For the bargain-hungry shopper, there’s no place better than Costco. The membership-only, multinational warehouse chain store started in Seattle in 1983, and has, as of December 2019, grown to include more than 780 warehouses in 12 countries and continues to expand. While shoppers love the bargain-basement prices on pretty much everything at Costco, there are products many claim are the best and worst things to buy at Costco. While certain products like Costco’s famous rotisserie chicken are a “must buy,” other products like bulk produce, bulk flour, or milk aren’t worth the money you spend at Costco. Some things are just better bought at your local, smaller supermarket. What are the best and worst things to buy at Costco? Click through and we’ll let you know. Be sure to SHARE this list on social media with your bulk-buying friends!

If you’re a big fan of breakfast and make pancakes, waffles, or french toast, don’t ruin it by putting that gross, fake Aunt Jemima maple syrup all over it. Get yourself some pure, organic maple syrup. What’s that? It’s too expensive at the store? Well, head on over to Costco where a 34 oz. jug costs less than $15. It’s great quality at a great price.

Costco has an incredible and thorough produce section. You can find pretty much any and every fruit or vegetable you need. And the produce is very good. The problem comes when you have to figure out how you’re going to use so much produce before it goes bad. Most households can’t go through that much produce that fast before the food starts to take steps toward the compost bin.

For the lactose intolerant, or those looking to use less animal by-products, there are more options than ever to choose from at the store. Almond milk is one of the most popular milk-substitutes, and has a much longer shelf life than regular cow’s milk. That’s part of the reason why Costco’s Kirkland Organic Almond Milk is a must buy. It’s a great product at a great price, and you won’t have to rush to drink it all.

Unless you have a really large family, chances are you won’t get through two gallons of milk before it expires. If you end up dumping a good amount down the sink, you’re not saving yourself any pennies in the long run. Since you have to buy two gallons at once from Costco, most families should skip this purchase and just purchase a gallon at a time at the local supermarket.

The famous Costco rotisserie chicken has a cult following that rivals few things in the retail industry. At just $4.99, many wonder how Costco can sell it for so cheap and make any money on it. Well, that’s because they don’t actually make money on it. The chicken is what’s considered a “loss leader,” meaning a product purposely priced low to attract traffic and business. You buy the chicken, but tons of other things, so it balances out for the company.

Yes, yes, condiments do have a long shelf life, but not Costco-size long. For some people who love to put ketchup on everything, that might be a viable option from Costco. But things like mayonnaise are likely going to spoil before you finish the massive container. Even mustard will go bad. So, unless you’re shopping for a party or massive BBQ, grab the smaller options at the local supermarket.

This one isn’t something that you necessarily take home, but rather have as your mid-shopping snack. The hot dog and soda deal at the warehouses’ food courts is one of the best for the price. Business Insider rated the dog the “best in America” and there’s even a fan website. If you get a little peckish while shopping, this is one of the best options for you or the kids.

While you might be enjoying Costco’s fan-favorite hot dogs at the food court, the chain’s signature “Signateur” gas grill won’t help you make any hot dogs at home, at least according to many reviewers of the grill. The main issue seems to be that the grill just doesn’t pack enough heat to get a get char on most meats, leaving many folks “disappointed” according to reviews on Costco’s website.

While this item could easily fall into the “there’s too much to eat” category, it’s solved by repackaging some and putting it into the freezer. Costco’s Kirkland sliced bacon is a fan-favorite among the chain’s loyal shoppers. Sure, they come in bundles of four, but if you’ve got the freezer space, you can easily keep most of it fresh as you work diligently through the thawed stuff.

When was the last time you paid one dollar for a dozen eggs? Sometime in the mid-1990s? Well, stepping into a Costco can be like traveling back in time when it comes to cheap eggs. Some Reddit users report that their local Costco locations sell eggs for $3 for three dozen, or $5 for five dozen. We’d caution that if you don’t eat or use a lot of eggs, this purchase probably isn’t a must for you at Costco. But many families use eggs daily and they have a good, long shelf life as well.

While Costco is there to save you money on all your bulk grocery purchases, if you’re buying a lot of the prepared foods, then you’re hurting your cost savings. While the prepared chicken tikka masala or the enchiladas are quite tasty, they’re also quite pricey. Just stick with the prepared hot dogs at the food court and stay away from the other pre-made options you find throughout the store.

In her bestselling cookbook, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking, author and cook Samin Nosrat swears by the Kirkland organic olive oil from Costco. The giant bottle is a great bargain for those who regularly use olive oil for cooking and/or dunking your bread.

For those fans who love almond butter over peanut butter, you know who pricey a jar of almond butter can be. But take the advice of Cooking Light blogger Grace Guffin, who lauded Costco’s store brand organic almond butter in a post. "This glorious 27 oz. jar of almond is only $8," Guffin said. Can’t go wrong with that price!

Unless it’s the holidays and you’re planning to whip up dozens of Christmas cookies for friends and family, Costco isn’t your best bet for baking supplies like baking powder. Sure, you’ll think you’re saving yourself a few bucks on the giant bulk purchase, but chances are you won’t use it all before the expiration date.

