Products you insist on buying the name brand for

[Bryan]

Cotton swabs for me. Bought some off-brand swabs a couple of years ago because I couldn't conceive of any possible difference. The head of one of the swabs came off in my ear. It may be overly superstitious of me, but I'm a Q-Tip man for life now.

[MajorChode]

1. Beer

[Robeson]

2. Jose Cuervo Black...

...for a nice tasting tequila at a cheap price.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. Anything I can buy at Costco...

[begin_within]

4. Big Train brand Spiced Chai

well on second thought, Chamba Chai sold at Costco is also made by Big Train but it says that on the label so you know it's actually the same brand. But any other brand is bunk.

[amerikat]

5. Power tools

Porter Cable, Makita. I have a Panasonic drill that still works after 10 years.
Same batteries too. Good tools last a lifetime. Well worth the investment.

[pepperbear]

6. I like only KRAFT macaroni and cheese.

[crim son]

12. Yes!

Even the taste of Kraft has gone downhill the last decade or so but it's still infinitely better than the other brands.

[hyphenate]

31. It's my choice as well

But I'm beginning to hate it. They now use these tiny little elbow mac that are terrible. If I can, I will substitute real elbow pasta, but use the pkg of cheese mix that's in it.

[WolverineDG]

33. try homemade mac & cheese

you won't ever want the plastic stuff from kraft ever again.

dg

[Initech]

7. Computer parts

I dont care if it's the CPU, motherboard, mouse, monitor - those all have to be brand names.

[hibbing]

8. French's French Fried Onions

Hi,
The store brands of these just don't work for me. BTW, try adding some to eggs before scrambling, talk about yummy!

Nice thread topic, thanks.

Peace

[snagglepuss]

11. I've never heard of french friend onions. Are they frozen. Very curious.

[hibbing]

15. think green bean casserole

Hi,
They are the ones that you put on the top of the "classic" green bean casserole.

Peace

[Sequoia]

48. Yum !!

[fizzgig]

9. toilet paper

none of this off-brand crap that feels like i'm wiping with a belt sander. give me my cottonelle ultra.

[SeattleGirl]

13. I'm with you on that.

I buy Northern Ultra. I don't care to use a belt sander either.

[abq e streeter]

20. guy at the corner store used to call it the John Wayne TP

cuz its rough and its tough and it don't take shit offa nobody

[fizzgig]

22. ok, that's pretty funny

:rofl:

[Duer 157099]

25. Absolutely. Northern something or other for me. n/t

[Strong Atheist]

57. Agreed. nt.

[LostInAnomie]

10. Beside alcohol...

... Lever 2000 soap. I just like the smell.

[bluesbassman]

16. Best Foods (Hellmanns) Mayonnaise.

Everything else is white goo. :)

[Duer 157099]

26. Yep, agree. Until I discovered Costco's house brand

which I'm convinced is Best Foods.

[TommyO]

61. It's Hellmans or homemade for me.

Though I'll have to try the Kirkland (Costco house brand) mayo based on another response to your post

[crim son]

14. Coffee.

Generic coffee sucks rocks, always.

[704wipes]

17. Cascade Dishwaher Soap

All the others really do leave a film, I think...

[crim son]

18. Maybe that's my problem.

I use generic and save a buck. I'll try Cascade again and see if I notice a difference.

[Kali]

30. use jet dry and you can stay with the cheap brands.

if you have an old machine they make a solid in a little plastic basket you clip onto a rack, otherwise the liquid goes into a dispenser, usually inside the door.

[lutefisk]

19. illy

[crim son]

23. For a second there

I thought you loved me. :P

[abq e streeter]

21. A&W Root Beer---the nectar of the gods

[Mopar151]

24. Pistons, rings bearings, and gaskets

Manley valves, Crane ignition boxes, Cole-Hersee switches and wiring products.

[mvd]

27. I agree on Q-Tips

I happen to mostly buy name brands.

[gbate]

28. Cheerios.

[dropkickpa]

37. 2nded

[nuxvomica]

42. 3rded.

The generic kind have sharp edges and aren't toasted properly for some reason.

[hyphenate]

29. Kraft mac & cheese

The others all suck.

