Do name brands truly live up to their reputation in terms of quality?

  • Thread starter Ivan Seeking
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In summary: Name brand products are usually of higher quality, but there are exceptions. In summary, when it comes to buying name-brand or generic products, it really depends on the situation.
  • #1
Ivan Seeking
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When should one buy name brands, and when are generic brands just as good?

I know from personal experience that in some cases, name brands and generic brands are literally from the same production line. However, I have also seen situations where, for example, the rejected product from a name brand company, was sold for use by a generic brand.

One if the pickiest companies that I've ever worked with is Frito Lay. For example, if the dwell time [time from cooking to bagging] for a product is longer than thirty seconds [again, as an example], it is rejected. And I could write pages about some of the optical analysis used for EVERY potato chip. In fact, while they are a real pain to work with, Frito has fantastically rigid product quality standards. There is no way that a generic brand would use the same controls. In short, there are times when you get what you pay for.

I was almost kicked out of a Frito plant because I entered a food production area with Rolaids in my pocket. No kidding! I was standing at least thirty feet from any production line when I took them out of my pocket for a moment. The floor manager, who was standing right in front of me, about had a heart attack. And touching the product will instantly get you the death penalty. No one would even dare consider such a thing in a Frito plant. But other companies think nothing of one grabbing a handful of chips from a moving line.

To their credit, Pepperidge Farms refused to allow me to take a gallon of milk in while I was working between the Milano and Fudge Brownie lines. :biggrin: [Btw, I was the one who put the smile on the Goldfish ie I programmed and started the first line, when the smile was added. My nieces and nephews love that one!]
 
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  • #2
Something else that is well worth discussing, I think. I am told that there is a significant difference between the quality of the gasoline purchased from a discount vendor, as opposed to a vendor like ARCO, or Texaco. I have never verified this claim but my impression is that its accurate.
 
  • #3
There can be varying differences at just about any vendor.

For example Sunoco used proprietary pumps at their outlets in order to blend regular gas with higher octane ones so they could achieve their mid-grade gasolines.
 
  • #4
Ivan Seeking said:
Something else that is well worth discussing, I think. I am told that there is a significant difference between the quality of the gasoline purchased from a discount vendor, as opposed to a vendor like ARCO, or Texaco. I have never verified this claim but my impression is that its accurate.
All the brands except one in Maine get their gas from tank-farms and add additive-packs to the tanker-trailers. The only difference is their additives. The lone brand that has their own refinery and source is Irving Oil out of New Brunswick. Years back, they were the only brand in Maine to have achieved BMW's standard for fuel-injector cleanliness. I buy all my gas from their stations.
 
  • #5
turbo-1 said:
All the brands except one in Maine get their gas from tank-farms and add additive-packs to the tanker-trailers.

That is a little hard to believe... One small company in Maine has the best gas in the country, and everyone else is the same? Really?

I don't know how much flex there is in the definition of Diesel #1, or #2, but I know the quality of diesel fuel can vary quite a bit.
 
  • #6
Ivan Seeking said:
That is a little hard to believe... One small company in Maine has the best gas in the country, and everyone else is the same? Really?

I don't know how much flex there is in the definition of Diesel #1, or #2, but I know the quality of diesel fuel can vary quite a bit.
It's true. There are are several large tank farms that supply gas to tanker-trucks for all brands. Irving Oil (Canadian company) trucks all their gas from New Brunswick to stations in Maine and Eastern NH. Other brands get their gas and fuel oil from tank farms in ports like Portland and Searsport.
 
  • #7
I've noticed most off-brand or cheap-brand cleaning products tend to be less effective and/or diluted compared to the name-brand. That's one I refuse to buy cheap anymore.
 
  • #8
I have noticed a big quality gap in generic vs name brand tools. I used to think that it was a rip off to pay $5 for something simple like a craftsman screwdriver since the generics are available for like $0.50. However, the entire set of generic screwdrivers I have are now either rusted or slightly bent. The craftsman tools that my grandfather left me are around ~30-40 years old, yet still work like they are new.
 
  • #9
It's hit and miss. I'll try a generic food item if it's drastically less. Usually the brand I like is better, but I found that the generic brand of Amaretto coffee creamer was better than the coffeemate version. Now the generic costs more, so I've switched back to coffeemate, but a different flavor.
 
  • #10
There are some inexpensive generic hot dog rolls around that are much better than the regional name-brands. They are fully sliced so you don't have to separate them, and because of that they lie nice and flat on the skillet so they brown evenly. The brand is County Fair, and the home office is in Kansas City, MO.
 
