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

Willowpop

pakokelso93 wrote: »

Has anyone got any good tips for cheap good Instant Coffee. I've tried Asda/Tesco own brand (not value) coffee and it's pretty awful...

Sainsbury's basics coffee is pretty good..we have it so it can't be that bad! And for a decaf, the cheapest one in Lidl is great. Can't remember the brand name, but it's about £1.49 a jar I think. It has a blue label, that much I do know!

pakokelso93

Will maybe see Lidl's. I've tried Sainsbury's wasn't that great. I'm a strong coffee man !!

Karls_girl

Hi
Been using value range from Mr M for awhile, each week adding more and more of it into the basket.

I buy the things that most ppl post, except tom ketchup is awful. I did try the mince pies yday, 60p for 6, and they were nice. Not as deep as you might get from the other brands but passable, of course i will be making my own soon but just testing them out.

One thing I am noticing is Value range is going up- crisps by 6p, squash was 19p is now 28p.. This is not good.

Just remembered that we tried out the pot noodle eqv, and thats ok, coffee and tea are awful, custard ok but again gone up, crumpets are ok, as is cereals, pickle (gone up) the rice cooks very sticky no matter how much I have tried with less water, rinising all the starch out, but its ok if fried. I prob have lots that i can comment on, but cant remember it all

nufclad147

hi i would just like to add my tuppence worth to smart price items i used an found rather good value...of course our tastes are diverse so really who ever advice you take its down to our own taste. Il put the price as of date i type nov 16 2012.

smart price approved tried an approved

smart price liver pate tube - was 59p now 37p bargin
Coleslaw- despite some 1 saying eeeeueeww its ok
Liquid washing detergent - 160p 28 wash ..cloths come out fresh smelling but heavily stained cloths u might want to try something else.
Rice pud - times is 4p a tin do buy some to donate to food bank if at ur superstore i promise creation will pay you back for ur effords thats karma for you Cream cheese - spread 50p
Biscuit selection custard cream -, choc borbones, Nice biscuit, 4pk
3 way chips - 82p 1.5kg remind me school chips i cant tell diff between these and asda own brand 170p
manderine pieces in syrup - fruit is fruit
smart price hot choc my mate swears by it and sampled it good to me it says to just add hot water an comes out surprisingly creamy .. i use milk tho i just like to use milk 62p
Porrage oats - 75p
sweet sour sauce jar 39p sometimes these drop to 9p like the curry jar stock up when they do.
Mushey peas 8p times 4p again do donate to food bank whats 8p it wil help a soul in need.
Custard sachets 4p again give 1 to food bank an tip dont just pour hot water on an wisk an think thats as thick as he gets pop back in microwave or place over heat to get it even more thicker.
Beetroot jar 340grms 39p pk 500grm 44p

keep away
smart price gravy grannuals - 2op boil a sock instead an thicken the juice
rice chrispies they stick together but a meal a meal cheap enough if u must.

Midget gems - these used to be on my approved list tasted exaclty like original black liqorish till about june 2012 when they changed the recipe now the black taste of asda deoderant an they added an illuminious yellow 1..yak let down they wer me fav buy what a shame.

pakokelso93

Tesco Value Soft Cheese (aka cheap phili) They've started doing garlic one - 50p for 200g and it tastes bloody brilliant!!

Middy

Not too sure if I posted this or not.

There are some customers at my store that rave about Sainsburys Basics Pickled Onions. They are 31p and they say they as good as the picked onions that they used to pickle themselves.

redbooties

Sainsburys basic cranberry sauce isn't very nice, theres no flavour to it

matty17r

Smartprice and value peas are awful imo. Find tesco other cheap brand can't remember name (10p each 100g) much nicer.

debsjc

The ASDA Smartprice Lasagne Sheets are fine, can't tell the difference once they are in lasagne.
ASDA SmartPrice Chopped Tomatoes in Tomato Juice, also seem fine to me.

liz-paul

Not sure if anyone else has said this already but I actually think the value rice crispies & cornflakes are equal to any other brand. The value chocolate was not good though - ok for cooking but not eating.