Generic vs. Brand Name Products Feedback

[CHH1023]

I have tried to cut down my monthly budget by switching to generic brand items from brand name items. But, after several trial and error, I have decided to switch back to brand name products for some household items and grocery.

Household items:
1. redness relief eye-drop (mild allergic reaction)
2. contact lenses solution (severe allergic reaction)
3. clog remover (it took double amount of reagent to remove clog)

Grocery items:
1. peanut butter (too much hydrogenated oil)
2. tomato sauce (not very tasty)
3. caffeine pills (not as effective as brand name one)
4. potato chips (too much hydrogenated oil)
5. frozen meatballs

[marvholly]

I buy VERY few generic/house brand items. I have learned that by combining coupons w/sales and register rewards (Walgreens) or Extra Bucks (CVS) and/or earning on your next order catalinas the name brand are frequently cheaper.

There are still a few items I do buy at Aldi regularly or the dollar store or Walgreens that are as good but cheaper. It's all trial & error and your taste/preferences.

[disneysteve]

I think generics can vary a lot from one generic to another. There are store brands I like and store brands I don't care for. Of course, the same is true for brand name products. Tomato sauce is a good example. Different brands (Ragu, Prego, Francesco Rinaldi, etc.) all taste very different, and the different varieties of the same brand also taste different.

My point is that it isn't just a brand vs. generic issue. It is a personal preference and taste issue.

You alluded to some health concerns and that is another valid point. I like to buy the individual serving fruit cups for snacks. Wegman's store brand is the only one (until just recently) that packed their fruit in juice and not syrup, so they had a lot less sugar than Dole and Del Monte, plus they were cheaper. So sometimes the store brand can actually be the healthier choice.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

There are some not recognizable brands I have found that I have liked better than name brand. The only thing that occurs to me right now though is the canned tuna from Costco, I guess it was called Kirkland. When I first opened and tasted Costco tuna, I thought, "This is like tuna was back in the 60's when everyone seemed to eat so much of it. It's what I remember from childhood." It is a solid piece of fish, not a slurry of chunks and bits, the way so much canned tuna is. It has a fresher, clean taste.

Regarding just plain tomato products, any brand is okay with me--whole tomatoes, diced tomatoes, plain sauce, plain paste. It is when they start adding ingredients to make spaghetti sauce or something that I begin to encounter trouble. Most brands also add sugar to those concoctions these days and that drives me up a wall. That said we last week (?) bought tomatoe sauce with chili seasonings in one of Aldi's house brands and like it just fine.

I have often found cold, boxed cereals to be less to my liking in the generics. Anything mimicking Cheerios, for example, has tasted like a mouth full of dust. But we don't often want to buy cold cereal anyway. My sister tells me the the Malto Meal brand cereals that come in large bags and mimic big brands are good and less expensive.

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by Joan.of.the.Arch

Regarding just plain tomato products, any brand is okay with me--whole tomatoes, diced tomatoes, plain sauce, plain paste.

Do you ever watch America's Test Kitchen? One episode a while back they showed the results of a taste test of canned crushed tomatoes. There were significant taste differences between brands. The winner was actually the brand we buy, Tuttoroso. Again, personal preference plays a part because the flavors that we dislike might be preferred by others.

[MonkeyMama]

I am partial to:

Tide laundry detergent
Pantene Shampoo
Gilette disposable razors

I find it funny that the cost is perceived to be so high with these items. We buy on sale and they aren't that expensive. In fact, all of the above will last many times longer than most other brands/generics we have tried.

I am shopping for a new shampoo since Pantene discontinued its "anti-dandruff" shampoo. Needless to say, I am extremely unimpressed with what I have tried so far (after extensive googling, etc.). The last shampoo I had wouldn't lather and wouldn't clean my hair. I tossed it. At this point I rather have dandruff, luxurious hair, and a bottle of shampoo that lasts an entire year.

Having mostly had good experiences with generics I have to laugh at the razors that are passed off as "identical to Gilette." Nice try - doesn't even work.

The food in our house is just about 100% generic. I think a lot of the generic brands are better, anyway. Lots of Target, Safeway, and Raley's generics in our house. Top of mind - we love Target brand for any breakfast food and Safeway has awesome spaghetti sauce. Sometimes the Target stuff is cheaper than the name brands and sometimes not. I couldn't tell the difference - we always buy whatever is cheaper at the time (pop tarts, granola bars, cereal). My parents give us a lot of kirkland products from Costco - those seem to be pretty high quality usually. As we find with our regional grocery chain - Raley's. They have really high quality generics.

[khosta]

Some generics are good and some just aren't. it's really trial and error! I don't use generics when it comes to health products. Some cleaning or toiletry items I can use generic!! I do compare prices now though with differnt generic brands - that has helped save costs!!

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by MonkeyMama

Sometimes the Target stuff is cheaper than the name brands and sometimes not. I couldn't tell the difference

Somebody has to manufacture the store brand. Often, it is the national brand company that also makes some of the store brands so the product can be virtually identical. I've spoken to people who work in various product manufacturing facilities and they've told me how a single assembly line cranks out 3 or 4 different brands of a product - all identical - that just get packed into cans or bottles with different labels but it is all the exact same stuff. Many generic medications are like this. The generic is often manufactured by the same company, in the same factory, that makes the brand name version. They are already in production so switching over to making the generic is a snap. That way, the original company still maintains a lot of market share since they get to sell the brand and one of the generic versions.

[jpg7n16]

hmmm I'll def have to reconsider my brand name pain releivers... thanks DS


not gonna do it for trail mix though! Tried Wal-Mart's generic trail mix, and Target's, and then Planters. Planters is soooooo much better! I've also tried some generic cereals, that just didn't do it for me. Maybe I'm just a picky eater??

