Curious About How Amazon’s Own-Brand Stuff Compares to the Rest?

As an Amazon Associate, Hip2Save earns a small commission from qualifying purchases in this post. Read our full disclosure policy here.

More Amazon

close up of AmazonBasics Batteries

If you’re an Amazon shopper, you’ve likely spotted some AmazonBasics products during your searches and you’ve probably wondered how they compare to their name-brand counterparts.

These AmazonBasics items are often cheaper than name brands, so we did a little Amazon brand product comparison to see how they stack up. They often have the lowest prices, but are they of comparable quality?


Here’s what we found when comparing AmazonBasics to name brand products!

Our Amazon brand cost comparison includes these silicon baking mats.

1. Silicone Baking Mats

Silpat Premium Non-Stick Silicone Baking Mat
Current price: $27.95
4.8 stars – 8,674 customer ratings

VERSUS

AmazonBasics Silicone Baking Mat 2-pack
Current price: $15.19 – $7.60 per mat
4.7 stars – 110,863 customer ratings

And the winner is…

AmazonBasics Silicone Baking Mat 2-pack

You get TWO of the AmazonBasics baking mats for way less than the price of one Silpat. These are so similar in every way that we honestly can’t tell them apart.


Our Amazon brand cost comparison includes these batteries.

2. Batteries

Duracell Duralock Copper Top Alkaline AAA Batteries 8 count
Current: price $8.26 ($1.03/ per battery)
4.8 stars – 8,044 customer ratings

VERSUS

AmazonBasics AAA Performance Alkaline Batteries 8 count
Current price: $6.94 (87¢ per battery)
4.6 stars – 70,801 customer ratings

And the winner is…

AmazonBasics AAA Alkaline Batteries

We don’t have hard data, but the customer reviews and our team’s experience with these batteries make them a no-brainer. It’s such an easy swap that can save you significant money over time. These batteries are always in our monthly Subscribe & Save deliveries for an additional savings of 5%!


A cost comparison of the Amazon brand cost includes these phone USB cables.

3. iPhone Charging Cables

Apple 6.6ft Lightning to USB Cable 1 count
Current price: $24.36 each
4.7 stars – 24,049 customer ratings

VERSUS

AmazonBasics Apple MFi Certified Lightning to USB A Cable 6 Feet 2 pack)
Current price: $14.99  – just $7.50 each
4.6 stars – 70,014 customer ratings

And the winner is…

AmazonBasics Apple USB Cable

To test these we charged the same phone in the same outlet for a designated amount of time and then noted the increase in battery percentage.

The results… the AmazonBasics Apple USB Cables charged one more percentage than the Apple version, which is such a small variation that I’m calling them even. So based on the price, you are much better off choosing the two-pack from Amazon at nearly half the price of one Apple charging cable, AND the AmazonBasics versions are highly rated on Amazon, too.


A cost comparison of the Amazon brand cost includes a scissors test.

4. Basic Home Scissors

Fiskars Softgrip 8″ Titanium 2 pack
Current price $13.37 – $6.69 each
4.7 stars – 5,618 customer ratings

VERSUS

AmazonBasics Multipurpose Titanium Fused Scissors 3-pack
Current price $12.34 – $4.11 each
4.8 stars – 41,048 customer ratings

And the winner is…

AmazonBasics Multipurpose Scissors

We tested these scissors on fabric, felt, cardstock, and thin paper, and our results varied. The AmazonBasics scissors did a better job at cutting multiple layers of cardstock, while the Fiskars did a better job cutting multiple layers of felt. On price alone, the AmazonBasics version wins, but if your primary use will be fabric or felt, you may wish to opt for the Fiskars version.


These ceramic knives were a part of our cost comparison of the Amazon brand cost versus other brands

5. Kitchen Knives

Cuisinart Advantage Color Collection 12-Piece Knife Set
Current price $16.99
4.8 stars – 13,715 customer ratings

VERSUS

AmazonBasics 12-Piece Colored Knife Set
Current price $15.99
4.7 stars – 20,964 customer ratings

And the winner is…

AmazonBasics 12-Piece Colored Knife Set

We tested these knives on tough-to-cut items like spaghetti squash and delicate items like tomatoes and could not tell a difference at all! While the Cuisinart Knife Set occasionally goes on sale, the AmazonBasics Knife Set is usually the more budget-friendly option.


