5 days Ago By [email protected] (Jay Wilson)
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. Aldi is full of surprises. The cut-rate grocery store is quickly becoming everyone's go-to for affordable groceries, but there's so much more to it than that, with a host of homeware and kitchen products populating its infamous middle aisle that have to be seen to be believed.
Like TJ Maxx, Aldi frequently has some absolute steals sitting at its stores that make shopping for kitchen items seriously affordable. While they may not have the brand names of that other retailer, Aldi's underrated products can see you saving a lot of money on things you'll likely use everyday. In addition to offering popular grocery items, Aldi does carry classic grocery store kitchen products — such as aluminum foil, plastic wrap, and paper plates.
However, it also has some items you probably won't expect. We're willing to bet, for example, that Aldi isn't your first choice when it comes to buying an air fryer — so what if we told you that you can pick up one there for just $40? Or, how would you feel if you knew you could get a Le Creuset equivalent for under $20? That's not all: Baking dishes, cutting boards, and wine glasses are all on offer at the store at very reasonable prices. 1.
Dutch ovens We all need a good Dutch oven in our kitchen. However, there's no getting around the astronomical price of some of them. A 4.
5 quart Le Creuset Signature Round Dutch Oven can cost just shy of $400 when bought via its official website. Sure, those things are built to last, but that price is an investment that most of us just can't make right now. The good news is that Aldi's here to make it all better, in the shape of its four quart Crofton Porcelain Enamel Dutch Oven.
This Dutch oven can be used to cook virtually everything, and it's as easy to clean as the Le Creuset version. It also comes with a two year warranty included, so you don't have to worry if you find that it's defective. Oh, and the price? $14.
99. No, you're not seeing things: You can get this thing for well under 20 bucks. Aldi's Crofton Porcelain Enamel Dutch Oven currently comes in two different colors, a powder blue and a white-and-yellow patterned version.
Both of them are priced at $14.99. Crucially, these Dutch ovens are available as stocks last, and as with other Aldi items you may find them come and go from your store periodically.
If we were you, though, we'd keep an eye out for them instead of sinking your money into a Le Creuset dish. 2. Cutting boards A good set of cutting boards are surprisingly hard to come by, but not if you're at Aldi.
The German retailer stocks a range of cutting boards that are surprisingly affordable, especially given their quality. At the moment, Aldi has a set of Crofton Bamboo Cutting Boards, which come with their very own stand, for just $9.99.
For that price, you get six individual cutting boards, which all measure 5.5 by 8.2 inches.
It's worth noting that Aldi can change the offer of its cutting boards fairly regularly, but if you're a regular shopper you're bound to see them every now and again, and they're always worth grabbing. Its Bamboo Carving Board is also a must-have, especially given that it's only $9.99 too.
This carving board comes in generous proportions, measuring 21 by 15 inches, and has an embedded groove to catch all the juices from your meat joint. It feels sturdy, looks great, and comes in a choice of either rounded or square edges. Hey, if you can't choose between the two, just get both: It sure is cheap enough.
3. Baking dishes A good baking dish can cost a lot of money. This is a piece of kitchen equipment that you need to be able to maintain high heats time and time again, clean easily, and not end up looking worn and rugged after just a few uses — making a good one is harder than it sounds.
Luckily, Aldi's cracked it, and it's managed to offer its baking dishes at a wildly affordable price. Its Crofton Stoneware Baking Dish is a sturdy and attractive-looking kitchen product that can be heated up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and popped in your dishwasher once you're done. It's also microwave-safe, generously-proportioned, and has a lovely color contrast between its jade green exterior and its white interior.
Oh, and did we mention that it retails at under $10? Guys, honestly, this one's a steal. If you need any more convincing of that fact, check out the prices of equivalent Le Creuset products, which are many times more expensive than Aldi's offering, and then come back to us. Le Creuset's craftsmanship may be superior, but if you just need an earthenware dish that will do the job while also looking great, Aldi's Crofton option is the way to go.
4. Food processors Food processors shouldn't cost the earth — and yet so many do. A standard Cuisinart model can set you back a couple hundred dollars, and even its mini versions can be 50 bucks or so.
All that to dice up your food? Thankfully, there's a way to process items on a budget, and it's by getting your food processor at Aldi. The store currently stocks its Ambiano Electric Food Chopper at the budget price of $14.99.
Coming in a sleek, upside-down design with a large central operating button, it's the perfect way to slice, dice, and blend without breaking the bank. There's not a lot of information on the Ambiano Electric Food Chopper, but the Ambiano line is a staple at Aldi. Through the years it's stocked a number of Ambiano food choppers (which are, for all intents and purposes, food processors that have slightly less firepower), and they're routinely well-reviewed for their ease of use, cleanable nature, and extended warranties.
