What’s something you buy which is cheap/basic that is really good?

[Earbogeys]

Mine is bars of unscented soap from (predictably) Aldi, and also Waitrose own salt and vinegar crisps.

What gems are in your life?

@GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER

Ordinary own brand rice, long grain or basmati - just bung in a pan of boiling salted water, simmer until done, drain, rinse if necessary, bingo. Can never understand difficulties over cooking rice. I dare say rice cookers are good if you have plenty of worktop space but I don’t.

I agree! Rice cookers? What for?

I forgot to finish my post!

I recently bought Sainsbury's own brand Greencare washing up liquid as I normally use Ecover but wanted to try something else as Ecover have gone overboard with their fragrances. Really impressed with it but to be fair I haven't checked it's green credentials so will need to research that.

I laughed when a pp suggested Tesco jelly beans. DH has just opened a bag of them, he's addicted. The smaller 3 for a £ ones aren't quite as good as the bigger bags though. Asda jelly wine gums are his other go to, exceedingly squidgy.

@deadrave I was just waiting to see the Lidl Dishwasher Tablets on this thread.

Absolutely amazing and at that price?!

Really good product as well as the Formil Washing Powder range.

I have three boxes of washing powder on my laundry shelf - all Sainsbury - colour/bio/non bio
Astonish OxyActive powder (big tub from The Range)
DP soda crystals (green pack)
DP soap liquid for delicates

YY to Waitrose own brand lemonade , not a claggy sweet taste .

M&S Cheese Tasters. A million times better than the second best contender (Wotsits). Cheese Tasters are the food of the Gods.

Waitrose own brand washing powder is also very good. I buy this rather than any of the 'big names'.

M&S jelly babies are bad, though. Who TF thought it was a good idea to include a pear-flavoured one?

I used to splash out on expensive make up but I've realised that, apart from a nice foundation that I do splurge on, it's just not worth it. Revolution blusher is great, MUA eyeshadows, Collection eyeliner -- I used to buy high end stuff all the time and must have wasted so much money!

All those not understanding the benefit of a rice cooker have never cooked Persian rice with tahdig. Amazing crispy golden rice on the bottom of the pan. Right old faff on a stove, perfect without any effort in a rice cooker.

@FooKingDong - no, no, no - Cheese Tasters used to be the best, but now they've shrunk and are nowhere near as good. Giant Wotsits are where it's at!

[quote PolaDeVeboise]@FooKingDong - no, no, no - Cheese Tasters used to be the best, but now they've shrunk and are nowhere near as good. Giant Wotsits are where it's at![/quote]
WTAF??!?! Shrunk?!

You could have broken this to me a bit more gently.

I am going to buy some tomorrow to test the veracity of this awful information.

Tesco value midget gems are really nice, I think they are about 30p but nicer than any others I've bought. Morrisons own brand biscuits are cheap and great. I like Sainsburys red label teabags that are as nice as Tetley but much cheaper. Prefer Stackers to Pringles when Tesco stock them and less than a quid as well.

LIDL do an amazing ground coffee for about 1/5 of the price of my fancy independent brand and it tastes bloody gorgeous. I can still enjoy my filter coffee for cheaper on tighter months. Even the popular brands of ground are rubbish by comparison and twice as much.

E.l.f make up and superdrug skincare ranges, both excellent quality for low prices.

Waitrose wine gums are much nicer than Maynards.

Morrisons own brand washing liquid for 35p!

I always had really dry, cracked hands. They'd be dry to the point they'd crack and bleed. It was really painful! One day, we had run out of hand wash so I started washing my hands with the washing liquid. Now, that's all I wash my hands with downstairs (upstairs in the bathroom, we have hand wash or soap) and it's made such a difference!

[quote SharksAlive]@Rina66 what are unstoppables? I'm always after ways to make my house smell nicer (can't bear plug in air fresheners etc).[/quote]
They say on the back of the pack " Harmful to aquatic life with long-lasting effects." so I won't buy them.

Also, if they're that toxic to aquatic life, I wonder if they would damage a septic tank, which relies on millions of wee bacteria to keep it working.

@watchtheglitterdustswirl

Nivea Soft moisturiser.

I have used loads in my quest for nice skin (no runs eye oily and acne prone but yet still starting to looks bit tired at 38 years old). Branded, expensive, very expensive, cheap, you name it I've tried it.

Nivea Soft is cheap and lovely, soaks in quick and smells great. Switched a while ago and I'd use nothing else now! Also it's so cheap you can use it on your body without worrying that you're wasting your posh face cream!

Absolutely. And great value if you buy it at Wilco's.

Actual bars of soap! I get mine handmade from a small online UK business on Ebay but there are loads of places you can buy great bars of soap. "Frenchsoaps" is also a good site for the fine stuff.

TIP: If you want to wash silks or woollens or anything that will be destroyed by industrial washing powders, just used your cheese grater and grate a bit of a bar of soap and use the gratings in the soap box of your machine. Bars of soap are also great for hand washing anything.

Tescos own milk chocolate, lush lol

@OddSocksSparklyDocsandDungaree

Morrisons own brand washing liquid for 35p!

I always had really dry, cracked hands. They'd be dry to the point they'd crack and bleed. It was really painful! One day, we had run out of hand wash so I started washing my hands with the washing liquid. Now, that's all I wash my hands with downstairs (upstairs in the bathroom, we have hand wash or soap) and it's made such a difference!

I knew I had missed one. I'm so picky about washing up liquid. I hate the "usual" green ones and lemon scented from any brand but Morrisons do a lovely red one and a lighter green one that I think is apple? At Christmas their special spiced apple type ones are amazing. I have psoriasis and I react to most washing up liquids, I was using Fairy Platinum for years as I reacted to everything else until I tired the Morrisons ones. They also cut through grease without having to use very much at all so it's saving me a fortune compared to the Fairy.

Tried not tired.

@TatianaBis

Rice cooking = rice + water, when cooked rinse thoroughly in hot water, (boiling if you have a boiling tap) or put in oven to regain temperature.

Don't need a special pan for it!

Why are you rinsing rice when it's cooked?

@GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER

Ordinary own brand rice, long grain or basmati - just bung in a pan of boiling salted water, simmer until done, drain, rinse if necessary, bingo. Can never understand difficulties over cooking rice. I dare say rice cookers are good if you have plenty of worktop space but I don’t.

If you're having to drain your rice when it's cooked.... You did it wrong.