[CHH1023]

Originally Posted by jpg7n16

hmmm I'll def have to reconsider my brand name pain releivers... thanks DS


not gonna do it for trail mix though! Tried Wal-Mart's generic trail mix, and Target's, and then Planters. Planters is soooooo much better! I've also tried some generic cereals, that just didn't do it for me. Maybe I'm just a picky eater??

I consider myself a picky eater, I have tried Wal-Mart's generic fiber bars and it tasted real bad to other brand name products. I do like their generic brad sorbet though, especially the key-lime flavor one.

[marvholly]

Originally Posted by disneysteve

Somebody has to manufacture the store brand. Often, it is the national brand company that also makes some of the store brands so the product can be virtually identical. I've spoken to people who work in various product manufacturing facilities and they've told me how a single assembly line cranks out 3 or 4 different brands of a product - all identical - that just get packed into cans or bottles with different labels but it is all the exact same stuff. Many generic medications are like this. The generic is often manufactured by the same company, in the same factory, that makes the brand name version. They are already in production so switching over to making the generic is a snap. That way, the original company still maintains a lot of market share since they get to sell the brand and one of the generic versions.

Steve is quite right. Same thing for cosmetic items. I KNOW. Many years ago I worked for an OEM (private label) manufacturer. You would be shocked to know how many name brands, store brands and generics come out of the SAME plant and off the same lines. Just a label change.

Take it a step further. Go into Sears or Pennys. Look at the interior layout/finishing on their fridge, dishwasher, microwave or washer dryer. Now compare to the name brands. Bet you can determine the actual manufacturer.

[CHH1023]

Originally Posted by marvholly

Steve is quite right. Same thing for cosmetic items. I KNOW. Many years ago I worked for an OEM (private label) manufacturer. You would be shocked to know how many name brands, store brands and generics come out of the SAME plant and off the same lines. Just a label change.

Take it a step further. Go into Sears or Pennys. Look at the interior layout/finishing on their fridge, dishwasher, microwave or washer dryer. Now compare to the name brands. Bet you can determine the actual manufacturer.

How come they don't have generic brand toothpaste, batteries, or febreze? those are pretty expensive

[Frugal]

Kirkland is a good Costco generic of sorts. I just bought some allergy medicine and acid reducer medicine there, and saved about forty bucks total.

Generally, I buy generics if they are cheaper, no matter what. This really helps cut my grocery bill costs and expenses down to size. lol

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by marvholly

Go into Sears or Pennys. Look at the interior layout/finishing on their fridge, dishwasher, microwave or washer dryer. Now compare to the name brands. Bet you can determine the actual manufacturer.

We saw this a few weeks ago when we bought our freezer. We saw totally identical freezers at two different stores supposedly from two different companies (GE and Frigidaire, I think). They were clearly the same in every aspect and were just being sold under two different brand names.

Originally Posted by CHH1023

How come they don't have generic brand toothpaste, batteries, or febreze? those are pretty expensive

Not sure about toothpaste or Febreeze but there are absolutely generic batteries. In fact, the generics almost always get the Consumer Reports Best Buy designation when they do their testing of batteries. Why? Because they are just as good and a lot cheaper.

[CHH1023]

Originally Posted by disneysteve

We saw this a few weeks ago when we bought our freezer. We saw totally identical freezers at two different stores supposedly from two different companies (GE and Frigidaire, I think). They were clearly the same in every aspect and were just being sold under two different brand names.

Not sure about toothpaste or Febreeze but there are absolutely generic batteries. In fact, the generics almost always get the Consumer Reports Best Buy designation when they do their testing of batteries. Why? Because they are just as good and a lot cheaper.

I use the rechargeable batteries called Sanyo Eneloop manufactured in Japan. and I absolutely LOVE this item! It's a good investment I say, I haven't purchased any new batteries since 14 months ago.

[tan fish]

Originally Posted by Frugal

Kirkland is a good Costco generic of sorts. I just bought some allergy medicine and acid reducer medicine there, and saved about forty bucks total.

Generally, I buy generics if they are cheaper, no matter what. This really helps cut my grocery bill costs and expenses down to size. lol

Totally agree. Kirkland is good quality, at good prices. I love costco.

[marvholly]

Originally Posted by CHH1023

How come they don't have generic brand toothpaste, batteries, or febreze? those are pretty expensive

There ARE store brands of toothpaste but why bother when at least 1 of the BIG 3 drug stores (CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aide) runs name brand on sale to the point that between the sale & coupons regularly in the Sunday inserts it is VERY cheaop (<0.50/tube) or FREE.

Batteries and Febreeze clones are available at the dollar stores. Also, I see name brand batteries on sale fairly frequently that are CHEAP when paired w/ a coupon.

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by marvholly

Batteries and Febreeze clones are available at the dollar stores.

I would be wary about buying batteries at the dollar store. Those are cheap Chinese knockoffs and there have been a few cases of them leaking, bursting, etc. and people getting burnt or the batteries damaging the devices they were in. Buy a store brand at Wal-Mart or Target or Costco but stay away from the really cheap dollar store versions.

[marvholly]

DS
Actually any batteries I have bought at the dollar store have been Kodak & Panasonic. That is not to say they are not Chinese mfg but I hope to a higher srandard.

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by marvholly

DS
Actually any batteries I have bought at the dollar store have been Kodak & Panasonic. That is not to say they are not Chinese mfg but I hope to a higher srandard.

Don't be fooled by well-known brand names at the dollar stores. That does not mean these products are the same ones you would find in mainstream stores. They are often the Chinese version of those products. A few years ago, there was a recall of "Colgate" toothpaste, but only the kind sold at the dollar stores (made in China). It contained some potentially harmful chemical.

Personally, I would not buy anything at the dollar store that I will consume or anything where safety could be an issue.