Key Points

• Walmart has many surprisingly good products beyond the 17 we showcase here
• Saving money has never been easier
• Also: discover the next Nvidia

Though folks love denigrating Walmart shoppers, Walmart (WMT) has some surprisingly good products. And while some of you scoff at shopping at Walmart because of a belief that they treat their workers worse than other retail establishments, their employees fare about as well as most. Whether they work at Walmart or a boutique at the mall, retail workers across the board face challenges, including low wages and inconsistent hours. So, without that hurdle, what else is stopping you from taking advantage of the incredible products Walmart has to offer? The creepy clientele? Don’t believe everything you see online. You may encounter some interesting individuals at Walmart, but they are the exception. The majority of Walmart’s customers are hard-working folks who are shopping for value. Walmart’s Equate and Great Value brands are chock full of surprisingly good items that are every bit as good as national brands, but dollars less at the register. Continue reading to discover 24/7 Wall St.’s list of 17 surprisingly good Walmart products, presented in no particular order.

Why It Matters

Investors can derive valuable insights from Walmart’s success with its private label products, which are surprisingly good. Walmart’s brand strength and operational prowess, showcasing its efficient supply chain and competitive pricing, reflect the corporation’s strategic strengths while offering a glimpse into Walmart’s ability to capitalize on market opportunities and drive shareholder value.

Allergy Meds

• Pricepoint: Equate Cetirizine 45 ct. $10.00 vs. Zyrtec 45 ct. $30.00
• Pricepoint: Equate Loratadine 45 ct. $7.00 vs. Claritin 45 ct. $35.00

The savings to be had by purchasing Walmart’s Equate brand allergy meds is nothing to sneeze at. Saving over $20.00 for a six-week supply adds up to $173.00/$240.00 over the course of a year. Multiply that by the number of your family members who require daily allergy meds and the savings are phenomenal. So why shell out all that extra dough on name brands, when the generic ones contain the same medicine? The packaging might not be as flashy, and the advertising campaign is non-existent, but that’s precisely what keeps the prices low.

Savings so far: $48.00

No Headache Pain Relief

• Pricepoint: 200 coated Equate Ibuprofen tablets $4.28 vs. 200 ct. Advil $17.98

The idea of spending over three times as much for the same thing is enough to induce a headache. The 200 mg. of ibuprofen in Equate brand ibuprofen is exactly the same as the 200 mg. of ibuprofen in Advil. The only difference is packaging and marketing, Equate even has ibuprofen soft gels (6.47/200) compared to the national brand Advil (23.47/200) at $17.00 more. I’m here to tell you that Walmart’s Equate brand vanquishes my headaches (backaches, knee aches, and other knee aches…) just as effectively as the more expensive option. Stop spending your hard-earned bread unnecessarily.

Savings so far: $61.70

Softer Skin 4 Less

• Pricepoint: Equate Daily Moisturizing Lotion 45.98/18 oz vs. Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Body Lotion 10.67/18 oz

More evidence in black and, em, yellow. Notice how they make you do the math? $10.67 divided by 18 makes Aveeno 59.2¢/ounce, which according to my rudimentary math skills is perilously close to being nearly twice as much. Don’t allow the less aesthetically pleasing label to be a stumbling block to your savings. Equate offers almost twice the moisturizing of Aveeno in cost alone. If you don’t that’s a surprisingly good Walmart product, you’re being stubborn.

Savings so far: $66.39

Walmart Water is a Great Value

• Pricepoint: Great Value 16.9 oz/40 ct. $5.36 vs. Aquafina 16.9 oz/32 ct. $18.00

Remember back in the good ol’ days when every business had a water fountain? The water was ice cold and would evoke an ahhhh from all who quenched. These days you’re more likely to grab a plastic bottle of water at the check-out. Or case after case if you rely on the convenience of bottled water for your hydration. I’ll admit that not all bottled water tastes the same, but Great Value purified drinking water flavor-enhancing minerals doesn’t really have a taste, as it should be. So why pay a bundle for water? Tke the Great Value challenge! If you don’t think GV water is every bit as good as the leading national brand, return the remaining bottles (with your receipt) for a refund.

Savings so far: $79.03 + 8 bottles of water

Hydrate for Less

• Pricepoint: Clear American $0.28/liter (33.8 oz)  vs. Hint sparkling water $1.98/16 oz x 2 = 3.96

Clear American sparkling water is a surprisingly good Walmart brand. And at $0.28 per 1-liter bottle, it’s a great value. While some generic store brands don’t offer up a lot in the way of exciting flavors, Clear American keeps up with the trends, providing the frugal sparkling water aficionado with a variety of fresh flavors. You’ll be sweating a lot less cash when you buy Clear American.

Savings so far: $82.71

Organic Fruit Juice

• Pricepoint: Great Value cranberry juice 5.58/32 oz vs. Knudsen cranberry juice 12.99/32 oz
• Pricepoint: Great Value tart cherry juice 5.58/32 oz vs. Lakewood tart cherry juice 10.99/32 oz

Between arthritis and urinary tract infections (UTIs), unadulterated tart cherry juice and cranberry juice are popular items. Tart cherry juice is supposed to lessen arthritis pain, while cranberry juice keeps the urinary tract free from infection-causing bacteria. Great Value organic juice, at around half the cost of the name brands, can ease your pain at the checkout, too.