Folded bath towels on a shelf

6. Bath Towels

American Soft Linen 100% Cotton 6-Piece Towel Set
Current price $39.99 – $6.67 per towel
4.4 stars – 55,952 customer ratings

VERSUS

AmazonBasics 6-Piece Fade-Resistant Bath Towel Set
Current price $32.29 – Just $5.38 per towel!
4.5 stars – 83,595 customer ratings

And the winner is…

AmazonBasics 6-Piece Towel Set

Both of the towel sets are 100% cotton, but the American Soft Linen set doesn’t seem to be as high-quality as the AmazonBasics Towel Set, and it’s also pretty thin. Plus, with the price difference, the AmazonBasics version is the clear winner here!


Anti gravity chairs with Collin smiling

7. Anti-Gravity Chair

SONOMA Goods for Life Patio Antigravity Chair
Current price $84.99 (or less with Kohl’s coupons)
4.6 stars – 8,557 customer ratings

VERSUS

AmazonBasics Anti-Gravity Chair
Current price $59.99 shipped
4.6 stars – 8,290 customer ratings

And the winner is…

AmazonBasics Anti-Gravity Chair

The price is nearly the same, but honestly, the AmazonBasics chair feels a bit higher quality. The SONOMA chair does come in more color choices than the Amazon version, but otherwise, they are very similar products.


litter box with absorbent pad

8. Breeze Litter Box Refills

Purina Tidy Cats Breeze Litter Box Pad Refill Pack 8-Count
Current price $12.59 ($1.57 per pad)
4.8 stars – 10,252 customer ratings

VERSUS

AmazonBasics Cat Pad Refills for Breeze Litter Box Lemon Scent 40-Count
Current price $25.48 (66¢ per pad)
4.5 stars – 41,982 customer ratings

And the winner is…

AmazonBasics Cat Pad Refills

Hip teammate Elizabeth has the Breeze Litter Box System for her cats, and she gets the Amazon basic pads instead of the Breeze ones. She reports that they work just as well at a fraction of the cost!


holding a tube of blemish treatment

9. Salicylic Acid Spot Treatment

CeraVe 2% Salicylic Acid Acne Treatment 1.35 fl. oz.
Current price $16.01 ($11.89 per ounce)
4.6 stars – 6,462 customer ratings

VERSUS

AmazonBasics Advanced Blemish Spot Treatment w/ 2% Salicylic Acid 0.75 Fl oz.
Current price $4.64 ($6.19 per ounce)
4 stars – 72 customer ratings

And the winner is…

AmazonBasics Advanced Blemish Spot Treatment

While the CeraVe 2% Salicylic Acid Treatment has been around longer and has better reviews, Hip teammate Misty swears by the AmazonBasics Advanced Blemish Spot Treatment. It has the same ingredients as the name-brand version for about half the cost!


holding a white pill next to a bottle of antihistamines

10. Over the Counter Medications

Zyrtec 24-Hour Allergy Relief Tablets, 10 mg Cetirizine HCl 60-Count
Current price $23.44 (37¢ per tablet)
4.8 stars – 4,0678 customer ratings

VERSUS

Amazon Basic Care 24-Hour Allergy Relief, Cetirizine Hydrochloride Tablets 10 mg 300-Count
Current price $4.64 (6¢ per tablet)
4.8 stars – 55,879 customer ratings

And the winner is…

Your mileage may vary on this one!

There are so many different OTC medications that can save you money in Amazon’s Basic Care Storefront. While we haven’t tried them all, our team has saved a ton of money on Amazon’s version of Pepcid AC, Flonase, Zyrtec, and many more.

While you should consult a medical professional before making changes to your health care plan, we’re glad we tried Amazon’s versions of these pricey name-brand medications. They may be worth a shot for you, too!


The bottom line is that Amazon’s brands rarely disappoint.

Throughout our testing, we were hard-pressed to find any AmazonBasics products that didn’t measure up to their name-brand counterparts.

So before you purchase another product due to brand loyalty alone, first see how it compares to the Amazon version. It could potentially save you loads of money!


Check out these HOT Amazon deals!


About the writer:

Jenna has a Bachelor's Degree from Lycoming College and her Master's from Penn State, holding 4 years of writing experience between a variety of publications and Hip2Save.


