So what brands, products, or items do you buy regardless of cost?

[Bianca and Bernard]

There are certain things that I will not skimp on, brands that I am willing to pay more for. I am a creature of habit and I want certain things as I know that they will deliver what I need them to do. I am very open to trying new things, but my tried and true products are the daily things that I count on. The reason that I am asking, is my friend made a comment about my nice body wash, & how she loves to stay at my house cause I have all the expensive stuff... it wasn't in nasty way or I did not take it that way, I just was like I want what I want... and we laughed. With the body wash, I use Dove for sensitive skin, I have to use this product the dermatologist recommended said its the best for my skin, so I use it and she was right, within a week I could tell a difference. I don't waste money as I shop where I know I can get the best price and stock up when items are on sale.

I know that their are others like me out there. Do tell... what's your must have's are?

Laundry products are non-negotiable, Tide, oxi-clean spray, and Wisk - between these 3 products I can tackle any laundry problem, stain out there. If these don't get it out nothing will.

Bath products - Dove body wash, Neutrogena face wash. Dove shampoo and conditioner.
Secret deodorant, been using all my life.

Bathroom tissue - Charmin - we even bring our own TP when we travel.. LOL

Kitchen - Pam cooking spray, Lawry's garlic salt, POP Tarts not the store brand, Eggland's eggs, Lipton tea bags, glad trash bags

Dawn - dish soap - I have been using this as long as I can remember, my mom used it and so did my grandmother so I use it, I have tried some others but they ended up going to the church pantry.

Coke - not Pepsi ever.... Canada dry ginger Ale -

Gatorade - I have had to drink other sports drinks yuck but I did not buy them...

6/12 I thought of a few more things.

Peter Pan peanut butter, creamy... there would be munity if I bought anything else.

Oscar Meyer all beef hot dogs, Johnsonville sweet sausage for the grill, land o lakes stick butter, Jones farms turkey sausage links, Hershey's syrup for chocolate milk or ice cream

All laundry soap, and either Downy or Snuggle fabric softener.
Dawn dish soap
Duke's Mayo
Cottonelle TP
Eggland's Best eggs

I don't buy store brand stuff, usually, except for trash bags.
Other than that, I can work around sales/coupons. I'm more concerned with no HFCS, dyes, etc.

ETA: add pure vanilla and maple syrup on that list. I'm willing to not be brand loyal on those, but they must be 100% pure.

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

I don't really eat eggs much, but DH says they taste SOOOOO much better than the Kroger brand eggs. There is usually coupons out for them, so I generally pay about $2.50/dz for them.

They do taste better. I get them on sale, and with coupons, they are usually less than the regular eggs.

 

[QueenIsabella]

All laundry soap, and either Downy or Snuggle fabric softener.
Dawn dish soap
Duke's Mayo
Cottonelle TP
Eggland's Best eggs

I don't buy store brand stuff, usually, except for trash bags.
Other than that, I can work around sales/coupons. I'm more concerned with no HFCS, dyes, etc.

ETA: add pure vanilla and maple syrup on that list. I'm willing to not be brand loyal on those, but they must be 100% pure.

Agree with you on the vanilla and the maple syrup. I'm not brand-loyal, but I'm taste-loyal!

 

[tvguy]

I don't really eat eggs much, but DH says they taste SOOOOO much better than the Kroger brand eggs. There is usually coupons out for them, so I generally pay about $2.50/dz for them.

Some day I will have to try them. I paid $1.84 for 18 eggs this week, and $1.24 for a dozen the week before. Great Value brand for both.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

Coke - Pepsi doesn't cut it.
Charmin - other brands tend to give me a yeast infection
Puffs - my nose knows

And many, many different foods. One reason is that I have Celiac. I don't worry about organic or "clean" or anything else, but my food must be gluten free.

