8 Aldi Dupes That Are Way Better Than The Name Brands, According To Customers

If you're a frequent shopper at Aldi, you may know that the company has won many awards and that most items in its stores are private label. However, you may not be aware of the extent of the private labels' options and how closely they resemble the name-brand version. Not only are they similar in taste, texture, and/or appearance, but many loyal customers believe these Aldi iterations are better than the "real" thing. 

We scoured Reddit and Facebook to see what items people thought surpassed the name brands and compiled them on this handy reference list. Whether you're in the mood for something salty, sweet, crunchy, chewy, or whatever else, there's a little bit of everything to curb your craving. Be sure to add a few of these to your next shopping list, if you haven't already. 

Cinnamon Toast Crunch is a timeless cereal that reminds us of our childhood, but you should opt for the Millville Cinnamon Crunch Squares next time you're at Aldi. It's free from artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives, and contains no high fructose corn syrup. Over 100 Redditors agree that the Aldi cereal is better and more flavorful than the name-brand option, with people claiming they could gobble up the entire box in one go. Eat it the classic way with milk to get the delightful cinnamon sugar flecked liquid to gulp down after you're done eating. 

Our preferred method is to eat it dry, which allows the cinnamon-sweet exterior to hit your tongue with the full crisp texture. However you have it, this is a beloved customer favorite that's preferable to a box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal.

We all know about Goldfish crackers, the cutesy smiling fish-shaped cheese cracker, but there's another aquatic animal you should consider instead. Aldi's Savoritz brand has Turtles Baked Cheddar Snack Crackers. These are made with real cheddar cheese to give them that cheesy flavor. They're crunchy, cheesy, and surprisingly detailed with a head, tail, legs, shell, and yes, even a small smile like our fishy friend version. Many people on Reddit and Facebook can confirm that these are better than Goldfish. One person noted that their toddler refused the name brand and wanted the turtles instead of the fish. 

We have to agree on that point; the turtles are much cuter. People also mention getting the Extra Cheddar one for a more potent flavor, noting that Goldfish didn't offer as much flavor. People say the Savoritz turtles are their favorite newly-discovered cracker. Adults, kids, and toddlers agree that this is superior to the name brand.

Potato chips are scrumptious and hard to get wrong. Potato makes such a strong base, followed by that sprinkle of salt to further enhance the flavor. But even with the minimal ingredients, brands can greatly vary in terms of taste and texture. Aldi fans on Reddit say that this is a must-try for an enhanced version of Kettle Brand potato chips. Some say that Clancy's original kettle chips are less salty and therefore provide more flavor, while others mention the lower price.

A 2-ounce bag of Kettle sea salt chips from Target costs more than the full 8-ounce option from Aldi, which is a marked price difference per ounce. Get a bag and test it out for yourself — just remember to get the kettle one, not the original chips. The kettle chips are thicker and crispier, whereas the originals are thinner and less popular. Try a fun chips and dip pairing by combining Clancy's chips with honey cream cheese or caviar. 

Chocolate peanut butter cups are an absolute classic because they mix two complementary flavors. While there are many brands on the market, one of the most popular is Reese's. But you don't have to purchase Reese's mini peanut butter cups when you can simply buy your next candy fix from Aldi instead. The Choceur brand ones are highly beloved by Aldi customers, who are utterly obsessed with these moreish delights. 

People say they're better than Reese's, but you may not be able to find them in your local store. Multiple people have mentioned that they went months, if not years, without seeing the Choceur peanut butter cups at their specific store. If you spot them, grab them. The resealable bag makes it easy to snack on them with no added wrappers.

You have probably had Cheetos or Cheetos Puffs at some point in your lifetime. The former has a stick-like appearance with delightful crunchiness, while the latter has a puffed look and softer texture. You don't have to go with the Cheetos brand to get your cheesy fix, because Redditors consider Clancy's versions at Aldi much superior. There are two options: Clancy's Cheese Curls and Cheese Puffs, and the name-brand resemblance is so strong that they're nicknamed "Clancy's fake Cheetos" and "Clancy's Cheetos puffs," respectively. 

People swear that the cheesed-up curls are so good that they can eat the entire bag all in one go. Others like how cheesy and crunchy they are, adding that the Cheetos don't match these qualities. If you don't believe us or the Reddit fans, just buy them for yourself to see.

The consensus is that the Millville Toaster Tarts from Aldi are much improved Pop-Tarts, the iconic little snack from the '90s. People agree that Millville's are lightyears better because they have more frosting and a softer, gooier interior. The patchy, haphazard frosting is one of our top grievances with Pop-Tarts, because if we wanted the plain version, we'd just get that. 

These are so good that people say there's no need to purchase the name-brand ever again. Aldi sells three flavors: brown sugar cinnamon, frosted strawberry, and chocolate fudge. You could go for any of them, as people individually call out each of them as exceeding the name brand. Plus, the three Aldi options are top Pop-Tarts flavors, too, making them a competitive (and better) alternative. It boils down to personal preference (we love chocolate fudge and cinnamon), but if you want to start with a staple, then go for the frosted strawberry — it's a classic.

There are a few cheesy crackers and chips on this list, but for good reason. If the public deems them superior to the name brand version, who are we to judge? We love Cheez-Its as much as the next person, but the Savoritz Baked White Cheddar Cheese Crackers from Aldi are considered even more scrumptious. People noted that these are delicious and amazing, so much so that they buy a box a week. One person on Facebook shared that they'd never be able to go back to the name brand one. 

However, one person on Reddit says that they think it's actual Cheez-Its repackaged in a different box. Either way, these are considered a high-caliber option that are easily snackable. It's hard to put them down, and you might find yourself devouring a whole box before you know it. These are great to pack in your kids' school lunches or take as a snack when you're on the go, whether that's work or swim lessons.

Aldi has loads of scrumptious cookies to nibble on, but one in particular caught the eye of customers: Benton's Peanut Butter Filled Cookies. People say this is a Girl Scouts cookie dupe of the Tagalongs, a cookie with a peanut butter layer enrobed in chocolate. 

The Benton's cookies at Aldi are a top lookalike except with a chocolate cookie base. Plenty of Aldi customers deem it much better than the original, in part because of the chocolate base. Some consumers noted that name-brand Tagalongs seemed to be getting worse in quality, and that the Benton's are around half the cost. 

Clearly, Aldi is the place to get your Girl Scouts knock-offs. The cookies are among the top things you should buy your first time at Aldi, so make sure to add a package or two to your shopping cart.  

We looked at various discussions on Reddit and Facebook to find Aldi products that were specifically mentioned as surpassing the original. To qualify for this list, the products had to be close dupes. We allowed differences like the turtle cheese crackers or the Benton's cookies with a chocolate cookie base, but close overall similarity was paramount. 

In several instances, we found customer accounts that did not fit our criteria. For example, we didn't include fan favorite items like the Specially Selected vanilla ice cream despite comparisons to Häagen-Dazs. To us, this Aldi ice cream was too generic to be a dupe. 

This reasoning also applied to Mama Cozzi's French Bread Pepperoni Pizza, another highly acclaimed item. One person had mentioned it was a good Stouffer's dupe, but it could be a dupe of basically any frozen French bread pizza on the market. Although Aldi locations may vary by state, you should find these items in most stores.