Walmart is one of the country’s most beloved stores. It offers a wide variety of products at affordable prices, making it a convenient one-stop shop for everything from groceries to household items to electronics, and so much more. However, anyone who has shopped at Walmart unfortunately knows that not all items are worth it – despite the seriously tempting super-low price tags – in terms of taste, performance, and durability, and should be avoided at all costs!
Some items (such as fresh produce, for example) are simply not worth it from the get go, while other items such as electronics aren’t worth it in the long run. Based on reviews collected from all over the internet, including Reddit, we’ve compiled a list of some of those items that should not be added to your cart.
Check out 17 products disgruntled Walmart shoppers want everyone to avoid below…
1. Cereal
When it comes to breakfast staples like cereal, Walmart's Great Value brand often promises affordability. However, some shoppers have voiced concerns about the nutritional content. According to one customer, "the Great Value cereal boxes have so much sugar, I swear it sends my kids into overdrive."
Another agreed, writing, "there's absolutely zero ingredients in most of the Great Value brand cereals that set you up for a successful day. It's all just sugar." Sounds like if a nutritional breakfast is your goal, you're better off finding a healthier brand of cereal elsewhere.
2. Great Value Peanut Butter
Who doesn't love peanut butter? Unfortunately, although Walmart's Great Value brand peanut butter may have an unbeatable price tag, the quality just isn't worth it for some PB lovers. The Sun ranked it as one of the worst options out there in a taste test.
"Horrible!! so dry u can't spread it wo ripping the bread!! 0 stars!!! want refund," one review of the crunchy peanut butter says. We'll stick to Trader Joe's.
3. Eggs
While Walmart offers a variety of grocery essentials, including eggs, not all shoppers find them to be the best choice. Concerns about the quality and sourcing of Walmart's eggs have been raised by frequent shoppers.
"Something about the eggs at Walmart ick me out," wrote one customer in a Reddit forum. "It'll say free range or organic or one of those buzzwords, but something just seems off." If you're particular about your eggs, Walmart might not be the ideal destination for this breakfast staple.
4. Granola Bars
Granola bars, often touted as a quick healthy snack or breakfast option, can be found in various brands at Walmart, including Great Value. However, shoppers have raised concerns about the nutritional value, particularly the high sugar content in Walmart's offerings.
One shopper commented, "I avoid Walmart's granola bars because they're loaded with sugar, and I like to pack a granola bar for my kids lunch. I feel bad enough for the teachers who have to watch these kids all day, the last thing they need is a kid on a sugar rush."
"My kids will have 10-15 minutes between after-school activities, so I like to have granola bars on hand," one customer shared. "I tried out the Great Value brand, and found that my kids would have tons of energy for the first 10 minutes of practice and then absolutely crash. I've since avoided the brand." Instead, try finding bars made with more natural ingredients and less sugar.
5. K-Cups
If you're a committed coffee drinker, this one should come as no surprise. Quality coffee is important whether you're grinding the beans up yourself and doing a pour-over or buying the ready-to-brew K-cups, and unfortunately, according to shoppers, Walmart is not your one-stop-shop for coffee.
"I took one sip of the Great Value brand K-cup coffee and spit it out. Gave away the rest of the box," one customer said. "Yes, it was that bad."
6. Ground Beef
Ground beef is a staple in many households (despite the health risks of red meat) but you might want to get it somewhere besides Walmart. Online, many customers have complained about meat spoiling quickly or expiring the day of purchase. Yikes!
Some even claimed their package was missing an expiration date altogether. "I would have given it zero if I could," one customer wrote. Take it from them; don't risk it.
7. Fish
Many people will tell you that you shouldn't trust the sushi at Costco, and as it turns out, the same can be said about the fish sold at Walmart.
According to what Nealy Fischer, founder of The Flexible Chef told Business Insider, "If you're looking for a quality, fresh, wild-caught fish then your best bet is to stick with a local seafood market or health food store," rather than stocking up at Walmart. You don't have to tell us twice!
8. Produce
Walmart's produce section isn't very promising either. "I swear I will find the freshest looking strawberries they have and within 24 hours of bringing them home, they're covered in mold," one person shared. "And I even buy organic!"
"I've given up buying produce at Walmart," said another shopper. "The bananas and avocados are hard as a rock until they're brown, the strawberries get moldy within hours, and the lettuce is always limp, no matter how many crisp-up tricks I try. I shop elsewhere for my produce now." Perhaps a local farmers market is a better option?
