Costco offers a wide range of Kirkland products, particularly in its food and drink sections. From stocking up on delicious cold brew to enjoying Kirkland beverages at the food court, you’ll find many appealing options. However, not all items meet shoppers’ expectations.
Regular customers suggest that some pre-packaged goods and other drinks should be skipped because of their mediocre quality and price. We’ve put together a list of seven items that loyal patrons advise avoiding at the warehouse retailer.
Women Are Swapping Their Boring Water For This Ice Pop Electrolyte Mix!
Costco Shoppers Warn Against These 7 Kirkland Brand Drinks in 2025
1. Kirkland Signature Sport Drink Variety Pack
The Kirkland Signature Sport Drinks, available in variety packs featuring fruit punch, blue raspberry, and orange flavors, may resemble well-known brands like Gatorade or Powerade. Nevertheless, a significant number of buyers have found them lacking. On Reddit, one Costco shopper wrote, after trying the drinks: "It's so bad. It's way too sugary. I would never want it while working out."
They added: "Only thing I've found it to be decent for is when I'm hungover, but I'd still prefer Gatorade." Someone else chimed in: "[Kirkland's] Gatorade competition is … much less expensive. That's all the good things I have to say about it."
2. Kirkland Signature Colombian Cold Brew Coffee
Before tossing a case of Kirkland Signature Colombian Cold Brew Coffee into your cart, you might want to take into account the many negative reviews these canned coffees have garnered.
As reported by Eat This, Not That, one customer wrote on Reddit that these coffees were "undrinkable" and another deemed them to be "close to battery acid." An additional Costco shopper complained that they "taste like week-old coffee left on a counter."
Is the Cold Brew the current worst Food Court item? byu/elopingbuffalonian inCostco
3. Cold Brew Mocha Freeze
Found in the store's food court, this coffee drink apparently "tastes so burnt" according to one Costco member on Reddit. A Reddit post titled “Is the Cold Brew the current worst Food Court item?” has garnered attention, with users sharing their opinions on this divisive beverage.
The original poster expressed disappointment, stating, “I love coffee. Especially iced coffee. I’ve gotten it a couple times now. It tastes so burnt.” Some comments agree that this food court offering isn’t up to par. One user reminisced about the previous version of the Cold Brew, expressing dissatisfaction with the changes made and the subsequent price hike.
They lamented, “I loved, and was addicted to the previous version of this. Then, they changed it up (for the worse) and significantly increased the price. So, there went that.” Another commenter remarked, “Not too much of a fan of it. It tastes like a White Russian just without the alcohol.”
4. Jose's Medium Roast Vanilla Nut Coffee
Another Costco coffee item many fan's aren't fond of is Jose's Medium Roast Vanilla Nut Coffee. This "leaves a bitter note," according to one Costco shopper on Reddit, and another says that it is "absolutely foul and has such a strong alcohol smell." An additional user pointed out that it seems to have strong "artificial flavoring."
5. Kirkland Gallon Milk Jugs
Costco customers often criticize the store’s square-shaped Kirkland milk jugs. Introduced in 2008 to be eco-friendly and easier to ship, these containers are less practical for pouring and tend to cause spills, as noted by many online shoppers.
On Reddit, one wrote regarding Kirkland gallon milk jugs: "Everyone in my family literally groaned when they saw them in the fridge." Another deemed them to be "trash."
6. Kirkland Signature Original Spiced Rum
One Costco member on Reddit noted that this Kirkland Signature Original Spiced Rum "tastes like the smell of hand sanitizer, Liquid Smoke, and sweeteners added in." They joked: " I would rather eat the Merano Wool socks, which are awesome btw."
Someone else replied: "I wish they had decent regular rum." One other added: "I'm going to agree with you on that rum. It was terrible, and I'm not that picky."
7. Kirkland Signature Light Beer
On Reddit, one Costco shopper called this product the "worst beer the world has ever known." Someone else replied, in an additional Costco-themed thread: "Barf. I swear it tasted like pond water with Necco wafers dissolved in it." One other concurred, writing: "I threw this out."
Someone else revealed: "It truly was that bad." Kirkland Signature Light Beer, once sold exclusively at Costco, was discontinued in 2018 due to unfavorable feedback from consumers. Its legacy remains as one of the most criticized beverages in Costco's history.
The Bottom Line
Costco is a fantastic place to find a lot of things—but unfortunately, that doesn't include these drinks. So next time you're at the warehouse, stick to those fan-favorite products you know and love, and maybe just go with a food court hot dog.
