What products do you prefer the cheap version of?

[Fink]

I went to Fortnum and Mason this week (part of our exercise cycling around London) and treated myself to their hot chocolate powder. To my disappointment, at £20 a packet it's nowhere near as nice as my usual brand (Options), which is around £6 for an equivalent amount (and not because it tastes more like actual hot chocolate rather than powder, because I occasionally make real hot chocolate at home and it's nothing like that). My Dad prefers Sainsbury's own brand, which is even cheaper.

Is there anything you get where you think the cheaper brand is actually nicer?

Waitrose essential antibac floor wipes.

Tinned Heinz baked beans over the fridge pack. I just need to taste 'tin' in the beans. It's what I know! Same with Heinz tomato soup! Love it.

Sainsbury's diet cola over diet pepsi or diet coke.

Waitrose essential soft cheese instead of Philly cream cheese all day long.

(Waitrose) Essential houmous (also a great username on here) over other brands.

Agree Lidl coffee and Greek are lovely. Aldi oaties are nicer than proper hobnobs and Tesco crisps are good too.

Sainsbury’s version of lilt and Tesco’s fancy crisps are better than the others expensive ones

Tesco tomato ketchup is much nicer than Heinz. It tastes of tomatoes not weird added things.

Don't know if it counts but M&S burger sauce beats out the Heinz and other branded versions. I'll probably find out they're all the same under the label.

St Moritz fake tan over St Tropez.

Aldi’s pretend Mars bars, Twixes and Snickers.
Any baked beans that aren’t Heinz, Heinz are mainly juice nowadays!

Lidl own brand Greek style natural yogurt. The cheapest and by far the best.

We really love Tesco's cheapest sausages. We call them mystery sausages - no idea what's in them and don't want to know!

Lidl biscuits especially chocolate digestives.
Lidl Skyr yogurt.

Yes, certainly agree about the Max Factor mascaras. I wrote recently that I really rate the gold tube masterpiece one that is waterproof. The brush is gentle. So many brushes (those rubber ones) 'bruise' my lashes - not literally but it feels like they do.

I have loads of prints and artworks on my house. I'm always buying more so always need frames. I prefer the cheapest thin (in profile) ikea frames. They are way easier to hang thna the others. They're light so easier to keep straight. They have clear plastic instead of glass so I'm not worried they will break if they fall. Definitely prefer over the more expensive versions.

ASDA smart price curry sauce. It's 28p a jar but I can actually remember a time when it was only 9p .

Tomato soup. I find Heinz is a bit more tangy than supermarket brands, which I don't like as much. Cheap cream of tomato soup is also better than the posher "tomato and basil" etc. soups or fresh soups.

Aldi Jive bars - far nicer than Twix!

Aldi dishwasher tablets - better than any others we've tried

Lidl Greek style layered yogurts - very similar to Oykos yogurts but a fraction of the price and nicer!

Aldi / ASDA own brand facial wipes

I don't generally shop at lidl but go to one near my relatives house. I always stock up on their ground coffee. Under £2 for single origin is a bargain. I'm pretty picky with coffee but do like this one. I agree on non brand beans I buy the low sugar ones because I don't want my savory food to be sweet bu always get tesco own brand.

Kids prefer aldi cheerios, fish fingers cordial and orange juice, I prefer packets of croissants as opposed to the proper pastry ones from bakeries. Also aldi or lidl jelly beans definitely beat the jelly bean company ones!!

Oh and Tesco coffee!!

genuinely on that point, please allow me to introduce you to the chamomile and jojoba oil Radox shower cream.

It smells fantastic, costs a pound and is very moisturising. Need I say more? 😉

When I saw your title I literally came on to say Options hot chocolate.

I don't like pampers nappies, much prefer the own brand from most supermarkets.

Don't like expensive skin care products, I'm happy with Nivea

Corona the Asda own brand Twixes are great. I had them for the first time last week and i'm converted.

Aldi baked beans, in fact the only thing I don't buy from the Aldi own range is tea bags (got to be Yorkshire tea)

I spent years - over 20 - buying branded tampax. Then they removed the thin string that helped you to open the paper wrapper and I just thought fuck you tampax and bought own brand from wherever I am for a pound. There is often still a wrapper string in the cheap ones too.

Agree about Tesco tomato soup and ketchup being better than Heinz too! I also like supermarket washing powder as it is unscented and own-brand sanitary towels for the same reason.

Generic savers' brand jaffa cakes you can find in various supermarkets. Less sweet and the jelly is firmer.