  • #11
turbo-1 said:
There are some inexpensive generic hot dog rolls around that are much better than the regional name-brands. They are fully sliced so you don't have to separate them, and because of that they lie nice and flat on the skillet so they brown evenly. The brand is County Fair, and the home office is in Kansas City, MO.
That would be Interstate Brands, they own Hostess, Wonderbread, & hundreds of other brands.
 
  • #12
OK, not so generic, then, but I have never seen them around here before. The artisan butcher shop/deli has started carrying them, along with some other products with rather obscure brands.
 
  • #13
turbo-1 said:
The only difference is their additives.

I think its the same with generic food...sometimes the additives in the generic brands r scary! I was in Wal-mart *shudders* some weeks ago and I was comparing their brand to Crystal Light...I think once I study more chemistry I'll decide whether or not I should try it.
 
  • #14
I just found out recently my grandpa was a chemist somehow associated with food preservatives. He moved his family to the coast, bought a farm, and barred his kids from buying packaged goods.
 
  • #15
The only time I can think of, off the top of my head, where I'm perfectly fine with the generic rather than the name-brand is with meds. Especially over-the-counter stuff such as acetaminophen with codeine, or ibuprofen, or ASA, or whatever is generic for Robaxicette/Robaxisal/ et al. There's no difference in efficacy as best I can tell. The same for prescription meds. Any time the pharmacy asks if I'd prefer the generic, at substantially less cost, I go with it.

The only exception I've run into recently was prescription potassium that my doctor told me specifically to get the brand name and not the generic, because there are absorption issues with the generic brand. My doctor's good for that, though, in having enough experience to let you know when it may be an issue.

Otherwise, with packaged foods, which are few and far between in my kitchen save condiments, I stick with name brands that I know I like. I buy generic or store-brand items such as liquid hand soap but name brand soap I know works well for me for showering. I use whichever popular brand of dishwashing soap that's on sale in the store, but I don't buy the generic brands because they tend to be so watered down that the bottle doesn't last very long therefore not making it such a great deal after all.

I have always regretted purchasing generic packaged foods. Always. Same with items such as garbage bags or plastic storage bags. The generic brands are always way inferior products and, say with large green garbage bags, when I've purchased generic, I always have to double bag them because otherwise they split and break too easily. I'm therefore purchasing half as many bags, and there's really no savings. So.
 
  • #16
Be it purely psychological or not, I agree that when it comes to food brands, I tend to prefer brand-name. Anything else (i.e. that I'm not going to be putting into my mouth) I don't have a preference on, as long as a quick check of the ingredients (or similar) list checks out.

I won't lie when I say that conventional marketing schemes hold no small amount of influence over me; a professionally marketed package good is infinitely more appealing than a generic version.

That said, I find that the #1 criterion for determining whether a brand good or a generic good is better is word-of-mouth around the products. If someone who should know their stuff tells me that there's 0 difference, I'll buy generic every time. Conversely, if I'm told the generic's shoddy, I'll be a brandie every time.
 
  • #17
Energystrom said:
I'll be a brandie every time.

I suggest AA. They can really help with problems like this
 
  • #18
Office_Shredder said:
I suggest AA. They can really help with problems like this

Haha, well said!
 
  • #19
Generic brands doesn't care about branding, meaning they usually only care about money instead of quality of their product. That's why named brand usually come with quality.

found this article about say no to generic brands
 
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  • #20
chrisjensen said:
Generic brands doesn't care about branding, meaning they usually only care about money instead of quality of their product. That's why named brand usually come with quality.
Sorry, this is just not true. At least, not always, as your claim implies. As mentioned in the OP, some generic brands are the every same product as the name brands, just without the label.

chrisjensen said:
found this article about say no to generic brands
The writing in that article is absolutely dreadful. It reads like someone who got Cs in HS English, and bailed as soon as it was no longer a mandatory subject.

Not that this means he doesn't know his stuff, but it does suggest he is not associated with any organization that cares about (or can afford to staff) a proper copy editor when publishing his papers. How did he get through business school?
 
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  • #21
Name brand products are usually produced by, or under license, from the organization that spent all the money to qualify the product for public use. They charge more to recover the investment in this process. Generics take advantage of the limited protections offered by the patent process, but, 20+ years should be enough time to recover investment costs. But, it is certainly true not all generics are of equal quality. It's a hit or miss proposition. The playing field is more level with pharmaceuticals. Each product must be proven chemically equivalent to whatever name brand product they are cloning.
 
  • #22
Hmm, so this was an ultra-necropost. That being said...

