What products have you come across where you find that the generic (or store brand; or off-brand) just works better than the pricier Brand Name?
For me, it’s plastic wrap. I get so frustrated with Saran Wrap or Reynolds plastic wrap because they don’t stick to anything! I wrap them over a plate or bowl and I can never get any kind of seal. Just loose flappy plastic.
But then I tried a roll of whatever from the dollar store. Man, that stuff sticks!
The store-brand of Honey-Nut Cheerios is better than the brand name, at Dominick’s (local version of Safeway).
I also like the weird house-brand soda flavors - raspberry, strawberry, etc. - that have no big-name equivalent.
Pasta. Dried pasta is dried pasta.
On many other items, I’ve noticed differences in generics from store-to-store. While I may choose a Stop n’ Shop generic over brand, I may not do so with Pathmark (or vice versa).
Almost all–and I definitely agree about the plastic wrap. Hate Saran. Love Kroger brand. I find Kroger peanut butter to be better tasting, too.
Disposable diapers are another one. Kroger and Wal mart brand is not only better, it’s superior. I don’t know who makes them, but if it’s like Sears and Kenmore, they’re made by regular manufacturers with the Kenmore name slapped on. But, I have used Huggies, Luvs and Pampers and they jsut didn’t fit my children as well and leaked more regularly. The worst were Huggie “Supreme.” :rolleyes:
I would do better listing the exceptions I have found. I think real Cheerios are better than store-brand. Sun Maid raisins seem moister. Oscar Meyer hot dogs are less gross. Cottonelle (and other name-brand) toilet paper is thicker–yet it galls me how ridiculously expensive toilet paper is.
No other examples occur to me. I buy the much cheaper store brands nearly exclusively (unless an equivelent is simply not available) and feel I’m getting quality.
Generic OJ tastes better to me. I know it’s heresy in Florida, but I prefer pulpless OJ, and the name brands are all either with pulp, or too sickly sweet. I drink OJ enough that with the volume I drink it in I don’t need cloying sweetness.
The store brand sports drink from Costco is vastly superior in taste to Gator/Power-aide
Oh, OJ, totally! I remember as a kid, my mom used to buy Kroger’s “cost-cutter” orange juice. The frozen tubes you mix up yourself. One time she bought Minute-Maid or something on sale and I pleaded with her to go back to the good stuff. 
Also, tuna fish. Now I *like * me some fishy tasting fish. The name brands are kindof boring. But open up a can of the el-cheapo tuna, and you know there’s some fish in there!
I find generic toilet paper to be much longer lasting in roll form, and it does the job great! It is thinner, but everyone doubles up anyway. Come on, you know you fold your paper over before using it, no matter how thick. Pricier, fluffier stuff kind of falls apart while I’m using it (TMI, I know) and leaves fluffly little residue.
I absolutely love the Costco (Kirkland) brand of cranberry juice. It’s not too sweet or sour, it’s juuuust generically right…
I also like Costco pj pants. After a few washes, the fabric is so soft and supple. They’re only $10 for 2 pairs and they last YEARS!
I think I’m cheating on the SO with Costco sometimes! 
Oh and did I mention Costco cakes? Oohh…drool
Oil Filters
The cheaper house brands (coastal, etc.) are made by champion, the better ones (NAPA,motocraft, mobil-1, and such) by Purolator. Both are far superior to Fram, the “leading brand”.
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Car Batterys:
(Wet plate type) are either made by Exide, or Johnson Controls(JCI). The Excide Batteries use thinner plates that give higher CCA ratings but shorter life. The JCI batteries use heavier plates that give slightly lower number and better durability and abuse tolerance. The reputation of Sear’s “DieHard” was made when sears sourced them from JCI. They switched to Exide for a while about 10-15 years back, but have since gone back to JCI (the last I knew, I hate sears and don’t shop there). Anyway, You can get a JCI battery with a better warranty than "DieHard"under either the Costco or AutoZone house brands. Somewhere in the tiny print you will find “manufactured by JCI” or some such.
And not just car batteries:
“Duracell” is the the #1 battery brand. I can’t speak to capacity, but have found no battery to be more likely to leak and damage equiptment than those damned things. I’m an electroniker, so everyone I know wants me to fis thier stuff for them. I’ve started saying “You were using Duracells in it, weren’t you?” at the first mention of trouble and have yet to be wrong. I don’t have such an issue with Energizer, but they are pricier than generic alk. batteries. I use strictly Costco or Walgreen’s house brand Alk. batteries and have yet to regret it.
Drugs (pharmaceutical, not recreational). If they have the same active ingredients then it is foolish to pay more for non-generic brands.
When I was in Europe, the cheap toilet paper (as used in public bathrooms) was a fairly coarse light brown stuff made from recycled paper. About half way between US cheap toilet paper and what comes out of the paper towel dispensor. It was far more effective than most anything else I’ve used…and the lack of softness was never a problem. I had design issues with thier toilets, but that bumputter was damn fine stuff.
Our store brand of Toaster Pastries is much better than Kelloggs Pop Tarts.
Our store brand of instant flavored oatmeal is much better than Quaker Oats.
The generic brand of Benadryl works better for me for both allergy relief and as a sleep aid.
As someone else said, Kroger’s brand of diapers are less likely to leak and they’re just as soft as most name brands. Huggies supreme is softer but they just don’t fit right. They balloon at the butt but the tapes don’t go around, even in a size larger, so Bella always ends up with red marks.
Same for the Kroger baby wipes. They’re just as good and cheaper so that makes 'em better.
I also like generic chicken noodle soup, my little comfort food. The noodles are thicker, the broth is yummier.
My daughter says the generic Banana Nut Crunch cereal from Aldi’s is much more banana-ier.
As others have mentioned:
Sam’s Club cakes and pizzas. By far better that Digiorno’s and the like.
Springfield canned veggies are cheaper and better than the leading brands.
Let’s not even mention Trader Joe’s.
Another Costco fan here.
We used to like the Kirkland cola better than Coke or Pepsi, and it cost much less, but they stopped making it. 
My Mister buys the Kirkland jeans - less than $12 a pair, and they are just as good as any Levi’s or other men’s jeans. I wish they came in women’s.
We buy the Kirkland batteries, too. And the Costco rotisserie chickens are juicier than the supermarkets’. I buy their generic allergy meds instead of Claritin - no difference except the price.
A lot of the stuff they sell is brand-name, but you still save $$.
Generic Big Sticks (popsicles) are ALWAYS better than name brand Big Sticks.
Fluffy little residue. Sounds like a band name.
Seconding on the generic diapers and generic wipes. Just as good, better in some cases as there is less rash (no perfume!) and the price points can’t be beat.
For me, I prefer the store brand cheeses to the name brand.
Generic contact lens solution works for me. I personally don’t like the feel of Renu and similar pricey brands.
I also buy generic cleaning supplies and sponges, detergent, shampoo, and trash bags.
Target has a lot of good stuff in ‘their brand’. Granola bars and tea jump immediately to mind. Also, they have a great array of scented soaps.
Oh, absolutely. Pop tarts are so dry and…and they kind of turn my mouth into a dust bowl…