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There’s a reason shoppers stay loyal to Costco—and it’s not just for its unbeatable gas prices, beloved food court, and free samples. Whether you’re a regular or new to the game, Costco has made a name for itself for its affordable bulk shopping. Of course, not all products are worth the hype or the price of their membership, but there are a few that keep people coming back. Superfans agree that some Costco-brand items like the Kirkland Vitamins, Olive Oil, and Trash Bags help them save enough to justify the membership fees and from shopping at competitors. Below are six items that Costco experts swear by; if you buy anything in bulk, you’ll want to stock up on these items on your next Costco run.
READ MORE: 8 Items From Costco You Actually Can’t Return—Customers, Take Note!
1. Rotisserie Chicken
Costco's Rotisserie Chicken has made quite the name for itself. While some have been questioning its taste as of late, most fans of the chain still consider this a treasured item. The infamous chicken has stayed at $4.99 since 2009, despite inflation on the rise for most food items. It's truly one of the cheapest meals you'll find today, thanks to Costco keeping the price low to drive membership and sales. In some ways, the Rotisserie Chicken has become a bit of a marketing face for the wholesaler. And with practically no cooking required, it's no wonder people across the nation call this the "bachelor's handbag."
2. Kirkland Signature Extra Virgin Organic Olive Oil
A Reddit thread asked customers: "What's your favorite Costco purchase of all time?" The most upvoted response? Kirkland Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Fans piled on comments in favor of its price point (a 2-liter typically costs less than $25) and taste.
One Redditor wrote, "Samin Nosrat, the woman behind Salt Fat Acid Heat (a New York Times bestselling book), has recommended the organic one quite a bit and put it up there with brands that cost 9x as much." And, according to the Huff Post, Nosrat wrote that the Costco olive oil “regularly scores well on independent administered quality analyses.”
Samin Nosrat (actual genius) recs Costco’s brand Kirkland Organic EVOO. The secret is once opened, keeping the big bottle in the fridge and then only leave out about a 4 ounce jar to use for daily cooking and refill as needed. For a fancier olive oil https://t.co/xIhzzDZTvl
— TandaGoesWest (@TandaWrites) December 22, 2022
3. Kirkland Signature Vitamins And Medicine
Costco has great deals on food, but what about all those aisles filled with household goods? If you're looking to buy any extras at Costco, you'll want to head over to the vitamin and medication section. In another thread on Reddit, one user asked what were the best non-food and non-toiletry items at Costco. Across the board, one of the most recommended items was vitamins and over-the-counter medications.
"Vitamins. If you take any kind of vitamins they will be far less costly at Costco," wrote one reply. "OMG, the Kirkland Claritin and cold meds are such an amazing deal!" wrote another commenter. "Absolutely meds and vitamins! You can get a year's supply of generic allergy meds for absurdly cheap," someone else added.
4. Kirkland Signature 13-Gallon Kitchen Trash Bags
Trash bags are not exactly the most exciting purchase, but when you can get them for a really good deal, like at Costco, they become something to write home about. That's right; when a Redditor on r/Frugal asked fans what the best things to buy from Costco are, the most popular answer was the Kirkland 13-gallon trash bags. The commenter wrote that they are "way sturdier than anything else I’ve bought name brand." Someone else chimed in agreement, writing "yep, super quality and usually way cheaper."
5. Kirkland Signature Organic Pure Maple Syrup
Finding affordable, pure maple syrup can be hard to access across the United States. Most maple syrup is produced in the Northeast and Canada; so while Vermont has no shortage, maple syrup can cost a pretty penny if it's not produced close by. Kirkland Organic Pure Maple Syrup costs just $14.99 for a 33-ounce jug, which is nearly $10 less than what you will find from most competitors. "My boyfriend’s mom raves about the maple syrup! I guess she always has like 3 bottles at her cabin," wrote one commenter on a Reddit thread for the best Costco items.
6. Bakery Goods
There is no shortage of sweets at Costco—there is a whole section of bakery goods ranging from specialty cakes to cookies to peanut butter pies. And, they're good. Costco just brought back their pull-apart cinnamon rolls, which are a beloved item for many fans. Sometimes shoppers may be turned off from buying cookies and sweets in bulk, like 24-count cookie packs, but experts use this to their advantage—they freeze them! "Croissants freeze well. So do the breads and muffins," wrote one fan on Reddit.
