Products You Should Never Buy Generic
Most brand name products are priced high simply due to marketing costs. But consumers are swayed into believing that products associated with a highly-advertised brand are somehow better.
While this is generally not the case—there are some products that you should actually avoid the generic version. Here’s why.
What is a generic brand?
Generic brands refer to “a type of consumer product on the market that lacks a widely recognized name or logo because it isn’t advertised.”
These brands are designed as substitutes for more expensive brand name goods.
Hryshchyshen Serhii, Shutterstock
How does marketing affect the cost?
The biggest reason that brand names cost more than generic is due to marketing expenses. The brand names spend so much money marketing their products that they have to increase prices in order to make any profit.
What else affects the cost?
Generic brand products also cost less because they are often filled with unnecessary ingredients known as “fillers”, which add quantity but lower quality, or cheaper parts which shorten the overall life of your product and can affects functionality.
Generic Products You Should Avoid
Here are 14 generic products you should actually avoid, if you can.
Laundry Detergent
Now-a-days there are dozens of ways to make your own laundry detergent that can’t be comparable to store-bought.
But if you prefer to buy it—stick with the brand names.
Laundry Detergent: Why Choose Brand Name
The Spruce recently did a study comparing laundry detergents—both brand-name and generic. Each of their top 10 recommendations were brand-name products.
Laundry Detergent: Stain Remover
Also, premium laundry soap doubles as stain remover. A Consumer Reports test compared two brand-name detergents—Tide Plus Ultra Stain Release and Persil ProClean Stain Fighter—to six spray-on laundry stain removers.
The results were astounding.
Laundry Detergent: The Results
The report found that pre-treating stains with brand-name detergents was more effective than using five of the six stain remover products.
Electric Toothbrush Head Replacements
Although generic electric toothbrush replacements fit just fine, it’s the feel that is apparently different.
Electric Toothbrush Head Replacements: Why Choose Brand Name
The heads of electric toothbrushes are supposed to be soft enough to avoid irritating your gum tissue.
The Wirecutter, a product comparison site, did a six-month study testing both generic and brand-name heads and found that Oral-B and Philips Sonicare were the best choice for your sensitive oral health.
Peanut Butter
With the cost of peanut butter continuously rising, its understandable why most turn to a generic version. But generic peanut butter isn’t actually made the same as its brand name counterparts.
Peanut Butter: Why Choose Brand Name
Generic peanut butter is packed with unhealthy ingredients.
According to McDaniel Nutrition, “Some generic peanut butters have unhealthy, unnecessary additives such as added sugars or extra fat from non-sustainable resources like palm oil.”
Peanut Butter: Best Choice
The healthiest peanut butters are the ones that are 100% peanuts, and free from added sugar. One or two ingredients should be the goal.
According to Healthline, the best overall peanut butter brand is Crazy Richard’s 100% Peanuts! Natural Peanut Butter.
Liquid Dish Soap
People who wash a lot of dishes may already know that suds matter, and not every soap performs the same.
Liquid Dish Soap: Why Choose Brand Name
Generic dish soaps are watered down, which is what lowers the cost. Brand name soaps are much more concentrated, which means you get more suds with less soap.
Liquid Dish Soap: Best Choice
Good Housekeeping recently tested several brand name and generic dish soaps and found Dawn Platinum Dishwashing Soap as the best one overall.
Ice Cream
Generic ice creams are definitely a money-saver, and sometimes even a calorie-saver. But they lack in something else that makes ice cream one of America’s favorite desserts.
Ice Cream: Why Choose Brand Name
Generic brand ice creams often skimp out on flavor, and add in extra ingredients.
When choosing a quality ice cream, look at the ingredients. There shouldn’t be much more than milk, cream, sugar, sometimes eggs, and natural flavoring.
House Paint
The best paints are the ones that require fewer coats to cover. Good quality paints will last longer and even look better than cheaper paints.
