What are the best and worst basics/value/smartprice own brand products out there?

trinidadone

anniecave wrote: »

ASDA Smartprice Biological Liquid Concentrated - 28 Washes (1L) - laundry liquid for clothes - £1.54

I would recommend this.

thanks for the reccomendation, have added to the front page. Have considered using this for a long time

sock-knitter

morrisons value weetabix taste awful, even my non fussy, will eat anything kids, commented that they dont like these

trinidadone

asparagusnextleft wrote: »

Not sure if this has already been mentioned or not but we've tried the Asda Smart Price orange squash this week and it's absolutely fine. Like the lemon squash you need to use a bit more than you would with more expensive double concentrate squash but it's only 28p! I will be buying it instead of the more expensive one from now on.

thanks Asparagusnextleft, the 28p orange squash has not been mentioned, but it does not matter if it had. I have added your recommendation to the first page

trinidadone

ikkle87 wrote: »

Basics Salami is £1.29 and is lush!

thanks for the reccomendation, will add to the front page

trinidadone

sock-knitter wrote: »

morrisons value weetabix taste awful, even my non fussy, will eat anything kids, commented that they dont like these

hi, thanks sock-knitter, will add at the front page

marywooyeah

i got some smartprice bourbons yesterday and there were 45p! :eek:
I'm sure they were only 22p or so last time I got some, and that was only a fortnight ago!

cazj80

We buy a lot of the Value/Basics products, as I tend to shop in both Tesco and Sainburys, depending on if I am walking or driving. The ones we use all the time are:-

Value/Basics canned tomatoes
Value/Basics mince
Value/Basics peppers
Value/Basics mushrooms
Value/Basics bananas
Value cabbage & cauliflower
Value/Basics onions
Value/Basics coleslaw
Value/Basics toilet roll
Value/Basics - any of their biscuits
Value/Basics carrots
Basics ham - really nice, my toddler eats this lots!
Value lamb/mutton mince
Value frozen chicken breasts
Value/Basics cheese - good for cooking, I only buy branded when it works out cheaper than the Value
Value/Basics mozzarella - really nice on homemade pizzas, or in a tomato salad
Value brie - not too strong flavoured
Value/Basics low fat yogurt, the Basics one is really thick and creamy. I would avoid the Value one, it's far too runny and watery
Value/Basics natural yogurt. great for using when cooking
Value pineapple pieces, a nice big tin, I use this when making sweet and sour pork
Value/Basics instant noodles - my husband has these for lunches a lot of the time and really likes them.
Value rice - lovely cooked in a steamer, nice and fluffy
Value/Basics penne - takes a couple more minutes but really tasty with a sauce
Value stuffing, we mix this with breadcrumbs on pork escalopes - yummy!
Value mayo
Value crisps
Basics white/milk/dark chocolate - very nice to eat and brilliant to cook with.
Value/Basics plain/self raising flour - noticed no difference when baking/cooking
Value sausage rolls - great for picnics
Value mixed veg - we use this in soups and fried rice, really quick and a packet lasts a while. also good for kids dinners when cooking something quickly, rather than chips etc
Value frozen sweetcorn - noticed no difference to a named brand
Value/Basics vanilla ice-cream - lovely with a pudding!
Smartprice Neopolitan ice-cream - great in the summer in a cone
Value/Basics squashes - already mentioned, but they are nice tasting, particularly Sainsburys
Value/Basics size 4 and 5 nappies - a little plasticky maybe, but they last just as well as Pampers/Huggies, and are great value, especially when Sainsburys have a third off :-)
Value/Basics baby wipes - prefer Tescos as they are a bit wetter, but both are good and I would recommend over a branded packet
Value cat litter - does the job and doesn't get smelly
Value bleach
Value washing up sponges - last for ages and are really cheap!

To avoid:-

Value rice crispies - definitely avoid, these were horrible, had to be thrown away, couldn't think of any way to make them taste nice!
Value peas - I didnt like these

Sorry for the huge list!!

trinidadone

marywooyeah wrote: »

i got some smartprice bourbons yesterday and there were 45p! :eek:
I'm sure they were only 22p or so last time I got some, and that was only a fortnight ago!

hey mary, yes lots of things do rocket from ime to time. I purchase a litre of vasic shampoo from sainsburys last month for 22p, its now priced at 62p.

is the bourbons a recomendation?

chardonnay_2

disagree about the tesco value bin bags, we use them all the time in the kitchen bin before transferring to the wheelie bin.

trinidadone

cazj80 wrote: »

We buy a lot of the Value/Basics products, as I tend to shop in both Tesco and Sainburys, depending on if I am walking or driving. The ones we use all the time are:-

Value/Basics canned tomatoes
Value/Basics mince
Value/Basics peppers
Value/Basics mushrooms
Value/Basics bananas
Value cabbage & cauliflower
Value/Basics onions
Value/Basics coleslaw
Value/Basics toilet roll
Value/Basics - any of their biscuits
Value/Basics carrots
Basics ham - really nice, my toddler eats this lots!
Value lamb/mutton mince
Value frozen chicken breasts
Value/Basics cheese - good for cooking, I only buy branded when it works out cheaper than the Value
Value/Basics mozzarella - really nice on homemade pizzas, or in a tomato salad
Value brie - not too strong flavoured
Value/Basics low fat yogurt, the Basics one is really thick and creamy. I would avoid the Value one, it's far too runny and watery
Value/Basics natural yogurt. great for using when cooking
Value pineapple pieces, a nice big tin, I use this when making sweet and sour pork
Value/Basics instant noodles - my husband has these for lunches a lot of the time and really likes them.
Value rice - lovely cooked in a steamer, nice and fluffy
Value/Basics penne - takes a couple more minutes but really tasty with a sauce
Value stuffing, we mix this with breadcrumbs on pork escalopes - yummy!
Value mayo
Value crisps
Basics white/milk/dark chocolate - very nice to eat and brilliant to cook with.
Value/Basics plain/self raising flour - noticed no difference when baking/cooking
Value sausage rolls - great for picnics
Value mixed veg - we use this in soups and fried rice, really quick and a packet lasts a while. also good for kids dinners when cooking something quickly, rather than chips etc
Value frozen sweetcorn - noticed no difference to a named brand
Value/Basics vanilla ice-cream - lovely with a pudding!
Smartprice Neopolitan ice-cream - great in the summer in a cone
Value/Basics squashes - already mentioned, but they are nice tasting, particularly Sainsburys
Value/Basics size 4 and 5 nappies - a little plasticky maybe, but they last just as well as Pampers/Huggies, and are great value, especially when Sainsburys have a third off :-)
Value/Basics baby wipes - prefer Tescos as they are a bit wetter, but both are good and I would recommend over a branded packet
Value cat litter - does the job and doesn't get smelly
Value bleach
Value washing up sponges - last for ages and are really cheap!

To avoid:-

Value rice crispies - definitely avoid, these were horrible, had to be thrown away, couldn't think of any way to make them taste nice!
Value peas - I didnt like these

Sorry for the huge list!!

woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow what a list, you are by far the queen of value/basics shopping. It took me almost two hours to include all of your iteams on the front page, thanks so much for your reccomendations, i am sure people will find them very useful, i know I will, and have included them all on the first thread