Is Aldi really the best place to shop? Here are the positives, negatives, and in-betweens
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Yeah, yeah - we totally get it - you’re sick of hearing about the increasing price of groceries (and just about everything else). We are too. We’re all feeling the pinch of inflation, which is why many are turning to social media to hunt for advice on how to lower their bills.
One of the popular money-saving tricks claims that you can save a few dollars by switching between supermarket stores — a practice that encourages you to shop around for similar items and stretch your money a little further..
Several users suggested that making the switch to ALDI has helped them save heaps of money, with one mum even claiming to have cut her annual grocery bill by a whopping $15,000 after making the decision to become a loyal customer of the German budget retailer.
While it's true that ALDI is offering some of the most tempting affordable alternatives, are the goods actually… well, any good?
Well, if you're curious to know the answer to this lingering question, we've got good news for you!
Consumer advocacy group Choice has put in the hard yards of investigating and testing some of ALDI's best-performing and popular products and contrasted them with some other ALDI products that you should probably think twice about before purchasing.
Several users claimed that they managed to cut down their grocery bills by making the switch to ALDI. Credit: CHOICE.
So, without further ado, here are the best and not-so-good items you can purchase at ALDI:
Good buys:
ALDI has some of the best performers in the cleaning category. The Logix Platinum 18-in-1 Dishwashing Tablets won the overall top score from CHOICE, besting leading brands that cost almost twice as much. Another item that CHOICE suggests is the Unamat Dishwashing Liquid from Aldi. It delivered the same results as some more well-known brands but costs much less.
ALDI's Almat Laundry Powder Concentrate produces excellent results whether you have a front loader or top loader. The retailer's washing powder tied for the first spot in the top loader category and placed second in the front loader tests of CHOICE's laundry detergent review. The group recommends the item for both front and top loaders. (Aldi's liquid detergents didn't work quite as well so it is better to opt for the powder instead.)
Need a reason to put a treat in the cart? Let us give you a good one! CHOICE taste-tested and ranked several premium vanilla ice creams, and Aldi's Monarc Indulge Vanilla Opulence came out on top. It's also the most affordable at $4.49 — less than half the cost of Connoisseur's Classic Vanilla — which achieved the same rating but costs $10! According to CHOICE experts, the ice cream from Aldi offers "a lovely, creamy mouthfeel and lingering flavour."
Aldi's Bramwell Peanut Butter Smooth won CHOICE's taste test for peanut butter, edging out renowned brands like Kraft, Bega, and Pic's. Along with its fantastic taste, the spread was also the least expensive peanut butter in the whole test.
With a high score of 81%, Aldi's Moser Roth milk chocolate easily defeated well-known and even some upscale brands including Cadbury, Lindt, Darrell Lea, and Whittakers. (Lindt, the next-highest scorer, finished with a score of 77%). And if you decide to "embrace the dark side", Aldi has you covered with its Just Organic 70% dark chocolate and Moser Roth Finest Dark 70% cocoa, both of which came highly rated in CHOICE's taste test for dark chocolate.
ALDI's Beautifully Butterfully Butter Unsalted proved that superior flavour does not always have to come at a premium price. Credit: CHOICE.
CHOICE revealed that ALDI's Beautifully Butterfully Butter Unsalted tied for first place in the unsalted butter category, demonstrating that superior flavour does not always have to come at a premium price. Despite costing nearly half as much as Lurpak, it obtained the same rating as the pricier brand.
ALDI's Deli Originals Fresh Traditional Style Hummus was the least expensive out of all the products CHOICE tested yet it still received the highest overall rating. CHOICE experts revealed that the item edged out more expensive brands Black Swan and Obela.
CHOICE's taste test for olive oils revealed that the best Australian olive oil can be purchased for a reasonable price. ALDI's homegrown "The Olive Tree" held its own against more well-known brands like Bertolli and Cobram Estate, demonstrating that domestic olive oil can hold its own against imported oils while being far less expensive.
ALDI's homegrown "The Olive Tree" held its own against more well-known brands like Bertolli and Cobram Estate. Credit: CHOICE.
ALDI's Colway Creamy Squeezy Mayonnaise came in third overall in CHOICE's condiment taste test. It competed favourably with well-known gourmet brands such as Praise, Kewpie, and S&W. ALDI also performed well in the tomato sauce test, coming in at the lowest price while still earning the CHOICE Recommended label.
ALDI's Just Organic Spaghetti received high marks in CHOICE's pasta test, garnering a score of 90% from experts. Although ALDI's Remano brand didn't fare as well, it still wasn't bad at 82%.
Everyday things from ALDI are reasonably priced, and some of them perform on par with or better than brand-name goods. CHOICE experts suggest ALDI's Confidence Samson paper towels (but not Absorbit or Confidence Mighty Roll) and Confidence Hypoallergenic pocket tissue packs (but skip the 2-ply facial tissues - these only scored 51%). Despite only scoring 71%, ALDI's Confidence Extra Soft toilet paper is still a very safe pick. However, you should avoid the expensive shea butter variety and the 2-ply kind as they didn't perform well.