House Paint: Why Choose Brand Name
Lower-quality paints contain a lower percentage of essential pigments and binders. The Spruce tested several interior paints and found the best quality paints are from Behr, Valspar and Kilz.
House Paint: The Best Choice
The Wirecutter did a study using eight different brands of paint, and the top scorers were all brand name. The best choice being Benjamin Moore Regal Select.
Tomato Sauce
Generic Tomato sauce is another food product that is filled with unnecessary sugars and preservatives. If you can’t make your own sauce, it is advised to purchase good quality brands.
Tomato Sauce: Why Choose Brand Name
A good quality tomato sauce will require less additives in the kitchen, like salt or sugar.
According to McDanial Nutrition, “plain tomato sauces that use high-quality tomatoes and spices with good olive oil tend to taste better and require less added sugar and sodium.”
Eggs
Although eggs don’t look much different, they are certainly not all created equal. Good quality eggs depend on what the chickens were fed.
Eggs: Why Choose Brand Name
Depending on what the chickens that laid the eggs were fed, some will have more nutrients that others, such as Vitamin D.
Chickens who are primarily fed fillers will not produce nutritional eggs.
Eggs: The Best Choice
The best choice would be local, farm fresh eggs that you can trust.
But if that’s not an option for you, the next best choice would be Eggland’s Best, according to registered dietitian Keri Gans, which has six times more vitamin D than other brands, and less saturated fat.
Yogurt
Choosing a yogurt can be difficult, given that there are so many different brands available these days. And most consumers will gravitate toward whichever brand has the texture and flavor they like most.
Yogurt: Why Choose Brand Name
Generic brand yogurts, like most other food products in this article, are packed with added sugars and additives.
Check the ingredients and choose a yogurt that has fewer ingredients, and natural flavors.
Condiments
Generic condiments should also be avoided, when possible. Though they may cost a fraction of the price of brand name, there is a reason why.
Condiments: Why Choose Brand Name
Aside from being packed with unhealthy ingredients, added sugars and preservatives, generic brands also lack flavor.
Condiments: Best Choice
For example, Hellman’s Mayonnaise has a much different flavor than generic mayonnaise—the two should not be compared as the same product.
Electronics
In specific to TVs and computers, generic brands can often come with more problems than their worth, which will eat up the money you thought you saved in the beginning when avoiding brand names.
Electronics: Why Choose Brand Name
Home built computers are best, if you know what you’re doing. But if you can’t do that, studies say sticking to brand names will save you more money down the line as generic brands skimp out on quality parts.
Electronics: Best Choices
Consumer Reports did a study on both TVs and Computers and found that the best brand names include: Samsung, LG and Sony, and Apple, Vaio, Dell, Lenovo, Microsoft, and Samsung.
Coffee
According to the Journal of Food Science, “packaged coffee is one of the top seven more commonly adulterated foods.”
But its important to note that in America, a lot of coffee is imported—and ingredients vary greatly.
Coffee: Why Choose Brand Name
Generic brand coffee grounds are often bulked up with fillers such as soybeans, corn, and even twigs. When choosing a brand name coffee it is also suggested to choose whole bean to reduce the risk that it has been compromised.
Pet Food
If you can’t make your own dog food, you should probably stick to brand name choices you can trust. Even though pet food is regulated for safety, there are many things that slip through the cracks.
Pet Food: Why Choose Brand Name
Generic brand pet foods, particularly those that are imported from overseas, often include a long list of ingredients that can be detrimental to your pet’s health.
Pet Food: Recalls
There have been numerous recalls on pet food in the U.S. over the years. One, in fact, included pet food that was contaminated by melamine—a chemical waste product linked to fatal illness in animals.
Garbage Bags
If you’ve ever had to skimp out on garbage bags it will likely be a mistake you only make once. Generic garbage bags simply do not hold the same quality as brand names—and it’s evident almost every time.
Garbage Bags: Why Choose Brand Name
Generic brand garbage bags are made with fewer layers, and thinner materials—which is how the cheaper price is justified.
In this case, almost any industry leading brands are worth the extra buck.
