# When do you require a brand-name product?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-require-a-brand-name-product/636089>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [September 28, 2012, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-require-a-brand-name-product/636089 "2012-09-28T02:21:11Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 5

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**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\
**Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-require-a-brand-name-product/636089/81 "2012-10-06T18:52:42Z")

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> [@Eva\_Luna](#):
>
> Q-Tips - I haven’t found another brand that doesn’t bend in half at the least provocation.

Exactly this!

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**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\
**Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-require-a-brand-name-product/636089/82 "2012-10-06T21:39:16Z")

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I’m amazed at the number of people who insist on Q-Tips. Who knew?

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**Author:** ![tomcar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tomcar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomcar)\
**Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-require-a-brand-name-product/636089/83 "2012-10-06T22:21:34Z")

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> [@j666](#):
>
> I’m amazed at the number of people who insist on Q-Tips. Who knew?

What are they doing with them? It’s like saying I only use Acme rubber bands!  
I use Target (Up & UP) double-sided cotton swabs on sticks all the time and am perfectly satisfied.

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**Author:** ![tellyworth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@tellyworth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tellyworth)\
**Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-require-a-brand-name-product/636089/84 "2012-10-06T23:18:12Z")

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> [@perfectparanoia](#):
>
> 1. For food products, 80% of generic food is exactly the same as brand name food. They just change the labels between runs.
> 2. For cleaning products, the store brand is rarely exactly the same thing. If you need it to do something very well, get a brand name. If okay will do, get generic.

That’s interesting, because around here (Australia) almost the opposite is true.

While generic brand food can sometimes be good, it’s inconsistent and there’s no mistaking it for the brand names. I used to deal with a large supermarket chain, and I know that back then the generic stuff wasn’t made by the large brands; it was usually made by small manufacturers who were trying to scale up. Not sure what the deal is now.

And I’ve often found generic cleaning products to be at least as good as the brand names.

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