 

[mrsg00fy]

I'm not particularly brand loyal and there is nothing that I will buy "regardless of cost". We are cost conscious in this household and since starting to shop at Aldi's and discovering how excellent and cheap so many of their products are, we have started to try a lot more no name items. Some of the ones at aldi are better than the national brands. I think we are only brand loyal to Scott toilet tissue.

 

[Bree]

No offense, I get that brands are different, but eggs? And Eggland's best are sooooooo expensive.

They do taste different and they look different. Same thing with organic cage free eggs. I buy organic, but DH likes to buy the ginormous pack of regular eggs at BJ's. I try to use the BJ's eggs in recipes like pancakes and muffins because I think they taste funny.

 

[pblack]

*Dawn dish soap
*Cat food - Blue Buffalo. Since we got her at 8 weeks old it's all she's known and i'm not willing to try and switch it on her. (Granted she gets just as much people food...weird cat. Milk, cheese, yogurt, whipped cream, ice cream, apples, nectarines, lettuce, olives. No i don't give her a ton of any one food, she normally gets a taste or two and that's it.)
*Pure vanilla
*Lays chips (any flavor)

I'm sure there's others, but i'm usually pretty OK with going between brands depending on what's on sale.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Oh man, there is nothing better than store brand corn flakes, they have a malty flavor that the brand name doesn't. And when my kids were growing up, they said the Great Value version of Cinnamon Toast Crunch tasted better.

Ever since I've been buying our cereal at Aldi I find Cherrios or Special K to be too sweet. I've yet to try GV's version of Cinnamon Toast Crunch though.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Some things have been mentioned already like Q-tips and my cat's food and litter.

About the only other things I can really think of is Progresso Soup (I don't really like Campbells much anymore) and Cascade Complete Platinum. I'm not brand loyal really but I did try GV's version of Cascade and it was awful-left film residue and didn't clean the dishes well. I have plenty and plenty of GV stuff and that was the only thing (other than Q-tips I made the mistake of buying one time) that I just won't do again. I will say off brand soda isn't bad but some versions were ones we hated the taste one of them being root beer. Dr Thunder wasn't too bad though for example. We buy 2 liters and since Walmart's pricing went up we just wait for sales and buy name brand like Dr Pepper for $1 versus Dr Thunder for $0.88.

 

[Bell30012]

No offense, I get that brands are different, but eggs? And Eggland's best are sooooooo expensive.

Yes, they are more expensive but worth it. Try the comparison yourself. For years, I said that eggs were eggs until I tried Eggland's Best.

 

[QueenIsabella]

I'm not particularly brand loyal and there is nothing that I will buy "regardless of cost". We are cost conscious in this household and since starting to shop at Aldi's and discovering how excellent and cheap so many of their products are, we have started to try a lot more no name items. Some of the ones at aldi are better than the national brands. I think we are only brand loyal to Scott toilet tissue.

I used to shop Aldi's all the time, when I lived in NY, and then they eventually moved to the NH town that I lived in. Then, I moved to NC--no Aldi's. But now--they're building one! Literally walking distance from my house! It's supposed to open this "spring"--don't know if they'll make that, but they're putting the brick siding on the building these days. I'm so excited--it's one of the few things I truly missed when we moved. There are very, very few things I've I've tried at Aldi's that I didn't care for--12-grain bread is the only one I can think of off-hand--and I find that they constantly strive to improve their quality and selection.

We're also getting a Lidl soon--they're currently doing site improvement, no actual building yet, but it'll actually be even closer to home than the Aldi's for me. Lidl is fairly new to the US, but is Aldi's main competitor in Germany. So, I look forward to seeing what they have to offer.

 

[adelaster]

Good catfood & litter

The rest is somewhat negotiable but are products I've relied on for years and/or made a point to repurchase despite higher cost.

