $29.99.
3. Kirkland Signature Bath Tissue
Kirkland Toilet Paper is a household staple, especially when you compare the price to the Charmin pack sitting right next to it. The Kirkland pack of 30 rolls (1,425 total square feet) costs $19.49, which comes out to just $0.01 per square foot.
You’ll save $0.02/sq ft when you choose Kirkland over Charmin, which can really add up when you’re talking about a lifetime of purchasing toilet paper for your family.
4. Kirkland Signature Organic Coconut Water
Buy Kirkland organic coconut water instead of Vita and pocket a $0.04 savings per can! They taste so similar that you might not even notice switching one out for the other. But your wallet will definitely notice the difference.
5. Kirkland Signature Napkins
When it comes to stocking your kitchen with casual, everyday napkins, Costco’s Kirkland brand is a steal at $0.01 per napkin. Especially when you compare it to Vanity Fair’s napkin price at Costco, coming in at $0.02 per napkin.
You’ll get nearly twice as many Kirkland napkins for the same cost.
6. Kirkland Signature 12-Piece Hard-Anodized Cookware Set
When it comes to great non-stick cookware, Kirkland’s 12-piece set is $100 cheaper than Ninja’s 12-piece cookware set, both sold by Costco. Either set will cook you a great dinner, but the Kirkland option will save you $100.
7. Kirkland Signature Flushable Wipes
When you opt for the Kirkland flushable wipes instead of Cottenelle, you’ll save $0.01 per wipe. That means you’ll get 80 more Kirkland brand wipes for $1.50 less.
8. Kirkland Signature Ultra Shine Dishwasher Pods
If you want to spend $0.11 less per load of dishes, then you’ll want to ditch Cascade Dishwasher Pacs in favor of Kirkland Dishwasher Pacs. You’ll get the same clean dishes for less than half the cost per load.
9. Kirkland Signature Laundry Detergent
Besides the price, the main difference between Tide Laundry Detergent and Kirkland Laundry Detergent Free & Clear is that you’ll get about 65 more loads out of the Kirkland bottle.
Costco’s Kirkland brand bottle of laundry detergent promises 146 loads for $21.99, while the Tide bottle only offers 81 loads for $20.99. That equals $0.11 savings per load when you buy Kirkland over Tide. And if your house is anything like mine, that’ll definitely add up fast.
10. Kirkland Signature Premium Paper Towels
When calculating the cost per square foot of paper towels, Kirkland products are a steal compared to Bounty paper towels sold by Costco.
You’ll get a 12-pack of paper towels with either brand, but the Kirkland brand has 1,026 total square feet per package for $19.99, while the Bounty brand only has 637 total square feet for $24.99. That makes the price per square foot half the cost when you go with Kirkland, saving you $0.02 per square foot.
Skip These Kirkland Brand Items
While we generally love everything in the Kirkland Signature brand, there are a few items that aren’t as good of a deal. These are the Costco-brand products we recommend skipping.
Kirkland Signature Spices
You can buy spices like cinnamon and garlic powder in bulk under the Kirkland Signature brand — but unless you’re a chef or need to cook for a large family, we recommend skipping the bulk spices.
That’s because spices typically expire after two years, and the money you save by buying the supersized bottle doesn’t do you any good if you can’t actually use the product before it goes bad. The same goes for bulk baking supplies like flour and sugar.
TIP: Always check the shelf life of bulk items before you splurge on a large quantity.
Kirkland Signature Facial Tissues
Most Kirkland paper products are totally worth it (their toilet paper, paper towels, and napkins all made the list above), but we just don’t love the facial tissues.
Kirkland Signature Facial Tissues cost $19.99 for 1,008 tissues, while a pack of Kleenex Ultra Soft at Costco is only $18.89 for 1,020 tissues. That means the Kirkland brand is actually less product for more money.
Kirkland Signature Milk
There’s nothing technically wrong with Costco’s brand of milk, other than the fact that it’s sold in such large quantities. (Again, just make sure you can use it all before it goes bad!)
But one thing that Costco shoppers comment on repeatedly is how much they dislike the shape of the milk jugs. Costco’s milk products come in square jugs, which several Reddit users say makes it prone to spilling — meaning you could waste more than you save.
For more ways to save at Costco, check out our membership guide or head to Costco.com.
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