For a lot of us, Amazon is the first place we think to look for things we need. Whether it’s a new vacuum cleaner, shampoo, or Ziploc bags, we’ll check to see how quickly we can get it, and what the price is. Usually, we can get it within a day or two (sometimes even the same day), and their prices are often the lowest.
Over the last few years, Amazon has quietly started making their own versions of most of the products sold on the site. They make housewares, clothing, sporting goods, personal care and beauty products, pet food… chances are good that just about anything you buy is offered by Amazon Basics. And the reviews are generally very good—most shoppers seem to find Amazon Basics and Amazon Essentials products totally comparable to the name brand versions. And of course, Amazon’s version is usually cheaper.
Here are our picks for the 5 best Amazon Basics and Amazon Essentials products based on quality and pricing as compared to other leading brands.
- Amazon Basics workout dumbbells
During the pandemic, buying workout gear became so popular that most of it was very expensive and/or sold out. Now there’s supply again, but prices have stayed high for things like weights. (Inflation, gas prices, and the fact weights are heavy to ship definitely hasn’t helped!)
Amazon Basics offers some great pricing on very good quality weight sets. They have a lot of different types to fit any fitness level, but one of the best all-around options is the Easy Grip Workout Dumbbell set. It has three different sets of weights with a convenient holder, and is reasonably priced at $42.05.
- Amazon Basics batteries
AAA, AA, 9-volt… it seems like everything everywhere needs batteries these days. And batteries have never been a particularly affordable item. Here’s where Amazon offers a really good option—reviewers find their batteries to last just as long as any of the name brands, and some reviewers say they even last longer and are less likely to leak. And on top of that, they’re usually quite a bit cheaper. For example, a 20-pack of Duracell AA batteries is $16.51, and a 20-pack of Amazon AAs is just $11.06. (And the discounts get even better if you buy a larger quantity.)
3. Amazon Essentials t-shirts
Amazon has always carried a lot of clothing brands, but now they have a lot of clothes under their own Amazon Essentials label. And most of them are stylish and surprisingly good quality. Our favorite Amazon clothing item is their t-shirts. They’re soft, feel like the same weight and quality as anything you’d find at Old Navy or Target, and they come in a wide selection of colors. And at $19 for a pack of 2 men’s tees, they’re a pretty solid deal!
4. Amazon Basics cocoa butter body lotion
If there’s one thing that can get expensive, it’s lotion. Especially if you want an ultra-moisturizing (and why shouldn’t you, that’s the point of lotion, right?) type made from a luxurious ingredient like cocoa butter. Well guess what? Amazon makes it now, and it’s very affordable—just $4.89 for 20.3 ounces.
5. Amazon Basics laundry pods
Because we all have to do laundry sooner or later (almost always sooner), it’s nice to find a more affordable option for laundry pods. Amazon makes ‘em—their version is $24.56 for 120 pods, which is less than Tide ($27.49 most places), and the Tide container only gives you 112 pods. So you can do eight more loads with the lower-priced Amazon Basics Laundry Detergent Pacs!
