Costco prides itself on curating a small selection of highly regarded products, including plenty of things you really don’t need (but end up wanting anyway, of course). That’s all part of the plan — shoppers are supposed to feel like they’re on a “treasure hunt” of sorts. But not everything is a great buy, even when it’s billed as such. Here are some products to steer clear of this month while you’re wandering the warehouse.
Related: Best Deals at Costco This Month
PROFORM FOLDING X-BIKE ELITE
Sale Price: $150 | Buy it Reg. Price: $200 ($50 savings) Though some owners say this ProForm bike is easy to set up and use, several others question its durability and dislike being pressured to sign up for an iFit subscription. Plus, nearly all reviewers who had to contact ProForm say they had a poor experience.
Related: Best Cheap Exercise Bikes for Home Use
DERMAWAND ANTI-AGING SYSTEM
Sale Price: $75 | Buy it Reg. Price: $100 ($25 savings) Everyone wants to look a little younger, but the DermaWand might not be the way to go about it, owners say. A few users report no difference in their skin, and a couple others even say they had adverse reactions including “stinging and zapping” and “red dots all over my face and neck.” Ouch.
Related: 20 Cheap Anti-Aging Products That Reviewers Swear By
FREEDOM GUARDIAN WEARABLE SMARTWATCH MEDICAL ALERT DEVICE
Sale Price: $110 | Buy it Reg. Price: $130 ($20 savings) “My dog’s tracking device is better than this,” bemoans one reviewer of this senior-focused wearable, meant to provide the elderly and their caretakers an easy way to stay connected. Others report spotty service and glitches that make some of the features useless.
NUTRIBULLET BALANCE BLUETOOTH-ENABLED SMART BLENDER
Sale Price: $90 | Buy it Reg. Price:$130 ($40 savings) The NutriBullet is generally well-reviewed, but if you’re just looking for a small blender, don’t pay extra for “smart” features you won’t use. A comparable blender without Bluetooth is $50 on Amazon.
Related: 50 Kitchen Gadgets That Are a Complete Waste of Money
KIRKLAND SIGNATURE COMPLETE NUTRITION SHAKES, 32 CT.
Est. Price: $32 | Buy it Kirkland’s nutrition shakes are a great buy from a financial standpoint, anyway — you’re paying less than a buck a shake for these, compared with $1.89 a shake for the popular Premier Protein brand. But a recent change to the formula has formerly happy customers crying foul about a gross, chalky aftertaste.
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ECOVACS WINBOT X CORDLESS WINDOW CLEANING ROBOT BUNDLE
Sale Price: $400 | Buy it Reg. Price: $450 ($50 savings) We get it, we get it — no one likes to clean their windows. But this sure seems like a lot of cash to throw at an occasional chore, especially when there’s so much setup involved. Oh, and testers call it “not that effective.” Pass.
COTTONELLE ULTRA COMFORT CARE TOILET PAPER, 36 CT.
Est. Price: $32 | Buy it It’s a classic Costco purchase: bulk packages of toilet paper. But ticked-off customers say they’re leaving the Cottonelle on the shelf now after the package size and even the width of the rolls themselves shrank — with no corresponding drop in price.
SPA SONIC PRO FACIAL CLEANSING SYSTEM
Sale Price: $35 | Buy it Reg. Price: $60 ($25 savings) A lot of people love their Spa Sonics for getting a radiant, spa-like glow, but too many reviewers say this thing just isn’t built to last, especially since water can get into the battery compartment too easily.
Related: 21 Skin Care Tips to Keep You Looking Young for Less
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KIRKLAND SIGNATURE TRIPLE BLADE RAZOR, 14 CT.
Est. Price: $23 | Buy it These Kirkland blades are a great value compared with the name brands, but they don’t get a ton of love from users. Some say the lubrication strips just don’t last, and others say the razors are just too dull to provide a close shave.
JURA J80 AUTOMATIC COFFEE CENTER
Sale Price: $1,800 | Buy it Reg. Price: $2,300 ($500 savings) If we’re going to drop close to $2,000 on a coffee maker, it better be durable. But some reviewers say that’s not the case with this Jura. “The Jura makers (and I have had a number of them) make exceptional coffee, but only as long as they last. Expect every 2-3 years to spend another $2,000 to purchase a new one,” one owner says. Um, no thanks.
Related: Best Espresso Makers Under $200
NATURE MADE POSTNATAL MULTI+DHA SUPPLEMENTS
Sale Price: $19 | Buy it Reg. Price: $22 ($3 savings) Don’t buy these supplements unless you’re prepared to deal with leaking capsules, reviewers caution. Even if you can get past the sticky oil, “the bottle reeks” like a fish market, cautions one unhappy customer.
NORDIC WARE 14″ ALUMINIZED STEEL WOK
Est. Price: $33 | Buy it You’ll pay a lot less by getting this wok through Costco instead of Nordic Ware, but it still might not be worth the modest spend. Reviewers say the nonstick coating scratches or melts off far too easily.
Related: Best Cheap Cookware Sets
QUICKEN PREMIER 2019
Sale Price: $55 | Buy it Reg. Price: $75 ($20 savings) Find another way to manage your money, say annoyed owners of Quicken Premier. Some say the software is unreasonably hard to install, while others call new features little more than “fluff.” The biggest gripe, though: Being forced to buy a membership year after year to keep using it.
$25 MOVIETICKETS.COM EGIFT CARDS, 4 CT.
Est. Price: $75 | Buy it It definitely seems like a no-brainer — $75 for $100 in movie theater gift cards. But customers who sprang for this deal say it can be a nightmare trying to buy their tickets, reporting an extremely glitchy website, high convenience fees, and limited theater choices.
COTTONELLE FRESH CARE FLUSHABLE WIPES, 560 CT.
Est. Price: $22 | Buy it The plumbers of the world beg you not to buy a giant case of “flushable” wipes, saying they’re actually anything but flushable. Similar wipes are clogging entire city sewage systems, and they can wreak havoc in individual homes’ pipes, too, experts say.
SAMSUNG FLEXWASH WASHER AND FLEXDRY DRYER SET
Sale Price: $2,300 with Costco Cash Card | Buy it Reg. Price: $2,500 ($200 savings) We love the idea of the Samsung FlexWash, with its two-in-one design that can do two separate loads of laundry at once. But many reviewers say this set has given them nothing but trouble, sometimes failing to work straight out of the box.
GARDENIA SMALL BONSAI
Est. Price: $35 | Buy it Though Costco’s version costs a lot less than a comparable bonsai from 1-800-Flowers, disappointed owners say it’s an overly fragile plant. Some say it arrived looking less than healthy, and others say the leaves started to yellow and die within weeks despite proper care.
COHO 24-CAN COOLER
Sale Price: $50 | Buy it Reg. Price: $70 ($20 savings) Though this cooler succeeds in keeping your drinks cool during days on the boat or at the campsite, the waterproof zipper is hard to open and close, and the zipper tab is prone to breaking, several annoyed reviewers say.
SAFETY 1ST MULTIFIT CAR SEAT
Est. Price: $120 | Buy it This Safety 1st is cheaper than comparable models elsewhere, but there might be a reason for that. Owners report a range of annoyances with this convertible car seat, including difficult installation, hard-to-use straps and annoying rattling sounds.
WOMEN’S JANE AND BLEECKER SLEEP SHIRTS, 2 CT.
Est. Price: $18 | Buy it These sleep shirts are a rare misfire among Costco’s typically well-reviewed clothing selection. Owners grouse about how much they shrink, how thin they are, and how short they are. “There’s no way I can wear these things without shorts or PJ pants underneath,” says one reviewer.
