My Top 3 Favorite Costco Purchases of All Time

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Some people do a monthly Costco run to stock up on groceries and household products. But I generally go to Costco once a week because we go through food, cleaning supplies, and paper towels in my house at a rapid pace.

I've also been a Costco member for roughly 18 years. So between my long-standing membership and my weekly trips, it's fair to say that I've made my share of Costco purchases . But among all of those, these three stand out as my absolute favorites.

1. My New York Rangers fleece sweatshirt

A few years ago, I was at Costco buying groceries when I happened to pass by the clothing aisle and spot New York Rangers fleece sweatshirts. As a huge fan of the team, an item like that is right up my alley. But I usually don't buy branded products because they're so expensive.

I remember being able to buy this sweatshirt, however, for $20. And while this was probably about five years ago, even if we adjust the price to $30 now for inflation, that's still roughly half of what a similar item would cost if I were to buy it from an official dealer of branded sports gear.

If you have a sports fan in your life, branded gear, from t-shirts to hats to socks, can make a great gift. But it can also be gloriously expensive. So I always recommend seeing if Costco happens to have any gear in stock. You never know when it might.

2. My favorite throw blanket

You can buy a throw blanket pretty much anywhere. But a while back -- probably around the same time as I bought my Rangers sweatshirt -- Costco had fleece throw blankets on sale for $8. Even though I didn't need one, the price was fantastic, and this particular blanket was so soft and cozy I just had to bring it home.

Years later, that blanket is just as soft despite numerous washing machine cycles. And while I haven't seen $8 throw blankets at Costco for a while, you can still find affordable ones. Right now, you can buy a comfy-looking throw blanket from Costco.com for $19.99, and it always pays to check the store for even better prices.

Also, Costco is more likely to restock throw blankets during the fall and winter. So that's when you might find the best deals and a wider selection.

3. Muffins

Clearly, muffins aren't going to have the same sort of staying power as a fleece sweatshirt or throw blanket. But I still rank bakery muffins among my three favorite Costco purchases ever -- even though they're a recurring purchase in my household.

Not only are Costco's muffins fluffy and delicious, but the price can't be beat. At my local Costco, you can buy 12 giant-sized muffins for $9.99. At bakeries in my area, I might pay $4 for a single muffin that's way smaller than one of Costco's. Plus, I love the fact that you can mix and match flavors by the half-dozen for variety.

These three items are only a few of many amazing purchases I've made at Costco through the years. But one thing you should know about Costco is that it stands behind the items it sells. So if you ever buy something there, whether it's food, apparel, or home decor, that doesn't impress you, you can generally bring it back for a full refund.

Chances are, though, you'll end up happy with your Costco purchases more often than not -- to the point where you might struggle to narrow down your list of favorites, like I did.

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