9. Guacamole
It seems so easy to pick up a tub of the freshly-made guacamole at Walmart, but loyal shoppers are sending out warnings to stay away. "It says freshly made every day," one customer wrote, "but I swear it tastes like the flavorless, processed kind you can buy and keep in the fridge for weeks."
"There's no fresh hit of cilantro or onion at all," another person said. "I picked it up ahead of a BBQ when I was pressed for time and was honestly embarrassed."
10. Rotisserie Chicken
Need dinner in a pinch? You might feel inclined to reach for Walmart's rotisserie chicken—but according to reviews, you should probably think twice about that. Unfortunately, this is not one of the superstore's strong suits. In fact, it ranked in dead last on Eat This, Not That's grocery store rotisserie chicken survey.
On the Walmart website, customers have expressed their disappointment: "The rotisserie chicken is often bloody and rare or raw in the middle. It's always hit and miss," one review says. Yikes! You're better off sticking to Costco for this one.
11. Kefir
Kefir, a fermented dairy drink known for its probiotic benefits, is readily available at Walmart. However, some shoppers have reservations about the selection and quality of kefir at this retailer. While this is a pretty niche product, superfans still had some thoughts on it.
"I drink kefir to help with my bloating," one person wrote. "And the kind they sell at Walmart was just nasty. I know it's not the most delicious thing in the world in the first place, but wow did Walmart make it worse."
12. Great Value Maple Syrup
You're going to want to stay away from the Great Value maple syrup. Shoppers have left less than glowing reviews, and the reason why is starting to become a theme. "There's so much sugar in these bottles you can barely taste the maple," one person said. "I repeat, you can't taste the maple in the maple syrup."
"I made the mistake of pouring this all over my pancakes," another shopper shared. "I swear I got an instant sugar headache." Basically, if you're trying to lower your sugar intake, pay attention to the labels on Walmart-branded products. You might be getting way more than you think.
13. Great Value Frozen Broccoli
Vegetables are a crucial part of a balanced diet, and stocking up on frozen varieties can be extremely convenient. However, if your veggies taste bad, you won't want to eat them.
According to Tabitha Bailar, founder of Travel Compositions, that's exactly the case with Great Value's Frozen Broccoli. "You would think that a frozen vegetable would be hard to mess up, but Great Value does a fantastic job of it," she told Go Baking Rates. "Its broccoli, when heated up, is the mushiest mess that it's hardly recognizable as broccoli anymore." Gross!
14. Deli Meat
Deli meat is a common ingredient in many people's fridges; it can make for a fast, convenient snack or help you easily whip up a sandwich for lunch. But in addition to being one of the worst foods for your health, dietitian and Walmart shopper Trista Best told All Recipes that deli meat from Walmart will "lack freshness and flavor."
Instead, she says you should "opt for freshly sliced deli meats at the counter or from specialty delis for a better selection of meats and cuts in terms of texture, flavor, freshness, and quality." Noted!
15. Home Appliances
It's not just food and drinks that are included in this list, as some home appliances and other household essentials also have a bad reputation too. When your microwave or toaster stops working, you may want to grab the cheapest option around—however, it's important to remember that Walmart home appliances are cheap for a reason. They may not be the best quality, and they likely won't last you very long. That means you'll be running to buy another one soon.
"Unless you're literally planning on using a kitchen appliance only a few times, skip the Walmart brand," David Bakke at DollarSanity told Go Banking Rates. "The quality just isn't there. I bought a microwave oven from them a few months back and it didn't even last a month. I've had better success with kitchen appliances at Costco, and the prices are competitive." Good to know!
16. Paper Towels
According to Chloe Elise, a certified financial coach and the CEO/founder of Deeper Than Money, Walmart has a "big selection of paper products" like paper towels, toilet paper and napkins, but if you are shopping on a budget, "you will be disappointed by the cheapest option at Walmart," she said.
"Unless you like 1-ply toilet paper. While, for the same price, at ALDI you can save big-time on these items and still get incredible quality."
17. Paper Plates
At Walmart, Julie Ramhold, a consumer analyst with DealNews, says you can get "generic paper plates for as little as 3 cents each, but the odds are good that you'll be trading quality for that."
She also stresses that at Costco, you can buy "name-brand quality disposable plates for about 8 cents each. It's definitely a matter of preference but paying a little more up front could be worth it to protect your floor and prevent losing food."
