Products you will/won't buy in their generic versions?

HighlanderNorth

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Obviously there are products that most people would never buy in their off brand form, such as the plumbus. **Side note: Here's an entertaining 1 minute 'how they do it' video illustrating the manufacture of a standard plumbus: https://youtu.be/eMJk4y9NGvE

But anyway, what products do you buy in off brand, generic form, and which products do you never purchase in generic form(aside from the plumbus. Lol)? :twothumbs

Never generic:
1. I'll be the one to list one of the more discreet, personal products NOT to be purchased in generic form: toilet paper! The generic form is usually as absorbent as Saran wrap, and as 'durable' as, uhm, cheap toilet paper!

2. Saran wrap.

3. Boots(although there ARE also some lousy brand name boot choices, ie: Timberlands).


Generic yes!:
1. Paper towels(in some cases)
2. Trash bags(in some cases)
3. Generic Roundup: generic version of Roundup is identical(Glyphosate), but often more concentrated, AND at literally 30%- 50% the cost of the name brand.
 

bykfixer

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I like this thread. Good idea but it caught me off guard.

Will have to toss it around the noggin for a while before anything definitive can be added.

Generic yes:
- Nyquil
- Shampoo
- Numerous grocery items
- Skateboard decks
- Medications
- orange, grape, fruit punch sodas
- canned veggies
- charcoal
- bottled water
- hammers, pliers, adjustable wrenches and other tools I'm not strong enough to break.
- bagged sugar
- pop tarts
.... to add later

Generic no:
- Tires
- Wolverine boots
- Guitar strings
- Flashlight batteries (and other uses)
- Dr Pepper
- Flashlights
- bic lighters
- ratchets, screwdrivers, wire cutters and other tools that have to work every time.
- skateboard wheels, bearings and trucks....and grip tape.
- digital volt meter
- .... to be added to later
 
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nbp

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Wisconsin
Generic ketchup sucks. There's a reason Heinz has been around forever. It tastes good.
 

scout24

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Dec 23, 2008
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Penn's Woods
Will not buy generic:

Paper towels
Hellman's mayo
Heinz ketchup
T.P. (Too much time with Uncle Sam.)
Batteries
Socks
Merrell hiking shoes

More to come...
 

HighlanderNorth

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**Brand name only:
1. Shaving razors(Gillette Fusion 5 blade)
2. Breakfast cereal(90% of the time)
3. Laundry detergent(there's a reason why Tide costs 2-3x more than 'Sun' or 'Xtra'). Its because Tide is provably 3-5x more concentrated than many cheap brands. I figured that out on my own in the early 2000s, when I started experimenting, by adding specific, comparable amounts of detergents into large laundry loads, and comparing their abilities to adequately soften the wash water, and make it feel soapy. I'd have to add 3-5 caps of cheap brand detergent to get the water there. But only maybe 1-1/4 caps of Tide.
 
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StarHalo

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I'll buy generic cold medicine but will only buy name brand painkiller; zero evidence that there's any difference, but if I have a headache I just want the most guaranteed thing I can take..

1. Shaving razors(Gillette Fusion 5 blade)

My observation concurs with many reviewers' that Gillette basically peaked with the Mach 3, everything they've released since then gives the exact same shave but at a notably higher price. The Mach 3 Turbo blades last much longer than the standard 3s for no apparent reason; either are thankfully available at Costco.
 

PartyPete

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**Brand name only:
1. Shaving razors(Gillette Fusion 5 blade)
2. Breakfast cereal(90% of the time)
3. Laundry detergent(there's a reason why Tide costs 2-3x more than 'Sun' or 'Xtra'). Its because Tide is provably 3-5x more concentrated than many cheap brands. I figured that out on my own in the early 2000s, when I started experimenting, by adding specific, comparable amounts of detergents into large laundry loads, and comparing their abilities to adequately soften the wash water, and make it feel soapy. I'd have to add 3-5 caps of cheap brand detergent to get the water there. But only maybe 1-1/4 caps of Tide.
Totally agree with the laundry detergent. The cheap stuff is just water and fillers. Even worse, I had a horrible allergic reaction to one particular brand so I don't mess around with the bargain brands anymore.

Tide is the only stuff I trust, both to clean thoroughly and not give me some crazy rash.
 

HighlanderNorth

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Totally agree with the laundry detergent. The cheap stuff is just water and fillers. Even worse, I had a horrible allergic reaction to one particular brand so I don't mess around with the bargain brands anymore.

Tide is the only stuff I trust, both to clean thoroughly and not give me some crazy rash.

In roughly 2010, I discovered recipes for homemade liquid and powdered laundry detergent online. At first I ignored it, thinking there was no way that these natural ingredient recipes would come close to equalling the special-purpose, store bought laundry detergents. But I decided to give it a try because it was cheap.

After adjusting ingredient quantities over 3 batches, I met my goal of creating a recipe that was equally concentrated to regular Tide.

My roommate at the time had a skin alergy to certain detergents and soaps. So after using Ivory soap in recipe #1, I switched to Dove brand bar soap. I shredded roughly 1-1/3 bars with a cheese grater, added to a pot of almost-boiling distilled water in a stove pot. Then I stirred in borax and washing soda til everything was liquefied. I continued stirring, then poured the mixture into a large, clean bucket, and began adding water, while stirring, til I had roughly 2.5 to 3 gallons of concentrated detergent.

After it had all cooled and stored in multiple containers, we began using it for laundry. It worked equally well compared with commercial detergents, at about equal concentration to Tide. It never caused ANY itching or skin reaction for my roommate, AND it's non-sudsing. Its ingredients are either all natural(borax & washing soda), or mild(Dove soap). It cost a fraction of Tide's cost. Its actually a fun, relatively quick project that actually gives you a sense of 'personal accomplishment' whenever you use it. Ingredients

The 3 ingredients: 1. Grated bar soap(Dove seems best)
2. Borax
3. Arm & Hammer washing powder(sodium carbonate), not to be confused with sodium bicarbonate, i.e. baking soda.
 
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