Plus, they're all super affordable, so even if you don't catch the current Ambiano product in its stores, the next one will probably be just as cheap. 5. Food storage containers We've lost count of the amount of food storage containers we've lost over the years, and as a result, the amount of money we've had to spend on replacing them.
As such, when we buy food storage containers, we have two priorities: They need to be cheap, and they need to be plentiful (oh, and it'd also be great if they're leak-proof and sturdy, too). The good news is that Aldi's food storage containers tick all of those boxes. Its Aldi Finds selection currently has a 10-piece pack of Crofton Food Storage Containers, which come in a variety of different sizes for all your needs.
The pack costs just $12.99, which is roughly half the price of comparable products from Rubbermaid. Aldi's Crofton Food Storage Containers stand out due to their snap lids, which help to keep them leakproof (which, trust us, is a rarity amongst containers like this).
They also come stored in a handy cardboard box, but they all stack into each other too, so if you throw that out you don't need to worry about how you'll keep them. This set is a classic example of an Aldi product that feels way more expensive than it actually is, and it's a must-buy. 6.
Air fryers The rise of the air fryer has been unstoppable, and so it's no wonder that Aldi's got in on the action too. In its classic fashion, it's done so by offering an entry-level air fryer at a wildly low price, that faithful fans absolutely love. Aldi's Ambiano 3.
7 Quart Digital Air Fryer comes in at just $40, and for that price you get a reliable appliance that cooks your food in no time. This air fryer comes with eight pre-programmed functions (as well as customizable time and temperature settings), and it has a stylish and elegant appearance that will make it look right at home on your countertop. It's important to note that when the Ambiano 3.
7 Quart Digital Air Fryer is in stock, it usually doesn't stick around for long — and you may well find that it's not in store when you next visit. However, if you do spy it, make sure you nab it when you can. Aldi can remove and re-add it to its Aldi Finds selection without much warning, so don't miss the opportunity.
7. Paper plates Chances are, you need some paper plates. You may not think you do, but trust us on this one.
Think about it: How many times have you had a few too many extra people around, and found that you don't have enough regular plates to put your food in? Or what are the odds that last time you had a barbecue, you smashed one of your normal dinner plates, or left your friends eating off napkins? See — we told you. The good news is that if you need paper plates, Aldi is the place to go. Not only does it offer them in massive, 100-count packs, but it also sells them in a variety of sizes.
For standard use, you can grab either its 8.5-inch Everyday Paper Plates or its 10-inch version of the same variety. Both of them are very reasonably priced, and come with patterned edges that make the practice of eating from a piece of paper way more attractive.
If you need something a bit more sturdy, Aldi's 10-inch Ultra Heavy Duty Paper Plates come in packs of 50. Costing just $5.85 per pack, these plates are microwavable and leakproof, and again come with an elegant pattern adorned on their surface.
Honestly, what's not to love? 8. Charcuterie board accessories If you're putting together a Michelin-star charcuterie board, you really do need to head to Aldi. Not only does it have foods that are perfect for your next charcuterie board, like its award-winning Aldi cheese , but it also has all the accessories you need to make your experience extra special.
Aldi sells a four-piece set of tongs and forks (two of each) that are specifically designed for use with a charcuterie board. They come in an expensive-looking brushed gold color, and are ideal for picking up pieces of sliced meat, cheese, and olives. What's more, they're just $3.
99 per set. Aldi doesn't stop there, either. It also sells a four-piece pack of spreading knives, with brushed gold blades and smart-looking wooden handles.
These knives are perfect for slicing through soft cheeses and smearing butter onto pieces of bread, and they again come in at just $3.99. Once you've picked these up, swing over to the cutting board section and grab one of its Crofton bamboo carving boards to put all your food on.
Throw a few more cheeses and some fruits into your basket, pick up a nice bottle of wine, and you've got a fancy night that cost virtually nothing. 9. Wine glasses There are some Aldi wines that are serious fan favorites – but once you get a bottle home, what are you gonna drink them in? Avoid getting stuck on that question by picking up your wine glasses when you're in store.
Aldi regularly stocks wine glasses in its famous middle aisle, and the glassware you can get can often rival way more expensive receptacles in different stores. Most recently, Aldi has been stocking a four-pack of pastel wine glasses, with their muted pink, blue, and green tones perfect for the spring season. These glasses come in at a mere $2.
50 each, and have elegant, long stems that give them a fancy feel. Once you're done drinking out of these glasses (which are part of the Aldi Finds selection), you can pop them in the dishwasher without fear of them deteriorating or shattering. Perhaps the most incredible thing about these glasses, though, is that they look a lot like the multicolored wine glasses sold at places like Anthropologie, Pottery Barn, and Williams Sonoma — for a fraction of the price.
