# The generic is better than the Brand Name **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 10, 2006, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-generic-is-better-than-the-brand-name/343878 "2006-02-10T17:04:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![NajaNivea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@NajaNivea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NajaNivea)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-generic-is-better-than-the-brand-name/343878/21 "2006-02-10T22:44:14Z")
Safeway store brand salsa is _far_ superior to any jar salsa I’ve ever tasted. We rarely shop at Safeway (it’s not the closest or cheapest grocery store), but when we do, we buy eight or ten jars at a time. ---
**Author:** ![JohnBckWLD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JohnBckWLD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnBckWLD)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-generic-is-better-than-the-brand-name/343878/22 "2006-02-10T23:06:07Z")
Master Choice, Solid White (Line Caught/Dolphin Safe) [Tuna](http://www.jsonline.com/entree/cooking/aug02/68296.asp) ---
**Author:** ![emmaliminal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emmaliminal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emmaliminal)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-generic-is-better-than-the-brand-name/343878/23 "2006-02-10T23:18:38Z")
House brand Raisin Bran usually rocks. For some reason the house brands’ flakes aren’t as thin. I can finish a bowl of generic raisin bran before it turns to mush; can’t do that with Post or Kellogg or whatnot. In Texas, some HEB (grocery chain) stores have machines that make tortillas while you watch (a person does have to feed the machine lumps of dough). Those tortillas, especially the whole-wheat ones, are our house staple food - we almost always have some in the fridge and several packs in the freezer for backup. HEB’s pre-packaged ones are just as lousy as the name brands, though. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-generic-is-better-than-the-brand-name/343878/24 "2006-02-11T03:33:19Z")
Another one singing the praises of HEB. Store-brand items I get all the time are their wheat crackers, a really nice jalapeno cheese spread, bottled salad dressings, and potato chips. I also much prefer their ‘Diet Dr. B’ to Dr. Pepper. ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-generic-is-better-than-the-brand-name/343878/25 "2006-02-11T03:39:29Z")
Now that Nyquil no longer contains pseudoephedrine, I like the store brand better since it hasn’t changed. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-generic-is-better-than-the-brand-name/343878/26 "2006-02-11T05:15:15Z")
I’m gonna get slammed for this but…store-brand Mac & Cheese is sooooo cheap, and it’s so delicious. I don’t do Kraft anymore. I really liked Aldis’ raisin brand. Arrowhead Mills I think it is. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-generic-is-better-than-the-brand-name/343878/27 "2006-02-11T12:01:55Z")
Generic tissues clean my glasses better than Kleenex by far. Kleenex leaves lint on my lenes, the generics, none. ---
**Author:** ![Gundhilde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecc23a/32.png) [@Gundhilde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gundhilde)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-generic-is-better-than-the-brand-name/343878/28 "2006-02-11T12:53:25Z")
The store-brand EasyMac tastes about a million times better than regular Kraft EasyMac. I believe the secret ingredient is “salt.” ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-generic-is-better-than-the-brand-name/343878/29 "2006-02-11T13:00:25Z")
> [@Millit the Frail](#): > > 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. Preach it! I hate “fluffy” toilet paper. I’m a Scott tissue girl. The other stuff kind of makes my teeth shudder. That fluffiness is gross! ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-generic-is-better-than-the-brand-name/343878/30 "2006-02-11T13:02:18Z")
I hope you realise that none of them can be **better** than the Brand Name, simply because they are made by a Brand Name. ---
