Does Anyone Buy Generic Products ?

[vavavroom]

I asked earlier what the OP means by "generic" and there's been no responses from him/her or anyone else. I'm not sure if "generic" stuff exists anymore, at least not what I call generic (same as you describe - in plain, white packaging).

I consider a product to be generic when it lacks branding - a widely recognizable and known brand name, usually with a logo. For example, if it says 'One dozen rolls of super-soft double-ply Toilet Paper' Proudly manufactured by the Thunder Dumpling CO, Bitter End, TN' then that qualifies this as a generic product at least in mind.

 

[Kira]

Three cheers for y-p-w's picture in post #79.
We see a Renault 12, an Oldsmobile Cutlass, a VW Transporter, a '68 Mercury Cougar and a Datsun B-210 all in one shot.

 

[wemay]

I buy Publix brand stuff all the time.

 

[Oillover]

Anything Costco - is Kirkland Signature even considered generic or is it chic? Target store brand, Trader Joe's, Aldi all seem to all be high quality and as good as or better than name brand. There are a few things I can't buy generic of -

Costco currently sells the Gilette (sp?) Mach 3 razor refills.
I've been tempted, but considering the terrible reviews, I've decided to pass on them.

 

[Warstud]

Amazon Basics Motor Oil is around the same price as the name brands

 

[y_p_w]

I consider a product to be generic when it lacks branding - a widely recognizable and known brand name, usually with a logo. For example, if it says 'One dozen rolls of super-soft double-ply Toilet Paper' Proudly manufactured by the Thunder Dumpling CO, Bitter End, TN' then that qualifies this as a generic product at least in mind.

Walmart is the only seller of TP and paper towels from this distributor. Other than the name of the distributor, it lacks any branding.

 

[vavavroom]

Walmart is the only seller of TP and paper towels from this distributor. Other than the name of the distributor, it lacks any branding.

Who do I hold liable if I get a splinter?

 

[GSCJR]

Good grief. Use it, don't buy it again and move on.

I couldn't agree with you more, drives me nuts.

 

[billt460]

I find myself buying more and more of the "Great Value" Walmart brand of various products. Not so much because they're cheaper. (Many are not). But because I have found many are simply better.

For example, I have always liked frozen onion rings. (The kind you bake in the oven on a cookie sheet). But many of the name brands are kind of bland tasting.

I bought a bag of the Great Value Walmart brand, and they were the absolute best I've ever tasted. Now we have bagfull's of them in the freezer.

Every now and then I'll buy one of those giant 50 pound bags of Ol Roy dog food when they have it on sale. And take it to the local animal shelter here in town. They told me of all the brands they get in from donations, the dogs seem to like it the best.

 

[billt460]

Another item are paper towels. My wife always cooks bacon in the microwave, between several layers of paper towels to soak up the grease as it cooks.

Many of the brand name paper towels end up sticking to the bacon. The Walmart Great Value paper towels never do. They also seem more absorbent as well.

I use sheets of it wadded up to clean the bore of my shotguns. One of those half sheets wadded up fits a 12 gauge with just enough resistance when you push it through the chamber, barrel, and a full choke.

 

[y_p_w]

For example, I have always liked frozen onion rings. (The kind you bake in the oven on a cookie sheet). But many of the name brands are kind of bland tasting.

I find most of those heat up best in an air fryer. They’re already prepped with oil, and the convection heat of an air fryer works best.

I used to use Great Value pasta. It didn’t get overly soggy even when slightly over cooked. But another issue is that they have multiple suppliers and can change them at any time. Can’t always get too attached to a house brand for that reason.

 

[bbhero]

No I will not typically buy generic. If I’m paying for it I want name brand. Very few exceptions. Some things generic just isn’t good. I prefer quality over quantity. I can’t think of anything I buy generic on a regular basis.

All right young whippersnapper….. Hope you are doing good there.

Do you like pasta ? With a great sauce…

This here is the high end store branded pasta sauce from Harris Teeter. It it typically $3.99 a bottle sometimes as cheap as $3.49.

This sauce is seriously as good as the $10.99 Micheal’s of Brooklyn Puttanesca sauce.

I add the same 2 tablespoons of organic brown sugar, tablespoon of oregano and bits of minced onions to both.

This HT Traders sauce is just as good. It’s like high end really good Italian restaurant pasta at home.

Th Harris Teeter Premium Selection hot dogs are fantastic too… Like good as Nathan’s or Salen’s. Cheaper by 2-3 dollars a pack. And the Premium Section jumbo are REAL jumbo hot dogs… Smoke them for 30-45 minutes… Extremely good.

Yes I tried the cheap .99 cents HT Worschester sauce and it did… suck…. Back to $4.99 a bottle Lea and Perrins.. They don’t have a high end premium equivalent.

But there are some “high end” store branded products that are legitimately really really good.

 

[IndyIan]

I find myself buying more and more of the "Great Value" Walmart brand of various products. Not so much because they're cheaper. (Many are not). But because I have found many are simply better.

For example, I have always liked frozen onion rings. (The kind you bake in the oven on a cookie sheet). But many of the name brands are kind of bland tasting.

I bought a bag of the Great Value Walmart brand, and they were the absolute best I've ever tasted. Now we have bagfull's of them in the freezer.

Every now and then I'll buy one of those giant 50 pound bags of Ol Roy dog food when they have it on sale. And take it to the local animal shelter here in town. They told me of all the brands they get in from donations, the dogs seem to like it the best.

Yep we've found a few things "no name" brand things are far superior to the common name brand. Does anyone actually like johnsonville smoked sausages? They have some weird clear gel they ooze out, I believe its the propylene glycol they add? Bleh!
No name "smoked pork sausages" don't have MSG as the 6th ingredient, no propylene glycol or silicon dioxide to hold more water...

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

Depends on the item. I will buy a lot of generic/store brand items, but there's some things where I will only buy the name brand item.

Such as Oreos. I don't care how much more they are.... LOL.

That is exactly like we been doing since those things first started showing up in stores.

 

[vavavroom]

Culinary threat alert!

 

[bunnspecial]

Paper towels have come up a lot in this thread.

Back shortly after my wife and I got married, I noticed we were running low one day, and thinking I was being a good husband I went to Wal-Mart and bought a pack of paper towels. Fortunately they worked great in the garage, as my wife wants nothing but Bounty.

Fast foward to this past weekend, and we've made a road trip to visit my parents with our 2 month old son in tow. I've spent the past two months washing a seemingly endless stream of bottles and other various items, and although I can usually get away with using the drying rack sometimes I need to wipe one dry. A single Bounty paper towel can usually dry 2 bottles and sometimes more.

My mom of course buys lowest bidder paper towels. They're probably Kroger brand, but I don't know that. I'm doing my usual bottle washing and need to dry some things. It seems to take 2-3 paper towels to dry a single bottle, for example.

Aside from the fact that using so many more probably works out to about the same price, there's also a lot to be said for just not going through so dang many.