The next time you’re heading to Walmart—or picking up a few products online—make sure to add these genius generics to your cart. Best Life’s editors have scoured the internet to bring you the best products out there, and we’re hoping you’ll love them as much as we do. Full disclosure: we may earn a commission for anything you purchase through links on this page, but that doesn’t mean you’ll pay more for them (we’d never do that to you!). Pricing and availability are accurate as of the piece’s initial publication date, but it’s the internet and we can’t guarantee that these sweet, sweet deals will last forever, so scoop them up before someone else does! People tend to assume that living an environmentally-friendly lifestyle is expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. For starters, you could replace all of the lightbulbs in your house with Walmart’s Great Value LED bulbs. According to CNET, the bulbs work well, and they’re “some of the most affordable dimmable LEDs available.” So long as the cotton balls you buy are actually made of cotton and can adequately absorb liquid, then it doesn’t really matter which brand or company makes the product, right? So why choose Walmart’s? Not only are the Equate brand cotton balls cheap, but customers online rave that they’re “an excellent size” and “really soft.” Though some cheap paper products leave a lot to be desired, Great Value paper towels are an exception to the rule. According to Consumer Reports, the generic paper towels are an “excellent” substitute if you’re looking to save on cleaning supplies. Paper towels aren’t the only generic paper product to stock up on when you’re at Walmart. When Consumer Reports tested out various store-brand products, they found that Great Value toilet paper was worth trying. One of the best-selling products on Walmart’s website is their store-brand Equate ibuprofen. With more than 250 reviews, its average rating is still nearly five stars. Reviewers rave that the medication works “just as well if not better than higher-priced brands.” The editors at Cooking Light are big fans of Great Value olive oil. “This oil’s clean, fresh taste is the perfect backdrop for sautéing veggies like mushrooms and onions, but its grassy finish was something we saved with a simple slice of crusty bread,” they wrote. So long to paying big bucks for a bottle when you can get this one for just $5! The folks on review site Influenster are big fans of the Great Value organic coconut oil. “I use this stuff for pretty much everything,” one reviewer wrote. “I love how extra soft and smooth my skin feels when I use it.” Better yet, the savings here are especially worthwhile—a name-brand bottle of organic coconut oil that’s one-third the size costs the same amount at the same store. What defines a good baking powder? So long as it leavens your baked goods, there’s really nothing else that distinguishes one brand of baking powder from another, aside from price. So, when you’re stocking up on ingredients, opt for Walmart’s store-brand Great Value version over any name brand. While an 8.1-ounce canister of Davis baking powder sells for $2.48, Walmart’s Great Value baking powder costs just $1 for the same size container. Just like the baking powder, you need flour that gets the job done, so there’s no need to splurge on a name brand. Instead, opt for Great Value all-purpose flour. Not only is it cost-friendly, but when the editors at The Krazy Coupon Lady tested it against Gold Medal’s well-known all-purpose flour, they found that it actually worked better in a batch of cookies. When Consumer Reports compared cashews from nationwide brand Emerald to those of generic brands like Walmart’s Great Value, they found that “Emerald fared worse than store brands because some of its cashews tasted slightly stale.” In this case, the generic cashews are not just cheaper, but also superior. You don’t need to spend a fortune on specialty mozzarella when you can buy Walmart’s Great Value shredded mozzarella cheese instead. Consumer Reports notes that the generic cheese is “fresh” and “crumbly,” plus it melts just as well as shredded Sargento. Great Value trail mix contains peanuts, raisins, almonds, cashews, and real M&MS—basically, everything you’d expect to find in a typical name-brand mélange. When Consumer Reports compared the generic snack to Planters Trail Mix, they found that it packed just as much flavor. Plus, the store-brand product costs $5 for a 26 oz. pack, while Planters’ is nearly $7 for a 19 oz. bag. It’s hard to imagine a generic brand measuring up to what the editors at Consumer Reports had to say about Breyers’ vanilla ice cream after a taste test: “Breyers melts cleanly in the mouth and is moderately sweet, with a strong vanilla-bean flavor.” But based on their samplings, the experts believe that Walmart’s Great Value vanilla bean ice cream is “closest in taste and costs almost 30 percent less,” making it a worthwhile generic buy. Here’s a little insider secret about Great Value peanut butter: It’s actually made by the same manufacturer that sells Peter Pan peanut butter. Back in 2007, that manufacturer, ConAgra Foods, had to recall certain batches of both products—and thus, we learned the truth. So, by purchasing Walmart’s store-brand spread, you’re essentially getting a name-brand product for a fraction of the price. Opinions vary on one Reddit thread about Walmart’s Great Value brand. But if there’s one generic product they agree on, it’s Great Value original potato chips. One recent reviewer said they’re “just as good, if not better than Lay’s brand potato chips,” noting that they would go out of their way to make a pit stop at Walmart to purchase them. Though Consumer Reports noted that Nature Valley granola bars were “slightly more flavorful,” they ultimately decided that the Great Value granola bars were just as good and definitely worth the savings. The Great Value pie crusts are so low-cost and high-quality that they’ve gained something of a cult following. One devoted shopper posted on Walmart’s site that she wishes she could give these pie crusts 10 stars on a five-star scale. “They are the best, along with the best price,” she wrote. The editors at Cooking Light described the Great Value unsalted butter as having a “clean, clear butter flavor” when they did a taste test in 2012. They even deemed it one of their favorite store-brand products. And on Walmart’s website, one reviewer said, “I buy this because it’s cheapest. I can’t notice any difference between this and the more expensive brands.“ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb Though it’s hard to deviate from your go-to ketchup brand, you won’t be disappointed by Walmart’s Great Value variety. According to Cooking Light, the condiment is “thick and clingy” with “a robust vinegar flavor” and “a smooth, sweet finish.” And it’s $3 less than Heinz. You can save money without sacrificing taste by buying Walmart’s Great Value mayonnaise. According to Consumer Reports, the generic condiment is just as good as Hellmann’s, and it has the added bonus of being at least 25 percent cheaper.