Join The Discussion

Comments 46

  1. mnemosyne786

    Great post! Amazon is killing it with both quality and customer service. I wish they still offered their Amazon Fire phone. That is my all time favorite of their products and I miss mine badly!

    • Taylor (Sidekick)

      I totally agree, where would we be without Amazon?!🙌 I have not heard of the Fire phone, but it sounds like it was pretty awesome!

  2. Sherry

    Interesting article, but if you have Android Auto in your car and you want to hook your phone up to that you need a very high quality data cord. The lightning cords I got on Amazon didn’t work so I used the cord my Samsung phone came with.

    • Missy

      I agree Sherry. I have alot of issues if I don’t use the Samsung cord

  3. Beth M

    I cannot recommend their Solimo brand coffee. I tried several varieties of their K Cups and ended up giving them away. They were not good.

    • Amber (Hip Sidekick)

      Darn! Thanks for the honest review! Sorry to hear you didn’t care for the Solimo Coffee.

  4. Amommy

    I found Amazon batteries died way faster than most. I would not recommend for anything important. Not even worth the low price tag cause u go thru so many in a short period of time as compared to high end brand name ones.

    I totally recommend the amazon hand wash refills, preform well, smell good and low price point.

    • Amber (Hip Sidekick)

      Thanks a bunch for the recommendation! Good to know you have liked the hand wash refills!

    • boltsmom

      I found the same thing. We have to replace Amazon batteries pretty quickly. Won’t buy them again.

    • Holly

      Agreed! 100% We’ve been very disappointed in them!

    • Amy F;)

      We had the same issue at our house. The amazon batteries ran out really fast compared to other brands.

  5. kevashell

    I’ve been using Amazon basics batteries for about a year. I have to say they are definitely cheap! I find myself (and the kids) having to change the batteries so often. We find it such a hassle to constantly be changing the batteries. Not only are we burning money and time, we are filling the landfill up 2x as fast with batteries. I am not a fan.

    • K

      Not that this has anything to do with the quality of the batteries but Walmart recycles dead batteries so you don’t have to fill up the landfill with hazardous waste.

    • Taylor (Sidekick)

      Bummer! I’m sorry your experience with them hasn’t been good. Hopefully, you can score some deals on other brands you prefer!

  6. Quinna

    I bought several amazon basics hand towels and washcloths a few months ago, and the hems have completely unraveled. The towels are fair quality otherwise, but I’m not in the mood to re-stitch over a dozen towel hems.

    • Taylor (Sidekick)

      Good to know, thanks for sharing Quinna! I have heard some mixed reviews about the towels. I hope you find some good quality ones that you like!

  7. Ashley

    I’m disappointed in Amazon batteries! They don’t last very long. Hard pass.

  8. johnniesutterfield-ahrens

    I haven’t bought many. But some of my kids clothes that are amazon brand are pretty good. Can’t complain

    • Amber (Hip Sidekick)

      Awesome! Thanks for letting us know you have been pleased with the Amazon brand kids clothing!

    • Amy F;)

      We have to size up a lot with amazon kids clothes. They seem to not lay flat after washing. The colors stay bright and fun though.

  9. Jo

    “Hundreds of Amazon suppliers named in the document are located in China and India — places where inhumane working conditions at some factories and lax labor laws can drive down the cost of operations. At the Foxconn factory in Shenzhen, China, for example, Amazon Echo and Kindle products were made using illegal child labor, reported the Guardian.”

    • K

      I’m not condoning the practice by any means, I think it’s atrocious that this happens but brand name companies do the same thing and still charge a premium for the products. I have relatives that have visited China and seen people sell Nikes and other brand name products on the street for literally a few dollars. Most people don’t get rich by being kind…

      • JD827

        A Star Hip2Saver is a recognized member of our Hip2Save community hand selected by our team for demonstrating a long history of engagement with helpful & friendly comments across Hip2Save.com and our social channels. Our Star Hip2Saver badge acts as a verification for readers who know the ins and outs of all Hip2Save sets out to accomplish — assisting our community to live extraordinary lives on ordinary budgets. Readers cannot pay or provide any sort of exchange in order to earn this badge. Rather, they are invited to participate by a member of the Hip2Save team and opt to have the Star Hip2Saver badge added to their profile & comments.