The best eggs I can afford (count me in for liking egglands best a lot too!)
Dove barsoap & Dial handsoap (my much-loved grandmother used these, and it might be a bit nostalgic?)
I have really sensitive skin so pretty particular with cosmetic staples:
Philosophy Purity Facewash
Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray
MAC mineralize skinfinish natural
NARS pure radiant tinted moisturizer
Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz
Aveeno positively nourishing calming bodywash
Dove deodorant
Higher end shampoo/hair treatment (not married to a brand)
Dark Chocolate (70-75% cacao, usually Ghiradelli 72%)
Decent toilet paper, laundry supplies
Good shoes
Zoya nail polish (or other 5-free brands, sensitive nails too)
In general I like to buy the best food ingredients when I can, but budget sometimes prevents it.
As I get older I find myself buying less nonsense & holding out for what I really want, even if I wait years. (be it handmade jewelry, first edition books, etc.) As for foods I would splurge on but luckily don't really have to: pepper, garlic, red onions, olive oil, cinnamon, vanilla, avacado, various spices-I will only buy organic spices. Good seasoning is everything!
Oh, and candles. Cheap candles aren't usually worth it, so I usually get nicer ones on sale/as gifts.

Interesting to see it all listed out! Great thread idea.

 

[kymom99]

Oh man, there is nothing better than store brand corn flakes, they have a malty flavor that the brand name doesn't. And when my kids were growing up, they said the Great Value version of Cinnamon Toast Crunch tasted better.

Aldi cinnamon toast crunch is fine as is their version of frosted mini wheats

 

[1st*toright]

This is why I spend too much on groceries... I have a bunch of "must haves" that are too darn expensive.
Eos laundry detergent - even Tide makes DD itch like crazy, and DH says its easier to use one kind for everyone (and he does all the laundry, so I will suck it up on the extra cost).
Better than Bullion chicken stock base.
Polar seltzer
Bounty or Viva paper towels
Seaside cheddar
Kate's butter
Hellmans Mayo
Boar's Head deli meat
Meat/chicken from Whole Foods or my local CSA
Grapes (even when they aren't on sale...)
Cheerios
Typhoo Tea (have to buy it online, but so delicious...)

I generally buy store brand eggs, but the ones from my local CSA really do taste way better - but they charge $6 per dozen for them, so we don't do it often!

 

[Ravens girl]

Skippy or Jif Natural peanut butter
Charmin toilet paper
Kleenex tissues or Puffs basic in the plastic bag if I'm traveling
Adkins protein drinks
Hint flavored water
All detergent pods, unscented
Vaseline Intensive Care lotion, preferably cocoa radiant
Arm and Hammer cat litter, my cats protest if I try and change this
DH prefers Head and Shoulders shampoo
Yoplait greek yogurt

 

[kirstenb1]

Tide Pods
Nioxin hair products
Heinz ketchup
Jif peanut butter
Dooney handbags
Under Armour or Nike workout clothes
Asics or Nike running shoes
Bath and Body Works everything!
Excedrin-dh and dd swear by it

 

[hsmamato2]

Yes, they are more expensive but worth it. Try the comparison yourself. For years, I said that eggs were eggs until I tried Eggland's Best.

well...I forgot to add eggs... but no specific brand..... free range,organic always (yes they taste better) or the BEST is the local farms selling local eggs.....SO GOOD and worth extra to me!

 

[tvguy]

Yes, they are more expensive but worth it. Try the comparison yourself. For years, I said that eggs were eggs until I tried Eggland's Best.

Okay, I bought them. I eat hard boiled eggs in my lunch. I can't tell any difference. Other than that they are $3.48 a dozen at Walmart as compared to $1.28 for Great Value.

 

[DisneyMandC]

Okay, I bought them. I eat hard boiled eggs in my lunch. I can't tell any difference. Other than that they are $3.48 a dozen at Walmart as compared to $1.28 for Great Value.

You're unlikely to tell a difference hardboiling them. The difference is most noticeable eating them sunny side up or over easy. I used to think there wasn't a big difference until I got my own chickens. I've gotten store-bought eggs a couple times since then and can't believe how bad store-bought eggs taste compared to the fresh eggs from my chickens. It's like the eggs have no taste at all.