You'd think it would be preferable to spend as much money as possible on items for cleaning the toilet bowl, but in CHOICE's toilet cleaners assessment, White King and ALDI tied for first place, with the ALDI product costing less than half as much.
Items you should avoid (or at least tread carefully with):
Denis Gallagher, CHOICE's resident TV expert, warned against purchasing a TV from ALDI.
"Over the years, Aldi has delivered quite excellent value on TVs, but nowadays there's more competition and costs are coming down across the board," he said.
"You're better off going with a branded device - the Aldi TVs we've tested in the past have had varied outcomes."
The Bauhn soundbar sold by ALDI is best avoided as well. In CHOICE's soundbars test, it received a subpar score of 67%, with experts advising that you can purchase a better-performing soundbar for the same price.
ALDI's Expressi Multi-Beverage Capsule Machine 595 is a tempting, but ultimately unwise purchase at $120. Credit: CHOICE.
ALDI's Expressi Multi-Beverage Capsule Machine 595 is a tempting purchase at just $120, but it performed poorly in CHOICE's assessments of coffee makers, receiving a mere 45% rating.
When experts from CHOICE tested multipurpose cleaning sprays, neither Aldi's Power Force Pro nor its Green Action multipurpose cleaners cracked the 50% threshold, scoring just 49% and 45%, respectively. Meanwhile, in the window cleaning category, ALDI's glass cleaner received a disappointing 42%, well below Windex's 81%, which received the highest grade.
When ALDI revealed it would sell the Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo 900 robot vacuum cleaner for $399 (retail price is $999), eyes lit up all around Australia. So, is Aldi a good place to buy a robot vacuum? We don't want to ruin the fun, but this isn't the piece of tech that will fulfil all of your housekeeping fantasies.
Although this bargain is difficult to pass up, CHOICE experts believe there are much better options on the market if you're ready to spend a little more. It received a mere 39% in the assessment of robot vacuum cleaners.
So, there you have it, folks! Be sure to check out the reviews before you purchase these items so you can get the best value for money.
What are your thoughts on this? Any Aldi recommendations - whether positive or negative - to add? Share them with us in the comments below!
One of the popular money-saving tricks claims that you can save a few dollars by switching between supermarket stores — a practice that encourages you to shop around for similar items and stretch your money a little further..
Several users suggested that making the switch to ALDI has helped them save heaps of money, with one mum even claiming to have cut her annual grocery bill by a whopping $15,000 after making the decision to become a loyal customer of the German budget retailer.
While it's true that ALDI is offering some of the most tempting affordable alternatives, are the goods actually… well, any good?
Well, if you're curious to know the answer to this lingering question, we've got good news for you!
Consumer advocacy group Choice has put in the hard yards of investigating and testing some of ALDI's best-performing and popular products and contrasted them with some other ALDI products that you should probably think twice about before purchasing.
Several users claimed that they managed to cut down their grocery bills by making the switch to ALDI. Credit: CHOICE.
So, without further ado, here are the best and not-so-good items you can purchase at ALDI:
Good buys:
- Dishwasher tablets
ALDI has some of the best performers in the cleaning category. The Logix Platinum 18-in-1 Dishwashing Tablets won the overall top score from CHOICE, besting leading brands that cost almost twice as much. Another item that CHOICE suggests is the Unamat Dishwashing Liquid from Aldi. It delivered the same results as some more well-known brands but costs much less.
- Laundry detergent
ALDI's Almat Laundry Powder Concentrate produces excellent results whether you have a front loader or top loader. The retailer's washing powder tied for the first spot in the top loader category and placed second in the front loader tests of CHOICE's laundry detergent review. The group recommends the item for both front and top loaders. (Aldi's liquid detergents didn't work quite as well so it is better to opt for the powder instead.)
- Gourmet ice cream
Need a reason to put a treat in the cart? Let us give you a good one! CHOICE taste-tested and ranked several premium vanilla ice creams, and Aldi's Monarc Indulge Vanilla Opulence came out on top. It's also the most affordable at $4.49 — less than half the cost of Connoisseur's Classic Vanilla — which achieved the same rating but costs $10! According to CHOICE experts, the ice cream from Aldi offers "a lovely, creamy mouthfeel and lingering flavour."
- Peanut butter
Aldi's Bramwell Peanut Butter Smooth won CHOICE's taste test for peanut butter, edging out renowned brands like Kraft, Bega, and Pic's. Along with its fantastic taste, the spread was also the least expensive peanut butter in the whole test.
