I used to be a brand snob. Tylenol, not acetaminophen. Ziploc, not store-brand bags. I assumed the name brand was better because it cost more. Then I read that many store-brand products are made in the exact same factories as the name brands, on the same production lines, just with different packaging.

That sent me down a rabbit hole. Here is what I found.

Identical or Near-Identical (Save Your Money)

• Over-the-counter medicine: FDA requires generic drugs to be chemically identical to brand-name versions. Store-brand ibuprofen is the same molecule as Advil. Same for acetaminophen (Tylenol), diphenhydramine (Benadryl), and loratadine (Claritin). Buy the store brand. The price difference is often 50–70%.
• Baking staples: Sugar, salt, flour, baking soda—these are commodity ingredients regulated by food standards. Store-brand sugar is the same sucrose as Domino. Store-brand baking soda is the same sodium bicarbonate as Arm & Hammer.
• Milk and eggs: In most regions, store-brand milk comes from the same dairies as name-brand milk. The difference is the label. Eggs are graded by USDA standards regardless of brand.
• Cleaning vinegar: White vinegar at 5% acidity is white vinegar at 5% acidity. The $2 gallon works exactly like the $5 “cleaning vinegar.”

Not the Same (Keep Buying Name Brand)

• Ziploc bags: Store-brand zipper bags have thinner plastic and weaker seals. They split at the seams. I tested this by filling both with water. Name brand held. Store brand leaked.
• Paper towels: Store brands are thinner and tear more easily when wet. Bounty is noticeably more absorbent in side-by-side tests.
• Q-tips: Generic cotton swabs have less cotton, bend more easily, and the stick sometimes pokes through. The name brand is worth the extra dollar.
• Dish soap: Dawn cuts grease dramatically better than store brands. I tried the store version for a month and used twice as much per sink of dishes.

The rule I follow now: chemicals and commodities, buy generic. Physical manufactured goods with durability requirements, buy name brand. It saves me about $40 per grocery trip.