I’m a loyal Woolies shopper BUT there are certain Aldi products that I seriously just can’t live without. And a few inferior Aldi items that will never find their way into my kitchen EVER!

I know there are many mums that do their full weekly shops at Aldi…but I just can’t bring myself to switch. Firstly, I’m a dedicated online shopper (even before COVID hit) so the thought of actually going into the supermarket and running the gauntlet of the stressful Aldi checkout with a full-to-the-brim trolley gives me the hives. Plus I feel that Aldi just does not give me enough choice. I know for many mums this lack of variety is actually a good thing but I like to change things up every now and then. It also bugs me that there are no baskets and you more often than not have to ‘hire’ a trolley – yes petty annoyances but they still get to me.

But despite my grumbles, I would still call myself an Aldi fan. I faithfully open every single Special Buy email and will make a trip to the discount retailer if something catches my eye and will even line up for my ultimate favourites (like the La Cura beauty range).

I also have my list of Aldi products that I replenish every few weeks and in terms of price and quality, Woolworths and Coles have no chance to compete. There are also that handful of Aldi items that I think are just plain rubbish and shouldn’t even be displayed on the shelves.

My Favourite Must-Have Aldi Products

Chocolate

There are a few brands of Aldi chocolate on the shelves. I stay well away from the below-average Dairy Fine range but the Choceur brand is sensational. The Aldi choceur blocks are priced at $2.99 for 200g. In comparsion, a Cadbury block of chocolate goes for around $5 for 180g – a significant price increase on the in-house Aldi products. There is a wide range of flavours in the Choceur brand (dark, milk, white, rum raisin & nut, coffee & cream, salted pretzel, dark&milk duo), while my favourite is the hazelnut block. The chocolate itself is smooth and creamy just the perfect richness and the nuts are crunchy and plentiful. You can also pick up the packs of 5 minis which are great for a special lunchbox treat. I also grab the Choceur praline-filled shells which usually come out during Easter and Christmas. They are literally half the price of the Guylian original shells and I think they taste just as delicious.

Laundry

Many mums absolutely swear by the Aldi products for laundry. Aldi Di-San Pre Wash Stain Removal is fantastic and a bargain at only $1.25. Many people have found that this miracle spray cleans everything from shower glass to grubby mirrors and of course is a wonder at removing stubborn clothes stains. This one is a true winner.

Mums are also super impressed with the laundry liquid and fabric softener. I love the smell of the Anco fabric softener in the black bottle ($3.59) and the Almat laundry powder (pink box) is excellent value at $4.99 for a 2kg box.

I’m also keen on the Aldi Logix dishwater tablets. – I go for the platinum variety and it’s only $7.69 for a pack of 40. Leading premium brands at Woolies are selling for $35 for a pack of 44 tablets so that is a massive saving!

Nappies

Nappies are not cheap but a necessary essential for those parents opting for the disposable option. Having baby twins and a two year old – our nappy bill was a massive chunk of our household budget. Thank goodness for the Aldi MAMIA brand. The Aldi nappies are priced between 14c (for the newborn nappies) up to 23c per nappy (for the junior size), whereas competing brands in the supermarket cost around 45c a nappy – which really wracks up the bill, especially if you’re changing nappies a number of times a day.

The Aldi baby nappies are robust and consistently passed my tests when it came down to absorbency, leaks and strength.

Ice Cream

We love our ice cream but spending 11 or 12 bucks on a small tub of premium iced confectionary at Woolies really freezes me up inside. Thank goodness Aldi has a lower cost alternative. We are particularly fond of Aldi’s Monarc Indulge Vanilla Opulence, which sells for around $4.49 and is seriously even better than Connoisseur – which costs around $11. We are also pretty keen on Aldi’s Summer Delight honeycomb ice-cream, which is pretty much a cheaper version of Golden Gaytime.

Peanut Butter

My son is fussy about his peanut butter but consistently rates Aldi products above any of the competitors. He loves the taste of Aldi Bramwells Smooth Peanut Butter and a jar of Aldi peanut butter is almost always cheaper than regular supermarket brands.

Other Aldi products that I love better than regular supermarket brands

• Cheese (the crumbed camembert is divine and I also like the spreadable goats cheese)
• Chicken Kiev (yum)
• Yoghurt (especially the Vanilla Bean Greek-style)
• Bagels and the Brioche burger buns (my kids Love them)
• Belmont Chocolate Peanut Cookies
• Dried Peaches (these are 100% the BEST!)
• Two-minute noodles
• Wraps (so much cheaper than regular supermarket brands)
• Chocolate Custard
• Lasagne (fresh is my fave but frozen is good too)

And Now For The Worst Aldi Products

In general, I find that Aldi products are good quality and just because they are significantly cheaper, doesn’t mean the flavour is compromised. But there are products which I feel are just inferior and I would never buy them (or I have bought them once and never again). Some of you may disagree but this is just in my experience.

The Best Margherita Pizza Ever

Well, Aldi, you’re just setting yourself up for failure aren’t you! By calling your product the ‘best’, you’re just begging for critics to take you down a notch or two and sadly I have to knock you off your pedestal too. The so-called “Best” Margherita Pizza Ever is unfortunately the worst Margherita Pizza ever. It’s also not that cheap at $4.99 for 365g. It’s hardly got any sauce and just a sprinkle of cheese and is really just oh so bland and tasteless. Yes, you can add more cheese and a splodge more of your own sauce but what’s the point?

Aldi Sweet Soy Sauce And Worcestershire Sauce

I’m not trying to be saucy here but KEEP AWAY from the Aldi Sweet Soy Sauce (Kecap Manis) and while you’re at it, leave the Worcestershire on the shelf too. The Aldi sweet soy has an awful flavour – it’s hard to even put my finger on. It’s got a distinctly fermented alcohol taste – almost a bit medicinal. It’s just not right! Consider yourself warned.

Fruit And Veg

I’m just not a big fan of the Aldi fruit and veg. I find the bananas are always underripe or overripe, the grapes are soft and tasteless and the avo’s just don’t have a good nutty flavour. I just steer clear of the fruit and veg section everytime I shop at Aldi.

Aldi steaks

I’m not all that partial to Aldi meat. I think their fresh chicken is average and often smelly and their red meat is generally just OK. I do like their corned silverside but in my opinion, Aldi steaks are inferior. They’re often tough, tasteless and not succulent. I also find the mince is too fatty and just not good quality.

Aldi Cream

I find that the Aldi cream is a bit touch and go and not very consistent. One tub is too thick – the other is too runny and won’t whip up. I love the Aldi yoghurt, cheese and butter but will give the cream a skip from now on.

TV’s

Aldi televisions often pop up in their Best Buys and they’re usually significantly cheaper than more well-known brands. However CHOICE experts advise against buying a TV at Aldi: “Aldi has offered pretty good value on TVs over the years, but these days there’s more competition and prices are coming down across the board,” TV expert Denis Gallagher says. “You’re better off going with a branded product – the Aldi TVs we’ve tested in the past have had variable results.”

Have I left any of your favourite or worst Aldi products off the list? Tell us your best and least favourite Aldi items in the comments below.