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  "path": "/kirkland-signature-costco-never-buy-name-brand-dupes",
  "publishedAt": "2026-05-26T20:59:40.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.narcity.com",
  "tags": [
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  "textContent": "\n\n\n\n_The views expressed in this Opinion article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media._\n\nKirkland Signature is Costco's store brand, and a lot of the products are dupes of name-brand items.\n\nEven though the private label versions can be cheaper, there are many that I never buy when shopping at the wholesale retailer.\n\nThat's because the bulk-sized packages are too big for a single person, and they're not always the same quality as name brands, in my opinion.\n\nI'd rather pay more for some name-brand products at the wholesale retailer and grocery stores in Canada rather than save a few bucks with the Kirkland versions.\n\nSo, here are more than a dozen Kirkland Signature products at Costco Canada stores that I never put in my shopping cart, even if they're cheap dupes of name-brand items.\n\n### Water pitcher with filters\n\n\n\n\nIt costs $26.99 for this Kirkland Signature water filtration system that comes with a 10-cup pitcher and two filters. This item is a cheaper dupe of Brita water pitchers.\n\nCostco also has the name-brand Brita water filtration system that costs $29.99 for a pack with a 10-cup pitcher and two filters.\n\nEven with the $3 price difference between the store brand and name brand, I get the Brita pitcher and the filter refill packs from Costco whenever I need them.\n\n### French roast coffee\n\n\n\n\nKirkland Signature French roast coffee is similar to Starbucks French roast coffee.\n\nCostco has a 1.13-kilogram bag of Kirkland Signature French roast coffee for $24.99.\n\nBut it's whole bean coffee, so I don't get this product at Costco.\n\nInstead, I get name-brand ground coffee at the grocery store, even if it's more expensive, because there are more options to choose from.\n\n### Ice cream bars\n\n\n\n\nIt costs $16.99 for a box of Kirkland Signature vanilla almond ice cream bars. There are 18 bars in each pack, which works out to a cost of $0.94 per bar.\n\nCostco also has name-brand Häagen-Dazs vanilla almond ice cream bars. It's $13.99 for a box that comes with nine bars, which breaks down to a cost of $1.55 per bar.\n\nEven though it's cheaper to buy the Kirkland product, Costco's store brand version is just too big for a single person.\n\nSo, if I want to get ice cream bars from Costco, I put the Häagen-Dazs box in my shopping cart.\n\n### Cream cheese\n\n\n\n\nIt costs $9.99 for a pack of four 250-gram blocks of Kirkland Signature cream cheese.\n\nCostco also has a pack of name-brand Philadelphia cream cheese that comes with two 500-gram tubs for $13.49.\n\nThe retailer's store-brand dupe is $3.50 cheaper than the name-brand product.\n\nI actually prefer to pay more for the name-brand Philadelphia cream cheese at Costco because it comes in tubs instead of blocks.\n\n### Natural peanut butter\n\n\n\n\nKirkland Signature is a dupe of the name-brand Adams and Kraft natural peanut butter.\n\nIt costs $12.99 for a pack with two one-kilogram jars.\n\nSince I don't have natural peanut butter that often and mostly use it for baking, I prefer to buy the smaller sizes of the name brands at grocery stores instead of the Kirkland product.\n\n### Hazelnut spread\n\n\n\n\nIt costs $16.99 two one-kilogram jars of Kirkland Signature hazelnut spread, which is a dupe of Nutella.\n\nCostco also has name-brand Nutella, but at a higher price of $17.99 for two one-kilogram jars.\n\nEven though the Kirkland product is $1 cheaper, the savings don't make up for the quality difference. Nutella tastes better in my opinion, so I never get the Kirkland Signature version at Costco.\n\n### Liquid honey\n\n\n\n\nCostco has a pack of three 750-gram bottles of Kirkland Signature liquid honey for $19.99.\n\nI don't use that much honey, so I don't need three big bottles in the pantry. That's why I prefer to get a smaller bottle of name-brand Billy Bee honey at the grocery store, even though it costs more than the Kirkland version.\n\n### Chocolate chips\n\n\n\n\nKirkland Signature semi-sweet chocolate chips are like Chipits chocolate chips.\n\nIt costs $34.99 for a two-kilogram bag of the Kirkland product.\n\nWhile the name-brand item is actually cheaper at Costco because the bag is bigger, the smaller sizes at grocery stores can be more expensive.\n\nI get a smaller bag of the name-brand product at grocery stores whenever I need it, rather than going to a Costco store for the Kirkland version.\n\n### Olive oil\n\n\n\n\nThis bottle of Kirkland Signature olive oil looks like a dupe of Bertolli extra light olive oil, which is also available at Costco.\n\nIt costs $26.99 for a three-litre bottle of the Kirkland product.\n\nThe name brand at Costco is $28.99 for a three-litre bottle, and even more expensive than that at grocery stores, but I'd rather pay extra for the brands I know.\n\n### Balsamic vinegar\n\n\n\n\nCostco has a one-litre bottle of Kirkland Signature balsamic vinegar for $20.49.\n\nEven when that price is cheaper than name-brand balsamic vinegar at grocery stores, I won't buy the Kirkland item when I shop at the wholesale retailer.\n\n### Microwave popcron\n\n\n\n\nA box of Kirkland Signature microwave popcorn with 44 bags costs $19.99, which works out to $0.45 per bag.\n\nWhile this Kirkland product seems more expensive because Orville Redenbacher microwave popcorn is $11.49 at Costco, it's actually a bit cheaper.\n\nThat's because the name brand comes with just 24 bags, which works out to $0.47 per bag.\n\nThe price difference between the store brand and name brand products isn't that big, so I buy the name brand microwave popcorn because the Kirkland item is too big.\n\n### Chocolate chip granola bars\n\n\n\n\nKirkland Signature chocolate chip granola bars are cheaper dupes of Quaker Chewy chocolate chip granola bars.\n\nIt costs $13.49 for a 1.54-kilogram box with 64 granola bars, which works out to $0.87 per 100 grams and just $0.21 per bar.\n\nEven though that's a really low price compared to grocery stores, I never get this product at Costco because of the bulk size. So, I get smaller boxes at the grocery store instead.\n\n### Tissues\n\n\n\n\nIt costs $22.99 for a pack of Kirkland Signature tissues that comes with 12 boxes of three-ply tissues.\n\nWhen I shop at Costco, I prefer to get a pack of name-brand Scotties tissues that comes with 21 boxes of two-ply tissues for only a few more dollars at $27.99.\n\n### Toilet paper\n\n\n\n\nA pack of Kirkland Signature toilet paper costs $23.99 at Costco, and it comes with 30 rolls.\n\nThat's cheaper than a lot of name-brand bathroom tissue products at Costco, where name-brand Charmin costs $32.49 for 30 rolls, and grocery stores.\n\nBut I like the smaller packs that are easier to keep in the linen closet and the bathroom vanity at home, so I buy those at the grocery store.\n\n### Paper towel\n\n\n\n\nKirkland Signature paper towels cost $24.99 for a pack of 12 rolls, while a pack of name-brand Bounty paper towels costs $32.49 for 12 rolls at Costco.\n\nThat's a $7.50 price difference, but I still get the name-brand item at Costco and grocery stores.\n\n_These prices are confirmed at the time of publishing, but they can change at any time. Taxes and fees may not be included._",
  "title": "15 Kirkland Signature products at Costco I never buy even if they're cheaper than name brands"
}