Now, tell us that buying the Aldi version isn't good financial sense. 10. Rice cookers For a lot of people, rice cookers are appliances that get used on a daily basis — so it's important to have one you can rely on.
Luckily, Aldi offers just that. The retailer periodically has its Ambiano Ceramic Nonstick Coated Rice Cooker & Steamer available in store via its Aldi Finds, which it tends to update with every new release. The Ambiano rice cooker comes in at well under $20, with the latest model costing just $16.
99. Things might sound too good to be true with that price, but this thing is serious value for money. The Ambiano Ceramic Nonstick Coated Rice Cooker & Steamer has a six-cup capacity, and comes with a rice spoon and measuring cup.
The lid is made from sturdy, heatproof tempered glass, and its exterior has a two-tone appearance, with a matte black body and a wood-effect panel and handles. Here's the main question, though: Does it do the job? Yes, people, it does. Customers love how easy it is to use Aldi's rice cooker: You just flick it on, wait, and you're rewarded with fluffy rice every time.
Although it may not be available all the time at your local store, you should always pick it up when it's there. 11. Aluminum foil & plastic wrap The stars of Aldi's kitchen product line up may be its air fryers, Dutch ovens, and rice cookers, but you still need to make space for some of its more modest everyday items.
That includes aluminum foil and plastic wrap, which are available at Aldi at a reasonable price, and do the job well. For all your foil needs, Aldi's Boulder Regular Aluminum Foil is the one to beat. At just over $4 for 75 feet of foil, it's more than sufficient for everyday use, tears easily, and can be stashed in your drawer with no problems.
Aldi also stocks a heavy duty version, which is great for resting pieces of meat in or tenting over large baking sheets. On the plastic wrap front, its Boulder BPA Free Plastic Food Wrap does the trick. $1.
89 will buy you 200 feet of plastic wrap, with a cutter inserted into the box to tear pieces away easily. Sure, it's not the flashiest purchase you'll make at Aldi, but it's definitely worth stocking up on when you're next there. It's not just for wrapping sandwiches, either; there are some smart ways to use plastic wrap you've probably never thought of.
12. Water bottles A cool-looking water bottle is a must these days (and not just to show it off to your friends: Reusable water bottles are both more cost-effective and better for the environment than reusable ones in the long term). However, the price of some of the fancier water bottle brands out there is kinda wild, y'all.
Luckily, Aldi is clearly very aware of that, and it regularly stocks a selection of stylish water bottles that won't put a dent in your weekly spend. These water bottles fall under Aldi's Crofton line, and are generally pretty imperceptible from some of the more expensive options out there. In the last few months, it's stocked a Hydro Flask copycat product which was priced at just $13, yet still came with many of the same perks of the pricier brand, with double-insulated walls, the ability to store cold and hot drinks, and a generous 64-ounce capacity.
For folks that like their water bottles a little smaller, it also carried a 24-ounce vacuum insulated bottle, which came in a variety of colors and an enviable price point of just $7. These water bottles come and go, but Aldi tends to refresh its stock pretty regularly. 13.
Coffee filters Aldi is a haven for coffee lovers , and not just because of the extensive selection of varieties it offers. It happens to be a home for a lot of the accessories you'll need to make a premium brew — even those slightly more boring ones you've probably forgotten about. Aldi's Beaumont Basket Coffee Filters are an excellent choice at a rock-bottom price.
You can pick up 200 filters for under $2, with the product taking up barely any space in your pantry. Aldi's Beaumont Basket Coffee Filters can make up to 12 cups of coffee per filter, they won't tear or fold in on themselves, and they don't give your drink any strange, plasticky tastes. What's not to love? Plus, coffee fans would do well to venture down Aldi's middle aisle next time they're in-store, as the supermarket often stocks more exciting items and appliances to make your morning brew with.
Just last year, people fell in love with Aldi's Ambiano Programmable Coffee Maker, which cost just $24.99 but which had the perks of a vastly more expensive product. The store also previously stocked a selection of French presses.
14. Bar towels A good bar towel is pretty hard to find, folks. For an item which exists to mainly mop up spills, it's amazing how many bar towels out there just kinda push moisture around instead of soaking them up, and cost you a lot of money for the privilege.
Aldi's Crofton Bar Mop Towels are, thankfully, not that kinda item. These bar towels are much-loved by the Aldi community, who spend months, even years looking for them in the store's middle aisle to no avail. When they appear, though, they're snapped up fast.
We get why, too. These bar towels come in a handy six-pack, with an expensive-looking textured appearance that doesn't quite give away how affordable they are. They're also pretty generously sized, and come in a bright white that looks crisp and clean.
If you like a little more variety in your kitchen, though, Aldi also stocks light and dark grey versions of its bar towels, which can be picked up at just $0.75 a pop..