My grandmother swears by specific non-brand name generic drugs. For example, she is under the impression that Walgreen's acetaminophen is better than actual Tylenol and other generics. The same is true of ibuprofen, except that she prefers Equate (Wal*Mart). In fact, she has said that she wished they sold Equate ibuprofen at other stores because she doesn't like shopping at Wal*Mart.

I love my Grandma. My crazy crazy Grandma.
 
  • #23
I have had a lot of problems recently with arthritis. A while back, my wife picked up some Aleve for me. Yesterday, she picked up some generic naproxen (over twice as many pills at less than half the price of that bottle of Aleve). I'm pretty sure the generic stuff will work just fine.
 
  • #24
turbo said:
I have had a lot of problems recently with arthritis. A while back, my wife picked up some Aleve for me. Yesterday, she picked up some generic naproxen (over twice as many pills at less than half the price of that bottle of Aleve). I'm pretty sure the generic stuff will work just fine.

Naproxen sodium is my drug of choice for sure. I've got a veritable bucket of the stuff in my cabinet at home.
 
  • #25
My personal stance is that GENERALLY you get what you pay for. It is fairly rare that I don't get my money's worth.
 
  • #26
I actually like some generics better than the name brands. I like many store brands in groceries. I even found out that the 'always save' brand of mayonaise is almost identical to Hellman's, I never would have believed it.

We don't have Cains here turbo.
 
  • #27
I find that generics are definitely better for non-prescription medicines. It's the same stuff but the prices generally work out as BigNameBrand: £3.99, Superstore's own brand: 10p
 
  • #28
One difference I find is that generic cleaning products are rarely better. The generic cleaning wipes leave a smear on my counter and feel much cheaper.
 
  • #29
chrisjensen said:
Generic brands doesn't care about branding, meaning they usually only care about money instead of quality of their product. That's why named brand usually come with quality.

found this article about say no to generic brands

I'd like to read the article that implies 'say no to generic brands' if it refers to drugs and you live in the United States.:smile: The United States Department of Health and Human Services - Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states the following:

FACTS ABOUT GENERIC DRUGS

WHAT ARE GENERIC DRUGS?
A generic drug is the same as a brand-name drug in: dosage, safety, strength, quality, the way it works, the way it is taken, and the way it should be used.

ARE GENERIC DRUGS AS SAFE AS BRAND-NAME DRUGS?
Yes. The FDA says that all drugs must work well and be safe. Generic drugs use the same active ingredients as brand-name drugs and work the same way. So they have the same risks and benefits as the brand-name drugs.

ARE GENERIC DRUGS AS STRONG AS BRAND-NAME DRUGS?
Yes. FDA requires generic drugs must be as: high quality, strong, pure, and stable as brand-name drugs.

ARE BRAND-NAME DRUGS MADE IN BETTER FACTORIES THAN GENERIC DRUGS?
No. All factories must meet the same high standards. If the factories do not meet certain standards, the FDA won’t allow them to make drugs.

IF BRAND-NAME DRUGS AND GENERIC DRUGS HAVE THE SAME ACTIVE INGREDIENTS, WHY DO THEY LOOK DIFFERENT?
In the United States, trademark laws do not allow generic drugs to look exactly like the brand-name drug. However, the generic drug must have the same active ingredients. Colors, flavors, and certain other parts may be different. But these things don’t affect the way the drug works and they are looked at by FDA.

DOES EVERY BRAND-NAME DRUG HAVE A GENERIC DRUG?
No. When new drugs are first made they have drug patents. Most drug patents are protected for 17 years. The patent protects the company that made the drug first. The patent doesn’t allow anyone else to make and sell the drug. When the patent expires, other drug companies can start selling the generic version of the drug. But, first, they must test the drug and the FDA must approve it.

DO GENERIC DRUGS TAKE LONGER TO WORK IN THE BODY?
No. Generic drugs work in the same way and in the same amount of time as brand-name drugs.

WHY ARE GENERIC DRUGS LESS EXPENSIVE?
Creating a drug costs lots of money. Since generic drug makers do not develop a drug from scratch, the costs to bring the drug to market are less. But they must show that their product performs in the same way as the brand-name drug. All generic drugs are approved by FDA.

Please read on . . .
http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/BuyingUsingMedicineSafely/UnderstandingGenericDrugs/UCM173825.pdf

People who live in the United States should also be aware of drug recalls. The Human Drug 2011 RECALLS can be reviewed here: http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/DrugRecalls/default.htm
:smile:
 
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  • #30
I always try the generic and store brands at least once. If we like it then we save a lot of money and if we don't then we know we are paying for a real difference. Most of the time the generics are just as good as the brand, except for Heinz and Cottonelle.

