We can’t deny that Americans love Costco, and the reasons are several. First, Costco offers a huge assortment of products at very competitive prices, which allows customers to save money on their purchases. In addition, the quality of the products that Costco sells is generally high, which increases customer satisfaction.
Another reason Americans love Costco is because of its rewards program, which offers its members additional discounts on certain products and services. Finally, Costco has earned a reputation for being an ethical and responsible company, which increases the loyalty of its customers. But, despite those reasons, there are also reasons to avoid some Costco products that, although cheap, are not a good deal.
Five products you shouldn’t buy at Costco
In general, it is important to compare prices and qualities of products in different stores before making a purchase decision to make sure you get the best value for your money. I mean, it’s already certain that, if you’re shopping at Costco, you’re going to get good products and large quantities for the money you’re paying. But, still, there are some items that shopping experts recommend not to purchase at a Costco.
Ground coffee
It is not recommended to store ground coffee for a long time, for several reasons. First, this beloved elixir loses its taste and aroma over time due to the oxidation of fats present in beans. This means that it may not taste as good after a certain period of time in your cupboard. It can also absorb odors and flavors from other nearby foods, which can affect their taste. And, most dangerous, it can attract insects and other animals that can contaminate it.
That is why I would not advise buying very large packages of ground coffee at Costco, unless you are going to consume it in a short time.
Mattresses
Let’s be direct: you spend a third of your life sleeping, so you have to have, inevitably, a good quality mattress that provides adequate support for your body while you sleep, which can help avoid back and neck pains and improve your overall sleep quality.
To buy mattresses there are specialized stores, which offer the entire existing range and variety, from very soft to very hard, through a wide variety of production techniques that will give you a good value for your money.
Costco offers good mattresses, and has a stock of the best brands on the American market, but it does not necessarily always offer the best prices. If you prefer to definitely buy it at Costco, wait for the Black Friday or Veterans Day promotions, when they really drop in price.
Diapers
A newborn baby may need between 8 and 12 diapers per day, according to data from the site parents.com . So, if you go down a Costco aisle, it would be a good idea to buy a bundle with dozens and dozens of diapers, wouldn’t it?
Quality is not what is under discussion here, but the price: according to specialized blogs, Amazon Prime members who sign up for a diaper subscription through Amazon Family save 20% and get free shipping. For example, equivalent packages from Amazon and Costco are worth $24 and $30, respectively, so there is a difference of $6.
Wheat flour
Did you start making sourdough bread in the middle of the pandemic? Yeah, me too, and I had a lot of fun learning this ancient art. Also, I made the mistake of buying gigantic bags of wheat flour at Costco. If you do the math, the price is unbeatable, but I didn’t get to use it in its entirety before it went bad.
Over time, wheat flour absorbs moisture and forms fungi and microorganisms. With all this, it also loses its taste and aroma and you can end up making horrible baguettes because the main ingredient is ruined.
Spices
Like ground coffee and flour, spices come in very large jars, especially those of the Kirkland Signature house brand, and you’re hardly going to use a pound of paprika or 10 ounces of cinnamon. Most likely, they will spoil before you can cook enough cinnamon apple pies before you have to throw away the almost entire jar.