Savings so far: $95.53

Cottage Cheese

• Pricepoint: Great Value cottage cheese $2.94/24 oz vs. Breakstone cottage cheese $4.49/32 oz

While this isn’t the flashiest item on the list, cottage cheese is a staple in many homes. Great Value cottage cheese is a staple in my home because I prefer it to national brands. It’s creamy with larger-than-average curds. And while a buck fifty doesn’t seem like much, it accrues over time.

Savings so far: $97.08

Wake Up to Savings

• Pricepoint: Great Value Crunchy Honey Oats $3.25/23 oz vs. Post Honey Bunches of Oats $5.40/12 oz (10.80/24 oz)

Breakfast cereals are a splendid aisle on which to rack up the savings. Why pay $2.15 more for about half as much cereal? Great Value Crunchy Honey oats are $0.14/oz while Post Honey Bunches of Oats is $0.45/oz. If you’re a cereal eater, wake up to the wonderful savings that great Value cereals provide.

Savings so far: $104.18

The Bakery

• Pricepoint: Walmart apple fritters  $4.24/6 fritters vs. Kroger apple fritters $4.99/4 fritters

If you have a sweet tooth, the Walmart bakery is a dandy place to indulge it. From fritters and doughnuts to custom birthday cakes, Walmart’s bakery is a treasure. The baked goods are more limited in quantity on the daily, so you have to be an early-ish bird to procure your favorite baked goods.

Savings so far: $104.93 + 2 fritters

We Olive a Great Value

• Pricepoint: Great Value Stuffed Garlic $3.47/7 oz vs. Santa Barbara Olive Co. $8.80/7 oz

Are you aware that the serving size for olives is one? Have you ever eaten just one olive? Yeah, me neither. Great Value olives are a seriously great value! At $5.33 less than the name brand, it doesn’t take long for these savings to add up! And Great Value provides a fab selection of all the trendy olive combos! Are the labels as aesthetically pleasing as the national brand? Not even close, but you’re not eating the label.

Savings so far: $110.26

Olive Oil

• Pricepoint: Great Value Olive Oil $9.74/25.5 oz vs. California Olive Ranch olive oil 29.99/25.4 oz

Great Value Olive Oil is slick with savings. Why shell out the big bucks on the name brand when the Walmart brand is equally as good?  I understand the allure of trendy brands. So if you’re label-conscious, buy the expensive brand once and then re-fill the bottle with Great Value. A win-win.

Savings so far: $130.51

Savings That Stick

• Pricepoint: Great Value Peanut Butter: $3.98/40 oz vs. Jif Peanut Butter $6.97/40 oz

Whether you like your peanut butter smooth or crunchy, Great Value peanut butter won’t stick it to you at the register. Like so many before it’s important to remember that it’s the contents of the jar, not the label that needs to be top-quality, and Great Value peanut butter is as good as the leading brand, but a couple of greenbacks less.

Savings so far: $133.50

Popcorn

• Pricepoint: Great Value Microwave popcorn $6.68/18 ct. vs. Orville Reddenbacher $8.83/18 ct.
• Pricepoint: Great Value popping corn $2.28/32 oz vs. Orville Reddenbacher popping corn 11.76/30 oz

If you’re fully invested in saving money on groceries, consider ditching the microwave popcorn altogether. Popping your corn on the stove the old-fashioned way pops up your savings. It’s also the more climate-friendly alternative for those who are equally invested in saving the planet.

Saving so far: $145.13

Organic Broth

• Pricepoint: Organic Great Value chicken broth $1.97/32 oz vs. Swanson’s organic chicken broth $5.88/32 oz

If you’re not a Walmart shopper, you might be surprised to discover that the store carries a large number of organic products. And like the organic fruit juice mentioned earlier, the savings are ripe for the picking. On one 32-ounce carton of organic broth alone you save nearly $4.00 ($3.91)! Saving like this multiple over the course of a year. Chances are that the broth contained within is precisely the same as the name brand. Many generic/store brands are packaged in the same factories that produce national brands. Same product, different label. Stop paying for labels.

Savings so far: $149.04

Organic Flour

• Pricepoint: Organic Great Value all-purpose flour $5.47/5 lb vs. Bob’s Red Mill organic all-purpose flour $9.49/5 lb

As labels go, the Organic Great Value flour bag isn’t half bad. Nothing snazzy, but pleasing just the same. Much like its contents. Organic Great Value flour is every bit as flavorful and reliable as the name brands. When it’s too cold to garden, I bake with Organic Great Value flour with good results and great reviews. Try it, you’ll like it!

Savings so far: 153.06

Sweet Savings

• Pricepoint: Great Value granulated sugar $3.14/4 lb vs. Domino granulated sugar 5.49/4 lb

Walmart is an excellent resource for all of your baking essentials! From flour and sugar to spices, the Walmart Great Value brand is a splendid alternative to the more expensive name brands. Granulated refined cane sugar is pretty much the same whether it comes out of a Great Value bag or a Domino’s bag, so why are you continuing to spend your hard-earned cash on the latter?

Savings so far: 155.41

Savings is the Spice of Life

• Pricepoint: Organic Great Value garlic powder 4.36/2.50z vs. McCormick Organic garlic powder 6.94/2.25oz

If you cook/bake and prefer organic spices, you owe it to yourself and your pocketbook to try Organic  Great Value spices. Chances are Great Value herbs and spices are being sourced from the same manufacturers as the more expensive name brands. With most of the Great Value vs. McCormick spices, it’s a buy two get one free deal, since 2 bottles of McCormick cost about the same as three bottles of Great Value.

Final savings tally: 157.99

 

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.