[SacredCow]

32. Agree with the Q-Tips, for exactly the same reason....

Also:

Liquor (WAY too many to list, but I don't do well brands)
Mayonaise (Hellmans)
Cola (Coke products, usually)
Coffee (Community Cafe Roast)
Tools (I've made a trip to the ER solely due to cheap tools)

[PRETZEL]

34. Heinz ketchup

all others are immitators.

[LynneSin]

35. OBs

trust me, either you know what I'm talking about or it's none of your business. But I've been using that brand since forever!

[gbate]

38. I didn't think there was a generic!

[LynneSin]

40. They make generic of the other styles but OB is an original

When they go on sale I buy a ton of them. About 2 years ago a drug store went out of business and they had them on sale for $2.50 a box. I bought ALL of them (they're about $7 a box these days)

[Juche]

36. q-tips, ketchup, toilet paper, bologna, laundry detergent

Those are about the only products I use where I thought the quality difference was noticeable between generic and name brand.

Cola too (nobody makes a generic cola as good as coke or pepsi), but I find the other generic sodas (generic mt dew, dr pepper, generic orange) are almost as good as name brand stuff.

[mvd]

39. We deserve the return of Pepsi Throwback

The other natural sugar colas I've tried just aren't the same.

[davsand]

45. I want to add dish soap to that list.

Can't help it--there's a lot of that stuff that either kills the skin on my hands or else doesn't work worth a shit. I buy Joy.

:shrug:


Mayo is another thing that I have brand loyalty to. Hellman's really is (IMO, anyway) the best out there.



Laura

[KansDem]

41. Levis (jeans), Craftsman (tools), Stetson (hats & caps), Towncraft (clothing)

Quality matters. I've discovered that tools, shoes, and gin are three things in life that you definitely get what you pay for...

[Mopar151]

44. Too bad Craftsman is tanking...

Many of their newer tools are not well made, and the warranty is not what it once was (I just threw a Craftsman torque wrench away because Sears would not even sell me a repair kit, and gennerally treated it as though it were radioactive.)
Snap-On, Mac, Starret, Mahr/Federal gaging, Hardinge machine tools - none better anywhere!

[KG]

43. RAMses condoms, Astrolube, Viagra.

:P

[SteppingRazor]

46. Basically, all of the vices: Smokes, coffee, booze, etc.

My cigarettes will be Parliament Lights and my Scotch will be single malt (exceptions made for Chivas Regal and Johnnie Walker, black label or better). Period.

[Sequoia]

47. Ritz Crackers

[theNotoriousP.I.G.]

49. All the things I depend on my family and friends to send me

that I can't get here: tooth paste (Crest with Scope) Splenda sweetener, Good Seasons Italian dressing, Ziplock freezer bags, cheap aspirin.

I won't buy cheap laundry detergent or fabric softener here either.

[Paladin]

50. Lea & Perrins Worchestershire Sauce.

The others are just pale imitations; don't waste your money.....

[Fire Walk With Me]

51. Moog.

[Vidar]

52. Corn Flakes. The generic tastes like paste.

[Deja Q]

53. Apple.

I've seen my electricity bill plummet. Despite that, I've read enough benchmarks and combined with my own experience, it blows Windows __ away...

If I ever get a Mac Pro (not until 2010), then I'd expect the bill to go back up a bit...

[trof]

54. Hellman's "Real" Mayonaisse.

Miz t. will accept no substitutes.

[mwooldri]

63. Except in our household it's Dukes.

Hellmans really won't do.

[ShenandoahAspen]

55. Pace Picante Sauce

I've tried at least a dozen other salsas, including some store brands -- but nothing beats Pace.

[TheCentepedeShoes]

56. With you and trof both

Pace picante and Hellmans's mayo

[Pat Riot]

58. Gold Toe Socks

Made in America

Otherwise I am an ANTI name brand person generally.

[Throd]

59. Gibson/Epiphone

[pokerfan]

60. Cottonelle® toilet paper

Accept no substitute.

[mwooldri]

62. Preparation H.

I don't have haemorrohoids but the individual who does has tried the store brand was absolutely convinced it didn't work - bought the original and got relief.

Mark.

[jakefrep]

64. Shoes, liquor, q-tips, Toilet paper

Shoes- you gotta take care of your feet. None of that Starbury/Payless/Wal-mart crap for me.

Liquor - Only the good stuff.