Posted on 01/05/2025 7:13:01 PM PST by SeekAndFind
Back in the day, you could buy an entire pizza or a couple gallons of gas for just a dollar. Today, you’d have a hard time finding anything that inexpensive unless you’re shopping at the dollar store. Dollar stores are a fantastic place to buy certain essentials that other places charge far too much for. But despite the plethora of high-quality goods available, some of the items sold at dollar stores are priced that low for a reason. In these cases, it’s worth paying a little bit more for better quality and durability. Here are seven items that you should never purchase at a dollar store.
The inexpensive liquid detergent sold at dollar stores is highly ineffective, and you may just end up washing the same load of laundry multiple times to achieve a proper clean. These shoddy detergents are usually heavily watered down and fail to tackle grime and dirt as effectively as more trusted brands like Tide. Also, remember that detergents lose effectiveness in time, so be wary of those cheap dollar store brands that may have been sitting on the shelf for months.
The batteries typically sold at dollar stores are made for low-drain devices, meaning they provide less power and have a shorter lifespan than other pricier yet worthwhile options. Also, these generic batteries are notoriously made from low-quality materials, so they’re more likely to leak and potentially damage your electronics. Stick to reputable battery brands. While these types of batteries may cost more upfront, you won’t have to worry about replacing those cheap dollar store batteries every month after they die.
Dollar store tools are far more trouble than they’re worth, as they’re often made of cheap materials and will likely break the moment you begin your first DIY project. Imagine the top of a hammer flying off when you try to hit a nail into the wall, or a screwdriver head snapping in two — both of these incidents would just lead to huge headaches. Investing in a more durable toolset is absolutely essential for most homeowners, so try and shop for a higher-quality brand such as Black + Decker.
Don’t be tempted by those giant jugs of Driver’s Choice windshield washer fluid sold by Dollar Tree, as that product is notorious for being less effective in the wintertime. Using it may put you at risk of being stuck with an icy windshield and no way to clean it. That’s why it’s absolutely worth paying the $10 extra for a more trusted brand like Prestone for some added reliability and peace of mind.
Tupperware is a leading brand in the plastic food container space for a reason: Their products are dishwasher, microwave, and BPA-safe. But at dollar stores, the only food storage containers you’ll find are those made from flimsy plastic possibly full of toxins. This may result in the storage container melting in the dishwasher or releasing harmful chemicals if placed in the microwave. When it comes to food safety, don’t cut corners by shopping at the dollar store.
Phone chargers purchased at the dollar store may give you a couple days of reliable juice before they fritz out and never work again. These devices are shoddily made, and you’ll just need to buy a replacement before too long. Always stick to phone chargers made by companies you can trust, like those produced by Apple and Samsung. These devices will not only last longer but will charge your phone quicker than any dollar store alternative.
Dollar store toilet paper is often made up of thin, single-ply sheets that fail to do a good job at cleaning. This cheap toilet paper is also just plain uncomfortable, as you may be left with redness and chafing after each use. Brands like Quilted Northern provide a more thorough and comfortable clean without breaking the bank, so leave those cheap dollar store brands on the shelf.
I use them to feed my cats....so flimsy ain’t no thang. Made in China just like the cheap flimsy Walmart plates...
Ok here’s my tip: I got tired of trying to wrestle 13 gallon kitchen trash bags over the lip of the can. I get lawn and garden bags at the dollar store for a fraction of the price. Useless for yard waster; perfect for a kitchen trash can
I’ve never seen Seinfeld but I have been in all variants of the family/dollar/tree/general
“Tools...yeah...not very good”
.
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Dollar Tree sold small “slip-joint” pliers that ARE junk.
At one time they sold needle-nose pliers and tiny vise-grips. ($1 ea). Both were decent quality, so I bought probably a dozen of the needle-nose and too few of the vise-grips.
The “cutter” parts of the needle-nose pliers aren’t very good, but it’s nice to have one in the truck and in every part of the house and garage.
They’re now $1.25, and I haven’t seen the vise-grips on the shelves for a couple of years. :(
I just started to go to Dollar Tree in the last couple of years. I’m very choosy what I buy. No China stuff in general. You just have to read the labels. Be wary of where things are made and look at ingredients if buying food.
I use only John Wayne™ brand TP from my local Army-Navy surplus store.
It’s rough & tough and don’t take **** off nobody. Good for waxing the car too.
soda is another- no telling how long it’s been sitting around- bought some rc cola and drank several which were fine, but one can had a glob of something, gel like- looked like dark jello i guess- I think it was the caramel that gelled over time or something- (HOPEFULLY that is all it was)
that i drank - ended up ingesting some of it before i realized what happened- I will never buy soda from dollar store again— I suppose it could happen to brand store soda too- but i suspect less so-
Try Harbor Freight for inexpensive tools.
A friend of mine found that dollar store TP was good as a campfire starter.
IIRC, Tupperware has gone out of business.
That John Wayne toilet paper. It’s rough, it’s tough, and it don’t take crap off of NOBODY!
I’m “all set” for tools, but at my last visit to HF, I bought two sawhorses on sale. When I opened one for the first time, a plastic latch broke away from the plastic frame.
HF also couldn’t sell me a new charger for their portable saber saw. They (nor I) couldn’t determine what voltage my saw was to operate at.
But I’ve been a HF customer for nearly 60 years!
I was singing that 2-3 days ago!
This absolutely not true at the Dollar Tree Stores near our home. The candy and food have the same or better expiration dates as Walmart or the other stores in our area.
I have no connection to dollar stores other than being a long-time customer. I am sick and tired of people cutting down establishments such as Dollar Tree and Harbor Freight who have no experience shopping at them or using their products.
The article may have been valid in some places at some times but not now where we live. We have been shopping at dollar stores for decades and have not been disappointed with anything that we have purchased... especially the greeting cards which are still 50 cents apiece.
Of course, you don't expect a tool you spent a dollar for to be comparable to a Craftsman or the brands that professionals use. But the cleaning supplies, personal hygiene, arts and crafts and many, many other items including food are often identical and just as fresh. The windshield fluid is typically identical to what you get other places.
BetterReport.com has been around for a year... who knows who they actually are and what their motivation is. The article feels like a term paper written by one of the AI sites. Here is a good video from a consumer advocate that I have enjoyed watching for years on Youtube. He has 2.76 million followers, and we hardly ever miss one of his videos. We have trotted into Costco many times after he pointed out something that he highlighted. He just did a Dollar Tree video 2 days ago.
10 Things You SHOULD Be Buying at Dollar Tree in January 2025
I guarantee that most people here will enjoy the video... It shows actual items from the Dollar Tree instead of the idiotic clichés in the article. Dollar Stores are retailers who appeal to the same people as 5 and dime stores such as Woolworths used to. I loved those places growing up.
Don't tell Costco:
“the greeting cards which are still 50 cents apiece.”
And they’re decent cards, too. Maybe not as fancy-schmancy as the ones for $5.99 at Walmart, but nice enough. When I go I stock up.
I just looked at the bag of candy (individually wrapped) from the local Dollar Store. Expires in May, 2026. Although I guess it could have been sitting on a shelf at Walmart for a couple of years. (Hard candy expires??!!)
A few years ago I found two HUGE bags of hard candy that I had bought for Y2K. Had a few and it was fine. But the thought of eating 20+ year old candy just wasn’t worth it and I was in a clean up and throw it out mood.
Imake my own greeting cards from scratch, complete with bar codes, stick people, and insults.
Things not to buy at the dollar store? I’ll take a wild guess and say, condoms.
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