I recall generic cigarettes years ago–maybe 35 years ago or so, when generics first started gaining popularity. Back then, I tried a carton of generic King Size Filter Cigarettes. They were cigarettes that could be smoked and they were cheap; that’s about all that could be said for them. They were pretty lousy, and I went back to my regular brand.
My tobacco tastes have changed, and now, I mostly smoke my pipe and cigars. The tobacconists I patronize have house brand cigars and pipe tobaccos, but I prefer the name brands that I enjoy: Bolivar, Fonseca, and Romeo y Julieta cigars from Cuba, and pipe blends from Peterson (Ireland), Samuel Gawith (UK), and Paul Olssen (Denmark). At the behest of the tobacconists whom I patronize, I’ve tried their house products, but none (IMHO) measure up to the name brands.
Other than that, there are a few brands that I will always buy, regardless of how inexpensive the house brands are: Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce, Maxwell House or Tim Horton’s coffee, and Classico pasta sauces are only a few examples.
Lea & Perrins Worcestershire! Absolutely! Nothing else has the same kick! I tried to buy a gallon of an off-brand in bulk once, and it was horrible. Not enough can be said for the quality of Lea & Perrins.
With garbage bags, toilet paper, and some other things, it matters quite a bit which store brands/cheapo brands you get. I’ve bought some cheap garbage bags that were a rip-off (literally), but others are perfectly adequate.
I have not yet run across any non-name-brand razors I’m satisfied with, though.
soda (coke)
mac&cheese (krafts)
dog food ( prefer blue buffalo, dog has skin, eye, ear problems aggravated by cheap dog food)
q-tips (q-tip brand)
mayonnaise (hellmans)
catsup (hunts or heinz)
shampoo/conditioner (prefer main and tail, anything but dove or generic)
cream cheese (philadelphia)
crackers (premium, the cheap ones will break your teeth)
priogies (Mrs Ts)
block cheese
salad dressings
It would probably be a shorter list if I said what I will buy store brand or generic
baby aspirin
Yeah, Q-tips for me, as well; other types just aren’t the right amount of fluffiness, or something.
Also Tampons. If Tampax ever goes out of business, or insists on making everything ‘pearl’, I’ll just get a hysterectomy.
Soda. I drink diet, and diet generic anything is just gross. Just…gross.
I won’t include cigarettes, because I’ve never seen generic cloves, and cloves are all I smoke, period.
Toilet Paper. No brand preference, but no generic.
A guy I know who is “shady” at best, asked if I wanted to buy toilet paper. He got “a deal”. In his garage were dozens of cases of Turnpike Toilet Paper. I said no thanks. He said he hadn’t told me a price per case yet. I told him I wouldn’t take any if it were free.
The Kirkland Signature cling wrap from Costco is really good stuff. A little thicker (stronger) and clingier than Saranwrap. The package/cutter works better too. My only complaint is that there is so much in the box that the box is getting very ragged and less functional well before I have exhausted the supply.
Anything without an associated brand name means I don’t care what brand, just not the off-brand.
Toilet Paper, Duke’s Mayonnaise, garbage bags, Hidden Valley ranch dressing, Altoids mints, Tennessee pride frozen sausage biscuits.
There may be a few others, but I can’t think of them. Many of these things I don’t buy often (except Altoids) but when I do they must be the given brands.
Toilet Paper. No brand preference but no off brand.
Dog Food - Purina Dog Chow.
Dog Treats - Meaty Bones.
Mayo - Hellmen’s
Soda - Pepsi or Dr. Pepper.
Cookies - name brands only.
Cereal - name brands only.
Bread - Butternut (it’s my husband who does that - I’d be happy with any 99 cent loaf as I don’t eat it a lot)
Hot Dogs - Ball Park
I’m sure there is a bunch more, but I can’t think of any more off the top of my head.
I make green chili burritos a lot, only Ortega will do. If I buy generic Robitussin (tussin) I get instant diarrhea. Very few store brands I find acceptable but I do buy them when I can.