EDIT: there must be some rule against using Heinz and Cottonelle in the same sentence.
 
  • #31
My wife and I are pretty stuck on some brands. We buy Scott toilet tissue because it is a great deal in multi-packs of 1000-sheet rolls and because we have a septic system, not a city sewer. The "soft" tissues are generally held together with chemical sizing instead of starches, and are not good for septic systems. They don't break down readily. As Evo mentioned, Cain's real mayonnaise is our favorite. We also like Cabot butter and cheeses and Applegate Farms hot dogs. My wife bakes breads every week, and only buys King Arthur unbleached flour because the quality is so consistent.

I make all our pickles, salsas, and chili relish from our garden's produce, and we freeze fresh corn, beans, peas, green peppers, etc in season, so we don't need to brand-shop. If we're running short, my wife will usually buy Green Giant frozen vegetables instead of buying the store-brands. We have had some disappointments in that department in the past.
 
  • #32
turbo said:
My wife and I are pretty stuck on some brands. We buy Scott toilet tissue because

There are some things that I absolutely insist on paying full price for. Toilet paper is at the top of that list. (And, as it were, at the bottom, too ::tongue:)
 
  • #33
DaveC426913 said:
There are some things that I absolutely insist on paying full price for. Toilet paper is at the top of that list. (And, as it were, at the bottom, too ::tongue:)

I have to agree. I will be drinking tap water and eating Ramen before I cut the toilet paper budget. That's just one of those things you don't mess with.
 
  • #34
FlexGunship said:
I have to agree. I will be drinking tap water and eating Ramen before I cut the toilet paper budget. That's just one of those things you don't mess with.

I dunno. My roomate and I bought a 6 pack of "cheap" toilet paper once. Even though it was 1 ply it simply lasted FOREVER.
 
  • #35
Drakkith said:
I dunno. My roomate and I bought a 6 pack of "cheap" toilet paper once. Even though it was 1 ply it simply lasted FOREVER.

No, it just seemed like forever because you were wiping your butt with sandpaper.
 
<h2>1. How do name brands ensure the quality of their products?</h2><p>Name brands often have strict quality control measures in place, including regular product testing and inspections. They also tend to use higher quality materials and have more advanced manufacturing processes compared to generic brands.</p><h2>2. Are name brand products always better quality than generic brands?</h2><p>Not necessarily. While name brands often have a reputation for higher quality, there are cases where generic brands may offer products of equal or even better quality. It ultimately depends on the specific product and brand.</p><h2>3. Do name brand products have a longer lifespan than generic brands?</h2><p>In general, name brand products tend to have a longer lifespan due to their higher quality materials and manufacturing processes. However, this may not always be the case as there are exceptions depending on the product and brand.</p><h2>4. Are name brand products worth the higher price?</h2><p>This ultimately depends on the individual's personal preferences and priorities. Name brand products may offer higher quality and longer lifespan, but they also come with a higher price tag. It is important to consider the value and benefits of the product before making a purchase decision.</p><h2>5. How can I determine if a name brand product truly lives up to its reputation?</h2><p>One way to determine this is by researching and reading reviews from other customers who have used the product. Additionally, looking into the brand's history and reputation for quality can also provide insight. It is also important to consider your own personal experience and satisfaction with the product.</p>

1. How do name brands ensure the quality of their products?

Name brands often have strict quality control measures in place, including regular product testing and inspections. They also tend to use higher quality materials and have more advanced manufacturing processes compared to generic brands.

2. Are name brand products always better quality than generic brands?

Not necessarily. While name brands often have a reputation for higher quality, there are cases where generic brands may offer products of equal or even better quality. It ultimately depends on the specific product and brand.

3. Do name brand products have a longer lifespan than generic brands?

In general, name brand products tend to have a longer lifespan due to their higher quality materials and manufacturing processes. However, this may not always be the case as there are exceptions depending on the product and brand.

4. Are name brand products worth the higher price?

This ultimately depends on the individual's personal preferences and priorities. Name brand products may offer higher quality and longer lifespan, but they also come with a higher price tag. It is important to consider the value and benefits of the product before making a purchase decision.

5. How can I determine if a name brand product truly lives up to its reputation?

One way to determine this is by researching and reading reviews from other customers who have used the product. Additionally, looking into the brand's history and reputation for quality can also provide insight. It is also important to consider your own personal experience and satisfaction with the product.

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