Note of caution that cheese can go bad quickly at times, but if you have a large family who loves cheese, Costco is a great place to purchase. Not only does Costco have an amazing selection, but the prices are unbeatable. Consider getting parmesan from Costco, if nothing else. It has a longer shelf life than other cheeses and can be used in a variety of recipes, as well as grated over any pasta dish.

One alternative to buying fresh produce at Costco is to head to the frozen foods area and pick out some frozen fruit. If you’re good at planning out meals, you can take out only what you’ll need over a couple days and let it thaw as you go. Or if you’re one to make a lot of smoothies to maintain your figure, frozen fruits are great for the blender. It sure beats spending $10 for a smoothie you find at most other retailers.

Vanilla extract is one of those baking essentials that is just ridiculously expensive, and generally comes in the tiniest little bottle. But the Costco version is a) the pure form, not that “vanilla flavoring” kind; and b) just an absolute steal at $30 for a 16 oz. bottle. Seeing how it has a very long shelf life, you’ll get plenty of cooking distance out of this purchase.

Like baking powder we spoke about before and unlike vanilla extract, flour is one baking essential to avoid at Costco. Flour goes bad and can attract bugs, so if you’re not using it all the time, it’s best to buy normal-sized bags of flour at your local market. But if you’re a bakery owner, now you know exactly where to get your supplies (if you’re not taking advantage of Costco’s bulk options already).

Coconut water isn’t for everybody, but it’s actually a great alternative for re-hydrating if you want something other than water without buying bottles of Gatorade, which can be expensive. The Costco Kirkland brand has tons of five-star reviews on the company’s website, and the 12-pack is a great value compared to other retailers, or buying single-serve cartons at your local store.

There are plenty of yogurt choices at Costco, but many diehard fans stand by the Verka organic brand. The Cornucopia Institute, which promotes family farming, gives the yogurt a “five spoon” rating (that means it’s good), and Energeia Fitness Boot Camp included the yogurt on their list of 52 “real food” Costco items you should buy. Pick up some yogurt and thaw some of the frozen fruit you bought at Costco, and you have a low calorie, healthy, and delicious breakfast option for the week.

The Las Fortunitas Tortilla Chips are actually quite good, which can be one reason why someone would shell out $6 for the five pound bag. That’s a hell of a deal. The problem is that do you know how many chips you and the family would need to eat to consume five pounds? Well, we don’t know exactly either, but it’s a lot. You’ll get sick of them, or they’ll go stale, or both. Don’t be tempted by this bargain unless you’re going to open your own burrito shop.

One of the most popular butter brands of late is Kerrygold butter, which uses milk from grass-fed cows for their product. Food blog Kitchen Stewardship highly recommends this brand, and Costco usually has incredible prices for it. The downside is that not all Costco stores seem to keep a steady supply in stock, which may be a testament to its growing popularity. Since we all use tons of butter, this is an easy and frugal purchase you should be making at Costco.

For those who live in smaller apartments in major metropolitans like New York, Los Angeles, or Seattle, buying bulk toilet paper and paper towels isn’t always the best option. Sure, you save some money, but then you have nowhere to store all the extra rolls you’re not using. However, if you have plenty of storage space in a big house (well, even a regular home), then feel free to stock on up on these paper goods.

Alcohol is (usually) a great option at any Costco (see next product for the exception to the rule). The prices are great for huge bottles, but it’s the Kirkland vodka that you should focus on. The Costco house-brand is incredibly inexpensive, without sacrificing quality. In fact, food blog The Kitchn actually thinks the vodka is Grey Goose in disguise (i.e. with a different label), and the vodka was chosen over other super fancy brands in a national taste test.

“[It] tastes like battery acid.” That’s not our assessment, but that of one reviewer for beer reviewer site Beer Advocate. Now, any time somebody gives such a scathing review, it kind of makes you want to taste it for yourself. Unfortunately, to do that you have to buy a 48-pack from Costco to see if it indeed tastes like battery acid. If it’s really that bad, do you want to have to choke down 47 more cans of it? We didn’t think so.

Not to be macabre, but buying a coffin in Costco is a honestly a good idea... in states where the chain is allowed to sell them anyway. A Costco coffin is approximately 1/2 the price of a similar coffin from a different retailer. As sad as it is to say, that's can be a massive financial relief for a family planning a funeral.

If you've ever been to Costco during the holiday season, you've likely seen this gigantic plush bear. While it might feel like a tempting way to spoil any child you're shopping for,  don't do it. This thing is just too big. Case in point, check out this review that reads in part, "We live in an apartment and he is the dumbest thing we ever bought... having to step over him, walk around him, and find a place for him to rest."

Costco's gas station's are often busy with long wait. Gas sold at Costco is often up to 20% cheaper than local competitor prices, moreso if one uses their Costco credit card to pay for it. in other words, definitely worth the wait.

If you find name-brand clothing at Costco for a price that seems too good to be true, it likely is. While the clothes aren't counterfeit or fake, designer labels will often use lower quality materials and labor to produce items made for Costco sales.

Yes, seriously. Don't believe us? Read this review:

“I'm a big, tall, built guy and most other brands don't stretch well at seams/waist and they chafe and irritate. Kirkland boxer briefs are extremely comfortable and last me 2-3 times longer than Hanes and other brands."