        I would point out that brand name companies have the ability to inspect facilities on a regular basis and require any factories they use to follow decent labor practices. They prefer not to rather than they can’t I encourage everyone to read about the crimes against humanity conducted against ethnic minorities in China. Than write some letters.

    • Taylor (Sidekick)

      Thanks for that info, Jo. I’m sure a lot of people are unaware of that, I appreciate your feedback!❤️

    • Conflicted Toast

      Along with every other thing we buy

    • Amy F;)

      We have to size up a lot with amazon kids clothes. They seem to not lay flat after washing. The colors stay bright and fun though.

    • Amy F;)

      oh no! I love my kindle and use it every day but I don’t want to support child labor practices!

  10. Vicki

    I use Amazon’s hearing aid batteries and they are great! They last longer than Kirkland or name brand hearing aid batteries.

    • Amber (Hip Sidekick)

      SWEET! Thanks for sharing that, Vicki!

  11. Amy

    Oh love this post and would love more like this! I’ve tried the batteries and they seemed on par with name brand. I’ve been wanting to try their dandruff shampoo. That is getting so dang expensive. Anyone try that?

    • Amber (Hip Sidekick)

      Thanks for the request and feedback, Amy! Glad you are loving the post! I have passed this along to the team!

  12. meredithjoanna79

    I make purchases on Amazon quite frequently. Who doesn’t? Does anyone know how you get to the point to be able to get free/low cost items so you can review them. Hope that makes sense.

  13. candyscline

    I have found the amazon basic batteries to be just fine for us, way cheaper than name brand and they last just as long. At least in my opinion. I have bought their brand of underwear, children’s sweaters and vests, tights and leggings, and dishwasher detergent. All great! I did not prefer their brand of 13 gallon trash bags to Costco’s or Glad though.

  14. Nav

    Many Amazonbasics products have fake reviews and you can check on fakespot.com I would review carefully and order these products with a grain of salt.

  15. Momof2

    I highly recommend amazon basics sheets. I’ve had them for months now and they are high quality cotton sheets. They have a wide non slip elastic strip on the inside of the corners that’s prevents slipping, and they are deep enough to fit a pillow top mattress. I have washed them many times and they are holding up great. I can’t say enough good things about their sheets.

  16. Kristy

    I found amazon batteries need replacing three times as fast.

  17. Lins

    I like reading the comments of things that have worked for other people as well! Thanks for the post!

    • Amber (Hip Sidekick)

      You’re welcome, Lins! Glad all of this feedback has been helpful! ❤️

  18. jen13289

    We use their “ziplock” gallon and sandwich bags, while I love them and never had any complaints, the most recent sandwich size I am unhappy with the seal, more difficult to make sure it’s sealed They are on auto delivery

  19. Shellie

    I haven’t had that experience. In my experience Amazon brand products are NOT as good as name brands. I hope Amazon doesn’t corner the market in every single product because then the only thing available will be crappy single use products

  20. bigjoe1025

    I’m a fan of the Amazon basics brand of batteries. I use them for my daily devices like our ring doorbell and the kids xbox controllers.

  21. Diane

    I ordered the Happy Belly Walnuts quite a while ago when you had it listed as a deal. I was quite surprised the walnuts tasted fresher than the ones I buy at the store. I’ve been including them in my subscribe and save ever since. Thank you!

    • Amber (Hip Sidekick)

      Oh good! You’re welcome, Diane! Glad those have been so yummy! 🙌❤️

  22. Lana

    I would not buy their towels again. The hems came out of most of them and now they are a raggedy mess.

    • Trish (Hip Sidekick)

      Bummer! Sorry to hear the towels didn’t hold up well! Thanks for taking a moment to comment, Lana! 🤗💗

  23. Kari Evans

    I would agree Amazon’s normal batteries are great but the rechargeable ones suck. They do not hold a charge at all.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

It's not your Grandma's coupon site!

Sign up for a Hip2Save account (it's free) to access all of the awesome features!

Forgot Password?

Don't have an account? Register

Forgot Password

Don't have an account? Register

Become a Hip2Save Insider

Don't Miss Out! Join our large community of insiders - it's totally free! Once you join, you'll be able to save & share your favorite deals, rate posts and recipes and add items to your HipList and Cookbook! What are ya waiting for?!



Already have an account? Login

Thank you for rating!

Would you also like to leave us a comment?