5 Smart Buys at Costco This Season—Number 2 Alone Saves You $50

You've been walking past $50 at Costco and didn't even know it.

If you’ve ever walked into a Costco with a simple shopping list and walked out two hours later with a cart full of things you didn’t know you needed, you’re not alone. The warehouse giant has a way of making everything look like a good deal. And honestly? A lot of it is.

But not all savings are created equal. Some Costco purchases save you a few cents per unit. Others save you real money—the kind that adds up to hundreds of dollars a year.

I’ve spent years as a Costco shopper (Executive Member, no less), and I’ve learned that the best deals aren’t always the ones with the biggest red price tags. Sometimes, the smartest buys are the ones hiding in plain sight—the Kirkland Signature products that quietly outperform name brands at half the cost, or the seasonal items that won’t be back for another year.

So here they are: five things worth buying at Costco this season. And yes, number two alone will save you $50.

1. Kirkland Signature Organic Maple Syrup

Price: $14.99 for 33.8 ounces | 44 cents per ounce

Let’s start with something that might surprise you. Maple syrup is expensive—really expensive. A mature tree takes an entire season to produce just one gallon of the stuff. That’s why you’ll see small bottles of “artisanal” maple syrup going for $20 or more at specialty stores.

But here’s the thing: higher price doesn’t always mean better quality. Costco’s Kirkland Signature organic maple syrup costs just $14.99 for a 33.8-ounce jug. At Walmart, a comparable organic maple syrup runs about 82 cents per ounce—nearly double the price.

And the quality? It’s legit. Kirkland’s maple syrup is Grade A, dark and robust, with no artificial flavors or high-fructose corn syrup. It’s the real deal, sourced from trees, not a lab.

Why buy it now: Maple syrup doesn’t go bad. Stock up once, and you’re set for months of pancakes, oatmeal, and marinades.

How much you save compared to Walmart: About $12 per jug.

2. Kirkland Signature Batteries (AA/AAA 48-Pack)

Price: $16.99 for 48 batteries | 35 cents per battery

This is the one that saves you $50.

Here’s a secret Costco doesn’t exactly advertise: Kirkland Signature alkaline batteries are made by Duracell. That’s right—the same company that sells its own batteries for nearly three times the price. A former Costco CEO confirmed it in an interview: Kirkland batteries roll off the same production lines as the copper-top ones.

At Costco, a 48-pack of Kirkland AA or AAA batteries costs $16.99. That’s about 35 cents per battery.

Now go look up the price of a 48-pack of Duracell batteries at Target or Walmart. You’ll find them for around $30 to $40—sometimes more. That’s a savings of $13 to $23 right there. But the real $50 savings comes when you think about how many batteries a typical household goes through in a year.

Let’s do the math: between TV remotes, game controllers, kids’ toys, smoke detectors, flashlights, and wireless mice, the average American family uses 30 to 50 batteries a year. If you’re buying Duracell at $0.90 per battery (typical retail price), you’re spending $27 to $45 annually. With Kirkland at $0.35 per battery, you’re spending $10 to $17. That’s a $17 to $28 annual savings—but over two or three years, you’ve easily saved $50 or more.

And the performance? Consumer testing has consistently shown Kirkland batteries perform nearly identically to Duracell. Same power, same shelf life. Just a different wrapper.

Why buy it now: Batteries don’t expire for years, and the price rarely drops lower than this.

How much you save compared to Duracell: About $0.55 per battery. Over 100 batteries, that’s $55.

3. Kirkland Signature Dishwasher Detergent Pacs (115-count)

Price: $13.99 | 12 cents per pac

If there’s one category where Costco absolutely crushes the competition, it’s dishwasher detergent. This is where the savings get almost silly.

At Costco, a 115-count tub of Kirkland Signature Platinum Performance UltraShine dishwasher pacs costs $13.99. That’s 12 cents per load.

Now compare that to the name brand. At Kroger, a 50-count tub of Finish Powerball Quantum dishwasher pacs costs $16.49—that’s 33 cents per load. Same job. Same clean dishes. More than double the price.

Over the course of a year, if you run your dishwasher five times a week, you’re looking at about 260 loads. At Costco prices, that’s $31.20. At Finish prices, that’s $85.80. A savings of $54.60 per year.

And here’s the kicker: the Kirkland pacs actually perform better in some independent tests. They’re rated for hard water, include a pre-soak booster, and leave no film on glasses. You’re not sacrificing quality for savings—you’re getting both.

Why buy it now: This is a staple item. The price is consistently low, but the savings compound every time you run your dishwasher.

How much you save per year: About $55 compared to Finish.

4. Kirkland Signature Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil (2 liters)

Price: $22.49 | 33 cents per ounce

Olive oil is one of those ingredients where quality really matters. Cheap olive oil is often cut with other oils or made from low-quality olives. Good olive oil—the kind you actually want to cook with—is expensive.

But Costco has cracked the code. Their Kirkland Signature Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil is consistently rated by experts as one of the best values in the country. It’s imported from Italy, certified organic, and comes from a single origin (not a blend of mystery sources).

At $22.49 for 2 liters (about 67.6 ounces), you’re paying 33 cents per ounce. At Target, a comparable 1-liter bottle of organic EVOO runs about $15—that’s 44 cents per ounce. At Whole Foods? You’re looking at even more.

The savings add up fast if you cook regularly. A household that goes through 2 liters of olive oil every three months will save roughly $45 a year by buying Kirkland instead of a comparable grocery store brand.

Why buy it now: Olive oil has a long shelf life (about 18-24 months), and Costco’s price is consistently the best around.

How much you save compared to Target: About $10 per 2-liter bottle.

5. Costco Rotisserie Chicken

Price: $4.99 per whole chicken

No list of Costco’s best buys would be complete without the legendary rotisserie chicken. And yes, it’s been $4.99 for as long as anyone can remember.

Here’s what makes this deal almost impossible to beat: a raw whole chicken at most grocery stores costs more than $5. At Sprouts Farmers Market, a fully cooked rotisserie chicken runs $9.99. At Whole Foods, it’s even more. Costco sells a 3-pound, fully cooked, hot-and-ready chicken for less than the price of a raw one anywhere else.

And the numbers are staggering. In 2023 alone, Costco sold 137 million rotisserie chickens. That’s more than 375,000 chickens a day. They take a loss on every single one—estimated at $30 million to $40 million per year—but they keep the price at $4.99 because it brings people in the door.

Why does that matter for you? Because the chicken isn’t just cheap. It’s also versatile. One chicken can be dinner tonight (with roasted vegetables), lunch tomorrow (chicken salad or sandwiches), and soup stock the day after (boil the bones with carrots and celery).

Why buy it now: The price never changes. But the value is always there, and it’s one of the few things in America that hasn’t been hit by inflation.

How much you save compared to Sprouts: $5 per chicken. Buy one a week, and that’s $260 a year.

The Bottom Line

Costco isn’t always the cheapest option for everything. Some items—especially fresh produce and small-batch groceries—can actually be more expensive than Walmart or your local supermarket if you factor in waste. But for shelf-stable staples, household essentials, and the items on this list, Costco’s buying power is unmatched.

The key is knowing what to buy. Batteries, dishwasher detergent, maple syrup, olive oil, and rotisserie chicken? Always a yes. Kirkland Signature over name brand? Almost always a yes.

And that $50 you save on batteries? Put it toward the $65 annual membership fee. You’ll earn it back in your first two or three trips.

Quick savings recap:

That’s over $55 in savings—just from five items. And you haven’t even looked at the food court yet. (Yes, the $1.50 hot dog deal is still there. No, it’s never changing.)

Happy shopping.