- Chocolate
With a high score of 81%, Aldi's Moser Roth milk chocolate easily defeated well-known and even some upscale brands including Cadbury, Lindt, Darrell Lea, and Whittakers. (Lindt, the next-highest scorer, finished with a score of 77%). And if you decide to "embrace the dark side", Aldi has you covered with its Just Organic 70% dark chocolate and Moser Roth Finest Dark 70% cocoa, both of which came highly rated in CHOICE's taste test for dark chocolate.
ALDI's Beautifully Butterfully Butter Unsalted proved that superior flavour does not always have to come at a premium price. Credit: CHOICE.
- Butter
CHOICE revealed that ALDI's Beautifully Butterfully Butter Unsalted tied for first place in the unsalted butter category, demonstrating that superior flavour does not always have to come at a premium price. Despite costing nearly half as much as Lurpak, it obtained the same rating as the pricier brand.
- Hummus
ALDI's Deli Originals Fresh Traditional Style Hummus was the least expensive out of all the products CHOICE tested yet it still received the highest overall rating. CHOICE experts revealed that the item edged out more expensive brands Black Swan and Obela.
- Olive Oil
CHOICE's taste test for olive oils revealed that the best Australian olive oil can be purchased for a reasonable price. ALDI's homegrown "The Olive Tree" held its own against more well-known brands like Bertolli and Cobram Estate, demonstrating that domestic olive oil can hold its own against imported oils while being far less expensive.
ALDI's homegrown "The Olive Tree" held its own against more well-known brands like Bertolli and Cobram Estate. Credit: CHOICE.
- Sauces
ALDI's Colway Creamy Squeezy Mayonnaise came in third overall in CHOICE's condiment taste test. It competed favourably with well-known gourmet brands such as Praise, Kewpie, and S&W. ALDI also performed well in the tomato sauce test, coming in at the lowest price while still earning the CHOICE Recommended label.
- Pasta
ALDI's Just Organic Spaghetti received high marks in CHOICE's pasta test, garnering a score of 90% from experts. Although ALDI's Remano brand didn't fare as well, it still wasn't bad at 82%.
- Everyday items
Everyday things from ALDI are reasonably priced, and some of them perform on par with or better than brand-name goods. CHOICE experts suggest ALDI's Confidence Samson paper towels (but not Absorbit or Confidence Mighty Roll) and Confidence Hypoallergenic pocket tissue packs (but skip the 2-ply facial tissues - these only scored 51%). Despite only scoring 71%, ALDI's Confidence Extra Soft toilet paper is still a very safe pick. However, you should avoid the expensive shea butter variety and the 2-ply kind as they didn't perform well.
- Toilet cleaner
You'd think it would be preferable to spend as much money as possible on items for cleaning the toilet bowl, but in CHOICE's toilet cleaners assessment, White King and ALDI tied for first place, with the ALDI product costing less than half as much.
Items you should avoid (or at least tread carefully with):
- TV
Denis Gallagher, CHOICE's resident TV expert, warned against purchasing a TV from ALDI.
"Over the years, Aldi has delivered quite excellent value on TVs, but nowadays there's more competition and costs are coming down across the board," he said.
"You're better off going with a branded device - the Aldi TVs we've tested in the past have had varied outcomes."
- Soundbars
The Bauhn soundbar sold by ALDI is best avoided as well. In CHOICE's soundbars test, it received a subpar score of 67%, with experts advising that you can purchase a better-performing soundbar for the same price.
ALDI's Expressi Multi-Beverage Capsule Machine 595 is a tempting, but ultimately unwise purchase at $120. Credit: CHOICE.
- Capsule coffee machine
ALDI's Expressi Multi-Beverage Capsule Machine 595 is a tempting purchase at just $120, but it performed poorly in CHOICE's assessments of coffee makers, receiving a mere 45% rating.
- Surface cleaners
When experts from CHOICE tested multipurpose cleaning sprays, neither Aldi's Power Force Pro nor its Green Action multipurpose cleaners cracked the 50% threshold, scoring just 49% and 45%, respectively. Meanwhile, in the window cleaning category, ALDI's glass cleaner received a disappointing 42%, well below Windex's 81%, which received the highest grade.
- Vacuum cleaners
When ALDI revealed it would sell the Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo 900 robot vacuum cleaner for $399 (retail price is $999), eyes lit up all around Australia. So, is Aldi a good place to buy a robot vacuum? We don't want to ruin the fun, but this isn't the piece of tech that will fulfil all of your housekeeping fantasies.
Although this bargain is difficult to pass up, CHOICE experts believe there are much better options on the market if you're ready to spend a little more. It received a mere 39% in the assessment of robot vacuum cleaners.
So, there you have it, folks! Be sure to check out the reviews before you purchase these items so you can get the best value for money.
What are your thoughts on this? Any Aldi recommendations - whether positive or negative - to add? Share them with us in the comments below!
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we have never had a problem with it. I just hope I haven't jinxed it now. !!!
