Surprisingly Great Kirkland Products at Costco

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published 22 December 2016

The picks below are part of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance’s annual Best List, a roundup of the best values in all the areas we cover – from funds, stocks and ETFs to credit cards and bank accounts to cars, college, kid stuff, phone plans, travel and health. Discover all our Best List picks here.

Best Bets at Costco

When you shop for high-quality food items, you may not reach for the store brand. But the Kirkland Signature line from Costco Wholesale produces some gems. (Prices are from a Costco store in Albuquerque, N.M.; annual Costco membership starts at $55.)

1. Olive oil. A chemical and sensory study of olive oils by the University of California, Davis found that Kirkland Signature Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil ($13.99 for 2 liters) was one of a minority of imported oils that met international and U.S. standards for extra-virgin olive oil.

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2. Bacon. In a taste test of bacon brands, Consumer Reports bestowed an “excellent” rating on just one product: Kirkland Signature Bacon ($10.99 for four 1-pound packages).

3. Liquor. You’ll get a lot of bang for your buck with the Kirkland Signature Tequila Añejo ($19.99 for 1 liter) and the Egg Nog Liqueur ($9.99 for 1.75 liters), says Jerald O’Kennard, director of the Beverage Tasting Institute’s Tastings.com. Both received scores in the “exceptional” range from the site. For more ways to save at Costco, check out our 12 Secrets Costco Shoppers Need to Know.

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Lisa has been the editor of Kiplinger Personal Finance since June 2023. Previously, she spent more than a decade reporting and writing for the magazine on a variety of topics, including credit, banking and retirement. She has shared her expertise as a guest on the Today Show, CNN, Fox, NPR, Cheddar and many other media outlets around the nation. Lisa graduated from Ball State University and received the school’s “Graduate of the Last Decade” award in 2014. A military spouse, she has moved around the U.S. and currently lives in the Philadelphia area with her husband and two sons.