**Author:** ![Paranoid\_Randroid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paranoid_randroid/32/18_2.png) [@Paranoid\_Randroid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paranoid_Randroid)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-generic-is-better-than-the-brand-name/343878/31 "2006-02-11T14:30:02Z")
I’ve found that the Kroger brand diet root beer tastes _far_ better than diet A&W. That’s not saying much, really - what I wouldn’t give for a bottle of virgil’s every time I take a sip! - but the superiority of Kroger’s cannot be denied. I’m trying to think of more examples, but all I can think of are the gazillions of generic products that are _just as good as_ the name brand. Does being cheaper count as better? ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-generic-is-better-than-the-brand-name/343878/32 "2006-02-11T17:21:46Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > Preach it! I hate “fluffy” toilet paper. I’m a Scott tissue girl. The other stuff kind of makes my teeth shudder. That fluffiness is gross! Oh yeah, 1000 sheets vs. 200 sheets. In an informal survey, I’ve found that it’s mostly men who insist on wiping with that cottonball stuff. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Phedre\_no\_Delaunay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/839c29/32.png) [@Phedre\_no\_Delaunay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phedre_no_Delaunay)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-generic-is-better-than-the-brand-name/343878/33 "2006-02-11T18:17:33Z")
> [@Honey](#): > > Oh yeah, 1000 sheets vs. 200 sheets. In an informal survey, I’ve found that it’s mostly men who insist on wiping with that cottonball stuff. 😉 I don’t get how you get any savings using that stuff, since you have to use five times as much because it’s so thin. And it’s rough. OUCH! I use Charmin ultra. Three squares of that is plenty, and it doesn’t irritate because it’s so soft. Not exactly a generic, but I switched to Citre Shine hair serum from Frizz Ease. You get twice as much for half the price, and it’s exactly the same thing. Plus the Citre Shine smells better. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-generic-is-better-than-the-brand-name/343878/34 "2006-02-11T19:41:09Z")
I love [Koka](http://www.tathui.com/index.html) noodles (made in Singapore instant ramen things). My husband won’t touch them, he only likes the (twice as expensive) [Bachelor’s Supernoodles](http://www.supernoodles.co.uk/). I say he’s missing out, especially since Koka makes a spicy sesame chicken flavour, with a powder flavour sachet, freeze dried coriander and chilli garnish and sesame oil/soy/chilli sauce, for less money than the less than impressive “chicken” flavour Supernoodles. Cheaper instant noodles- the way forward! ---
**Author:** ![implodingnoggin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/59ef9b/32.png) [@implodingnoggin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/implodingnoggin)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-generic-is-better-than-the-brand-name/343878/35 "2006-02-11T20:03:08Z")
> [@Bippy the Beardless](#): > > Drugs (pharmaceutical, not recreational). If they have the same active ingredients then it is foolish to pay more for non-generic brands. Bippy, the results of numerous studies have demonstrated that is not accurate for all generics. To my surprise, the FDA approved amount of the active ingredient vs. inactive has a very, very wide range into which it can fall. Consequently, the level of efficacy can vary considerably. I suggest speaking with both your physician and your head pharmacist (especially the latter as your physician won’t know what brand generic your pharmacy carries) as to which you should choose. Also, many medications, particularly generic, are manufactured outside of the United States (I’m assuming that is where you’re writing from). As such, the FDA has very limited enforcement capabilities because it has neither the manpower or the resources to police pharmaceutical manufacturers worldwide. ---
**Author:** ![implodingnoggin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/59ef9b/32.png) [@implodingnoggin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/implodingnoggin)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-generic-is-better-than-the-brand-name/343878/36 "2006-02-11T20:04:48Z")
Meijer frozen dinners. They are healthier than many others and most taste great! ---
**Author:** ![Fionn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Fionn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fionn)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2006, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-generic-is-better-than-the-brand-name/343878/37 "2006-02-12T02:21:07Z")
I use condensed cream of chicken soup on pasta, and the HEB store brand is much better than Campbell’s. I also prefer the HEB generic cottage cheese over the name brand. ---
**Author:** ![MizGrand](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cdc98d/32.png) [@MizGrand](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MizGrand)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2006, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-generic-is-better-than-the-brand-name/343878/38 "2006-02-12T16:47:12Z")
Safeway Select facial tissue is way better than Kleenex. Thicker, stronger and cheaper – just way better. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-generic-is-better-than-the-brand-name/343878.md?page=1)