Car battery. Suitable for large cars, trucks, and sport-utility vehicles from Ford or Mercury, the Kirkland Signature 12866, $85, aced all of our tests, nearly beating out the category's top-rated pick from Interstate, which sells for $280. If you drive another type of vehicle, see our full battery Ratings, since there are other Kirkland batteries that performed very well in our tests, though they missed our recommended list.

Coffeemaker. Costco's well-priced Mr. Coffee BVMC-EHX33CP, $30, is one of the highest scoring models in our Ratings of drip coffeemakers. Its brew performance was outstanding, and we also found it convenient and easy to handle. Programmable settings let you set when the machine starts to brew, helpful if you like waking up to the aroma of coffee.

Ice cream. Beating out brands such as Breyers and Baskin-Robbins, the Kirkland Signature Super Premium Vanilla was described by our ice cream tasters as full and dense with big dairy flavor and complex vanilla-extract flavor, though some commented that it could be slightly gummy at times. It works out to about 30 cents per serving, compared with a dollar per serving for the top-rated Ben & Jerry's.

Laundry detergent. Our winner's list of detergents that can be used in all types of washing machines includes the Kirkland Signature Ultra Clean, a CR Best Buy that works out to just 9 cents per load. The powder detergent was tough on grass, blood, and ring-around-the-collar. If you prefer the convenience of a laundry pod, consider the Kirkland Signature Ultra Clean Pacs, 14 cents per load.